Search

With the continued advancement of spaceborne hyperspectral sensors, hyperspectral remote sensing is evolving as an increasingly pivotal tool for high-precision global monitoring applications. Novel image spectroscopy data, e.g., the PRecursore IperSpettrale della Missione Applicativa (PRISMA) and Environmental Mapping and Analysis Program (EnMAP), can rapidly and non-invasively capture subtle spectral information of terrestrial vegetation, facilitating the precise retrieval of the required vegetation parameters. As critical vegetation traits, Leaf Mass per Area (LMA) and Equivalent Water Thickness (EWT) hold significant importance for comprehending ecosystem functionality and the physiological status of plants. To address the demand for high-precision vegetation parameter datasets, a hybrid modeling approach was proposed in this study, integrating the radiative transfer model PROSAIL and neural network models to retrieve LMA and EWT from PRISMA and EnMAP images. To achieve this objective, canopy reflectance was simulated via PROSAIL, and the optimal band combinations for LMA and EWT were selected as inputs to train neural networks. The evaluation of the hybrid inversion models over field measurements showed that the RMSE values for the LMA and EWT were 4.11 mg·cm−2 and 9.08 mg·cm−2, respectively. The hybrid models were applied to PRISMA and EnMAP images, resulting in LMA and EWT maps displaying adequate spatial consistency, along with cross-validation results showing high accuracy (RMSELMA = 5.78 mg·cm−2, RMSEEWT = 6.84 mg·cm−2). The results demonstrated the hybrid inversion model's universality and applicability, enabling the retrieval of vegetation parameters from image spectroscopy data and offering a valuable contribution to hyperspectral remote sensing for vegetation monitoring, though the availability of field measurement data remained a significant challenge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Premise: Leaf mass per area (LMA) is a widely used functional trait in both neobotanical and paleobotanical research that provides a window into how plants interact with their environment. Paleobotanists have used site‐level measures of LMA as a proxy for climate, biome, deciduousness, and community‐scale plant strategy, yet many of these relationships have not been grounded in modern data. In this study, we evaluated LMA from the paleobotanical perspective, seeking to add modern context to paleobotanical interpretations and discover what a combined modern and fossil data set can tell us about how LMA can be best applied toward interpreting plant communities. Methods: We built a modern data set by pulling plant trait data from the TRY database, and a fossil data set by compiling data from studies that have used the petiole‐width proxy for LMA. We then investigated the relationships of species‐mean, site‐mean, and site‐distribution LMA with different climatic, phylogenetic, and physiognomic variables. Results: We found that LMA distributions are correlated with climate, site taxonomic composition, and deciduousness. However, the relative contributions of these factors are not distinctive, and ultimately, LMA distributions cannot accurately reconstruct the biome or climate of an individual site. Conclusions: The correlations that make up the leaf economics spectrum are stronger than the correlations between LMA and climate, phylogeny, morphospace, or depositional environment. Fossil LMA should be understood as the culmination of the influences of these variables rather than as a predictor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective The aim of this study was to explore North American neonatal health care professionals' (HCPs) experience, confidence, skill, and training with the laryngeal mask airway (LMA). Study Design This was a cross-sectional survey. Results The survey was completed by 2,159 HCPs from Canada and the United States. Seventy nine percent had no clinical experience with the LMA, and less than 20% considered the LMA an alternative to endotracheal intubation (EI). The majority had received LMA training; however, 28% of registered nurses, 18% of respiratory therapists, 17% of physicians, and 12% of midwives had never inserted an LMA in a mannequin. Less than a quarter of respondents agreed that the current biennial Neonatal Resuscitation Program instruction paradigm is sufficient for LMA training. All groups reported low confidence and skill with LMA insertion, and compared with all other groups, the respiratory therapists had the highest reported confidence and skill. Conclusion This survey study, which is the first of its kind to include midwives, demonstrates that neonatal HCPs lack experience, confidence, skill, and training with the LMA, rarely use the device, and in general, do not consider the LMA as an alternative to EI. These findings contribute to, and support the findings of previous smaller studies, and in conjunction with the diminishing opportunities for EI, highlight the need for programs to emphasize the importance of the LMA for neonatal airway management and prioritize regular LMA training, with focus that parallels the importance placed on the skills of EI and mask ventilation. Key Points Lack of training for laryngeal mask airway use in neonatal resuscitation. Neonatal health care professionals rarely use the laryngeal mask airway as an alternate airway device. Neonatal health care professionals lack confidence and skill with the laryngeal mask airway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Improving tropical forest current biomass estimates can help more accurately evaluate ecosystem services in tropical forests. The Global Ecosystem Dynamics Investigation (GEDI) lidar provides detailed 3D forest structure and height data, which can be used to improve above‐ground biomass estimates. However, there is still debate on how best to predict tropical forest biomass using GEDI data. Here we compare stand biomass predicted by GEDI data with the observed data of 2,102 inventory plots in tropical forests and find that adding a remotely sensed (RS) trait map of leaf mass area (LMA) significantly (P < 0.001) improves field biomass predictions, but by only a small amount (r2 = 0.01). However, it may also help reduce the bias of the residuals because there was a negative relationship between both LMA (r2 of 0.34) and percentage of phosphorus (%P, r2 = 0.31) and residuals. Leaf spectral data (400–1,075 nm) from 523 individual trees along a Peruvian tropical forest elevation gradient predicted Diameter at Breast height (DBH) (the critical measurement underlying plot biomass) with an r2 = 0.01 and LMA predicts DBH with an r2 = 0.04. Other data sets may offer further improvements and max temperature (Tmax) predicts Amazonian biomass residuals with an r2 of 0.76 (N = 66). Finally, for a network of net primary production (NPP) and gross primary production (GPP) plots (N = 21), leaf traits predicted with remote sensing are better at predicting fluxes than structure variables. Overall, trait maps, especially future improved ones produced by Surface Biology Geology, may improve biomass and carbon flux predictions by a small but significant amount. Plain Language Summary: Improving predictions of tropical forest biomass can help us to fight climate change. In this paper, we tried to improve tropical forest biomass predictions of satellite lidar (Global Ecosystem Dynamics Investigation) by adding remote sensed estimates of leaf traits. Leaf traits like leaf mass area or phosphorus slightly improved predictions of forest biomass with both a ground data set and a remotely sensed data set. Further, remotely sensed trait data could help explain the differences in the prediction of remotely sensed biomass compared with field derived biomass (residuals). Maximum temperature, but not soil fertility, also improved biomass predictions. Remotely sensed leaf traits were better than structure, like tree height, for predicting net primary production (NPP) and gross primary production (GPP). Future improved hyperspectral satellite data may be used to further improve predictions of biomass, NPP and GPP. Key Points: Both field measured and remotely sensed trait data improved biomass predictions, but only by a small amountIn the Amazon region, maximum temperature, but not soil fertility, improved biomass predictionsTrait data was better than structure data for predicting tropical forest net primary production and gross primary production [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Adenotonsillectomy is one of the most common surgical procedures worldwide. The current standard for securing the airway in patients undergoing adenotonsillectomy is endotracheal tube (ETT) intubation. Several studies have investigated the use of the laryngeal mask airway (LMA) in this procedure. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to compare the safety and efficacy of the LMA versus ETT in adenotonsillectomy. Method: Databases were searched from inception to 2022 for randomized controlled trials and comparative studies. Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines were followed. The primary outcome is the rate of perioperative respiratory adverse events (PRAEs). Secondary outcomes included the rate of conversion to ETT, desaturations, nausea/vomiting, and surgical time. A subgroup analysis, risk of bias, publication bias, and Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) assessments were also performed. Results: Twelve studies were included in the analysis (4176 patients). The mean overall conversion to ETT was 8.36% [95% confidence interval (CI) = 8.17, 8.54], and for the pediatric group 8.27% (95% CI = 8.08, 8.47). The mean rate of conversion to ETT secondary to complications was 2.89% (95% CI = 2.76, 3.03) while the rest was from poor surgical access. Overall, there was no significant difference in PRAEs [odds ratio (OR) 1.16, 95% CI = 0.60, 2.22], desaturations (OR 0.79, 95% CI = 0.38, 1.64), or minor complications (OR 0.89, 95% CI = 0.50, 1.55). The use of LMA yielded significantly shorter operative time (mean difference −4.38 minutes, 95% CI = −8.28, −0.49) and emergence time (mean difference −4.15 minutes, 95% CI = −5.63, −2.67). Conclusion: For adenotonsillectomy surgery, LMA is a safe alternative to ETT and requires less operative time. Careful patient selection and judgment of the surgeon and anesthesiologist are necessary, especially given the 8% conversion to ETT rate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Finance & Financial Law / Finanse i Prawo Finansowe is the property of Wydawnictwo Uniwersytetu Lodzkiego and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Fiberoptic bronchoscopy in children requires sedation, while routinely employed techniques for oxygenation under sedation don’t provide airway protection.LMA during FOB can provide safer ventilation with good operative views.Although the use of laryngeal mask airway for FOB was described in 1982, its application has not been established in pediatric patients. The aim of our study was to compare the safety and efficacy of LMA-assisted bronchoscopy compared to nasal airway with oxygenation-assisted bronchoscopy. The study was conducted on 12 patients, 6 in each group. Data collected includes monitoring of oxygen saturation, hemodynamics, ETCO2, and complications. LMA group children had lower episodes of desaturation as compared to nasal airway group. ETCO2 values were maintained and rate of complications were less in LMA group. Hemodynamic stability in both groups were comparable. Hence the use of LMA allows better airway conduit, with stable O2 saturation and ETCO2 values than nasal airway-assisted bronchoscopy.

