Browse Articles

Balancing act: navigating increasing human-wildlife conflict amidst megafauna recovery in the tropical lowlands of Nepal

Economic analysis of avocado production systems: Market failures and policy distortions

This study aimed to evaluate competitiveness and profitability at private and social prices, and assess the impact of policies and market failures on avocado production in the State of Mexico. Data were collected from 11 high-density plantations with mature trees between January and July 2021. Three groups were formed, and the Policy Analysis Matrix revealed that all Avocado Production Units (APUs) were profitable at private prices. APU 3 remained competitive when land costs were included, but none of the APUs were profitable at social prices. Indirect subsidies stabilized avocado prices, with producer subsidy rates of 3.09, 2.94, and 3.42 for APUs 1, 2, and 3, respectively. Avocado production showed a comparative advantage due to production-factor failures. As a protected product on the public agenda, avocado has high production costs.

Selective Electrochemical Production of Ethylene from Bicarbonate Solution

Abstract Carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) electroreduction directly from a reactive carbon solution (e.g., (bi)carbonate) provides a promising approach for integrating CO 2 capture and conversion. Compared to CO 2 conversion in gas‐fed systems, this system typically suffers from low Faradaic efficiency (FE), especially for multicarbon (C 2+ ) products. Here, we report an engineered material structuring to selectively produce C 2+ products directly from a N 2 ‐saturated bicarbonate solution. Multiphysics modeling studies reveal the critical role of local current density distribution and the spatio‐selective evolution of C 2+ products, which is favored in thinner catalysts (240 µm thickness). By jointly tailoring catalyst configuration and mass transport in bicarbonate electroreduction, adjusting the thickness, porosity, and surface oxidation of copper (Cu) mesh catalysts, as well as catholyte composition, we achieved a maximum C 2 H 4 FE of 39% and total C 2+ FE over 55% at 150 mA cm −2 with a 240 µm thick Cu mesh. The system is also stable for over 160 h at 100 mA cm −2 with maintained C 2 H 4 FE over 20%. Our electrolysis system converts bicarbonate to C 2+ with over 90% CO 2 utilization efficiency, reducing regeneration and separation costs. Optimizing catalyst pore structure, and copper surface oxide is a key to maximizing C 2 H 4 production from bicarbonate solutions.

Targeting ADAM17 to dampen dendritic cell-mediated type 2 immune responses and airway inflammation associated with allergic asthma

Music score copyright protection based on mixed low-order quaternion Franklin moments

Due to the rapid growth of the digital music industry, music copyrights have become valuable intangible assets for businesses, offering exclusivity and profitability. This article takes music copyrights as an example and designs a copyright protection method for music score digital images. The zero-watermarking algorithm offers an effective and lossless means of copyright protection. Owing to their geometric invariance, orthogonal moments exhibit superior robustness, positioning them as one of the mainstream methods in the research of zero-watermarking algorithms. The current zero-watermarking algorithms based on orthogonal moments face a trade-off between robustness and discriminability. In this paper, we propose a mixed low-order moments method based on quaternion-type fractional-order moments (QTFM), which balances the global information and texture details of color image contained in QTFM. Experimental results show that the mixed low-order moments method based on QTFM exhibits superior performance in terms of robustness. In the context of using mixed low-order moment features for image analysis, Franklin moments achieve higher average structural similarity (SSIM) values than other QTFMs.

Visual control of steering through multiple waypoints

The impact of midwife workload on delivery of care, and mother and baby outcomes in maternity settings in OECD countries: A systematic review

