Coxsackievirus A6 (CV-A6) has emerged as the predominant causative agent of hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD) in young children. Since the declaration of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) as a global pandemic, the incidence of infectious diseases, including HFMD, has decreased markedly. When social mitigation was relaxed during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2022, re-emergence of HFMD was observed in Gwangju, South Korea, and seasonal characteristics of the disease appeared to have changed. To investigate the molecular characteristics of enterovirus (EV) associated with HFMD during 2022, 277 specimens were collected. Children aged under 5 years accounted for the majority of affected individuals. EV detection and genotyping were performed using real-time RT-PCR and nested RT-PCR followed by sequence analysis. EV detection rate was found to be 82.3%, and the main genotype identified was CV-A6. Sixteen CV-A6 samples were selected for whole genome sequencing. According to phylogenetic analysis, all CV-A6 strains from this study belonged to the sub-genotype D3 clade based on VP1 sequences. Analysis of 3D polymerase phylogeny showed that only the recombinant RF-A group was identified. In conclusion, circulating EV types should be continuously monitored to understand pathogen emergence and evolution during the post-pandemic era.

In Rwanda, more than 90% of the population is insured for health care. Despite the comprehensiveness of health insurance coverage in Rwanda, some health services at partner institutions are not available, causing insured patients to pay unintended cost. We aimed to analyze the effect of health insurance on health care utilization and factors associated with the use of health care services in Rwanda. This is an analysis of secondary data from the Rwanda integrated living condition survey 2016-2017. The survey gathered data from 14580 households, and decision tree and multilevel logistic regression models were applied. Among 14580 households only (20%) used health services. Heads of households aged between [56-65] years (AOR=1.28, 95% CI:1.02-1.61), aged between [66-75] years (AOR=1.52, 95% CI: 1.193-1.947), aged over 76 years (AOR=1.48, 95% CI:1.137-1.947), households with health insurance (AOR=4.57, 95% CI: 3.97-5.27) displayed a significant increase in the use of health services. This study shows evidence of the effect of health insurance on health care utilization in Rwanda: a significant increase of 4.57 times greater adjusted odds of using health services compared to those not insured. The findings from our research will guide policymakers and provide useful insights within the Rwanda context as well as for other countries that are considering moving towards universal health coverage through similar models.

Urban tree planting initiatives can experience high levels of mortality during establishment years. Mortality tied to the stresses of transplanting can be partially negated or exacerbated depending on the species selected, nursery materials used, site conditions present, and management practices employed. Past research has quantified post-planting survival, health, and growth. However, varying climates, species, land use types, and management practices warrant additional region-specific research. The purpose of this study is to assess the success of plantings along Florida highways and identify species, site, and management factors related to tree and palm health and establishment. Results show high annual establishment survival (98.5%) across 21 planting projects ranging from 9 to 58 months after installation, (n = 2711). For transplanted palms, the presence of on-site irrigation significantly improved establishment from 96.2% to 99.4%. No establishment differences were detected with regard to irrigation treatment for small-stature trees, shade trees, and conifers. Additionally, there were significant differences in tree health response among tree groups given species, management, and site factors.

This paper introduces a novel method for accurately calculating the upper biomass of single trees using Light Detection And Ranging (LiDAR) point cloud data. The proposed algorithm involves classifying the tree point cloud into two distinct ones: the trunk point cloud and the crown point cloud. Each part is then processed using specific techniques to create a 3D model and determine its volume. The trunk point cloud is segmented based on individual stems, with each stem further divided into slices that are modeled as cylinders. On the other hand, the crown point cloud is analyzed by calculating its footprint and gravity center. The footprint is further divided into angular sectors, with each being used to create a rotating surface around the vertical line passing through the gravity center. All models are represented in a matrix format, simplifying the process of minimizing and calculating the tree’s upper biomass, consisting of crown biomass and trunk biomass. To validate the proposed approach, both terrestrial and airborne datasets are utilized. A comparison with existing algorithms in the literature confirms the effectiveness of the new method. The study shows that the proposed algorithm achieves an average fit between 0.01 m and 0.49 m for individual trees.

Since the first reported case of COVID-19 in December 2019, several SARS-CoV-2 variants has evolved and some of them have shown higher transmissibility becoming the prevalent strains. Genomic epidemiological investigations into strains from different time points including the early stages of the pandemic are very crucial for understanding the evolution and transmission patterns. Using whole genome sequences, our study describes the early landscape of SARS-CoV-2 variants in central India retrospectively (including the first known occurrence of SARS-CoV-2 in Madhya Pradesh). We performed amplicon based whole genome sequencing of randomly selected SARS-CoV-2 isolates (n=38) collected between 2020-2022 at state level VRDL, ICMR-NIRTH, Jabalpur from 11899 RT-qPCR positive samples. We observed the presence of five lineages namely B.1, B.1.1, B.1.36.8, B.1.195 and B.6 in 19 genomes from the first wave cases and variants of concern (VOC) lineages i.e. B.1.617.2 (Delta), and BA.2.10 (Omicron) in the second wave cases. There was a shift in mutational pattern of SRAS-CoV-2 strains from the second wave in contrast to the first wave. We have identified five immune escape variants in the S gene: P681R, P681H, L452R, Q57H, and N501Y in the isolates collected during the second wave. Furthermore, these genomes were compared with 2160 complete genome sequences reported from central India that encompass 109 different SARS-CoV-2 lineages. Among them, VOC lineages Delta (28.93%), and Omicron (56.11%) were circulating predominantly in this region. This study provides useful insights into the genetic diversity of SARS-CoV-2 strains over the initial course of the COVID-19 pandemic in central India.

