Significant Linear Relationship Research Articles

Free amino acids in response to salinity changes in fishes: relationships to osmoregulation.

Free amino acids (FAAs) are believed to play important roles in osmoregulation and buffer capacity in some aquatic animals, such as fishes. However, the potential roles of FAAs have not been systematically summarized and characterized until now. In the present study, the meta-analysis was conducted to investigate the relationships between FAAs and environmental salinities. Twenty published documents were included, accounting for 106 study cases. The effect sizes of total free amino acids (TFAAs), total essential amino acids (TEAAs), and total non-essential amino acids (TNEAAs) to salinity increase were calculated and determined by the restricted maximum likelihood (REML) method. It clearly showed that the elevated salinities significantly induced the contents of TFAAs, TEAAs, and TNEAAs at the ratio of 36%, 27%, and 29%, respectively. Faced to the salinity changes, the contents of FAAs in fishes under freshwater and seawater varied significantly, while the individuals under brackish water displayed relatively constant contents of FAAs. When salinity elevated, the contents of 17 amino acids in muscles significantly increased, suggesting the important roles of FAA metabolism in osmoregulation in fishes. The results also indicated that the effect sizes of TFAAs were positively related to the rates of salinity increases, and exhibited a significant quadratic linear relationship with temperatures. Additionally, the contents of FAAs also showed positive correlation with osmotic pressure, concentrations of plasma Na+, Cl-, and urea, implying their potential roles of FAAs in osmoregulation in fishes. These findings suggested that elevated salinities greatly induced the contents of FAAs in fishes, making a great contribution to maintaining the homeostasis of fishes in response to environmental salinity changes.

Exploring Perceptual Intensity Properties Using Electrotactile Stimulation on Fingertips.

Understanding electrotactile parametric properties is a crucial milestone in achieving intuitive haptics. Perceptual intensity is a primary property, but its exploration remains challenging due to subjectivity. To address this problem, this study conducted two experiments on fingertips and proposed two metrics based on significant findings. Experiment 1 found a significant linear relationship (R 2 = 0.981) between pulse amplitude (PA) and pulse width (PW) in the logarithmic plane, and proposed a metric of parameter intensity (PI) to estimate the intensity of parameters. In Experiment 2, subjective intensity (SI) was defined and measured using a scale of 0 to 10. A metric model of SI (SI model) was derived based on the linear relationship (R 0.78) between PI and measured SI. A calibration method was proposed and its prediction accuracy has been verified. An average RMSE of 11.2 % indicated an accuracy close to the subjective judgment error of 8.7 %. Results are consistent across subjects and four different electrode-skin conditions (ESC). The findings of this study provide theoretical support for SI prediction and regulation, which is significant for electrotactile feedback.

Work Hard, Scare Hard? An Investigation of How Mental Workload Impacts Jump Scare Intensity

Despite the prevalence and relevance of jump scares in horror video games, there is little empirical research on them. While HCI research commonly uses horror games as experimental stimuli, even less scientific research exists on what makes a jump scare in a game more or less scary. The present between-subject study (n=60) addresses this by investigating whether jump scare intensity—measured physiologically and subjectively—scales with task difficulty. We triggered in-game jump scares at increasing levels of mental workload across four counterbalanced conditions, manipulated using N-back tasks of varying difficulty. Results demonstrate a significant linear relationship between mental workload and physiological arousal. However, this is not the case for subjective perception of arousal elicited by the jump scare. These findings have design implications for horror games. They show that the level of physiological arousal caused by a jump scare can be controlled by changing the difficulty of an in-game task that necessitates a substantial amount of mental work at the same time.

