Monitoring Strategies Research Articles

A Narrative Review of the Impact of Sleep on Athletes: Sleep Restriction Causes and Consequences, Monitoring, and Interventions.

This narrative review synthesizes evidence on the impact of sleep on athletic performance, the prevalence and causes of sleep disturbances, and effective monitoring and intervention strategies to enhance sleep quality and duration. A comprehensive review of case studies, observational studies, randomized controlled trials, systematic reviews, and meta-analyses was conducted using PubMed, Cochrane Library, and Google Scholar up to July 2024. Sleep plays a crucial role in the overall well-being and performance of athletes, yet sleep issues are highly prevalent due to factors such as competition schedules, psychological stress, and travel across time zones. Inadequate sleep negatively affects physical strength, endurance, cognitive function, and injury risk. Sleep tracking is highlighted as both a diagnostic and therapeutic tool, with interventions such as extending sleep duration, adopting sleep hygiene practices, and, when necessary, pharmacological approaches proving effective. The review concludes that tailored sleep strategies are essential to optimize athletic performance, recovery, and overall well-being.

The Effect of Static Ergocycle on Cardiorespiratory Endurance in Early Ambulatory Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy Patient: A Case Report

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a debilitating genetic disorder affecting approximately 1 in 3600-6000 live male births, resulting from mutations in the dystrophin gene. This case report describes a 5-year-old boy in the early ambulatory stage of DMD, presenting with characteristic symptoms such as difficulty to stand, muscle weakness, accidental falls, and impaired motor skills. The patient underwent a multidisciplinary approach involving medical and rehabilitative interventions to improve quality of life and delay disease progression. The rehabilitation program included physical activities, stretching exercises, and environmental optimization. The spirometry and 6-Minute Walk Test (6MWT) revealed restrictive lung patterns and reduced exercise capacity. The patient's adherence to corticosteroid treatment, ongoing monitoring, and comprehensive rehabilitation strategies are crucial for maintaining optimal muscle function, and enhancing overall QoL. Pulmonary function evaluation and management are also emphasized, given the common association of pulmonary complications with mortality in DMD.

Incidence of Proteinuria Post Radical Nephrectomy in Comparison to Partial Nephrectomy: A Comparative Study.

Objectives The objective of this study is to enhance understanding of the incidence and impact of proteinuria following nephrectomy, to guide clinical decision-making, and tooptimize post-operative monitoring strategies. Specifically, the study seeks to compare the incidence of proteinuria in patients undergoing radical nephrectomy and those receiving partial nephrectomy, thereby contributing valuable insights into post-surgical outcomes that could inform treatment approaches and improve patient care. Methods It is a retrospective cohort design, analyzing clinical data from patients who underwent radical or partial nephrectomy in King Abdulaziz Medical City (KAMC), Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, between 2014 and 2022. Data was entered in Excel (Microsoft Corporation, Redmond, Washington, United States) and analyzed in IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, Version 29.0 (Released 2023; IBM Corp., Armonk, New York, United States). Results There was a total of 310 participants, predominantly male (n=167, 53.9%), with radical nephrectomy (n=188, 60.6%) being more common than partial (n=99, 31.9%). Post surgery, a significant decline in estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) was noted in radical nephrectomy at one to three months (73.09 mL/minute) compared to partial nephrectomy (90.99 mL/minute) (p<0.001), with similar trends at 6-12 months. The mortality rate was low at 1.6% (n=5), with significant associations between preoperative eGFR and mortality (p=0.008). Proteinuria post operation was observed in 27.1% (n=84), with significant differences in proteinuria levels between radical (107.10 mg/dL) and partial nephrectomy (62.80 mg/dL) (p=0.031). Conclusion Our study found that radical nephrectomy was more common and associated with a greater decline in postoperative eGFR compared to partial nephrectomy. Proteinuria was significantly higher in radical nephrectomy patients, and preoperative eGFR was linked to mortality risk, highlighting the need for careful monitoring in high-risk individuals.