This article delves into the pivotal role that biodiversity of soil microbes plays in bolstering tree health and overall agroecosystem productivity. With the advent of regenerative agricultural practices, there has been a resurgence of interest in understanding the complex interactions between soil microbiota and plant roots, particularly through processes like rhizophagy. Rhizophagy, the digestion of living root cells by soil microorganisms, stands out as a fundamental mechanism in nutrient cycling and overall tree vitality. By examining the impact of enhanced microbial diversity on tree health, we shed light on the practical applications, such as the utilization of the BEAM Inoculant product, which has demonstrated remarkable efficacy in augmenting soil health and, consequently, tree Vigor

Candida albicans, a significant human pathogen due to its biofilm-forming ability, poses a serious health risk. This study investigates the antifungal activity and biofilm inhibition potential of Tea Tree Oil (TTO) from Melaleuca alternifolia cultivated in Vietnam. Renowned for its bioactive compounds, including terpinen-4-ol, 1,8-cineole, and terpinolene, the essential oil of M. alternifolia, commonly referred to as TTO, is scrutinized for its impact on C. albicans. The study meticulously determines the Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) and Minimum Fungicidal Concentration (MFC) of TTO against C. albicans in both planktonic and biofilm states. Additionally, it assesses the biofilm-forming capacity of C. albicans and establishes the Minimum Biofilm Inhibitory Concentration (MBIC) and Minimum Biofilm Eradication Concentration (MBEC) of TTO. Employing a liquid culture dilution method within a defined concentration range of 0.1 μL/mL to 10 μL/mL, the experimental approach adheres to established protocols. The outcomes reveal a noteworthy MIC and MIC₈₀ of 0.1 μL/mL and 2 μL/mL, respectively, and an MFC of 10 μL/mL for TTO against C. albicans. Furthermore, TTO exhibits an MBIC of 2 μL/mL, showcasing its efficacy in inhibiting biofilm formation. However, the MBEC of TTO remains uncertain, possibly due to insufficient concentration tested, which may not effectively disrupt over 50% of the pre-formed biofilm mass within 24 hours. These findings highlight TTO’s significant potential as both an antifungal agent and a biofilm inhibitor against C. albicans, providing essential insights that could guide the development of new therapeutic approaches for treating fungal infections.

The rapid development of LiDAR technology has promoted great changes in forest resource surveys. The airborne LiDAR point cloud can provide precise tree height and detailed vertical structure of the tree stands. Coordinating some representative ground sample plots, LiDAR can be used to estimate key forest resource indicators such as forest stock volume, diameter at breast height, and forest biomass at a large scale. By establishing relationship models between the forest parameters of sample plots and the calculated parameters of LiDAR, these developments may eventually expand the models to large-scale forest resource surveys of entire areas. In this study, eight sample plots in northeast China are used to verify and update the information using point cloud obtained by the LiDAR scanner riegl-vq-1560i. Firstly, the tree crowns are segmented using the profile-rotating algorithm, and dominant trees height are used to check and rectify the tree locations. Secondly, considering the correlation between forestry parameters and tree species, we establish models to distinguish between species using geometric characteristics of tree crowns. Thirdly, when the tree species is known, parameters such as height, crown width, diameter at breast height, biomass and stock volume can be extracted from trees. The prediction models of forestry parameters can also be verified, which can be extended to accurate large-scale forestry surveys based on LiDAR data. Finally, experiment results demonstrate that the F-score of the eight plots in the tree segmentation exceed 0.95, the accuracy of tree species correction exceeds 90%, and the R2 of tree height, east-west canopy width, north-south canopy width, diameter at breast height, above-ground biomass and stock volume are 0.893, 0.757, 0.694, 0.840, 0.896 and 0.891, respectively. The above results indicate that the LiDAR-based estimation of forestry parameters is practical and that these forestry parameter prediction models can be widely applied in forest resource monitoring.

Arborists commonly investigate the extent of stem decay to assess the likelihood of stem failure when conducting tree risk assessments. Studies have shown that (i) arborists can sometimes judge the extent of internal decay based on external signs; (ii) sophisticated tools can reliably illustrate the extent of internal decay; and (iii) assessing components of tree risk can be highly subjective. We recruited 18 experienced tree risk assessors who held the International Society of Arboriculture’s Tree Risk Assessment Qualification (TRAQ) to assess the likelihood of stem failure due to decay after each of 5 consecutive assessments on 30 individuals of 2 genera. Five assessment techniques, in stepwise order, were 1) visual, 2) sounding the trunk with a mallet, 3) viewing a scaled diagram of the cross-section that revealed sound and decayed wood ascertained from resistance drilling, 4) viewing sonic and electrical resistance tomograms, and 5) consulting with a peer. For each technique, assessors assigned two or more likelihood of failure ratings (LoFRs) for at least 83% of trees, which were proportionally greatest after assessors viewed tomograms; the proportions did not differ among the other four assessment techniques. Covariates that influenced the distribution of LoFRs included percent of the cross-section that was decayed, and assessors’ experience using resistance drilling devices and tomography in regular practice. Practitioners should be aware that disagreement on the likelihood of tree failure exists even among experienced arborists.

