Segment Length Research Articles

An Automated Baseline Correction Method for Raman Spectra Based on Piecewise Polynomial Fitting With Adaptive Window

ABSTRACTBaseline background tends to cause the Raman spectral signal to be hidden or distorted, making it difficult to accurately acquire spectral information. Although polynomial fitting has been widely proven to be an effective baseline correction method, it is difficult to achieve both high speed and high accuracy. In this paper, we propose a piecewise polynomial fitting method based on a sliding adaptive window(S‐ModPoly). S‐ModPoly relies on the adaptive width selection of a sliding window to automatically split the original spectrum into many different length segments containing complete peak information. Low‐order iterative polynomial fitting is performed for each segment separately, which greatly reduces the computational effort while improving the baseline fitting accuracy. By further correcting the piecewise fitting results, the discontinuities between different intervals after piecewise fitting are eliminated. Furthermore, the true intensity information of the spectral signal is retained. Here, S‐ModPoly is compared with three representative automated methods. The experimental results show that the S‐ModPoly method has lower mean error and higher stability in a very short time (less than 20 ms). Additionally, the experimental results on measured Raman spectra demonstrate the effectiveness of the method in automatically processing various real spectral baselines. It performs well in both low and high intensity background baselines.

Biomechanics of flail chest injuries: tidal volume and respiratory work changes in multiple segmental rib fractures

BackgroundFlail chest (FC) injuries are segmental osseous injuries of the thorax that typically result from high-energy blunt trauma and regularly occur in multiple trauma (MT) patients. FC injuries are associated with paradoxical chest wall movements and, thus, have a high risk of respiratory insufficiency or even death. An increasing number of studies recommend an early surgical stabilization of FC injuries, but a definite trigger that would indicate surgery has, thus far, not been identified.MethodsBased on real-world injury computed tomography (CT) data, this study aimed to establish a finite elements (FE) model of a thorax simulating spontaneous breathing. The model is based on a 0.625 mm slice thickness CT data set. In this FE model, various FC injury patterns were implemented to examine the impact of an increasingly large flail segment on tidal volume and respiratory work. The impact of the segmental defect sizes on the outcome measures mentioned above was examined using correlation analyses.ResultsThe FE model in this study reliably simulated the spontaneous breathing patterns of an actively breathing patient in an uninjured setting as a reference and showed clinically realistic movements of the flail segments for various injury settings. Correlation analysis showed a significant negative correlation between the FC size and tidal volume (R2 = 0.852, p = 0.003), while absolute (R2 = 0.845, p = 0.0096) and relative loss (R2 = 0.844, p = 0.0096) of tidal volume concerning the intact model and the compensatory respiratory work required (R2 = 0.816, p = 0.0136) were positively correlated with FC size.ConclusionThis study presents an FE model of the thorax of a patient who presented to our clinic as an MT patient with an FC injury. The FE model fulfills physiologic active breathing patterns and simulates an FC injury’s paradoxical movement, realistically depicting clinical observations. The FE model showed that the number of consecutive ribs involved in the flail segment and the length of the flail segment significantly impacted active breathing concerning tidal volumes and respiratory work. With this, we have made the first step to define a trigger for surgery.

Factors Influencing Cone Contrast Sensitivity in Koreans Aged 60 Years and Older

Purpose: To examine the factors impacting cone contrast sensitivity in Koreans aged > 60 years who are scheduled for cataract surgery and do not have congenital color vision deficiencies.Methods: The ColorDx Cone contrast test HD<sup>®</sup> (CCT-HD; Konan Medical, Inc., CA, USA) was administered to 33 Korean individuals (33 eyes) to evaluate CCT scores before and after cataract surgery, as well as changes in CCT scores according to the degree of progression by cataract type. Correlations between CCT scores and age, best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), regional retinal thickness, and length of the photoreceptor outer segment (PROS) at the fovea were analyzed in pseudophakic eyes.Results: Average scores for short-, medium-, and long-wavelength cone contrast sensitivity tests (S-CCT, M-CCT, and L-CCT, respectively) improved after surgery (<i>p</i> = 0.010, <i>p</i> = 0.001, and <i>p</i> = 0.028, respectively). Comparing CCT score changes before and after surgery by cataract progression, higher cataract grades were associated with greater CCT score changes, though the differences were not statistically significant (<i>p</i> > 0.05). In pseudophakic eyes, S-CCT scores negatively correlated with age (<i>p</i> = 0.017). No significant correlations were found between S-CCT, M-CCT, and L-CCT scores and BCVA, whereas S-CCT, M-CCT, and L-CCT scores positively correlated with PROS at the fovea (<i>p</i> < 0.001).Conclusions: Cone contrast sensitivity in individuals aged > 60 years is influenced by age and cataract status and may serve as a valuable indicator of visual function in clinical research.