Some aspects of reproductive biology of gangetic ailia, \(\textit{Ailia coila}\) (Hamilton, 1822) in Bangladesh

The present study was conducted by Bangladesh Fisheries Research Institute, Floodplain Sub-station to investigate the reproductive biology of Ailia coila in the northern region of Bangladesh. A total number of 100 fish samples were collected on a monthly basis from the Atrai River and Jamuna River during the period from January 2022 to December 2022. The highest mean value of the gonado-somatic index (GSI) was recorded in July (8.78 ± 1.95%), whereas the lowest was found in December (0.15 ± 0.09%). The highest individual fecundity (2,450 ± 570) and ova diameter (0.38 ± 0.07 mm) was also observed in July. From the histological observation of the ovary, the highest percentages (75%) of mature oocytes were observed during the month of July. Based on the GSI, fecundity and gonadal histology, the breeding season of A. coila was observed from June to August with a remarkable peak in July. In the case of length weight relationship (LWR), the coefficient of determination value (r2) was found 0.96 and the slope was found b = 1.50 which indicated the pattern of negative allometric growth of this species as b < 3. In contrast, an increase was recorded in the fecundity associated with the rise of total length, body weight and gonad weight showed a significant linear relationship. This study would assist in the development of induced breeding techniques and provide valuable information for the sustainable management of this population in the inland open ecosystem.

Economic Analysis of Factors Affecting Sugarcane Production in Major Sugarcane Producing States of India

"Sugarcane (Saccharum sp.) is one of the most significant commercial crops in the world due to its strategic position, extensive uses in every nation’s everyday life, and industrial uses for sustaining economic and nutritional needs. The present study, an economic analysis of factors affecting sugarcane production and policy implications in major sugarcane-producing states of India, centers on the objective to analyse the variables influencing sugarcane production. A secondary time series data for 14 states namely: Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Bihar, Gujarat, Haryana, Punjab, Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Telangana, Chhattisgarh, and Jharkhand, for the period 1998-99 to 2018-19 have been utilized for the present study. The variables considered in this study were area, yield, rainfall, and price (FRP). The findings imply that there was a significant linear relationship between the area and sugarcane production. The linear association of yield with production was positive but weaker than the area. Rainfall and FRP (Fair and Remunerative Prices) had a weakly positive association with production,as observed there was the insensitivity of sugarcane production to FRP and rainfall thus, efforts should be made to increase price responsiveness by reducing the sugarcane cane reservation area."

Temporal Statistical Relationship between Regional Cerebral Oxygen Saturation (rSO2) and Brain Tissue Oxygen Tension (PbtO2) in Moderate-to-Severe Traumatic Brain Injury: A Canadian High Resolution-TBI (CAHR-TBI) Cohort Study.

Brain tissue oxygen tension (PbtO2) has emerged as a cerebral monitoring modality following traumatic brain injury (TBI). Near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS)-based regional cerebral oxygen saturation (rSO2) can non-invasively examine cerebral oxygen content and has the potential for high spatial resolution. Past studies examining the relationship between PbtO2 and NIRS-based parameters have had conflicting results with varying degrees of correlation. Understanding this relationship will help guide multimodal monitoring practices and impact patient care. The aim of this study is to examine the relationship between PbtO2 and rSO2 in a cohort of TBI patients by leveraging contemporary statistical methods. A multi-institutional retrospective cohort study of prospectively collected data was performed. Moderate-to-severe adult TBI patients were included with concurrent rSO2 and PbtO2 monitoring during their stay in the intensive care unit (ICU). The high-resolution data were analyzed utilizing time series techniques to examine signal stationarity as well as the cross-correlation relationship between the change in PbtO2 and the change in rSO2 signals. Finally, modeling of the change in PbtO2 by the change in rSO2 was attempted utilizing linear methods that account for the autocorrelative nature of the data signals. A total of 20 subjects were included in the study. Cross-correlative analysis found that changes in PbtO2 were most significantly correlated with changes in rSO2 one minute earlier. Through mixed-effects and time series modeling of parameters, changes in rSO2 were found to often have a statistically significant linear relationship with changes in PbtO2 that occurred a minute later. However, changes in rSO2 were inadequate to predict changes in PbtO2. In this study, changes in PbtO2 were found to correlate most with changes in rSO2 approximately one minute earlier. While changes in rSO2 were found to contain information about future changes in PbtO2, they were not found to adequately model them. This strengthens the body of literature indicating that NIRS-based rSO2 is not an adequate substitute for PbtO2 in the management of TBI.

