An accurate ventilation rate estimation is the basis for developing ventilation strategies, optimising indoor air quality and determining pollutant emissions from livestock buildings. To accurately quantify the airflow rate of a novel naturally ventilated pig barn with an outdoor exercise yard, the influence of sampling density and location on the airflow rate measurement was studied. The experiment was conducted in a large atmospheric boundary layer wind tunnel by measuring the airflow velocity at the openings (the yard opening and the window of the indoor room) of a scaled pig barn model. Under four wind directions (0 , 60 , 120 , and 180 ), the study evaluated four sampling densities distributed separately along the vertical or the lateral directions of the opening, different mesh-like sampling strategies, and airflow rate measurement with or without considering the edge effects of the opening. The results showed that: 1) Sampling densities distributed vertically and laterally along the yard opening, as well as those distributed vertically along the window, were significantly affected by wind directions (p < 0.05). 2) The mesh-like sampling strategy can ensure accurate measurement results with a difference ratio of less than 5 %. 3) Suitable sampling densities without considering the wall effect caused by the vertical edge of the opening can still support reliable airflow rate measurement. The results of this study contribute to developing the direct method of airflow rate measurements in naturally ventilated livestock buildings.

Three-photon microscopy (3PM) has emerged as a versatile intravital imaging technology, enabling analysis of cell dynamics and interactions with the tissue microenvironment beyond the capabilities of two-photon microscopy (2PM) by providing access to deeper layers in highly scattering tissues. Due to the low probability of three-photon processes, higher photon flux densities are required compared to 2PM when using similar moderate average laser powers to prevent tissue photodamage. Consequently, pulse broadening compensation is imperative, in addition to optimal beam focusing. However, the phenomena contributing to pulse broadening in biological tissues are largely understudied. We measured the pulse broadening of a 1650 nm, 65 fs pulsed laser beam in various musculoskeletal and lymphoid tissues and its dependence on dispersion compensation by zinc selenide (ZnSe). By employing a model function based on the nonlinear Schrödinger equation to approximate the experimental data, we were able to determine the tissue-specific contributions of second- and third-order dispersion to pulse broadening. This analysis revealed additional dispersion-independent contributions that are dependent on the laser power. Furthermore, our study showed that the ZnSe-based dispersion compensation depends on the tissue depth, as demonstrated by the analysis of the third-harmonic generation signal levels. Our results suggest that dispersion compensation adapted to tissue type and imaging depth can significantly improve 3PM performance, especially in challenging musculoskeletal and lymphoid organs.

Although citrate is frequently used as a surface ligand for nanomaterials (NMs) such as metal, metal oxide, and lanthanide-based NMs in hydrophilic environments due to its biocompatibility and simple replacement by other more strongly binding ligands in postsynthetic surface modification reactions, its quantification on NM surfaces has rarely been addressed. Here, we present a multimethod approach for citrate quantification on iron oxide nanoparticles (IONPs) broadly applied in the life and material sciences. Methods explored include thermogravimetric (TGA) and elemental (CHN) analysis, providing citrate-nonspecific information on the IONP coating, simple photometry, and citrate-selective reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) with absorption (UV) detection and quantitative nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (qNMR). Challenges originating from the strongly absorbing magnetic NM and paramagnetic iron species interfering with optical and NMR methods were overcome by suitable sample preparation workflows. Our multimethod approach to citrate quantification highlights the advantages of combining specific and unspecific methods for characterizing NM surface chemistry and method cross-validation. It also demonstrates that chemically nonselective measurements can favor an overestimation of the amount of a specific surface ligand by signal contributions from molecules remaining on the NM surface, e.g., from particle synthesis, such as initially employed ligands and/or surfactants. Our results emphasize the potential of underexplored selective RP-HPLC for quantifying ligands on NMs, which does not require a multistep sample preparation workflow such as qNMR for many NMs and provides a higher sensitivity. These findings can pave the road to future applications of versatile HPLC methods in NM characterization.