Estimating realized relatedness in free-ranging macaques by inferring identity-by-descent segments

Biological relatedness is a key consideration in studies of behavior, population structure, and trait evolution. Except for parent-offspring dyads, pedigrees capture relatedness imperfectly. The number and length of identical-by-descent DNA segments (IBD) yield the most precise relatedness estimates. Here, we leverage different methods for estimating IBD segments from low-depth whole genome resequencing data to demonstrate the feasibility and value of resolving fine-scaled gradients of relatedness in free-living animals. Using primarily 4 to 6× depth data from a rhesus macaque (Macaca mulatta) population with long-term pedigree data, we show that we can infer the number and length of IBD segments across the genome with high accuracy even at 0.5× sequencing depth. In line with expectations based on simulation, the resulting estimates demonstrate substantial variation in genetic relatedness within kin classes, leading to overlapping distributions between kin classes. By comparing the IBD-based estimates with pedigree and short tandem repeat-based methods, we show that IBD estimates are more reliable and provide more detailed information on kinship. The inferred IBD segments also identify cryptic genetic relatives not represented in the pedigree and reveal elevated recombination rates in females relative to males, which enables the majority of close maternal and paternal kin to be distinguished with genotype data alone. Our findings represent a breakthrough in the ability to study the predictors and consequences of genetic relatedness in natural populations, contributing to our understanding of a fundamental component of population structure in the wild.

Deceptive illusory cues can influence orthogonally directed manual length estimations.

We examined participants' abilities to manually estimate one of two perpendicular line segment lengths using curved point-to-point movements. Configurations involved symmetrical, unsymmetrical, and no bisection in upright and rotated orientation alterationsto vertical-horizontal (V-H) illusions, where people often perceive longer vertical than horizontal segments for equal segment lengths. Participants used two orthogonally directed movements for length estimations: positively proportional (POS) - where greater fingertip displacement involved longer length estimation between configuration intersection start position and fingertip end, and negatively proportional (NEG) - where greater fingertip displacement from the screen edge start position toward configuration intersection involved a shorter length estimation between configuration intersection and fingertip end. Length estimations followed moststandard perceptual aspects of the V-H illusion for POS estimations, yet differed between upright and rotated orientations for the symmetrical configuration. NEG estimations revealed no illusory influences. Use of allocentric programming likely accompanied POS estimations to explain V-H illusory influences on perceptuomotor control.

Efficient Particle Manipulation Using Contraction–Expansion Microchannels Embedded with Hook-Shaped Arrays

Inertial microfluidics, as an efficient method for the manipulation of micro-/nanoparticles, has garnered significant attention due to its advantages of high throughput, structural simplicity, no need for external fields, and sheathless operation. Common structures include straight channels, contraction–expansion array (CEA) channels, spiral channels, and serpentine channels. In this study, we developed a CEA channel embedded with hook-shaped microstructures to modify the characteristics of vortices. Through experimental studies, we investigated the particles’ migration mechanisms within the proposed structure. The findings indicated that, in comparison to conventional rectangular microstructures, the particles within the hook-shaped microstructured CEA channels experienced a more pronounced influence from inertial lift forces. Moreover, the magnitude of the second flow within the novel configuration was directly proportional to the channel width, the length of the expansion segment, and the embedding depth of the microstructure. The innovative structure was subsequently employed for particle trapping, focusing, and separation. The experimental outcomes revealed focusing efficiency of up to 99.1% and sorting efficiency of up to 97%. This research holds the potential to enhance the foundational theory of Dean flows and broaden the application spectrum of inertial contraction–expansion microfluidic chips.

New thermoplastic poly(ester-ether) elastomers with enhanced mechanical properties derived from long-chain dicarboxylic acid for medical device applications.