Fiberoptic bronchoscopy in children requires sedation, while routinely employed techniques for oxygenation under sedation don't provide airway protection. LMA during FOB can provide safer ventilation with good operative views. Although the use of laryngeal mask airway for FOB was described in 1982, its application has not been established in pediatric patients. The aim of our study was to compare the safety and efficacy of LMA-assisted bronchoscopy compared to nasal airway with oxygenation-assisted bronchoscopy. The study was conducted on 12 patients, 6 in each group. Data collected includes monitoring of oxygen saturation, hemodynamics, ETCO2, and complications. LMA group children had lower episodes of desaturation as compared to nasal airway group. ETCO2 values were maintained and rate of complications were less in LMA group. Hemodynamic stability in both groups were comparable. Hence the use of LMA allows better airway conduit, with stable O2 saturation and ETCO2 values than nasal airway-assisted bronchoscopy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adaptation to changing conditions is one of the strategies plants may use to survive in the face of climate change. We aimed to determine whether plants' leaf morphological and physiological traits/gas exchange variables have changed in response to recent, anthropogenic climate change. We grew seedlings from resurrected historic seeds from ex‐situ seed banks and paired modern seeds in a common‐garden experiment. Species pairs were collected from regions that had undergone differing levels of climate change using an emerging framework—Climate Contrast Resurrection Ecology, allowing us to hypothesise that regions with greater changes in climate (including temperature, precipitation, climate variability and climatic extremes) would be greater trait responses in leaf morphology and physiology over time. Our study found that in regions where there were greater changes in climate, there were greater changes in average leaf area, leaf margin complexity, leaf thickness and leaf intrinsic water use efficiency. Changes in leaf roundness, photosynthetic rate, stomatal density and the leaf economic strategy of our species were not correlated with changes in climate. Our results show that leaves do have the ability to respond to changes in climate, however, there are greater inherited responses in morphological leaf traits than in physiological traits/variables and greater responses to extreme measures of climate than gradual changes in climatic means. It is vital for accurate predictions of species' responses to impending climate change to ensure that future climate change ecology studies utilise knowledge about the difference in both leaf trait and gas exchange responses and the climate variables that they respond to. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the continued advancement of spaceborne hyperspectral sensors, hyperspectral remote sensing is evolving as an increasingly pivotal tool for high-precision global monitoring applications. Novel image spectroscopy data, e.g., the PRecursore IperSpettrale della Missione Applicativa (PRISMA) and Environmental Mapping and Analysis Program (EnMAP), can rapidly and non-invasively capture subtle spectral information of terrestrial vegetation, facilitating the precise retrieval of the required vegetation parameters. As critical vegetation traits, Leaf Mass per Area (LMA) and Equivalent Water Thickness (EWT) hold significant importance for comprehending ecosystem functionality and the physiological status of plants. To address the demand for high-precision vegetation parameter datasets, a hybrid modeling approach was proposed in this study, integrating the radiative transfer model PROSAIL and neural network models to retrieve LMA and EWT from PRISMA and EnMAP images. To achieve this objective, canopy reflectance was simulated via PROSAIL, and the optimal band combinations for LMA and EWT were selected as inputs to train neural networks. The evaluation of the hybrid inversion models over field measurements showed that the RMSE values for the LMA and EWT were 4.11 mg·cm−2 and 9.08 mg·cm−2, respectively. The hybrid models were applied to PRISMA and EnMAP images, resulting in LMA and EWT maps displaying adequate spatial consistency, along with cross-validation results showing high accuracy (RMSELMA = 5.78 mg·cm−2, RMSEEWT = 6.84 mg·cm−2). The results demonstrated the hybrid inversion model’s universality and applicability, enabling the retrieval of vegetation parameters from image spectroscopy data and offering a valuable contribution to hyperspectral remote sensing for vegetation monitoring, though the availability of field measurement data remained a significant challenge.