Background Excessive midwifery workload is a growing concern that may affect safety and quality of care, with potential consequences for mothers and babies. Aims To assess how midwife workload affects delivery of care, and maternal and neonatal outcomes; and whether maternal, neonatal, and staffing factors modify these relationships. Methods This systematic review updated a prior review (January 1998 to June 2014) with revisions to search strategies. We searched for new evidence (June 2014 to October 2023) across 11 academic databases (Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (Wiley); Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (Wiley); CINAHL (EBSCOhost); EconLit (EBSCOhost; Embase (Ovid); Epistemonikos; Health Management Information Consortium (Ovid); International HTA Database (INAHTA); Maternity & Infant Care Database (Ovid); Ovid MEDLINE(R); CEA Registry) and 10 grey literature websites. Screening involved multiple reviewers, with 10% of records independently double-screened. Inclusion criteria were intrapartum births in maternity wards in OECD countries, a measure of midwifery workload, and outcomes related to provision of care, mode of birth, and maternal or neonatal morbidity and mortality. A single reviewer conducted data extraction, bias assessments, and a narrative synthesis. Results We included 23 studies (15 new, 8 from the original review) from the UK, USA, Italy, France, and Germany, covering 2,943,120 births. Only three studies were rated as high quality. Many outcomes showed no significant effects, or inconsistent effects across studies. High workload was significantly linked to care delays, increased instrumental and caesarean births, and some maternal outcomes (e.g., perineal trauma). Associations were modified by maternal characteristics, including clinical risk, parity, and civil status. No significant associations were found between workload and neonatal outcomes, except for one low-quality study reporting increased neonatal ward admissions. Conclusions High midwifery workload may alter care provision, potentially affecting mother and baby outcomes. Further robust research is needed to address limitations in current evidence.

Bayesian optimized CNN ensemble for efficient potato blight detection using fuzzy image enhancement

Make your own laboratory: A comparative perspective on the logistics and dynamics of DIY biology spaces and communities

Do-It-Yourself (DIY) biology, also known as biohacking or community biology, is a grassroots movement where people conduct biological experiments outside formal institutions. DIY biologists set up their laboratories in garages and community spaces and often acquire their equipment and materials from online marketplaces. While their needs for material resources are comparable to those of academic and industrial laboratories, DIY biologists face greater challenges in acquiring such resources, reflecting the structural disparities between institutional and extra-institutional science. This paper examines how DIY biology spaces are materialized and explores the challenges encountered during this process. Materializing refers to the efforts of DIY biologists to transform their visions of grassroots science into material and immaterial results. Drawing on semi-structured interviews with 23 DIY biologists across Great Britain, Germany, and Canada, alongside observations from online and in-person events, this study highlights how these practitioners position themselves within their respective countries’ life science landscapes. The findings indicate that DIY biologists actively negotiate boundaries between institutional and extra-institutional science, engaging in debates over funding sources, including partnerships with industry, and seeking alternative models of community sustainability. Country-specific innovation and economic ecosystems shape these negotiations. For instance, Canadian DIY biologists embrace entrepreneurial narratives akin to ‘garage start-ups,’ aligning with a neoliberal ethos of innovation. In contrast, their German counterparts gravitate toward the principles of Mittelstand entrepreneurship emphasizing stability, regional embeddedness, and responsibility. Despite their diverse approaches, DIY biologists in all three contexts face systemic challenges tied to neoliberal funding structures, particularly a scarcity of financial resources. These insights contribute to understanding how grassroots science adapts to, and resists, broader socio-economic forces, illuminating the dynamics through which science is materialized outside traditional institutions.

Frequency of body focused repetitive behaviors and comparison to self-injurious behaviors in patients with tic disorders

Abstract The majority of patients with chronic tic disorders suffer from psychiatric comorbidities, most frequently attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), depression, and anxiety. While characteristics of these psychiatric disorders are widely known, other comorbidities including self-injurious behaviors (SIB) and body focused repetitive behaviors (BFRB) are still under-investigated. Currently, there is a controversial discussion whether BFRB and SIB belong to the same spectrum because of clinical similarities or they represent distinct entities. In this study, we investigated the clinical profile of BFRB in a large sample of adult patients (N = 123) with chronic tic disorders. Current urge and/or behavior to perform BFRB was reported by 59 participants (48%). BFRB were overall more frequent in females, individuals with comorbid OCD, and more severe tics. Both urges and behaviors to perform BFRB had a negative impact on quality of life. When comparing patients with comorbid SIB and those with comorbid BFRB, SIB was found in younger patients with more severe tics and comorbid ADHD. From our data it is suggested that SIB and BFRB belong to the same spectrum with SIB indicating the more severe clinical manifestation.

