Cm In Depth Research Articles

Grazing regulates soil water-holding functions via altering plant functional groups in the southern Qilian Mountains.

The mattic epipedon (ME) is typically composed of abundant grassroots, organic matter and fine particles, and serves as a vital protective layer for alpine meadows. Overgrazing and human activities have greatly affected the water-holding capacity of ME. However, few studies have focused on the effect mechanism of grazing intensity on the soil water holding function of ME in alpine meadows. In this study, we examined the variations in alpine meadow vegetation and soil physicochemical properties within 0-10cm depth under four grazing intensities: light grazing (LG, 2.7 sheep units/hm2), moderate grazing (MG, 4.5 sheep units/hm2), heavy grazing (HG, 9 sheep units/hm2), and severe grazing (SG, 18 sheep units/hm2). The results showed: 1) As the grazing intensity increased, the dominant vegetation functional group in the alpine meadows transitioned from grasses with a small mean root diameter (0.34cm) to forbs with a larger mean root diameter (1.36cm), and the thickness of ME reached its highest value (4.89cm) under HG; 2) grazing altered soil physicochemical properties, particularly physical structure parameters such as porosity and bulk density, as well as chemical properties like soil organic carbon; 3) the HG grazing level was an important threshold in terms of soil saturated water holding capacity (143.74%) and saturated hydraulic conductivity (12.63mm·min-1), with both parameters reaching their maximum values under HG; 4) correlation analysis results revealed that the proportion of plant functional groups was significantly correlated (P≤0.05) with soil total porosity (TPO) and belowground biomass (BGB). Soil factors, represented by TPO, were involved in the direct and dominant pathways (path coefficients ≥0.50) affecting the SWC of the alpine meadow. This study revealed the effect mechanisms of different grazing intensities on soil water holding function, which are valuable for the development of scientific and rational grazing measures.

Evaluation of surface soil quality and land suitability for agricultural soils affected by soil erosion

Soil erosion is an important environmental factor affecting most agricultural lands, particularly dryland areas where vegetation cover is limited. This study, based on two assessments, was aimed to evaluate the physical impact of soil erosion in dryland areas of Kebbi State, Nigeria. Soil erosion was assessed according USDA-NRCS and FAO guidelines for visual assessment and based on visual soil erosion approach (VSEA). In the first assessment, six types of soil erosion were reported: sheet, rill, gully, winnowing, mass-movement and dry-mechanical. These six types of soil erosion were identified as slight, moderate or severe degrees of impact. Additionally, eight different shapes of rill and gully erosion were classified based on their physical appearance and the nature of their surface soil textures as C, I, J, S, U, V, X and Y. The V, U and Y categories described gully erosion under a uniform sand-silt soil texture, whereas the C, I, J, S and X categories described rill erosion under a sandy loam soil texture. In the second assessment, erosion was classified according to its category and degree of impact for soil quality and land suitability descriptions under the proposed specific VSEA. The results show that the soil quality classes of the study sites are Sq1, Sq2, Sq3, and Sq4 or Sq5, and were identified as very slight, slight, moderate and highly moderate or severe degrees of impact, respectively. However, the land suitability classes were rated as Ls1, Ls2, Ls3, Ls4 and Ls5 corresponding very well to good land, moderately good land, poorly good land, very poor land and bad land, respectively. The estimated impact was recorded from 226 to 555 cm for width and from 116 to 213 cm for depth. It is concluded that the soil quality and land suitability for agricultural production, are physically damage as a result of the rate of rill and gully erosion. Therefore, the study suggested an adaptation of traditionally based conservation practices such as mixed-cropping, zero tillage and shelter-belt to diminish the impact in the study sites.

