Upward Movement Research Articles

Increased force and elastic energy storage are not the mechanisms that improve jump performance with accentuated eccentric loading during a constrained vertical jump.

Accentuated eccentric loading (AEL) involves higher load applied during the eccentric phase of a stretch-shortening cycle movement, followed by a sudden removal of load before the concentric phase. Previous studies suggest that AEL enhances human countermovement jump performance, however the mechanism is not fully understood. Here we explore whether isolating additional load during the countermovement is sufficient to increase ground reaction force, and hence elastic energy stored, at the start of the upward movement and whether this leads to increased jump height or power generation. We conducted a trunk-constrained vertical jump test on a custom-built device to isolate the effect of additional load while controlling for effects of squat depth, arm swing, and coordination. Twelve healthy, recreationally active adults (7 males, 5 females) performed maximal jumps without AEL, followed by randomised AEL conditions prescribed as a percentage of body mass (10%, 20%, and 30%), before repeating jumps without AEL. No significant changes in vertical ground reaction force at the turning point were observed. High load AEL conditions (20% and 30% body weight) led to slight reductions in jump height, primarily due to decreased hip joint and centre of mass work. AEL conditions did not alter peak or integrated activation levels of the knee extensor muscles. The constrained movement task used here, which excluded potential contributions of trunk motion, arm swing, rate of descent, squat depth, and point of load application, allows the conclusion that increased elastic energy return is not the primary mechanism for potentiating effects of AEL on jump performance.

Investigation on failure of deep excavations in erodible sandy strata triggered by heavy rainfall

To date, few researches have been contributed to the excavation failures frequently caused by rainstorm events featuring different rainfall patterns, especially those in erodible sandy strata. To explore the characteristics and failure mechanisms of both sloped shallow and multi-propped deep excavations in sandy strata associated with intense rainfall, this study employed a computational fluid-dynamic (CFD) and discrete-element-method (DEM) coupling method (CFD-DEM), which was validated by a typical failure of a sloped excavation triggered by heavy rainfall in China. Subsequently, extensive parametric studies were carried out to investigate the effects of rainfall amounts and patterns on the excavation responses. It was disclosed that for a sloped shallow excavation retained by soil nails, rainfall infiltration caused initial instability at the slope toe and then incurred sliding failure along a linear slip surface; regarding a multi-propped deep excavation, sand flowing failure occurred and its basal strata underwent evident upward movements, accompanied by kicking out of the embedded retaining wall. With increasing of precipitation and variation coefficient of rainfall patterns, excavation deformations increased and the rainfall-induced primary displacement zone (PDZ) expanded as well. Finally, simplified solutions were proposed to estimate the distribution of PDZ.

A rigid and compact piezoelectric motor with high output efficiency.

We introduce a novel piezoelectric stepper motor featuring high compactness, rigidity, and any direction operability. Here, not only is the structure of high novelty but also the working principle very simple. The piezo stacks unit is sandwiched between two spring finger pieces, with almost equal clamping forces applied between the top of the piezo stacks' unit and the spring finger piece. Applying individual driving signals to each of the five piezo stack pairs, causing deformation one by one in the same direction, followed by simultaneous recovery in the reverse direction, enables movement of the frame part. The optimized clamping force of the piezoelectric stack units and spring fingers ensures maximum output force. The motor's operational capability at low threshold voltages, specifically 8V for downward movement and 10V for upward movement, confirmed its efficacy in both vertical and horizontal directions. The motor's operational capability at a low threshold voltage of 10V confirmed its efficacy in both vertical and horizontal directions. At room temperature, step size ranges from 0.3 to 7.4 µm at 20Hz frequency and varying driving voltage from 10 to 180V. It has a maximum travel range of about 5mm and can lift a maximum load of 220g in an upward direction, so the maximum output force generated by this motor is 2.2 N. The compact and rigid design is capable of building an atomically resolved scanning probe microscope, and its working ability has the potential to use the cleavage of different types of samples in limited space environments, such as the small-bore superconducting magnet and low temperature.

