Relative Increase Research Articles

Effects of different acidification-resisting strategies on anaerobic digestion of kitchen waste: Methanogenic properties and microbial community shift

Anaerobic digestion (AD) has been widely used as a promising technology for the treatment of kitchen waste (KW). The effects of several acidification-resisting methods were compared, which included the supplementation of trace elements (TEs) and zero-valent iron (ZVI) / powdered activated carbon (PAC), and the application of the sludge domesticated by acetic acid (HAc) and KW as inoculum. The results showed that the supplementation of TEs and ZVI/PAC at total solid (TS) content of 6% and optimal addition doses resulted in an increase in methane yield to 346 and 366 mL/g VS, respectively. In addition, the methane yields of 327 and 241 mL/g VS were obtained by applying the sludge domesticated with KW and HAc as inoculum, while the methane yield of the control was only 89.2 mL/g VS, representing a relative increase of 288%, 311%, 267%, and 170%. The acidification could be alleviated by applying these methods, and also the methanogenic profile was improved. Furthermore, microbial community analysis revealed that the enrichment of Methanosarcina, which enhanced the substrate utilization capacity and subsequently increased methane production, was achieved through the addition of TEs and ZVI/PAC, along with the application of sludge domesticated by KW.

Numerical study on lateral response of piles in sandy slopes employing a hardening soil model

The present study investigates the lateral response of piles on sandy slopes. PLAXIS 3D has been employed to perform three-dimensional finite element analysis. A number of numerical assessments have been conducted on the pile with a constant slope height, having different ground slope inclinations from 10° to 30° in sandy soil with different relative densities from 30% to 70%. The embedment length-to-diameter ratio is 30. Responses are compared with the results of horizontal ground conditions. The impact of pile position on the sloping ground has also been investigated by placing the pile at various positions from crest to toe of the sloping ground. The analysis has been done by providing the pile with lateral displacement in one case and a lateral load in the other. The current investigation will examine slope stability with and without pile reinforcement. Lateral pile capacity increases as relative density increases and it decreases as the slope of the ground increases. Maximum lateral displacement and maximum bending moment decrease as relative density increases and increase when the level ground is changed to sloping ground. The depth of the maximum bending moment is also reported.

Morbidity and Length of Stay After Injury Among People Experiencing Homelessness in North America

Traumatic injury is a leading cause of hospitalization among people experiencing homelessness. However, hospital course among this population is unknown. To evaluate whether homelessness was associated with increased morbidity and length of stay (LOS) after hospitalization for traumatic injury and whether associations between homelessness and LOS were moderated by age and/or Injury Severity Score (ISS). This retrospective cohort study of the American College of Surgeons Trauma Quality Programs (TQP) included patients 18 years or older who were hospitalized after an injury and discharged alive from 787 hospitals in North America from January 1, 2017, to December 31, 2018. People experiencing homelessness were propensity matched to housed patients for hospital, sex, insurance type, comorbidity, injury mechanism type, injury body region, and Glasgow Coma Scale score. Data were analyzed from February 1, 2022, to May 31, 2023. People experiencing homelessness were identified using the TQP's alternate home residence variable. Morbidity, hemorrhage control surgery, and intensive care unit (ICU) admission were assessed. Associations between homelessness and LOS (in days) were tested with hierarchical multivariable negative bionomial regression. Moderation effects of age and ISS on the association between homelessness and LOS were evaluated with interaction terms. Of 1 441 982 patients (mean [SD] age, 55.1 [21.1] years; (822 491 [57.0%] men, 619 337 [43.0%] women, and 154 [0.01%] missing), 9065 (0.6%) were people experiencing homelessness. Unmatched people experiencing homelessness demonstrated higher rates of morbidity (221 [2.4%] vs 25 134 [1.8%]; P < .001), hemorrhage control surgery (289 [3.2%] vs 20 331 [1.4%]; P < .001), and ICU admission (2353 [26.0%] vs 307 714 [21.5%]; P < .001) compared with housed patients. The matched cohort comprised 8665 pairs at 378 hospitals. Differences in rates of morbidity, hemorrhage control surgery, and ICU admission between people experiencing homelessness and matched housed patients were not statistically significant. The median unadjusted LOS was 5 (IQR, 3-10) days among people experiencing homelessness and 4 (IQR, 2-8) days among matched housed patients (P < .001). People experiencing homelessness experienced a 22.1% longer adjusted LOS (incident rate ratio [IRR], 1.22 [95% CI, 1.19-1.25]). The greatest increase in adjusted LOS was observed among people experiencing homelessness who were 65 years or older (IRR, 1.42 [95% CI, 1.32-1.54]). People experiencing homelessness with minor injury (ISS, 1-8) had the greatest relative increase in adjusted LOS (IRR, 1.30 [95% CI, 1.25-1.35]) compared with people experiencing homelessness with severe injury (ISS ≥16; IRR, 1.14 [95% CI, 1.09-1.20]). The findings of this cohort study suggest that challenges in providing safe discharge to people experiencing homelessness after injury may lead to prolonged LOS. These findings underscore the need to reduce disparities in trauma outcomes and improve hospital resource use among people experiencing homelessness.

