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Recently developed experimental and computational approaches to identify putative coding small ORFs (smORFs) in genomes have revealed thousands of smORFs localized within coding and non-coding RNAs. They can be translated into smORF peptides or microproteins, which are defined as less than 100 amino acids in length. The identification of such a large number of potential biological regulators represents a major challenge, notably for elucidating the in vivo functions of these microproteins. Since the emergence of this field, Drosophila has proved to be a valuable model for studying the biological functions of microproteins in vivo. In this review, we outline how the smORF field emerged and the nomenclature used in this domain. We summarize the technical challenges associated with identifying putative coding smORFs in the genome and the relevant translated microproteins. Finally, recent findings on one of the best studied smORF peptides, Pri, and other microproteins studied so far in Drosophila are described. These studies highlight the diverse roles that microproteins can fulfil in the regulation of various molecular targets involved in distinct cellular processes during animal development and physiology. Given the recent emergence of the microprotein field and the associated discoveries, the microproteome represents an exquisite source of potentially bioactive molecules, whose in vivo biological functions can be explored in the Drosophila model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BackgroundRemote sensing instruments enable high-throughput phenotyping of plant traits and stress resilience across scale. Spatial (handheld devices, towers, drones, airborne, and satellites) and temporal (continuous or intermittent) tradeoffs can enable or constrain plant science applications. Here, we describe the technical details of TSWIFT (Tower Spectrometer on Wheels for Investigating Frequent Timeseries), a mobile tower-based hyperspectral remote sensing system for continuous monitoring of spectral reflectance across visible-near infrared regions with the capacity to resolve solar-induced fluorescence (SIF).ResultsWe demonstrate potential applications for monitoring short-term (diurnal) and long-term (seasonal) variation of vegetation for high-throughput phenotyping applications. We deployed TSWIFT in a field experiment of 300 common bean genotypes in two treatments: control (irrigated) and drought (terminal drought). We evaluated the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), photochemical reflectance index (PRI), and SIF, as well as the coefficient of variation (CV) across the visible-near infrared spectral range (400 to 900 nm). NDVI tracked structural variation early in the growing season, following initial plant growth and development. PRI and SIF were more dynamic, exhibiting variation diurnally and seasonally, enabling quantification of genotypic variation in physiological response to drought conditions. Beyond vegetation indices, CV of hyperspectral reflectance showed the most variability across genotypes, treatment, and time in the visible and red-edge spectral regions.ConclusionsTSWIFT enables continuous and automated monitoring of hyperspectral reflectance for assessing variation in plant structure and function at high spatial and temporal resolutions for high-throughput phenotyping. Mobile, tower-based systems like this can provide short- and long-term datasets to assess genotypic and/or management responses to the environment, and ultimately enable the spectral prediction of resource-use efficiency, stress resilience, productivity and yield.

This study investigates the relationship between climate change disclosure and institutional investors. A particular focus of the present study is the question of if and how the relationship is affected by the Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI). A relevant context to the question is shareholder engagement, where institutional investors' legitimacy affects the outcomes. Thus, this study examines Japan, where shareholder engagement is the main pathway for institutional investors to convey their ESG‐related influence to investee companies. Using the stakeholder salience theory as a theoretical framework, the empirical results of analyzing 17,604 firm‐year eXtensible Business Reporting Language (XBRL) documents of listed Japanese companies provide evidence for the following. First, institutional stakeholders' holding ratio has positively influenced corporate climate change disclosure (power). Second, the positive influence of institutional investors is more significant when PRI‐signed institutional investors are present (legitimacy). Third, the aforementioned relations gained statistical significance gradually during the analysis period (urgency). Fundamentally, this study shows that the stakeholder salience theory contributes to a deeper understanding of the relationship. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Radiation source signal sorting in complex environments is currently a hot issue in the field of electronic countermeasures. The pulse repetition interval (PRI) can provide stable and obvious parametric features in radiation source identification, which is an important parameter relying on the signal sorting problem. To solve the problem linked to the difficulties in sorting the PRI in complex environments using the traditional method, a signal sorting method based on a parallel denoising autoencoder is proposed. This method implements the binarized preprocessing of known time-of-arrival (TOA) sequences and then constructs multiple parallel denoising autoencoder models using fully connected layers to achieve the simultaneous sorting of multiple signal types in the overlapping signals. The experimental results show that this method maintains high precision in scenarios prone to large error and can efficiently filter out noise and highlight the original features of the signal. In addition, the present model maintains its performance and some robustness in the sorting of different signal types. Compared with the traditional algorithm, this method improves the precision of sorting. The algorithm presented in this study still maintains above 90% precision when the pulse loss rate reaches 50%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently developed experimental and computational approaches to identify putative coding small ORFs (smORFs) in genomes have revealed thousands of smORFs localized within coding and non-coding RNAs. They can be translated into smORF peptides or microproteins, which are defined as less than 100 amino acids in length. The identification of such a large number of potential biological regulators represents a major challenge, notably for elucidating the in vivo functions of these microproteins. Since the emergence of this field, Drosophila has proved to be a valuable model for studying the biological functions of microproteins in vivo. In this review, we outline how the smORF field emerged and the nomenclature used in this domain. We summarize the technical challenges associated with identifying putative coding smORFs in the genome and the relevant translated microproteins. Finally, recent findings on one of the best studied smORF peptides, Pri, and other microproteins studied so far in Drosophila are described. These studies highlight the diverse roles that microproteins can fulfil in the regulation of various molecular targets involved in distinct cellular processes during animal development and physiology. Given the recent emergence of the microprotein field and the associated discoveries, the microproteome represents an exquisite source of potentially bioactive molecules, whose in vivo biological functions can be explored in the Drosophila model.

Este artículo aborda el proceso de dominación y el clientelismo político del Estado mexicano para coaccionar a los campesinos de las costas de Guerrero, quienes fueron cooptados por el Partido Revolucionario Institucional en la Unión Regional de Productores de Copra del Estado de Guerrero (URPCEG), la organización campesina más importante de la entidad y que desde sus inicios fue hegemonizada por grupos caciquiles. Un aporte de la investigación es el estudio y análisis de una de las masacres más sanguinarias de los años sesenta en México, que había pasado inadvertida por la historiografía del siglo XX. Si bien el enfoque es de historia regional, la importancia y el impacto del problema aquí presentado tiene trascendencia nacional, ya que la masacre de campesinos del 20 de agosto de 1967 en Acapulco es el antecedente inmediato a la aparición de diferentes guerrillas en Guerrero y en otros puntos del país. No es exagerado afirmar que fue uno de los actos de terrorismo instrumentados por el Estado mexicano como parte de una estrategia contrainsurgente que buscaba conjurar la insurrección campesina en la región de la Costa Grande de Guerrero, donde surgió paralelamente una crisis del clientelismo priista, así como una pugna intercaciquil combinada con un fuerte movimiento de masas de copreros y cafeticultores con demandas agrarias y económicas.

