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Heliyon Jun 2024The agricultural sector, in particular viticulture, is highly susceptible to variations in the environment, crop conditions, and operational factors. Effectively...
The agricultural sector, in particular viticulture, is highly susceptible to variations in the environment, crop conditions, and operational factors. Effectively managing these variables in the field necessitates observation, measurement, and responsive actions. Leveraging new technologies within the realm of precision agriculture, vineyards can enhance their long-term efficiency, productivity, and profitability. In our work we propose a novel analysis of the impact of pedoclimatic factors on wine, with a case study focusing on the Denomination of Controlled and Guaranteed Origin Chianti Classico (DOCG), a prime wine-producing region located in Tuscany, between the provinces of Siena and Florence. We first collected a novel dataset, where geographic information as well as wine quality information were collected, using publicly available sources. Using such geographic information retrieved and an unsupervised machine learning approach, we conducted an in-depth examination of pedoclimatic and production data. To collect the whole set of possibly relevant features, we first assessed the region's morphological attributes, including altitude, exposure, and slopes, while pinpointing individual wineries. Subsequently we then calculated crucial viticultural indices such as the Winkler, Huglin, Fregoni, and Freshness Index by utilizing daily temperature records from Chianti Classico, and we further related them to an assessment of wine quality. In addition to this, we designed and distributed a survey conducted among a sample of wineries situated in the Chianti Classico area, obtaining valuable insights into local data. The primary goal of this study is to elucidate the interrelationships between various parameters associated with the region, considering influential factors such as the environment, viticulture, and field operations that significantly impact wine production. By doing so, wineries could potentially unlock the full potential of their resources. In fact, through the unsupervised and correlation analysis we could elucidate the relationships existing between the pedoclimatic parameters of the region, considering the most important factors such as viticulture and field operations, and relate them to wine quality as for instance using the survey data collected. This study represents an unprecedent in the literature, and it could pave the path for future studies focusing on the importance of climatic factors into production and quality of wines.
PubMed: 38868017
DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e31648 -
Journal of Lipid Research Jun 2024Lipids are components of cytomembranes that are involved in various biochemical processes. High-altitude hypoxic environments not only affect the body's energy...
Lipids are components of cytomembranes that are involved in various biochemical processes. High-altitude hypoxic environments not only affect the body's energy metabolism, but these environments can also cause abnormal lipid metabolism involved in the hypoxia-induced cognitive impairment. Thus, comprehensive lipidomic profiling of the brain tissue is an essential step toward understanding the mechanism of cognitive impairment induced by hypoxic exposure. In the present study, mice showed reduced new-object recognition and spatial memory when exposed to hypobaric hypoxia for 1 day. Histomorphological staining revealed significant morphological and structural damage to the hippocampal tissue, along with prolonged exposure to hypobaric hypoxia. Dynamic lipidomics of the mouse hippocampus showed a significant shift in both the type and distribution of phospholipids, as verified by spatial lipid mapping. Collectively, these results have provided new insights into the cognitive decline induced by high altitude, in which alterations in lipid metabolism may be an important contributing factor.
PubMed: 38866327
DOI: 10.1016/j.jlr.2024.100575 -
PloS One 2024We investigated the effect of tactile guided slow deep breathing compared with that of spontaneous breathing on blood oxygen saturation (SpO2), alertness, and hypoxia...
We investigated the effect of tactile guided slow deep breathing compared with that of spontaneous breathing on blood oxygen saturation (SpO2), alertness, and hypoxia symptoms during acute hypobaric hypoxia. We also evaluated the usability of this tactile breathing guidance. Twelve male military pilots were exposed to a simulated altitude of 4,572 m (15,000 ft) in a repeated measures study while breathing spontaneously and during tactile guided slow deep breathing. Under both breathing conditions, measurements were performed at rest and during the performance of a cognitive task. The Stanford Sleepiness Scale was used to rate alertness, and hypoxia symptoms were reported using a list of general hypoxia symptoms. Usability was evaluated in a questionnaire. Tactile guidance of slow deep breathing significantly increased (p <.001) the SpO2 - 88% (95% confidence interval (CI) [84%, 91%]) at rest and 85% (95% CI [81%, 88%]) during the cognitive task - compared with spontaneous breathing - 78% (95% CI [75%, 81%]) at rest and 78% (95% CI [76%, 80%]) during the cognitive task. This increase in SpO2 had no effect on the level of alertness and number of hypoxia symptoms. Pilots were positive about the intensity and sensation of the vibration signal, but had difficulty following the vibration pattern during the cognitive task. Pre-training may improve slow deep breathing technique during performance of cognitive tasks.