Insectivorous bats forage opportunistically on ephemeral prey. However, fluctuating resources in open agricultural landscapes pose challenges, especially during energetically demanding periods such as lactation. While protected semi-natural dry grasslands provide more stable conditions compared to unpredictable croplands, it remains unclear how bats choose between these two habitats when they are adjacent. We investigated fine-scale foraging choices of bats by comparing feeding intensity on a short distance between cropland and adjacent dry grassland. We accounted for interaction effects of agricultural management and season, reflecting resource availability and energetic requirements. Data were obtained through repeated acoustic monitoring of 25 pairs of crop and grassland in different agricultural areas in Germany. In early summer, when energy demands peak, open-space bats showed higher feeding intensity on dry grasslands than on conventionally managed cropland. A similar pattern emerged for edge-space bats when grasslands had more shrubs and trees. Conversely, bats preferred high-quality organic cropland over adjacent grassland in heterogeneous landscapes. In late summer, the foraging choices were generally less pronounced. By examining interaction effects of landscape and seasonal variables on feeding intensity, we revealed bats’ small-scale selections of habitats offering comparatively higher foraging value within a given spatial and temporal context, especially during energetically critical periods. Understanding bats’ seasonal flexibility in habitat selection is crucial for developing effective and future-oriented conservation strategies. We emphasize the importance of incorporating alternative habitats such as dry grasslands as potential foraging refuges into conservation planning to enhance bat resilience amid ongoing agricultural intensification and environmental changes.

Rising temperatures and frequent heatwaves pose a major threat to ectotherms due to their reliance on environmental temperature for physiological processes. Thermal tolerance, the ability to withstand varying temperature, determines how effectively and efficiently individuals can survive under extreme conditions. Host–microbial symbiotic interactions can influence thermal tolerance in insects; however, we have limited information especially for some endosymbionts such as gregarines, a group of apicomplexan endoparasites, which are commonly found in the guts of many aquatic and terrestrial insects. Gregarines are often considered parasitic, while a few recent studies have shown beneficial effects on hosts. Here, we tested the impact of gregarines on thermal tolerance in Ischnura heterosticta damselflies. We found that damselflies naturally infected with gregarines had higher thermal tolerance than damselflies without gregarine infections. Our findings provide evidence in support of gregarines as an endosymbiont of I. heterosticta damselfly. Our study indicates that gregarine endosymbionts may assist damselfly and possibly other semi-aquatic insects to sustain extreme heat and highlights the importance of understanding host–symbiont interactions in the context of climate change and species conservation.

Nanofibers, particularly multi-walled carbon nanotubes, have attracted attention for their exceptional properties, but concerns remain about their potential health hazards due to their fiber-like morphology. Although bio-durable nanofibers may cause cancer upon inhalation, only rigid nanofibers may exhibit morphology-driven pathogenicity. Since no validated methods exist for assessing their rigidity, alternative approaches are needed that comply with the 3R principles (Replacement, Reduction, Refinement) and the European Commission efforts to foster alternatives to animal testing. This study aims to advance the development of a harmonized test method for nanofibers toxicity by comparing effects of selected carbon-based nanomaterials (NMs) with different morphologies: a nanofiber (Mitsui-7-JRCNM40011a), an elongated material (NM-400) and a particle (Printex-90). Therefore, in vitro toxicological screening and proteomic investigations were employed using differentiated THP-1 (dTHP-1) macrophage-like cells. First, we evaluated cytotoxicity and pro-inflammatory responses of the different dTHP-1 phenotypes (M0, M1 and M2) to evaluate their sensitivity, and thus selected the M0 phenotype for further oxidative and lysosomal investigations: Mitsui-7-JRCNM40011a caused, besides increased cytotoxicity and pro-inflammatory effects, oxidative stress and lysosomal dysfunction. Moreover, decreased levels of 25 lysosomal proteins, including five cathepsins, were detected. These findings deepen the understanding of nanofiber-related toxicity, supporting the development of a reliable in vitro testing strategy.

Artificial light at night can strongly alter organismal traits, but its role in shaping species interactions remains poorly understood, especially so in aquatic ecosystems. By capitalizing on a recently discovered antagonistic interaction between a brood-parasitic flatworm and Daphnia magna water fleas, we tested whether this interaction depends on exposure to artificial light at night. During a 19 day laboratory population growth experiment, we manipulated flatworm presence and night-time light conditions in a full-factorial design. We confirmed the negative effects of flatworm predation on Daphnia abundance at the population level. Importantly, we showed that the flatworm-caused reduction in the final population size of Daphnia under artificial light at night was twice as strong (81%) compared to under dark–night conditions (39%). Our findings are relevant when it comes to assessing the impact of artificial light at night on the development of Daphnia populations and thus top-down control of phytoplankton. Freshwater ecosystems in urbanized areas, where this parasitic interaction was first encountered, may be especially at risk, as these are typically exposed to high levels of stress factors, including light pollution.