Evergreen conifer forests are the most prevalent land cover type in North America. Seasonal changes in the color of evergreen forest canopies have been documented with near-surface remote sensing, but the physiological mechanisms underlying these changes, and the implications for photosynthetic uptake, have not been fully elucidated. Here, we integrate on-the-ground phenological observations, leaf-level physiological measurements, near surface hyperspectral remote sensing and digital camera imagery, tower-based CO2 flux measurements, and a predictive model to simulate seasonal canopy color dynamics. We show that seasonal changes in canopy color occur independently of new leaf production, but track changes in chlorophyll fluorescence, the photochemical reflectance index, and leaf pigmentation. We demonstrate that at winter-dormant sites, seasonal changes in canopy color can be used to predict the onset of canopy-level photosynthesis in spring, and its cessation in autumn. Finally, we parameterize a simple temperature-based model to predict the seasonal cycle of canopy greenness, and we show that the model successfully simulates interannual variation in the timing of changes in canopy color. These results provide mechanistic insight into the factors driving seasonal changes in evergreen canopy color and provide opportunities to monitor and model seasonal variation in photosynthetic activity using color-based vegetation indices.

Abstract Background Remote sensing instruments enable high-throughput phenotyping of plant traits and stress resilience across scale. Spatial (handheld devices, towers, drones, airborne, and satellites) and temporal (continuous or intermittent) tradeoffs can enable or constrain plant science applications. Here, we describe the technical details of TSWIFT (Tower Spectrometer on Wheels for Investigating Frequent Timeseries), a mobile tower-based hyperspectral remote sensing system for continuous monitoring of spectral reflectance across visible-near infrared regions with the capacity to resolve solar-induced fluorescence (SIF). Results We demonstrate potential applications for monitoring short-term (diurnal) and long-term (seasonal) variation of vegetation for high-throughput phenotyping applications. We deployed TSWIFT in a field experiment of 300 common bean genotypes in two treatments: control (irrigated) and drought (terminal drought). We evaluated the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), photochemical reflectance index (PRI), and SIF, as well as the coefficient of variation (CV) across the visible-near infrared spectral range (400 to 900 nm). NDVI tracked structural variation early in the growing season, following initial plant growth and development. PRI and SIF were more dynamic, exhibiting variation diurnally and seasonally, enabling quantification of genotypic variation in physiological response to drought conditions. Beyond vegetation indices, CV of hyperspectral reflectance showed the most variability across genotypes, treatment, and time in the visible and red-edge spectral regions. Conclusions TSWIFT enables continuous and automated monitoring of hyperspectral reflectance for assessing variation in plant structure and function at high spatial and temporal resolutions for high-throughput phenotyping. Mobile, tower-based systems like this can provide short- and long-term datasets to assess genotypic and/or management responses to the environment, and ultimately enable the spectral prediction of resource-use efficiency, stress resilience, productivity and yield.

Orientation: Asset owners should be able to distinguish between asset managers based on their commitment, accountability, and quality of their environmental, social and governance (ESG) screening, and engagement practices. Research purpose: Although there were 48 asset managers in South Africa who were Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI) signatories at the end of 2020, to the best knowledge of the authors this is the first academic study on the nature of active ownership reporting among South African PRI asset manager signatories. Motivation for the study: Asset managers are often accused of greenwashing and reporting practices that are mere ‘box ticking’. Research approach/design and method: The authors investigated the nature and extent of local PRI asset manager signatory active ownership reporting over the period 2016–2020, using content analysis and a self-constructed measurement instrument to ascertain the quality of reporting. Main findings: Vast differences were noted in the depth and breadth of shareholder engagement reporting, and as expected, the size of the asset manager played an important role in the quality of reporting. Practical/managerial implications: South African asset managers who claim to be responsible investors, by virtue of being PRI signatories, should ensure that public reporting accurately reflects their engagement activities and outcomes, given the potential reputational benefits and the increasing importance of ESG issues. Contribution/value add: The research may be valuable to asset managers and owners seeking a competitive advantage within the growing RI sector, by highlighting the importance of clear and transparent disclosure.

Salinization is a significant adverse factor that suppresses productivity of agricultural plants. Multispectral imaging and calculation of reflectance indices, including the typical photochemical reflectance index (PRI), can be used for early revealing of changes in plants under salinization. However, the direction of change in typical PRI is dependent on the type of stressor and the experimental conditions. Earlier, we proposed modified PRIs with shifted measuring wavelengths and analyzed their changes under excess light, water deficit, and heating. In the current work, we investigated the sensitivity of these indices to changes in pea plants under salinization (100, 200, and 400 mM NaCl treatment). It was shown that short-wavelength PRIs were increased under this treatment; in contrast, long-wavelength PRIs were decreased. Most of the modified PRIs were strongly related to the maximal yield of photosystem II and the normalized difference vegetation index. Long-wavelength PRIs were more sensitive to plant changes than short-wavelength PRIs, typical PRI, and the normalized difference vegetation index because their stable decrease under moderate salinization (the 200 mM NaCl treatment) was initiated earlier. Our results show that long-wavelength PRIs, which also decreased under the action of the excess light, water deficit, and heating, can be potentially used as a universal tool for early revealing of stress changes in plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The transformation of research institutes and centres of the Slovak Academy of Sciences (SAS) into public research institutions (PRI) in 2022 represents a completion of a long-term transformation process that began legislatively 8 years ago, in 2014, and ideologically even earlier, approximately 14 years ago, in 2008. The new legal framework on the one hand, removed several previous legislative obstacles that fully prevented a commercialization of intellectual property as a result of research and innovation in the environment of the SAS. On the other hand, even with regard to the mentioned historical debt, the legislation could help the effective technology transfer much more significantly. Some specific suggestions are presented in this post.

