Reduction Of Input Research Articles

Long-term morphological evolution and its mechanism of Lingdingyang Estuary: Interferences from anthropogenic forcings

The long-term morphological evolution process and mechanism of estuaries driven by high-intensity human activities are a hot and frontier scientific issue in estuarine and coastal research. Lingdingyang Estuary (LE) has been disturbed in recent decades by high-intensity anthropogenic forcing. High-intensity human activities have played a major role in the dynamic and geomorphological evolution of the LE, predominantly over the long term. In this study, the morphological evolution pattern of LE from 1955 to 1998 was first simulated using the Telemac-2D long-term morphological evolution model, and the input reduction of the upstream river boundaries was discussed. Then, based on the long-term model, the contribution of different human activities on geomorphic evolution was identified. Finally, the mechanism of high-intensity reclamation on morphological evolution was analyzed. The main findings can be summarized as follows: i) the general geomorphic pattern of LE at the mouth bars and channels are represented reasonably well from 1955 to 1998 when the multiple river boundaries input are reduced to combined seasonal river discharge and the phased daily SSC. Ii) High-intensity reclamation significantly weakened the deposition of ILE (Inner-Lingdingyang Estuary) with the annual deposition volume decreased ~1.33 × 107 m3, resulting in the deposition area narrowing 6–8 km to the south. On the contrary, reclamation enhanced the deposition of OLE (Outer-Lingdingyang Estuary) with the annual deposition volume increased ~5.15 × 106 m3, which enlarged the deposition area. Iii) the sharp decline of sediment discharge in upstream decreased significantly the deposition from 1978 to 1998 with the annual net deposition volume decreased ~1.754 × 107 m3, and the total deposition area of LE narrowed significantly and moved 3–5 km upstream. Iv) the total annual net deposition volume of LE from 1978 to 1998 decreased obviously by 2.084 × 107 m3 under the combined impact of the sharp decline of sediment discharge in upstream and high-intensity reclamation, of which the contribution rate of the sharp decline of sediment discharge in upstream was 61%, and that of high-intensity reclamation was 16% for the whole LE. v) the equilibrium location between runoff and tide caused by high-intensity reclamation moved 4.4 km southward from 1978 to 1998, which was the dominant factor for driving the southward migration of the deposition area during this period. In addition, reclamation resulted in the changes of water surface slope and tidal dynamics, which significantly affected the local geomorphic evolution pattern. The results of this study can improve and enrich the methods of the reduction of river boundary in upstream for long-term geomorphic evolution, and provide reference for the long-term geomorphic simulation of other multi-input estuaries. Our findings are expected to improve the scientific comprehensive management of the Pearl River Estuary and guide the construction of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area

Abstract 2706: Ultra-Low Input High-Fidelity (ULI-HiFi) long-reads uncover variants in genomic dark matter from pre-cancer polyp and tumor samples

Abstract Long-read sequencing technologies have been constrained by high error rates and large sample input requirements. The recent introduction of HiFi sequencing has enabled highly accurate detection of single-nucleotide variants (SNVs) from long reads (10-15 kb). However, a major limiting factor is the amount of sample input required, where current protocols require ≥15 micrograms of DNA. Here we report Ultra-Low Input High Fidelity Sequencing (ULI-HiFi), an amplification-based library preparation that reduces this input to 10 nanograms of DNA, a more than 10,000-fold reduction in sample input. When the ultra-low input method was tested using a benchmark genome, HG002, we observed high precision and improved recall of structural variants compared to a ground truth dataset from the Genome in a Bottle Consortium. We also benchmarked small variants and reported the accurate analysis of many variants in clinically important genes that are unmappable with short reads. We used this strategy to sequence tumor and polyp samples from a patient with familial adenomatous polyposis, a hereditary form of colon cancer, which revealed SNVs and structural variants not detected by short-read techniques. This strategy will enable the improved characterization of genetic variants from limited clinical samples. Citation Format: Hayan Lee, Graham Erwin, Aaron Horning, Raushun Kirtikar, Emmett Griffin-Baldwin, William Rowell, Philip Li, Sarah Kingan, Michael P. Snyder. Ultra-Low Input High-Fidelity (ULI-HiFi) long-reads uncover variants in genomic dark matter from pre-cancer polyp and tumor samples [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2022; 2022 Apr 8-13. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2022;82(12_Suppl):Abstract nr 2706.

