Large Volume Research Articles

PANORAMA OF THE SCIENTIFIC PRODUCTION OF AZUKI BEANS IN 10 YEARS

Azuki bean (Vigna angularis), belonging to the Fabaceae family, is one of the most traditional crops in East Asia. It is widely consumed in Japan in dishes such as porridge, soups, cakes, pastries, and mixed with rice. Rich in fiber, magnesium, potassium, calcium, and folic acid, azuki beans contain approximately 55% starch. In Brazil, this legume is still relatively unknown, with little information available on its agricultural production. This study aims to analyze and quantify the availability of scientific articles on azuki beans, both at the national and international levels, based on publications from 2012 to 2022. The analysis period it covered the months of August to October 2022. The descriptor “Adzuki Beans” yielded the highest number of publications, with 2021 being the year with the largest volume, totaling 73 articles. In contrast, the descriptor “Feijão Azuki” showed a significantly lower number of articles, with only three publications in 2015. The Web of Science database had the highest number of published articles, totaling 488 publications during the analyzed period.

A Portable Passive Ankle-Foot Orthosis for Walking Propulsion and Drop-Foot Prevention

Abstract Individuals with a drop-foot generally have issues of foot-slap and toe-drag, and ankle-foot orthoses (AFOs) have been developed for them to address the drop-foot gait. However, the currently available active AFOs usually have heavier mass, larger volume, and additional power sources, and almost all of the passive AFOs can achieve dorsiflexion assistance at the cost of making plantarflexion more difficult, which increases the wearer's metabolic cost of walking. This paper illustrates the development and validation of a passive AFO for walking propulsion and drop-foot prevention of individuals with a drop-foot gait. The AFO is primarily composed of a propulsion module, a drop-foot prevention module, and a support module. The propulsion module can detect the wearer's gait stages, and it can control the energy storage and release of an energy storage spring-A by switching the state of a clutch-A mechanism. The drop-foot prevention module is designed to correct the abnormal gait of individuals with a drop-foot gait during the swing phase. Experiments are conducted to evaluate the performance of the developed AFO. The experimental results demonstrate that during a gait cycle, reductions of 7.74%, 6.72%, and 16.36% of the average muscle activities of the gastrocnemius, soleus, and tibialis anterior are observed, respectively. The significance of this study is the development of a portable passive AFO that has the potential to provide plantarflexion assistance and dorsiflexion assistance for the wearers during the late stance phase and swing phase, respectively.

90 Awardee Talk: Shedding light into the black box: The dual-flow continuous culture system and ruminal fermentation

Abstract Nutrients derived from ruminal fermentation supply a substantial amount of metabolizable nutrients for ruminants. These include amino acids, carbohydrates, fatty acids, vitamins, and fermentation end products, such as ammonia and volatile fatty acids. Furthermore, ruminal fermentation modifies dietary nutrients in such a way that nutrients reaching the small intestine for absorption may substantially differ from those being consumed in the diet. Therefore, understanding ruminal fermentation kinetics and quantification of nutrients flowing out of the rumen is an important aspect of ruminant nutrition. Accurate quantification of these nutrients, using in vivo experiments, is laborious, costly, and invasive, requiring surgical procedures such as ruminal, abomasal, and intestinal cannulas. To decrease the time and cost of experiments as well as the use of animals, in vitro methodologies are important tools in ruminant nutrition. Therefore, the objectives of this presentation are i) describe different in vitro methodologies, ii) discuss the advantages of in vitro methodologies, iii) discuss shortcomings of in vitro methodologies, and iv) describe potential developments that may improve in vitro methodologies. Having been used for decades, in vitro methodologies such as pure, batch, and continuous cultures have been well documented to investigate a wide array of aspects of nutrition, including the effects of different dietary compositions, individual fermentation end products, and impacts on the microbiome. However, both batch and pure cultures can result in a build-up of end products that may inhibit fermentation. Continuous culture, however, allows for the removal of end products but, similar to pure and batch cultures, is applicable only to ruminal fermentation and cannot provide information regarding intestinal digestion. The dual-flow continuous culture system (DFCC), developed in the 1970s and used by various laboratories in the USA and Europe consists of fermentation vessels of approximately 1.5 L that are capable of simulating ruminal fermentation for periods longer than 10 d. It has been extensively used and evaluated by meta-analyses. When compared with other in vitro methodologies, the DFCC has longer fermentation time, larger volume, and the possibility of sampling from the liquid and the solid flows. When compared with in vivo experiments the DFCC is faster, less costly, less invasive, allows for greater range of treatments, allows for more controlled condition, and isolates ruminal function. Limitations of the DFCC include it does not predict in vivo response, it assumes equal saliva flow and concentration, no effects of intake, no ruminal absorption, less retention of protozoa, possible differences in microbiome, and limited gas emission data. Therefore, while in vitro methodologies provide useful data into the field of ruminant nutrition, some in vitro methodologies are more robust than others. Furthermore, in vivo experiments are still the ideal approach for assessing nutrient utilization and necessary to evaluate animal responses.