Vegetation indices (VIs) related to plant greenness have been studied extensively for the remote detection of foliar nitrogen content. Yet, the potential of chlorophyll fluorescence (ChlF) and photoprotection-based indices such as the photochemical reflectance index (PRI) or the chlorophyll/carotenoid index (CCI) for the detection of a wide range of nutrients remains elusive. We measured the dynamics of foliar macro- and micronutrient contents in potato plants as affected by fertilization and water stress, along with leaf and canopy level observations of spectral reflectance and ChlF (or solar-induced fluorescence). ChlF and photoprotection-related indices were more strongly related to a wide range of foliar nutrient contents compared to greenness-based indices. At the leaf level, relationships were largely mediated by foliar chlorophyll contents (Cab) and leaf morphology, which resulted in two contrasting groupings: a group dominated by macronutrients N, P, K, and Mg that decreased during canopy development and was positively correlated with Cab, and a group including Cu, Mn, Zn, and S that increased and was negatively related to Cab. At the canopy-level, spectral indices were additionally influenced by canopy structure, and so their capacity to detect foliar nutrient contents depends on the spatiotemporal covariation between foliar Cab, morphology, and canopy structure within the observations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the past few decades, there has been a sharp increase in interest by investment professionals to become more socially responsible with regards to their decision making relating to their choice of investments and overall make-up of their portfolios. This paper conducts various tests to establish a link between Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and Corporate Financial Performance (CFP). This paper adds a strategic management element by establishing various frameworks that corporations can include in the decision-making process and includes CSR and Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) principles when making investment decisions. The sample chosen for this paper includes the iShares MSCI KLD 400 Social exchange traded fund (ETF), iShares Core S&P 500 ETF as well as firms that follow the Principles for Responsible Investing (PRI). Overall, there is no evidence to suggest that ethical ETFs outperform conventional ETF's however PRI following firms outperform those who do not follow the guidelines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aquaponics is a plant and fish co-cultivation system with high sustainability, yet sub-optimal concentrations of Fe and K often compromise crop yields. We cultivated the Mediterranean wild edible Cichorium spinosum L. (Greek name: stamnagathi) in an aquaponics setup following a minimal supplementation approach that focused on Fe and K. Stamnagathi and tilapia fish were co-cultivated under (i) solely Fe, (ii) Fe+K input and (iii) no-input Control treatments. We aimed to evaluate the feasibility of aquaponics for stamnagathi cultivation, identify the system's bottlenecks, and propose optimization measures. Several plant's growth and functional parameters were monitored throughout the 35-day experimental period, notably instantaneous gas exchange and photosynthetic capacity via light response curves, state and efficiency of the photosynthetic machinery, pigment content, and yield and morphometric assessments. Fish growth characteristics and survival rates remained unaffected. Fe deficiency was crucial in shaping the responses of Control stamnagathi, which showed inferior performance in terms of photochemistry, chlorophylls content, light use efficiency and, subsequently, photosynthetic activity. Fe and Fe+K-treated plants exhibited similarly high performance in all studied parameters and achieved 4.5- and 4-fold increased yields, respectively, compared to Control. The results demonstrate that aquaponics is an advantageous cropping system for stamnagathi and solely Fe supplementation is adequate to promote excellent performance and yield of this oligotrophic species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aquaponics is a promising cultivation technique for combined production of crops and fish, on the condition of tackling certain nutrients deficiencies. The aim of the present study was to examine the limitations imposed by the system on spinach (Spinacia oleracea) growth and functional performance and to identify the minimum nutrient supplementation for their optimization. Spinach was co-cultivated with red tilapia under three treatments; iron (Fe) and iron with potassium (Fe+K) enrichment was compared with the no-external input control. During a 45-day experiment, the photosynthetic performance, photosynthetic machinery efficiency, total chlorophylls content, and leaf reflectance were monitored, along with leaf nutritional state, antioxidant activity, and growth responses of fish and crops. Control plants showed symptoms of Fe deficiency, extensive chlorosis, stunted growth, and functional impairment already from day 10. The latter consisted of a coordinated down-regulation of photochemistry, carboxylation, and light-use efficiency. Fe-treated plants exhibited similar growth and functional performance with Fe+K-treated plants but outperformed them in chlorophyll content, photosynthetic rates, and photochemical efficiency, mainly due to higher quantum yield of electron transport. Fish growth remained unaffected. Fe-deficiency was identified as the major bottleneck for spinach cultivation in closed-loop aquaponics, and our results demonstrate that only Fe supplementation may sufficiently improve spinach function and yield. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Smart specialisation is an instrument of the European Cohesion Policy and a key political principle to advance European competitiveness, innovation and welfare. Whereas smart specialisation is previously recognised for its focus on creating economic value through regional specialisation and new innovations, some recent arguments show that sustainable and social aspects are now defining the new smart specialisation strategy (McCann & Soete 2020; Pontikakis et al. 2022). In this paper, we examine the concept of public value to determine what a broader sustainable focus could mean for the next generation of smart specialisation strategies and how regions may use their entrepreneurial discovery processes (EDP) in a new way to combine vertical specialisation with more horizontal, sustainable and particularly social sustainability goals. Our inspection of public value via Moore's strategic triangle and the smart specialisation literature indicate that the entrepreneurial discovery process can be viewed as a platform for conveying public value, which may also help in understanding how the entrepreneurial discovery process may become an open discovery process (ODP) in partnerships for regional innovation (PRO) implementation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Smart specialisation is an instrument of the European Cohesion Policy and a key political principle to advance European competitiveness, innovation and welfare. Whereas smart specialisation is previously recognised for its focus on creating economic value through regional specialisation and new innovations, some recent arguments show that sustainable and social aspects are now defining the new smart specialisation strategy (McCann & Soete 2020; Pontikakis et al. 2022). In this paper, we examine the concept of public value to determine what a broader sustainable focus could mean for the next generation of smart specialisation strategies and how regions may use their entrepreneurial discovery processes (EDP) in a new way to combine vertical specialisation with more horizontal, sustainable and particularly social sustainability goals. Our inspection of public value via Moore’s strategic triangle and the smart specialisation literature indicate that the entrepreneurial discovery process can be viewed as a platform for conveying public value, which may also help in understanding how the entrepreneurial discovery process may become an open discovery process (ODP) in partnerships for regional innovation (PRO) implementation.