Use of Remote Sensing to Identify Fires in The State of Mato Grosso

Objective: The objective of this study was to use geoprocessing tools to identify burned areas and quantify the burned areas in the state of Mato Grosso during 2022, aiming at preventing and combating wildfires within the municipal territory. Theoretical Framework: Episodes of wildfire outbreaks in vegetation areas are related to permanent factors such as topography, fuel material, and forest type, as well as variable factors like weather conditions, humidity, and temperature. Wildfire outbreaks are recurrent in the state of Mato Grosso, which contains three types of biomes (Amazon, Pantanal, and Cerrado), leading to the degradation of water, soil, and air quality, and impacting the biodiversity of the local fauna. Method: The detection of fire hotspots is carried out through the analysis of satellite images, such as Landsat 8 and 9, using the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), calculated using bands 4 (red) and 5 (near infrared). Results and Discussion: The maps show that, during the wet season, the highest densities of fire outbreaks occur in the central region, primarily in the Amazon and Cerrado biomes. During the dry season, the highest fire hotspots are predominantly found in the northern region, within the Amazon biome. Research Implications: The research highlights the importance of continuous monitoring of fires in native vegetation areas, emphasizing the economic damages and environmental impacts resulting from these events. The use of geotechnologies proved essential for the spatial and temporal analysis of heat hotspots, allowing for a more detailed understanding of burning patterns in the state of Mato Grosso. Originality/Value: This study can contribute to the improvement of wildfire monitoring, mitigation, and prevention strategies, providing direct benefits for biodiversity conservation and the sustainability of affected areas.

A complex approach to monitoring the physical factors of the production environment

It is shown that production safety in modern conditions is ensured only with constant assessment and effective control of production risks. The transition to information technology poses additional challenges to the technology of information preparation. The main requirement for the development of a management system for ensuring safe working conditions and occupational safety, built using modern information technologies, is to exclude incomplete information, which allows for the implementation of such an open management system that, in specific production conditions, would provide justification for management decisions based on the processing of available information. Moreover, the main core of such a system is a system for monitoring the physical factors of the production environment. An integrated approach to monitoring the physical factors of the production environment is substantiated. It is shown that the integrated approach consists in the mandatory consideration of all physical factors of the production environment available at the workplace, in ensuring prompt collection of data on the actual levels of these factors and their further processing. The author proposes a structural scheme for comprehensive monitoring of physical factors of the production environment, which includes the implementation of tasks aimed at identifying cases of excess of the levels of controlled factors over the maximum permissible levels, as well as the formation of data necessary for making sound management decisions.

Surveillance of public health pathogens in Lagos wastewater canals: a cross-sectional study

BackgroundWastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) is already being adopted for the surveillance of health conditions of communities and shows great potential for the monitoring of infectious pathogens of public health importance. There is however paucity of robust data to support extensive WBE in Nigeria. This study evaluated the prevalence of clinically relevant infectious pathogens and provided antimicrobial resistance profiles of bacteria pathogens in wastewater canals in Lagos State at a single point in time.MethodsThis is a cross-sectional survey of wastewater canals in 20 Local Government Areas (LGAs) in Lagos State for detection of bacteria pathogens of public health importance including non-tuberculous mycobacteria and SARS-Cov-2 virus using cultural analysis and conventional Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) techniques. Descriptive epidemiological survey of communities around the canals was done using questionnaires to assess exposure pathways. Statistical analysis was done using SPSS version 27 while P value of < 0.05 was considered as significant.ResultsThree thousand and fifty-four (3054) questionnaires were administered to 1215 (39.8%) females and 1658 (54.3%) males in communities situated around 40 canals in 20 LGAs. Although majority (81.8%) reported using water closet toilet system and pit latrine (12.5%), a few of them admitted to open defaecation [101 (3.3%)] while 299 (9.8%) engaged in open field waste disposal. SARS-CoV-2 was not detected from wastewater in this study. Two mycobacterial species that included Mycobacterium fortitium group (13, 32.5%) and Mycobacterium kansasii (11, 27.5%) were identified in 15 out of 20 LGAs sampled. A total of 123 bacteria pathogens were isolated across the 40 canals. Prominent enteropathogens isolated included Escheriachia coli (28.5%), Salmonella spp (16.3%), Vibro cholerae (10.6%) and Shigella spp (5.7%). Extended spectrum beta-lactamase genes were prominent (87.5%) in the wastewater samples with almost a half (42.5%) of the canals containing both SHV and CTX-M.ConclusionThis study highlights the presence of pathogens with potential to cause epidemic in wastewater canals in Lagos State and provides evidence to inform policy and strategies for wastewater monitoring and treatment. Further studies involving longitudinal monitoring of time-based variations is needed to identify trends in pathogen loads and AMR patterns over time.