Adulticidal synergy of two plant essential oils and their major constituents against the housefly Musca domestica and bioassay on non-target species

Single and mixture formulations of lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus (DC.) Stapf.) and star anise (Illicium verum (J. Presl.)) essential oils (EOs) and their major constituents were assayed for their adulticidal activities against housefly, Musca domestica L., and two non-target species, stingless bee (Tetragonula pegdeni Schwarz) and guppy (Poecilia reticulata Peters). The efficacies of the mixture formulations were compared against those of the single formulations and 1.0% α-cypermethrin, a common synthetic insecticide. GC-MS analysis found that the major constituent of lemongrass EO was geranial (45.23%), and that of star anise EO was trans-anethole (93.23%). Almost all mixture formulations were more effective in adulticidal activity against housefly adults than single formulations and 1.0% α-cypermethrin. A mixture of 1.0% lemongrass EO + 1.0% trans-anethole exhibited the strongest synergistic insecticidal activity with a 100% mortality rate (KT50 of 3.2 min and LT50 of 0.07 h). The relative percentage increase in mortality rate over single formulations was between 1.6 and 91.9%. In addition, it was three times more effective than 1.0% α-cypermethrin. To find the mechanism of adulticidal action, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was done to find morphological aberrations, such as antennal and mouthpart aberrations, after the houseflies were treated with 1.0% lemongrass EO + 1.0% trans-anethole. The aberrations included deformed and abnormal shape of arista and flagellum, change in labellum pigmentation, and damage to pseudotracheae. Regarding toxicity against non-target species, all single and mixture formulations were not toxic to the two non-target species, while 1.0% α-cypermethrin was highly toxic. To conclude, a mixture of 1.0% lemongrass EO + 1.0% trans-anethole can be an excellent, natural, sustainable housefly adulticidal agent.

Microvascular disease not type 2 diabetes is associated with increased cortical porosity: A study of cortical bone microstructure and intracortical vessel characteristics