Extreme precipitation events over the east coast of northeast Brazil: Synoptic study and MPAS simulation

In the present study two extreme events that occurred in the East Coast of Northeast Brazil (ENEB) during 2022 and 2023 were evaluated. These events are becoming increasingly frequent in all regions of Brazil, associated with significant material and human losses, emphasizing the significance of a deeper comprehension of these events. ERA5 global reanalysis data, GOES-16 satellite imagery and pluviometric stations were used for the analysis. Model simulations were also conducted using the Model for Prediction Across Scales (MPAS) with variable resolution (60–3 km). Both events corresponded to Easterly Wave Disturbances (EWDs) that occurred under opposite large-scale conditions of the ENSO cycle, since extreme events are becoming increasingly frequent in all regions of Brazil and could be responsible for significant material and human losses. Thus, an emphasis was given to characterize the synoptic conditions. Both analyzed cases occurred along the ENEB, specifically over the Alagoas state. The trough axis penetrating the studied area was observed on both examined dates, with a very characteristic relative vorticity of this tropical disturbance. In general, moisture convergence resulted from the high flow of moisture prevailing over the region combined with upward movements caused by the trough present at low levels, which combined with local factors in the region such as topography, contributed to the increase in rainfall over the study area in both analyzed cases. The MPAS showed excellent spatial representation when compared to station data, highlighting intense precipitation over parts of Alagoas.

Do Global Disruptive Events Induce Herding Behaviour during Upward and Downward Market Movements? The Evidence from Nordic and Baltic Stock Markets

Do Global Disruptive Events Induce Herding Behaviour during Upward and Downward Market Movements? The Evidence from Nordic and Baltic Stock Markets

Experimental investigation on a solar dryer assisted with minimum phase change material (PCM) placed on the inner walls of drying chamber

Solar dryers assisted with phase change material (PCM) speed up the drying process by compensating the negating effect of reduced or absence of solar energy under cloudy or non-sunshine hours respectively. The study of the relevant and recent literature indicated that the minimum quantity and proper placement of this PCM have not been explored to take full advantage of using them in solar dryers. Hence in this research work, experimental investigations on banana slice drying were carried out with 4 and 10 numbers of copper tubes filled with 176 and 494 kg of commercial paraffin wax respectively (correspondingly designated as SD-PCM1 and SD-PCM2). The copper tubes were placed in vertical and horizontal orientations on the inner wall of the drying chamber so that the upward movement of air would not disturbed. A comparison of the drying performance of a PCM-based unit with a natural convective solar dryer without PCM (SD) was also presented. As no appreciable differences between the mass loss during drying under SD and SD-PCM1 modes were observed, it was concluded that a mass of PCM greater than 176 g would enhance drying rates. Thus for the same final mass of dried banana slices, the drying time was about 15 and 9 h with SD and SD-PCM2 respectively. As the operating conditions of SD and SD-PCM vary considerably in terms of the thermal energy supplied during the drying process, the concept of a generalized drying curve with dimensionless time was used to study the drying kinetics. A close alignment of experimental data of moisture content ratio with the generalized drying curve under SD and SD-PCM modes indicates similar dryer performance irrespective of the differences in thermal energy supplied. The average exergetic efficiency of SD, SD-PCM1 and SD-PCM2 was 21, 26 and 28 % respectively. The sustainability index and environmental impact factor for SD-PCM2 were 1.41 and 2.5 respectively which was better compared to the respective values of 1.27 and 3.77 in SD mode favoring the use of PCM in solar dryers.

Long-Term Dietary Consumption of Grapes Affects Kidney Health in C57BL/6J Mice.

Starting at 4 weeks of age, male and female C57BL/6J mice were provided with a semi-synthetic diet for a period of one year and then continued on the semi-synthetic diet with or without grape supplementation for the duration of their lives. During the course of the study, no variation of body weights was noted between the groups. At 2.5 years of age, the body-weight-to-tissue-weight ratios did not vary for the liver, colon, muscle, prostate, or ovary. However, relative to the standard diet, the body/kidney weight ratio was significantly lower in the male and female groups with grape-supplemented diets. With the mice provided with the standard diet, the BUN/creatinine ratios were 125 and 152 for males and females, respectively, and reduced to 63.7 and 40.4, respectively, when provided with the grape diet. A histological evaluation suggested that this may be due to enhanced/improved perfusion in the kidney as a preventive/protective effect. In response to the dietary grapes, an RNA seq analysis revealed up-regulation of 21 and 109 genes with male and female mice, respectively, with a corresponding down-regulation of 108 and 65 genes. The downward movement of the FPKM values in the males (alox5, btk, fga, fpr1, hmox1, lox, ltf, lyve1, marco, mmp8, prg4, s100a8/9, serpina3n, and vsig4) and upward movement of the FPKM values in the females (camp, cd300lf, cd72, fcgr4, fgr, fpr2, htra4, il10, lilrb4b, lipg, pilra, and tlr8) suggest beneficial kidney effects. The expression of some genes related to the immunological activity was also modulated by the grape diet, mainly downward in the males and upward in the females. The reactome pathway analysis, KEGG analysis, and GSEA normalized enrichment scores illustrate that several pathways related to immune function, collagenase degradation, extracellular matrix regulation, metabolism of vitamins and cofactors, pancreatic secretion, aging, and mitochondrial function were enriched in both the males and females provided with the grape diet. Overall, these results indicate that the long-term dietary consumption of grapes contributes to renal health and resilience against fibrosis and related pathologies.