Unfractionated heparin monitoring by anti-factor Xa versus activated partial thromboplastin time strategies during venoarterial extracorporeal life support.

No clear guidelines exist for unfractionated heparin (UFH) monitoring in adult patients on veno-arterial extracorporeal life support (VA-ECLS) for refractory cardiogenic shock. In this study, we sought to compare outcomes between anti-factor Xa (FXa) and activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) strategies for UFH monitoring during VA-ECLS. This is a single-center, retrospective review of VA-ECLS patients who received UFH in the cardiothoracic intensive care unit between July 2019 and November 2023. Standard protocol for UFH titration was aPTT goal of 45-60 sec (n = 52) before September 2021, then transitioned to FXa goal of 0.1-0.2 U/mL (n = 50) thereafter. Inverse probability of treatment weighting was used to balance baseline differences between cohorts. In adjusted analyses, 89.3% of FXa patients and 76.0% of aPTT patients achieved goal range for their respective assay. Total UFH duration (4.0 vs 4.0 days, p = .239) and maximum weight-adjusted UFH dose (9.3 vs 9.4 U/hr/kg, p = .823) remained comparable between adjusted FXa and aPTT cohorts. Moreover, in-hospital mortality (50.3% vs 33.9%, p = .133), major bleeding events (20.6% vs 11.2%, p = .292), and thromboembolic events (30.1% vs 30.1%, p = .998) were not significantly different. Extracorporeal circuit thrombosis and cannula site bleeding were the most frequent events in both groups. Multivariate logistic regression found the FXa strategy was not a significant risk factor for the composite outcome of major bleeding or thromboembolism (OR [95% CI]: 1.539 [0.575, 4.116], p = .393). In adult VA-ECLS patients at our institution, bleeding and thromboembolic complications occurred at a similar rate regardless of which UFH monitoring strategy was utilized. Further studies in larger and more institutionally diverse cohorts are warranted.

CLINICAL AND PROGNOSTIC CHARACTERISTICS OF ORGAN FAILURE PATTERNS IN ACUTE PANCREATITIS

Intoroduction. Acute pancreatitis remains one of the most challenging diseases in abdominal surgery, particularly due to the high incidence of organ failure, occurring in 15-20% of patients and associated with mortality rates up to 42% during the first week of hospitalization. Early identification of patients at high risk for organ failure development is of particular importance. It, in turn, is a key factor determining the severity of the course and prognosis of the disease, developing in 15-20% of patients with acute pancreatitis. At the same time, persistent organ failure is associated with mortality of up to 42% during the first week of hospitalization. There are several scales for assessing the severity of acute pancreatitis, including: Acute Physiologic Assessment and Chronic Health Evaluation II, Bedside Index of Severity in Acute Pancreatitis and the modified Marshall scale, but none of them demonstrates accuracy in predicting the development of organ failure, and the maximum sensitivity reaches only 75%. The objective of this study was to identify and characterize the main patterns of organ failure in acute pancreatitis based on comprehensive analysis of clinical indicators, laboratory parameters, and temporal disease characteristics. Subjects and methods. This retrospective study included 82 patients (2014-2019), stratified into groups with organ failure (n=41) and without it (n=41). The assessment protocol included clinical parameters, laboratory findings, and disease progression dynamics. Cluster analysis was used to determine organ failure patterns. Results. Three main patterns were identified: “early respiratory” (37.5% of cases), “late progressive” (57.5%), and “multisystem” (5.0%), each differing in onset timing, organ system involvement, and clinical outcomes. The "multisystem" pattern exhibited the most unfavorable profile, with the longest hospitalization duration (median 68.0 days) and highest mortality. The study identified key prognostic markers and developed a risk stratification system, enabling optimized monitoring and treatment strategies based on the organ failure pattern.