Evidence for moth pollination in a rhinomyiophilous Erica species from the Cape Floristic Region of South Africa.

Contrasting pollination syndromes in closely related species suggest that floral trait divergence is associated with differences in pollination system, but empirical observations are required to confirm syndrome-based predictions. We present a comparative study of two closely related Erica species with contrasting pollination syndromes from the Cape Floristic Region of South Africa. Ericacylindrica has narrowly tubular pale and strongly scented flowers and is known to be hawkmoth-pollinated. The closely related Ericainfundibuliformis has bright flower colours and appears to lack scent, traits that are suggestive of pollination by long-tongued nemestrinid flies (rhinomyiophily). Floral trait measurements revealed that both species exhibit predominantly upright flower orientation and elongated floral tubes, although tube length of E.infundibuliformis is consistently greater than that of E.cylindrica. For both species, petals are brighter than floral tube surfaces, but flowers of E.cylindrica lack the strong UV reflectance found in E.infundibuliformis. Nectar of E.infundibuliformis is more concentrated and produced in larger volumes. Scent composition, but not evening scent emission rates, differed between the species: scent of E.cylindrica is dominated by aromatic compounds, whereas scent of E.infundibuliformis is dominated by (E)-ocimene and other terpenoid compounds and is emitted at higher rates during the day than the evening. Pollinator observations contradicted trait-based predictions: although a single nemestrinid fly captured in the vicinity of E.infundibuliformis did carry Erica pollen, almost all other diurnal flower visitors were nectar-robbing Hymenoptera which did not carry Erica pollen. Contrary to predictions, at two sites and over two flowering seasons, flowers were consistently visited in the evenings by several species of settling moths and hawkmoths which carried pollen, almost exclusively of Erica, on their proboscides. Our findings thus suggest that, despite objective differences in key floral traits between the closely related hawkmoth-pollinated E.cylindrica and E.infundibuliformis, moths are also important pollinators of E.infundibuliformis. A bimodal pollination system involving predominant pollination by moths and occasional visits by long-proboscid flies could partially reconcile findings with predictions. Our study further suggests that hawkmoth pollination may be more widespread in both Erica and the broader Cape flora than has hitherto been assumed and emphasises the importance of nocturnal pollinator observations.

Macrophage polarization in human periapical lesions in relation to histopathological diagnosis, clinical features and lesion volume: An exvivo study.

