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The 2016 Amsterdam Placental Workshop Group Consensus Statement recommends sampling a block of the placenta close to the umbilical cord insertion site (UCIB) for histopathological evaluation. This piece of placenta at the umbilical cord insertion is presumed to give a better yield of inflammation (if present). We aimed to investigate the utility of the UCIB in the detection of maternal and/or fetal inflammatory responses (MIR and/or FIR), in comparison with the other sections of the placental parenchyma. This is a retrospective cross‐sectional study including all placentas with histologic chorioamnionitis. The histopathological slides of placentas were reviewed as per Amsterdam consensus guidelines. Diagnostic performance of UCIB in identifying MIR and/or FIR, relative to the other placental sections, was assessed. UCIB revealed diagnostic sensitivity, specificity, and diagnostic accuracy of 79.2% (95% CI: 74.2–83.6%), 100.0% (95% CI: 95.6–100.0%), and 83.6% (95% CI: 79.5–87.2%), respectively, in the detection of FIR, while showing a low sensitivity of 52.6% (95% CI: 47.5–57.6%) in detecting MIR. In 59 (24.6%) cases, FIR was not seen in the corresponding placental parenchymal sections but was detected in the UCIBs. This study is the first study to confirm that a section from the UCIB is essential for the detection of FIR, which affirms the Amsterdam consensus sampling recommendations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to its relatively low cost and remote detection characteristics, optical temperature sensing technology based on FIR has received widespread attention. At present, there is a lack of theoretical guidance on how to purposefully improve or guide the development of high-performance temperature sensing materials. Herein, the structure of a novel material K 7 MgSc 2 B 15 O 30 has been confirmed by the XRD analysis. Furthermore, the effect of Zn on the crystal structure and the photoluminescence (PL) properties of K 7 MgSc 2 B 15 O 30 :Mn2+ has been studied. The PL spectra analysis of a series of Mn2+ doped K 7 MgSc 2 B 15 O 30 luminescence materials indicates that two kinds of Mn2+ emitting centers (Mn(1) and Mn(2)) exist due to the two possible substitution sites Mg2+ and Sc3+. With the increasing of Zn2+, the intensity ratio of Mn(2) to Mn(1) improves from 1.01 to 1.88 at room temperature. Especially, the thermal stability of Mn(1) and Mn(2) gradually decrease with the increasing of Zn2+ contents, which can be due to the lengthening of Zn/Mg–O bonds and the lattice distortion of ScO 6 , respectively. Finally, their temperature sensing sensitivity has been enhanced by the doping of Zn2+, which has a close relation to the different effect of the thermal stability of Mn(1) and Mn(2). This work is expected to provide new ideas for the development of high-performance temperature sensing materials based on FIR, and is helpful to understand the relationship between the crystal structure and luminescence properties. • The crystal structure of K 7 MgSc 2 B 15 O 30 has been firstly studied. • Two emitting centers of Mn have been confirmed in K 7 MgSc 2 B 15 O 30 :Mn2+. • The decreased PL thermal stability attributes to the structure modulation. • The relative sensitivity can been tunable by the doping of Zn2+. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Supplement 1S. ASupplement 1S. B Supplement 1S. C Supplement 1S. D Fluorescence intensity ratio ( FIR) =( 46.83%+ 12.66%) / 15.07% = 3.95 Supplement 1S. E Fluorescence intensity ratio ( FIR) =( 31.55%+ 20.76% + 18.16)/ 13.78% = 5.11 Supplement 1S. F Fluorescence intensity ratio ( FIR) =( 34.46%+ 18.82%) / 17.87% = 2.98 Supplement 1S. G Fluorescence intensity ratio ( FIR) =( 8.15%+ 23.18%)/ 25.38% = 1.23 Supplement 1S. H Fluorescence intensity ratio ( FIR) = 20.76%/ 26.36% = 0.79 [Extracted from the article]

Abies nephrolepis Nature Reserve has complex habitats and rich species diversity but lacks systematic ecological surveys. We focused on Orchid in Abies nephrolepis Nature Reserve, investigated and analyzed Orchid diversity and changes in community structure according to the characteristics of the alpine valleys in the study area, in terms of altitude gradient and habitat type, using the sample line method and the quadrat method. The results showed that 11 genera and 13 species of Orchidaceae were found in the survey, among which the species richness of Malaxis monophyllos was the highest, Neottia puberula was the second highest, and the species richness of Tulotis ussuriensis was the lowest, and the species with relative plurality ≥ 10% were Malaxis monophyllos (51.69%), Neottia puberula (14.77%), and Cypripedium guttatum (11.15%). The results of diversity analysis showed that Orchidaceae species were rich and the diversity index were the highest in the middle altitude area of 1950–2250 m; the distribution of Orchidaceae in the low altitude area was obviously clustered, and the similarity with the high altitude area was low. With the increase in altitude, the number of species showed an increase and then a decrease, showing a single‐peak state, which was in line with the theory of "Intermediate altitude expansion hypothesis". The species and number of Orchidaceae in different habitats of Abies nephrolepis Nature Reserve also varied considerably, with Shannon‐Wiener diversity index being the highest in EV4 (Abies nephrolepis + Picea meyeri + Picea wilsonii + Larix gmelinii var. principis‐rupprechtii—Lonicera hispida—Carex lanceolata community) and EV5, and the smallest in EV1 habitats, Pielow evenness index being the highest in EV5 habitats and the lowest in EV1 habitats, and Simpson's index being the highest in EV5 habitats and the lowest in EV1 habitats. This study provides a scientific basis for strengthening regional monitoring of species diversity and protecting biodiversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Designing high-performance integrated circuits that balance area, speed, and power is increasingly challenging. This study optimises hardware implementation of FIR filters using an innovative Amalgam Multiplier, minimising resource use without compromising performance. The key challenge in designing signal processing hardware is the multiplier design, which significantly affects efficiency. This study explores integrated circuit optimisation, addressing the delicate balance between area utilisation, speed, and power consumption. Focusing on hardware implementation of Finite Impulse Response (FIR) filters in signal processing, the article starts with a conventional FIR filter design using a standard array multiplier which consumed 1.790 W, with 8 s real-time completion. Then, Linear Phase FIR (LP-FIR) filter is designed using Braun and Dadda Multiplier. LP-FIR filter with Braun multiplier consumed 1.436 W power and 26 s of completion time whereas LP-FIR with Dadda multiplier consumed 1.363 W power and 23 s of completion time. Finally, the implementation of novel LP-FIR enhanced by Amalgam multiplier consumed 0.302 W power and 10.29 s of completion time, marking a significant advancement in integrated circuit design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As one of the fundamental physical quantities, temperature is extremely important in various fields. In order to study the temperature sensing characteristics of dual‐emitting center phosphors, Bi3+‐doped and Bi3+/Sm3+‐doped Sr2Ga2GeO7 phosphors were synthesized by high‐temperature solid‐phase method. Under 312 nm excitation, the Sr2Ga2GeO7:Bi3+ phosphor exhibits a blue broadband emission corresponding to the 3P1 → 1S0 transition of Bi3+ ions. By testing the temperature change spectrum of phosphors, it was found that Bi3+ exhibited strong thermal sensitivity. However, due to the fact that single ion doped phosphors are easily affected by other factors when applied to the field of temperature sensing, based on the thermal sensitivity of Bi3+, Sm3+ with low temperature sensitivity was selected as the co‐doped ion, and it was found that the two ions had different thermal quenching characteristics when the temperature change spectrum was tested. Using the temperature detection method based on the fluorescence intensity ratio (FIR) of the dual emission centers, it was found that the best absolute sensitivity Sa was 3.125% K−1 and the maximum relative sensitivity Sr was 1.275% K−1 in the range of 303–423 K. These results show that Sr2Ga2GeO7:Bi3+/Sm3+ phosphors have broad application prospects in