Environmental and Biological Factors of Relevance to Shellfish Production in Northern Ireland: Insights From 20 Years of Regional Monitoring Data

ABSTRACTA historical analysis was conducted to evaluate monitoring data in the coastal and estuarine waters of Northern Ireland over the 20‐year period between 2001 and 2022 to identify current and emerging concerns and gaps in analysis relative to the sustainability of the aquaculture industry. The effects of biological factors such as the presence of harmful algal bloom phytoplankton and marine biotoxins, and environmental factors such as chemical contamination and the water quality on shellfish production were analysed. The influence of key meteorological factors, such as sea temperature, rainfall and sunshine hours, on the levels of environmental factors was also examined. The evaluation included a socio–economic perspective, exploring the impact of the shellfish industry on the Northern Irish economy and the surrounding communities. The article examined the challenges faced by shellfish producers in terms of regulatory compliance and market access, and provides suggestions for comprehensive environmental monitoring strategies, in particular improved sampling plans to be employed to address these challenges. Overall, the compilation analysis discovered that while the shellfish industry in Northern Ireland faces a number of challenges, it remains a valuable source of local employment and income, and has the potential for growth in the coming years. The findings presented will be of interest to researchers and policymakers in the aquaculture industry, and presents a valuable historical contribution on the evaluation of chemical and microbiological contaminants affecting shellfish production that may be useful for other production areas.

The Role of Leukocyte Telomere Length in Cognitive Function, Symptom Severity, and Sdg-Related Health Goals Among Batak Schizophrenia Patients

Objective: To assess the relationship between leukocyte telomere length, cognitive function, and symptom severity in Batak tribe schizophrenia patients, with a focus on telomere length as a potential biomarker for disease progression and its relevance to Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 3: Good Health and Well-being. Theoretical Framework: This study builds on findings linking leukocyte telomere shortening to accelerated aging, cognitive decline, and increased risks of neurodegenerative diseases and cancer. These connections underscore the importance of telomere length as a marker of symptom severity in schizophrenia and its alignment with global health objectives under the SDGs. Method: A 6-month cross-sectional study design with numerical correlation tests was used from January to June 2023. Eighty-five patients from the Batak tribe diagnosed with schizophrenia were recruited from Regional Mental Hospital Prof. Dr. M. Ildrem Medan, and telomere length analysis was conducted at Prodia Private Clinical Laboratory in Medan. Results and Discussion: The sample included 85 patients, mostly male (80%) with a mean age of 30.38 years (SD: 3.2). Cognitive function showed a mean MoCA-Ina score of 17.33 (SD: 5.4), and symptom severity showed a mean PANSS score of 48.87 (SD: 9.73). Leukocyte telomere length ratios were 0.92 (SD: 0.04) for β-globin T/S and 0.99 (SD: 0.05) for B4AU T/S. No significant link was found between telomere length and cognitive function (p&gt;0.05), but shorter telomeres correlated with more severe symptoms (β-globin T/S: p=0.034, r=-0.23; B4AU T/S: p=0.037, r=-0.227). Research Implications: Findings indicate that leukocyte telomere length could serve as a biomarker for schizophrenia symptom severity, offering valuable insights for disease progression and contributing to health monitoring strategies aligned with SDG 3. Originality/Value: By focusing on the Batak tribe, this study highlights telomere length as a biomarker for prognosis and underscores the importance of diverse population studies to achieve SDG-related health outcomes.

Assessment of Health Risks from Agricultural Soils Contaminated with Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) Across Different Land-Use Categories of Bangladesh

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are a matter of deep concern as they pose significant environmental and health hazards due to their persistence, bioaccumulation, and toxic effects. In soils, PAHs accumulate, contaminating ecosystems, entering food chains, and posing threats to plant and human health. This study conducted a comprehensive assessment of PAH contamination in agricultural soils (particle size &lt; 20 µm) across various land-use categories and depths to determine contamination levels and associated health risks, as such comprehensive studies are very rare in Bangladesh. Soil samples were investigated using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS). The findings revealed that the concentrations of ∑16PAH ranged from 299 to 1928 µg/kg, with the lowest levels observed in research areas and the highest in industrial soils. Concentration trends were as follows: industrial areas &gt; coastal areas &gt; local market areas &gt; rural areas &gt; research areas. Higher concentrations were noted for individual PAHs such as Nap, Phe, BbF, and BkF (313.14 µg/kg ± 62.01 to 546.97 µg/kg ± 146.76), while the lowest concentrations were recorded for BghiP, DBahA, and Ind (1.25 µg/kg ± 1.10 to 5.74 µg/kg ± 3.77). PAH levels were highest in surface soils, following a depth sequence of 0–5 cm &gt; 5–10 cm &gt; 10–15cm. The results also showed that low-, intermediate-, and high-molecular-weight PAHs comprised 46.06–83.18%, 16.47–48.68%, and 0.23–6.51% of total PAHs, respectively. The source of PAHs was identified as integration of pyrogenic petrogenic. Children were found to have higher exposure through ingestion compared to adults, with lower exposure through inhalation and dermal pathways. The total incremental lifetime cancer risk (ILCR) for children ranged from 2.03 × 10−8 to 9.07 × 10−7, and for adults from 1.96 × 10−8 to 8.04 × 10−7. Both groups exhibited no carcinogenic risk, as per the USEPA threshold. These findings underscore the need for ongoing monitoring and management strategies to mitigate PAH contamination in agricultural soils, thus protecting environmental and public health concerns.