IntroductionFracture risk is elevated in type 2 diabetes (T2D) despite normal or even high bone mineral density (BMD). Microvascular disease (MVD) is a diabetic complication, but also associated with other diseases, for example chronic kidney disease. We hypothesize that increased fracture risk in T2D could be due to increased cortical porosity (Ct.Po) driven by expansion of the vascular network in MVD. The purpose of this study was to investigate associations of T2D and MVD with cortical microstructure and intracortical vessel parameters. MethodsThe study group consisted of 75 participants (38 with T2D and 37 without T2D). High-resolution peripheral quantitative CT (HR-pQCT) and dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI (DCE-MRI) of the ultra-distal tibia were performed to assess cortical bone and intracortical vessels (outcomes). MVD was defined as ≥1 manifestation including neuropathy, nephropathy, or retinopathy based on clinical exams in all participants. Adjusted means of outcomes were compared between groups with/without T2D or between participants with/without MVD in both groups using linear regression models adjusting for age, sex, BMI, and T2D as applicable. ResultsMVD was found in 21 (55 %) participants with T2D and in 9 (24 %) participants without T2D. In T2D, cortical pore diameter (Ct.Po.Dm) and diameter distribution (Ct.Po.Dm.SD) were significantly higher by 14.6 μm (3.6 %, 95 % confidence interval [CI]: 2.70, 26.5 μm, p = 0.017) and by 8.73 μm (4.8 %, CI: 0.79, 16.7 μm, p = 0.032), respectively. In MVD, but not in T2D, cortical porosity was significantly higher by 2.25 % (relative increase = 12.9 %, CI: 0.53, 3.97 %, p = 0.011) and cortical BMD (Ct.BMD) was significantly lower by −43.6 mg/cm3 (2.6 %, CI: −77.4, −9.81 mg/cm3, p = 0.012). In T2D, vessel volume and vessel diameter were significantly higher by 0.02 mm3 (13.3 %, CI: 0.004, 0.04 mm3, p = 0.017) and 15.4 μm (2.9 %, CI: 0.42, 30.4 μm, p = 0.044), respectively. In MVD, vessel density was significantly higher by 0.11 mm−3 (17.8 %, CI: 0.01, 0.21 mm−3, p = 0.033) and vessel volume and diameter were significantly lower by −0.02 mm3 (13.7 %, CI: −0.04, −0.004 mm3, p = 0.015) and − 14.6 μm (2.8 %, CI: −29.1, −0.11 μm, p = 0.048), respectively. ConclusionsThe presence of MVD, rather than T2D, was associated with increased cortical porosity. Increased porosity in MVD was coupled with a larger number of smaller vessels, which could indicate upregulation of neovascularization triggered by ischemia. It is unclear why higher variability and average diameters of pores in T2D were accompanied by larger vessels.

Irrigation as an Effective Way to Increase Potato Yields in Northern China: A Meta-Analysis

A meta-analysis was conducted with the aim of exploring the influence of irrigation on potato yield, evapotranspiration (ET), and water-use efficiency (WUE) in northern China, considering factors such as irrigation methods, growing region, irrigation water-use efficiency (IWUE), irrigation frequency, soil types, and nitrogen (N) fertilizer rate. Overall, irrigation significantly increased potato yield and ET by an average of 45 and 54% compared to non-irrigation, respectively, but did not significantly increase the WUE. The increase in potato yield under irrigation is the most evident in aeolian sandy soil in northeast China and northwest China. Drip irrigation demonstrated the highest positive impact on both yield and WUE. Optimal yields were achieved with an irrigation amount ranging from 100 to 200 mm, while the highest WUE was observed with an irrigation amount of 30–50 mm. When the amount of irrigation exceeded 100 mm, the irrigation significantly resulted in decreased WUE compared to non-irrigation. The relative increase in yield per unit of irrigation amount and IWUE gradually decreased and eventually stabilized when the irrigation amount exceeded 100 mm. Therefore, the yield and WUE perform best when the irrigation amount is below 100 mm and the irrigation frequency is less than three times for sprinkling and flood irrigation methods. The greatest increases in yield and WUE under irrigation were found under a moderate N rate (150–250 kg N ha−1). Additionally, the relative increase in yield per unit of irrigation amount decreases gradually as the organic matter content increases. These findings suggest that the optimal benefits from irrigation might be realized when the irrigation amount is below 100 mm, with a moderate nitrogen fertilizer application and an irrigation frequency of three times. However, it is essential to consider local environmental factors such as the growing region, soil types, and organic carbon content.