Effects of Deep Vertical Rotary Tillage Management Methods on Soil Quality in Saline Cotton Fields in Southern Xinjiang

A long-term high-saline soil environment will limit the improvement of soil quality and cotton yield. Modified tillage management measures can improve soil quality, and the establishment of a soil quality evaluation system will facilitate evaluation of the soil quality and land production potential in southern Xinjiang. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of different tillage management methods on soil quality in saline cotton fields in southern Xinjiang. A three-year experiment was conducted in Tumushuke, Xinjiang, with different deep vertical rotary tillage depths (DTM20, 20 cm; DTM40, 40 cm; DTM60, 60 cm) and conventional tillage (CTM, 20 cm). The soil quality index (SQI) under different tillage management methods was established by using the full dataset (TDS) with a scoring function for eight indicators, including physicochemical properties of the soil from 0 to 60 cm, to evaluate its impact on the soil quality of the saline farmland in southern Xinjiang. The results of the study showed that deep vertical rotary tillage management can effectively optimize soil structure; reduce soil bulk density (BD), soil solution conductivity (EC), and pH; and promote the accumulation of soil organic carbon (SOC) and total nitrogen (TN) in the soil. However, the average diameter of soil water-stable aggregates (MWD) in a 0–60 cm layer becomes smaller with an increasing depth of tillage. This does not reduce crop yields but does promote soil saline leaching. In addition, the significant linear relationship (p < 0.001) between seed cotton yield and soil quality indicated that improving soil quality was favorable for crop yield. The principal component analysis revealed BD, MWD, pH, and EC as limiting sensitive indicators for seed cotton yield, while SOC and TN were positive sensitive indicators. The soil quality index (SQI) values of DT40 and DTM60 were significantly higher than that of CTM by 11.02% and 15.27%, respectively. Overall, the results show that DTM60 is the most suitable tillage strategy to improve soil quality and seed cotton yield in this area, and this approach will provide a reliable theoretical basis for the improvement of saline farmland.

The impact of underdamping on the maximum rate of the radial pressure rise during systole (dP/dtMAX)

PurposeIn patients with a radial arterial catheter, underdamping of the pressure signal is common and responsible for an overestimation of systolic arterial pressure (SAP). The maximum rate of the arterial pressure rise during systole (dP/dtMAX) has been proposed to assess left ventricular systolic function. The impact of underdamping on dP/dtMAX is likely but has never been quantified.MethodsWe analyzed data from 70 critically ill patients monitored with a radial catheter in whom underdamping of the arterial pressure waveform was confirmed by the Gardner’s method. Invasive SAP and dP/dtMAX were recorded at baseline and after the correction of underdamping with a resonance filter.ResultsWith resonance filtering, SAP decreased from 159 ± 25 to 139 ± 22 mmHg (p < 0.001) and dP/dtMAX from 2.0 ± 0.6 to 1.1 ± 0.3 mmHg/ms (p < 0.001). The underdamping-induced overestimation of SAP (delta-SAP) ranged from 6 to 41 mmHg (mean 21 ± 9 mmHg or + 15%) and the overestimation of dP/dtMAX (delta-dP/dtMAX) ranged from 0.2 to 2.0 mmHg/ms (mean 0.9 ± 0.4 mmHg/ms or + 84%). A significant linear relationship (p < 0.001, r = 0.6) was observed between delta-SAP and delta-dP/dtMAX such that the higher was delta-SAP, the higher was delta-dP/dtMAX.ConclusionsRadial arterial pressure underdamping has a major impact on dP/dtMAX. In case of underdamping, the overestimation of dP/dtMAX is > fivefold higher than SAP overestimation. Therefore, caution should be exercised before using radial dP/dtMAX as a marker of left ventricular systolic function.Trial registrationRegistered at ClinicalTrials.gov on December 22, 2021 (NCT05166993).Graphical

Comparison of the Ocular Surface Disease Index and the Symptom Assessment in Dry Eye Questionnaires for Dry Eye Symptom Assessment.