DNA methylation orchestrates secondary metabolite biosynthesis and transport in Papaver somniferum

Background Papaver somniferum (opium poppy) is a major source of benzylisoquinoline alkaloids (BIAs), including pharmaceutically important compounds such as morphine and noscapine. While the enzymatic pathways underlying BIA biosynthesis are well-characterized, the epigenetic mechanisms that govern tissue- and genotype-specific alkaloid accumulation remain poorly understood. Results This study presents a comparative DNA methylation analysis of stem and capsule tissues from P. somniferum cultivars with distinct alkaloid profiles. High-alkaloid-yielding cultivars exhibited hypomethylation of genomic regions involved in photosynthesis, carbon metabolism, protein phosphorylation, and intracellular transport, particularly in stem tissues. DNA methylation patterns revealed tissue- and compound-specific epigenetic signatures: morphine-rich cultivars showed enrichment of differentially methylated regions (DMRs) associated with membrane-related functions, whereas noscapine-rich cultivars exhibited DMR enrichment in nuclear regulatory components and ribosome-associated pathways. Genes encoding cytochrome P450 enzymes, F-box proteins, and ABC transporters were differentially expressed and epigenetically modulated, reflecting a multi-layered regulatory network coordinating biosynthesis, transport, and detoxification of alkaloids. Conclusions Our findings suggest that noscapine biosynthesis is under strict, evolutionarily conserved regulatory control, while morphine production is supported by transcriptional and metabolic enhancements in photosynthesis and carbohydrate metabolism. This study provides the first integrative epigenomic perspective on alkaloid biosynthesis in the opium poppy and highlights DNA methylation as a key determinant of metabolic specialization.

Oriol Planas

Sparse regularization inversion method for transient electromagnetic data and high-resolution prospection of subsurface targets

Retraction: Green transition in manufacturing: Dynamics and simulation

A hybrid method combining rule-based filter and machine learning to detect porpoise and vessel sounds from a pulse event recorder

Abstract Passive acoustic monitoring is essential for assessing the impact of anthropogenic noise on marine ecosystems and detecting vocalizing marine life. While acoustic event recorders are widely used to record odontocete echolocation due to their low power and memory demands, conventional detection algorithms are often unsuitable for analyzing datasets composed of complex pulse events. Here, we developed a hybrid analytical framework combining a rule-based filter with a random forest model to efficiently detect narrow-ridged finless porpoise (Neophocaena asiaeorientalis) click trains and vessel noise events using data from the pulse event recorder. The rule-based filter effectively reduced noise from raw data, achieving detection accuracy of almost 100% for click trains and 94% for vessel noise. However, among the events detected by this filter, 45% and 81% were actually false positives. The machine learning model improved classification accuracy to 97% and 99%, respectively. This model reduced the high false positive rates to 2.8% and 0.1%. This combined method offers a robust and efficient approach to processing pulse event recorder data, specifically for A-tag. It reduces manual workload, improves detection accuracy, and facilitates rapid assessment of vessel noise impacts, thereby supporting long-term ecological monitoring of small cetacean populations in diverse and noisy marine environments.

Retraction: A comparative study of the policy response to COVID-19 in the ASEAN region: A dynamic simulated ARDL approach

Proof of concept for voice based MRI scanner control using large language models in real time guided interventions

Abstract In clinical MRI-guided interventions, the lack of high-quality peripheral equipment and specialized interventional MRI systems often necessitates delegating real-time control of MRI scanners to an assistant. We proposed a voice-based interaction system powered by large language models that enabled hands-free natural language control of MRI scanners. The system leveraged multi-agent collaboration driven by large language models to execute scanner functionalities, including sequence execution, parameter adjustment, and scanner table positioning. In 90 hands-free tests for 18 predefined tasks performed within a real MRI scanning room, the system achieved an overall task completion rate of 93.3% (95% CI 86.2–96.9%). On a consumer laptop without GPU support, the response time for control commands was approximately 5–10.5 s. Our study demonstrates the feasibility of using large language models for voice-based interaction with MRI scanners during interventions, eliminating the need for additional assistants and allowing human-like communication.