Nonbank lenders as global shock absorbers: Evidence from US monetary policy spillovers

We show that nonbank lenders act as global shock absorbers from US monetary policy spillovers. For identification, we exploit monetary policy surprises and the global syndicated lending market, where detailed loan-level data allow us to compare the participation of banks and nonbanks in the same loan. When US policy tightens, dollar credit to non-US firms falls, but nonbanks increase credit supply (relative to banks), thereby mitigating the total credit reduction. This relative increase is stronger for riskier non-US firms, proxied by emerging market firms, high-yield firms, or firms in countries with stronger capital inflow restrictions. Finally, there are real effects associated with the international nonbank channel of monetary policy, as firms with better access to nonbank credit relatively increase total corporate debt, investment, and employment.

Active microbial population dynamics and life strategies drive the enhanced carbon use efficiency in high-organic matter soils.

Microbial carbon use efficiency (CUE) is a critical parameter that controls carbon storage in soil, but many uncertainties remain concerning adaptations of microbial communities to long-term fertilization that impact CUE. Based on H218O quantitative stable isotope probing coupled with metagenomic sequencing, we disentangled the roles of active microbial population dynamics and life strategies for CUE in soils after a long-term (35 years) mineral or organic fertilization. We found that the soils rich in organic matter supported high microbial CUE, indicating a more efficient microbial biomass formation and a greater carbon sequestration potential. Organic fertilizers supported active microbial communities characterized by high diversity and a relative increase in net growth rate, as well as an anabolic-biased carbon cycling, which likely explains the observed enhanced CUE. Overall, these results highlight the role of population dynamics and life strategies in understanding and predicting microbial CUE and sequestration in soil.IMPORTANCEMicrobial CUE is a major determinant of global soil organic carbon storage. Understanding the microbial processes underlying CUE can help to maintain soil sustainable productivity and mitigate climate change. Our findings indicated that active microbial communities, adapted to long-term organic fertilization, exhibited a relative increase in net growth rate and a preference for anabolic carbon cycling when compared to those subjected to chemical fertilization. These shifts in population dynamics and life strategies led the active microbes to allocate more carbon to biomass production rather than cellular respiration. Consequently, the more fertile soils may harbor a greater microbially mediated carbon sequestration potential. This finding is of great importance for manipulating microorganisms to increase soil C sequestration.

Influence of offset on osseointegration in cementless total hip arthroplasty: A finite element study.

Early aseptic loosening is caused by deficient osteointegration of the femoral stem due to increased micromotions and represents a common mode of failure in uncemented total hip arthroplasty (THA). This study hypothesized that a higher femoral offset, a smaller stem size and obesity increase femoral micromotion, potentially resulting in early aseptic loosening. A finite element analysis was conducted based on computed tomography segmented model of four patients who received a THA with a triple-tapered straight stem (Size 1, 3, 6). The influence of femoral stem offset (short neck, standard, lateral), head length (S to XXL), femoral anteversion and obesity during daily activities of fast walking and stair climbing was analyzed. The micromotions for the femoral stem zones were compared to a threshold representing a value above which only partial osseointegration is expected. The minimum femoral offset configuration compared to the maximum offset configuration (short neck stem, S head vs. lateral stem, XXL head) leads to a relative mean micromotion increase of 24% for the upper stem zone. Increasing the body weight (body mass index 30-35 kg/m2 ) increases the micromotion by 20% for all stem zones. The obese population recorded threshold-exceeding micromotions for stem sizes 1 and 3 for all offset configurations during stair climbing. Higher femoral offset, a smaller stem size, and higher loading due to obesity lead to an increase in micromotion between the prosthesis and proximal femur and represent a risk configuration for impaired osseointegration of a triple-tapered straight stem, especially when these three factors are present simultaneously.