Patient-reported dry eye symptoms (DESs), assessed using the Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI) and the Symptom Assessment iN Dry Eye (SANDE) questionnaires, were compared in a large sample of patients. The correlation (Spearman coefficient) and agreement (Bland-Altman analysis) between the OSDI and SANDE questionnaire scores (with and without score normalization) were assessed in 1033 patients and classified according to the OSDI score as non-DES and DES in a cross-sectional analysis. The normalized and non-normalized SANDE results were higher than the OSDI results in all samples (2.83 ± 12.40 (p = 0.063) and 2.85 ± 15.95 (p = 0.016), respectively) and in non-DES (p > 0.063) and DES (p < 0.001) with both OSDI cutoff values. Weak correlations were found (Spearman coefficient <0.53; p < 0.001) in all cases except DES (0.12, p = 0.126). Weak agreement was found with a Bland-Altman analysis of the normalized and non-normalized scores of both questionnaires (mean difference from -7.67 ± 29.17 (DES patients) to -1.33 ± 8.99 (non-DES patients) without score normalization, and from -9.21 ± 26.37 (DES patients) to -0.85 ± 4.01 (non-DES) with data normalization), with a statistically significant linear relationship (R2 > 0.32, p < 0.001). The SANDE questionnaire did not yield the same patient classification as OSDI. The same operative curves (ROC) of the SANDE normalized and non-normalized scores were used to differentiate among patients with DES using OSDI < 12 (0.836 ± 0.015) or OSDI < 22 (0.880 ± 0.015) cutoff values. Normalized and non-normalized data collected from the SANDE questionnaire showed relevant differences from those of the OSDI, which suggests that the results of the SANDE visual analog scale-based questionnaire provide different patient classifications than the OSDI score.

Emotion Dysregulation Linked to Depression Symptoms in a Sub-Saharan Sample of Adolescent University Students

Emotions are fundamental to human development and survival across the lifespan. Adolescence is a volatile and critical developmental period characterized by frequent high-intensity positive and negative emotions. Emotion dysregulation and depression symptoms are common occurrences in adolescence. This study explored the association between emotion regulation difficulties and depressive symptoms in adolescents. The study was anchored on the extended process model of emotion regulation. The study employed a descriptive-analytical design and sampled 352 adolescents, ages 18-19, from the United States International University-Africa, Kenya. SPSS® v28 was used to analyze data and apply descriptive and inferential statistics. The study found no gender or ethnic differences in emotion regulation. However, there was a significant association between emotion regulation difficulties and depression, χ2 (3) = 12.133, p = 0.007, V = 0.186, and a positive and significant linear relationship between the variables, r (352) = 0.229, p &lt; 0.001, r2 = 0.052. Notably, the higher the emotion regulation difficulties, the higher the depression levels. The study concluded that emotionally dysregulated adolescent university students are particularly vulnerable to developing psychological symptoms of depression.

Coupling between chromophoric dissolved organic matter and dissolved inorganic carbon in Indian estuaries