Subhepatic appendicitis in a 27-year-old male: a case report from Odahulle General Hospital of Ethiopia

The appendix is a small, tube-shaped organ that connects to the cecum, the beginning of the large intestine. Though its role is unknown, it can become infected, resulting in acute appendicitis, which, if not detected and treated early, can lead to serious consequences. Though the symptoms and signs of acute appendicitis are straightforward in most cases, atypical locations might result in unexpected presentations, which can lead to complications as it might not be detected and treated early. This case report describes a 27-year-old Black Ethiopian male patient who presented with right upper abdominal pain, low-grade fever, palpitations, and diarrhea. He also had some episodes of vomiting of ingested matter. Upon physical examination, the patient appeared acutely sick with some degree of tachycardia. An abdominal examination revealed right upper abdominal quadrant tenderness, though there was no palpable mass noted. Laboratory investigations were unremarkable apart from the stool examinations which revealed many pus and red blood cells and was full of actively motile bacteria. An abdominal ultrasound showed an enlarged subhepatic appendix with an internal fecalith 1 cm in depth, that was partially compressible, with no obvious peri appendiceal free fluid or other pathology. An assessment of subhepatic acute appendicitis was suspected and an emergency operation was conducted which revealed an inflamed subhepatic appendix that was on the verge of rupture. At a subsequent follow-up, the patient had significantly improved as evidenced by the lack of symptoms including abdominal pain, fever, and palpitation. Subhepatic appendix is a rare condition caused by either the non-descent of the cecum or intestinal malrotation during early development. As its presentation is not classical and hence mimics other pathologies, the diagnosis may be overlooked, resulting in perforation and abscess formation and leading to increased morbidity and possibly mortality. A high level of suspicion is required for early diagnosis and treatment to improve patient outcomes.

Blended soil amendments: A viable strategy to reduce soluble phosphorus in soils.

Phosphorus (P) loss from soils can contribute significantly toward P enrichment in water bodies, impairing water quality. Application of soil amendments is a viable strategy to decrease soluble P in surface soils. Since soluble P is reduced through different mechanisms that are amendment-specific, blended amendments could be a better approach than single amendment applications; however, very little information is available on blended amendment effects in reducing P loss from soils. We compared the effectiveness of gypsum (CaSO4·2H2O), Epsom salt (MgSO4·7H2O), and alum [Al2(SO4)3·18H2O] applied singly or blended in different ratios in reducing water-extractable P (WEP) and Mehlich-3 P of two soils (0- to 15-cm depth) with contrasting P status (Mehlich-3 P of 7.1 mg kg-1 and 202 mg kg-1) from the Red River Valley region in MB, Canada. Ten treatments used for the laboratory incubation study were unamended control, gypsum or Epsom salt at 2.5 or 5 Mg ha-1, alum at 2.5 Mg ha-1, and four blended treatments of gypsum: alum or Epsom salt: alum at 1:1 or 2:1. Treated soils were saturated and incubated for 2 weeks and analyzed for WEP (an indicator of risk of P loss) and Mehlich-3 P (plant-available P) concentrations. All amendments significantly reduced the WEP concentrations compared to control in both soils. The blended amendments, particularly gypsum-alum blends, performed better than unblended amendments in reducing the potential risk of P loss. Mehlich-3 P concentration was not influenced by amended treatments, suggesting no significant decrease in plant-available P with amendments in both soils.

Exploring management and environment effects on edge-of-field phosphorus losses with linear mixed models.

Evaluating how weather, farm management, and soil conditions impact phosphorus (P) loss from agricultural sites is essential for improving our waterways in agricultural watersheds. In this study, rainfall characteristics, manure application timing, tillage, surface condition, and soil test phosphorus (STP) were analyzed to determine their effects on total phosphorus (TP) and dissolved phosphorus (DP) loss using 125 site-years of runoff data collected by the University of Wisconsin Discovery Farms and Discovery Farms Minnesota. Three linear mixed models (LMMs) were then used to evaluate the influence of those factors on TP and DP losses: (1) a model that included all runoff events, (2) manured sites only, and (3) precipitation events only. Results show that the timing of manure application relative to the timing of a runoff event only had a marginal association with P loads and concentrations, although the majority of the runoff events were collected after 10 days of manure application. Tillage was as influential factor, with greater DP loads and concentrations associated with no-till, especially during frozen conditions. Fields in this study had high STP values, but the model results only showed positive associations between DP load and DP flow-weighted mean concentration (FWMC) loss at the 0- to 15-cm depth. The precipitation event LMM (which included precipitation characteristics) was the model that resulted in the largest R2 value. While the predictive capacity of the LMMs was low, they did illuminate the relative importance of management and environmental variables on P loss, and can be used to guide future research on P loss in this region.