Circular water economy performance evaluation based on dynamic network data envelopment analysis

In this study, a looplike dynamic network data envelopment analysis (DEA) framework is proposed to assess technical efficiency in Germany's water economy at the federal state level. In the wake of growing political attempts in Europe to strengthen circular, sustainability-oriented practices in a variety of economic realms, our tailored approach enables, arguably for the first time, simultaneous analysis of public water provision, wastewater services and natural water endowment while accounting for water demand in an encompassing feedback-type context. Our model addresses the issues of water sector infrastructure and environmental sustainability. By measuring divisional efficiencies in addition to composite network efficiency over time, we extend previous static ‘black box’ DEA studies to provide comprehensive and in-depth insight into water economy dynamics. Our framework goes beyond the existing models by unifying distinct yet interrelated water economy processes under an encompassing circular technical efficiency evaluation paradigm to underpin holistic, environmentally-prudent water resource management concerning infrastructure, production, consumption, cleaning, recycling and reuse. Our empirical case study reveals high levels of efficiency in Germany on the whole, and we find little variation among regions in terms of composite water economy efficiency. The natural water endowment segment, which correlates more strongly with the overall water economy than any other network component, exhibits considerable efficiency score volatility. Furthermore, we find that the wastewater treatment section harbours many best-practice regions. Our results also show that the most substantial performance-optimising input reduction required pertains to land area consisting of vegetation and water, which suggests both natural resource endowment efficiency underperformance and sustainability overachievement in the sense of an excess capacity to free up resources for other uses. The largest output increase called for concerns consumers, with regard to water sector value added. Regional water sector infrastructure utilisation appears to be generally adequate, although several federal states fail to meet the optimal levels.

Data Analysis in Green Industrial Processes with Modified Chemical Efficiency and Environmental Impact: Smart Urea Production and CO2 Removal

Agriculture can benefit from urea fertilizer because it contains a lot of nitrogen at a reasonable cost. Urea fertilizer can be stored easily and does not pose a fire hazard over time. Due to its acidifying properties, urea fertilizer is an ideal fertilizer for many plants. Input and feed of the urea unit are taken from the output of the ammonia unit (CO2 and NH3). Hence, in this study, two methods of CO2 recovery from combustion gases and CO2 recycling in ammonia units will be used to increase urea production to realize low-carbon and industrial systems (including green agriculture). CO2 recovery also reduces environmental pollution, which is a very important factor in sustainable cities and societies. The results showed that CO reduction increases the overall efficiency compared to the data reported in the world for the same process, which is due to the reduction of CO input to methanize. Collecting information around the globe for constructing the same green system considering various conditions in each environment makes complicated situations in terms of how to design the process and the observed outcomes. However, we could find a new smart design to build the green system in our case study where it is completely acceptable compared to the same systems’ outputs. The obtained results indicate that the temperature of the shift reactor can be brought closer to 365°C without reducing the selectivity of the catalysts, which in turn would increase the CO conversion rate, the CO2 output, and the overall efficiency of the unit. Finally, it is shown that the rate of CO escape from shift reactors is decreased.