For a comparative study, we obtained 27 different commercially available graphene oxide samples (GOs) from around the world and applied a wide range of destructive and non-destructive analytical techniques commonly used for structural analysis of graphene-based materials. Surprisingly, we found that a correlation of the recorded data did not follow significantly strong trends. This suggests that the fine structure and stereochemistry of individual GO samples, together with other macroscopic material parameters, are mainly responsible for the lack of comparability of the data obtained. Ultimately, these factors have a huge impact on the thermal degradation processes and also on the performance of GO in its subsequent application, as exemplified here for ion-water separation by reverse osmosis using GO-based membranes. This shows once again that graphene oxide is not the name of a single and well-defined nanomaterial, but rather the general term for a class of heterogeneous graphene-based materials with abundant oxo-functional groups and a wide range of physicochemical properties. The results presented should help researchers around the world to be aware of the vast differences behind the term GO and its associated properties.

Land is a vital natural resource for the environment and socio-economic activities. Competing interests over land often lead to conflicts among actors with varying levels of power and influence, which are frequently linked to land-use changes. However, due to its complexity, the intricate relationship between land-use changes and associated conflicts remains underexplored. The Atlantic Forest of South America, a bio-culturally rich ecoregion, has experienced significant land-use changes over the last five centuries, including deforestation, agricultural expansion, urban development, and resulting land conflicts. Our study reviews, geolocates, and characterizes land conflicts in the Atlantic Forest from 1985 using a mixed-methods review and ordination of typologies of land conflicts. Results revealed disparities in indexed sources among Brazil, Argentina, and Paraguay, with Brazil dominating the production of sources. The identified land-conflict typologies reflected each country's socio-environmental history. In Brazil, agribusiness expansion displaced small producers and farmers; Argentina's forestry industry clashed with rural and indigenous communities; and Paraguay faced rapid deforestation and intensified land use driven by large landowners with the support of local authorities. These conflicts have caused severe social and environmental impacts, including land grabbing and forced land abandonment. This study is, to our knowledge, the first to spatially characterize land conflict typologies across a South American complex triple frontier. By providing interdisciplinary insights, it contributes to informing just territorial planning and a holistic understanding of land conflicts in the Atlantic Forest.

Extant scholarship in project studies is calling for fertilizing across disciplines to pave the way to stronger theorizing. This essay responds to this call by spurring a debate on how to theorize temporary organizing in new and creative ways — both broadly and with a particular focus on projects, arguably the most prevalent form of such organizing. We propose addressing projects and other forms of temporary organization as processual, practice-based phenomena that provide ample opportunities to foster cross-fertilization, in particular between the related disciplines of organization and project studies. To this end, we argue that theoretical advancements in a discipline can occur on a spectrum—ranging from leveraging reference theories from related fields (a top-down approach) to developing home-grown theories grounded in empirical research (a bottom-up approach). This spectrum serves as the foundation for this essay, as we develop this processual, practice-based perspective to project studies by illustrating how (1) reference theories from organization studies such as practice-driven institutionalism generate new insights on temporary organizing and (2) home-grown theories of temporary organizing generated by studying projects and other forms of temporary organization may have theoretical and practical implications beyond project studies.

The free-range poultry industry is faced with numerous challenges that contribute significantly to the flock’s variability in egg production. Forecasting fluctuations and egg laying rate for commercial flocks is important as it allows early implementation of proactive farm management decisions thereby minimising unexpected interruptions to the production rate. This study employed a Random Forest model to forecast egg production fluctuations and near-future laying rates of commercial free-range hens. Datasets from a single free-range commercial farm, comprising 7 flocks including production and environmental variables were used in a machine learning workflow. The workflow involved the use of a classification task to detect problematic fluctuations in egg production and a regression task to forecast laying rates. This approach provides an understanding of the requirements to forecast production measures feasibly with a level of sensitivity and precision suitable for a decision support system. The results from this study showed that the 28-day data window had the best performance, with a 5-day forecast interval. For the classification task, the AUC values were above 0.9 and sensitivity scores exceeded 0.85 indicating the model's ability to predict the problematic production days, while PPV values around 0.4 suggests a relatively high rate of false positives. For the regression task, the RMSE value was 2.5% demonstrating accurate forecasting of laying rates, with lower error rates. Feature importance analysis revealed that production variables such as laying and mortality rates strongly predict laying performance rather than environmental variables. The findings from this study will build towards the development a decision support system for free-range egg producers.