Carbon sequestration and nitrogen loss drive the evolution of French forest soils

The temporal change of soil chemistry in the forest floor and mineral soil down to a depth of 40 cm was assessed for the 102 permanent plots of the French Network for the Monitoring of Forest Ecosystems (RENECOFOR), over a 15-year period (from 1993–1995 to 2007–2012). In examining the separate and joint evolutions of a large set of parameters, many significant changes were detected reflecting the fact that French forest soils were not in a steady state. A significant increase in soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks was found, mainly in the surface soil (13.0% increase over the forest floor and the 0–10 cm layer). Conversely, the relative increase of the total nitrogen (Ntot) stocks was lower in the surface soil (4.8% increase), and a general and sharp decline of Ntot was detected between 10 and 40 cm depth (12.0% decrease). These results led to a substantial raise of C/N ratio over the whole soil profile. Another major finding is the difference in soil acidification recovery depending on the initial trophic level. In highly acidified contexts (top soil pH H2O &amp;lt; 4.5), increased soil acidification (pH and base saturation decrease, exchangeable Al increase) over the profile was observed while exchangeable base cation (Ca, Mg, K) pools increased. On the other hand, less acidic soils saw their global buffer capacity enhanced. These observations contrast with what is measured in other European inventories. While a previous study carried out on the same plots and over the same period highlighted SOC as a major driver of soil evolution in the top mineral soil, the possible mechanisms behind the large N decrease in the lower mineral soil remain to be confirmed.

Green chemistry routed sugar press mud for (2D) ZnO nanostructure fabrication, mineral fortification, and climate-resilient wheat crop productivity

Nanotechnology appears to be a promising tool to redefine crop nutrition in the coming decades. However, the crucial interactions of nanomaterials with abiotic components of the environment like soil organic matter (SOM) and carbon‒sequestration may hold the key to sustainable crop nutrition, fortification, and climate change. Here, we investigated the use of sugar press mud (PM) mediated ZnO nanosynthesis for soil amendment and nutrient mobilisation under moderately alkaline conditions. The positively charged (+ 7.61 mv) ZnO sheet-like nanoparticles (~ 17 nm) from zinc sulphate at the optimum dose of (75 mg/kg blended with PM (1.4% w/w) were used in reinforcing the soil matrix for wheat growth. The results demonstrated improved agronomic parameters with (~ 24%) and (~ 19%) relative increases in yield and plant Zn content. Also, the soil solution phase interactions of the ZnO nanoparticles with the PM-induced soil colloidal carbon (− 27.9 mv and diameter 0.4864 μm) along with its other components have influenced the soil nutrient dynamics and mineral ecology at large. Interestingly, one such interaction seems to have reversed the known Zn-P interaction from negative to positive. Thus, the study offers a fresh insight into the possible correlations between nutrient interactions and soil carbon sequestration for climate-resilient crop productivity.

Single-step genomic prediction for body weight and maturity age in Finnish rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss)

The use of genomic information has been proven to be a highly effective in predicting genomic breeding values (GEBV) across various species, including aquatic organisms. In the Finnish national rainbow trout breeding programme, the integration of genomic selection holds particular significance for the traits recorded on sibling fish reared in the main commercial sea production environment, given the selection occurs among the breeding candidates reared in the freshwater nucleus. In the programme, family tanks allow to maintain a pedigree for a large number of fish, and genotyping of a portion of the fish accompanied with a single-step genomic evaluation (ssGBLUP) would maintain high selection intensity and simultaneously make use of possibilities of genomic selection. In this study we used three different statistical approaches to quantify the selection accuracy of ssGBLUP evaluation of body weight and maturity age, relative to the evaluation based on the traditional sire-dam-offspring pedigree (PBLUP). The data included 600,409 fish in the pedigree among which 214,410 and 4573 were phenotyped for the reported traits and genotyped, respectively. Firstly, a phenotypic cross validation study showed that ssGBLUP had a slightly better prediction power for body weight and maturity age recorded at the sea, with an average 2.7% relative increase in accuracy compared to PBLUP. Secondly, a linear regression (LR) of GEBVs computed using either full or reduced dataset demonstrated that the ssGBLUP model had a consistently lower bias and dispersion compared to the PBLUP model, underscoring its efficacy in dealing with complex datasets like ours. When considering the reliability of [G]EBV predictions, the use of ssGBLUP model resulted in a significant improvement. There is, on average, a notable 50% relative increase in the reliability of predictions for the sea-recorded traits. Thirdly, the enhancement in reliability was further evidenced by the individual assessment of [G]EBVs computed using the reverse reliability methodology. Notably, genotyped individuals experienced an average increase of 0.27 units in reliability, while ungenotyped individuals experienced a corresponding increase of 0.03 units. The results show that the ssGBLUP method had higher prediction accuracy for both sea and freshwater traits compared to PBLUP. The developed ssGBLUP model will be instrumental in Finland's rainbow trout breeding, facilitating precise and efficient selection of new candidates.