To evaluate M1 and M2 macrophage polarization in radicular cysts and periapical granulomas through an immunohistochemical analysis and the correlation between macrophage polarization and histopathological diagnosis, clinical characteristics and lesion volume using cone-beam computed tomography. Periapical biopsies diagnosed as radicular cysts (n = 52) and periapical granulomas (n = 51) were analysed by immunohistochemical method. Teeth with periapical lesion with no history of root canal treatment (primary lesion) and lesions persistent to root canal treatment (persistent lesions) were included. Pathological diagnosis, patients' age, gender and clinical characteristics were obtained from treatment records. A cone-beam computed tomographic periapical volume index (CBCTPAVI) score was assigned to each periapical lesion based on the volume of the lesion. Immuno-expressions of CD68 and CD163 were quantified. The CD68/CD163 ratio was adopted to represent M1 or M2 macrophage polarization. Mann-Whitney U test was used to determine the different CD68/CD163 ratio between groups of radicular cyst and periapical granuloma. Spearman's correlation test was performed to assess the correlation between the CD68/CD163 ratio and lesion volume and CBCTPAVI score. Radicular cysts and periapical granulomas had CD68/CD163 median of 2.05 (IQR = 1.33) and 1.26 (IQR = 0.81), respectively. A significantly higher CD68/CD163 ratio was observed in radicular cysts (p < .001). In contrast, periapical granulomas had significantly lower median of CD68/CD163 ratio. Larger lesions had a higher median of CD68/CD163 ratio, while smaller lesions had lower median of CD68/CD163 ratio (p = .007, rs = .262). CD68/CD163 ratio was significantly correlated with the CBCTPAVI score in the overall periapical lesions (p = .002, rs = .306). The higher CD68/CD163 ratio in larger lesions indicated a higher degree of M1 polarization compared to smaller lesions. Regarding the pathological diagnosis, there was a significant positive correlation between CBCTPAVI score and CD68/CD163 ratio in periapical granulomas (p < .001, rs = .453), whereas the negative correlation was observed for radicular cysts (p < .001, rs = -.471). Periapical granulomas are characterized by a M2-dominant macrophage polarization, while radicular cysts have significantly higher M1 macrophages. The higher degree of M1 macrophage polarization was significantly correlated with larger volume and higher CBCTPAVI scores of overall periapical lesion and periapical granuloma.

Progression of Bone Marrow Lesions and the Development of Knee Osteoarthritis: Osteoarthritis Initiative Data.

Background Bone marrow lesions (BMLs) are a known risk factor for incident knee osteoarthritis (OA), and deep learning (DL) methods can assist in automated segmentation and risk prediction. Purpose To develop and validate a DL model for quantifying tibiofemoral BML volume on MRI scans in knees without radiographic OA and to assess the association between longitudinal BML changes and incident knee OA. Materials and Methods This retrospective study included knee MRI scans from the Osteoarthritis Initiative prospective cohort (February 2004-October 2015). The DL model, developed between August and October 2023, segmented the tibiofemoral joint into 10 subregions and measured BML volume in each subregion. Baseline and 4-year follow-up MRI scans were analyzed. Knees without OA at baseline were categorized into three groups based on 4-year BML volume changes: BML-free, BML regression, and BML progression. The risk of developing radiographic and symptomatic OA over 9 years was compared among these groups. Results Included were 3869 non-OA knees in 2430 participants (mean age, 59.5 years ± 9.0 [SD]; female-to-male ratio, 1.3:1). At 4-year follow-up, 2216 knees remained BML-free, 1106 showed an increase in BML volume, and 547 showed a decrease in BML volume. BML progression was associated with a higher risk of developing radiographic knee OA compared with remaining BML-free (hazard ratio [HR] = 3.0; P < .001) or BML regression (HR = 2.0; P < .001). Knees with BML progression also had a higher risk of developing symptomatic OA compared with BML-free knees (HR = 1.3; P < .001). Larger volume changes in BML progression were associated with a higher risk of developing both radiographic OA (HR = 2.0; P < .001) and symptomatic OA (HR = 1.7; P < .001). In almost all subchondral plates, especially the medial femur and tibia, BML progression was associated with a higher risk of developing both radiographic and symptomatic OA compared with remaining BML-free. Conclusion Knees with BML progression, according to subregion and extent of volume changes, were associated with an increased risk of OA compared with BML-free knees and knees with BML regression, highlighting the potential utility of monitoring BML volume changes in evaluating interventions to prevent OA development. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT00080171 © RSNA, 2024 Supplemental material is available for this article. See also the editorial by Said and Sakly in this issue.

Thermal stability of electron beam welded AlCoCrFeNi2.1 alloy

Abstract AlCoCrFeNi2.1 alloy, which belongs to the group of eutectic high-entropy alloys (EHEAs), possesses a combination of increased strength and ductility. It should retain these properties over a wide temperature range due to the high entropy effect of the system. At the same time, eutectic alloys are generally considered to have good castability, which increases the possibility of casting the alloy in larger volumes. One of the processes, that the alloy does not avoid when applied in industry, are the various joining techniques including electron beam welding. The weld area is often in a non-equilibrium state, which increases the risk of failure during operation. The paper therefore discusses the stability of the microstructure and mechanical properties of AlCoCrFeNi2.1 alloy when exposed to short-term elevated temperatures. The material heated at 900 °C for 1 h in a vacuum furnace was observed using light and electron microscopy, analyzed for chemical and phase composition and finally subjected to HV0.1 hardness measurement and tensile strength test. The resulting condition was compared with the welded joint before exposure to elevated temperature. The microstructure of the weld was formed by a fine lamellar eutectic over the entire observed area. EBSD analysis confirmed the presence of a combination of FCC and BCC phases. The material hardness reached an average value of 370 HV0.1. Maximum tensile strength of the weld joint was measured at 944 MPa with the corresponding displacement of the crosshead 6.1 mm. The welded joint demonstrated sufficient stability and the ability to withstand short-term severe elevated temperature conditions.