This study investigates the coupling between Chromophoric Dissolved Organic Matter (CDOM) and Dissolved Inorganic Carbon (DIC) in eighteen Indian estuaries across salinity gradient of the east and west coasts during the monsoon season, characterized by significant river discharge. The hypothesis that humic acids (HA) and fulvic acids (FA), prominent in estuarine CDOM, closely correspond to the ‘organic alkalinity’ (Aorg) component of total alkalinity is examined. In most estuaries, specifically those along the northeast coast (NE) and southwest coast (SW), a significant linear relationship exists between DIC, CDOM abundance, and pH level. Notably, minor estuaries along the southeast coast (SE) and northwest coast (NW) exhibit elevated DIC levels beyond what this relationship predicts. These estuaries also reveal heightened ammonium levels, increased δ15N values, and decreased δ13C values, indicative of anthropogenic influence. CDOM properties, such as spectral slope (S300–500) and spectral slope ratio (SR, S275–295:S350–400), align with these findings, with SE and NW estuaries displaying higher values. On average, CDOM contributes 110.5 μM (6.8 %) to DIC in NE, 390.7 μM (11 %) in SE, 24.4 μM (4.8 %) in SW, and 122.2 μM (4 %) in NW estuaries. The relationship between total alkalinity minus DIC (TA-DIC) and pH25 suggests that CDOM, mediated by HA/FA, buffers the inorganic carbon system in estuaries. This buffering capacity weakens at elevated DIC levels, and this condition is marked by anomalous SR values compared to the baseline salinity-SR linear regression. This Study suggests that estuarine CDOM could largely represent “organic alkalinity” and could help monitor acidification in estuaries.

Reconstructing GRACE-derived terrestrial water storage anomalies with in-situ groundwater level measurements and meteorological forcing data

Study regionNorth China Plain (NCP), China, a semi-arid region with intense groundwater withdrawals. Study focusThis paper developed a framework using meteorological data, model-simulated terrestrial water storage anomalies (TWSA), and additional in-situ (groundwater level, GL) data to improve the unsatisfactory GRACE-TWSA reconstruction in arid and semi-arid regions due to the intense anthropogenic influence on groundwater. The inconsistency between point-scale data (GL) and grid-scale data (GRACE-TWSA and predictors other than GL) is handled by feature extraction techniques. Moreover, to deal with temporal non-stationarity, the time series are separated into trend and detrended components, the patterns of which are further learned by linear and nonlinear machine learning models, respectively.New hydrological insights for the region: Multi-site GL observations in NCP can not only serve as validation data but also as predictors providing invaluable information on human effects for the reconstructed TWSA improvement (from 6.51 to 3.86 cm for Root Mean Square Error and from 0.56 to 0.82 for Nash-Sutcliffe Efficiency). Our results show that multi-site GL data in NCP are highly inter-correlated and can be represented by several principal components, demonstrating the strong hydraulic connectivity in NCP. We also find a significant one-month lag and linear relationship between the trends of GRACE-TWSA and GL changes in NCP. These deeper understandings of hydrologic processes have implications for enhancing the GRACE-TWSA estimations in other similar regions.

An empirical analysis of the relationship between understanding, attitudes, and practices toward radiation – Focusing on the population eligible for South Korean National Health Insurance Service Examination

Health promotion is expected to grow in South Korea from 2022, owing to rising income levels and living standards. This has led to an increase in the number of medical examinations performed before treatment to prevent disease and therefore, exposure to radiation is increasing. Accordingly, the importance of protection against radiation damage is also increasing. This study surveyed 489 20-year-olds adults and older who underwent medical examinations, using a structured questionnaire, to determine the relationship between their understanding of radiation, and their practices and attitudes toward radiation damage protection. Statistical methods used included descriptive statistics and correlation and regression analyses. There was no statistically significant difference between men and women in terms of their understanding of radiation and their attitudes toward radiation damage protection. However, for radiation damage protection practices, men had a significantly (p < 0.05) higher level of practice than women. Understanding, attitudes, and behavior scores of healthcare practitioners were all significantly higher than those of the other group. Pearson's correlation coefficients between the understanding of radiation, attitudes, and practices of radiation damage protection were all statistically significant, and a statistically significant linear regression relationship was satisfied between the attitudes and practices of radiation damage protection. This study demonstrates the need for radiation education and confirms the theory of planned behavior between attitudes and practices of radiation damage protection. It identifies necessary antecedents to radiation damage protection and the prerequisites for protection against radiation damage.