Spatial distribution and driving factors of soil selenium on the Leizhou Peninsula, southern China.

Selenium (Se) is an essential element for humans, playing a critical role in the functioning of the immune system. The global prevalence of dietary Se deficiency is a significant public health concern, largely attributed to the low levels of Se present in crops. The sufficient Se in plants and humans is determined by the presence of stable Se sources in the soil. The Leizhou Peninsula is an important agricultural region in China, but the concentration and spatial distribution of Se in its soils remain unclear. To address this issue, we analyzed Se concentration data from 3333 soil samples collected at the depth of 0-20cm from the Leizhou Peninsula, covering an area of 13,225 km2. The results indicate that the mean soil Se concentration was 0.50mgkg-1, with Se-enriched soils being widely distributed. This provides prospects for the development of Se-enriched crops. Using random forest (RF)modeling and correlation analysis, the clay minerals (Fe-Al oxides), chemical index of alteration (CIA), and soil organic carbon (SOC) have been identified as the principal determinants of Se distribution in soil. During the weathering processes of the basalts, Fe-Al oxides serve as a crucial factor in Se accumulation in the red soils. Furthermore, the tropical climate further contributes to increasing the degree of weathering and the proportion of clay minerals and SOC in the soil. Atmospheric deposition derived from marine and precipitation is another important factor that promotes Se flux into soils. In conclusion, the distribution pattern of Se is jointly determined by the weathering process of basalt and climatic conditions. The results of the geographically weighted regression(GWR) analysis revealed that SOC, Al2O3, TFe2O3 and CIA change spatially and exhibit a spatial non-stationarity relationship with Se. This study offers a theoretical foundation and practical guidance for the sustainable development of Se-enriched agriculture and similar climate settings worldwide.

A review of the roles importance and threats of Apis florea

Apis florea and its closely related sister species, Apis andreniformis, within the subgenus Micrapis, represent one of the most evolutionarily primitive lineages in the genus Apis. Unique features of A. florea include the elongated "thumb" on the drones' bifurcated basitarsus, smooth abdominal tergites with reddish pigmentation, and behaviours such as wax salvage, prolonged foraging, aggressive territoriality, and high genetic diversity attributed to its polygamous queens. A. florea nests are typically more giant and are often located on exposed surfaces such as trees, walls, and buildings, with preferred nesting plants including Pongamia pinnata, Mangifera indica, and Bougainvillea species. While A. florea can accept queens of A. andreniformis. A. florea dominates in various horticultural settings due to its resilience and significant role in pollinating crops like bitter gourd, carrot, moringa, coriander, and phalsa. The queen chamber of A. florea measures 1.41 ± 0.15 cm in depth and 0.47 ± 0.09 cm in diameter, while the worker bee cells measure 0.29 ± 0.15 cm in diameter and 0.93 ± 0.07 cm in depth. The dimensions of A. florea hives are generally larger. The bees gathered pollen and nectar from the same sources or in successive foraging visits from all the plant species except Spathodea campanulate. In India, domestication trials for A. florea have been attempted, though with limited yield, as honey is valued more for its medicinal properties than quantity. A. florea honey, rich in dextrins, levulose, and antioxidants such as proline and phenols, demonstrates high therapeutic potential. Due to the critical role of A. florea in natural and horticultural ecosystems and its distinct ecological adaptations, further research is encouraged to explore this species' impact in greater depth. Despite their phylogenetic similarity, A. florea stands out due to specific morphological and behavioural characteristics, which have not received substantial scientific attention. This review aims to consolidate information on A. florea, detailing its morphology, nesting habits, and ecological contributions, particularly in pollination and horticultural systems.