Recent advances in medical plastics highlight the need for sustainable materials with desirable elastic properties. Traditional polyester elastomers have been used as alternatives to polyvinyl chloride (PVC) due to their biocompatibility and adjustable mechanical properties. However, these materials often lack the necessary stability and toughness for reliable medical applications. To address these issues, this study introduces renewable 1,12-dodecanedioic acid (DA) to create a copolymer with diols, resulting in a structure akin to polyolefins. This innovative approach significantly enhances toughness by regulating chain segment lengths and integrates high performance with sustainability. The resulting bio-based elastomer exhibits remarkable biocompatibility and elastic recovery (69.0%). This work represents a significant advancement in the development of eco-friendly materials suitable for medical device applications, with potential implications for tissue engineering and other healthcare technologies.

Exploring the Laws of Developmental Direction Using a Documented Skeletal Collection.

Many human growth studies note a trend of differential variation in limb segment lengths, where distal elements show greater variability than their proximal counterparts. This has been attributed to their developmental sequence, where bones further from the head develop later and are more impacted by fluctuating growth conditions. We aimed to explore limb dimensions within this framework, known as the laws of developmental direction, in children (0.09-11.75 years) from a documented skeletal collection of low socioeconomic status. Z-scores were generated for diaphyseal length measurements of six limb bones. Differences between mean z-score values of the limbs, as well as of the proximal and distal segments of each limb, were assessed using paired samples t-tests. The lower limb was significantly more stunted in growth relative to the upper limb (p ≤ 0.001), as was the distal segment of the upper limb relative to the proximal segment (p ≤ 0.001). In contrast, the distal segment of the lower limb was significantly less stunted in growth relative to the proximal segment (p ≤ 0.001). The findings of increased sensitivity in the lower limb relative to the upper limb and in the distal segment of the upper limb relative to its proximal segment are consistent with the laws of developmental direction. However, the finding of greater sensitivity in the proximal segment of the lower limb relative to the distal segment does not align with the theorized developmental gradient. These results reveal the complexity of human growth and developmental plasticity in response to biocultural factors.

A Probabilistic Model-Based Framework for Damage Detection in Beam-Like Structures Considering Temperature Effects

To improve the assessment outcomes of structural health monitoring systems, it has been acknowledged that the damage diagnostics process is associated with a considerable amount of uncertainties from operational and environmental sources such as temperature. This study presents a probabilistic framework for structural health monitoring aimed at identifying common defects such as cracks and corrosion in beam-like structures under varying temperature conditions. The framework utilizes optimization methods integrated with a probabilistic approach, comprising two levels of damage identification: first, determining the optimal probability mass function for the damage location ratio, followed by the optimal conditional for the damage depth ratio. A simply supported beam divided into four segments was modeled to evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm across various damage scenarios using frequency response signals. Structural damage was simulated by manipulating the length and depth ratios of specific beam segments. The modeling procedure for defects in the simply supported beam was validated through comparison with experimental measurements, achieving a maximum difference of less than 1%. The proposed algorithm consistently yielded improved damage detail outcomes in the second level, characterized by higher probabilities and lower uncertainties for both damage location and depth ratios. Identifying cracks and corrosion with a 0.1 depth ratio at low temperatures proved challenging, but the algorithm effectively addressed such scenarios, achieving identification probabilities exceeding 90%. The analysis outcomes demonstrate the advantages of the proposed framework for structural health monitoring that accounts for temperature effects, thereby improving the fidelity of damage assessment in real-world conditions.

Yang–Monti–Casale procedure for short bowel syndrome: preliminary geometric analysis