Dietary propionate administration improves growth performance, hepatic lipid deposition, and intestinal activity of digestive enzymes, inflammation, bacterial population, and antioxidant capacity in rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss

The present study aimed to investigate the effects of dietary sodium propionate on growth performance, hepatic lipid deposition, and intestinal activity of digestive enzymes, inflammation, bacterial population, and antioxidant capacity in rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss. The fish were fed diets supplemented with 0 g/kg (CTL), 1 g/kg (P1), 2.5 g/kg (P2.5), or 5 g/kg (P5) sodium propionate for 70 days. The results showed significant (P < 0.05) linear or quadratic relationships between dietary sodium propionate levels and all tested parameters. Growth performance and feed efficiency significantly increased in the P1 and P2.5 treatments, but decreased in the P5 treatment, compared to the CTL group. Hepatosomatic index significantly decreased in the P1 and P2.5 treatments, but increased in the P5 treatment, compared to the CTL group. The P1 and P2.5 treatments exhibited significantly lower viscerosomatic indices than the CTL group. The P1 and/or P2.5 treatments exhibited significantly higher intestinal amylase, lipase, trypsin, chymotrypsin, superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and lower intestinal malondialdehyde (MDA), plasma glucose, and triglyceride levels than the CTL treatment. On the other hand, the P5 treatment exhibited significant decrease in intestinal lipase, SOD, CAT, and higher intestinal MDA, plasma glucose, cortisol, triglyceride, and cholesterol levels than the CTL group. The intestinal total viable bacteria significantly decreased in the propionate treatments, and the lowest level was observed in the P2.5 treatment. The P1 and P2.5 treatments had significantly higher intestinal abundance of Lactobacillus sp. and lower Aeromonas hydrophila, Yersinia ruckeri, and Streptococcus iniae than the CTL group. The pathogenic bacteria showed significant elevations in the P5 treatment, compared to the CTL group. The propionate treatment groups showed significant up-regulations in intestinal heat shock protein 70 expression than the CTL group. The intestinal expression of tumor necrosis factor-alpha and interleukin-1 beta significantly decreased in the P1 and P2.5 treatments, while increased in the P5 treatment, compared to the CTL group. The intestinal expression of defensin significantly increased in the P1 and P2.5 treatments, while decreased in the P5 treatment, compared to the CTL group. In conclusion, dietary sodium propionate can improve the growth and intestinal health of rainbow trout. Based on the results, 2.5 g/kg sodium propionate is suitable for rainbow trout, but higher levels induce growth retardation, hepatic lipid accumulation, and intestinal oxidative stress, inflammation, and dysbiosis.

Analysis of nitrogen and phosphorus loss of typical economic forests in Zhejiang Province

The quantitative relationship between accumulated rainfall and accumulated total nitrogen and total phosphorus loss was analyzed by setting up economic forest experimental sites in typical regions of Zhejiang Province, and the response efficiency of accumulated total phosphorus and total nitrogen loss in different economic forests to rainfall was compared The results showed that there was a significant linear relationship between accumulated rainfall and accumulated total nitrogen and total phosphorus loss. The total nitrogen and total phosphorus loss rate of Castanea mollissima Blum economic forest was higher than that of Phyllostachys edulis forest and nursery &gt; Morella rubra &gt; Camellia sinensis &gt; Phyllostachys edulis. Man-made disturbance of economic forest will accelerate the loss of total nitrogen and total phosphorus, and its loss rate is 1.5~4 times that of natural economic forest. The total nitrogen loss rate of 28% and total phosphorus loss rate of 47% can be reduced by planting shrubs or herbs under the in the Phyllostachys edulis forest. The purification efficiency of total phosphorus and total nitrogen of different economic forests is affected by economic forest types, ecological restoration, rainfall, and the purification efficiency varies between 30% and 70%.