First Dosimetric and Biological Verification for Spot-Scanning Hadron Arc Radiation Therapy With Carbon Ions

Purpose: Spot-scanning Hadron Arc therapy (SHArc) is a novel delivery technique for ion beams with potentially improved dose conformity and dose-averaged linear energy transfer (LETd) redistribution. The first dosimetric validation and in vitro verification of carbon ion arc delivery is presented. Methods: Intensity Modulated Particle Therapy (IMPT) and SHArc plans were designed to deliver homogenous physical dose or biological dose in a cylindrical PMMA phantom. Additional IMPT carbon plans were optimized for testing different LETd-boosting strategies. Verifications of planned doses were performed with an ionization chamber and clonogenic survival assay was conducted using A549 cancer lung cell line. Radiation-induced nuclear 53BP1 foci were assessed to evaluate the cellular response in both normoxic and hypoxic conditions. Results: Dosimetric measurements and clonogenic assay results showed a good agreement to planned dose and survival distributions. Measured survival fractions and foci confirmed carbon ions SHArc as potential modality to overcome hypoxia-induced radio-resistance. LETd-boosted IMPT plans reached similar LETd in the target as in SHArc plans promising similar features against hypoxia but at the cost of an increased entrance dose. SHArc resulted, however, in a lower dose bath but in a larger volume around the target. Conclusion: The first proof of principle of carbon ions SHArc delivery was performed and experimental evidence suggests this novel modality as an attractive approach for treating hypoxic tumor.

Stakeholder-driven development of a decision support framework targeting sustainable water supply systems

The energy and water demand are expected to increase as a consequence of industrial development. The water streams in a typical building could however be used in a more energy and water efficient way to mitigate these challenges. Unfortunately, there are limited ways to evaluate and compare these system solutions. Thus, this study aims to identify the potential of different water streams within a typical building, their energy and volumetric potential and the areas of interest that can serve as a basis for a framework used for the evaluation of a system solution. A literature study will be performed to identify possible aspects of interest and to identify prevailing water stream within a building. Semi-structured interviews will also be conducted with stakeholders operating within the field which will work as a basis to develop the framework of areas and parameters of interest. Eight water streams were identified within a building where the stream with the largest volume was cold water, greywater and blackwater and the streams containing the largest energy content where cold water, rainwater and condensate. The interview produced several issues where, after processing, three different general aspects and 10 areas of interest were identified. Rainwater has shown to have the potential to work as an energy source for evaporative cooling due to the volume and high quality. By separating the sensible energy from the grey water and utilizing both, both resources enable proper use for higher acceptance amongst tenants.

Objective Sleep Function is Associated with Hippocampal Subfield Volumes in Community-Dwelling Adults.