the field of optical temperature sensing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Insect infestation triggers multiple defense responses in plants, both locally at the infection site and systemically throughout the plant, including the production of feeding deterrents, toxins, defensive proteins, enzymes, and secondary metabolites. Our study aimed to compare the endogenous levels of antioxidative enzymes, photosynthetic pigments, phytohormones, total phenols, and flavonoids in bark-beetle-infested and uninfested trees. We evaluated the surviving trees in bark-beetle-infested stands, assessing both the condition and defense of uninfested and infested beech (Fagus sylvatica), pine (Pinus sylvestris), and fir (Abies alba) trees. Sampling was performed at six affected sites in the Czech Republic, targeting trees that were resilient to significant health deterioration caused by abiotic and biotic factors. The results showed different levels of most of the measured compounds in the three species. Among all the tested species, photosynthetic pigment levels showed the strongest association with infestation status, which was generally lower in the infested plants. For chlorophyll a, extremely significant reductions were observed from 123 ± 20.6 to 101 ± 17.9 μg/g dry weight (DW) in pine, from 231 ± 33.1 to 199 ± 22.2 μg/g DW in beech, and from 60 ± 5.66 to 51.3 ± 6.27 μg/g DW in fir. In contrast, enzymatic activities indicated only isolated instances of significant association, whereas antioxidative properties (total phenolic content, flavonoids, and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging capacity) were not significantly associated with infestation status. There was a statistically significant increase in glutathione reductase activity in infested fir and pine trees. However, this difference was not statistically significant in beech. In contrast, a significant increase in superoxide dismutase activity was detected in infected beech trees. Phytohormones have emerged as the most diverse group of analyzed compounds. Cytokinins were the most distinct, with many of them being significantly increased in infested pines, whereas both beech and fir showed only one significant association. Additionally, derivatives of jasmonic acid also showed a distinct pattern of change associated with bark beetle infestation, with the levels of three out of the four analyzed jasmonates being significantly decreased in infested pines, whereas no effects were observed in beeches and firs. Notably, many phytohormones were significantly elevated in the infested pine, whereas both beech and fir exhibited only one significant association. Overall, the data showed that pines responded differently to bark beetles than to beeches or firs. The greatest changes in phytohormones were observed in pine, whereas the most significant changes in photosynthetic pigments were observed in beech and fir trees. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article introduces a novel FIR filter using a Radix-2r multiplier combined with 4:2 and 3:2 compressors for denoising Electrooculography (EOG) signals. This approach replaces traditional ripple-carry adders with compressors to add the partial products generated by the Radix-2r multiplier, resulting in reduced delay and energy consumption. The FIR filter is implemented in gate-level Verilog HDL, verified using ModelSim and Altera DSP Builder, and synthesized with the Cadence RTL compiler. Compared to conventional designs, the proposed filter achieves a 71.48% reduction in area, 73.28% reduction in power, 51.84% reduction in delay, 86.22% reduction in the area-delay product (ADP), and 92.38% reduction in energy-per-operation (EPS), significantly outperforming the SOPOT filter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper considers the problem of nonparametric estimation of nonlinear characteristic in the FIR Wiener system. Methods proposed so far have suffered from the so-called 'curse of dimensionality' and their practical applications have been limited to the very short impulse responses of the linear component. In the proposed approach, the class of (stochastically initialised) repeated exponential input excitations is introduced, and a modified kernel-based estimator is presented. It is shown that the rate of convergence to the genuine system characteristic is significantly improved and does not depend on the length of the impulse response of the linear dynamic block. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the response of forests to the increases in atmospheric CO2 (ca) is fundamental to implementing innovative management strategies and for assessing impacts on the global carbon and water cycles. Here, we explored correlations between ecophysiological traits and climate variability that influence changes in stable isotope carbon and oxygen (δ13C and δ18O) of tree‐rings. We present these relationships between species of the contrasting genera Abies and Pinus, along a latitudinal transect encompassing different biogeographical regions in North America. We also tested if the rate of intrinsic water‐use efficiency per unit of ca (dW/dca) during two periods (1890–1965 vs. 1966–2016), for fir and pine were different and indicated acclimation to ca increases. We hypothesize that, spatially and temporally, the divergent responses among species to carbon and oxygen isotopes and dW/dca are influenced by the site conditions and the historical increases in ca. From our results, we show that fir and pine species will behave physiologically different as global warming progresses. Firs are more responsive to atmosphere vapor pressure deficit along different geographical zones. The survival of forests species under climate change will rely on the response to water stress and species' traits that influence the regulation of dW. Finally, we want to highlight the concept of "progressive resource limitation" of soil water and nutrients, previously proposed by other authors, that likely indicate fir species that inhabit moister sites will benefit more from increased ca than pine, but this positive effect is likely transitory as global warming increases. Plain Language Summary: The response of forests to increased atmospheric CO2, is dependent on how tree species cope with water stress. We explored tree species response to water stress by examining the correlation between tree‐ring growth and climatic variables. We focused on the tree genera Abies (fir) and Pinus (pine), along a latitudinal transect encompassing different biogeographical regions. We examined how fir and pine trees optimize water use as atmospheric CO2 increased during two distinct periods (1890–1965 vs. 1966–2016). We hypothesized that the interactions between species and site conditions dictate the sensitivity to increases in atmospheric CO2. We found fir trees are more sensitive to changes in humidity and atmospheric CO2, suggesting there is a threshold where increased stress will occur in these trees as climate changes. In the future, forest stability and productivity under changing climate is dependent on how trees adjust to water stress. We want to highlight the concept of "progressive resource limitation" of soil water and nutrients that show fir species in moister sites will benefit more from increased CO2 than pine, but this effect will diminish as global warming becomes more acute. Key Points: Rates of (intrinsic water use efficiency) per ca unit, are species and site conditions dependentFir and pine species are behaving physiologically different as global warming progressesFir species could benefit more from increases in CO2 as long as water is not limited [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Abstract This article introduces a novel FIR filter using a Radix-2r multiplier combined with 4:2 and 3:2 compressors for denoising Electrooculography (EOG) signals. This approach replaces traditional ripple-carry adders with compressors to add the partial products generated by the Radix-2r multiplier, resulting in reduced delay and energy consumption. The FIR filter is implemented in gate-level Verilog HDL, verified using ModelSim and Altera DSP Builder, and synthesized with the Cadence RTL compiler. Compared to conventional designs, the proposed filter achieves a 71.48% reduction in area, 73.28% reduction in power, 51.84% reduction in delay, 86.22% reduction in the area-delay product (ADP), and 92.38% reduction in energy-per-operation (EPS), significantly outperforming the SOPOT filter.