Temperature-induced germination pulses above the alpine tree line

ABSTRACT Subject to a long research tradition, the tree line is considered an important biogeographic indicator of climate changes and associated range shifts. Realized tree line positions and the potential tree line isotherm are, however, rarely in equilibrium because trees are unable to track rapid temperature variations. Often ignored in tree line research, this dilemma constrains the suitability of tree line trees for understanding alpine vegetation responses to anthropogenic warming. Here, we present combined dendrochronological and wood anatomical assessments of 1,351 seedlings and saplings from three subalpine forest species—larch (Larix decidua Mill.), pine (Pinus cembra L.), and spruce (Picea abies)—collected between ~2,200 and 2,600 m.a.s.l. in the Swiss Alps. We found evidence for temperature-induced, pulse-like seedling germination, rather than a continuous, long-term upward movement. Though the species spread across overlapping elevational ranges, larch was found at the highest elevations, followed by spruce and pine. Surprisingly, we found a varying age structure, with no sign of decreasing age toward higher elevations. Spring and summer temperatures promoted germination pulses, but postgermination survival was likely facilitated by species-specific plant traits. Our study demonstrates the importance of seedling and sapling data from above the tree line to understand prevailing vegetation dynamics at cold temperature extremes and also suggests future tree line advancement in the Swiss Alps.

Projections of compound wet-warm and dry-warm extreme events in summer over China

Accurate climate projections are essential in China. A quantile delta-mapped spatial disaggregation (QDMSD) has been developed to simulate compound extreme dry-warm (CDDW) and wet-warm (CDWW) events in historical and future summertime. Simulations indicated that the frequencies of CDDW would keep an obvious increase in the historical period. The Niño 3 and Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation (AMO) indirectly regulate compound extreme events by regulating sea surface temperature anomalies (SSTA) in the western Pacific. In the future period, the growth of compound extremes under SSP5-8.5 surpasses that under SSP2-4.5. Under the SSP2-4.5 scenario, the projected changes in compound extremes may be influenced by SSTA in the northwest Pacific. At 850 hPa, the SSTA may cause a weakening of the geopotential height (GHT) anomalies. The rising of warm-humid air would be hindered by the positive GHT anomalies over Siberia and a weakening of negative GHT anomalies over northwestern Pacific. It is difficult to form precipitation in northwestern China. Therefore, the CDDW will be distributed in northwest China. The correlation between compound extremes and the SSTA in the northwest Pacific will increase under SSP5-8.5. The negative GHT anomalies may occur in the northwest Pacific. Additionally, the positive GHT anomalies will weaken over Siberia. These factors may enhance the upward movement of warm-humid air and moisture convergence, thereby leading to the formation of precipitation. Finally, it would promote the occurrence of CDWW in northeastern, eastern and northern China. These findings are beneficial for policymakers in addressing the risks posed by summertime compound extremes across multiple sectors.

Research on abnormal wear mechanism of the coupler system in heavy-haul trains

Abnormal wear issues of the coupler system exist in heavy-haul trains and are rarely studied before. In this paper, we thoroughly report and investigate the abnormal wear phenomenon of the coupler using theoretical and experimental strategies. Firstly, the operational conditions of the trains with worn couplers are analyzed through field tests. Then, the causes of the coupler abnormal wear are theoretically analyzed according to structural characteristics. Next, A refined dynamic model of coupler considering the coupler components is developed and validated. The key influencing factors of abnormal wear are studied, including the wear depth of the component and the friction coefficient of the follower. Experiments and simulations prove that multiple braking of trains will lead to upward movements of the follower and then induce contact between the follower and the coupler yoke, further resulting in abnormal wear. Finally, countermeasures are proposed to mitigate the abnormal wear of the coupler system.