The present study aimed to date the death of Korean red pine (Pinus densiflora Siebold & Zucc.) at Sogwang-ri, where is famous for the Korean red pine forests in Korea, using a dendrochronological method, and to investigate the effect of climatic factors on the death and growth decline of the pine trees. For the study, 51 Korean red pines were selected from three stands (Jungmi-gol A, Jungmi-gol B, and Neonam-gol) in the study area, and for the ring-width measurement the increment cores were extracted from the selected trees. The stand chronologies for the Jungmi-gol and Neonam-gol were established using the mean values of individual time series of the living trees from each site, and the chronologies were further used for cross-dating with individual time series of the dead trees to date their death. The abrupt growth reduction was also investigated based on the consecutive ring-width growth decline trend to know the vitality during the living. Results revealed that the red pines at Jungmi-gol A were dead in 2020, at Jungmi-gol B in 2012 or 2013, and at Neonam-gol in 2019. So, it was verified that the death of the red pines at the study sites occurred from high to low elevations. In the analysis of the role of climate in the annual ring growth, the trees at Jungmi-gol A and B located on the southwest slope showed more ring-width growth when precipitation in April, July, and August were increasing, at Neoman-gol located on the north slope when precipitation only in July was increasing. Although the correlations of the ring-width growths at the sites with temperature and precipitation were somehow different from each other, Drought Stress Index (DSI) from May to September at all sites were all negative. Therefore, water stress caused by increased temperature and decreased precipitation is the most significant climatic parameter for the death or growth decline of the pine trees in the study area.

The process of rainfall interception by tree organs is crucial in mitigating the impact of intense rainfall on urban drainage systems, particularly in the context of climate change. this study selected ten commonly found tree species in Shanghai. Main parts of trees, including leaves, branches, and bark, were collected to analyze their ability to intercept rainwater. The optimized Artificial Rainfall Simulation System (ARSS) was applied to simulate the rainfall. The time-changing process of rainwater interception in three organs was measured during a 180-minute rainfall event which under four different rainfall intensities (4, 8, 12, and 16 mm/h, respectively). Process models of rainwater interception in different organs were fitted with adsorption kinetic equations. The rainwater interception process of tree organs complied with the quasi 2nd-order adsorption kinetic equation. The rainwater interception capacity of leaves, branches, and bark of ten urban tree species ranged from 0.05 to 0.34 mm, 0.13 to 0.24 mm, and 0.29 to 1.22 mm, respectively. The rainwater interception capacity of three organs significantly differs (p<0.05). It reveals that bark exhibits the highest rainwater interception ability. Coniferous tree species have a greater ability to intercept rainwater than broad-leaved tree species. There are also differences in the rainwater interception ability of trees in urban and natural areas.

Tree ordinances can be an effective means of preserving urban forests in the face of development pressures. Despite this, they also have the potential to be divisive among the public - especially when applied to privately-owned land. In this study we surveyed 1,716 Florida urban residents to understand how they value regulation and management of the urban forest. Specifically, we asked about: tree protection ordinances, incentive programs to manage or plant trees, justification for tree removal, and development. Most respondents supported tree protections, even when applied to trees on their own property or when they had the potential to limit development activities. Additionally, there was limited support for removing healthy trees for development. Respondents supported the use of funds for urban forestry efforts – particularly at the local or state level.

Practitioners who assess the risk associated with urban trees often factor in the presence or absence of visual tree defects when determining whether a tree may fail. While these defects are a main fixture in many tree risk assessment systems and best management practices, the research supporting their usefulness in predicting tree failure during storms is limited. When looking at past research involving populations of storm-damaged trees, there are several defects that have never predicted failure (or have been associated with reduced rates of failure). In this study, we took a closer look at four such defects: codominant branches; branch unions with included bark; multiple stems originating from the same point; and overextended branches. After Hurricane Ian, we revisited 1519 risk assessed trees where one of these four defects was identified as the primary condition of concern. Fourteen of these trees experienced branch failure during the storm (which hit the study area as a downgraded tropical storm). Upon closer inspection, none of these failures occurred at the defect of concern. Our findings indicate that none of the defects assessed appeared to increase the likelihood of tree failure in the species tested. Our results are in line with past research on these defects derived from post-storm assessments and analysis.

Video segmentation is crucial in a variety of practical applications especially in computer visions. Most of recent works in video segmentation are focusing on Deep learning based video segmentation, there are rooms for improvement in respect of the evolutionary algorithms. This paper aims to propose the novel method to video segmentation by using the optimization of segmentation parameters based on ensemble-based random forest and gradient boosting decision tree. The experimental results show Pareto front of segmentation parameters (hue, brightness, luminance, and saturation). Our optimization model yields accuracy: 85% +/-8.85 % (micro average: 85.00 %), average class precision: 84.88%, and average class recall: 85%. We also show the video segmentation results based on our optimization method and compare our results with Kinect-based video segmentation.

The use of chemical pesticides in agriculture contributes to soil, water and air pollution, biodiversity loss and can harm non-target species. The European Commission has already established a Harmonized Risk Indicator to quantify the progress in reducing the risks linked to pesticides. Therefore, there is an increasing need to promote biopesticides or so-called low-risk pesticides (LRP). Extract from Melaleuca alternifolia – tea tree oil (TTO) is known for its antiseptic, antimicrobial, antiviral, antifungal, and anti-inflammatory properties. Tea tree oil has been extensively studied in pest management as well as in the pharmaceutical and cosmetic industry and there are already products based on its active substances on the market. This review focuses on the overall evaluation of tea tree oil in terms of effectiveness and safety as a biopesticide for the first time. The collected data can be an added value for further evaluation of tea tree oil in terms of the authorization extension as a fungicide in 2026.

Effective development of digital twins of real-world objects requires sophisticated data collection techniques and algorithms for automated modeling of individual objects. In City Information Modeling (CIM) systems, individual buildings can be modeled automatically at the second Level Of Detail or LOD 2. Similarly, automated solutions for 3D modeling of individual trees at different levels of details are required for Tree Information Modeling (TIM) and building Forest Digital Twins (FDT). The existing algorithms support the automated modeling of trees by generating models of the canopy and the lower part of the trunk. Our work in this paper is based on the assumption that, similar to the canopy shape, the structure of tree trunk and branches is also an important consideration. An algorithm for automated modeling of tree trunks is proposed. Aiming to generate 3D models of tree trunks, the suggested approach starts by extracting the trunk point cloud, which is then segmented into single stems. Finally, the individual stems are modeled by dividing them into slices. The geometry of the developed tree models is represented in a matrix format. This solution enables automatic comparisons of tree elements over time, which is necessary for monitoring changes in forest stands and promoting sustainable forest management. Despite the huge variation of trunk geometric forms, the proposed modeling approach can gain an accuracy of better than 4 cm in the constructed tree trunk models.