A Comparison between Conventional Sprayers and New UAV Sprayers: A Study Case of Vineyards and Olives in Extremadura (Spain)

Recently, technological development has become increasingly pronounced, with great advances in all production areas, including agriculture. In the agricultural sector, improvements in machinery and the study of new techniques have resulted in the increased efficiency and productivity of different crops. In particular, UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles) are increasingly used in agriculture. Among the latest utilities is the application of phytosanitary products. The use of small UAVs retrofitted with spraying systems make it possible to treat large surfaces in short periods of time, achieving a reduction in inputs and time compared to conventionally used methods (trailed sprayers). The aim of this work was to compare conventional sprayers and UAV sprayers on a farm in Spain, with olive and vineyard crops. The determining factors in the choice of one or another alternative were studied, such as the economic requirements and efficiency of different alternatives. The results show that a large investment is required to acquire a UAV sprayer, while operating costs are higher for conventional sprayers versus UAV sprayers. Efficiency (ha/h) is much higher for UAV sprayers. In addition to these advantages, UAV sprayers require a lower cost of water and products. However, different factors could make conventional sprayers a better choice.

Accounting for climatic effects in measuring U.S. field crop farm productivity

AbstractThe European Commission plans to reduce pesticides and fertilizer use in agriculture substantially under its Green Deal's Farm to Fork strategy. Policy alternatives are needed to overcome these input reductions, for instance by allocating R&D towards commodities most affected by climage change and improving the precision of input use. Since climate change is likely to impact agriculture negatively, productivity measures that account for all inputs and climate change impacts can help to weigh such policy responses. We adopt U.S. farm‐level data and a multi‐output and multi‐input production technology to estimate relative farm productivity performances with climatic effects. Exploiting long‐term weather patterns, we find comparative advantages among some crop farms and ample productivity improvement potential across all of them.

Biostimulatory Action of Vegetal Protein Hydrolysate Compensates for Reduced Strength Nutrient Supply in a Floating Raft System by Enhancing Performance and Qualitative Features of "Genovese" Basil.

The floating raft constitutes a valuable system for growing herbs as it effectuates high yield and prime functional quality. However, the pressing need for advancing sustainability in food production dictates the reduction of chemical fertilizer inputs in such intensive production schemes through innovative cultivation practices. In this perspective, our work appraised the productive and qualitative responses of two “Genovese” basil genotypes (Eleonora and Italiano Classico) grown in a floating raft system with nutrient solutions of varied electrical conductivity (EC; 2 and 1 dS m−1) combined with root application of protein hydrolysate biostimulant at two dosages (0.15 and 0.3 0 ml L−1 of Trainer®). The phenolic composition, aromatic profile, and antioxidant activities (ABTS, DPPH, and FRAP) of basil were determined by UHPLC/HRMS, GC/MS, and spectrophotometry, respectively. “Eleonora” demonstrated higher number of leaves (37.04 leaves per plant), higher fresh yield (6576.81 g m−2), but lower polyphenol concentration (1440.81 μg g−1 dry weight) compared to “Italiano Classico.” The lower EC solution (1 dS m−1) increased total phenols (+32.5%), ABTS, DPPH, and FRAP antioxidant activities by 33.2, 17.1, and 15.8%, respectively, and decreased linalool relative abundance by 5.5%. Biostimulant application improved crop performance and increased total phenolic concentration in both genotypes, with the highest phenolic concentration (1767.96 μg g−1 dry weight) registered at the lowest dose. Significant response in terms of aromatic profile was detected only in “Eleonora.” Our results demonstrate that the application of protein hydrolysate may compensate for reduced strength nutrient solution by enhancing yield and functional quality attributes of “Genovese” basil for pesto.

Evaluation of Growth Rate and Biomass Productivity of Scenedesmus quadricauda and Chlorella vulgaris under Different LED Wavelengths and Photoperiods

Cultivation has been identified as an essential stage for biofuel production. This research has examined two important parameters for the industrial production of microalgae, namely microalgae growth rate and biomass productivity. Chlorella vulgaris and Scenedesmusquadricauda were cultivated using a closed photobioreactor (PBR). A novel approach for cultivation and energy input reduction was developed by incorporating periods of darkness during cultivation, as would happen in nature. Three different LED light sources (white, red, and green) were used to determine the conditions that result in the highest growth rate and biomass productivity. C. vulgaris and S. quadricauda responded differently to lighting conditions. It was found that, depending on the LED source and light period, different growth rates and biomass productivities were obtained. Overall, experimental results obtained in this study indicated that a white LED is more effective than green or red LEDs in increasing microalgae growth rate and biomass productivity. A maximum growth rate of 3.41 d−1 and a biomass productivity of 2.369 g L−1d−1 were achieved for S.quadricauda under a 19 h period of white light alternating with 5 h of darkness. For C. vulgaris the maximum growth rate of 3.49 d−1 and maximum biomass productivity of 2.438 g L−1d−1 were achieved by continuous white light with no darkness period.