BACKGROUND: Currently autologic reconstructive surgery in the most significant approach in surgical therapy for enteral insufficiency due to short bowel syndrome. Possible application for short bowel surgery of widespread urologic Yang–Monti–Casale technique is an issue of interest. The technique includes cutting of small bowel segment antimesenteric border with a figured incision and second tubularization at an angle to the mesenterium fixation line which results in elongation and narrowing of the bowel segment. AIM: To determine geometric requirements of small bowel segment for Yang–Monti–Casale procedure to treat short bowel syndrome. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A mathematical model for resulting bowel segment after Yang–Monti–Casale procedure geometry dependency on original bowel length and width was observed. An object of the analysis was a cylindrical surface. Modeling assumptions were that the suface had no thickness and was unstretchable. Only surfaces with length more than width were taken into account. For establishing the dependency of bowel segment after procedure on original parameters a net of cutted with figured incise according the Yang–Monti–Casale technique cylindrical surface was considered. Bowel segment resulting width was computed as a half of the distance between the points that matched during the enteroplasty. Resulting length was computed as the ratio of the surface area and the resulting width. RESULTS: Yang–Monti–Casale procedure provides significant bowel segment elongation and narrowing if original bowel length to width ratio is not more than 2,5:1. The target bowel width 20 ± 2 mm is achieveable if original length is 60–80 mm and original width is 30–65 mm. CONCLUSIONS: Yang–Monti–Casale procedure may be considered as auxiliary technique for short bowel syndrome requiring bowel segment length 60–80 mm, width 30–65 mm, and length to width ratio not more than 2,5:1.

Analysis of imaging risk factors for prognosis in children with spinal cord injury without radiologic abnormalities

This study aimed to identify imaging risk factors for spinal cord injury without radiologic abnormalities (SCIWORA) in children. We retrospectively analyzed the medical records and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings of children with SCIWORA admitted to our hospital between January 1, 2012, and September 30, 2022. Univariate and binary logistic regression analyses were used to evaluate the prognostic impact of various factors including MRI type, maximum cross-sectional area of spinal cord injury, injury length, injury signal intensity ratio. The American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) impairment scale (AIS) was used to assess neurological improvement of spinal cord injury. A total of 39 patients met the inclusion criteria, comprising three males and 36 females aged 6.38 ± 1.7 years. The injuries were predominantly dance-related (25 patients), followed by car accidents (4 patients), and falls/sprains (10 patients). Seventeen patients showed improvement in the AIS grade, while 22 did not. Binary logistic regression analysis revealed that the maximum cross-sectional area and length of the damaged segment were significant prognostic factors. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis demonstrated an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.91, with a maximum cutoff value, sensitivity, and specificity of 0.12, 81.80%, and 88.20%, respectively, for the maximum damage cross-sectional area. For the damaged segment length, the AUC, maximum cutoff value, sensitivity, and specificity were 0.78, 6.50, 50%, and 41%, respectively. Whole-spine MRI plays a crucial role in the diagnosis and prognosis of pediatric patients with SCIWORA. The cross-sectional area and length of spinal cord injury are risk factors for poor prognosis.Level of evidence: IV

Accuracy of Automatically Identifying the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists Threshold Limit Values Twelve Lifting Zones over Three Simplified Zones Using Computer Algorithm.

The American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) Threshold Limit Values (TLVs) for lifting provides risk zones for assessing two-handed lifting tasks. This paper describes two computational models for identifying the lifting risk zones using gyroscope information from five inertial measurement units (IMUs) attached to the lifter. Two models were developed: (1) the ratio model using body segment length ratios of the forearm, upper arm, trunk, thigh, and calf segments, and (2) the ratio + length model using actual measurements of the body segments in the ratio model. The models were evaluated using data from 360 lifting trials performed by 10 subjects (5 males and 5 females) with an average age of 51.50 (±9.83) years. The accuracy of the two models was compared against data collected by a laboratory-based motion capture system as a function of 12 ACGIH lifting risk zones and 3 grouped risk zones (low, medium, and high). Results showed that only the ratio + length model provides acceptable estimates of lifting risk with an average of 69% accuracy level for predicting one of the 3 grouped zones and a higher rate of 92% for predicting the high lifting zone.

Genomic-Inbreeding Landscape and Selection Signatures in the Polo Argentino Horse Breed.

