MOANA: Multi-objective ant nesting algorithm for optimization problems.

This paper presents the Multi-Objective Ant Nesting Algorithm (MOANA), a novel extension of the Ant Nesting Algorithm (ANA), specifically designed to address multi-objective optimization problems (MOPs). MOANA incorporates adaptive mechanisms, such as deposition weight parameters, to balance exploration and exploitation, while a polynomial mutation strategy ensures diverse and high-quality solutions. The algorithm is evaluated on standard benchmark datasets, including ZDT functions and the IEEE Congress on Evolutionary Computation (CEC) 2019 multi-modal benchmarks.

In-situ gamma-ray measurement to estimate depth distribution of Cs in farmland in Fukushima Prefecture.

Radioactive cesium released into the atmosphere caused by the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant accident in March 2011 has contaminated the surrounding area. We confirmed the applicability of in-situ methods to evaluate the depth distribution of Cs by employing the ratio of Compton-scattering and photo-peak components (r) obtained from measured gamma-ray spectra. In the present study, we applied the in-situ method to farmlands in Fukushima Prefecture whose sites were disturbed by decontamination and plowing operations.

Numerical modelling of downstream scour in circular culverts: Impact of inlet blockages and variable flow conditions.

An accurate estimate of scour depth downstream of culvert outlets is essential for culvert design integrity. Inadequate designs can result in structural failures, leading to increased costs for maintenance and rehabilitation. The present research evaluates the efficacy of numerical models in predicting scour depth and its location downstream of circular culverts under variable flow conditions.

Reducing carbon emissions in prefabricated buildings supply chains: a focus on component manufacturing processes.

The construction sector accounts for 23% of emissions from global economic activity, with China responsible for nearly 41%. Although China has vigorously promoted the development of prefabricated buildings (PBS) in pursuit of cleaner production, the carbon emissions from prefabricated component factories (PCF) should not be underestimated. So, the focus of this research was on how to promote the decarbonization of PCF.

A combined stability function to quantify flood risks to pedestrians and vehicle occupants.

With the increase of the frequency and severity of flooding events, coupled with population growth, the risks posed to people from flooding is ever more apparent. This paper proposes a methodology to examine the risks posed to vehicles' occupants and pedestrians simultaneously in an urban context. Through considering stability functions of a range of vehicle types and pedestrian, a risk assessment profile for a vehicle occupant was derived.

The AnimalAssociatedMetagenomeDB reveals a bias towards livestock and developed countries and blind spots in functional-potential studies of animal-associated microbiomes.

Background: Metagenomic data can shed light on animal-microbiome relationships and the functional potential of these communities. Over the past years, the generation of metagenomics data has increased exponentially, and so has the availability and reusability of data present in public repositories. However, identifying which datasets and associated metadata are available is not straightforward.

Machine learning algorithms for high-resolution prediction of spatiotemporal distribution of air pollution from meteorological and soil parameters.

This study uses machine learning (ML) models for a high-resolution prediction (0.1°×0.1°) of air fine particular matter (PM) concentration, the most harmful to human health, from meteorological and soil data.

Optical analysis of Müller glia cells as light transporters through the retina.

One and half decades ago, Müller glia cells of the retina became subjects of extended research as optical waveguides. It was demonstrated that outside the fovea, these cells are capable of providing light transmission through the thicker parts of the retina from the vitreous surface to the photoreceptor cells. We combined optical modeling of the eye's optical system with numerical methods that describe light guiding within Müller cells to analyze efficiency of light capture and guidance at different peripheral positions.

Assessment and spatial partitioning of ecosystem services importance in Giant Panda National Park: To provide targeted ecological protection.

Giant Panda National Park is crucial for China's ecological security strategic pattern known as "two screens and three belts." The importance assessment and classification of ecosystem services in giant panda national parks has an important guiding role in the protection of giant panda national park ecosystems. In this study, we examined four indicators of habitat quality: carbon storage, water conservation, and soil and water conservation.

Long noncoding RNA transcriptome analysis reveals novel lncRNAs in Morus alba 'Yu-711' response to drought stress.

Drought stress has been a key environmental factor affecting plant growth and development. The plant genome is capable of producing long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs). To better understand white mulberry (Morus alba L.

Predictive geospatial model for arsenic accumulation in Holocene aquifers based on interactions of oxbow-lake biogeochemistry and alluvial geomorphology.

The identification of arsenic-contamination hotspots in alluvial aquifers is a global-scale challenge. The collection and inventory of arsenic concentration datasets in the shallow-aquifer domain of affected alluvial basins is a tedious and slow process, given the magnitude of the problem. Recent research demonstrates that oxbow-lake biogeochemistry in alluvial plains, mobilization of geogenic arsenic, and accumulation in geomorphologically well-defined areas are interacting processes that determine arsenic-contamination locations.

An organ-specific transcriptomic atlas of the medicinal plant Bletilla striata: Protein-coding genes, microRNAs, and regulatory networks.

As one of the important species belonging to the Bletilla genus of Orchidaceae, Bletilla striata (Thunb.) Rchb. f.

Local variability in snow concentrations of chlorinated persistent organic pollutants as a source of large uncertainty in interpreting spatial patterns at all scales.