Far-Infrared Radiation (FIR) is emerging as a novel non-invasive tool for mitigating inflammation and oxidative stress, offering potential benefits for certain medical conditions such as cardiovascular disease and chronic inflammatory disorders. We previously demonstrated that the application of patch-based FIR therapy on human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) reduced the expression of inflammatory biomarkers and the levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Several in vitro studies have shown the inhibitory effects of FIR therapy on cell growth in different cancer cells (including murine melanoma cells), mainly using the wound healing assay, without direct cell motility or tracking analysis. The main objective of the present study was to conduct an in-depth analysis of single-cell motility and tracking during the wound healing assay, using an innovative high-throughput technique in the human melanoma cell line M14/C2. This technique evaluates various motility descriptors, such as average velocity, average curvature, average turning angle, and diffusion coefficient. Our results demonstrated that patch-based FIR therapy did not impact cell proliferation and viability or the activation of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) in the human melanoma cell line M14/C2. Moreover, no significant differences in cell motility and tracking were observed between control cells and patch-treated cells. Altogether, these findings confirm the beneficial effects of the in vitro application of patch-based FIR therapy in human melanoma cell lines, although such effects need to be confirmed in future in vivo studies.

A series of double molybdates with palmierite-related structure phosphors K 5 Yb 1- x (MoO 4) 4 : x Er3+ were synthesized by a solid-state method. It has been demonstrated that the K 5 Yb 1- x (MoO 4) 4 : x Er3+ phosphors are capable of exhibiting the characteristic green and red UC emission of Er3+ ions with excitation at 980 nm. Moreover, the green light emission is far more than the red light emission, so that the sample emits a powerful green light, which belongs to the two-photon absorption process. The upconversion efficiency is peaked when the content of Er3+ ions is 10 mol %. The optical thermometry properties of phosphors were explored by observing that the green UC emission intensity is temperature dependent. The maximum sensor sensitivity of the studied phosphor was discovered to be about 1.61%K−1 at the optimum doping concentration. And the phosphor is demonstrated to have high thermal stability by temperature cycling test. Eventually, a green light-emitting diode device was realized by using synthesized particles and a 980 nm near-infrared chip, which can emit a more obvious green light when the voltage reaches 1.80 V and the current can reach 800 mA, thus confirming its applicability in solid-state lighting. And the LED devices have been tested for life stability with little or no light degradation. These properties make the phosphors not only suitable for non-contact optical temperature measurement, but also able to be applied to solid state lighting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fluorescence intensity ratio (FIR) thermometry has been regarded as new optical thermometry because of its faster response, higher sensitivity, and accuracy. However, improving the sensitivity is still a challenge. Here, Ba2LuNbO6:Er3+,Yb3+ up‐conversion specimens were synthesized, characterized, and designed for dual‐mode thermometry based on FIR. The 2H11/2/4S3/2 thermally coupled energy levels (TCELs) and 2H11/2/4F9/2 non‐TCELs (NTCELs) of Er3+ were selected as two FIR modes for optical thermometry. The energy gap of 2H11/2/4S3/2 TCELs of Er3+ in Ba2LuNbO6:Er3+,Yb3+ phosphors was confirmed as 977 cm−1. Therefore, the maximal relative sensitivity (Sr) of FIR based on TCELs is 1.53% K−1 @ 303 K. For FIR based on NTCELs, a higher maximal Sr value of 1.81% K−1 @ 303 K is obtained, which surpasses other Er3+‐doped up‐conversion specimens. In addition, the phosphors exhibit excellent thermal fatigue resistance and temperature resolution. Results suggest that Ba2LuNbO6:Er3+,Yb3+ specimens might be applied in the temperature sensing field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Medical signal processing requires noise and interference-free inputs for precise segregation and classification operations. However, sensing and transmitting wireless media/devices generate noise that results in signal tampering in feature extractions. To address these issues, this article introduces a finite impulse response design based on a two-level transpose Vedic multiplier. The proposed architecture identifies the zero-noise impulse across the varying sensing intervals. In this process, the first level is the process of transpose array operations with equalization implemented to achieve zero noise at any sensed interval. This transpose occurs between successive array representations of the input with continuity. If the continuity is unavailable, then the noise interruption is considerable and results in signal tampering. The second level of the Vedic multiplier is to optimize the transpose speed for zero-noise segregation. This is performed independently for the zero- and nonzero-noise intervals. Finally, the finite impulse response is estimated as the sum of zero- and nonzero-noise inputs at any finite classification.

ABSTRACT Coniferous forests are under severe threat of the rapid anthropogenic climate warming. Abies (firs), the fourth‐largest conifer genus, is a keystone component of the boreal and temperate dark‐coniferous forests and harbors a remarkably large number of relict taxa. However, the uncertainty of the phylogenetic and biogeographic history of Abies significantly impedes our prediction of future dynamics and efficient conservation of firs. In this study, using 1,533 nuclear genes generated from transcriptome sequencing and a complete sampling of all widely recognized species, we have successfully reconstructed a robust phylogeny of global firs, in which four clades are strongly supported and all intersectional relationships are resolved, although phylogenetic discordance caused mainly by incomplete lineage sorting and hybridization was detected. Molecular dating and ancestral area reconstruction suggest a Northern Hemisphere high‐latitude origin of Abies during the Late Cretaceous, but all extant firs diversified during the Miocene to the Pleistocene, and multiple continental and intercontinental dispersals took place in response to the late Neogene climate cooling and orogenic movements. Notably, four critically endangered firs endemic to subtropical mountains of China, including A. beshanzuensis, A. ziyuanensis, A. fanjingshanensis and A. yuanbaoshanensis from east to west, have different origins and evolutionary histories. Moreover, three hotspots of species richness, including western North America, central Japan, and the Hengduan Mountains, were identified in Abies. Elevation and precipitation, particularly precipitation of the coldest quarter, are the most significant environmental factors driving the global distribution pattern of fir species diversity. Some morphological traits are evolutionarily constrained, and those linked to elevational variation (e.g., purple cone) and cold resistance (e.g., pubescent branch and resinous bud) may have contributed to the diversification of global firs. Our study sheds new light on the spatiotemporal evolution of global firs, which will be of great help to forest management and species conservation in a warming world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Pinaceae have been noted for their tendency towards reticulation as a result of interspecific hybridization. Here, we demonstrated the phylogeographic dynamics of the native Northeast Asian sub‐alpine conifer, Abies nephrolepis species complex (ANSC), evolving in circular overlaps along the Northeast Asian landform, which functions as a corridor with the sea, thus acting as a geographic barrier. Location: Northeast Asia: the Korean Peninsula, Japanese Archipelago, Russian Far East and northeastern China. Taxon: Abies nephrolepis species complex (Family Pinaceae, Genus Abies, Section Balsamea, Abies nephrolepis, A. koreana, A. veitchii and A. sachalinensis). Methods: A total of 728 individuals from 38 ANSC populations were analysed using multiplexed inter‐simple sequence repeat genotyping by sequencing to capture variations in biparental nuclear genomes. Eight mitochondrial regions and eight chloroplast regions of each individual were sequenced using the MiSeq platform and Sanger sequencing. Species distribution models were generated. Results: Bayesian clustering with 507 nuclear single nucleotide polymorphisms and the discrepancy between cytoplasmic and nuclear genome lineages implied contemporary and ancient connections