Analyzing genetic variability and inbreeding trends is essential for effective breed management in animal populations. To this, the characterization of runs of homozygosity (ROH) provides a good genomic approach to study the phenomena. The Polo Argentino (PA) breed, globally recognized as the best adapted to playing polo, is known for its strong influence of Thoroughbreds, intense selective breeding, and extensive use of reproductive biotechnologies. This study investigates the PA's genomic variability, by characterizing the ROH landscape and identifying ROH islands (ROHi) as potential genomic footprints for the breed. PA horses (n = 506) were genotyped using EquineGGP™ array v5 (70 k). We calculated the inbreeding coefficient based on ROH (FROH-ancestral and recent) using a chromosomal approach. Finally, we identified genomic regions with increased ROH frequency (ROHi) and their associated genes. An average of 79.5 ROH per horse was detected, with a mean length of 4.6 Mb. The average FROH was 0.151, but most of them (54%) corresponded to ancestral inbreeding (ROH < 5.5 Mb). However, 4 ROHi were identified in ECA 1, 3, 7 and 17, containing 67 genes, some of which were related to behavior, neurodevelopment, and metabolic functions. This genomic analysis determined, for the first time, the length and location of homozygosity segments in the PA breed and identified ROHi associated with potential genomic regions and genes for positive selection in the breed.

Fertility and Sexual Function in Males with Hirschsprung's Disease: A Nordic Cross-Sectional Study.

The aim was to assess fertility, sexual function and sexual quality of life in males with Hirschsprung's disease (HSCR) in the Nordic countries with a cross-sectional study using self-reported validated questionnaires. Data on fertility and sexual function in males with HSCR are limited. This multi-center study targeted all males born between 1970-2003 who underwent pull-through surgery at a pediatric surgery center in Sweden, Denmark, Norway, or Finland. Participants completed a multi-domain questionnaire. Demographic data was collected retrospectively from the medical records. Patients with trisomy 21 and other syndromes associated with intellectual disability were excluded. Main outcomes were fertility, sexual function and sexual quality of life. A total of 169 patients (median age 32y) were included. Of 63 individuals attempting to father a biological child, eight (12.7%) reported failure to conceive after one year and five (7.9%) reported failure to conceive after two years. Our cohort did not report impaired fertility, higher prevalence of erectile dysfunction or lower sexual quality of life scores compared to normative summary data. Poor bowel function was associated with impaired fertility and erectile dysfunction (P=0.0278 and P=0.0026, respectively). Length of the aganglionic segment and surgical method did not seem to affect fertility, sexual function, or sexual quality of life. Males with HSCR that have undergone pull-through surgery do not seem to report an overall reduced fertility, higher prevalence of erectile dysfunction or reduced sexual quality of life compared to estimates from the general population. Impaired bowel function may correlate with erectile dysfunction and impaired fertility in affected individuals.

Risk factors for postoperative recurrence after full-endoscopic microvascular decompression for trigeminal neuralgia: a retrospective study and predictive nomogram

BackgroundFull-endoscopic microvascular decompression (fE-MVD) is an emerging treatment option for trigeminal neuralgia (TN). However, the risk factors associated with postoperative recurrence of TN after fE-MVD procedure remain controversial. The aim of the present study was to summarize the surgical technique of fE-MVD for the treatment of TN and to develop a predictive model for recurrence at 1 year postoperatively based on independent risk factors.MethodsA total of 124 consecutive patients with TN who underwent fE-MVD procedure were enrolled in this study between December 2008 and July 2022. Imaging data such as the area of cerebellopontine angle (CPA), the length of trigeminal cisternal segment, and the angle of trigeminal nerve (TGN) were measured from preoperative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Patients were randomly divided into a training set and a validation set according to the 7:3 ratio, respectively. Variables that were significant in the univariate logistic analyses were, subsequently, included in the multivariate logistic regression analyses in training set. Then, we developed a predictive nomogram for the 1-year recurrence of TN for patients who treated with fE-MVD.ResultsAll 124 patients experienced clinically significant pain relief (Barrow Neurology Institute (BNI) I–II) after fE-MVD. 124 patients had a follow-up time of more than 1 year, with 14 cases of recurrence. In the univariate analysis, the patients’ responsible vessels of non-arterial, clinical features of atypical, and CPA area ratio (healthy/affected side) >1 were found to be significantly associated with recurrence of TN after fE-MVD. Multivariate logistic regression analyses result showed that the patients' responsible vessels of non-arterial (odds ratio (OR) = 21.067, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.942–228.575), clinical features of atypical (OR = 9.027, 95% CI: 1.135–71.777), and CPA area ratio >1 (OR = 19.522, 95% CI: 2.906–131.160) were independent predictors of TN recurrence. Based on the independent predictive factors, we developed a predictive nomogram that predicts the 1-year recurrence of TN after fE-MVD. In the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis, the area under the curve (AUC) of the nomograms for 1-year recurrence associated with optimal candidates prediction was 0.910 in the training set and 0.859 in the validation set.ConclusionsFE-MVD for the treatment of TN is a safe, reliable and effective procedure. Patients' responsible vessels of non-arterial, clinical features of atypical, and CPA area ratio (healthy/affected side) >1 are key risk factors associated with 1 year postoperative recurrence of TN after fE-MVD. Finally, we have developed a nomogram to predict the 1-year recurrence of TN for patients who treated with fE-MVD, which can be used to provide advice for patients after fE-MVD.