Single point sampling, a widespread practice in snow studies in remote areas, due to logistical constraints, can present an unquantified error to the final study results. The low concentrations of studied chemicals, such as chlorinated persistent organic pollutants, contribute to the uncertainty. We conducted a field experiment in the Arctic to estimate the error stemming from differences in the composition of snow at short distances (1-3 m), including 13 single organochlorine pesticides and 6 polychlorinated biphenyls, thus providing the most detailed published dataset on the subject.

Critical roles of the activation of ethylene pathway genes mediated by DNA demethylation in Arabidopsis hyperhydricity.

Hyperhydricity (HH) often occurs in plant tissue culture, seriously influencing the commercial micropropagation and genetic improvement. DNA methylation has been studied for its function in plant development and stress responses. However, its potential role in HH is unknown.

Promoting Plant-Based Therapies for Chronic Kidney Disease.

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is debilitating, increasing in incidence worldwide, and a financial and social burden on health systems. Kidney failure, the final stage of CKD, is life-threatening if untreated with kidney replacement therapies. Current therapies using commercially-available drugs, such as angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, angiotensin II receptor blockers and calcium channel blockers, generally only delay the progression of CKD.

Simulations of goaf surface subsidence via filling control.

Xincheng Gold Mine is taken as an example to investigate the ground subsidence that results from filling. Both numerical simulations and simulation experiments are conducted to simulate the deformation process at the stope roof and bottom from excavation and filling. The assumption of macroscopic continuity from traditional continuum mechanics models is overcome.

Global food security post COVID-19: Dearth or dwell in the developing world?

Today, global food systems are highly susceptible to food safety risks, economic shocks, price volatility, and natural disasters and pandemics, such as the novel coronavirus (COVID-19). This paper draws from research on food and nutritional security, food fraud and associated economic ecosystem, and the disruptions due to COVID-19 for socio-economic inequality globally. It is concluded that the safety risks have pushed enforcement of measures to reduce food supplies, adversely impacting food availability.

Survey of the operational status of twenty-six urban stormwater biofilter facilities in Sweden.

This study evaluates the operational status of twenty-six biofilter facilities across nine cities in Sweden, with respect to their functional design criteria, engineered design features (filter media composition, hydraulic conductivity, and drawdown time), and includes a visual inspection of the biofilter components (pre-treatment, in/outlet structures, filter media, and vegetation). These indicators were used to examine the performance level of each biofilter in achieving their design objectives set by the operators. Furthermore, it was investigated whether the biofilter facilities had been properly maintained to meet the objectives.

Enhanced immobilization of Cr(VI) by a Fe -microorganisms composite system: Benchmark and pot experiments.

In this study, a collaborative system of Fe and mixed anaerobic microorganisms was established for remediating chromium (Cr)-contaminated soil and restraining the translocation of Cr from soil to swamp cabbage (Ipomoea aquatica Forssk.). Solid phase characterization demonstrated that more reactive secondary minerals such as green rust, magnetite, and lepidocrocite were generated in the composite system as compared with the Fe -only system.

Ammonia and nitrous oxide emission factors for excreta deposited by livestock and land-applied manure.

Manure application to land and deposition of urine and dung by grazing animals are major sources of ammonia (NH ) and nitrous oxide (N O) emissions. Using data on NH and N O emissions following land-applied manures and excreta deposited during grazing, emission factors (EFs) disaggregated by climate zone were developed, and the effects of mitigation strategies were evaluated. The NH data represent emissions from cattle and swine manures in temperate wet climates, and the N O data include cattle, sheep, and swine manure emissions in temperate wet/dry and tropical wet/dry climates.

Environmental and economic trade-offs of using composted or stockpiled manure as partial substitute for synthetic fertilizer.

Manure generated from livestock production could represent an important source of plant nutrients in substitution of synthetic fertilizer. To evaluate the sustainability of partially substituting synthetic fertilizer with soil organic amendments (OAs) in horticulture, an economic and greenhouse gas (GHG) budget was developed. The boundary for analysis included manure processing (stockpiling vs.

Deep feature loss to denoise OCT images using deep neural networks.

Significance: Speckle noise is an inherent limitation of optical coherence tomography (OCT) images that makes clinical interpretation challenging. The recent emergence of deep learning could offer a reliable method to reduce noise in OCT images.

Aim: We sought to investigate the use of deep features (VGG) to limit the effect of blurriness and increase perceptual sharpness and to evaluate its impact on the performance of OCT image denoising (DnCNN).

Organic Carbon transport model of abandoned river channels - A motif for floodplain geomorphology influencing biogeochemical swaying of arsenic.

Meandering-river geomorphology, forming abandoned channels/lakes with organic carbon-burial and microbial reductive dissolution, play many crucial roles in controlling arsenic (As) fluxes in sinks such as contaminated aquifers of riverine alluvial plains across the world. Suhiya oxbow-lake in the middle alluvial plain of the River Ganga, was selected as the natural laboratory. A top-down multidisciplinary approach was chosen employing satellite imagery to analyse the annual oxbow-lake surface vegetation dynamics (Eichhornia and Hydrilla).

Texture Modification Technologies and Their Opportunities for the Production of Dysphagia Foods: A Review.

Dysphagia or swallowing difficulty is a common morbidity experienced by those who have suffered a stroke or those undergone such treatments as head and neck surgeries. Dysphagic patients require special foods that are easier to swallow. Various technologies, including high-pressure processing, high-hydrodynamic pressure processing, pulsed electric field treatment, plasma processing, ultrasound-assisted processing, and irradiation have been applied to modify food texture to make it more suitable for such patients.