We introduce NodeFlow, a flexible framework for probabilistic regression on tabular data that combines Neural Oblivious Decision Ensemble (NODE) and Conditional Continuous Normalizing Flows (CNF). It offers improved modeling capabilities for arbitrary probabilistic distributions, addressing the limitations of traditional parametric approaches. In NodeFlow, the NODE captures complex relationships in tabular data through a tree-like structure, while the conditional CNF utilizes the NODE’s output space as a conditioning factor. The training process of NodeFlow employs standard gradient-based learning, facilitating end-to-end optimization of the NODEs and CNF-based density estimation. This approach ensures outstanding performance, ease of implementation, and scalability, making NodeFlow an appealing choice for practitioners and researchers. Comprehensive assessments on benchmark datasets underscore NodeFlow’s efficacy, revealing its achievement of state-of-the-art outcomes in multivariate probabilistic regression setup and its strong performance in univariate regression tasks. Furthermore, ablation studies are conducted to justify the design choices of NodeFlow. In conclusion, NodeFlow’s end-to-end training process and strong performance make it a compelling solution for practitioners and researchers. Additionally, it opens new avenues for research and application in the field of probabilistic regression on tabular data.

Reducing GHG emissions is a crucial challenge in urban areas, characterized by high energy consumption and reduced exposure to nature. In this context, the urban green system could play a pivotal role. In the literature, scholars analyzed both the ability of species-specific and layout-specific green infrastructures to increase carbon sequestration and the best location sites of new green infrastructures, to increase the provision of overall ecosystem services. There is a lack of studies helping green urban planners and designers choose where and which green infrastructure to implement, based on vegetation species-specific performance and local carbon emissions of city components. This paper uses tree inventory data from a medium-sized city in central Italy (Perugia) to develop a spatial analysis of the urban parks' performance in carbon sequestration. Then, the method evaluates the carbon emission of a public city building to generate a spatialized balance between buildings’ demand and trees’ supply, to support local decisions about the best locations for new green infrastructures and the choice between species. The paper contributes to GIS-based tools that vary the recommended location sites and species for new green infrastructures based on the demanded ecosystem service.

The art of representing source code is pivotal in numerous programming analysis applications. Recent strides in neural networks have marked notable successes in this realm. However, the peculiar structural characteristics inherent in programming languages have not been fully exploited in existing models. While neural models based on abstract syntax trees (ASTs) adeptly manage the tree-like nature of source codes, they fall short in discerning the diverse substructural nuances within programs. This paper introduces the Dynamic Syntax Tree Model (DSTM), an innovative approach that fuses various neural network modules into tree architectures tailored to the specific AST of the input. Distinct from preceding tree-based neural models, DSTM adeptly discerns the semantic variances across different AST substructures. We validate DSTM through rigorous testing in program classification and code clone detection, outperforming contemporary methods and demonstrating the benefits of harnessing intricate source code structures.

The evolution of sentence representation learning, especially with parse tree encoders, has shown remarkable progress. Traditional approaches predominantly rely on recursive encoding of tree structures, which impedes parallel processing capabilities. Additionally, these methods often overlook the significance of dependency tree arc labels. To overcome these limitations, we introduce the Syntax-Enhanced Transformer (SET), incorporating a novel dual-attention mechanism that integrates relation-focused attention alongside traditional self-attention. This design effectively encodes both dependency and spatial positional relationships within sentence dependency trees. Our approach innovatively incorporates syntactic information into the Transformer framework without compromising its inherent parallelizability. The SET demonstrates superior or comparable performance to contemporary methods across various sentence representation tasks, significantly enhancing computational efficiency.

Long-term, multi-decade research on planted tree survival in urban settings is sparse. One understudied urban environment is highway rights-of-way (ROW), lands adjacent to high-speed, unsignalized roadways. We conducted a re-inventory of tree planting cohort in northern Illinois, U.S. on a 48 km-long highway near Chicago which were 10-, 21-, and 30-years old to evaluate long-term patterns of survival and diversity. Using each randomly selected planting site along the highway as a unit of observation and analysis, we compared the number of trees documented in record drawing to the number of trees currently alive to determine percent survival. We evaluated 224 planting sites which originally contained 2,944 trees and collected data about the planting site location. For the oldest cohort, 26% of trees were still alive in 2018 (median survival by species = 16%, Q1 = 0%, Q3 = 48%), while 31% of the 21-year-old cohort (med. = 6%, Q1 = 0%, Q3 = 47%) and 86% of the 10-year-old cohort were still alive (med. = 85%, Q1 = 74%, Q3 = 96%). The survival of the 21- and 30-year-old cohort matches urban tree survival estimates by other researchers, while the 10-year-old survival is higher than expected. The only planting location characteristic that significantly affected survival was traffic islands (areas between the highway and entrance/exit ramps). Species with low drought tolerance were less likely to be alive for the 10-year-old cohort. Waterlogging tolerant species were more likely to be alive in the 10-year-old cohort. Since some species in the 21- and 30-year-old cohorts had very low survival, the tree species richness and diversity s in study areas declined between the initial record drawings and reinventory. This study demonstrates the challenges of maintaining long-term survival and diversity in the highway ROW and emphasizes the importance of species selection.