between neighbouring species in the form of circular overlap. This genetic connectivity was supported by principal component analysis. Strong correlations between genetic distance and geographic distance were observed, suggesting that gene flow occurs through a continuous chain around the sea. We also found that gene flow direction and intensity changed over time, with support from palaeodistribution modelling. Conclusion: Past hybridization events were captured in cytoplasmic genomes, generating heterogeneity across maternal ancestries. This intensive phylogeographic study demonstrates speciation with incomplete reproductive isolation (continuous gene flow) among neighbouring species with an alteration of the direction and intensity of gene flow due to climate change. The divergence of ANSC due to repeated isolation and reconnection caused by heterogenous physiological environments and climate fluctuation provides a model to solve evolutionary scenarios for reticulate evolution in Pinaceae and other plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study aims to explore the differences in cervical degeneration between healthy people with and without cervical flexion-relaxation phenomenon (FRP) and to identify whether the disappearance of cervical FRP is related to cervical degeneration. Methods: According to the flexion relaxation ratio (FRR), healthy subjects were divided into the normal FRP group and the abnormal FRP group. Besides, MRI was used to evaluate the degeneration of the passive subsystem (vertebral body, intervertebral disc, cervical sagittal balance, etc.) and the active subsystem (deep flexors [DEs], deep extensors [DFs], and superficial extensors [SEs]). In addition, the correlation of the FRR with the cervical degeneration score, C2-7Cobb, Borden method, relative total cross-sectional area (rTCSA), relative functional cross-sectional area (rFCSA), and fatty infiltration ratio (FIR) was analyzed. Results: A total of 128 healthy subjects were divided into the normal FRP group (n=52, 40.63%) and the abnormal FRP group (n=76, 59.38%). There were significant differences between the normal FRP group and the abnormal FRP group in the cervical degeneration score (z=-6.819, P<0.001), C2-7Cobb (t=2.994, P=0.004), Borden method (t=2.811, P=0.006), and FIR of DEs (t=-4.322, P<0.001). The FRR was significantly correlated with the cervical degeneration score (r=-0.457, P<0.001), C2-7Cobb (r=0.228, P=0.010), Borden method (r=0.197, P=0.026), and FIR of DEs (r=-0.253, P=0.004). Conclusion: The disappearance of cervical FRP is related to cervical degeneration. A new hypothesis mechanism for FRP is proposed. The cervical FRP test is an effective and noninvasive examination for the differential diagnosis of healthy people, people with potential NSNP, and patients with NSNP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, with the increasing demand for non-contact temperature measurement, it is urgent to develop a new type of phosphor with double emission centers, high sensitivity and good reliability. A series of Bi3+and Eu3+ co-doped La 2 LiSbO 6 double emission center phosphors were successfully prepared. The response characteristics of Bi3+and Eu3+ at different temperatures in the range of 293–473k were calculated by fluorescence intensity ratio (FIR) technique. The optimal relative sensitivity S r and absolute sensitivity S a were 1.13 % K−1 and 1.27 % K−1, respectively. Hence, La 2 LiSbO 6 :Bi3+, Eu3+ phosphors have the capability of non-contact optical temperature measurement and are a promising material for application. The phosphor is combined with the optical fiber temperature sensor to monitor the real-time temperature of the computer central processing unit. The optical fiber temperature sensor system breaks through the limitations of traditional temperature measurement, and can be used in special environments such as small size and strong electromagnetic interference. It has become an ideal choice to replace the traditional temperature sensor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Medical signal processing requires noise and interference‐free inputs for precise segregation and classification operations. However, sensing and transmitting wireless media/devices generate noise that results in signal tampering in feature extractions. To address these issues, this article introduces a finite impulse response design based on a two‐level transpose Vedic multiplier. The proposed architecture identifies the zero‐noise impulse across the varying sensing intervals. In this process, the first level is the process of transpose array operations with equalization implemented to achieve zero noise at any sensed interval. This transpose occurs between successive array representations of the input with continuity. If the continuity is unavailable, then the noise interruption is considerable and results in signal tampering. The second level of the Vedic multiplier is to optimize the transpose speed for zero‐noise segregation. This is performed independently for the zero‐ and nonzero‐noise intervals. Finally, the finite impulse response is estimated as the sum of zero‐ and nonzero‐noise inputs at any finite classification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abies nebrodensis is a species of fir endemic to Sicily, represented by only 30 trees in the natural population and is currently classified as critically endangered by IUCN. In such context, monitoring its health status is essential for the proper management and preservation of this species. Phytosanitary surveys of trees of the natural population of A. nebrodensis and on potted plants raised in the local forest nursery were carried out, and the phyllosphere fungal community was investigated. The health condition of trees in the natural population were fairly good, with needle reddening and blight as the most frequently observed symptoms on the foliage, while in the nursery similar disorders were registered on about the 1.3% of potted plants. Results on fungal isolations highlighted the presence of species belonging to Valsa, Cytospora (which includes anamorphs of Valsa) and Rhizosphaera genera as the most represented on both reddened and green needles; these results suggest that these fungi likely live as endophytes, resuming their growth when needles are affected by environmental stressors such as wind, hail, mechanical wounds and do not represent a biotic constraint for A. nebrodensis. The disorders observed appear mostly as a consequence of the harsh site in which the relic species lives. Together with the fungal community observed on symptomatic and healthy needles, they indicate that A. nebrodensis adapted and tolerates its altered habitat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ascomycete fungi isolated in Central Siberia from canker lesions of Abies sibirica Ledeb. were assigned to the genus Corinectria Gonzalez & Chaverri. Our earlier research has shown four Corinectria Siberian strains to be significantly different genetically from the known Corinectria spp. This work investigated the secondary metabolites of 23 morphologically similar Corinectria Siberian strains and their phytotoxicity. The strains were divided into two types by their morphological and cultural traits, MCT1 and MCT2. The MCT1 strains synthesized the meroterpenoids ilicicolins A and B, ilicicolin A epoxide and chlorocylindrocarpol; the MCT2 strains produced ilicicolins C, D (ascochlorin), F and ascofuranol. The phytotoxicity of the Corinectria strains showed a significant heterogeneity to Picea obovata seeds and was exhibited by 31% of the MCT1 strains and 50% of the МСТ2 strains. The more phytotoxic strains had an inhibitory effect on A. sibirica calluses. Ilicicolins C, D, and F synthesized by the MCT2 strains significantly inhibited the growth processes of both A. sibirica seedlings and Pinus sibirica Du Tour saplings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tree-ring blue intensity (BI) has the potential to provide information on past summer temperatures of a similar quality to that of tree-ring maximum latewood density and at a substantially reduced cost. To explore the applicability of BI in subtropical regions, the inverted BI for the earlywood, latewood, and the delta BI (DBI) parameters, together with tree-ring width of subalpine fir (Abies fargesii Franch.) in the Shennongjia area of China, were measured, and the corresponding chronologies were developed. The relationships between these chronologies and monthly precipitation, monthly mean minimum temperature, monthly mean temperature, and monthly mean maximum temperature were explored through correlation analysis. Results show that the DBI chronology is closely related to the temperature in August of the current year, indicating that BI, specifically delta BI, data are suitable for use in dendroclimatology studies in subtropical areas. The resultant