Endogenous dynamic inefficiency and optimal resource allocation: An application to the European Dietetic Food Industry

The conventional dynamic cost inefficiency model relies on the directional distance function with an exogenous directional vector to measure technical and allocative inefficiency. However, this approach may lead to contradictory recommendations for firms to become technically and allocatively efficient. By definition, the conventional model forces firms to reduce their inputs and increase their investments in order to become technically efficient; for some firms this is followed by the reverse recommendation to become allocatively efficient. This paper proposes a model that endogenizes the directional vector to solve for the cost minimizing combination of inputs and investments. In contrast to the conventional model with an exogenous directional vector, our model provides managers with monotonic prescriptions. We illustrate the superiority of the endogenous directional vector model over its conventional counterpart using a dataset of EU firms in the dietetic food industry. The differences in the managerial prescriptions are striking, with the conventional model wrongly recommending reductions in inputs that are underused with respect to their optimal amounts minimizing cost.

Efficacy of different presentation modes for L2 video comprehension: Full versus partial display of verbal and nonverbal input

AbstractVideo materials require learners to manage concurrent verbal and pictorial processing. To facilitate second language (L2) learners’ video comprehension, the amount of presented information should thus be compatible with human beings’ finite cognitive capacity. In light of this, the current study explored whether a reduction in multimodal comprehension scaffolding would lead to better L2 comprehension gain when viewing captioned videos and, if so, which type of reduction (verbal vs. nonverbal) is more beneficial. A total of 62 L2 learners of English were randomly assigned to one of the following viewing conditions: (1) full captions + animation, (2) full captions + static key frames, (3) partial captions + animation, and (4) partial captions + static key frames. They then completed a comprehension test and cognitive load questionnaire. The results showed that while viewing the video with reduced nonverbal visual information (static key frames), the participants had well-rounded performance in all aspects of comprehension. However, their local comprehension (extraction of details) was particularly enhanced after viewing a key-framed video with full captions. Notably, this gain in local comprehension was not as manifest after viewing animated video content with full captions. The qualitative data also revealed that although animation may provide a perceptually stimulating viewing experience, its transient feature most likely taxed the participants’ attention, thus impacting their comprehension outcomes. These findings underscore the benefit of a reduction in nonverbal input and the interplay between verbal and nonverbal input. The findings are discussed in relation to the use of verbal and nonverbal input for different pedagogical purposes.

Choice-selective sequences dominate in cortical relative to thalamic inputs to NAc to support reinforcement learning.

SUMMARYHow are actions linked with subsequent outcomes to guide choices? The nucleus accumbens, which is implicated in this process, receives glutamatergic inputs from the prelimbic cortex and midline regions of the thalamus. However, little is known about whether and how representations differ across these input pathways. By comparing these inputs during a reinforcement learning task in mice, we discovered that prelimbic cortical inputs preferentially represent actions and choices, whereas midline thalamic inputs preferentially represent cues. Choice-selective activity in the prelimbic cortical inputs is organized in sequences that persist beyond the outcome. Through computational modeling, we demonstrate that these sequences can support the neural implementation of reinforcement-learning algorithms, in both a circuit model based on synaptic plasticity and one based on neural dynamics. Finally, we test and confirm a prediction of our circuit models by direct manipulation of nucleus accumbens input neurons.