This paper presents a comparative analysis of several decision models for detecting Structured Query Language (SQL) injection attacks, which remain one of the most prevalent and serious security threats to web applications. SQL injection enables attackers to exploit databases, gaining unauthorized access, and manipulating data. Traditional detection methods often struggle due to the constantly evolving nature of these attacks, the increasing complexity of modern web applications, and the lack of transparency in the decision-making processes of machine learning models. To address these challenges, we evaluated the performance of various models, including Decision Tree, Random Forest, XGBoost, AdaBoost, Gradient Boosting Decision Tree (GBDT), and Histogram Gradient Boosting Decision Tree (HGBDT), using a comprehensive SQL injection dataset. The primary motivation behind our approach is to leverage the strengths of ensemble learning and boosting techniques to enhance detection accuracy and robustness against SQL injection attacks. By systematically comparing these models, we aim to identify the most effective algorithms for SQL injection detection systems. Our experiments show that Decision Tree, Random Forest, and AdaBoost achieved the highest performance, with an accuracy of 99.50% and an F1 score of 99.33%. Additionally, we applied SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) and Local Interpretable Model-agnostic Explanations (LIME) for local explainability, illustrating how each model classifies normal and attack cases. This transparency enhances the trustworthiness of our approach in detecting SQL injection attacks. These findings highlight the potential of ensemble methods to provide reliable and efficient solutions for detecting SQL injection attacks, thereby improving the security of web applications.

To investigate the variation patterns of spectral characteristics of main branches in fruit trees due to uneven distribution of growth, pruning, and fruit quality, as well as to determine the optimal fruit vi-bration harvesting, a vibration differential model of tree branches was constructed using the concen-trated mass method. A three-dimensional model of the fruit tree was built using finite element software. The spectral characteristics of each branch were obtained using the linear sweep frequency method. The method of changing the mass of each branch was employed to simulate the variation in branch mass. The frequency of occurrence, mean acceleration, and coefficient of variation of the inherent frequencies were used as evaluation indicators. The results revealed that when the vibration frequency of the fruit tree was at the peak frequency in the tree trunk spectrum, the frequency of occurrence and mean accel-eration were optimal. And the coefficient of variation of branch acceleration was less than 1, indicating a moderate dispersion. Additionally, reducing the branch mass resulted in an increase in the peak fre-quency of the tree trunk spectrum. Therefore, the growth, pruning, and uneven distribution of the branches in fruit trees can alter the spectral characteristics. When harvesting fruit by vibration, selecting the peak frequency in the trunk vibration spectrum as the excitation force frequency yields the best fruit detachment.

Key elements of Blue-Green Infrastructure are vegetation and stormwater storage. A combination of a bioretention cell with an underlying trench (BC-T) serving as a tree pit is often used in dense urban environments. An adequate ratio of drained area to bioretention cell area is a crucial design parameter. The ratio is derived from the hydrological balance; however, input data are often difficult to obtain or uncertain. The goal is to study the sensitivity of such data (tree water uptake and water holding capacities of soil filter and trench substrate) in the BC-T design. Sensitivity analysis is performed for the setup of a BC-T used in Prague, Czech Republic. A 10-year rainfall series (1 hour resolution) is used as an input. Data that are subject to the sensitivity analysis are changed for different trench exfiltration rates, and the effect on the size of the drained area is studied. At low trench exfiltration rates (1.8 mm.h-1), both the water holding capacity of the trench substrate and potential tree water uptake have a significant influence (more than a 20% change in the size of the drained area) and cannot be neglected. At good exfiltration rates (more than 18 mm.h-1) or when the trench is equipped with an underdrain, all studied parameters can be neglected. However, it is recommended to reduce the size of the drained area by 10-20%.

Tree growth is under the combined influence of abiotic and biotic factors. Trees with different sizes may respond differently to these factors, implying that tree heterogeneity in tree size may also modulate the overall growth trend. To test this hypothesis, we focused on the radial growth trends of natural subalpine forests on the Tibetan Plateau. We first extended the iterative growth model (IGM) to the tree-ring scale (IGMR) to test the applicability of the generalized metabolic growth theory to tree growth. As predicted by the IGMR, the radial growth of trees at the aggregate scale is constrained by a unimodal pattern. Using the IGMR, we reconstructed the historical best growth trajectory (HBGT) of trees within the same community based on the tree with the largest radius and/or longest age in the community. From the average difference between the HBGT and the current radial growth rate of trees with different sizes, we constructed an indicator that can measure the overall variation in tree radial growth. Based on this indicator, we found a negative effect of tree size heterogeneity on the overall variability of tree growth across elevations. Further analysis also revealed that the radial growth rate of trees on the Tibetan Plateau has increased significantly compared to the past, where growing season average temperature and annual minimum temperature were negatively and positively correlated with tree growth below and above the treeline, respectively. Our study not only confirmed that the overall variability of tree growth depends on tree size heterogeneity but also proposed an indicator that reveals net changes in tree radial growth rate relative to the past. These theoretical advances facilitate the understanding of changes in the extent of subalpine forests.

Trees provide key ecosystem services, but the health and sustainability of these plants is under increasing biotic and abiotic threat, including from the growing incidences of non-native invasive plant pests (including pathogens). The island of Ireland (Ireland and Northern Ireland) is generally accepted to have a high plant health status, in part due to its island status and because of the national and international regulations aimed at protecting plant health. To establish a baseline of the current pest threats to tree health for the island of Ireland, the literature and unpublished sources were reviewed to produce a dataset of pests of trees on the island of Ireland. The dataset contains 396 records of pests of trees on the island of Ireland, the majority of pests being arthropods and fungi, and indicating potentially more than 44 non-native pest introductions. The reliability of many (378) of the records was judged to be high, therefore the dataset provides a robust assessment of the state of pests of trees recorded on the island of Ireland. We analyse this dataset and review the history of plant pest invasions, including (i) discussion on notable native and non-native pests of trees, (ii) pest interceptions at borders and (iii) pests and climate change. The dataset establishes an important baseline for the knowledge of plant pests on the island of Ireland, and will be a valuable resource for future plant health research and policy making.