mean temperature reconstruction for August, based on DBI, explains 40.8% of the temperature variance and is robustly validated using independent periods from the calibration. This pilot study not only highlights the potential of DBI for temperature reconstruction in China but also offers valuable insights into historical climate variations in the Shennongjia region. Moreover, it shows the potential for utilizing such tree-ring data from low-latitude regions to derive past climate data in subtropical warm-humid zones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Girdling is often used as an experimental method to study source/sink controls of cambial growth. However, the phloem responses to girdling have not been well investigated. The aim of this research was to characterize the anatomical changes in the phloem and xylem of different species following trunk girdling. Different species of gymnosperm (Abies sibirica, Pinus sylvestris) and angiosperm (Alnus incana, Populus tremula) woody plants were selected. We girdled trunks during active growth and sampled tissues at two levels (1 cm and 35 cm) above the girdle at the end of the growing season. General responses to girdling were recorded for the studied species, such as increased phloem increments, parenchymatization of conducting tissues, reduction in the size of conducting elements, and an increase in the size of axial parenchyma cells in the phloem and xylem. We observed the suppression of xylogenesis in 3 out of 4 species. Differences in the structure of conducting tissues were found, which are due to species differences in the initial tissue structure. In gymnosperms, noticeable differences in the number of resin ducts in the xylem were observed between control and girdled trees. In angiosperms, we found the formation of cells with thickened cell walls in girdled trees (i.e., the formation of phloem and xylem fibers with thickened cell walls in aspen and sclereids in the phloem of alder). Based on the literature data, the observed responses may be due to both the wounding effect and the influence of the high sugar content above the girdle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two leafy liverwort species from the late Eocene Rovno amber are described. They are placed in the extant genus Nipponolejeunea (Jubulaceae, Porellales, Marchantiophyta) that includes two extant East Asian species and one fossil species described from the Eocene Baltic amber. New fossil species N. rovnoi sp. nov. and N. solodovnikovii sp. nov. differ from the Baltic N. europea, thus making the extinct diversity of the genus exceeding the contemporary species diversity, and such a case is registered for the first time for liverworts. The finding of Nipponolejeunea in Rovno amber may indicate the presence of Abies in the Eocene of Ukraine, since at the southern border of its distribution in Japan extant species the genus grows only on fir trunk. This is in a good concordance with the recent finding in Rovno amber the longhorn beetle Poliaenus europaeus, also associated with fir trees. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Endophytes play an important role in plant development, survival, and establishment, but their temporal dynamics in young conifer plants are still largely unknown. In this study, the bacterial community was determined by metabarcoding of the 16S rRNA gene in the rhizoplane, roots, and aerial parts of 1- and 5-month-old seedlings of natural populations of Abies religiosa (Kunth) Schltdl. & Cham. In 1-month-old seedlings, Pseudomonas dominated aerial parts (relative abundance 71.6%) and roots (37.9%). However, the roots exhibited significantly higher bacterial species richness than the aerial parts, with the dissimilarity between these plant sections mostly explained by the loss of bacterial amplification sequence variants. After 5 months, Mucilaginibacter dominated in the rhizoplane (9.0%), Streptomyces in the roots (12.2%), and Pseudomonas in the aerial parts (18.1%). The bacterial richness and community structure differed significantly between the plant sections, and these variations were explained mostly by 1-for-1 substitution. The relative abundance of putative metabolic pathways significantly differed between the plant sections at both 1 and 5 months. All the dominant bacterial genera (e.g., Pseudomonas and Burkholderia-Caballeronia-Paraburkholderia) have been reported to have plant growth-promoting capacities and/or antagonism against pathogens, but what defines their role for plant development has still to be determined. This investigation improves our understanding of the early plant-bacteria interactions essential for natural regeneration of A. religiosa forest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Soil microbial community composition with stand development may be changed due to the variations in canopy structure, understory vegetation, root traits, edaphic conditions, and litter inputs. However, it is still uncertain to what extent these biotic and abiotic factors shape the soil microbial community composition in Chinese fir (Cunninghamia lanceolata) plantations, which are widely planted in southern China. Methods: Amplicon sequencing was used to analyze the diversity and composition of soil bacterial and fungal communities at two soil depths across four developmental stages of Chinese fir plantations. Results: Both the bacterial and fungal communities were significantly different between stand age groups. As stand aged, oligotrophic bacteria decreased in abundance while copiotrophic bacteria increased. Meanwhile, fungal functional groups connected to plants decreased in abundance while that of saprotrophic fungi significantly increased. The variance in bacterial community was mainly attributed to soil variables regarding carbon and nutrient availability, whereas the greatest fraction of fungal community dissimilarity was determined by plant-specific factors such as aboveground stand structure and tree root traits. The chemical composition of litter had a major effect on the soil fungal community, whereas the litter traits had no effect on the bacterial community. Conclusions: The potential drivers of soil fungi and bacteria differ in Chinese fir plantations. By accounting for the impacts of various environmental components, it is possible to anticipate the response of soil bacterial and fungal assemblages to forest management regime implemented in Chinese fir plantations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The genus Abies is widely distributed across the world and is of high importance for forestry. Since chloroplasts are usually uniparentally inherited, they are an important tool for specific scientific issues like gene flow, parentage, migration and, in general, evolutionary analysis. Established genetic markers for organelles in conifers are rather limited to RFLP markers, which are more labour and time intensive, compared with SSR markers. Using QUIAGEN CLC Workbench 23.03, we aligned two chloroplast genomes from different Abies species (NCBI accessions: NC_039581, NC_042778, NC_039582, NC_042410, NC_035067, NC_062889, NC_042775, NC_057314, NC_041464, MH706706, MH047653 and MH510244) to identify potential SSR candidates. Further selection and development of forward and reverse primers was performed using the NCBI Primer Blast Server application. In this article, we introduce a remarkably polymorphic SSR marker set for various Abies species, which can be useful for other conifer genera, such as Cedrus, Pinus, Pseudotsuga or Picea. In total, 17 cpSSRs showed reliable amplification and polymorphisms in A. grandis with a total of 68 haplotypes detected. All 17 cpSSRs amplified in the tested Abies spp. In the other tested species, except for Taxus baccata, at least one primer was polymorphic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The combined approaches between ex situ and in situ conservation are of great importance for threatened species in urgent need of protection. This study aims to develop concrete actions to preserve the relic of 30 adult trees of the Sicilian fir (Abies nebrodensis) from extinction using long-term germplasm conservation in liquid nitrogen (LN, −196 °C). Pollen grains were collected, and their moisture content (MC) was measured. Then, viability (2,3,5-tryphenyl tetrazolium chloride, TTC), in vitro germinability, and enzymatic antioxidant activity (ascorbate peroxidase, APX; catalase, CAT) were evaluated before and after cryopreservation. Seeds collected from mature cones underwent X-ray analysis, and only full seeds were used to excise the zygotic embryos (ZEs) for cryopreservation. The MC percentage of ZEs was determined, and then they were plunged in LN with (+PVS2) or without (−PVS2) Plant Vitrification Solution 2; untreated ZEs were used as a control. Viability (TTC test) and in vitro germination were assessed for all ZEs (+PVS2, −PVS2, and control). Embryogenic callus (EC) lines obtained from mature ZEs were cryopreserved applying the 'encapsulation-dehydration' technique. This study has allowed, after optimizing cryopreservation protocols for pollen, ZEs, and EC of A. nebrodensis, to establish the first cryobank of this endangered species in Polizzi Generosa (Palermo, Italy), inside the 'Madonie Regional Park'. The strategy developed for Sicilian fir conservation will pave the way for similar initiatives for other critically endangered conifer species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The impact of climates on the radial growth of muti-species remains insufficiently understood in the climate-sensitive southeastern Tibetan Plateau, and this hampers an effective assessment of forest growth under the background of global warming. Here, we studied the growth–climate relationships of three major species (Abies georgei, Larix potaninii, and Picea likiangensis) on the Baima Snow Mountain (BSM) by using dendrochronology methods. We constructed basal area increment (BAI) residual chronologies based on the dated ring-width measurements and correlated the chronologies with four climate factors. We also calculated the contributions of each climate factor to species growth. We found that photothermal conditions played a more important role than moisture in modulating radial growth, and P. likiangensi presented the strongest sensitivity to climate change among the three species. The growing season (June and July) temperature positively affected the radial growth of three species. Winter (previous December and current January) SD negatively impacted the tree growth of A. georgei and P. likiangensis. Significant correlations between growth and precipitation were detected only in A. georgei (January and May). Warming since the beginning of the 1950s promoted the growth of A. georgei and P. likiangensis, while the same effect on L. potaninii growth was found in the recent 50 years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A weak circumferential resolution of defects in the corner part of engineering components brings great challenges to quantitative non-destructive testing. Especially for the corner of carbon fiber reinforced plastics (CFRP), the complex wave propagation behaviors caused by the elastic anisotropy, laminate structure, and curved surface make the information of defects hard to be distinguished, which finally results in a poor imaging resolution. The surface adaptive ultrasonic (SAUL) method for CFRP corner is investigated, and an improved strategy, focusing in receiving (FiR) of SAUL signals is proposed here. With an isotropic plexiglass as a comparison, the effectiveness of FiR is verified by finite element simulations and experiments. The elastic properties of CFRP corner are accurately characterized and a finite element model is established. On this basis, the wave propagation behavior in the corner is studied, and the influence of the water distance h on the maximum amplitude (MAD) and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) at the defect is analyzed. The results show that the structural noise can be eliminated, and the imaging quality and SNR can be improved by optimizing the h. After FiR, the maximum increase of defect amplitude is about 9.5 dB and 13.2 dB for plexiglass and CFRP, respectively. Meanwhile, the maximum relative error in length is reduced by 16.7% in plexiglass, and by 13.4% for the 3-mm delamination in CFRP. The strategy would be promising to improve the detection quality of the corner in curved components. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Energy deprivation triggers various physiological, biochemical and molecular changes in plants under abiotic stress. We investigated the oxidative damages in the high altitude grown conifer Korean fir (Abies koreana) exposed to waterlogging stress. Our experimental results showed that waterlogging stress led to leaf chlorosis, 35 days after treatment. A significant decrease in leaf fresh weight, chlorophyll and sugar content supported this phenotypic change. Biochemical analysis showed a significant increase in leaf proline, lipid peroxidase and 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical content of waterlogged plants. To elucidate the molecular mechanisms, we conducted RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq) and de novo assembly. Using RNA-seq analysis approach and filtering (P  < 0.05 and false discovery rate <0.001), we obtained 134 unigenes upregulated and 574 unigenes downregulated. Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis placed the obtained differentially expressed unigenes in α-linoleic pathway, fatty acid degradation, glycosis, glycolipid metabolism and oligosaccharide biosynthesis process. Mapping of unigenes with Arabidopsis using basic local alignment search tool for nucleotides showed several critical genes in photosynthesis and carbon metabolism downregulated. Following this, we found the repression of multiple nitrogen (N) assimilation and nucleotide biosynthesis genes including purine metabolism. In addition, waterlogging stress reduced the levels of polyunsaturated fatty acids with a concomitant increase only in myristic acid. Together, our results indicate that the prolonged snowmelt may cause inability of A. koreana seedlings to lead the photosynthesis normally due to the lack of root intercellular oxygen and emphasizes a detrimental effect on the N metabolic pathway, compromising this endangered tree's ability to be fully functional under waterlogging stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of Er3+ ions doped Sr9Y2W4O24 (SYW) phosphors have been synthesised using solid‐state reaction technique. For optical thermometry and solid state lighting applications, the crystal structure, morphological, and luminescence features of the SYW : Er3+ phosphors were explored. X‐ray diffraction (XRD) reveal that synthesized phosphors having single phase with a tetragonal crystal structure and I41/a space group. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used to examine the morphological behaviour and presence of composition elements. The optical bandgap of the phosphor was evaluated using UV‐Vis diffuse reflection spectra (DRS). The photoluminescence (PL) emission spectra were captured under 380 nm excitation, and the peak with the maximum intensity was identified at 563 nm ascribed to transition 4S3/2→4I15/2, that emits green color in visible region. The temperature dependent PL (TD‐PL) spectra show that SYW phosphor is substantially more thermally stable, having thermal activation energy of about 0.247 eV. Additionally, the fluorescence intensity ratio (FIR) was used to study the optical sensing characteristics of the thermal quenching transitions (2H11/2, 4S3/2) with maximum relative sensitivity (SR) and an absolute sensitivity (SA) being 1.33 % K−1and 0.307 % K−1, respectively. All of the aforementioned findings demonstrate that SYW : Er3+ ions doped phosphors have potential for optical thermometry and other photonic devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Picea jezoensis (Siebold & Zucc.) Carrière forests are distributed in Korea and China and are crucial for phytogeographical research. Implementing conservation policies encompassing multiple species is necessary to conserve endangered species, particularly monitoring coexisting species and their interactions within an ecological network. Here, we identified plants within P. jezoensis forests in East Asia as generalist species to contribute foundational data for biodiversity conservation. We examined 91 standardized sites through the Braun-Blanquet method, while generalist indices were calculated using Levin's method. The top 5% of generalists in the P. jezoensis forests were Acer komarovii (0.7409), Betula ermanii (0.7214), Asarum sieboldii (0.7002), Lepisorus ussuriensis (0.6977), Acer pseudosieboldianum (0.6915), Tripterygium regelii (0.6876), Thelypteris phegopteris (0.6771), Dryopteris expansa (0.6745), Sorbus commixta (0.6642), and Rhododendron schlippenbachii (0.6625). Correlation analysis between ecological factors and generalist species revealed that the coverage of Abies spp., Acer spp., and Rhododendron spp. and the species diversity index were influenced by altitude. Convex hull analysis revealed that pteridophytes and broad-leaved plants regenerated through stump sprouts occupy ecological niche spaces, indicating diverse habitats within P. jezoensis forests. This study highlights the importance of the simultaneous monitoring of multiple species to conserve ecosystem health and offers broader implications for ecological understanding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Growth and yield systems are essential tools for enhancing forest management decision-making. This study systematically evaluated three stand-level models and two data