Functional ultrasound neuroimaging reveals mesoscopic organization of saccades in the lateral intraparietal area of posterior parietal cortex.

The lateral intraparietal cortex (LIP) located within the posterior parietal cortex (PPC) is an important area for the transformation of spatial information into accurate saccadic eye movements. Despite extensive research, we do not fully understand the functional anatomy of intended movement directions within LIP. This is in part due to technical challenges. Electrophysiology recordings can only record from small regions of the PPC, while fMRI and other whole-brain techniques lack sufficient spatiotemporal resolution. Here, we use functional ultrasound imaging (fUSI), an emerging technique with high sensitivity, large spatial coverage, and good spatial resolution, to determine how movement direction is encoded across PPC. We used fUSI to record local changes in cerebral blood volume in PPC as two monkeys performed memory-guided saccades to targets throughout their visual field. We then analyzed the distribution of preferred directional response fields within each coronal plane of PPC. Many subregions within LIP demonstrated strong directional tuning that was consistent across several months to years. These mesoscopic maps revealed a highly heterogenous organization within LIP with many small patches of neighboring cortex encoding different directions. LIP had a rough topography where anterior LIP represented more contralateral upward movements and posterior LIP represented more contralateral downward movements. These results address two fundamental gaps in our understanding of LIP's functional organization: the neighborhood organization of patches and the broader organization across LIP. These findings were achieved by tracking the same LIP populations across many months to years and developing mesoscopic maps of direction specificity previously unattainable with fMRI or electrophysiology methods.

Prospects and Challenges for Biodiversity in the Anthropogenic-Induced Cold Arid Landscape of Ladakh, India

Ladakh, a high-altitude cold arid region, exhibits conspicuous signs of climate change across its vast landscape. The unique biodiversity of Ladakh faces various challenges due to both exponential anthropogenic activities and the significant threat of climate change to the region's environmental landscape and physiographical variations. The region's unique topography, from high-altitude deserts to soaring Himalayan mountains, makes it a biodiversity hotspot. However, biodiversity is under threat from climate change, infrastructure development, the upward movement of invasive species, and water scarcity due to glacial retreat. There is enough potential to combine traditional ecological knowledge with modern conservation strategies. Climate change, with rising temperatures and glacial retreat, poses a significant threat to Ladakh's biodiversity, particularly that of alpine flora and fauna. Infrastructure development, including roads and hydropower projects, can fragment habitats and dislocate wildlife corridors, leading to reduced genetic diversity. Long-term field observations form the basis for an indepth exploration of prospects and potential threats to the biodiversity of Ladakh's cold arid zone, emphasizing the role of anthropogenic factors in this study.

The embodiment of power as upward/downward movement in Chinese-English bilinguals

AbstractUsing an action compatibility task, we investigated whether POWER is embodied in terms of upward and downward movement in two languages (first and dominant language: Chinese; second language: English). Chinese-English bilinguals were asked to quickly and accurately categorize power-related words (e.g., “boss,” “intern”) as “powerful” or “powerless.” The response to indicate that the word was “powerful” required an upward movement in the compatible condition, while the response to indicate “powerless” involved a downward movement. These responses were reversed in the incompatible condition (“powerful”-downward/“powerless”-upward). When the response actions were compatible rather than incompatible, participants were faster to categorize the words. Furthermore, the action compatibility effect was observed in both languages, but surprisingly the action compatibility effect was larger in their L2. The findings support the psychological reality of the “POWER IS UP” conceptual metaphor that is active when participants process language in both their primary and secondary languages.

Cretaceous Limestone Dolomitization and Argument of Its Mg2+ Sources: Exampling the Bekhme and Qamchuqa Formations in the Zagros Collision Belt