A major proportion of primary production is lost to insect herbivory. Leaf functional traits representing defense costs and palatability explain the intensity of herbivory at local scales. However, whether leaf traits explain herbivory at large scales needs clarification. By combining a leaf herbivory database and the TRY plant‐trait database, we compared 190 species from 65 families across 45 sites in nine countries. We hypothesized that defensive and/or nutrient‐poor leaves would compromise herbivory less globally. Both the absolute and percentage of maximum leaf‐area loss were higher in the tropical zone. Larger leaves lost more disproportionate areas to chewer herbivores whenever phylogenetic signals were considered. Thin leaves with low leaf mass per area (LMA) and short lifespan were compromised more by herbivory based on the leaf trait syndrome. Although thin leaves were rich in nitrogen, phosphorus, and calcium, only leaf nitrogen marginally explained the loss of leaf area. The contribution of leaf area dominated the herbivory intensity among all other morphological and chemical traits. Overall, the benefits of chewers on herbivory were based on leaf area, because the loss of leaf biomass and nitrogen increased proportionally with its loss. Leaf construction costs, but not nutrient content, determined the intensity of herbivory globally. However, the overall percentage of loss in leaf area was not high, demonstrating the importance of elucidating the relationship between leaf functional traits and induced defense in future studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lightning is one of the main sources of NOx in the Earth's atmosphere. However, there is a large variability in NOx production during the lifetime of thunderstorms. In this study, we used the TROPOspheric Monitoring Instrument (TROPOMI) cloud and NO2 research products along with Lightning Mapping Array (LMA) measurements to investigate the possible relation between the amount of NOx produced per lightning flash and flash channel length in the Ebro Valley. We found that there is a positive relationship between both variables. In turn, the vertical structure of the analyzed lightning flashes indicates that longer flashes could release more LNOx at lower altitudes than shorter flashes, while higher flash rates produce less LNOx per flash. Plain Language Summary: Lightning produces significant amounts of NOx in the Earth's atmosphere. However, the quantity of NOx generated during thunderstorms exhibits significant variation. In this study, we used a space‐based instrument called TROPOMI to look at clouds and measure NO2, and we also used a network of antennas called Lightning Mapping Array to map the spatial structure of lightning strikes. Our main goal was investigating if there is a connection between the amount of NOx produced by lightning and how long the lightning flashes were in the Ebro Valley. We found that there is a positive relationship between the two variables. We also looked at the structure of the lightning flashes and found that longer flashes release more NOx at lower altitudes compared to shorter flashes. Additionally, when there are more frequent lightning flashes, each flash produces less NOx. Key Points: Lightning Mapping Array data reveals a positive correlation between lightning NOx production efficiency and the lightning flash lengthsThe investigation of space‐based data demonstrates a negative correlation between lightning NOx production efficiency and flash frequencyMean NOx per flash length obtained in this work vary between 1.9 × 1021 and 3.8 × 1021 molec NOx/m [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Increase in cuff pressure is seen during nitrous oxide anaesthesia if air is used to inflate the cuff of LMA. This can lead to post-operative complications like sore throat, hoarseness and dysphagia. The aim of this study was to compare changes in the intracuff pressure in disposable LMA filled with Air, Saline or 2% Lignocaine in the cuff while using nitrous oxide anaesthesia and to assess postoperative pharyngolaryngeal complications. Methods: This was a prospective, randomized comparative study conducted in a tertiary care hospital in Karnataka. 120 patients were randomized into three groups containing 40 patients each using computer generated random numbers and sealed envelope method. For subjects in Group A, air was injected into disposable LMA. For the subjects in Group S, Saline was injected, and for subjects in Group L, 2% Lignocaine was injected. Results: The groups were comparable for demographic data, type of surgery, size of LMA, duration of anaesthesia, cuff volume and seal pressure. The mean cuff pressures at 30, 60, 90 and 120 minutes and at the end of surgery were significantly higher in group A and S as compared to group L (p<0.05). The cuff pressure increased from 70.42±8.3 cm H2O to 98.31±4.66 cm H2 O at 120 minutes in group A, whereas there was no significant increase in cuff pressure from baseline in group S and group L. Conclusion: Intracuff pressure increases significantly within 15 minutes of nitrous oxide anaesthesia when air is used to inflate the cuff than saline or 2% Lignocaine. Pharyngeal complications like sore throat, dysphagia were seen only in air and saline group when compared to Lignocaine group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Adaptation to changing conditions is one of the strategies plants may use to survive in the face of climate change. We aimed to determine whether plants' leaf morphological and physiological traits/gas exchange variables have changed in response to recent, anthropogenic climate change. We grew seedlings from resurrected historic seeds from ex‐situ seed banks and paired modern seeds in a common‐garden experiment. Species pairs were collected from regions that had undergone differing levels of climate change using an emerging framework—Climate Contrast Resurrection Ecology, allowing us to hypothesise that regions with greater changes in climate (including temperature, precipitation, climate variability and climatic extremes) would be greater trait responses in leaf morphology and physiology over time. Our study found that in regions where there were greater changes in climate, there were greater changes in average leaf area, leaf margin complexity, leaf thickness and leaf intrinsic water use efficiency. Changes in leaf roundness, photosynthetic rate, stomatal density and the leaf economic strategy of our species were not correlated with changes in climate. Our results show that leaves do have the ability to respond to changes in climate, however, there are greater inherited responses in morphological leaf traits than in physiological traits/variables and greater responses to extreme measures of climate than gradual changes in climatic means. It is vital for accurate predictions of species' responses to impending climate change to ensure that future climate change ecology studies utilise knowledge about the difference in both leaf trait and gas exchange responses and the climate variables that they respond to.

Abstract Lightning is one of the main sources of NOx in the Earth's atmosphere. However, there is a large variability in NOx production during the lifetime of thunderstorms. In this study, we used the TROPOspheric Monitoring Instrument (TROPOMI) cloud and NO2 research products along with Lightning Mapping Array (LMA) measurements to investigate the possible relation between the amount of NOx produced per lightning flash and flash channel length in the Ebro Valley. We found that there is a positive relationship between both variables. In turn, the vertical structure of the analyzed lightning flashes indicates that longer flashes could release more LNOx at lower altitudes than shorter flashes, while higher flash rates produce less LNOx per flash.