Gully Category, Slope Position and Soil Depth Studies of ‘Acid Sand’: Their Effects Upon Soil Physical Properties in Akwa Ibom State, Southeastern Nigeria

The menace of gully erosion is quite alarming on soils of coastal plain sands of southeastern Nigeria. Consequent upon this, a study was conducted to determine effect of Gully Categories, gully slope position and soil depth affect soil properties on coastal plain sand, Akwa Ibom State, Southeastern Nigeria. The study was conducted in nine (9) gully erosion sites. The gullies were grouped into three broad categories based on their dynamics namely, Active gullies, Meta stable gullies and Stabilized/old gullies at three Gully slope positions of upper slope, middle slope and Lower Slope with a control site. Samples were collected with a spade at 0-20cm and 20-50cm depths. Data generated were fitted into a 3 x 3 x 2 factorial designed and were assessed with the used of analysis of variance. The result revealed that under gully category, there was no significant effect of gully category on content of Fs, Cs, Ts, Silt and Clay, but sand fraction dominated other soil particle fractions also, SOG > MsG >AcG soil in saturated hydraulic conductivity, and was affected by gully category. Result of bulk density affected by gully slope position obtained shows the lowest bulk density in CT soil (1.38 mgm-3), followed by LS soil (1.39 Mgm-3) and US (1.44 Mgm -3) soils, which were statistically equal. Effect of depth shows that 0.20cm depth, Fs, Cs, Ts, silt and clay had mean values of 256, 525, 780, 50 and 169 gkg-1, respectively, while 20-50cm depth, Fs Cs, Ts, Silt and Clay recorded mean values of 262, 523, 784, 52 and 164 gkg-1, respectively. Permanent wilting point was also significantly affected by the interaction of Gully Category, Gully Slope position and soil depth. The combination of SOG and subsoil showed high PWP at the CT, US and Ms, when compared to other combinations (ACG and MSG) with exceptions in ACG x US x Subsoil and MSG x US x Topsoil and MSG x US x topsoil and Subsoil, which were at the same level with the earlier mentioned combinations involving SOG.

Diversity and Distribution of Methane Functional Microorganisms in Sedimentary Columns of Hongfeng Reservoir in Different Seasons.

Freshwater ecosystem is a significant natural source of CH4 emission in the atmosphere. To fully understand the dynamics of methane emissions in reservoirs, it is essential to grasp the temporal and vertical distribution patterns, as well as the factors that influence the methanogenic bacterial communities within the sediments. This study investigates the methane dynamics, carbon isotope fractionation (δ13CH4), and abundance of functional microorganisms along the geochemical gradient in the in situ sedimentary column of Hongfeng Reservoir (China). Notably, the methane concentration in sediment in summer ranged in 15.39-127.22µmol/L, which is twice as high as wintertime concentrations in the surface layer near the sediment-water interface (0-10cm depth). Illumina sequencing of the sediments identified 11 genera affiliated with methanogenic archaea, with dominant genus Methanosaeta reaching a relative abundance of 34.95% in summer. The total carbon (TOC) content in sedimentary columns in different seasons is positively correlated with Methanosarcina (P < 0.05). In addition, seasonal discrepancies are observed in the sediment profiles for total nitrogen (TN), sulfate (SO42-), and ferrous iron (Fe2+) concentrations. The concentration of total nitrogen (TN) is higher in summer than in winter. In summer, sulfate accumulates in the middle layer of the sedimentary column, while in winter, the maximum concentration of sulfate in the surface layer reaches 0.65mmol/L. These geochemical gradients drive the biological transformation of nitrogen, sulfur, and iron, may also be linked to the consumption of methane. Thus, it is established that the temporal and spatial dynamics of methanogenic communities in sediments significantly influence the fluctuations in methane release fluxes within reservoirs, highlighting the necessity to account for seasonal biological variations when assessing greenhouse gas emissions from reservoirs.