Ship radar systems extract the distance, bearing, and altitude of a target and deliver three-dimensional tracking information to the combat system of the ship. In addition, high-resolution information about the target and B-Scope can be obtained using TWS (track while scan) tracking, and the information is used for naval gun firing. However, the normal B-scope is not formed if strong clutter signals from secondary reflection signals from the ground, coastal islands, or mountains are introduced during tracking. In such cases, it could be difficult to adjust the zero point and check the impact using the water column when firing the artillery. Therefore, in this study, a method is proposed to acquire a normal B-Scope by removing the secondary reflected signal, and the proposed method is verified by applying it to the actual Navy ships. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spectral characteristics of the bryophyte carpet and mat subformation on Nelson Island (South Shetlands Islands) and Galindez Island (Argentine Islands, Graham Coast) were analyzed using spectral reflectance characteristics. A set of 9 specific reflectance indices were calculated and compared between two locations for the same type of moss vegetation formed by Sanionia georgicouncinata and Warnstorfia spp. The Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) is efficient in discriminating between the two contrasting color/ecological moss community classes, i.e. such as less vigorous or dead and vigorous. However, NDVI is not sufficiently sensitive to discriminate intermediate vitality states. Presented data also demonstrates that complementary application of two indices, NDVI and Photochemical Reflectance Index (PRI), can be promising for followup studies focused on the determination of the color differences attributed to ecolophysiological state of a moss community. With the same values of NDVI, bryophyte carpet and mat subformation on Galindez Island are characterized by higher values of the OSAVI, which can be used as an indicator for further monitoring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Detection of water stress and earliness comparison between two indices (LST, PRI). • PRI j index derived to correct the effect of LAI on PRI measurement (R2 = 0.91). • PRI j was found to be significantly correlated with AWC (R2 = 0.85). • PRI j reflect the level of FAO-56 water stress coefficient (K s) with an R2 of 0.69. • PRI j is a new photoprotection index of winter wheat compared to Rn (R2 = 0.74). In semi-arid and arid regions, crops face elevated atmospheric demands and endure prolonged periods of moderate to severe water scarcity. In this context, this study investigated the effectiveness of the photochemical reflectance index (PRI) and a normalized surface temperature index (T norm) for proxy detection of the water stress of winter wheat crops. Furthermore, the potential of PRI for characterizing water, atmospheric or photo-inhibition stress, and wheat transpiration was assessed over experimental drip-irrigated crop fields in the Haouz plain, central Morocco. In practice, PRI observations were compared to agro-environmental variables such as Leaf Area Index (LAI), Available Water Content (AWC) at a root zone depth, net Radiation (R n), Vapor Pressure Deficit (VPD) and the wheat transpiration derived from sap flows, lysimeters and a crop water balance model. Due to the strong relationship between PRI and LAI (R2 = 0.91), another index named PRI j was derived to correct for this effect. The PRI j was found to be independent of structural effects related to LAI and significantly correlated with AWC (R2 = 0.85). Using the PRI j index, we can reflect the level of water stress experienced by the wheat field throughout the experiment with an R2 of 0.69 for a FAO-56 water stress coefficient (K s) of less than 1. Under dry conditions, for an AWC below 30%, the correlation between AWC and T norm gives an R2 of 0.29. However, comparison of PRI j with the T norm index showed that PRI j is an early water stress index and provides information on the state of the vegetation cover at all stages of wheat development. The study's findings can have a significant impact on the use of the PRI as a water stress indicator, helping in the optimal irrigation of crops. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The photochemical reflectance index (PRI) is a promising remote sensing signal for monitoring vegetation physiology. Variations in leaf PRI are usually attributed to either the energy-dependent xanthophyll cycle or the carotenoid-chlorophyll ratio, both indicative of leaf physiology. However, canopy PRI is subject to soil, canopy structure, and incident and viewing angles, and thus has a weaker and more complicated relationship with vegetation photosynthetic activity or leaf pigment composition. Therefore, downscaling canopy PRI to the leaf level is essential for accurate remote sensing of vegetation physiology using PRI. An earlier investigation (P.Yang, RSE , 279, 113,133, 2022) illustrates that structural and angular variations in canopy PRI primarily result from varying degrees of soil interference. In this study, a soil correction method is proposed to mitigate the soil effects on top-of-canopy (TOC) reflectance at the PRI bands. The soil effects on TOC reflectance at 531 nm and 570 nm are respectively estimated as R 531 soil × R 675 / R 675 soil and R 570 soil × R 675 / R 675 soil , where R 675 is TOC red reflectance, R λ soil soil reflectance at wavelength λ. R 675 / R 675 soil approximates the fraction of the observed sunlit soil, as leaves are nearly black at 675 nm due to strong absorption of chlorophyll, and R 675 is mainly contributed from soil. To assess the effectiveness of the soil correction method, a wheat field dataset, a corn field dataset, and a simulated dataset, were utilized. The soil-adjusted and the original canopy PRI were compared with the leaf PRI for the real and synthetic scenarios that had various soil brightness, leaf chlorophyll content and canopy structure. Both the field and numerical experiments demonstrate that, for the canopies with low vegetation coverage and substantial soil contamination, the original canopy PRI was largely different from the leaf PRI, displaying substantial structural and angular dependence. In comparison, the soil-adjusted canopy PRI was more closely aligned with the PRI observed in the sunlit leaves in all three datasets. This study shows that accounting for the soil effects with TOC red reflectance allows downscaling canopy PRI to the leaf level. The soil-adjusted canopy PRI contributes to remote sensing of the xanthophyll cycle or the carotenoid-chlorophyll ratio from canopy PRI. • Soil adjustment is applied to canopy PRI. • The soil-adjusted canopy PRI employs red reflectance to estimate soil effects. • Correcting canopy PRI for soil effects results in a closer estimate of leaf PRI. • The soil-adjusted canopy PRI is expected to reveal plant physiology better. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study demonstrates the potential of using low-altitude multispectral imagery data to assess irrigation and fertilization techniques and the relative degree of plant water and nutrient stress. This study aims to create a methodology that can be widely used by vertical farms. Techniques were used for early water and nitrogen stress detection using multispectral reflectance systems in an indoor environment with artificial lighting. The methodology focuses on irrigation and nutrition, that sets schedules, and automatically updates a decision-making system based on crop reflectance data and simplified reflectance indices. The experimental process took place on the premises of CphFarmHouse in Denmark. The results showed that crop reflectance increased due to water and nitrogen deficiencies. The detected reflectance increase was significant on the third day of the experiment when irrigation and fertilization were not applied. It should be noted that during the experimental period, the researchers did not detect water or nitrogen deficiencies visible to the naked eye. More specifically, the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and the Photochemical Reflectance Index (PRI) showed statistically significant differences between the control treatment and the two stress treatments with limited water and nitrogen. Additionally, based on the reflectance measurements and the measured physiological crop parameters, significant correlations (p < 0.01) were observed mainly between the PRI and the chlorophyll content, the photosynthetic efficiency and the stomatal conductance (r = 0.84/0.90, 0.73/0.66, 0.61/0.66 among the nitrogen and water treatments). The research provides data analysis results on sensors and approaches for crop reflectance measurements as well as spectral indices for remote water and nitrogen detection. Finally, the results provide a feasibility analysis, suggesting that multispectral images could be used as a rapid tool to estimate the physiological status of plants, which is indicative of the spatial variation