Population-based epidemiological projections of rheumatoid arthritis in Germany until 2040

Objectives Our aim was to conduct a population-based projection to estimate the number of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) cases in Germany until 2040. Method Data obtained from a report published in 2017 (doi:10.20364/VA-17.08) were used for future prediction analysis. The data were originally collected by the German Central Institute for Statutory Health Insurance. We used the illness–death model to estimate future numbers of RA cases, considering nine possible scenarios based on different incidence and mortality rates. Results In the baseline scenario, the number of women with RA is projected to increase by 417 000 cases and men by 179 000 cases by 2040, compared with 2015. Peak numbers of cases are concentrated in the 70–80-year-old age group, particularly among women. In the most favourable scenario (scenario 2), assuming a decreasing incidence, the total number of RA cases is projected to rise by 284 000 by 2040, reflecting a 38% relative increase from 2015 to 2040. The least favourable scenario (scenario 9), assuming an increasing incidence, projects a significant burden on the healthcare system. The total number of RA cases is expected to rise by 1.16 million by 2040, marking a substantial 158% relative increase from 2015 to 2040. Conclusions Our research emphasizes a discernible trend: with an ageing society, improving treatment effectiveness, and declining all-cause mortality, we anticipate a rise in the absolute numbers of RA cases in Germany in the coming years. Our models robustly support this viewpoint, underscoring impending challenges for healthcare systems. Addressing these challenges demands multifaceted interventions.

Comparison of pigment epithelium detachment composition indices between neovascular age-related macular degeneration and polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy

PurposeTo compare changes in the fibrous component of pigment epithelium detachment composition indices (PEDCI-F) in neovascular age-related macular degeneration (n-AMD) and polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV) over 12 months.MethodsThis was a retrospective chart review of treatment-naïve n-AMD and PCV eyes treated with anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) agents. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) images were recorded at baseline and at 3, 6, and 12 months. OCT images were processed by filtering followed by pigment epithelium detachment (PED) segmentation and analysis of PED lesion heterogeneity based on the composition (PEDCI-F).ResultsA total of 74 eyes with n-AMD (36) and PCV (38) were included. Overall, PEDCI-F increased minimally in both n-AMD and PCV groups (both p > 0.05). The majority, i.e., 58.3% and 60.5%, of n-AMD and PCV eyes, respectively, showed an increase in PEDCI-F at 12 months. An increase in PEDCI-F was associated with improved BCVA logMAR (n-AMD, r = -0.79; p < 0.001 and PCV, r = − 0.06; p = 0.74) and the need for fewer anti-VEGF injections (n-AMD, r = − 0.53; p < 0.001 and PCV, r = − 0.09; p = 0.58).ConclusionPEDCI-F increases in the majority of eyes with n-AMD and PCV through 12 months following treatment with anti-VEGF injections. This group had better visual acuity compared to the other subset with reduction in PEDCI-F requiring more anti-VEGF injections and worse visual acuity, possibly due to fibrovascular PED (FVPED) collapse and atrophy or a relative increase in other PEDCI constituents at 12 months.