Subtrochanteric shortening osteotomy in adult sickle cell disease patients with cemented total hip arthroplasty for hip deformities secondary to childhood osteonecrosis: is healing a challenge?

Hip deformity is frequent after childhood osteonecrosis in patients with sickle cell disease (SCD). When they are adults, they present a challenge as candidates for total hip arthroplasty (THA) because of abnormal bone development, their relative youth, and also because of their disease. Performing subtrochanteric osteotomy associated with THA is technically challenging, and healing of osteotomies has never been reported in this population with frequent osteonecrotic bone, whether using cemented or uncemented arthroplasties. We retrospectively analyzed 59 cemented THA with femoral corrective osteotomies (subtrochanteric shortening and transverse derotational osteotomy) performed on hip deformities between 1984 and 2018 in 59 sickle cell adult patients. The patient's age at the onset of osteonecrosis was an average of 8.4 years (6 to 10 years), and at the time of the THA was 28.6 years (19 to 41 years). All the patients had a minimum followup period of six years. Endocrinopathy was frequently associated to SCD Data and consequences were evaluated on bone union. The mechanical variables, such as the length of the resected femur, limb lengthening, the location of the osteotomy site, the size of the stem bridging the osteotomy, and any complications, were also analyzed. The average length of the resected femoral segment was 38.4mm. The length of the femoral stem (bridging the osteotomy) was average 13cm. The mean osteotomy union time was 10.6 months. Twenty-four osteotomies healed in six months, six in nine months, and 29 in twelve months, while five required bone grafts at nine months. The union time of the osteotomy was average 10.6 months. Complications included four cases of transient nerve palsy, and five intraoperative femur perforations. No statistically significant relationship was found between osteotomy union time and mechanical variables. The severity of endocrinopathy associated with sickle cell disease prolonged the healing time. In three cases, cement leakage into the osteotomy gap occurred without resulting in non-healing. Cemented THA, combined with a subtrochanteric femoral shortening with transverse derotational osteotomy, has a long union time but is effective for adult hip deformities of patients with sickle cell patients.

ОТВЕТНЫЕ РЕАКЦИИ HYALELLA AZTECA НА ДЕЙСТВИЕ ЛАНТАНА В УСЛОВИЯХ ХРОНИЧЕСКОГО ЭКСПЕРИМЕНТА

The responses of the laboratory culture Hyalella azteca to the effect of lanthanum sulfate solutions in the concentration range of 0.16–160 μmol/l under conditions of a chronic trial were studied. It was shown that the mortality of H. azteca increased with an enhance in the concentration of La3+ in the solution. A consistent increase in the concentration of La3+ led to a natural raise in food consumption. The most informative test function in assessing the toxicity of La3+ is the length and weight of H. azteca, while the length and number of antennal segments are not informative.

How smooth is your ride? Comparison of sensors and methods for surface quality assessment using IMUs

As a major component of riding comfort, surface roughness has a significant impact on peoples' decision to ride bicycles. Riding comfort is most commonly derived from accelerations measured by inertial measurement units (IMUs). However, roughness metrics from different works are not directly comparable as no ‘benchmark data’ exists. This work aims at alleviating this problem by comparing several well-established methods from literature on the same data. Furthermore, to quantify the effect of different sensor systems, for each test run data from both a smartphone and an industrial grade IMU were collected. To compare the derived roughness measurements, the reliability and stability of each sensor-method combination is calculated using non-parametric statistics. The results indicate handlebar mounted smartphones to be sufficient for surface roughness assessment. Furthermore, the selected roughness calculation method has the biggest impact on resulting assessments, above the impacts of both sensor and analyzed segment length. Based on the results, recommendations for surface roughness assessment are provided in the conclusion.