in the vertical farm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We study whether institutional investors that sign the Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI), a commitment to responsible investing, exhibit better portfoliolevel environmental, social, and governance (ESG) scores. Signatories outside of the USA have superior ESG scores than nonsignatories, but US signatories have at best similar ESG ratings, and worse scores if they have underperformed recently, are retail-client facing, and joined the PRI late. US signatories do not improve the ESG scores of portfolio companies after investing in them. Commercial motives, uncertainty about fiduciary duties, and lower ESG market maturity explain why US-domiciled PRI signatories do not follow through on their responsible investment commitments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Remote sensing methods are known to provide estimates of berry quality. However, previous studies have shown that the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) failed to predict berry quality attributes in rain-fed vineyards. This study explores the association of several reflectance indices with vine biophysical characteristics and berry yield and quality attributes and their temporal stability. The study was conducted in rain-fed Chardonnay vineyards located around Masquefa (Penedès region, Catalonia, Spain) over four years. Canopy reflectance, fractional Intercepted Photosynthetic Active Radiation, predawn water potential and canopy temperature at midday were measured at veraison whereas berry yield and quality attributes were determined at harvest. Water availability and vine biophysical attributes showed large temporal stability whereas berry quality attributes were not temporally stable. The capability of reflectance indices to estimate berry quality attributes was subject to the timing and extent of water deficits. The Photochemical Reflectance Index (PRI), the NDVI and the Water Index (WI) provided estimates of berry quality attributes under mild, moderate and severe water deficits, respectively. These results might have potential applications in precision viticulture activities such as selective harvesting according to grape quality attributes and the assessment of ripening. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The collection and analysis of large amounts of information on a plant-by-plant basis contributes to the development of precision fertigation and may be achieved by combining remote-sensing technology with high-throughput phenotyping methods. Here, lettuce plants (Lactuca sativa) were grown under optimal and suboptimal nitrogen and irrigation treatments from seedlings to harvest. A Plantarray system was used to calculate and log weights, daily transpiration, and momentary transpiration rates throughout the experiment. From 15 d after planting until experiment termination, the entire array of plants was imaged hourly (from 09.00 h to 14.00 h) using a hyperspectral moving camera. Three vegetation indices were calculated from the plants' reflectance signal: red-edge chlorophyll index (RECI), photochemical reflectance index (PRI), and water index (WI), and combined treatments, physiological measurements, and vegetation indices were compared. RECI values differed significantly between nitrogen treatments from the first day of imaging, and WI values distinguished well-irrigated from drought-treated groups before detecting significant differences in daily transpiration rate. The PRI, calculated hourly during the drought-treatment phase, changed with the momentary transpiration rate. Thus, hyperspectral imaging might be used in growing facilities to detect nitrogen or water shortages in plants before their physiological response affects yields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An experiment was carried out at Orman Botanical Garden, Giza, Egypt during 2019/20 and 2020/21 seasons to reveal the response of Nerium oleander L. transplants to Pb, Cd, and Ni in combinations at various concentrations after short and long growth periods. Pollution treatments and growth periods were combined factorially to study the effect of interactions. The results showed that survival % was 100% by the various applied treatments. Plant height, stem diameter, and leaf area traits were improved by heavy metal combinations, whereas No. branches and leaves/plant, root length and top growth, and roots fresh and dry weights were negatively affected. Elongating growth period up to 18 months significantly increased means of the different vegetative and root growth traits compared to 6-months period. So, combining between planting in either control or first treatment combination mixture and the longer growth period significantly improved most of the growth parameters. The percent of pollution resistance index took a similar trend, and it was higher than 88% in the two seasons by fourth treatment combination indicating a high tolerance to HMs toxicity. Thus, N. oleander plants can be successfully used for landscaping HMs-polluted sites due to their high survival and tolerance potential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plants respond to rapid environmental change in ways that depend on both their genetic identity and their phenotypic plasticity, impacting their survival as well as associated ecosystems. However, genetic and environmental effects on phenotype are difficult to quantify across large spatial scales and through time. Leaf hyperspectral reflectance offers a potentially robust approach to map these effects from local to landscape levels. Using a handheld field spectrometer, we analyzed leaf-level hyperspectral reflectance of the foundation tree species Populus fremontii in wild populations and in three 6-year-old experimental common gardens spanning a steep climatic gradient. First, we show that genetic variation among populations and among clonal genotypes is detectable with leaf spectra, using both multivariate and univariate approaches. Spectra predicted population identity with 100% accuracy among trees in the wild, 87%-98% accuracy within a common garden, and 86% accuracy across different environments. Multiple spectral indices of plant health had significant heritability, with genotype accounting for 10%-23% of spectral variation within populations and 14%-48% of the variation across all populations. Second, we found gene by environment interactions leading to population-specific shifts in the spectral phenotype across common garden environments. Spectral indices indicate that genetically divergent populations made unique adjustments to their chlorophyll and water content in response to the same environmental stresses, so that detecting genetic identity is critical to predicting tree response to change. Third, spectral indicators of greenness and photosynthetic efficiency decreased when populations were transferred to growing environments with higher mean annual maximum temperatures relative to home conditions. This result suggests altered physiological strategies further from the conditions to which plants are locally adapted. Transfers to cooler environments had fewer negative effects, demonstrating that plant spectra show directionality in plant performance adjustments. Thus, leaf reflectance data can detect both local adaptation and plastic shifts in plant physiology, informing strategic restoration and conservation decisions by enabling high resolution tracking of genetic and phenotypic changes in response to climate change., (© 2024 The Author(s). Plant, Cell & Environment published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Salinization is a significant adverse factor that suppresses productivity of agricultural plants. Multispectral imaging and calculation of reflectance indices, including the typical photochemical reflectance index (PRI), can be used for early revealing of changes in plants under salinization. However, the direction of change in typical PRI is dependent on the type of stressor and the experimental conditions. Earlier, we proposed modified PRIs with shifted measuring wavelengths and analyzed their changes under excess light, water deficit, and heating. In the current work, we investigated the sensitivity of these indices to changes in pea plants under salinization (100, 200, and 400 mM NaCl treatment). It was shown that short-wavelength PRIs were increased under this treatment; in contrast, long-wavelength PRIs were decreased. Most of the modified PRIs were strongly related to the maximal yield of photosystem II and the normalized difference vegetation index. Long-wavelength PRIs were more sensitive to plant changes than short-wavelength PRIs, typical PRI, and the normalized difference vegetation index because their stable decrease under moderate salinization (the 200 mM NaCl treatment) was initiated earlier. Our results show that long-wavelength PRIs, which also decreased under the action of the excess light, water deficit, and heating, can be potentially used as a universal tool for early revealing of stress changes in plants.