Sleep patterns often shift as people age, a phenomenon frequently associated with the onset of neurodegenerative conditions. Additionally, distinct alterations occur in brain structure as individuals grow older, particularly within the hippocampus, a region known for its role in cognition and sleep regulation. Yet, how exactly do changes in sleep relate to specific subfields within the hippocampus is still unclear. We conducted a study involving non-demented healthy adults from the Aiginition Longitudinal Biomarker Investigation Of Neurodegeneration (ALBION) cohort. Participants underwent objective sleep measurements using wrist Actiwatch and WatchPAT devices. Further, all participants underwent the same Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) protocol, including a 3D high resolution T1-weighted sequence, on the same 3.0 Tesla MRI scanner using an eight-channel head coil. The study aimed to examine the relationship between objectively measured sleep metrics and the morphology of twenty-two distinct hippocampal subregions. In total, 75 non-demented participants with 63 mean years of age were included in the study. Results indicated that a higher frequency of awakenings during sleep was associated with increased volume in the right presubiculum body (beta = 0.630, p False Discovery Rate (FDR) <0.036). Longer sleep duration showed a tendency to be associated with smaller volumes of the right presubiculum body, hinting at a possible negative impact of prolonged sleep on this brain region. Similar trends were observed regarding sleep apnea and the presubiculum body volume. Further analysis based on age stratification revealed that in younger participants, longer sleep duration was linked to decreased volume of the presubiculum body, while a greater number of awakenings was correlated with increased volume of the same region. Among older participants, higher frequencies of awakenings were associated with larger volumes in various hippocampal subfields. These findings shed light on the complex relationship between sleep characteristics and brain structure, highlighting potential age-related differences. The study provides valuable insights into how sleep disruptions may impact hippocampal morphology and cognitive function of cognitively healthy adults. Further research is warranted to elucidate the underlying mechanisms and implications for neurodegenerative diseases.

Indigo (Indigo suffruticosa Mill.) seed germination to improve commercial viability

Indigo suffruticosa Mill., commonly known as Guatemalan indigo or anil indigo, is being investigated as a regenerative rotational crop that is used to produce natural plant-based dyes in the USA. The fashion and textile industry currently rely on harmful synthetic dyes to color fabric. To improve the viability of Indigo and to minimize production costs, methods to improve Indigo seed germination rates will benefit the quality, crop yields, and enable large scale field plantings.This study was initiated to develop a methodology of treating seeds to increase seed germination rates of Guatemalan Indigo and decrease fungal seed pathogens. All studies were conducted on the currently available commercial Indigo varieties. Sterilization and germination methods included: ethanol and bleach sterilization, mechanical scarification (coffee grinder, belt sander), gibberellic acid, dry heat, freezing, distilled water soaking, and boiling water. Each treatment was replicated four times for each of the various times and temperatures tested. The dry heat method at 80°C for 30 min resulted in the highest average germination rate of 83 %. Trials demonstrated that the dry heat method was the only treatment that resulted in higher germination rates than control treatment with an average of only 64 % germination. Dry heat at 90°C across all time intervals (30 min, 1 h, and 2 h) showed no results higher than 34 % germination. Pre-treating seed with 10 min soak in 10 % bleach resulted in complete control of surface pathogens with no decrease in seed germination. The boiling water method for 30 sec also lead to higher germination rates but may prove too difficult in larger volumes. Other methods of sterilization, gibberellic acid, freezing, mechanical scarification, and long-term soaking resulted in average germination percentages equal to or less than the control of no treatment. The dry heat method should be applied 2 h before planting. Applying a 10 min bleach sterilization step and dry heat treatment will greatly improve germination of Indigo and will allow for a commercially viable protocol to be created. This will allow natural indigo to compete with inexpensive synthetic dyes, enabling producers to direct seed indigo rather than costly transplant production.

The hemodynamic response to co-occurring interictal epileptiform discharges and high-frequency oscillations localizes the seizure-onset zone.

To use intracranial electroencephalography (EEG) to characterize functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) activation maps associated with high-frequency oscillations (HFOs) (80-250 Hz) and examine their proximity to HFO- and seizure-generating tissue. Forty-five patients implanted with intracranial depth electrodes underwent a simultaneous EEG-fMRI study at 3 T. HFOs were detected algorithmically from cleaned EEG and visually confirmed by an experienced electroencephalographer. HFOs that co-occurred with interictal epileptiform discharges (IEDs) were subsequently identified. fMRI activation maps associated with HFOs were generated that occurred either independently of IEDs or within ±200 ms of an IED. For all significant analyses, the Maximum, Second Maximum, and Closest activation clusters were identified, and distances were measured to both the electrodes where the HFOs were observed and the electrodes involved in seizure onset. We identified 108 distinct groups of HFOs from 45 patients. We found that HFOs with IEDs produced fMRI clusters that were closer to the local field potentials of the corresponding HFOs observed within the EEG than HFOs without IEDs. In addition to the fMRI clusters being closer to the location of the EEG correlate, HFOs with IEDs generated Maximum clusters with greater z-scores and larger volumes than HFOs without IEDs. We also observed that HFOs with IEDs resulted in more discrete activation maps. Intracranial EEG-fMRI can be used to probe the hemodynamic response to HFOs. The hemodynamic response associated with HFOs that co-occur with IEDs better identifies known epileptic tissue than HFOs that occur independently.