Topics: Humans; Male; Hypoxia; Adult; Oxygen Saturation; Respiration; Military Personnel; Touch; Cognition; Young Adult; Pilots; Altitude
PubMed: 38865320
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0302564 -
Cureus May 2024A 15-month-old African American male patient presented to the pediatric clinic to establish care. The patient had been seen and treated by a previous pediatrician who...
A 15-month-old African American male patient presented to the pediatric clinic to establish care. The patient had been seen and treated by a previous pediatrician who had diagnosed him with failure to thrive, anemia, and hepatosplenomegaly, according to the patient's parents. Upon physical examination, the patient was determined to be less than the first percentile for height and in the eighth percentile for weight. Frontal bossing was also observed. The patient's hemoglobin level was measured in the office to help confirm the previous anemia diagnosis and was determined to be 6.3 g/dL (normal: 10.5-13.0 g/dL). At this point, the patient was sent to a pediatric emergency department for continued treatment and workup. At the emergency department, the patient received an extensive laboratory workup for the evaluation of anemia, revealing iron deficiency anemia (hemoglobin: 5.6 g/dL (normal: 10.5-13 g/dL), mean corpuscular volume: 51.4 fl (normal: 70-84 fl), iron: 18 mcg/dL (normal: 30-70 mcg/dL), total iron binding capacity: 598 mcg/dL (normal: 100-400 mcg/dL), and hematocrit: 23.7% (normal: 33-38%)) and decreased levels of vitamin D (<6 ng/mL, normal: >30 ng/mL), ionized calcium (1.17 mg/dL, normal: 4.4-5.2 mg/dL), and phosphorus (2.4 mg/dL, normal: 2.9-5.9 mg/dL). These studies, paired with X-ray images of the patient's shoulders and wrists, further confirmed the diagnosis of rickets. Rickets is a disease in pediatric patients defined as a condition in which the mineralization of epiphyseal plates is defective. A nutritional deficiency in vitamin D, calcium, or phosphate causes acquired rickets. This condition is most commonly found in developing countries; some predisposing factors include poor sun exposure, high altitude, and breastfeeding. The patient was seen in the outpatient pediatric setting after the hospitalization, in which he received a blood transfusion, where he was managed on supplementation of calcium carbonate suspension, polysaccharide iron complex/novaferrum drops, and cholecalciferol drops with referral to endocrinology, hematology, and dietetics. This case serves as an example of how the diagnosis of nutritional deficiencies, such as rickets, can also be found in developed countries like the United States. Other conditions considered in the differential diagnosis were cystic fibrosis, necrotizing enterocolitis, metabolic disorders, inadequate absorption, and mechanical feeding difficulties, each of which must be ruled out to ensure that even an unlikely finding was not missed.
PubMed: 38864063
DOI: 10.7759/cureus.60140 -
Communications Biology Jun 2024Telomeres are repetitive nucleoprotein complexes at chromosomal termini essential for maintaining genome stability. Telomeric RNA, or TERRA, is a previously presumed...
Telomeres are repetitive nucleoprotein complexes at chromosomal termini essential for maintaining genome stability. Telomeric RNA, or TERRA, is a previously presumed long noncoding RNA of heterogeneous lengths that contributes to end-capping structure and function, and facilitates telomeric recombination in tumors that maintain telomere length via the telomerase-independent Alternative Lengthening of Telomeres (ALT) pathway. Here, we investigated TERRA in the radiation-induced DNA damage response (DDR) across astronauts, high-altitude climbers, healthy donors, and cellular models. Similar to astronauts in the space radiation environment and climbers of Mt. Everest, in vitro radiation exposure prompted increased transcription of TERRA, while simulated microgravity did not. Data suggest a specific TERRA DDR to telomeric double-strand breaks (DSBs), and provide direct demonstration of hybridized TERRA at telomere-specific DSB sites, indicative of protective TERRA:telomeric DNA hybrid formation. Targeted telomeric DSBs also resulted in accumulation of TERRA foci in G2-phase, supportive of TERRA's role in facilitating recombination-mediated telomere elongation. Results have important implications for scenarios involving persistent telomeric DNA damage, such as those associated with chronic oxidative stress (e.g., aging, systemic inflammation, environmental and occupational radiation exposures), which can trigger transient ALT in normal human cells, as well as for targeting TERRA as a therapeutic strategy against ALT-positive tumors.