Long-term effects of sheep-grazing and its removal on vegetation dynamics of British upland grasslands and moorlands; local management cannot overcome large-scale trends

The upland and mountainous regions of northern Europe provide a wide variety of ecosystem services. However, these ecosystem services are highly vulnerable to environmental and land-use change. To ensure their future conservation, it is therefore, essential to understand whether upland plant communities will respond positively or negatively to a range of environmental factors such as grazing pressure and landscape-scale factors such as changes in atmospheric SO2 and NOx deposition. To understand this, here, we describe the long-term trends in four UK upland communities (high-level grassland, intermediate grassland, blanket bog, high-level bog) using four replicated long-term experiments examining the effects of sheep grazing compared to no-sheep grazing in Moor House (from 1954 to 2016). Our results showed that species richness and abundance recovered in grazed plots after 2000, with improvements in species richness and abundance of vascular plants, mosses, and liverworts. Unfortunately, no improvement was found for lichens. Species richness, vascular plants, and mosses recovered the fastest, and much faster than liverworts. There was no evidence of slower recovery of species richness and abundance in plots where sheep grazing was removed. These results are consistent with longitudinal studies suggesting recovery after 2000 as a result of reduced atmospheric deposition. Although trends in diversity and abundance in the grazed and ungrazed plots were not identical, they were not markedly different either. The similar richness and abundance trends in the grazed and ungrazed plots found in each plant community suggest that within-community dynamics may overcome initial differences between the grazing treatments over time. In contrast, differences in richness and abundance among plant communities over time suggest that some landscape-scale trends, such as those caused by a reduction in nutrient inputs, initiate community-dependent recovery.

Rice variety and sustainable farming: A case study in the Mekong Delta, Vietnam

The Mekong Delta (MKD) produces more than half of the total rice production in Vietnam. In the context of climate change, the Vietnamese government has implemented a development strategy for rice production in the MKD region to improve quality and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The proportion of aromatic and high-quality rice production is gradually increasing to satisfy the export market. However, there is still an over-reliance on agrochemicals and the impact of overall efficiency of major rice groups is not well understood. This study measures the overall efficiency (OE) and input slacks of rice production in the MKD and considered low-emission rice farming. Using primary survey data from 380 households, the super-slack based measure (super-SBM) in data envelopment analysis (DEA) was employed to calculate the efficiency scores and non-radial slacks of each farm. The results indicated that both aromatic rice (AR) and high-quality rice (HR) groups achieved higher OE in the autumn-winter (AW) season than in the summer-autumn (SA) season. In addition, OE also increased in paddy farms greater than two hectares and in households that have cooperative membership and practice climate smart agriculture (CSA). For the input reduction strategies based on slacks, it was found that each rice group should have the seed density reduced by amounts ranging from 29 to 45 kg/ha. N fertilizer should also be reduced by 33 kg/ha and 35 kg/ha in the SA and AW seasons, respectively. It was estimated that rice farming can correspondingly mitigate N2O emissions by 62−74.2 kg/km2 in the SA season and 64.7−73 kg/km2 in the AW season. Overall, the super-SBM model was effective in simultaneously estimating the overall efficiency and input overuse among paddy fields. In addition, the ranking of “super-efficient” rice farms also supports the restructuring policy of the government in establishing AR and HR production areas for export. Among the adaptation strategies, households that practice CSA techniques have smaller slacks of N fertilizer and irrigation. Low-emission paddy sector development in the MKD favors AR and HR if the CSA techniques are continuously promoted and strictly monitored by the Vietnamese government.

Long-term morphological modeling and implication for estuarine regulation of the Modaomen Estuary, Pearl River Delta, China