This study unveils new considerations regarding the dolomitization of the Bekhme and Qamchuqa formations (BQFs), two reefal Cretaceous units in the Iraqi Zagros collisional belt. Previous studies proposed the dolomitization of these formations due to the ascent of Mg-rich hydrothermal solutions through deep faults but lacked substantial supporting evidence. This paper present new considerations suggesting that the dolomitization of the BQFs resulted from the Cretaceous environmental conditions and basin paleogeographic setting of the platform on which these formations were deposited. To justify this consideration, seven proofs presented. First is the occurrence of dolomite as vast layers extending tens of kilometers laterally and bounded between limestone beds, which resemble a strata-bound occurrence. Second is the absence of vertical selective dolomitization such as, hydrothermal mineralization, vertical dolomite dykes, hydrothermal vents, tubes, or zones. Third is the barrenness of most of the fault surfaces and their surrounding rocks with selective dolomitization. Fourth is the sharp boundary between the dolomite and limestone layers, indicating a sudden environmental change from lagoon to reef or forereef. Fifth is the record of dolomitization in the sediments reworked by bioturbation, evident in thalassinoides burrows. Sixth is the succession of BQFs underlain by limestone and green marl devoid of dolomitization and hydrothermal upward movement. Seventh is the contradictory notion of hydrothermal dolomitization among the most recent study published in the Science journal which atributed dolomitization to normal temperate on earth surface. In the present study, the source of the Mg is argued and its presence is attributed to the warmth of the Arabian platform (plate) near the equator during the Cretaceous period. Another source is the connection of the Arabian platform with the Neo-Tethys Sea, which was the locus of Mg-rich mafic volcanism in the form of arcs and mid-oceanic ridge topography, which supplied a voluminous amount of Mg to the Arabian carbonate platform through ocean currents.

Hydro-meteorological aspects of soil fluorides in semi-arid soils using microwave remote sensing.

Soil fluoride is a critical determinant of soil fertility, human health and crop productivity. Soil fluoride can be increased by climatic conditions, irrigation water and anthropogenic activity, and it is important to control fluoride by understanding the complex relationships between atmospheric conditions and water systems. In this research, a detailed focus is on the hydrological and meteorological aspects of soil fluorides in semi-saturated and saturated soils to discuss the impact of irrigation, capillary rise and the combination of rainfall and anthropogenic activities such as fertilizer application on the soils in the dry spell and monsoon seasons of 2021 and 2022. A Sentinel-1 data can be used to estimate fluoride levels to the above soil conditions. In an effort to estimate fluoride levels in different hydro-meteorological scenarios, we have put forward a hypothesis that focuses on understanding the potential connections between hydro-meteorological factors (precipitation, groundwater levels, and temperature) and the levels of fluoride. The findings indicate that the extensive use of groundwater for irrigation leads to a rise in fluoride levels, posing a significant threat to crop health over time. Furthermore, the combined effects of irrigation and upheaval leaching on fluoride levels have shown strong statistical conformity (R2 > 0.85) with the relevant field-measured fluoride data for the year 2022. Importantly, areas affected by are more sensitive to the sand and clay percentage in the soil because potential and dispersion behaviour enlarge the capillaries to decelerate the upward movement. A region-based discussion details the factors contributing to the increase of fluoride in soil helpful in taking remedial measures and mitigation plans.

Cenozoic tectonic evolution of the main lignite-rich grabens in Poland. Part 2. Tectonics versus autocompaction and compaction

This paper is a continuation of the previous one (Widera, 2024. Acta Geologica Polonica, 74 (1), e2). A new, alternative interpretation of the tectonic development of two lignite-rich deposits in the Lubstów and Kleszczów grabens in central Poland is presented. The maximum thickness of lignite mined from both deposits is >86 and >250 m, respectively. These grabens were selected for detailed tectonic analysis because syn-depositional or post-depositional tectonic uplift is undeniably evident. The current study focuses on the distinction between tectonic subsidence/uplift and autocompactional subsidence, and on the timing of their occurrence. Such a research approach allows for the presentation of new conceptual models of Cenozoic tectonic evolution during the formation of the third, very thick, Ścinawa lignite seam (ŚLS-3) and the second Lusatian lignite seam (LLS-2). As a result, it is shown here that the magnitude of both the downward and upward tectonic movements are significantly smaller than previously thought. This new interpretation is also confirmed by the low rank of lignite coalification and the net calorific value of the ŚLS-3 and LLS-2.

Head poses and grimaces: Challenges for automated face identification algorithms?