Background: The seventh novel human infecting Betacoronavirus that causes pneumonia (2019 novel coronavirus, 2019-nCoV) originated in Wuhan, China. The evolutionary relationship between 2019-nCoV and the other human respiratory illness-causing coronaviruses is unclear. We sought to characterize the relationship of the translated proteins of 2019-nCoV with other species of Orthocoronavirinae.Methods: A phylogenetic tree was constructed from the genome sequences. A cluster tree was developed from the profiles retrieved from the presence and absence of homologs of ten 2019-nCoV proteins. The combined data were used to characterize the relationship of the translated proteins of 2019-nCoV to other species of Orthocoronavirinae.Results: Our analysis reliably suggests that 2019-nCoV is most closely related to BatCoV RaTG13 and belongs to subgenus Sarbecovirus of Betacoronavirus, together with SARS coronavirus and Bat-SARS-like coronavirus. The phylogenetic profiling cluster of homolog proteins of one annotated 2019-nCoV protein against other genome sequences revealed two clades of ten 2019-nCoV proteins. Clade 1 consisted of a group of conserved proteins in Orthocoronavirinae comprising Orf1ab polyprotein, Nucleocapsid protein, Spike glycoprotein, and Membrane protein. Clade 2 comprised six proteins exclusive to Sarbecovirus and Hibecovirus. Two of six Clade 2 nonstructural proteins, NS7b and NS8, were exclusively conserved among 2019-nCoV, BetaCoV_RaTG, and BatSARS-like Cov. NS7b and NS8 have previously been shown to affect immune response signaling in the SARS-CoV experimental model. Thus, we speculate that knowledge of the functional changes in the NS7b and NS8 proteins during evolution may provide important information to explore the human infective property of 2019-nCoV.

Supplier selection is an important part of supply chain management (SCM) for any organisation to achieve their objectives. The problem has attracted great interest from academics and practitioners. The selection process starts with determining the most important criteria out of a wide range. Many academic researchers apply multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) techniques for supplier selection. However, the complexity of such approaches may increase significantly, especially when considering a large number of suppliers and selection criteria. This paper proposes an integrated approach combining machine learning classification with the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) to select and evaluate the most suitable supplier. A Decision Tree (DT) classifier is used to select the most important criteria, instead of applying AHP on the complete set of criteria. The applicability of the approach is demonstrated using data from Libyan companies. Results show that decision trees can successfully lead to a most important subset of selection criteria, which would lead to a less complex application of AHP.

Pruning is one of the most important tree fruit production activities, which is highly dependent on human labor. Skilled labor is in short supply, and the increasing cost of labor is becoming a big issue for the tree fruit industry. Growers are motivated to seek mechanical or robotic solutions for reducing the amount of hand labor required for pruning. This paper reviews the research and development of sensing and automated systems for branch pruning for tree fruit production. Horticultural advancements, pruning strategies, 3D structure reconstruction of tree branches, as well as practice mechanisms or robotics are some of the developments that need to be addressed for an effective tree branch pruning system. Our study summarizes the potential opportunities for automatic pruning with machine-friendly modern tree architectures, previous studies on sensor development, and efforts to develop and deploy mechanical/robotic systems for automated branch pruning. We also describe two examples of qualified pruning strategies that could potentially simplify the automated pruning decision and pruning end-effector design. Finally, the limitations of current pruning technologies and other challenges for automated branch pruning are described, and possible solutions are discussed.

Phylogenomics has enriched our understanding that the Tree of Life can have network-like or reticulate structures among some taxa and genes. Non-vertical modes of evolution—such as hybridization/introgression and horizontal gene transfer—deviate from a strictly bifurcating tree model, causing non-treelike patterns. Here, we present a brief overview of a phylogenomic workflow for inferring organismal histories and compare methods for detecting reticulate evolution. We discuss how the timing of coalescent events can help disentangle introgression from incomplete lineage sorting and how horizontal gene transfer events can help determine the relative timing of speciation events. In doing so, we identify pitfalls of certain methods and discuss how to extend their utility across the Tree of Life. Workflows, methods, and future directions discussed herein underscore the need to embrace reticulate evolutionary patterns for understanding the timing and rates of evolutionary events, providing a clearer understanding of life’s history.

Sustainable urban forests require tree acceptance and support. Two groups of respondents: professionals working in urban green areas and individuals with no professional connection with trees revealed their attitudes towards trees by assessing statements in a survey questionnaire. Tree benefits were perceived as much more important than the annoyance. However, 6% of the non-professionals found only negative aspects of trees, proving to be arboriphobes. No arboriphobes and no “tree sceptics” were among the professionals. Around 40% of the respondents in the two groups found the number of trees in the surrounding areas too low. The nuisance caused by trees was seen as more disturbing by younger and lower educated professionals. Women tended to assess trees as more attractive and as having a stronger influence on social relations than men. Men dominated the “tree indifferent” group. The attractiveness of trees and their impact on social relations were related to the place of residence and the level of education among the non-professionals. The level of education of the non-professionals was also connected to being clustered into one of the four abovementioned groups of respondents. A majority of medium and big city dwellers as well as a minority of villagers were in the “tree liking” cluster.