Mechanical properties of thermally damaged mortar under coupled static-dynamic loading

In buildings that experience fires, cement mortar is subjected to high-temperature environments and not only the weight of the structure above but also blast loads, leading to structural damage and loss of load-bearing capacity. To investigate the static and dynamic mechanical properties of thermally damaged mortar, a series of tests utilizing modified split Hopkinson pressure bar were conducted. These tests included quasi-static, conventional dynamic and coupled static-dynamic loading tests on mortar specimens that were subjected to seven temperature levels: 20°C, 100°C, 200°C, 300°C, 400°C, 500°C, and 600°C. The test results revealed that both the thermal damage and loading method had an impact on the mechanical properties and damage characteristics of the mortar specimens. The compressive strength, elastic modulus and absorbed energy ratio of mortar decreased as temperature increased. Notably, the quasi-static strength loss rate was 60% when the temperature reached 600°C. Under coupled static-dynamic loading, the specimens exhibited higher strength, elastic modulus, reflected energy ratio, and transmitted energy ratio. Conversely, they had lower average strain rates and absorbed energy ratios. Intriguingly, the dynamic growth factor had a relative increase of 0.7–2.0 compared with other loading methods. Furthermore, the higher temperature, the higher fragmentation of the specimens in the fragmentation pattern. Conventional dynamic loading resulted in the greatest degree of fragmentation. The findings provide a scientific basis for the design and evaluation of concrete shockproof and explosion-resistant structures.

County-level socio-environmental factors and obesity prevalence in the United States.

To investigate high-risk sociodemographic and environmental determinants of health (SEDH) potentially associated with adult obesity in counties in the United States using machine-learning techniques. We performed a cross-sectional analysis of county-level adult obesity prevalence (body mass index ≥30 kg/m2) in the United States using data from the Diabetes Surveillance System 2017. We harvested 49 county-level SEDH factors that were used in a classification and regression trees (CART) model to identify county-level clusters. The CART model was validated using a 'hold-out' set of counties and variable importance was evaluated using Random Forest. Overall, we analysed 2752 counties in the United States, identifying a national median (interquartile range) obesity prevalence of 34.1% (30.2%, 37.7%). The CART method identified 11 clusters with a 60.8% relative increase in prevalence across the spectrum. Additionally, seven key SEDH variables were identified by CART to guide the categorization of clusters, including Physically Inactive (%), Diabetes (%), Severe Housing Problems (%), Food Insecurity (%), Uninsured (%), Population over 65 years (%) and Non-Hispanic Black (%). There is significant county-level geographical variation in obesity prevalence in the United States, which can in part be explained by complex SEDH factors. The use of machine-learning techniques to analyse these factors can provide valuable insights into the importance of these upstream determinants of obesity and, therefore, aid in the development of geo-specific strategic interventions and optimize resource allocation to help battle the obesity pandemic.

Carbon persistence of soils with long‐term biosolids amendments in California agroecosystems

AbstractBiosolids can build soil organic matter, but their ability to increase carbon and nitrogen in persistent fractions in deep soil is not well understood. We aimed to assess the mechanisms that influence soil carbon and nitrogen dynamics at three sites—Sacramento (irrigated, grazed grassland), Solano (rainfed, grazed grassland), and Merced (feed cropping system with alfalfa–corn rotation)—where soils were amended with biosolids for 20 years using density fractionations, organomineral extractions, and correlations between calcium and soil organic carbon at three depths (0–10, 30–50, and 75–100 cm). We found that amended soils had higher carbon and nitrogen content in the free‐ and occluded‐light fractions at all depths relative to the control in the Sacramento and Solano sites; however, the Merced site had a greater relative increase of carbon and nitrogen associated with the heavy fraction. Effect sizes show that biosolids increase carbon and nitrogen content in free‐ and occluded‐light fractions in the surface soil (0–10 cm), and in both light and heavy fractions in the deep soil layer (75–100 cm). Ratios of carbon to iron and aluminum show that chelation is an important mechanism of carbon stabilization in Sacramento and Solano sites throughout the soil profile. No (0–10 cm) to negative (75–100 cm) correlations were observed between calcium and soil carbon in the amended soils in the Merced site. Our results indicate that, while biosolids are typically incorporated at shallow depths, long‐term application of biosolids can increase the amount of free‐ and occluded‐light carbon fractions in deep soil.