The morphological evolution of estuarine areas occurs at multiple time scales. The Modaomen Estuary (ME) in Pearl River Delta (PRD), China, is one of the main outlets of freshwater and sediment into the South China Sea. A long-term morphodynamic model based on TELEMAC numerical modeling system was applied to the ME to explore input reduction of the river boundary condition, discuss the effect of wave, and analyze the classification of the ME and its long-term morphodynamic equilibrium.Four input reduction scenarios were tested in the model: annual average runoff discharge, bed formation discharge, hourly water levels in a representative year, and combined seasonal discharge (flood season, intermediate season and dry season). The model results show that the general patterns of erosion and deposition at the mouth bar and channels are represented reasonably well when combined seasonal river discharge is used. Sediment was silted onto the external slope of the central mouth bar due to runoff, and was transported landward and westward under the effect of waves. Based on the modeled long-term morphological evolution results, the general morphological pattern can be reproduced under the control of runoff and tides without considering the effect of waves, showing that classification of the ME is runoff dominant. At the seasonal scale, morphology is adjusted through silting in the flood and intermediate seasons and scouring in the dry season. At the interannual scale, from 1994 to 2017, the net volume changes decreased gradually, indicating that erosion and deposition tend to be balanced in the ME. The results of this study provide a valuable basis for long-term modeling and estuarine regulation.

Exploring cellulose nanocrystals obtained from olive tree wastes as sustainable crop protection tool against bacterial diseases

Nanomaterials in agriculture represent one of the most innovative method for protecting crops, due to possibility of being applied as nanopesticides or nanocarriers for active ingredients. Furthermore, nanotechnology could be combined with the concept of circular economy through the opportunity of obtaining highly technological nanometric materials starting from agro-industrial wastes. The present research evaluated the possibility of synthesizing cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) from olive pruning wastes through chemical bleaching, reusing them as sustainable tool to control the causal agent of the olive knot disease (Pseudomonas savastanoi pv. savastanoi). CNCs showed an interesting in vitro effect in inhibiting bacterial growth and bacterial biofilm formation, as well as the ability of reducing bacterial epiphytic survival in a comparable way to copper sulphate on leaf surfaces, when used at 1% w/v. CNCs were at the same time investigated for their interaction with olive tree seedlings, showing no negative effects on leaf development, and a promising root uptake, indicating that CNCs could be used also as nanocarriers for active ingredients. Obtained results highlight the innovative possibility of designing sustainable plant protection strategies capable of revalorise lignocellulosic wastes, meaning a simultaneous low environmental impact thanks to reduction of traditional agrochemicals input.

Caretaker input and trilingual development of Mandarin, Cantonese and English in early childhood (1;6-2;11)

ABSTRACT Early trilingual development is an excellent testing ground for input reduction effects on acquisition outcomes. This article reports a study investigating input-outcome relations in a child Leo in Hong Kong, who was addressed to in Mandarin, Cantonese and later also in English by caretakers through ‘one caretaker-one language’ and ‘one day-one language’ practices. Caretaker-child interactions were recorded monthly from 1;6 to 2;11 and compared with monolingual baselines in grammatical complexity, lexical diversity and verb morphology. Receptive vocabulary tests were administered at 3;1. Results show that Leo, having accumulated 54%, 26% and 20% of his total input in Mandarin, Cantonese and English respectively from birth to three, demonstrated monolingual-like development in Mandarin and surprisingly, also in Cantonese in most lexical and grammatical measures. Hearing English primarily from non-native speakers, Leo was able to match monolinguals in receptive vocabulary and develop productive morphosyntax in English. The findings suggest that language distance and similarity should be taken into consideration in predicting developmental rates and outcomes of specific languages in trilingual development, and that the role of language input from non-native speakers in the acquisition of a third language warrants further examination.

Biological control of plant diseases – What has been achieved and what is the direction?

AbstractThe global sustainability agenda is increasing the demand for reduction in inputs into agricultural production while maintaining profitable yield of quality products. Plant diseases are a major constraint for both yield and product quality, but often tools for their control are ineffective or lacking. Biological control using antagonistic microorganisms has long been a subject of research resulting in a wide range of products that are now available and marketed in specific territories around the world. These preparations are often niche products with narrow uses. The research effort is intense both to develop new biological control agents (BCAs) and to obtain knowledge of the mechanisms underlying biological disease control. The prospects for biological control are promising. As a minimum, BCAs supplement other sustainable disease management practices such as disease resistance, and present opportunities for controlling diseases for which other approaches are ineffective or unavailable. We can realistically expect increasing use of BCAs to control crop diseases in ways that will benefit the environment. This review paper arose from a webinar held by the British Society for Plant Pathology as part of the International Year of Plant Heath (IYPH2020), at which many of the 300 participants posed or discussed interesting questions. This review is based on that input and the panel members at the webinar are all included as co‐authors in this review.