Introduction: The learning media assessment (LMA) process is the mechanism professionals use to determine a student's optimal learning and reading media. Currently, no tool has been validated for the purpose of conducting the LMA process. Methods: A Delphi approach was used whereby a panel of identified experts in the LMA process went through iterative phases recommending items to be included in the LMA process and voting on keeping, changing, or deleting items until a final list of agreed upon items was established. Results: At the completion of five rounds of voting and amending items, the final list of agreed upon items included 2 general goals, 66 items, and 18 acceptable modifications to the LMA process. The items to be included in an LMA process were categorized into logistical items to be noted (9 items), LMA procedural characteristics (11 items), materials to be used (2 items), information to be gathered (20 items), student medical/visual characteristics (8 items), student reading or academic characteristics (10 items), and student technology and literacy tool use (6 items). Eighteen acceptable modifications or adjustments that could be made to assessment procedures were also agreed upon. Discussion: The framework of what is critical in the LMA process, as shown in this Delphi study, can be used to assess the validity of LMA tools. Implications for Practitioners: Practitioners can use the framework built by this Delphi process to evaluate the validity of LMA tools they use. Practitioners can assess the tools they use by asking if all the validated content areas are addressed, if validated procedures are being followed, and if validated accommodations are in place. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: This study found that wheat (Triticum aestivum) grain can germinate precociously during the maturation phase of grain development, a phenomenon called vivipary that was associated with alpha-amylase induction. Farmers receive severe discounts for grain with low falling number (FN), an indicator that grain contains sufficiently elevated levels of the starch-digesting enzyme alpha-amylase to pose a risk to end-product quality. High grain alphaamylase can result from: preharvest sprouting (PHS)/germination when mature wheat is rained on before harvest, or from late maturity alpha-amylase (LMA) when grain experiences cool temperatures during the soft dough stage of grain maturation (Zadoks growth stage 85). An initial LMA-induction experiment found that low FN was associated with premature visible germination, suggesting that cool and humid conditions caused vivipary. Methods: To examine whether LMA and vivipary are related, controlled environment experiments examined the conditions that induce vivipary, whether LMA could be induced without vivipary, and whether the pattern of alpha-amylase expression during vivipary better resembled PHS or LMA. Results: Vivipary was induced in the soft to hard dough stages of grain development (Zadok's stages 83-87) both on agar and after misting of the mother plant. This premature germination was associated with elevated alphaamylase activity. Vivipary was more strongly induced under the cooler conditions used for LMA-induction (18°C day/7.5°C night) than warmer conditions (25°C day/18°C night). Cool temperatures could induce LMA with little or no visible germination when low humidity was maintained, and susceptibility to vivipary was not always associated with LMA susceptibility in a panel of 8 varieties. Mature grain preharvest sprouting results in much higher alpha-amylase levels at the embryo-end of the kernel. In contrast, vivipary resulted in a more even distribution of alpha-amylase that was reminiscent of LMA. Discussion: Vivipary can occur in susceptible varieties under moist, cool conditions, and the resulting alpha-amylase activity may result in low FN problems when a farm experiences cool, rainy conditions before the crop is mature. While there are genotypic differences in LMA and vivipary susceptibility, overlapping mechanisms are likely involved since they are similarly controlled by temperature and growth stage, and result in similar patterns of alpha-amylase expression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Laryngoscopy and endotracheal intubation is the commonest method of securing a definitive airway for administering anaesthesia. However, it is associated with tachycardia and hypertension and an increase in intraocular pressure. Various pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic methods have been tried to limit the pressure responses and intraocular pressure changes following the insertion of endotracheal tube. One such attempt is the use of laryngeal mask airway, which has been shown to be an effective means of securing a clear airway in fasting patients for elective surgery. Its insertion requires neither the visualization of cords nor the penetration of larynx, making the placement less stimulating than tracheal tube insertion and it may provoke less sympathetic response and catecholamine release Methodology: Sixty patients, of 18-60 years of age, of either sex undergoing elective surgical procedures at Kidwai Memorial Institute of Oncology, Bangalore requiring general anaesthesia were selected randomly. The study was conducted in our institute from December 2019 to February 2021. Patients were randomly divided into 2 groups. In Group 1, appropriate size of LMA was inserted blindly without laryngoscopy using standard technique whereas in Group 2, appropriate size of endotracheal tube was used to intubate trachea under direct laryngoscopy using macintosh laryngoscope. Results: There were no statistical significant changes in hemodynamic parameters and IOP following LMA insertion. Conclusion: There were no statistical significant changes in hemodynamic parameters and IOP following LMA insertion. There was statistically significant rise in hemodynamic parameters and IOP following laryngoscopy and intubation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plant species in alpine swamp meadow which is a successional stage of dried alpine wetland, is sensitive to changes in soil water content, and thus it is important to understand the responses of common species of alpine swamp meadow to changed soil water condition. In order to determine the effects of different soil water content on plants of alpine swamp meadow, we transplanted 17 common species from an alpine swamp meadow to a manipulated environment located in Maqu county of Gansu Province, eastern Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. These plants were then subjected to three soil moisture regimes: flooding (FD), control treatment (CK), and slightly drought (SD). The net photosynthesis （A）, stomatal conductance (g) and leaf dry mass per unit area (LMA) were measured for leaves from 6 plants each species per treatment. We calculated the difference of A, g and LMA between FD or SD and CK for each species, and the relationships between A and g or LMA was analyzed. Results are as follows. (1) The LMA of alpine swamp meadow common species was significantly affected by soil water condition, and there were different responses among different species. (2) Significant habitat-specific responses of gas exchange to water condition were found among the species. (3) There were significant correlations between A and g under both treatments, but it was not for A and LMA. As a conclusion, the common species of alpine swamp meadow was strongly influenced by soil water content, in additional; there was significant habitat-specific responses of the morphological traits or physiological taints to different soil water condition. Our findings suggested that the species composition of alpine swamp meadow was very sensitive to change in soil water condition. In the context of global climate change, which is predicted to alter the precipitation regime of alpine area, will be significantly influence the composition and structure of alpine swamp meadow community in the future. This should be considered carefully for protection and restoration of alpine grassland. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The Ambu® Aura40™ is a reusable supraglottic device made up of silicone. It features a built-in curve that carefully replicates the natural human anatomy of the upper airway and has the flexibility needed to adapt to individual anatomical variances and a wide range of head positions. Methods: We report a series of 5 patients scheduled for elective operative procedures managed with Ambu Aura40TM LMA. A balanced anesthesia technique was used and maintained with vecuronium and isoflurane. Results: The mean insertion time of Ambu Aura 40™ LMA is (33.20 + 4.97) seconds. The first insertion attempts were successful in 80% of patients i.e. 4 out of 5 cases and in only one case second attempt was required. In 3 out of 5 cases (60%), no resistance was experienced during insertion. The hemodynamic profiles of patients during a peri-insertion period of Ambu Aura40™ LMA remain stable in all the cases. Only one patient developed a sore throat in the postoperative period and blood on the device was not present in any case. Conclusion: As an LMA with enhanced features and reliability Ambu Aura40™ has the potential for airway solutions in patients undergoing operative procedures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The leaf pigment complex traits of 44 wetland plant species from the Middle Urals (Russia) were studied to analyze their diversity in relation to taxonomy and life forms. The chlorophyll content per dry weight (ChlDW) and leaf area (ChlArea), the ratio of chlorophylls a and b, and CO2 uptake rates (ADW) were determined. ChlDW varied by 10-fold from 2.20 to 21.9 mg g−1 among the wetland plant species. The influence of taxonomy at the level of classes on the variation of the pigment complex traits was revealed. Dicots had greater ChlDW and had a greater proportion of chlorophylls in the light-harvesting complex (ChlLHC) than monocots. In dicots, ChlLHC was positively correlated with leaf area ratio (r = 0.63, p < 0.01), and the effect of life forms on the content and ratio of pigments was determined. In monocots, chlorophyll content was positively correlated with ADW (r = 0.75, p < 0.001) and plant height (r = 0.66, p < 0.001). In monocots, the effect of families on the pigment content was observed. The lack of differences in ChlArea between the different systematic groups and life forms indicates a similar ability of the leaf area unit to absorb a solar energy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