types for predicting stand survival and basal area of Chinese fir (Cunning lanceolate (Lamb.) Hook.) plantations in southern China. The first model links survival and diameter through the self-thinning concept. The second model incorporates stand diameter, the previous year's diameter, and stand survival, while the third model treats stand survival and diameter as mutually independent functions of only stand age. Model 2 was the best performer for short-term prediction (2–4 years), whereas Model 3 excelled in longer projection periods (6–10 years). Despite the independent predictions of stand survival and diameter in Model 3, it closely tracked observed self-thinning trajectories in long-term predictions. Tree-level model growth derived from Models 2 and 3 performed optimally for short-term and long-term tree-level predictions, respectively. While limited to four experimental sites, this research contributes theoretical groundwork to growth and yield modeling for Chinese fir plantations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Paper-based systems for handling crime reporting have become one of the most challenging methods in police services globally. The Malawi Police Service (MPS) uses this system for handling crime reporting. This system presents a number of challenges, such as delay in disseminating crime reports by victims or witnesses, misplacement or loss of crime-recorded files from the police shelves, and inconsistency of suspect documentation due to wrong manipulation or alteration by some individuals in the police offices. This paper focuses on the development of a web-based application for enhancing crime reporting and investigation in the police service. The police service needs to emphasize effective utilization of crime reporting factors to mitigate and reduce the risk of losing evidence. An assigned officer will be needed to supervise the use of the application to be implemented in the police service to make sure it is used for the right purpose. The application will be implemented using PHP, HTML, and Javascript programming languages and a database system using the MYSQL programming language. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Maintaining soil biological diversity is an effective approach in facilitating Chinese fir plantations' sustainable development. However, dynamic characteristics of soil microbial and nematode communities during Chinese fir planting remain unclear, particularly on the aggregate scales, which are the main sites of soil biological activity. Therefore, the research aims to explore how stand age (3, 9, 17, and 26 years) of Chinese fir plantations affects soil microbial biomass (including bacteria, fungi, and actinomycetes, based on the phospholipid fatty acid method), nematode abundances (including bacterivores, fungivores, plant parasites, and omnivores‐predators, based on the modified Baermann funnel method), and their diversity within aggregates of differing sizes (>2, 2–1, 1–0.25, and <0.25 mm). According to the findings, both aggregate size and stand age were major factors affecting soil microbes and nematodes in Chinese fir plantations. Specifically, soil microbial biomass (mainly bacteria), nematode abundances (except fungivores), and their diversity peaked within large macro‐aggregates (>2 mm), and the ranking order for stand ages was 17 > 9 ≈ 3 > 26 years. As the main fractions of soil aggregates in Chinese fir plantations, large macro‐aggregates had suitable internal environments for soil microbial propagation and nematode growth and mainly accumulated at 17 years, which caused the prosperity of soil microbes and nematodes at this stand age. Moreover, the partial least squares path model demonstrated that the influence of stand age on soil microbes and nematodes was indirect; but rather, the aggregate composition played a direct role in shaping their communities. Therefore, in order to maintain soil biological diversity, large macro‐aggregates should be protected during the growth of Chinese fir, especially at the late stage (from 17 to 26 years). Overall, these results could provide valuable insights into Chinese fir plantations' sustainable development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study predicted habitat distribution changes according to the current distribu seedtion 14 and future climate using the MaxEnt model for endangered Abies nephrolepis Maxim., which is vulnerable to 15 climate change and is a least-concerned species. This study aimed to predict the current distribution and future habitat distribution changes of the endangered A. nephrolepis under climate change using the MaxEnt model. The purpose was to predict the future habitat of the declining A. nephrolepis, to identify the necessity of in situ conservation, and to devise appropriate ex situ seed storage methods. The study utilized climate data from 513 GPS coordinates of A. nephrolepis habitats in South Korea to predict the changes in habitat distribution using the MaxEnt model. The seeds used in the seed experiment were collected from Pyeongchang-gun, Gangwon-do, Republic of Korea in 2019. After confirming an initial seed filling, germination tests were performed under constant temperatures of 15, 20, and 25 °C and alternating day/night temperatures of 25/5, 25/10, 25/10, 20/15, 25/15, 30/15, and 35/15 °C. The seed germination conditions were investigated under 10 different temperature settings. For the determination of storage behavior, seeds were dried at a consistent temperature of 15 °C and relative humidity (eRH) levels of 15, 20, 30, 40, and 50%. Subsequently, the seeds were stored for three months at temperatures of −20 °C and 5 °C, and the vitality tests of the seeds were conducted. Based on these experiments, the storage characteristics of seeds were identified. The results indicated that in all SSP scenarios, it is predicted that A. nephrolepis will become extinct in its habitat by the 2090s. Therefore, it has been shown that on-site and ex situ conservation is necessary. As a result of the seed germination characteristics, the highest germination rate (52.5 ± 16.01%) was achieved at a constant temperature of 20 °C, followed by 25 °C (50.0 ± 10.81%) and 25/10 °C (47.5 ± 4.79%). The highest viability was obtained under 20% eRH (64.0 ± 0%) but was not statistically different from that determined immediately after seed collection. The moisture content was approximately 4.33% fresh weight under 15% eRH at 15 °C. A. nephrolepis seeds are classified as orthodox-type seeds, which do not lose viability at 3%–7% moisture content and after drying under 15% eRH conditions at 15 °C. In conclusion, it can be observed that the seeds can be stored long-term at −20 °C. This research was conducted as a basic study to predict the habitat distribution of the endangered species A. nephrolepis and to establish seed conservation methods. According to the results, it is deemed necessary to conduct both domestic and international analyses of the habitat of A. nephrolepis. In addition, the germination and storage characteristics of A. nephrolepis seeds were confirmed, and based on this, effective seed conservation methods were suggested. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the rotating welding process of Chinese fir (Keteleeriafortunei) in Guizhou, China, was systematically analyzed. The effects of rotating welding conditions, including the dowel-to-guide hole diameter ratio, welding time, depth, base surface, angle, and dowel type, on the performance of welded Chinese fir were explored. Moreover, the physical and chemical changes oftheChinese fir interface during welding were revealed by Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR), X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS), X-ray Diffraction (XRD), and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). The results indicated the following: (1) The rotating welding technology can quickly achieve a strong connection between wood through friction heat without chemical adhesives and compared with traditional wood connection technology such as gluing or mechanical fixing;it has the advantages of simple operation, high production efficiency; and environmental friendliness. (2) Aftertherotating welding, the wood underwent significant pyrolysis, especially the degradation of hemicellulose. The heat generated in the welding process caused good melting and mechanical interlocking between the dowel and the wall of the guide hole, but it was also accompanied by afriction loss of the dowel and the substrate. (3) The welding parameters affected the wood's connection strength and stability by altering heat production, distribution, transfer, and frictional losses. The impact of the dowel-to-guide hole diameter ratio had a great influence on the connection strength. When the diameter ratio was 1:0.7, the tensile strength was the highest, reaching 2.27 MPa. (4) The