Experimental and Statistical Modeling for Effect of Nozzle Diameter, Filling Pattern, and Layer Height of FDM-Printed Ceramic–Polymer Green Body on Biaxial Flexural Strength of Sintered Alumina Ceramic

This paper deals with the application of statistical analysis in the study of the dependence of the flexural strength of sintered alumina (Al2O3) disks on the parameters (nozzle diameter of the printer print head, layer height, and filling pattern) of the fused deposition method (FDM) printing of ceramic–polymer filament containing 60 vol.% alumina and 40 vol.% polylactide. By means of a correlation analysis applied to the results of flexural tests, a linear relationship was found between the thickness of the printed layer and the strength of the sintered specimens. A statistically significant linear relationship was found between the geometric parameters and the weight of both printed ceramic–polymer and sintered ceramic samples, as well as the diameter of the nozzle used in the printing of the workpiece. It was found that the highest strength is achieved with a layer thickness equal to 0.4 mm, and the smallest scatter of mass values and geometric dimensions of ceramic samples is achieved using a nozzle diameter of 0.6 mm. As a result of the conducted research, linear equations allowing the prediction of changes in the geometry and mass of samples after sintering, as well as the strength properties of sintered samples, taking into account the geometry and mass of FDMed samples, were obtained.

A framework for identifying propagation from meteorological to ecological drought events

Drought severely affects vegetation growth owing to its multidimensional characteristics (e.g. duration and severity). However, current studies regarding the propagation of meteorological to ecological drought are not investigated well from an event-scale perspective. Therefore, a framework for identifying the propagation relationship between meteorological and ecological drought at an event scale is proposed. The gross primary productivity (GPP) and standardized precipitation evapotranspiration index are used to characterize ecological and meteorological drought, respectively. The pooling of ecological drought events (GPP anomalous events, GAs) and the exclusion of meteorological drought events (MDs) are considered in the framework. Matching events between these two types of droughts are identified, and their propagation characteristics are analyzed. The framework is tested in the Yangtze River Basin (YRB). The main results are as follows: (1) The propagation time from meteorological to ecological drought in the YRB varied from 1 to 48 months, with significant spatiotemporal heterogeneity; (2) Four propagation types from meteorological to ecological drought are identified: multiple MDs trigger a GA (MTO), an MD triggers multiple GAs (OTM), an MD triggers a GA (OTO), and multiple MDs trigger multiple GAs (MTM), which constituted 16.17%, 11.32%, 55.57%, and 16.94% of the total matching events, respectively. Most of these events occur in semiarid and subhumid regions. In addition, OTO typically occurs throughout the YRB. (3) For the four matching types, the average duration (or severity) of MDs (or GAs) is in the order of MTM > OTM > MTO > OTO. For MTM and OTM, the duration of MD is longer (more severe) than that of the GA caused by it, and a more significant linear relationship is indicated (R2>0.7), whereas the opposite is observed for OTM and OTO.

Operative Time Predicts Long-Term Abdominal Morbidity and Complication Requiring Treatment after DIEP Flap Breast Reconstruction.

The relationship between skin-to-skin operative time and long-term complications, as well as complications requiring treatment, after deep inferior epigastric perforator (DIEP) flap breast reconstructions has not been thoroughly investigated. The study objective was to evaluate if operative time would independently prognosticate the type and number of treated complications, as well as long-term abdominal morbidity. Patients who underwent bilateral DIEP flaps from 2010 to 2021 by two senior surgeons with standardized surgical and postoperative protocols were retrospectively reviewed. Inclusion required at least 1 year of postoperative follow-up. Extensive multivariable regression analyses were utilized to adjust for potential confounders, including measures of intraoperative complexity. Three hundred thirty-five patients were entered into multivariable analyses. After risk adjustment, there was a significant increase in the risk of all treated complications per hour. Each hour of operation increased risk of complications requiring extended hospital stay for treatment by 25%, flap-site complications requiring readmission treatment by 24%, and flap-site complications requiring extended hospital stay for treatment by 26% (all p < 0.0001). Long-term abdominal morbidity (abdominal bulge) increased by 25% per hour of operative time (p < 0.0001). The number of complications requiring treatment, abdominal donor-site complications, and complications requiring extended hospital stay for treatment had statistically significant linear relationships with the duration of surgery (all p < 0.05). Operative time predicts long-term abdominal morbidity and complications requiring treatment, especially impacting the odds of developing abdominal bulges and complications requiring extended hospital stay for treatment or readmission treatment. This study emphasizes the importance of reducing operative time to improve DIEP flap breast reconstruction outcomes.