Comparing surface electroenterography measurements between patients suffering from Hirschsprung’s disease and controls: a feasibility study

Current diagnostics in Hirschsprung’s disease are often challenging and invasive. This study aims to investigate whether surface electroenterography can non-invasively discern healthy subjects from subjects suffering from Hirschsprung’s disease. Nine healthy subjects (seven children, two adults) and eleven subjects suffering from surgically untreated Hirschsprung’s disease (nine children, two adults) underwent an electroenterography procedure. This procedure consisted of ultrasound-guided placement of surface electrodes on the abdomen covering all parts of the colon, fasting and two 20-min electroenterography measurements separated by a meal. The dominant frequency, magnitude and relative increase (pre- to postprandial) of colonic activity were compared between both groups. The results showed that in the pediatric group, no significant differences in dominant frequency, colonic activity and relative power increase were observed between controls and patients. The adult patients showed decreased colonic motility and relative power increase in the electrodes closest to the distal colon, both when compared to the same electrodes in controls and to the more proximal electrodes of themselves. To conclude, electroenterography measurements in young children is challenging, but the results in adults demonstrate that these measurements can possibly distinguish between controls and Hirschsprung’s patients. Therefore, optimization of electroenterography measurements in young children is necessary.

Reduced Surface Recombination in Extended-Perimeter LEDs toward Electroluminescent Cooling.

III-V semiconductor light-emitting diodes (LEDs) are a promising candidate for demonstrating electroluminescent cooling. However, exceptionally high internal quantum efficiency designs are paramount to achieving this goal. A significant loss mechanism preventing unity internal quantum efficiency in GaAs-based devices is nonradiative surface recombination at the perimeter sidewall. To address this issue, an unconventional LED design is presented, in which the distance from the central current injection area to the device's perimeter is extended while maintaining a constant front contact grid size. This approach effectively moves the perimeter beyond the lateral spread of current at an operating current density of 101-102 A/cm2. In p-i-n GaAs/InGaP double heterojunction LEDs fabricated with varying sizes and perimeter extensions, a 19% relative increase in external quantum efficiency is achieved by extending the perimeter-to-contact distance from 25 to 250 μm for a front contact grid size of 450 × 450 μm2. Utilizing an in-house developed Photon Dynamics model, the corresponding relative increase in internal quantum efficiency is estimated to be 5%. These results are ascribed to a significant reduction in perimeter recombination due to a lower perimeter-to-surface area (P/A) ratio. However, in contrast to lowering the P/A ratio by increasing the front contact grid size of LEDs, the present method enables these improvements without affecting the required maximum current density in the microscopic active LED area under the front contact grid. These findings aid in the advancement of electroluminescent cooling in LEDs and could prove useful in other dedicated semiconductor devices where perimeter recombination is limiting.

Soil Moisture Sensor-Based Landslide Monitoring: A Laboratory-Based Approach for Guwahati City

Various techniques for landslide mapping, monitoring and modelling are being employed in a variety of studies to keep people safe from landslides. Guwahati, a city in Assam (India) is surrounded by hills, with varied slope angles, become prone to landslide during monsoon season. Relative increase in the moisture content of soil is a major parameter for determining the occurrence of landslides that are induced by rainfall. An experimental model with varying slope angles is demonstrated to witness some proportionality behaviour of soil moisture value for the collected soil sample from landslide prone areas. The soil moisture sensor value increases with increase in slope angle. The toe position of moisture value also shows a significant display of data during landslide. This early warning module can be incorporated with the help of Blynk Application to send messages to the residents of landslide prone areas. This study would be a cost effective alternative for landslide early warning hazard monitoring and fast emergency response process and the model may be considered as a miniature version of real-life slope conditions for the hills of Guwahati city, Assam, India.