Retraction: Can low-carbon pilot policies improve the efficiency of urban carbon emissions?——A quasi-natural experiment based on 282 prefecture-level cities across China

A urinary DNA methylation assay using two genes enables noninvasive detection and prognostic prediction in urothelial carcinoma

Abstract The incidence of urothelial carcinoma (UC) ranks second among all urological cancers, accounting for over 90% of malignant tumors in bladder. Patients diagnosed with UC experience a lower quality of life due to rapid progression of the disease. Early and non-invasive detection is curial for diagnosing UC and improving patient outcomes. This study aimed to develop and validate a DNA methylation assay for the early detection and monitoring for UC, with a focus on its diagnostic and prognostic implications. The DNA methylation assay with real-time methylation specific polymerase chain reaction (RT-MSP) technique measures the methylation level of SOX1-OT and HIST1H4F in urine samples. A cohort comprising 436 patients diagnosed with UC or other urologic disease as well as 79 healthy patients was retrospectively utilized to evaluate this assay. Furthermore, UC patients who underwent surgery are included to assess its ability to detect recurrence. The DNA methylation assay demonstrated significantly increased methylation level in tumor tissues and a high positive rate in urine samples from UC patients. The methylation profile effectively distinguishes UC from other non-UC urologic disease, exhibiting a high sensitivity (85.2%) and specificity (90.0%) for UC diagnosis. Furthermore, the assay showed promising ability in differentiating UC patients based on tumor grade, malignancy potential, and disease stage. Additionally, the DNA methylation assay demonstrated a superior ability to detect UC recurrence with a high area under curve (AUC) of 0.979. This research proposes a novel DNA methylation assay with urine as sample for detection, representing a cost-efficient and non-invasive method for diagnosing and monitoring UC disease.

Psychometric properties and qualitative evaluation of a Swedish translation of the New Sexual Satisfaction Scale–Short (NSSS-S)

Objectives Sexual satisfaction is a crucial part of sexual health and is positively related to well-being and quality of life. However, there are at present no composite measures of sexual satisfaction available in Swedish. The New Sexual Satisfaction Scale – Short form (NSSS-S) is a measure of sexual satisfaction that has been validated in multiple languages, and the aim of the present study is to evaluate the psychometric properties and intelligibility of a Swedish version of the NSSS-S. Methods A convenience sample (N = 479) responded to an online survey including the Swedish NSSS-S and a single-item measure of sexual satisfaction. Qualitative evaluation of the translation was done within 20 semi-structured interviews where respondents gave open answers to the NSSS-S items. Results Results showed that a two-factor solution, matching the subscales Ego-Centred and Partner/Activity-Centred sexual satisfaction, showed good to acceptable fit to the data. However, removal of the item “Partner’s ability to orgasm” increased model fit significantly. Internal reliability for the full scale was high and NSSS-S scores correlated strongly with the single-item measure of sexual satisfaction. Qualitative evaluation showed no issues with comprehension of the translated items or with the semantic and cultural validity of the translated measure, but revealed additional aspects of measuring sexual satisfaction not captured by a scale such as the NSSS-S. Conclusions The Swedish NSSS-S displayed the expected bi-dimensional factor structure, high convergent validity in relation to the other available measure of sexual satisfaction and can be used with both partnered and single respondents. Qualitative evaluation indicated that the NSSS-S is generally seen to capture important elements of measuring sexual satisfaction but that it may not adequately capture experiences of situational and temporal variability in sexual satisfaction. The Swedish NSSS-S thus showed comparable psychometric and semantic properties to the original version and can be used to measure sexual satisfaction in a Swedish speaking population.