Glutamine (Gln) supplementation has been shown to improve bodyweight (BW) in suckling low birthweight (LBiW) pigs. However, it is not known if Gln has lasting effects on growth and stress resilience beyond the supplementation period in LBiW suckling pigs. Therefore, we explored if post-Gln supplementation LBiW pigs show reduced stress during weaning and a lipopolysaccharide challenge. Twenty pairs of male German Landrace littermate piglets, originating from 14 L with 12 to 22 (live and stillborn) piglets, were selected at birth (0 d of age). One littermate was LBiW (mean 1.10 ± 0.02 kg; n = 20; below the lowest BiW quartile of the FBN pig facility) and the other normal (NBiW; mean 1.48 ± 0.02 kg; n = 20; within the middle 50th BiW quartile) birthweight. At 24 h postfarrowing, litter sizes were standardized to 12 piglets, and experimental LBiW and NBiW piglets assigned to Gln (1 g/kg BW/d) or alanine (Ala: isonitrogenous control to Gln; 1.22 g/kg BW/d) supplementation groups (LBiW-Gln, LBiW-Ala, NBiW-Gln, and NBiW-Ala). Piglets were orally supplemented 3 times daily (0700, 1200, and 1700), from 1 to 12 d of age, and remained with their birth litter until weaning at 28 d of age. At 55 d of age, pigs were challenged with lipopolysaccharide (i.p. 100 µg/kg BW) and euthanized at 61 d of age. The piglets were weighed, and their abdominal circumference, crown-rump length, body mass index and ponderal index were determined. Plasma metabolites, amino acids, TNF-α, and white blood cell counts were also measured. At birth, LBiW pigs were lighter (P = 0.002), had a shorter crown-rump length (P = 0.02), a smaller abdominal circumference (P = 0.02), a lower body mass index (P < 0.001), and plasma glucose (P = 0.07) but higher inositol (P = 0.001) levels, than their NBiW littermates. From pre- (27 d) to postweaning (32 d), the lymphocyte percentage decreased, and the segmented neutrophil percentage and the neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio increased in LBiW-Ala (P < 0.001), NBiW-Ala and NBiW-Gln (P < 0.05) pigs. Postlipopolysaccharide-challenge, TNF-α was lower at 1 h in Gln than Ala-supplemented pigs (P < 0.05). In conclusion, LBiW piglets had zootechnical and metabolic markers associated with impaired development at birth, and supplementation with Gln moderately improved immune markers of stress during weaning, and reduced the TNF-α peak in LBiW and NBiW pigs during a lipopolysaccharide challenge. However, no effect on LBiW piglet bodyweight was observed.

A 10-year-old mixed-breed dog was presented with progressive neurological deficits suggestive of polyneuropathy. CT and MRI revealed no relevant abnormalities, whereas the CSF analysis showed a marked lymphocytic pleocytosis, immunocytochemically classified as T-cell lymphoma. Chemotherapy ensued with no improvement of clinical signs. Cerebrospinal fluid reanalysis still revealed a mild lymphocytic pleocytosis. MRI of the brain and spinal cord solely showed a reduced ventral subarachnoid and epidural space (Th11-L2) and mild enlargement of the central canal in this area. Postmortem examination revealed thickening of the spinal nerve roots and ganglia. Histologically, a marked intraspinal-subdural and intraneural, as well as intra-ganglionic, infiltration by large lymphocytes in the peripheral nervous system was visible. Immunohistochemically, the infiltrating lymphoblasts were CD3 positive, confirming T-cell origin. Neurolymphomatosis is a rarely described neoplastic disease in dogs. The present case highlights the importance of analysis of CSF in neurologically abnormal dogs.

Microplastics (MPs) are widespread contaminants in agroecosystems, with potential implications for soil microbial communities, plant growth, and crop-weed interactions. This study investigates how MPs of different particle sizes influence crop-weed competition by altering soil microbial communities. Through a controlled greenhouse experiment, we examined the effects of 50 μm and 500 μm polyethylene (PE) MPs on competition between Eruca sativa (crop) and Amaranthus retroflexus (weed). We specifically analyzed shifts in bacterial and fungal community composition, microbial functional groups, and interkingdom microbial networks. Our results indicate that MPs negatively affect plant growth, with larger MPs (500 μm) increasing the competitive advantage of weeds over crops. MPs also alter soil microbial dynamics, leading to a shift in bacterial-fungal interactions from bacterial to fungal dominance with increasing PE particle size. Specifically, smaller MPs (50 μm) promoted bacterial functional groups associated with carbon cycling, whereas larger MPs increased the relative abundance of fungal plant pathogens. Additionally, larger MPs significantly reduced crop biomass, likely due to nutrient cycling disruptions and increased pathogen pressure, ultimately favoring weed competitiveness. This study provides new insights into how MPs pollution influences soil microbial dynamics and crop-weed interactions in agroecosystems.