Na+ and K+ compartmentalization in Spinacea oleracea and their effects on growth, water relations, endogenous melatonin, and non-structural carbohydrates

Spinacea oleracea is an economically important vegetable crop. Its growth and nutrition are impacted by the changes in its hydraulic traits due to soil salinity caused by the fluxes of Na+ and K+ which need further investigations to promote its cultivation in degraded agriculture lands. The objective of this study was to assess the impact of different concentrations of NaCl on water relations and non-structural carbohydrates of S. oleracea. For which the hydraulic traits such as rate of photosynthesis, transpiration, stomatal conductance, relative water content, stomatal and vein anatomy, non-structural carbohydrates, and growth were assessed. The compartmentalization of Na+ and K+ was analyzed in both the above and below ground parts. We found that the application of NaCl significantly reduced K+ concentrations, growth, stomatal conductance, photosynthesis, relative water content and also impacted the veins and stomata. The maximum amount of Na+ was compartmentalized in leaf-blade while the minimum was in roots. Meanwhile, maximum K+ was compartmentalized in the mid-rib and minimum in the stem. The K+ and K+: Na+ decreased significantly with the increasing salinity in the treatments. Non-structural carbohydrates also decreased with an increase in sodium concentration. Further, some significant linear relationships were also found between Na+, K+ and the studied hydraulic traits. Endogenous melatonin exhibits an elevated concentration in response to the application of stress. Furthermore, the concentration of melatonin was found to be further increased with the administration of treatment T1 to T4. We conclude that S. oleracea can tolerate NaCl stress up to 80 mML−1. The findings can be helpful to cultivate S. oleracea in excessive sodic soil and can also be useful to cultivate other crops when successive cultivation of S. oleracea is carried out and Na+ is absorbed by the crop from the soil. This can help to promote the sustainable agriculture in some degraded lands.

Influence of Denitrification on Cyanobacterial Blooms Trends in Lake Taihu, China

Denitrification is a major process in aquatic ecosystems, and it competes with cyanobacterial growth for nitrogen. However, the effect of denitrification on cyanobacterial blooms under the background of climate change remains unclear. This study explored the interaction between lake denitrification and formation of cyanobacterial blooms, using the historical water quality monitoring data of North Lake Taihu over five years from 2017 to 2021 and via incubation experiments of cyanobacteria and sediment denitrification. The monitoring data showed that algal biomass (Chla as a proxy) primarily peaked during summer and autumn. The seasonal variations in total N concentration showed a completely opposite trend than that of algal biomass, which peaked in winter and spring. Nitrate was the major component of dissolved inorganic nitrogen, and the nitrate concentration was approximately zero in summer and autumn. The total phosphorus concentration varied in the same way as the Chla concentration. The experimental results showed that Cyanobacteria did not grow when the temperature was below 20℃. In comparison, denitrification showed a significant linear relationship with temperatures between 10-25℃ (R2=0.99) and reached the maximum value of (62.98±21.36) μmol·(kg·h)-1 in Lake Taihu at 25℃. Additionally, the nitrate concentration threshold at the maximum denitrification rate was 4 mg·L-1. Cyanobacteria assimilate nitrate for growth, thereby reducing the concentration of nitrate required for denitrification. This study indicated that the advance in lake temperature warming due to climate change may result in earlier growth of cyanobacteria, thereby leading to large amounts of N being assimilated by algae before denitrification, further affecting the dynamics of cyanobacterial blooms. The present results are scientifically important for explaining the mechanism of cyanobacterial bloom rebound in Lake Taihu under the background of recent climate changes.