IntroductionThis study found that wheat (Triticum aestivum) grain can germinate precociously during the maturation phase of grain development, a phenomenon called vivipary that was associated with alpha-amylase induction. Farmers receive severe discounts for grain with low falling number (FN), an indicator that grain contains sufficiently elevated levels of the starch-digesting enzyme alpha-amylase to pose a risk to end-product quality. High grain alpha-amylase can result from: preharvest sprouting (PHS)/germination when mature wheat is rained on before harvest, or from late maturity alpha-amylase (LMA) when grain experiences cool temperatures during the soft dough stage of grain maturation (Zadoks growth stage 85). An initial LMA-induction experiment found that low FN was associated with premature visible germination, suggesting that cool and humid conditions caused vivipary.MethodsTo examine whether LMA and vivipary are related, controlled environment experiments examined the conditions that induce vivipary, whether LMA could be induced without vivipary, and whether the pattern of alpha-amylase expression during vivipary better resembled PHS or LMA.ResultsVivipary was induced in the soft to hard dough stages of grain development (Zadok’s stages 83-87) both on agar and after misting of the mother plant. This premature germination was associated with elevated alpha-amylase activity. Vivipary was more strongly induced under the cooler conditions used for LMA-induction (18°C day/7.5°C night) than warmer conditions (25°C day/18°C night). Cool temperatures could induce LMA with little or no visible germination when low humidity was maintained, and susceptibility to vivipary was not always associated with LMA susceptibility in a panel of 8 varieties. Mature grain preharvest sprouting results in much higher alpha-amylase levels at the embryo-end of the kernel. In contrast, vivipary resulted in a more even distribution of alpha-amylase that was reminiscent of LMA.DiscussionVivipary can occur in susceptible varieties under moist, cool conditions, and the resulting alpha-amylase activity may result in low FN problems when a farm experiences cool, rainy conditions before the crop is mature. While there are genotypic differences in LMA and vivipary susceptibility, overlapping mechanisms are likely involved since they are similarly controlled by temperature and growth stage, and result in similar patterns of alpha-amylase expression.

Background: Emergency airway management can be challenging for every emergency department (ED) and failure may result in serious injury or death. Various approaches have been presented over the years and robust guidelines for the management of difficult airways have been established by several international anesthesiology societies. Technology develops rapidly, which makes new, combined approaches for the management for critical airways possible. Case presentation: In this case, we present novel method for the management of a difficult emergency airway in a morbidly obese 47-year-old male with a large palpable mass in the central neck, were cricothyroidotomy was deemed difficult. Conclusion: The Single-use Bronchoscope as Bougie (SUBB) approach illustrates a new, rapid, and seemingly safe additional approach for the management of difficult airways with equipment found in most EDs using a single-use flexible bronchoscope as a bougie through a supraglottic airway device.

Background Late-maturity alpha-amylase (LMA) is a wheat genetic defect causing the synthesis of high isoelectric point alpha-amylase following a temperature shock during mid-grain development or prolonged cold throughout grain development, both leading to starch degradation. While the physiology is well understood, the biochemical mechanisms involved in grain LMA response remain unclear. We have applied high-throughput proteomics to 4,061 wheat flours displaying a range of LMA activities. Using an array of statistical analyses to select LMA-responsive biomarkers, we have mined them using a suite of tools applicable to wheat proteins. Results We observed that LMA-affected grains activated their primary metabolisms such as glycolysis and gluconeogenesis; TCA cycle, along with DNA- and RNA- binding mechanisms; and protein translation. This logically transitioned to protein folding activities driven by chaperones and protein disulfide isomerase, as well as protein assembly via dimerisation and complexing. The secondary metabolism was also mobilized with the upregulation of phytohormones and chemical and defence responses. LMA further invoked cellular structures, including ribosomes, microtubules, and chromatin. Finally, and unsurprisingly, LMA expression greatly impacted grain storage proteins, as well as starch and other carbohydrates, with the upregulation of alpha-gliadins and starch metabolism, whereas LMW glutenin, stachyose, sucrose, UDP-galactose, and UDP-glucose were downregulated. Conclusions To our knowledge, this is not only the first proteomics study tackling the wheat LMA issue but also the largest plant-based proteomics study published to date. Logistics, technicalities, requirements, and bottlenecks of such an ambitious large-scale high-throughput proteomics experiment along with the challenges associated with big data analyses are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

INTRODUCTION- Laryngeal mask airway (LMA), which is a useful alternative for airway management during spontaneous or controlled ventilation. It can also be used for difficult airway management and emergency resuscitation especially by untrained personnel .It is also found to be useful in many patients to provide general anaesthesia. Supraglottic airway devices also eliminate many other problems associated with tracheal intubation. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES:-To observe the hemodynamic response and ease of insertion of cLMA, proseal LMA or I-GEL in terms of:-* Attempts required for supraglottic device insertion * Duration required for supraglottic device insertion * Ease of insertion * Hemodynamic responce during insertion To observe any adverse effect during cLMA, proseal LMA or I-GEL insertion. MATERIAL AND METHODS:-It is an observational hospital based study conducted at Department of Anaesthesiology Gandhi Medical College and associated Hamidia Hospital, Bhopal M.P., from January 2020 to July 2021. A total of 75 patients were included in study and divided into three groups (25 each). OBSERVATION AND RESULTS:-The mean time taken for device insertion in group1 was17.56±1.66seconds, in group 2 it was 19.56±1.66 seconds and in group 3 it was 12.36±2.08seconds. The insertion time in group 3(I-gel group) was shorter than other 2groups which was statistically significant with p<0.0001. DISCUSSION:- In our study, the mean insertion time for classic LMA was 17.56±1.66 secs, for P-LMA it was 19.56±1.66 sec and for I gel it was 12.36±2.08 secs which was shortest among the 3 devices and difference was statistically significant (p value <0.0001). This significant shorter time to insert I gel as compared to classic LMA or proseal LMA could be attributed to the absence of an inflatable cuff in I-gel and anatomically designed thermo elastic laryngeal mask. Similar results were found in study of Reyhan polat et alwho compared I-gel and classic LMA and found insertion time for I-gel was 11.6±2.4 sec and for classic LMA it was 13.1±1.8 sec, Anjan D et alwho compared I gel and proseal LMA and found insertion time for I gel was 14.9 secs and for proseal LMA it was 20 secs, Gaurav C etal who compared I gel and proseal LMA and found insertion time for I gel was 11.12±1.81 secs and in proseal LMA it was 15.13±2.91 secs. CONCLUSIONS:-From this study we concluded that all the devices classic LMA, proseal LMA and I--gel are safe and effective supraglottic airway devices, whereas I-gel is relatively easier and faster to insert when compared to classic LMA and proseal LMA . Insertion is smooth without any trauma to anatomical structures in both I-gel and classic LMA with majority being inserted in the first attempt in all three groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seamless mobility is always one of the major requirements of modern-day communication. In a heterogeneous and massive IoT environment, efficient network-based mobility protocol such as proxy mobile IPv6 (PMIPv6), is potentially a good candidate for efficient mobility as well as resource utilization efficiency. Several extensions are devised for performance in the research domain. However, a multi-criterion decision-based resourceefficient PMIPv6 extension is required to achieve efficiency when network resources are overloaded. In this research, a multi-criterion decision-based PMIPv6 scheme is devised that provides better performance when the Local Mobility Anchor (LMA) or Mobile Access Gateway (MAG) is overloaded. The objective is achieved by monitoring the load status of MAG or LMA and based on their status, the proposed scheme adapts itself to provide seamless mobility in addition to optimal efficiency. The proposed scheme is compared with the existing LMA and MAG-based mobility management protocol extensions. Based on the analysis of the comparison, the obtained results prove that providing a decision-based PMIPv6 scheme is better for service continuity as well as optimal performance in the context of required buffering, handover efficiency, and necessary signaling cost. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plants face harsher conditions with increasing elevation, including shorter growing seasons, lower temperatures, and reduced gas pressure. This often leads to increased leaf mass per area, suggesting greater limitation to photosynthesis due to decreased mesophyll conductance. However, some species maintain consistent photosynthetic rates at higher elevations, suggesting compensatory mechanisms. In the central Chile Andes, high-elevation habitats present cold temperatures with no soil moisture deficits, whereas low-elevations experience warm temperatures and summer droughts. Zonal plants adapt to these changes, whereas azonal plants grow near water sources and avoid drought. We assessed how elevation affects photosynthesis and its limitations in these plant-types, together with the role of leaf internal anatomy. This was done with gas exchange and chlorophyll fluorescence analyses, along with measurements of leaf inner structure, on zonal and azonal species growing at 2600 and 3550 m a.s.l. Results showed that whilst photosynthesis decreased with elevation in azonal plants, zonal plants showed no change, with mesophyll conductance being a primary limitation, influenced by chloroplast arrangement rather that cell wall thickness. This affects carbon acquisition in high-elevation plants due to low gas pressure and light availability. • Mesophyll conductance was the main photosynthetic limitation in high-elevation plants. • Mesophyll conductance limited photosynthesis due to chloroplast arrangement. • Trait responses to elevation depended on whether soils were constantly humid or not. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Uncertainty about the effect of age on the success rate of laryngeal mask airway (LMA) insertion led us to conduct the present study to evaluate the success rate of LMA in airway management in different age groups. Materials and Methods: A total of 183 patients, who were admitted to Shohada hospital (Tabriz, Iran) during 2018-2019, were enrolled in this descriptive, cross-sectional, prospective study. The patients were selected through the convenience sampling method and divided into 4 age groups. After anesthesia, patients were compared in terms of duration and number of LMA insertion attempts and LMA insertion complications. The data were analyzed using SPSS20 through one-way ANOVA and the Chi-square test at P