In today’s biometric and commercial settings, state-of-the-art image processing relies solely on artificial intelligence and machine learning which provides a high level of accuracy. However, these principles are deeply rooted in abstract, complex “black-box systems”. When applied to forensic image identification, concerns about transparency and accountability emerge. This study explores the impact of two challenging factors in automated facial identification: facial expressions and head poses. The sample comprised 3D faces with nine prototype expressions, collected from 41 participants (13 males, 28 females) of European descent aged 19.96 to 50.89 years. Pre-processing involved converting 3D models to 2D color images (256 × 256 px). Probes included a set of 9 images per individual with head poses varying by 5° in both left-to-right (yaw) and up-and-down (pitch) directions for neutral expressions. A second set of 3,610 images per individual covered viewpoints in 5° increments from −45° to 45° for head movements and different facial expressions, forming the targets. Pair-wise comparisons using ArcFace, a state-of-the-art face identification algorithm yielded 54,615,690 dissimilarity scores. Results indicate that minor head deviations in probes have minimal impact. However, the performance diminished as targets deviated from the frontal position. Right-to-left movements were less influential than up and down, with downward pitch showing less impact than upward movements. The lowest accuracy was for upward pitch at 45°. Dissimilarity scores were consistently higher for males than for females across all studied factors. The performance particularly diverged in upward movements, starting at 15°. Among tested facial expressions, happiness and contempt performed best, while disgust exhibited the lowest AUC values.

Factor productivity nexus economic growth in Sub-Saharan Africa: Symmetric and asymmetric panel approaches

This study examines the effect and role of total factor productivity with other major determinants on economic growth in the Sub – Saharan Africa(SSA).It employs the data obtained from the World Bank Development Indicators spanning from 1990 to 2022 using panel ARDL, GMM and their extended asymmetric non-linear (NARDL) and (NGMM) models. The NARDL and NGMM are more superior to the counterpart ARDL and GMM symmetric models in the long-run than the short-run estimation, ensuring more efficient and reliable information regarding the effects of productivity on economic growth analysis. Finally, the robust dynamic inter-temporal Granger causality tests show that asymmetrically there is bi-directional causality between the growth rate of an upward movement in total factor productivity and real GDP. There is also bi-directional causality of a downward movement in the growth rate of the terms of trade and real GDP growth rate. The empirical findings of the study are extremely important indicators for sustained economic growth in the SSA region. Hence, this research work recommends that governments should enhance total factor productivity and terms of trade through job-trainning provision and promote trading among themselves as policy tools.

Microstructure evolution during directional solidification of 2009Al/SiCp at different pulling velocities: Modeling and Experiment

The cellular automaton-lattice Boltzmann method-immersed moving boundary coupled model is established to study the microstructure evolution during the solidification process of 2009Al/SiCp. After several model benchmarks, the natural convection of liquid phase and its effect on particle settlement under different pulling velocities were studied firstly. The results showed that at higher pulling velocity, the particle decelerates downward before contacting with dendrite front due to intensified natural convection. At lower pulling velocity, the particle decelerates gradually until a change in direction and upward movement. As the particle approach the tip of the dendrite, the particle experiences a brief upward movement before contacting the dendritic front. Then the convection induced by particles has an impact on the distribution of solutes in the liquid phase. It has been observed that at lower pulling velocity, there is a significant difference in solute distribution at the solidification front. The primary reason for this phenomenon is the higher solute concentration near the solidification front at lower pulling velocity, rather than the higher liquid phase flowing rate. Finally, our model investigated the microstructure evolution process during the directional solidification process of 2009Al/SiCp at different pulling velocities. The results indicate a good agreement between the simulation results and experiment observations.

Sewage Sludge Promotes the Accumulation of Antibiotic Resistance Genes in Tomato Xylem.

Xylem serves as a conduit linking soil to the aboveground plant parts and facilitating the upward movement of microbes into leaves and fruits. Despite this potential, the composition of the xylem microbiome and its associated risks, including antibiotic resistance, are understudied. Here, we cultivated tomatoes and analyzed their xylem sap to assess the microbiome and antibiotic resistance profiles following treatment with sewage sludge. Our findings show that xylem microbes primarily originate from soil, albeit with reduced diversity in comparison to those of their soil microbiomes. Using single-cell Raman spectroscopy coupled with D2O labeling, we detected significantly higher metabolic activity in xylem microbes than in rhizosphere soil, with 87% of xylem microbes active compared to just 36% in the soil. Additionally, xylem was pinpointed as a reservoir for antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), with their abundance being 2.4-6.9 times higher than in rhizosphere soil. Sludge addition dramatically increased the abundance of ARGs in xylem and also increased their mobility and host pathogenicity. Xylem represents a distinct ecological niche for microbes and is a significant reservoir for ARGs. These results could be used to manage the resistome in crops and improve food safety.