Sulfate (SO42−) Decline Supported Lake Kinneret (Israel) Invasion of N2-Fixing Cyanobacterium Aphanizomenon ovalisporum

Since 1990, the Lake Kinneret trophic status has shifted from phosphorus to nitrogen limitation. In the summer of 1994, an outbreak of N2 fixing cyanobacterium Aphanizomenon ovalisporum invaded the epilimnion of Lake Kinneret. Since then, sporadic densities of harmful cyanobacteria (HFCB) reappeared in the lake together with other toxic non-N2 fixing cyanobacteria. This predicted ecological modification developed because of a worldwide well-known background condition of descent N/P mass ratio. Reevaluation of the lake and its watershed ecosystems data exposed additional potential support of the process reduction of the epilimnetic sulfate (SO42−) concentration. Climate condition changes resulted in sulfate input reduction and its potential competitive interaction with molybdenum (MoO42−) enhanced the HFCB growth rate. The working hypothesis was the reevaluated incorporation of long-term records including rainfall, river discharge, depth of ground water table in the Hula valley peat soil, total moisture capabilities, and Kinneret epilimnion sulfate concentration. Results justify conclusive inference in Lake Kinneret of the following: sufficient phosphorus, insufficient nitrogen, and sulfate decline availabilities induced the HFCB outbreak in the summer of 1994.

Vegetation degradation threatens soil health in a mountainous semi-arid region

Soil biological properties are good indicators for the evaluation of soil quality, introduced as key indicators in soil health, which is in line with the nutrient cycles in terrestrial ecosystems. To the best of the authors' knowledge, responses of belowground biota to habitat degradation have received little attention. The present study aimed to study the effect of different intensities of vegetation degradation [heavy (0–10% coverage), moderate (30–40% coverage) and light (60–70% coverage)] and non-degraded sites (as control; 90–100% coverage) in lands covered by Crataegus and Berberis shrubs on soil fauna, microbiota and microbial activities in the north of Iran. From each of these sites, 45 soil (30 × 30 cm area) samples were taken from 0 to 10 cm, 10–20 cm and 20–30 cm depths and 180 samples were transferred to the laboratory. According to principal component analysis, the studied habitats can be distinguished based on soil health and functional characteristics. In this regard, due to the more fertile soil in ecosystems without degradation, highest soil biological activities belonged to these areas. Following the increase in the intensity of degradation, the population of soil organisms and microbial activities are suppressed due to reduction of organic matter inputs, unsuitable soil microclimate, increase in soil erosion and finally depletion of soil nutrients. The results of this study indicate the dependence of soil quality on aboveground vegetation cover, especially in the topsoil, so the vegetation degradation can cause severe damages to soil health in semi-arid regions.

Modeling and simulation of vagal afferent input of the cough reflex

We employed computational modeling to investigate previously conducted experiments of the effect of vagal afferent modulation on the cough reflex in an anesthetized cat animal model. Specifically, we simulated unilateral cooling of the vagus nerve and analyzed characteristics of coughs produced by a computational model of brainstem cough/respiratory neuronal network. Unilateral vagal cooling was simulated by a reduction of cough afferent input (corresponding to unilateral vagal cooling) to the cough network. All these attempts resulted in only mild decreases in investigated cough characteristics such as cough number, amplitudes of inspiratory and expiratory cough efforts in comparison with experimental data. Multifactorial alterations of model characteristics during cough simulations were required to approximate cough motor patterns that were observed during unilateral vagal cooling in vivo. The results support the plausibility of a more complex NTS processing system for cough afferent information than has been proposed.