Simple Summary: Backfat thickness (BF) and loin muscle area (LMA) are important characteristics in pig breeding. The identification of the quantitative trait loci (QTLs) and genes closely associated with these carcass traits may be useful for pig molecular breeding. In this study, genome-wide association studies (GWAS) using imputation-based whole genome sequencing data of four selected phenotypic traits (adjusted 100 kg BF and LMA, adjusted 100 kg BF estimate breeding values and LMA estimate breeding values) were conducted in a total of 1131 pigs from three pure breeds (French Yorkshire, Landrace, and Duroc). As a result, we highlighted CCND2 and SHANK2 genes as strong candidates affecting BF traits. The results of this study may provide additional insight into the genetic contribution of these genes to carcass meat production capabilities in pig breeding and enhancing lean meat percentages in pigs. Improvement of carcass features is an essential goal in pig genetic breeding programs. Backfat (BF) and loin muscle area (LMA) are important carcass production metrics and useful indicators of pig production performance and lean meat rate. However, the genetic architecture of BF and LMA traits remains elusive. To identify quantitative trait loci (QTLs) and genes associated with these traits, we performed a genome-wide association study (GWAS) using imputation-based whole genome sequencing data for four phenotypes (adjusted 100 kg BF and LMA, adjusted 100 kg BF EBV and LMA EBV) in 1131 pigs from 3 breeds (French Yorkshire, Landrace, and Duroc). After genotype imputation and quality control, 14,163,315 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were retained for further analysis. For the adjusted 100 kg BF trait, using the 2-LOD drop method, a QTL with a 13.4 Kb interval (2.91 to 2.93 Mb on SSC2) and containing a SHANK2 gene was defined. In addition, two QTLs with 135.40 Kb (from 66.10 to 66.23 Mb) and 3.12 Kb (from 66.886 to 66.889 Mb) intervals containing CCND2 and TSPAN11 genes, respectively, were found on SSC5. For the BF-EBV trait, two QTLs (128.77 Kb from 66.10 to 66.23 Mb on SSC5 and 42.10 Kb from 2.89 to 2.93 Mb on SSC2) were identified. Notably, CCND2 and SHANK2 were the only candidate genes in their respective QTL interval. Furthermore, we detected a 3.33 Kb (66.106 to 66.110 Mb on SSC2) haplotype block which was detected as affecting the BF_EBV trait, which only contained the CCND2 gene. Thus, we suggested CCND2 and SHANK2 as strong candidate genes for regulating the BF trait for pigs. The empirical confidence intervals of the QTLs were 1.14 Mb (165.65 to 166.79 Mb on SSC6) for adjusted 100 kg LMA and 1.49 Mb (165.26–166.74 Mb on SSC6) for LMA-EBV. These two confidence intervals contained 13 and 28 annotated genes, respectively. Our results provide a deeper understanding of the genetic basis of pig carcass traits. The identified molecular markers will be useful for selecting breeding lines for breeding pigs with superior carcass traits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In broad-leaved trees, growth and plant defense chemicals have originated from photosynthates. Therefore, defense chemicals should be efficiently distributed in a leaf against herbivory, especially when the leaves are exposed to long-term biotic and abiotic stresses. To reveal this phenomenon, we examined the distribution of phenolic compounds, in particular tannins in the leaves of juvenile and adult Siebold's beech (Fagus crenata Blume) under various light conditions by both chemical and histochemical analyses. The cotyledons and first true leaves of seedlings mainly included tannins in the upper and lower epidermis. By contrast, tannins were distributed in all tissues of the sun leaves of saplings (except in spongy tissue) and adult trees under higher light intensity, whereas phenolic compounds, but not tannins, were mainly present in palisade parenchyma cells and bundle sheath cells of the sun leaves of adult trees under lower light intensity. Furthermore, in adult trees, there were no changes in the distribution of phenolic compounds irrespective of the increase in the concentration of condensed tannins from June to September. These findings showed that the distribution of phenolic compounds in beech leaves changes from juvenile to adult trees and is also strongly affected by light conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Genetic progress in seed yield in lentils (Lens culinaris Medik) has increased by 1.1% per year in Australia over the past 27 years. Knowing which plant traits have changed through breeding during this time can give important insights as to how lentil yield has increased. This study aims to identify morphological and physiological traits that were directly or indirectly selected between 1993 and 2020 in the Australian lentil breeding program using 2 years of experimental data. Major changes occurred in plant architecture during this period. Divergent selection has seen the release of varieties that have sprawling to very upright types of canopies. Despite this genetic diversity in recently released varieties, there is an overall tendency of recently released varieties having increased plant height and leaf size with reduced number of branches. Increased light interception was positively correlated with year of release (YOR) and yield, and likely results from indirect selection of yield and taller plant types. There is an indication that recently released varieties have lower CO2 assimilation rate, stomatal conductance and canopy temperature depression (CTD) at high ambient temperatures (~30°C). Understanding lentil physiology will assist in identifying traits to increase yield in a changing climate with extreme weather events. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Administration of liquid surfactant through an endotracheal tube for the treatment of respiratory distress syndrome has been the standard of care for decades. Surfactant administration through laryngeal or supraglottic airways (SALSA) is a simplified procedure for delivery of surfactant that is less invasive and better tolerated. The Al Bashir Maternity and Children's Hospital NICU in Amman, Jordan, implemented SALSA as a potentially better practice in 2019 with the objective to effectively and efficiently deliver surfactant in a minimally invasive way and to decrease the adverse events associated with intubation–surfactant–extubation (InSurE) and laryngoscopy. The quality improvement initiative was conducted from March 2019 to December 2019. All infants who weighed 750 g or more who required surfactant were eligible. As physicians were trained in the technique and use expanded, we were able to use plan–do–study–act cycles to observe differences between SALSA and InSurE. The primary aim was the optimization of non-invasive ventilation by the effective and efficient delivery of surfactant. Balancing measures included episodes of bradycardia while receiving surfactant or the need for a second dose of surfactant. We evaluated 220 infants who received surfactant by SALSA or InSurE with a mean gestational age of 32 weeks and a mean birth weight of 1.8 kg. The Respiratory Severity Score (RSS) prior to surfactant administration was 2.7 in the SALSA group compared to 2.9 in the InSurE group (p = 0.024). Those in the InSurE group had a lower mean heart rate during the procedure (p =< 0.0001) and were more likely to need a second dose of surfactant (p = 0.026) or require intubation for mechanical ventilation (p = 0.022). Both groups were effectively delivered surfactant as evidenced by improvement in their RSS over an 8 h period. SALSA was a more time efficient surfactant delivery method (93 vs. 111 secs, p =< 0.0001). Implementation of SALSA into the Al Bashir NICU was successful. We found that it was equally effective to InSurE, but was a more efficient method of delivery. Infants who received surfactant by this method tolerated it well. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Preparatory routines (PR) are a necessary tool for achieving optimal emotional states and effective performance, especially in self-paced motor skills. Numerous studies in the area of applied sport psychology have found a positive effect of PR on blocking out distractions and regulating performance thoughts, actions, and emotions. PR contain behavioral and mental components that can be applied in different time periods before and after the event itself: pre-competitive activity routines (PCA-R), preperformance routines (PP-R), and post-performance activity routines (PPAR). The aim of this manuscript is to present an effective way to practice psychological techniques and their combinations as part of the PR. The periodization principle and the Learning-Modification-Application (LMA) model with biofeedback training can provide a conceptual framework and means of application for performance enhancement. It will allow the transfer of psychological skills from lab to field and the integration of PR into the athlete's preparations for peak performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mechanistic models of canopy photosynthesis usually upscale leaf photosynthesis to crop level. A detailed prediction of canopy microclimate with accurate leaf morphological and physiological model parameters is the pre-requisite for accurate predictions. It is well established that certain leaf model parameters (V cmax, J max) of the frequently adopted Farquhar and Caemmerer photosynthesis model change with leaf age and light interception history. Previous approaches to predict V cmax and J max focused primarily on light interception, either by cumulative intercepted photosynthetic photon flux density (PPFD) or by closely related proxy variables such as leaf nitrogen content per leaf area. However, for plants with monopodial growth, such as vertically grown tomatoes or cucumber crops, in greenhouse production, there is a strong relationship between leaf age and light interception, complicating the experimental and mathematical separation of both effects. We propose a modeling framework that separates age and light intensity-related acclimation effects in a crop stand: Improved approximation of intra-leaf light absorption profiles with cumulative chlorophyll content (Chl) is the basis, while parameters are estimated via Gaussian process regression from total Chl , carotenoid content (Car), and leaf mass per area (LMA). The model approximates light absorption profiles within a leaf and links them to leaf capacity profiles of photosynthetic electron transport. Published datasets for Spinacia oleracea and Eucalyptus pauciflora were used to parameterize the relationship between light and capacity profiles and to set the curvature parameter of electron transport rate described by a non-rectangular hyperbola on Cucumis sativus. Using the modified capacity and light absorption profile functions, the new model was then able to predict light acclimation in a 2-month period of a fully grown tomato crop. An age-dependent lower limit of the electron transport capacity per unit Chl was essential in order to capture the decline of V cmax and J max over time and space of the investigated tomato crop. We detected that current leaf photosynthetic capacity in tomato is highly affected by intercepted light-sum of 3–5 previous days. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Preparatory routines (PR) are a necessary tool for achieving optimal emotional states and effective performance, especially in self-paced motor skills. Numerous studies in the area of applied sport psychology have found a positive effect of PR on blocking out distractions and regulating performance thoughts, actions, and emotions. PR contain behavioral and mental components that can be applied in different time periods before and after the event itself: pre-competitive activity routines (PCA-R), pre-performance routines (PP-R), and post-performance activity routines (PPA-R). The aim of this manuscript is to present an effective way to practice psychological techniques and their combinations as part of the PR. The periodization principle and the Learning-Modification-Application (LMA) model with biofeedback training can provide a conceptual framework and means of application for performance enhancement. It will allow the transfer of psychological skills from lab to field and the integration of PR into the athlete’s preparations for peak performance.