Topics: Humans; Altitude; Telomere; Space Flight; Male; RNA, Long Noncoding; Adult; Middle Aged; DNA Breaks, Double-Stranded; Female; DNA Damage; Mountaineering; Telomere Homeostasis
PubMed: 38862827
DOI: 10.1038/s42003-024-06014-x -
Planta Jun 2024In this review, we summarize how chlorophyll metabolism in angiosperm is affected by the environmental factors: light, temperature, metal ions, water, oxygen, and... (Review)
Review
In this review, we summarize how chlorophyll metabolism in angiosperm is affected by the environmental factors: light, temperature, metal ions, water, oxygen, and altitude. The significance of chlorophyll (Chl) in plant leaf morphogenesis and photosynthesis cannot be overstated. Over time, researchers have made significant advancements in comprehending the biosynthetic pathway of Chl in angiosperms, along with the pivotal enzymes and genes involved in this process, particularly those related to heme synthesis and light-responsive mechanisms. Various environmental factors influence the stability of Chl content in angiosperms by modulating Chl metabolic pathways. Understanding the interplay between plants Chl metabolism and environmental factors has been a prominent research topic. This review mainly focuses on angiosperms, provides an overview of the regulatory mechanisms governing Chl metabolism, and the impact of environmental factors such as light, temperature, metal ions (iron and magnesium), water, oxygen, and altitude on Chl metabolism. Understanding these effects is crucial for comprehending and preserving the homeostasis of Chl metabolism.
Topics: Chlorophyll; Magnoliopsida; Light; Temperature; Water; Oxygen; Photosynthesis; Plant Leaves; Environment; Altitude
PubMed: 38861219
DOI: 10.1007/s00425-024-04437-8 -
Wilderness & Environmental Medicine Jun 2024Griffith Pugh, MD (1909-1994), was a pioneer in altitude physiology. During World War II, he developed training protocols in Lebanon to improve soldier performance at...
Griffith Pugh, MD (1909-1994), was a pioneer in altitude physiology. During World War II, he developed training protocols in Lebanon to improve soldier performance at altitude and in the cold. In 1951 he was chosen to join the British Everest team as a scientist. In preparation, he developed strategies for success on a training expedition on Cho Oyu in 1952. Results from Cho Oyu led to the use of supplemental oxygen at higher flow rates during ascent than used previously (4 L/min vs 2 L/min) and continued use (at a reduced rate of 2 L/min) during descent, enabling increased performance and improved mental acuity. Oxygen was also used during sleep, leading to improved sleep and warmth. Adequate hydration (∼3 L/day) was also stressed, and a more appealing diet led to improved nutrition and condition of the climbers. Improved hygiene practices and acclimatization protocols were also developed. These strategies contributed to the first successful summiting of Mount Everest in 1953. Pugh was then appointed as the lead scientist for a ground-breaking eight-and-a-half-month research expedition where the team was the first to overwinter at high altitude (5800 m) in the Himalayas. This current work summarizes Pugh's scientific contributions as they relate to success on Mount Everest and in inspiring future altitude research by generations of successful researchers.
PubMed: 38860547
DOI: 10.1177/10806032241259499 -
Optics Express Jun 2024This study investigates the macroscopic and optical properties of cirrus clouds in the 32N region from July 2016 to May 2017, leveraging data from ground-based lidar...