Turfgrass species and sward age influence soil carbon pools near the soil surface

AbstractEnhancing soil carbon (C) sequestration helps reduce atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations. Turfgrasses are important crops in the urban environment and have shown potential for C sequestration. However, little is known about how turfgrass species selection affects soil C concentration or how this varies over time. The objectives of this research were to evaluate the effect of three turfgrass species, sward age, and soil sampling depth on total soil C and N, soil organic matter (SOM), and labile soil C. A total of 25 locations throughout Indiana were sampled from established swards of Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis L.), tall fescue [Festuca arundinacea Schreb.; syn. Schedonorus arundinaceus (Schreb.) Dumort., nom. cons.], and zoysiagrass (Zoysia japonica Steud.) with varying sward age. Turfgrass species affected soil total C and labile C concentrations but had no effect on soil total nitrogen (N) or SOM. Differences between the C pools of soils under turf 0–10 years in age compared to those 11–25 years in age only occurred near the soil surface. As turf swards age, total soil C, total soil N, and SOM increased near the soil surface (0‐ to 7.5‐cm depth) and little beyond the 7.5 cm in depth. The strong relationship (p ≤ 0.0001, R2 &gt; 0.57) between total N, SOM, and labile C highlighted their interplay in the mineralization of N from SOM and changes in the short‐term C pool of a turfgrass system.

Observational evidence of impact of heavy rainfall events on surface energetics and soil variables over a tropical station Tirupati

Observational evidence of impact of heavy rainfall events on surface energetics and soil variables over a tropical station Tirupati

Assessing the impact of multi-source environmental variables on soil organic carbon in different land use types of China using an interpretable high-precision machine learning method

Assessing the impact of multi-source environmental variables on soil organic carbon in different land use types of China using an interpretable high-precision machine learning method

Clinical performance and cost-effectiveness of a Silicone foam with 3DFit™ technology in chronic wounds compared with standard of care: An open randomised multicentre investigation.

The objective of the study was to show the clinical performance and cost-effectiveness of a Silicone foam dressing with 3DFit™ Technology compared to current standard of care. This was an open-labelled, two-arm, randomised controlled multicentre study conducted from February to December 2023. One hundred and two participants with an exuding, non-infected and chronic ulcer were randomised in a 1:1 fashion and treated with either a Silicone foam with 3DFit™ Technology or standard of care (a filler combined with a secondary dressing), stratified by venous leg ulcers and diabetic foot ulcers. After a 4-week study period, wound size and total costs were evaluated. After 4 weeks of treatment, a comparable percentage in wound area reduction was observed in both treatment arms with mean and 95% confidence interval of 54.3% (37.1%; 71.5%) and 43.0% (26.5%; 59.6%) for the investigational and comparator dressing, respectively. This corresponded to a mean difference of 11.3% ([-10.22; 32.86], p = 0.299). Total mean estimated costs were significantly lower for the investigational dressing (£14.3, 95% confidence interval [£9.6; £19.0]) compared to the two-dressing regime (£21.4 [£16.9; £26.0]), corresponding to a 33% price reduction (p = 0.033) after 4 weeks of treatment. With this RCT, a conforming Silicone foam dressing with 3DFit™ Technology was shown to be clinically comparable and a cost-effective alternative to using a filler and a secondary dressing at a significantly lower cost in both venous leg ulcers and diabetic foot ulcers up to 2 cm in depth.

Colony Fingerprinting: Image-Based Pathogen Identification for High-Throughput Food Microbiological Testing