Overexpression of TIAM2S, a Critical Regulator for the Hippocampal-Medial Prefrontal Cortex Network, Progresses Age-Related Spatial Memory Impairment.

TIAM Rac1-associated GEF 2 short-form protein (TIAM2S) is abundant in specific brain tissues, especially in the hippocampus, a brain region critical for processing and consolidation of spatial memory. However, how TIAM2S plasticizes the microstructure and circuits of the hippocampus to shape spatial memory as a neuroplastic regulator during aging remains to be determined. In this study, transgenic mice overexpressing human TIAM2S protein (TIAM2S-TG mice) were included, and interdisciplinary approaches, such as spatial memory tests and multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging sequences, were conducted to determine the role and the mechanism of TIAM2S in age-related spatial memory deficits. Despite no changes in their neural and glial markers and neuropathological hallmark expression of the hippocampus, behavioral tests showed that the TIAM2S-TG mice, and not wild-type (WT) mice, developed spatial memory impairment at 18 months old. The T2-weighted and diffusion tensor image analyses were performed to further study the possible role of TIAM2S overexpression in altering the hippocampal structure or neuronal circlets of the mice, increasing their vulnerability to developing spatial memory deficits during aging. The results revealed that the 12-month-old TIAM2S-TG mice had hippocampal dysplasticity, with larger volume, increased fiber numbers, and changed mean fractional anisotropy compared to those in the age-matched WT mice. The fiber tractography analysis exhibited significantly attenuated structural connectivity between the hippocampus and medial prefrontal cortex in the TIAM2S-TG mice. In conclusion, overexpression of TIAM2S, a detrimental factor affecting hippocampus plasticity, causes attenuation of the connectivity within hippocampus-mPFC circuits, leading to age-related spatial memory impairment.

Structural and functional features characterizing the brains of individuals with higher controllability of motor imagery

Motor imagery is a higher-order cognitive brain function that mentally simulates movements without performing the actual physical one. Although motor imagery has attracted the interest of many researchers, and mental practice utilizing motor imagery has been widely used in sports training and post-stroke rehabilitation, neural bases that determine individual differences in motor imagery ability are not well understood. In this study, using controllability of motor imagery (CMI) test that can objectively evaluate individual ability to manipulate one’s imaginary postures, we examined structural and functional features characterizing the brains of individuals with higher controllability of motor imagery, by analyzing T1-weighted structural MRI data obtained from 89 participants and functional MRI data obtained from 28 of 89 participants. The higher CMI test scorers had larger volume in the bilateral superior frontoparietal white matter regions. The CMI test activated the bilateral dorsal premotor cortex (PMD) and superior parietal lobule (SPL); specifically, the left PMD and/or the right SPL enhanced functional coupling with the visual body, somatosensory, and motor/kinesthetic areas in the higher scorers. Hence, controllability of motor imagery is higher for those who well-develop superior frontoparietal network, and for those whose this network accesses these sensory areas to predict the expected multisensory experiences during motor imagery. This study elucidated for the first time the structural and functional features characterizing the brains of individuals with higher controllability of motor imagery, and advanced understanding of individual differences in motor imagery ability.

Technogenic gold deposits of the Trans-Baikal Territory

Relevance. The need to expand the mineral resource base of the Trans-Baikal Territory. Aim. To study the geochemical composition of technozems of tailings dumps of gold deposits of the Trans-Baikal Territory, their correspondence, in terms of gold content, to technogenic deposits, to calculate the exceeding the maximum permissible concentrations of toxic elements in technozems of tailings dumps. Objects. Technozems of tailings dumps of gold deposits of the Trans-Baikal Territory. Methods. Silicate, X-ray fluorescence ISP-AES methods in analytical laboratories of the Geological Institute of the SB RAS (Ulan-Ude) and JSC "SGS Vostok Limited" (Chita). Results. It was found that in terms of gold content (Au&gt;0.4 g/t), the technozems of the tailings of the gold deposits of the Trans-Baikal Territory, in general, correspond to technogenic gold deposits. The largest volumes and contents of gold (1.2 g/t) are characterized by technozems of the Baleysky tailings dam deposits with insignificant gold contents are technozems of Darasunsky (0.36 g/t) and Kariysky (0.35 g/t) deposits. It is determined that the chemical composition of the technozems of the tailings depends on the composition of the host rocks developed in the areas of deposits. They correspond to the rocks of both basic and medium compositions. The distinctive features of the content of impurity elements in the technozems of tailings are due to the different compositions of the initial ores of gold deposits. These differences are reflected in the values of exceeding the maximum permissible concentrations relative to soils. Among the toxic elements, arsenic is characterized by maximum exceedances of the maximum permissible concentrations. In the technozems of the Lyubavinsky deposit, the excess of the maximum permissible concentrations of arsenic relative to the soil is 933 times, and the Baley deposit is 397 times.