AI-Powered Monitoring: Next-Generation Observability Solutions for Cloud Infrastructure

The paper proposes an advanced observability solution integrating AI-driven tools with Prometheus and Grafana for real-time system monitoring. It evaluates the impact on reducing downtime and improving predictive maintenance in cloud environments, marking a significant leap in operational efficiency.In the rapidly evolving landscape of cloud infrastructure, maintaining system reliability, performance, and scalability is more challenging than ever. Traditional monitoring approaches often struggle to keep pace with the dynamic and complex nature of modern cloud environments. This paper explores AI-powered monitoring, a transformative approach that leverages artificial intelligence and machine learning to deliver next-generation observability solutions. By analyzing vast amounts of data in real-time, AI-driven observability tools offer unparalleled insights into system behavior, enabling proactive detection of anomalies, predictive maintenance, and automated remediation. These innovations not only enhance system reliability but also empower organizations to optimize resource utilization and reduce operational costs. Through case studies and performance metrics, this paper demonstrates the critical role of AI in redefining monitoring strategies for cloud-native infrastructures, paving the way for a more resilient and efficient digital future.

A mobile strategy for water participatory monitoring

The increase in industrialization and urbanization processes has directly affected the quality of water resources worldwide, generating impacts on public health and aggravating the availability of clean water. This study presents AQUA, a mobile application designed as a monitoring tool for urban rivers using colorimetric chemical tests. AQUA enables the analysis and storage of georeferenced data on pollutant levels across specific areas. Tests for ammonia (NH3-N), orthophosphate (PO43--P), iron, and nitrite (NO2-N) were miniaturized and submitted to analytical validation, reaching satisfactory values according to the National Institute of Metrology, Quality, and Technology (INMETRO) guidelines, and presenting results comparable with the classic methodologies using UV-VIS spectrophotometer. The limit values of quantification were below the maximum thresholds established by Brazilian law for surface water quality. Nine urban rivers in Foz do Iguaçu (a city in the State of Paraná) were assessed, with high NH3-N and NO2-N levels, likely indicating untreated sewage discharges. The generated georeferenced pollution map provides a valuable tool for water quality control in local communities. Overall, this strategy enables participatory water quality monitoring in a cost-effective, flexible, and accessible manner, contributing to Sustainable Development Goal 6 by promoting water availability and sustainable management.

Assessment of geo-accumulation index and contamination factors of zinc (Zn) and lead (Pb) in urban soils of Annaba city

This study assesses the geo-accumulation index (Igeo) and contamination factors (Cf) of zinc (Zn) and lead (Pb) in urban soils of Annaba, Algeria. Soil pollution is a significant environmental issue affecting human health and ecosystems, with heavy metals like Pb and Zn being of particular concern due to their toxicity even at low concentrations. The research involved collecting 25 soil samples from various sites in Annaba, characterized by industrial and urban activities. pH measurements indicated alkaline soils, with values ranging from 7.2 to 7.9. Analysis revealed Pb concentrations between 26.93 and 218.30 mg/kg and Zn concentrations from 103.95 to 713.2 mg/kg. The contamination factor (Cf) indicated moderate to severe pollution, particularly for Zn, which was identified as the most contaminating metal. The geo-accumulation index showed that most sampling sites fell into moderate to heavily contaminated categories for Zn. The findings highlight the urgent need for remediation measures to mitigate heavy metal pollution and protect soil quality in Annaba, emphasizing the importance of monitoring and management strategies to address this environmental challenge.