This study investigates the macroscopic and optical properties of cirrus clouds in the 32N region from July 2016 to May 2017, leveraging data from ground-based lidar observations and CALIOP to overcome the inconsistencies in detected cirrus cloud samples. Through extensive data analysis, statistical characteristics of cirrus clouds were discerned, revealing lidar ratio values of 28.5 ± 10.8 from ground-based lidar and 27.4 ± 11.2 from CALIOP. Validation with a decade of CALIOP data (2008-2018) confirmed these findings, presenting a consistent lidar ratio of 27.4 ± 12.0. A significant outcome of the analysis was the identification of a positive correlation between the lidar ratio and cloud centroid temperature, indicating a gradual decrease in the lidar ratio as temperatures dropped. The study established a fundamental consistency in their macroscopic properties, including cloud base height, cloud top height, cloud thickness, cloud centroid height, and cloud centroid temperature. The results for ground-based lidar (CALIOP) are: 10.0 ± 2.1 km (10.0 ± 2.2 km), 11.8 ± 2.1 km (11.5 ± 2.3 km), 1.87 ± 0.83 km (1.52 ± 0.71 km), and 10.5 ± 2.2 km, -46.9 ± 9.7°C (-47.1 ± 10.0°C).These properties exhibited seasonal variations, with cirrus clouds reaching higher altitudes in summer and lower in winter, influenced by the height of the tropopause. The optical properties of cirrus clouds were also analyzed, showing an annual average optical depth of 0.31 ± 0.35 for ground-based lidar and 0.32 ± 0.44 for CALIOP. The study highlighted the distribution of subvisible, thin, and thick cirrus clouds, with a notable prevalence of subvisible clouds during summer, suggesting their frequent formation above 14 km. Furthermore, the study observed linear growth in geometric thickness and optical depth up to 2.5 km from CALIOP and 2.9 km from ground-based lidar. Maximum optical depth was observed at cloud centroid temperatures of -35°C for CALIOP and -40°C for ground-based lidar, with optical depth decreasing as temperatures fell. This suggests that fully glaciated cirrus clouds exhibit the highest optical depth at warmer temperatures, within the complete glaciation temperature range of -35°C to -40°C.
PubMed: 38859473
DOI: 10.1364/OE.523574 -
Optics Express Apr 2024We demonstrate thermodynamic profile estimation with data obtained using the MicroPulse DIAL such that the retrieval is entirely self contained. The only external input...
We demonstrate thermodynamic profile estimation with data obtained using the MicroPulse DIAL such that the retrieval is entirely self contained. The only external input is surface meteorological variables obtained from a weather station installed on the instrument. The estimator provides products of temperature, absolute humidity and backscatter ratio such that cross dependencies between the lidar data products and raw observations are accounted for and the final products are self consistent. The method described here is applied to a combined oxygen DIAL, potassium HSRL, water vapor DIAL system operating at two pairs of wavelengths (nominally centered at 770 and 828 nm). We perform regularized maximum likelihood estimation through the Poisson Total Variation technique to suppress noise and improve the range of the observations. A comparison to 119 radiosondes indicates that this new processing method produces improved temperature retrievals, reducing total errors to less than 2 K below 3 km altitude and extending the maximum altitude of temperature retrievals to 5 km with less than 3 K error. The results of this work definitively demonstrates the potential for measuring temperature through the oxygen DIAL technique and furthermore that this can be accomplished with low-power semiconductor-based lidar sensors.
PubMed: 38859389
DOI: 10.1364/OE.521178 -
Optics Express Apr 2024Doppler lidar is an active laser remote sensing instrument. However, beam blockage caused by low-altitude obstacles is a critical factor affecting the quality of lidar...
Doppler lidar is an active laser remote sensing instrument. However, beam blockage caused by low-altitude obstacles is a critical factor affecting the quality of lidar data. To reconstruct the line of sight velocities (LOSV) in areas with beam blockages and to evaluate the effectiveness of reconstruction results, the LOSV-filling network (LFnet) approach based on generative adversarial networks (GANs) and an evaluation scheme based on the degree of blockage are proposed in this paper. The LFnet comprises two adversarial models. The first adversarial model captures the structural features of LOSV to output the edge map, and the second adversarial fills in the blockage area using the edge map. We have built a packaged dataset consisting of training, validation and test datasets with mask sets. Then the sensitivity of the reconstruction effectiveness with different shielding conditions is studied, to reveal the mechanism of shielding influencing the reconstruction. A series of indicators were used to evaluate the model's performance, including the traditional indicators and the proposed indicator of root mean square error (RMSE). Finally, LFnet was demonstrated in a practical application in an airport. The complete process of an easterly gust front is reconstructed with RMSE less than 0.85 m/s, which has significance for flight safety.
PubMed: 38859387
DOI: 10.1364/OE.520528