Prioritizing test cases for deep learning-based video classifiers

The widespread adoption of video-based applications across various fields highlights their importance in modern software systems. However, in comparison to images or text, labelling video test cases for the purpose of assessing system accuracy can lead to increased expenses due to their temporal structure and larger volume. Test prioritization has emerged as a promising approach to mitigate the labeling cost, which prioritizes potentially misclassified test inputs so that such inputs can be identified earlier with limited time and manual labeling efforts. However, applying existing prioritization techniques to video test cases faces certain limitations: they do not account for the unique temporal information present in video data. Unlike static image datasets that only contain spatial information, video inputs consist of multiple frames that capture the dynamic changes of objects over time. In this paper, we propose VRank, the first test prioritization approach designed specifically for video test inputs. The fundamental idea behind VRank is that video-type tests with a higher probability of being misclassified by the evaluated DNN classifier are considered more likely to reveal faults and will be prioritized higher. To this end, we train a ranking model with the aim of predicting the probability of a given test input being misclassified by a DNN classifier. This prediction relies on four types of generated features: temporal features (TF), video embedding features (EF), prediction features (PF), and uncertainty features (UF). We rank all test inputs in the target test set based on their misclassification probabilities. Videos with a higher likelihood of being misclassified will be prioritized higher. We conducted an empirical evaluation to assess the performance of VRank, involving 120 subjects with both natural and noisy datasets. The experimental results reveal VRank outperforms all compared test prioritization methods, with an average improvement of 5.76%∼\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$\\sim $$\\end{document}46.51% on natural datasets and 4.26%∼\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$\\sim $$\\end{document}53.56% on noisy datasets.

Assessing seed pellet formulations to improve native plant restoration under water‐limited conditions

Water scarcity, a challenge expected to worsen with climate change, significantly hinders native plant community restoration. Enhancing seed‐based restoration requires methods to increase the water availability for seeds and seedlings. Surfactants and superabsorbent polymers (SAPs) can improve soil water‐holding capacity and infiltration, but their use in seed enhancements remains underexplored. We investigated whether pellets containing surfactants or SAPs could improve seedling emergence of two native species (Rytidosperma caespitosum and Chrysocephalum apiculatum) common in temperate grasslands in south‐eastern Australia under different watering treatments. We used a randomized block design with five watering treatments to simulate predicted changes in precipitation for south‐eastern Australia: ambient, two reducing overall water volume, and two reducing watering frequency while increasing watering volume to maintain ambient treatment water volume. We explored four enhanced pellets (two containing surfactants and two containing SAPs) and non‐pelleted seeds. Our results showed that watering events with larger volumes but reduced frequency increased seedling emergence. Under these conditions, block co‐polymer surfactants further increased seedling emergence of C. apiculatum, while synthetic SAP pellets promoted emergence of R. caespitosum. Block co‐polymer surfactants decreased R. caespitosum emergence, and both SAPs reduced C. apiculatum emergence under reduced watering frequency. A 50% reduction in overall water volume significantly reduced seedling emergence for both species, regardless of seed enhancement. These findings suggest that surfactants and SAP pellets can improve the success of seed‐based restoration under ambient conditions and when rainfall events are larger in volume but reduced in frequency, but not when the overall volume of rainfall is reduced.

Imparting Ultrahigh Strength to Polymers via a New Concept Strategy of Construction of up to Duodecuple Hydrogen Bonding among Macromolecular Chains.