The spectral characteristics of sunlit and shaded leaves are critical to improving the utilization of remote sensing methodology to quantify forest physiology. However, spectral characteristics within the tree canopies, especially normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) and photochemical reflectance index (PRI), are poorly understood. Our study used an imaging observation platform to obtain hyperspectral imagery of a Manchurian Ash canopy on Changbai Mountain. A non-imaging spectrometer was employed for an assisted analysis. The study results of the corresponding spectrum obtained at two observation spatial scales were significantly different between sunlit and shaded leaves. For imaging spectral observations, there were significant differences in NDVI and PRI between sunlit and shaded leaves (P < 0.001). PRI near the petiole was significantly lower than in other parts of leaves (P = 0.049). Non-imaging spectral observations of the reflectance of sunlit and shaded leaves were different only in the visible light region. The PRI of the shaded leaves were higher than that of sunlit leaves, which was consistent with the imaging spectral observations. The complexity of light environment within the canopy, especially the differences in incident irradiance, contributed to the range of leaf attribute measurements, which resulted in the variability of spectral characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Global Change Observation Mission-Climate (GCOM-C), launched in 2017, has suitable bands matching the photochemical reflectance index (PRI) definition. It also has the bands for the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI). The PRI has a unique capability to detect plant stress caused by excessive light and drought. However, no moderate-resolution satellites had suitable bands for the PRI, requiring two narrow bands in green light in the definition. In this study, we conducted the early validation study of PRI and NDVI derived from the GCOM-C satellite and demonstrated those accuracies and characteristics in Mongolian grassland. The Mongolian Steppes (dry grasslands) are widely distributed on the plateau and therefore suitable for satellite validation. It is particularly suitable for the PRI validation because Mongolian grasslands have water stress due to the small amount of precipitation in summer. Therefore, we carried out field campaigns at three study sites in Mongolia. In this study, we found the seasonal pattern of PRI suggesting the potential to detect the water stress of vegetation, which is essential information for informed management of the grasslands. However, the correlation between the satellite-derived PRI and the in-situ PRI was negative because of the dependence of GCOM-C PRI on the soil moisture at sparse vegetation. For the accuracy assessment of PRI, which depends on rapidly changing light and soil moisture in a day, more exact synchronization of in-situ and satellite observation is required. On the other hand, we found that the NDVI derived from GCOM-C was highly accurate: The correlation coefficient (R) between the satellite-derived NDVI and the in-situ NDVI was 0.988 (RMSE=0.052). GCOM-C NDVI has enough similarities with MODIS NDVI in terms of accuracy, spatial resolution, and frequency. For example, we demonstrated that GCOM-C NDVI could detect the phenology with the same or better accuracy than MODIS NDVI. We also demonstrated their difference: the soil moisture dependence in sparse vegetation. The less dependency of GCOM-C NDVI on the soil moisture leads to a better classification of vegetation and non-vegetation in the sparse grassland than MODIS NDVI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Se ha encontrado que las deserciones partidistas en autoritarismos electorales pueden generar inestabilidad en el régimen. Asimismo, se ha analizado cómo reaccionan los utócratas. Podría pensarse que comienzan por reprimir a los “traidores”. Sin embargo, mi argumento es que existe una estrategia menos riesgosa para solventar la amenaza de las rupturas. Sostengo que los autócratas podrían apelar a las masas a través de incrementos en el gasto social y así evitar que éstas sean cooptadas por los desertores. Examino este argumento con modelos para datos panel y evidencia de la época autoritaria en México a nivel estatal.