analyses of XPS, FTIR, XRD, and SEM proved thatthechemical composition changes at the interface, leading to a more structured crystalline bond and enhanced connection strength due to fiber entanglement and interlocking. This research providesatheoretical and experimental basis forthefurther innovation and development of wood processing technology and provides a new technical path forthegreen manufacturing of wood structure buildings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Hokkaido, northern Japan, bareroot Sakhalin fir seedlings are conventionally planted in spring and fall, following strip site preparation that alternates managed and unmanaged strips. However, this method requires seven years of weeding due to encroachment of evergreen dwarf bamboo. Given diminishing forest labor availability, a shortage of workers for planting and weeding operations has become a problem in reforestation following clearcutting. We examined whether comprehensive mechanical site preparation (MSP) could reduce weeding frequency by preventing regrowth of dwarf bamboo and whether container seedlings could extend the planting season into summer. Over eight years, the survival and growth of summer-planted bareroot and container seedlings were examined on a fully MSP-treated site with only one weeding operation in the fifth year. Full-site MSP resulted in a shift of the vegetation from dwarf bamboo to deciduous plants, leading to high survival and growth rates of Sakhalin fir seedlings despite minimal weeding. Container seedlings exhibited superior establishment and maintained higher survival rates over eight years than bareroot seedlings. However, planting on the forwarder trail decreased seedling growth, and ultimately decreased survival under rare summer drought. Our findings indicate that container seedling summer planting and full-site MSP may represent an alternative approach to reforestation of Sakhalin fir, potentially reducing the need for weeding and extending the planting season. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Attention to habitat dynamics in subtropical mid-mountain forest plant communities containing endangered vegetation is critical for understanding the responses of ecosystems to global climate change and for their effective conservation. This study examines the species composition, structure, and interspecies competition within endemic and endangered Abies ziyuanensis (Abies ziyuanensis L.K.Fu and S.L.Mo) communities in China, comparing undisturbed and anthropogenically disturbed conditions. The survey recorded a total of 71 plant species across 39 families and 60 genera. PERMANOVA analysis highlighted significant disparities in species composition between the two forest community conditions. Communities impacted by anthropogenic disturbances showed a higher diversity of shrub and herbaceous species compared to those that were undisturbed, coupled with a significant increase in the number of Abies ziyuanensis seedlings, suggesting a greater potential for self-renewal. Nonetheless, the distribution of diameter class structures in these two community conditions indicates a declining trend in population numbers. In undisturbed Abies ziyuanensis communities, the Weighted Hegyi Competition Index (WCI) for Abies ziyuanensis was 6.04, below the average WCI of 12.24 for all trees within these communities. In contrast, within communities affected by anthropogenic disturbances, the WCI for Abies ziyuanensis reached 7.76, higher than the average WCI of 7.43 for all trees, indicating that Abies ziyuanensis in disturbed communities face heightened competitive pressure compared to undisturbed settings. These findings underscore that previous anthropogenic disturbances have altered the community composition, competition dynamics, growth environment, and succession trends of Abies ziyuanensis communities. While these disturbances promote the regeneration of Abies ziyuanensis, they also reduce its current dominance as a target species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The silver fir (Abies alba Mill.) is among the most valuable conifers in Europe for ecological and economic reasons. Throughout the course of history, primarily in the 20th century, its share in stands has been declining due to ill-suited management practices, especially clear-cut management, air pollution (SO2 and NOX emissions), and wildlife-induced damage. This literature review compiles findings from 338 scientific papers. It describes futures for silver fir and its distribution, ecological requirements, threats and diseases, seed production and nurseries, and forest management practices with emphasis on ongoing climate change. Based on recent knowledge of fir ecology and population dynamics, small-scale shelterwood and selection management have been introduced in fir stands, which have also stabilized them. Fir is an essential species for maintaining high stability and biodiversity, especially on planosols and in waterlogged habitats. Owing to its shade tolerance and environmental plasticity, it can coexist very well with many tree species in mixtures, which can increase the productive potential of stands within the natural range in Europe. The average stand volume of mature fir stands ranges from 237–657 m3 ha−1. For its successful natural regeneration, it is essential to reduce cloven-hoofed game and thus prevent bud browsing damage. The attractiveness of fir in terms of heavy browsing is the highest of all conifers (52% damage). On the other hand, fir is a species relatively resistant to bark stripping and the spread of secondary rot compared with Norway spruce (Picea abies [L.] Karst.). Under global climate change, fir is expected to shift to higher elevations with sufficient precipitation, while in the southern part of its natural range or at lower elevations, outside water-influenced habitats, it is likely to decline. Climate change is intricately linked to the heightened prevalence of forest pathogens with significant damage potential in Europe, necessitating careful consideration and strategic adaptation within management practices of fir forests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bacterial communities are vital factors for regulating litter decomposition in forests. With the gradual increase in global climate change, the effects of global warming on the decomposition of forest litter have become a cause for concern. In this study, we used a displacement test to simulate the effects of warming (+2.5, +4.6, and +6.5 °C) on the composition and diversity of bacterial communities in Chinese fir litters based on the natural differences in temperature between the elevation of Wuyi Mountain. Warming significantly increased the abundance and diversity of bacterial communities and altered the functional abundance of bacterial communities. Warming significantly increased the relative abundance of Acidothermus and decreased that of Bacteroidetes and Mucilaginibacter. Structural variations in the bacterial communities were closely related to the chemical properties of the litter. The relative abundance of Planctomycetes exhibited a positive association with nitrogen content and a negative association with cellulose content, whereas phosphorus content was the main driving factor of Acidothermus abundance. Warming increased the complexity of the bacterial community structure, which promoted the decomposition of Chinese fir litter and accelerated nutrient cycling in the Chinese fir plantation ecosystem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dowel bearing strength of three cross-laminated timber (CLT) species (Douglas-fir, Norway spruce, spruce pine fir) were periodically assessed through 40 weeks of exposure to two brown rot fungi species (Gloeophyllum trabeum and Rhodonia placenta). Time-dependent regression models were developed to describe the relationship between level of fungal exposure and dowel bearing strength of CLT. Obtained dowel bearing strength values were used to predict the capacity of floor-to-wall CLT connection systems. Predicted strength values were compared with capacity of actual connection systems which were subjected to similar biodeterioration treatments. Significant reductions in the dowel bearing strength of CLT were observed 30 weeks after fungal inoculation. Similar patterns of degradation were observed for both fungi in all three CLT species, but R. placenta was slightly more aggressive than G. trabeum, causing a 16.2 MPa reduction in dowel bearing strength of Douglas-fir after 40 weeks of exposure. Connection capacities estimated using National Design Specification yield models for dowel type fasteners and the dowel bearing strength of fungal-damaged CLT were consistent with observed properties and were within 85% of actual capacity of connections tested, especially in early stages of decay. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]