Introduction: The contamination of foodborne pathogens in food products poses a substantial risk to public health. Precise detection and identification of pathogens is important for food safety. Conventional identification techniques rely on biochemical metabolic profiling and 16S ribosomal RNA sequencing. Recently, mass spectrometry-based approaches, such as matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS) has been employed to distinguish pathogens. These methodologies require expensive reagents and equipment, expertise, and prolonged incubation. To overcome these issues, we introduce colony fingerprinting (CFP) that identify bacterial species based on image analysis of bacterial micro-colony without additional works [1,2]. CFP utilizes machine learning technology to distinguish bacterial species based on image characteristics, such as the shape or optical patterns. In this study, we newly developed a line image sensor-based CFP system [3]. The imaging unit offers practical throughput by covering the entire surface of the Petri dish used in the actual field. To demonstrate the efficacy of the system, we collected datasets of bacterial colony images using the system and trained a bacterial species identification model. The model enables the detection of Staphylococcus aureus inoculated in food samples with high accuracy in less than half the time required by conventional methods. This result indicates the usefulness of the CFP system for easy and rapid pathogen testing. Materials and Methods: The CFP system consisted of an imaging unit and an incubation unit (124 cm in width, 44 cm in height, 56 cm in depth). It captured colony images using a line image sensor consisting of 16,384 pixels (with a pixel size of 3.52 μm) under a collimated blue light-emitting diode emitting light (470 nm). The imaging area of this system for a single scan was 57.5 mm × 95 mm with a resolution of 44.2 μm. The incubation unit was equipped with an electric motor-driven Petri dish (92 mm) holder designed to be moved into the imaging unit during the culture process. To maintain the incubation temperature, the incubator unit employed an air heater based on a proportional-integral-differential controller. Bacteria were cultured on solid agar medium at the appropriate temperatures for durations ranging from 24 to 72 h. Less than 100 bacterial cells were inoculated onto a Petri dish for each species. In this study, fifteen bacterial species were analyzed, including four foodborne pathogens: S. aureus, Bacillus cereus, Escherichia coli, and Salmonella enterica. Results & Discussion: We monitored the growth of 1335 colonies (15 species × 89 colonies) at 5-min intervals to collect datasets for a machine learning. To extract image characteristics from colony images, colony regions were segmented using a trained fully convolutional network. Fifty-nine discrimination parameters were calculated to characterize the colony images in terms of luminance, texture, geometric details, and growth rate at 13 distinct growth stages (0.025 to 1.0 mm2) in an individual colony. The dataset was split into two subsets, with 80% of the data used to train the XGBoost classification model. The remaining 20% was allocated for validation to assess the accuracy of the model. The validation results show that an average accuracy of 92% was achieved when the colony size exceeded 0.3 mm2, and the accuracy increased to 96% at 0.6 mm2. This result suggests that the model constructed in this study is capable of identifying microbial species with high accuracy even in early stage of culturing.To verify the generalization performance of this model, we conducted validations for the detection of S. aureus, which is a significant foodborne pathogen, in spiked milk samples. We monitored three Petri dishes inoculated with diluted milk samples and analysed image parameters from 239 colonies. As a result, 96% S. aureus were successfully detected when the colony size exceeded 0.3 mm2, requiring 10 hours of incubation. Our model enables the rapid detection of pathogenic bacteria compared with MALDI-TOF-MS. On the other hand, our system could not perfectly detect S. aureus, despite the distinct colony colors of the misidentified species. This limitation arises from the property of imaging unit that can only acquire grayscale data. To improve the discrimination accuracy, the line image sensor was replaced with one equipped with RGB elements. Consequently, misidentified species in grayscale were clearly discriminated. These results highlighted the potential of color image analysis for enhanced discrimination.

Evaluating factors affecting soil organic carbon retention in sustainable stormwater nature - based technologies

Low impact development (LID) are prominent type of vegetated stormwater infrastructure that provides various ecosystem services, such as biodiversity, carbon storage, and improvement in air quality. This study investigated six LID technologies to assess SOC retention and factors influencing accumulation. Soil samples (0-20cm depth) were analyzed using the Walkley-Black method, specifically focusing on wet oxidation. SOC stocks ranged from 18.5 to 66.3tC/ha in the inflow and 18.6 to 79.1tC/ha in the outflow, with SCW and TBF showing higher SOC due to root turnover, stormwater runoff, and media composition. This study found that vegetation and impervious catchments significantly influenced SOC levels. Trees exhibited higher SOC due to their extensive root systems and longer life cycles. Roads and parking lots had higher SOC from plant debris and hydrocarbons in stormwater runoff. SOC also varied seasonally, peaking in spring due to photosynthesis and decreasing in summer and autumn from increased microbial respiration. A complex relationship between SOC and soil physico-chemeical perameters were also investigated, with moisture content and total nitrogen being critical factors for carbon stocks. Overall, the results from this study are seen as beneficial in optimizing the design guidelines for LID technologies for carbon sequestration and green space expansion in urban areas.