Responses of field-grown maize to different soil types, water regimes, and contrasting vapor pressure deficit

Abstract. Drought is a serious constraint on crop growth and production of important staple crops such as maize. Improved understanding of the responses of crops to drought can be incorporated into cropping system models to support crop breeding, varietal selection, and management decisions for minimizing negative impacts. We investigate the impacts of different soil types (stony and silty) and water regimes (irrigated and rainfed) on hydraulic linkages between soil and plant, as well as root : shoot growth characteristics. Our analysis is based on a comprehensive dataset measured along the soil–plant–atmosphere pathway at field scale in two growing seasons (2017 and 2018) with contrasting climatic conditions (low and high vapor pressure deficit). Roots were observed mostly in the topsoil (10–20 cm) of the stony soil, while more roots were found in the subsoil (60–80 cm) of the silty soil. The difference in root length was pronounced at silking and harvest between the soil types. Total root length was 2.5–6 times higher in the silty soil than in the stony soil with the same water treatment. At silking time, the ratios of root length to shoot biomass in the rainfed plot of the silty soil (F2P2) were 3 times higher than those in the irrigated silty soil (F2P3), while the ratio was similar for two water treatments in the stony soil. With the same water treatment, the ratios of root length to shoot biomass of silty soil were higher than for stony soil. The seasonally observed minimum leaf water potential (ψleaf) varied from around −1.5 MPa in the rainfed plot in 2017 to around −2.5 MPa in the same plot of the stony soil in 2018. In the rainfed plot, the minimum ψleaf in the stony soil was lower than in the silty soil from −2 to −1.5 MPa in 2017, respectively, while these were from −2.5 to −2 MPa in 2018, respectively. Leaf water potential, water potential gradients from soil to plant roots, plant hydraulic conductance (Ksoil_plant), stomatal conductance, transpiration, and photosynthesis were considerably modulated by the soil water content and the conductivity of the rhizosphere. When the stony soil and silt soil are compared, the higher “stress” due to the lower water availability in the stony soil resulted in fewer roots with a higher root tissue conductance in the soil with more stress. When comparing the rainfed with the irrigated plot in the silty soil, the higher stress in the rainfed soil resulted in more roots with a lower root tissue conductance in the treatment with more stress. This illustrates that the “response” to stress can be completely opposite depending on conditions or treatments that lead to the differences in stress that are compared. To respond to water deficit, maize had higher water uptake rate per unit root length and higher root segment conductance in the stony soil than in the silty soil, while the crop reduced transpired water via reduced aboveground plant size. Future improvements in soil–crop models in simulating gas exchange and crop growth should further emphasize the role of soil textures on stomatal function, dynamic root growth, and plant hydraulic system together with aboveground leaf area adjustments.

Mechanical distraction enterogenesis utilizing springs has equal effectiveness in adult and juvenile pigs.

We aim to apply our spring-mediated intestinal lengthening technique to adults and children with short bowel syndrome. We hypothesized that spring-mediated intestinal lengthening would be achieved in adult and juvenile pigs. Adult and juvenile pigs underwent insertion of a compressed spring into the jejunum. Jejunum was plicated proximal and distal to the capsule for fixation and control jejunum was marked. Pigs were fed a liquid diet for one week. Spring and control segment lengths were compared using Brown-Forsythe and Welch ANOVA test. Three adult pigs weighing 30.4 ± 2.1kg and three juvenile pigs weighing 8.9 ± 1.2kg underwent spring insertion without complications. Springs were compressed from 7.5 to 2cm and had an average spring constant of 9.7 ± 1.2N/m in adults and 5.4 ± 1.5N/m in juveniles. Springs of 1.3cm diameter were implanted in adults and springs of 1.0cm diameter were implanted in juveniles. Spring segments lengthened on average by 86 ± 33% in adults (p = 0.04) and 123% in juveniles (p < 0.01) when compared to the initial length. There was no statistically significant difference in lengthening between juvenile and adult pigs (p = 0.2). Intestinal lengthening was feasible in adult pigs but required a higher force for their larger diameter intestine compared to juvenile pigs.