Interconnecting macromolecules via multiple hydrogen bonds (H-bonds) can simultaneously strengthen and toughen polymers, but material synthesis becomes extremely difficult with increasing number of H-bonding donors and acceptors; therefore, most reports are limited to triple and quadruple H-bonds. Herein, this bottleneck is overcome by adopting a quartet-wise approach of constructing H-bonds instead of the traditional pairwise method. Thus, large multiple hydrogen bonds can be easily established, and the supramolecular interactions are further reinforced. Especially, when such multiple H-bond motifs are embedded in polymers, four macromolecular chains-rather than two as usual-are tied, distributing the applied stress over a larger volume and more significantly improving the overall mechanical properties. Proof-of-concept studies indicate that the proposed intermolecular multiple H-bonds (up to duodecuple) are readily introduced in polyurethane. A record-high tensile strength (105.2MPa) is achieved alongside outstanding toughness (352.1 MJ m-3), fracture energy (480.7 kJ m-2), and fatigue threshold (2978.4 J m-2). Meantime, the polyurethane has acquired excellent self-healability and recyclability. This strategy is also applicable to nonpolar polymers, such as polydimethylsiloxane, whose strength (15.3MPa) and toughness (50.3 MJ m-3) are among the highest reported to date for silicones. This new technique has good expandability and can be used to develop even more and stronger polymers.

A reasonable method to reduce the volume of the WC anvil.

With the continuous development of the diamond industry, the China-type cubic press (CCP) has gradually become larger. As a result, the volume of the tungsten carbide (WC) anvil has been increased. Considering that the WC anvil is sintered, a larger volume will deteriorate sintering quality, which could facilitate the formation of cracks during its operation. One feasible way to reduce the volume of the WC anvil is to decrease its diameter and height. Along these lines, in this work, by performing finite element simulations, it was found that a reduction in the diameter of the WC anvil would increase the von Mises stress (VMS) during the synthesis process, as well as reduce the service life of the WC anvil and the ultimate pressure of the CCP. At the same time, a smaller diameter of the WC anvil would cause a significant increase in the VMS of the base steel block, exceeding its yield limit. In addition, a reduction in the height of the WC anvil would lessen the VMS during the synthesis process, and the VMS of the base steel block will also decrease. A reduction in the height of the WC anvil will decrease the pretightening force on the WC anvil, thereby reducing its lateral support effect. When the interference fit was increased from 0.6 to 0.8mm and the steel ring angle was changed from 1.5° to 1.1°, the pretightening force on the low WC anvil was similar to the pretightening force on the original WC anvil. Our work provides valuable insights for effectively reducing the volume of the WC anvil.

Secondary cancer risk in six anatomical sites when using PAT, IMPT, and VMAT/IMRT radiotherapy

Background and purposeCompared to intensity modulated proton therapy (IMPT), proton arc therapy (PAT) is expected to improve dose conformality, delivery efficiency, and provide a more favorable LET distribution. Alternatively, the low-dose bath is potentially spread over larger volumes, which could impact the likelihood of developing a radiation-induced, secondary cancer (SC). The goal of this study was to evaluate this risk in several anatomical sites using newly developed commercial tools. Materials and methodsTreatment plans encompassing six anatomical sites, five patients per site, and three techniques per patient were created using RayStation. Techniques included PAT and IMPT for protons, and either volumetrically modulated radiotherapy (VMAT) or intensity modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) for photons. Risk estimates were based on the organ-equivalent dose (OED) concept using both Schneider’s mechanistic dose–response model for carcinoma induction and a linear dose–response model. ResultsWith few exceptions, mean and integral dose were lowest with PAT. For protons, the factor OEDIMPT/OEDPAT ranged from 0.7 to 1.8 with both the mechanistic and linear model, while for photons OEDphoton/OEDPAT ranged from 1.5 to 10 using the mechanistic model and 1.3 to using the linear model. A strong correlation was found between mean dose and OED for organs with significant repopulation/repair (high R value) and less cell death from single hit interactions (low α value). ConclusionBased on results from both mechanistic and linear risk models, the transition from IMPT to PAT should not substantially affect SC risk in patients treated with proton therapy. Additionally, when using Schneider’s model, the shapes of the dose–response curves can be used as a good predictor of how SC risk will respond to shifts from intermediate dose to low dose as anticipated when moving from IMPT to PAT.