Evaluation of Soil Texture, EC, pH and Primary Macro Elements in Five Mango Orchard Soils of Kotri, Sindh, Pakistan

Analysis of soil is a very important practice for evaluating the nutrient status and ultimately establishing the fertilizer application program for soil health, fruit quality and production. The aim of present study was to assess the soil texture, electrical conductivity (EC), pH, and primary macronutrients such as N, P, K at 0-15 and 15-30cm depths from five orchards such as Aijaz farm (Orchard 1), Zardari farm (Orchard 2), Shahnawaz farm (Orchard 3), Ismail farm (Orchard 4), and Malik Azad farm (Orchard 5) of Kotri, Sindh Pakistan. The results indicated that most of the soils were sandy clay loam in textural class. The maximum electrical conductivity was found 0.65 dS m-1 in orchard 5, whereas the lowest electrical conductivity was found as 0.42 dS m-1 in orchard 1 at 15-30cm. All the orchards were found alkaline in nature at both 0-15 and 15-30cm depths. The total N content was found 80% low and 20% adequate at 0-15cm depth and 100% orchards were found low in total N content in soil at 15-30cm depth as compared with standard values. The AB-DTPA-P content in orchards were found 60% marginal and 40% adequate at 0-15cm depth, whereas 20% low, 40% marginal and 40% adequate were found at 15-30cm depth. AB-DTPA-K (mg kg-1) was found 20% low and 80% marginal at 0-15 and 15-30cm depths. Future studies should focus on assessing the soil biological properties, plant analysis, soil interaction mechanism, amended with press mud compost, farmyard manure, biochar, modified biochar, nano-material, minerals and low-cost additives.

Factors determining the invasion pattern of Ageratina adenophora Spreng. in Kumaun Himalaya India

Factors determining the invasion pattern of Ageratina adenophora Spreng. in Kumaun Himalaya India

Wearable Ultrasound System Using Low-Voltage Time Delay Spectrometry for Dynamic Tissue Imaging.

Wearable ultrasound is emerging as a new paradigm of real-time imaging in freely moving humans and has wide applications from cardiovascular health monitoring to human gesture recognition. However, current wearable ultrasound devices have typically employed pulse-echo imaging which requires high excitation voltages and sampling rates, posing safety risks, and requiring specialized hardware. Our objective was to develop and evaluate a wearable ultrasound system based on time delay spectrometry (TDS) that utilizes low-voltage excitation and significantly simplified instrumentation. We developed a TDS-based ultrasound system that utilizes continuous, frequency-modulated sweeps at low excitation voltages. By mixing the transmit and receive signals, the system digitizes the ultrasound signal at audio frequency (kHz) sampling rates. Wearable ultrasound transducers were developed, and the system was characterized in terms of imaging performance, acoustic output, thermal characteristics, and applications in musculoskeletal imaging. The prototype TDS system is capable of imaging up to 6 cm of depth with signal-to-noise ratio of up to 42 dB at a spatial resolution of 0.33 mm. Acoustic and thermal radiation measurements were within clinically safe limits for continuous ultrasound imaging. We demonstrated the ability to use a 4-channel wearable system for dynamic imaging of muscle activity. We developed a wearable ultrasound imaging system using TDS to mitigate challenges with pulse echo-based wearable ultrasound imaging systems. Our device is capable of high-resolution, dynamic imaging of deep-seated tissue structures and is safe for long-term use. This work paves the way for low-voltage wearable ultrasound imaging devices with significantly reduced hardware complexity.