Preserving natural biodiversity of forest ecosystems is one of the greatest challenges of modern, multifunctional forest management. Among the many different groups of forest organisms trees are of major importance as they often act as the so-called foundation species, i.e. species that create conditions on which the existence of virtually all other organisms depends, either directly or indirectly. The essential condition for trees to permanently play this role is their demographic sustainability, which is reflected in the balanced proportions of individuals representing different developmental stages (from seedlings and saplings to mature trees). The main goal of this study was to assess the possibility of tree species occurring in the Białowieża Forest (important biodiversity hotspot) to maintain the role of foundation species in a sustainable manner. Comparison of species-specific, equilibrium vs. actual size distributions revealed that almost half of all trees growing in the Białowieża Forest represent "inappropriate", i.e. occurring in excess compared to the balanced model, species and/or diameter ranges. Similarly high was also the amount of deficits, concerning primarily the smallest trees. It is suggested that, in order to permanently preserve a high biological diversity of the Białowieża Forest, active actions should be taken to bring the current tree diameter distributions as close as possible to the desired sustainable model.

As urban areas expand and populations grow, environmental challenges such as the urban heat island effect, air pollution, and light pollution intensify. The urban heat island effect exacerbates extreme heat conditions, leading to prolonged periods of unhealthy and hazardous environments for both humans and other species. This study investigates the thermal environment associated with the urban heat island effect, focusing on the role of trees in mitigating this issue. Using ENVI-met simulations, the study examines various factors influencing tree cooling effectiveness, including seasonal variations, building shading, transpiration rates, tree placement, and spacing. A new tree-planting strategy is developed based on these findings, aiming to enhance thermal comfort. The study compares the thermal environment of sidewalks under the new tree-planting scheme with the existing arrangement across different months. Results indicate that the new scheme reduces UTCI temperatures by 2.2°C on the hottest day, 0.97°C on the coldest day, and 1.52°C annually in the study area of Los Angeles, demonstrating that the cooling benefits of trees in hot weather outweigh the potential drawbacks in cold weather, highlighting its potential to mitigate the urban heat island effect.

Urban tree classification is pivotal in urban planning and management, facilitating informed decision-making processes. In this study, we introduce a novel data presentation method termed Pseudo Tree Crown, designed to enhance the accuracy and efficiency of urban tree classification. Leveraging the latest advancements in artificial intelligence (AI), we employ a state-of-the-art classification scheme, PyTorch, to maximize the accuracy of tree classification. Our results demonstrate a robust classification accuracy of over 95% from high spatial resolution imagery from Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV), underscoring our proposed approach’s effectiveness. Moreover, the adaptability of our method renders it applicable to various study areas, highlighting its versatility and potential for widespread implementation in urban planning and management initiatives.

Urban forests are critical infrastructure for mitigating environmental and social challenges cities face. Municipalities and non-governmental entities, among others, often set goals (e.g., tree planting or canopy targets) to support urban forests and their benefits. We focus on canopy goals and develop conceptual underpinnings for an analysis of where additional canopy, as one important dimension of the urban forest, can fit within the landscape, while considering factors that influence where trees can be planted and where canopy can grow – ‘practical canopy.’ We apply this in New York City (NYC) to inform the setting of a canopy goal by the NYC Urban Forest Task Force (UFTF) for the NYC Urban Forest Agenda, which may trigger a virtuous cycle that supports the urban forest there. We further develop framing for a ‘priority canopy’ analysis to understand where urban forest expansion should be prioritized given more context (e.g., environmental hazards, local preferences), which can inform how expansion of the urban forest is achieved. We estimate an opportunity for 15,899 ha of new canopy in NYC given existing opportunities and constraints (practical canopy), which, if leveraged, could result in nearly doubling the canopy as of 2017 (17,253 ha). However, like existing canopy, practical canopy is not evenly distributed, in general, or across jurisdictions and land uses. Relying solely on areas identified as practical canopy to expand the urban forest would exacerbate inequities in its distribution. We discuss how the NYC UFTF established an aspirational but achievable goal of 30% canopy cover by 2035, which was informed by this analysis and guided by priorities of equity, health, and resilience. Achievement of this goal will ultimately require a combination of protecting and stewarding the existing resource, and leveraging opportunities for tree planting. Achieving a more equitable urban forest will also require identification of priority canopy, and, in cases, creation of new opportunities for tree planting and canopy expansion. Overall, the collaborative establishment of such goals based on local context can be instrumental in creating a virtuous cycle, moving conservation actors toward exercising influence and agency within the social ecological system.

Vertex-degree-based (VDB) topological indices have been applied in QSPR/QSAR. As an important category, the general logarithmic VDB topological index $T_{lnf}(G)$, is defined as the summation of $ln{f(d(u),d(v))}$, where the summation over all $uv\in E(G)$. In this paper, we give the sufficient conditions for that (1) the path $P_{n}$ is the only tree with the minimal $T_{lnf}$; (2) the star $S_n$ is the only tree with the maximal and the minimal $T_{lnf}$, respectively. As applications, the minimal and maximal trees of some logarithmic VDB indices are determined.

Conventional monitoring relies on "in vivo" (non-destructive) measurements of aboveground organ traits (such as stems, branches, and leaves) to analyze plantation growth trends and assess the effectiveness of management practices like watering and fertilization. This study reveals the necessity of “ex vivo” (destructive) approaches, post-excavation, to ensure fully reliable monitoring of plantation performance, including belowground organ growth and development trends. We showcase the effectiveness of dendrometric analysis, which measures the annual ring width in the secondary xylem (wood) of the taproot and stem. Monitoring above- and belowground organ growth trends allow for the exploration of similarities and differences in how different tree organs respond to internal and external factors. Such monitoring is especially crucial for assessing plantation performance in challenging climates, such as those found in arid and semi-arid lands.