Two pilot case studies for bridge-scour monitoring

Bridge scour is a leading cause of bridge failures worldwide, exacerbated by climate change and increasing flood risks. Real-time data collection plays a critical role in effective flood risk management and decision-making, ultimately enhancing infrastructure resilience. The EU-funded RAMOBRIS (Risk Assessment and Monitoring for Bridges under Scour Hazard) project investigated cost-effective monitoring approaches to develop a novel, multidisciplinary strategy for assessing the risk of critical bridges exposed to scour. This manuscript outlines the monitoring strategy developed during the project, with a focus on the application of cost-effective sensors for hydraulic monitoring. The adopted methodology employs an indirect approach using low-cost remote sensing sensors to assess hydraulic properties and estimate scour depth through advanced formulas. Two pilot case studies were conducted on high-risk masonry bridges over the River Nith in Scotland. Various sensors were installed to evaluate their effectiveness in capturing hydraulic data and monitoring scour dynamics. Data from low-cost sensors were evaluated against data collected from higher-cost sensors or other available datasets. The results showed that low-cost sensors for measuring water levels provided accuracy comparable to high-cost radar systems, while being more cost-effective and easier to install. Video data from solar cameras enabled extensive measurements of surface velocity and discharge, improving the understanding of flow dynamics. The study confirmed the feasibility of using image velocimetry techniques for long-term estimation of river velocity and discharge, although further validation is required. These findings highlight the potential of low-cost and innovative sensor technologies. The open-access dataset generated in this study, which will be periodically updated with new data, provides a valuable resource of real-world information for ongoing research in hydraulic monitoring and bridge safety assessment.

Use of Home Optical Coherence Tomography for Retinal Diseases.

Modern treatment protocols for retinal diseases involve frequent in-office monitoring with optical coherence tomography (OCT) and treatment with anti-vascular endothelial growth factor injections. Monthly injections may yield the greatest visual outcomes but are the most burdensome for patients and physicians, while as-needed injections may lead to undertreatment. Hybrid protocols, such as treat-and-extend (TREX) have been conceived to bridge this gap. Device-based home monitoring protocols for retinal disease may iterate further and allow more precise treatment tailored to individualized disease activity curves. Prior non-OCT home monitoring strategies have been developed with varying efficacy. These range from the ubiquitous but low-sensitivity Amsler grid to recent innovations such as the ForeseeHome preferential hyperacuity perimeter. Most recently, home OCT devices have been studied for remote monitoring, largely for use with age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Currently, the only Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved device that utilizes OCT for monitoring retinal disease is the SCANLY Home OCT. Paired with an artificial intelligence (AI) algorithm that allows automated monitoring and alerting of retinal fluid volumes in AMD, SCANLY has demonstrated feasibility in limited trials to date, and a multicenter randomized controlled trial is currently underway to assess its efficacy in comparison to TREX regimens. Additional non-FDA-approved devices are being developed with varying degrees of study to date. Questions remain regarding its efficacy, real-world implementation, and financial considerations; nevertheless, home OCT has the potential to address many current barriers in retinal care, including travel and treatment burdens, while facilitating increased treatment precision.

Editorial: Special Issue on Fatigue and Fracture Mechanics

Abstract The study of fatigue and fracture behaviors in engineered components remains a critical area across multiple disciplines. Limits on materials behavior are among the most significant technical challenges to enhancing the safety and reliability of engineering systems. Thus, accurately defining recent advancements in analytical methods and testing techniques within fatigue and fracture mechanics for engineered structures, components, and materials is essential. This analysis encompasses both experimental research and recent developments in modeling approaches. Key areas of interest include applications of emerging analytical tools and novel experimental techniques to assess and improve durability and damage tolerance using multiscale or multiphysics-based approaches; studies on the effects of additive manufacturing processes on fatigue and fracture properties; and implications of improved modeling and experimental capabilities on fatigue life forecasting and structural health monitoring strategies. In this context, a special issue in Materials Performance and Characterization offers readers valuable insights for their research. The call for papers attracted high-quality contributions from leading scientists and engineers resulting in 11 full-length manuscripts. The main topics covered include fatigue crack growth fracture, propagation, toughness fatigue, and damage failure inspection repair. The editorial teams extend their heartfelt thanks to the authors and reviewers for their dedication and to the ASTM staff for their support in bringing this issue to publication. We hope these papers provide valuable contributions to ongoing research efforts in fatigue and fracture mechanics.