Preliminary findings of the TB-HEART Study: prevalence of cardiac pathology among newly diagnosed patients with tuberculosis with and without HIV in Zambia

Abstract Background Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) burden is rapidly increasing in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) where tuberculosis and HIV prevalence remain high.(1-3) Recent data suggest pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) is associated with increased CVD morbidity.(4) However, the mechanisms of cardiac injury remain poorly understood. Purpose The TB-HEART study is a cross-sectional and natural history study consecutively recruiting participants with newly-diagnosed PTB, living with and without HIV in Zambia. The primary outcome is the burden of cardiac pathology in PTB patients with and without HIV. Methods Participants with bacteriologically-proven PTB, consecutively recruited from an outpatient settings in Zambia, undergo detailed clinical and functional assessments including point-of-care and standard two-dimensional (2D) echocardiography. Participants are reviewed at completion of TB treatment when all assessments are repeated. The target sample size is 250 participants with PTB, with and without HIV, matched 2: 1 to participants without PTB, stratified by HIV. Results Since 1 November 2023, we have recruited 73 participants with a mean age of 35.3±10.9 years of whom 51/73 (69.9%) are male and 19/73 (23.5%) are living with HIV. Baseline characteristics including cardiovascular risk factors, TB symptoms, anthropometry and clinical and functional observations at presentation, stratified by HIV status, are summarised in Table 1. We detected significant cardiac pathology (defined as left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) &amp;lt;51% and/or pericardial effusion &amp;gt;2cm in depth) in 8/65 (12.3%) participants for whom 2D-echocardiography had been completed. Median LVEF was 61.2% (IQR 57.7-67.8). LVEF was normal in 59/65 (91%); mildly abnormal in 5/65 (7.7%); and moderately abnormal in 1/65 (1.5%) participants, respectively. Pericardial effusion &amp;gt;0.5cm was detected in 16/65 (24.6% ) participants and maximum effusion depth was &amp;gt;2cm in 2/16 (3.1%), 1-2cm in 12/16 (75%) and &amp;lt;1cm in 2/16 (12.5%). 2D-echocardiography findings, stratified by HIV-status, are described in Table 2 alongside two echocardiography stills of typical pericardial effusion findings in one participant. Conclusions Our preliminary results demonstrate a higher than expected prevalence of cardiac pathology among participants with PTB with and without HIV, which ranges from 1-7% in autopsy studies and case series.(5-7) The most common cardiac pathology was pericardial effusion. Further analyses will include cardiac biomarkers; repeat clinical and echocardiographic assessments at TB treatment completion; and comparator data, to determine associations between prevalent cardiac pathology and PTB controlling for HIV and TB status, respectively. This may have important implications for clinical practice to prevent complications such as constrictive pericarditis; and policy design to better integrate TB and HIV patient services with preventative care to reduce future CVD risk.Table 1 - Baseline characteristicsFigure 1 and Table 2

Physical attributes of the soil in an area under Forage Palm management in the Agreste of Alagoas

The objective was to evaluate soil density (Ds) and penetration resistance (RP) in an experimental area with forage palm management. The study was conducted in an experimental area belonging to the Federal University of Alagoas - Arapiraca Campus. To determine the Ds, undeformed samples were collected at three points within the plot, each point with three different depths (0-10; 10-20 and 20-30 cm). To determine the PR, the impact penetrometer was used at depths of 0-60 cm. For comparison purposes, samples were collected in a native forest area. The data were submitted to analysis through the statistical program R and Tukey test at 1 and 5% probability. Ds ranged from 1.59 to 1.63 g cm-3, not differing significantly. The lowest densities were obtained in the surface layer, influenced by the contribution of organic matter and greater presence of roots. In all depths evaluated, the Ds values were lower for the native forest area. In relation to PR, the values gradually increased up to the first 20 cm of depth for most treatments, reflecting the influence that the non-soil revolution causes in the most superficial layers. Therefore, Ds did not differ significantly. The 0-10 cm layer showed the lowest Ds values. The native forest showed the lowest Ds values at all depths when compared to the managed area. PR gradually increased to the first 20 cm of depth for most of the treatments analyzed.