Salespeople often resist selling radical innovations. This study identifies a key barrier: salespeople's fear of losing face in customer interactions. Based on a theories-in-use study with 69 experts and two surveys of 190 and 204 industrial salespeople, we show that this fear stems from anticipated consultation failures—such as giving incorrect information, lacking answers, or breaking promises—that may harm their professional image. The fear is most pronounced among those with high self-expectations, low change readiness, and limited experience. Our findings encourage managers to strengthen consultation resources, select or train for change readiness and experience, and realign role expectations to reduce face-related fears and support the successful commercialization of radical innovations.

We prove that random hypergraphs are asymptotically almost surely resiliently Hamiltonian. Specifically, for any gamma > 0 and k >= 3, we show that asymptotically almost surely, every subgraph of the binomial random h-uniform hypergraph G((k))(n, n(gamma-1)) in which all (h-1)-sets are contained in at least (1/2 + 2 gamma)pn edges has a tight Hamilton cycle. This is a cyclic ordering of the n vertices such that each consecutive h vertices forms an edge.

We present and characterize advanced attacks on an ensemble-based quantum token protocol that allows for implementing non-clonable quantum coins. Multiple differently initialized tokens of identically prepared qubit ensembles are combined to a quantum coin that can be issued by a bank. A sophisticated attempt to copy tokens can assume that measurements on sub-ensembles can be carried through and that even individual qubits can be measured. Even though such an advanced attack might be perceived as technically unfeasible, we prove the security of the protocol under these conditions. We performed numerical simulations and verified our results by experiments on the IBM quantum platforms for different types of advanced attacks. Finally, we demonstrate that the security of the quantum coin can be made high by increasing the number of tokens. This paper in conjunction with provided numerical simulation tools verified against experimental data from the IBM quantum platforms allows for securely implementing our ensemble-based quantum token protocol with arbitrary quantum systems.

This paper theorizes that individuals’ tax compliance attitudes are characterized not only by interpersonal heterogeneity but also by intrapersonal heterogeneity. Utilizing three online surveys, we develop a multidimensional taxpayer typology based on factor and cluster analysis. Our findings underscore that taxpayers can be classified into two categories: (a) moralists and (b) rationalists. Notably, rationalists consistently exhibit lower tax compliance levels than their moralist counterparts. We introduce a questionnaire labeled the Tax Compliance Attitude Inventory (TCAI) alongside a classification algorithm. These tools enable users to categorize individuals in any dataset, applying the TCAI, as moralists and rationalists. The heterogeneity in taxpayer attitudes can primarily be attributed to differences in four key factors: (i) morale, (ii) monetary benefit, (iii) deterrence, and (iv) authority. Lastly, to demonstrate the practical application of our findings, we present an online experiment that tests our results using incentivized and out-of-sample data. Overall, this work provides an instrument for assessing taxpayer attitudes, predicting individuals’ tax compliance intentions, and personalizing behavioral interventions.

At the end of the sixth and the beginning of the fifth millennium BC, inhabitants of the areas in and around the Aegean Sea started to use native or pure metals (copper, gold, and silver) to make tools and ornaments. As a dynamic period in terms of exchange and technical innovations, the Late Neolithic/Chalcolithic provided an ideal background for the first metalwork practices of Greece. More than 370 objects have been recorded so far as evidence of this craft. Knowledge about their manufacturing processes is scarce: neither workshops nor tools have been securely identified yet. However, technical actions have left traces on the objects, still visible when the object is not too corroded. These can be distinguished on their surface under digital microscope (Dino-Lite), up to a magnification of x250. After testing different technical processes through experimental archaeology, one can compare the archaeological and experimental traces. This approach has been conducted for the study of copper finds from northern Greece (Sitagroi, Dikili Tash, Kryoneri, and Dimitra). It allows us to suggest a set of manufacturing techniques integrated in the context of early metalworking.