Physiological and intestinal microbiota responses of sea cucumber Apostichopus japonicus to various stress and signatures of intestinal microbiota dysbiosis.

Identifying the signatures of intestinal dysbiosis caused by common stresses is fundamental to establishing efficient health monitoring strategies for sea cucumber. This study investigated the impact of six common stress experienced frequently in aquaculture on the growth performance, intestinal homeostasis and microbiota of sea cucumber, including thermal (23°C), hypoosmotic (22‰ salinity), ammonium (0.5 mg/L NH4 +-N), and nitrite (0.25 mg/L NO2 --N) stress exposure for 30 days, as well as starvation and crowding (6 kg/m3 density) stress exposure for 60 days. Results demonstrated that all stress led to reduced growth performance and digestive capacity of sea cucumber, along with varying degrees of oxidative stress and immune responses. Various stresses significantly altered the diversity, community structure (except for crowding stress), and composition of intestinal microbiota. The ratios of Bacteroidota: Proteobacteria (B: P) and Firmicutes: Proteobacteria (F: P) declined markedly compared to the control. Potentially pathogenic bacteria of Shewanellaceae, Vibrionaceae, and Moraxellaceae significantly increased under crowding, ammonium, and nitrite stress, respectively, whereas beneficial microbes of Achromobacter and Rhodobacteraceae were, respectively, enriched under hypoosmotic and starvation stresses. The complexity and stability of microbial ecological networks were further altered by these stresses. KEGG predictions revealed the reduced functional pathways of intestinal microbiota involved in host immunity under different stresses. Correlation analysis further confirmed a strong link between microbiota response and host immunity under different stresses. The increased abundance of Verrucomicrobia species could also be identified as the sensitive indicator for diagnosing whether the host was under stressful pressure by random forest analysis.

The relationship between serum phenylalanine levels, genotype, and developmental assessment test results in non-phenylketonuria mild hyperphenylalaninemia patients.

Our findings indicate that children with untreated PA levels above 240µmol/L are particularly susceptible to fine motor skill impairments, suggesting a need to reassess the PA level thresholds for initiating treatment. This study highlights the potential requirement for amending current guidelines to ensure early and appropriate intervention in non-PKU mild HPA patients, thereby mitigating the risk of developmental delays. • It is known that phenylalanine levels between 120 and 360μmol/L typically do not require intervention in non-PKU mild HPA patients, but outcomes for levels near this threshold remain unclear. • Children with PA levels exceeding 240µmol/L are at a higher risk of fine motor skill impairment, requiring a reassessment of safe PA levels to prevent developmental delays. • In addition, the Denver Developmental Screening Test II reveals developmental delays in multiple areas in children with non-PKU mild HPA, particularly in males, highlighting the need for gender-specific monitoring and intervention strategies.

Biological Control of Aphids in Spain’s Urban Green Spaces

Green spaces in urban areas, such as parks and gardens, provide recreational, social, and health benefits for more than half of the world’s inhabitants. Arthropods in urban vegetation may cause some disruption to humans but also provide vital ecological services such as biological control and pollination. However, little is known about the ecology of urban pests, their natural enemies, and how to manage them in an ecofriendly manner, especially in Southern Europe. In this review article, we consider the information available concerning the biological control of aphids in the urban green areas of Spain, mainly focusing on the different aphid species, their natural enemies (and how to enhance them), and the sampling methods used to study them. A wide range of aphid species is found in Spain, but only a few are responsible for the majority of damage (so-called k-aphids, most of which are holocyclic species), and these show two distinct injury profiles (short and long) that determine monitoring and control strategies. Urban aphids have numerous natural enemies, including more than 20 species of ladybeetles, as well as predatory hoverflies, midges, lacewings, bugs, and other groups. More than 40 species of aphid parasitoids and their tritrophic aphid plant associations have been reported. The availability and usefulness of commercially reared aphid natural enemies is discussed, and two methods to enhance natural enemies are described. We also review aphid sampling methods developed for urban green spaces. The studies provide basic information on the ecology of aphids to support conservation biological control as a reliable strategy in the urban green areas of Spain.