Abstract One of the few laws in ecology is that communities consist of few common and many rare taxa. Functional traits may help to identify the underlying mechanisms of this community pattern, since they correlate with different niche dimensions. However, comprehensive studies are missing that investigate the effects of species mean traits (niche position) and intraspecific trait variability (ITV, niche width) on species abundance. In this study, we investigated fragmented dry grasslands to reveal trait‐occurrence relationships in plants at local and regional scales. We predicted that (a) at the local scale, species occurrence is highest for species with intermediate traits, (b) at the regional scale, habitat specialists have a lower species occurrence than generalists, and thus, traits associated with stress‐tolerance have a negative effect on species occurrence, and (c) ITV increases species occurrence irrespective of the scale. We measured three plant functional traits (SLA = specific leaf area, LDMC = leaf dry matter content, plant height) at 21 local dry grassland communities (10 m × 10 m) and analyzed the effect of these traits and their variation on species occurrence. At the local scale, mean LDMC had a positive effect on species occurrence, indicating that stress‐tolerant species are the most abundant rather than species with intermediate traits (hypothesis 1). We found limited support for lower specialist occurrence at the regional scale (hypothesis 2). Further, ITV of LDMC and plant height had a positive effect on local occurrence supporting hypothesis 3. In contrast, at the regional scale, plants with a higher ITV of plant height were less frequent. We found no evidence that the consideration of phylogenetic relationships in our analyses influenced our findings. In conclusion, both species mean traits (in particular LDMC) and ITV were differently related to species occurrence with respect to spatial scale. Therefore, our study underlines the strong scale‐dependency of trait‐abundance relationships.

The leaf pigment complex traits of 44 wetland plant species from the Middle Urals (Russia) were studied to analyze their diversity in relation to taxonomy and life forms. The chlorophyll content per dry weight (ChlDW) and leaf area (ChlArea), the ratio of chlorophylls a and b, and CO2 uptake rates (ADW) were determined. ChlDW varied by 10-fold from 2.20 to 21.9 mg g−1 among the wetland plant species. The influence of taxonomy at the level of classes on the variation of the pigment complex traits was revealed. Dicots had greater ChlDW and had a greater proportion of chlorophylls in the light-harvesting complex (ChlLHC) than monocots. In dicots, ChlLHC was positively correlated with leaf area ratio (r = 0.63, p < 0.01), and the effect of life forms on the content and ratio of pigments was determined. In monocots, chlorophyll content was positively correlated with ADW (r = 0.75, p < 0.001) and plant height (r = 0.66, p < 0.001). In monocots, the effect of families on the pigment content was observed. The lack of differences in ChlArea between the different systematic groups and life forms indicates a similar ability of the leaf area unit to absorb a solar energy.