Vegetation indices (VIs) related to plant greenness have been studied extensively for the remote detection of foliar nitrogen content. Yet, the potential of chlorophyll fluorescence (ChlF) and photoprotection-based indices such as the photochemical reflectance index (PRI) or the chlorophyll/carotenoid index (CCI) for the detection of a wide range of nutrients remains elusive. We measured the dynamics of foliar macro- and micronutrient contents in potato plants as affected by fertilization and water stress, along with leaf and canopy level observations of spectral reflectance and ChlF (or solar-induced fluorescence). ChlF and photoprotection-related indices were more strongly related to a wide range of foliar nutrient contents compared to greenness-based indices. At the leaf level, relationships were largely mediated by foliar chlorophyll contents (Cab) and leaf morphology, which resulted in two contrasting groupings: a group dominated by macronutrients N, P, K, and Mg that decreased during canopy development and was positively correlated with Cab, and a group including Cu, Mn, Zn, and S that increased and was negatively related to Cab. At the canopy-level, spectral indices were additionally influenced by canopy structure, and so their capacity to detect foliar nutrient contents depends on the spatiotemporal covariation between foliar Cab, morphology, and canopy structure within the observations.

In environmental conditions, plants can be affected by the action of numerous abiotic stressors. These stressors can induce both damage of physiological processes and adaptive changes including signaling-based changes. Development of optical methods of revealing influence of stressors on plants is an important task for plant investigations. The photochemical reflectance index (PRI) based on plant reflectance at 531 nm (measuring wavelength) and 570 nm (reference wavelength) can be effective tool of revealing plant stress changes (mainly, photosynthetic changes); however, its efficiency is strongly varied at different conditions. Earlier, we proposed series of modified PRIs with moderate shifts of the measuring wavelength and showed that these indices can be effective for revealing photosynthetic changes under fluctuations in light intensity. The current work was devoted to the analysis of sensitivity of these modified PRIs to action of drought and short-term heat stress. Investigation of spatially-fixed leaves of pea plants showed that the modified PRI with the shorter measuring wavelength (515 nm) was increased under response of drought and heat; by contrast, the modified PRI with the longer wavelength (555 nm) was decreased under response to these stressors. Changes of investigated indices could be related to parameters of photosynthetic light reactions; however, these relations were stronger for the modified PRI with the 555 nm measuring wavelength. Investigation of canopy of pea (vegetation room) and wheat (vegetation room and open-ground) supported these results. Thus, moderate changes in the measuring wavelengths of PRI can strongly modify the efficiency of their use for the estimation of plant physiological changes (mainly photosynthetic changes) under action of stressors. It is probable that the modified PRI with the 555 nm measuring wavelength (or similar indices) can be an effective tool for revealing photosynthetic changes induced by stressors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Remote sensing offers a non-destructive method to detect plant physiological response to the environment by measuring chlorophyll fluorescence (CF). Most methods to estimate CF require relatively complex retrieval, spectral fitting, or modelling methods. An investigation was undertaken to evaluate measurements of CF using a relatively straightforward technique to detect and monitor plant stress with a spectroradiometer and blue-red light emitting diode (LED). CF spectral response of tomato plants treated with a photosystem inhibitor were assessed and compared to traditional reflectance-based indices: normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) and photochemical reflectance index (PRI). The blue-red LEDs provided input irradiance and a "window" in the CF emission range of plants (~650 to 850 nm) sufficient to capture distinctive "two-peak" spectra and to distinguish plant health from day to day of the experiment, while within day differences were noisy. CF-based metrics calculated from CF spectra clearly captured signs of vegetation stress earlier than reflectance-based indices and by visual inspection. This CF monitoring technique is a flexible and scalable option for collecting plant function data, especially for indicating early signs of stress. The technique can be applied to a single plant or larger canopies using LED in dark conditions by an individual, or a manned or unmanned vehicle for agricultural or military purposes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the modern electronic warfare signal environment, multiple radar signals of high density are mixed and received, and separating them into signals for each emitter is an essential step for emitter identification. Each radar has its own pulse repetition interval (PRI), which is a key parameter for deinterleaving pulse trains. The PRI is modulated in various forms depending on the purpose of the radar operation, and analyzing the mean PRI and the modulation type of PRI is the core of electronic warfare signal processing. Many existing papers have tried separate independent approaches for deinterleaving and for PRI modulation recognition. However, many distortions are unintentionally generated in the process of extracting the pulse train using the PRI estimated through deinterleaving for the PRI modulation recognition. This degrades the modulation recognition performance. In this paper, we propose a unified method for the deinterleaving and PRI modulation recognition of radar pulses using deep learning-based multitasking learning. The simulation results demonstrate the good performance of the proposed method for deinterleaving and modulation recognition, compared to the conventional method, and prove that the proposed method is robust in noisy radar signal environments.

Los estudios sobre el gasto público subnacional en México han aumentado de forma importante en los últimos años. No obstante, se desconoce si la ideología partidista tiene un efecto en él. Por lo tanto, el objetivo de esta investigación es explorar si esta variable influye en la distribución del gasto público. Por medio del caso de Jalisco, se comparan los gobiernos del PAN y del PRI para analizar sus decisiones. Los resultados muestran que el gobierno panista destinó más recursos a la inversión pública, la educación y el desarrollo rural; mientras que el gobierno priísta favoreció el gasto en salud pública.

Peng Sun,1,2 Qichang Yang,1 Yanben Wang,2 Jiaxuan Peng,3 Kangxian Zhao,1 Yewei Jia,2 Tan Zhang,2 Xuanyuan Lu,2 Weiqi Han,2 Yu Qian1,2 1The Second Affiliated Hospital and Yuying Children’s Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325000, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Orthopedics, Shaoxing People’s Hospital (Shaoxing Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine), Shaoxing, Zhejiang 312000, People’s Republic of China; 3Guangxi Key Laboratory of Regenerative Medicine, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi 530021, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Yu QianThe Second Affiliated Hospital and Yuying Children’s Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, No. 109, XueYuan Road, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325000, People’s Republic of ChinaEmail doctor120@hotmail.comIntroduction: Osteoporosis is a metabolic bone disease characterized by reduced bone quantity and microstructure, typically owing to increased osteoclastogenesis and/or enhanced osteoclastic bone resorption, resulting in uncontrolled bone loss, which primarily affects postmenopausal women. In consideration of the severe side effects of current drugs for osteoporosis, new safe and effective medications are necessary. Pristimerin (Pri), a quinone methide triterpene extracted from Celastraceae and Hippocrateaceae members, exhibits potent antineoplastic and anti-inflammatory effects. However, its effect on osteoclasts remains unknown.Materials and Methods: We evaluated the anti-osteoclastogenic and anti-resorptive effect of Pri on bone marrow-derived osteoclasts and its underlying mechanism in vitro. In addition, the protective effect of Pri on ovariectomy model was also explored in vivo.Results: In vitro, Pri inhibited osteoclast differentiation and mature osteoclastic bone resorption in a time- and dose-dependent manner. Further, Pri suppressed the expression of osteoclast-related genes and the activation of key proteins. Pri also inhibited the early activation of ERK, JNK MAPK, and AKT signaling pathways in bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMMs), ultimately inhibiting the induction and activation of the crucial osteoclast transcriptional factor nuclear factor of activated T‐cell cytoplasmic 1 (NFATc1). In vivo, consistent with our in vitro data, Pri clearly prevented ovariectomy-induced bone loss.Conclusion: Our data showed that Pri inhibits the differentiation and activation of osteoclasts in vitro and in vivo, and could be a promising candidate for treating osteoporosis.Keywords: osteoclast, osteoporosis, ERK, JNK, AKT, Pri

Aquaponics is a promising cultivation technique for combined production of crops and fish, on the condition of tackling certain nutrients deficiencies. The aim of the present study was to examine the limitations imposed by the system on spinach (Spinacia oleracea) growth and functional performance and to identify the minimum nutrient supplementation for their optimization. Spinach was co-cultivated with red tilapia under three treatments; iron (Fe) and iron with potassium (Fe+K) enrichment was compared with the no-external input control. During a 45-day experiment, the photosynthetic performance, photosynthetic machinery efficiency, total chlorophylls content, and leaf reflectance were monitored, along with leaf nutritional state, antioxidant activity, and growth responses of fish and crops. Control plants showed symptoms of Fe deficiency, extensive chlorosis, stunted growth, and functional impairment already from day 10. The latter consisted of a coordinated down-regulation of photochemistry, carboxylation, and light-use efficiency. Fe-treated plants exhibited similar growth and functional performance with Fe+K-treated plants but outperformed them in chlorophyll content, photosynthetic rates, and photochemical efficiency, mainly due to higher quantum yield of electron transport. Fish growth remained unaffected. Fe-deficiency was identified as the major bottleneck for spinach cultivation in closed-loop aquaponics, and our results demonstrate that only Fe supplementation may sufficiently improve spinach function and yield.