Leaf lamina mass and area are closely correlated with the photosynthetic capacity and competitive ability of plants, whereas leaf age has been demonstrated to affect physiological processes such as photosynthesis. However, it remains unknown whether the lamina mass vs. area scaling relationship is influenced by leaf age, which is important for understanding plant adaptive strategies and, more broadly, resource utilization and growth. We measured the leaf functional traits of five leaf-age groups of Photinia × fraseri for a total of 1,736 leaves. ANOVA followed by Tukey's honestly significant difference test was used to compare the functional traits among the five leaf-age groups. Reduced major axis regression protocols were used to fit the scaling relationship between lamina mass and area, and the bootstrap percentile method was used to compare the lamina mass vs. area scaling relationships among the leaf-age groups. Lamina area, and the ratio of lamina dry mass to lamina fresh mass increased with increasing leaf age. Lamina fresh mass per unit area, and lamina dry mass per unit area both exhibited a parabolic-like trend as leaf age increased, i.e., at the leaf maturation stage, it showed a slight but significant decline. The phenomenon called diminishing returns were confirmed by each of the five leaf-age groups, i.e., all of the numerical values of the scaling exponents of lamina mass vs. area were significantly greater than 1. There were significant differences in the scaling exponents of lamina mass vs. area for the leaves across different sampling times. The scaling exponents were lower at the early rapid growth stage, indicating a lower cost for increasing leaf area compared to the leaf maturation stage. These data are consistent with leaves undergoing a transition from resource acquisition to resource conservation in the process of their development and growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Invasive alien species (IAS) are a problem, especially in drought-prone environments such as the Mediterranean Basin where the exacerbation of the already severe conditions could constrain the native species acclimatation degree, creating new opportunities for IAS. Climate change may drive IAS expansions, even if different IAS can vary in their acclimatation response. Thus, it is important to obtain a broader insight of how the different IAS face abiotic stress. This research aimed to compare the effect of the imposed water stress on physiological and morphological leaf traits of Ailanthus altissima (AA), Robinia pseudoacacia (RP), and Phytolacca americana (PA), which are widely spread IAS in the Mediterranean Basin. Our results showed a species-dependent effect of the water stress at a physiological and morphological level, as well as an interaction between species and stress duration. Despite a common strategy characterized by low stomatal control of the photosynthesis, AA, PA, and RP differ in their sensitivity to water stress. In particular, even if AA was characterized by a more water-spending strategy, it was more resistant to water stress than PA and RP. In this view, the key factor was its plasticity to increase leaf mass per area (LMA) in response to water stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this letter, we consider the uplink multiuser load-modulated array (LMA) multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) communication system, where multiple users transmit the phase modulation on hypersphere (PMH) signals to a base station (BS). To reduce the detection complexity, we propose a low-complexity detection scheme based on a ball-tree (BT) structure. The received codewords are stored in a space BT data structure and the detection process can be regarded as a nearest neighbor point search operation. Two partition rules are proposed in the BT codebook construction. Simulation results show that the proposed BT based signal detection achieves about the same bit error rate (BER) performance as the ML detection while the detection complexity is significantly reduced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Leaf lamina mass and area are closely correlated with the photosynthetic capacity and competitive ability of plants, whereas leaf age has been demonstrated to affect physiological processes such as photosynthesis. However, it remains unknown whether the lamina mass vs. area scaling relationship is influenced by leaf age, which is important for understanding plant adaptive strategies and, more broadly, resource utilization and growth. We measured the leaf functional traits of five leaf-age groups of Photinia × fraseri for a total of 1,736 leaves. ANOVA followed by Tukey’s honestly significant difference test was used to compare the functional traits among the five leaf-age groups. Reduced major axis regression protocols were used to fit the scaling relationship between lamina mass and area, and the bootstrap percentile method was used to compare the lamina mass vs. area scaling relationships among the leaf-age groups. Lamina area, and the ratio of lamina dry mass to lamina fresh mass increased with increasing leaf age. Lamina fresh mass per unit area, and lamina dry mass per unit area both exhibited a parabolic-like trend as leaf age increased, i.e., at the leaf maturation stage, it showed a slight but significant decline. The phenomenon called diminishing returns were confirmed by each of the five leaf-age groups, i.e., all of the numerical values of the scaling exponents of lamina mass vs. area were significantly greater than 1. There were significant differences in the scaling exponents of lamina mass vs. area for the leaves across different sampling times. The scaling exponents were lower at the early rapid growth stage, indicating a lower cost for increasing leaf area compared to the leaf maturation stage. These data are consistent with leaves undergoing a transition from resource acquisition to resource conservation in the process of their development and growth.

Administration of liquid surfactant through an endotracheal tube for the treatment of respiratory distress syndrome has been the standard of care for decades. A skilled health care provider is needed to perform this procedure. In lower-income and middle-income countries (LMICs), healthcare resources are often limited, leading to increased mortality of premature infants, many of whom would benefit from surfactant administration. Therefore, having a simplified procedure for delivery of surfactant without the need for advanced skills could be life-saving, potentially diminish gaps in care, and help ensure more equitable global neonatal survival rates. Modifications to the standard approach of surfactant administration have been put into practice and these include: INtubation-SURfactant-Extubation (INSURE), thin catheter surfactant administration (TCA), aerosolized surfactant, and surfactant administration through laryngeal or supraglottic airways (SALSA). Although there is a need for larger studies to evaluate the comparative effectiveness of these newer methods, these methods are being embraced by the global community and being implemented in various settings throughout the world. Because the SALSA technique does not require laryngoscopy, a provider skilled in laryngoscopy is not required for the procedure. Therefore, because of the ease of use and safety profile, the SALSA technique should be strongly considered as a viable method of delivering surfactant in LMICs.

Objectives: Uncertainty about the effect of age on the success rate of laryngeal mask airway (LMA) insertion led us to conduct the present study to evaluate the success rate of LMA in airway management in different age groups. Materials and Methods: A total of 183 patients, who were admitted to Shohada hospital (Tabriz, Iran) during 2018-2019, were enrolled in this descriptive, cross-sectional, prospective study. The patients were selected through the convenience sampling method and divided into 4 age groups. After anesthesia, patients were compared in terms of duration and number of LMA insertion attempts and LMA insertion complications. The data were analyzed using SPSS20 through one-way ANOVA and the Chi-square test at P < 0.05). Results: There were significant statistical differences between different age groups regarding resistance against LMA insertion (P = 0.008) so that insertion was most comfortable and easy in the first attempt in the adult group compared to other groups. However, no significant statistical difference was observed between different groups in terms of the rate of air leakage (P = 0.129), the duration of successful LMA insertion (P = 0.119), and the number of LMA insertion attempts (P = 0.091). Regarding LMA insertion complications, laryngospasm was significantly higher in the middle-age and aged group (P = 0.009), and blood observation on LMA was significantly higher in the pre-school and child group (P = 0.005). Conclusions: According to the results of this study, no difference was found between different groups in terms of successful LMA insertion and post LMA insertion complications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]