Monitoring early tree physiological responses to drought is key to understanding progressive impacts of drought on forests and identifying resilient species. We combined drone‐based multispectral remote sensing with measurements of tree physiology and environmental parameters over two growing seasons in a 100‐y‐old Pinus sylvestris forest subject to 17‐y of precipitation manipulation. Our goal was to determine if drone‐based photochemical reflectance index (PRI) captures tree drought stress responses and whether responses are affected by long‐term acclimation. PRI detects changes in xanthophyll cycle pigment dynamics, which reflect increases in photoprotective non‐photochemical quenching activity resulting from drought‐induced photosynthesis downregulation. Here, PRI of never‐irrigated trees was up to 10 times lower (higher stress) than PRI of irrigated trees. Long‐term acclimation to experimental treatment, however, influenced the seasonal relationship between PRI and soil water availability. PRI also captured diurnal decreases in photochemical efficiency, driven by vapour pressure deficit. Interestingly, 5 years after irrigation was stopped for a subset of the irrigated trees, a positive legacy effect persisted, with lower stress responses (higher PRI) compared with never‐irrigated trees. This study demonstrates the ability of remotely sensed PRI to scale tree physiological responses to an entire forest and the importance of long‐term acclimation in determining current drought stress responses. Drone‐based Photochemical Reflectance Index (PRI) captured Pinus sylvestris responses to drought in a long‐term (17‐year) precipitation manipulation (irrigation) experiment. Tree responses were found dependent on acclimation to past environmental conditions and derived legacy effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study demonstrates the potential of using low-altitude multispectral imagery data to assess irrigation and fertilization techniques and the relative degree of plant water and nutrient stress. This study aims to create a methodology that can be widely used by vertical farms. Techniques were used for early water and nitrogen stress detection using multispectral reflectance systems in an indoor environment with artificial lighting. The methodology focuses on irrigation and nutrition, that sets schedules, and automatically updates a decision-making system based on crop reflectance data and simplified reflectance indices. The experimental process took place on the premises of CphFarmHouse in Denmark. The results showed that crop reflectance increased due to water and nitrogen deficiencies. The detected reflectance increase was significant on the third day of the experiment when irrigation and fertilization were not applied. It should be noted that during the experimental period, the researchers did not detect water or nitrogen deficiencies visible to the naked eye. More specifically, the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and the Photochemical Reflectance Index (PRI) showed statistically significant differences between the control treatment and the two stress treatments with limited water and nitrogen. Additionally, based on the reflectance measurements and the measured physiological crop parameters, significant correlations (p < 0.01) were observed mainly between the PRI and the chlorophyll content, the photosynthetic efficiency and the stomatal conductance (r = 0.84/0.90, 0.73/0.66, 0.61/0.66 among the nitrogen and water treatments). The research provides data analysis results on sensors and approaches for crop reflectance measurements as well as spectral indices for remote water and nitrogen detection. Finally, the results provide a feasibility analysis, suggesting that multispectral images could be used as a rapid tool to estimate the physiological status of plants, which is indicative of the spatial variation in the vertical farm.

Solar-induced chlorophyll (chl) fluorescence (SIF) has been shown to be positively correlated with vegetation photosynthesis, suggesting that it is a useful signal for understanding of environmental responses and spatial heterogeneity of photosynthetic activity at various scales from leaf to the globe. Photosynthesis is often inhibited in stressful environments (photoinhibition), but how photoinhibition influences the relationship between photosynthesis and chl fluorescence remains unclear. Here, I studied light energy allocation among photosynthesis, chl fluorescence and heat dissipation in photoinhibited leaves and tested whether photosynthesis in photoinhibited leaves can be evaluated from chl fluorescence and reflectance spectra in remote sensing. Chl fluorescence and reflection spectra were examined with the pulse amplified modulation (PAM) system and spectroradiometer, respectively. Photoinhibited leaves had lower photosynthetic rates and quantum yields of photochemistry (ΦP) and higher chl fluorescence yields. Consequently, photosynthesis was negatively correlated with chl fluorescence, which contrasts the positive relationships between photosynthesis and SIF observed in past remote sensing studies. This suggests that vegetation photosynthesis evaluated solely from chl fluorescence may be overestimated if the vegetation is dominated by severely photoinhibited leaves. When a model of energy allocation was applied, ΦP estimated from chl fluorescence and photochemical reflectance index (PRI) significantly correlated with the observed ΦP, suggesting that the model is useful to evaluate photosynthetic activities of photoinhibited leaves by remote sensing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Children undergoing panoramic radiographic imaging (PRI) and intraoral periapical (IOPA) radiographic imaging show anxiety due to the presence of a revolving PRI machine and IOPA X-ray unit and a different environment which can pose behavioral concerns. Staying still for 15–20 s is not possible for young children. This could lead to distortions and require repetitions, leading to more radiation exposure. Aim: The aim of the study was to reduce the dental anxiety and reduce the increased radiation exposure and saving time in PRI and IOPA radiographic imaging by audiovisual modeling. Methodology: Forty children age 2–12 years indicated for PRI and IOPA radiographic imaging were subjected and observed before and after audiovisual modeling. The patients were modeled by audiovisual modeling before imaging in the oral radiology department. The anxious and disruptive behavior was assessed using the anxious and disruptive behavior code by a single blinded observer. Statistical Analysis Used: Statistical Software SPSS 13.0. Results: There was significant difference in the occurrence of body movement and complaining and restraint before and after audiovisual modeling in the same patients. There were statistically significant differences in the overall events before and after audiovisual modeling. Conclusion: The basic behavior management technique and use of audiovisual modeling can reduce the anxiety and disruptive behavior in children undergoing PRI and IOPA radiographic imaging and also reduces increased radiation exposure, saving time for the process thus reducing the cost of repeated imaging.