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is known to play a significant role in the development of peptic ulcer diseases and gastric cancer. Previous studies have reported the existence of polymorphism in the ureC gene of H. pylori. However, the relationship between genetic sequence variations in ureC and the pathogenesis of peptic ulcer diseases remains unclear. We aimed to investigate the associations between ureC sequence variations and the development of gastric ulcer and gastric cancer. PCR amplification and DNA sequencing to analyze ureC sequences, and conducted phylogenetic analysis using MEGA X software. Samples from Taiwanese patients with gastric ulcer and gastric cancer were included in this study. PCR was used to amplify the ureC gene from these samples, followed by DNA sequencing. The obtained sequences were then subjected to phylogenetic analysis using MEGA X software. In addition, ureC sequences from different geographical regions, including China and other countries, were included in the analysis for comparison. Analysis of the ureC se-quences from Taiwanese samples revealed that 6 out of 7 gastric ulcer samples clustered together in one group, while the sequences from 7 out of 8 gastric cancer samples were distributed across other groups. Phylogenetic analysis incorporating ureC sequences from different geographical regions showed that Taiwanese ureC sequences could be divided into two distinct groups, although the bootstrap values supporting this separation were low. Notably, the ureC sequences from China formed a distinct group with a high bootstrap value, separate from sequences from all other countries. There are two genotypes of ureC sequences present in Taiwanese samples, with one genotype showing a closer association with gastric cancer. Additionally, the ureC sequences from China appear to be unique and separate from those obtained from other countries, indicating the presence of genetic diversity in ureC sequences among H. pylori strains from different regions, potentially contributing to differences in disease outcomes. Further research is needed to elucidate the specific mechanisms by which ureC sequence variations may influence the pathogenesis of peptic ulcer diseases and gastric cancer.

Tropical forests provide habitats for diverse flora and fauna. In addition, they are essential in regulating the climate while at the same time millions of people depend on them for their livelihoods. As seen by rising political commitment and worldwide promises to reduce rates of deforestation and boost restoration of degraded forest ecosystems, forests are becoming more widely acknowledged for their role as a nature-based solution to many sustainable development concerns. Understanding tropical forest dynamics and their conservation have so become more important. This study analyzed, the forest stand structure, tree species composition, abundance and diversity and the regeneration status of Londiani Forest. Londiani Forest is divided into three blocks, namely Kedowa, Chebewor and Londiani and from each of these blocks belt transects 25 m wide and 1 km long were established 100 m from the edge of the forest to reduce edge effects. At every 200 m along the transect, 25 m × 25 m quadrats were set up in which, an inventory of all tree species was done. For tree species that could not be identified in the field, the local name was provided by para-taxonomists who participated in the data collection and the species name was later identified with the help of a taxonomist or a manual of woody tree species of Londiani Forest. The diameter at breast height (DBH) was measured at 1.3 m from the ground using a diameter tape. Tree height was measured using a Suunto angular clinometer. A nested quadrat 5 m x 5 m quadrat within the 25 m x 25 m quadrat was used to sample saplings while a 1 m x 1 m quadrat was used for sampling seedlings. Regeneration status was assessed using the number of seedlings and saplings. Stumps of trees cut were counted including identifying tree species from which the tree stump was derived. Data from the quadrats were entered into Microsoft Excel. Total stem density, species density, basal area, species basal area, relative density and species diversity were determined. A total of 1,308 individual trees belonging to 34 different species from 24 families were recorded. Kedowa had the highest (27) species richness followed by Chebewor (19) then Londiani (14). There was a statistically significant difference in species richness among the three forest blocks (p<0.05). There were no statistically significant differences in the mean DBH (F=0.560; p=0.729) and height class distribution (F= 0.821, p=.558) among the three forest blocks. There was a statistically significant difference in stem density (F=12.22; p=0.005) and woody species diversity (F=0.32; p=0.001) within the three forests blocks. There was no statistically significant difference in the basal area distribution within the three forest blocks p>0.005. The similarity index ranged from 0.34 to 0.47. In all the forest blocks, there was evidence of seedlings and saplings indicating that there was regeneration. Results clearly show that while the Londiani Forest shows variation in characteristics, there is clear evidence that it is regenerating.

The increasingly affordable price point of terrestrial laser scanners has led to a democratization of instrument availability, but the most common low-cost instruments have yet to be compared in terms of the consistency to measure forest structural attributes. Here, we compared two low-cost terrestrial laser scanners (TLS): the Leica BLK360 and the Faro Focus 120 3D. We evaluate the instruments in terms of point cloud quality, forest inventory estimates, tree-model reconstruction, and foliage profile reconstruction. Our direct comparison of the point clouds showed reduced noise in filtered Leica data. Tree diameter and height were consistent across instruments (4.4% and 1.4% error, respectively). Volumetric tree models were less consistent across instruments, with ~29% bias, depending on model reconstruction quality. In the process of comparing foliage profiles, we conducted a sensitivity analysis of factors affecting foliage profile estimates, showing a minimal effect from instrument maximum range (for forests less than ~50 m in height) and surprisingly little impact from degraded scan resolution. Filtered unstructured TLS point clouds must be artificially re-gridded to provide accurate foliage profiles. The factors evaluated in this comparison point towards necessary considerations for future low-cost laser scanner development and application in detecting forest structural parameters.

A single tree topology is a commonly employed topology for wireless sensor networks (WSN) to connect sensors to one or more remote gateways. However, its many-to-one traffic routing pattern imposes heavy burden on downstream nodes, as the same routes are repeatedly used for packet transfer, from one or more upstream branches. The challenge is how to choose the most optimal routing paths that minimizes energy consumption across the entire network. This paper proposes a proactive energy awareness-based many-to-one traffic routing scheme to alleviate the above said problem referred to as Energy Balance-Based Energy Hole Alleviation in tree topology (EBEHA-T). This protocol combines updated status of variations in energy consumption pattern around sink-hole zones and distribution of joint nodes among the trees. With this approach, EBEHA-T proactively prevents sink-hole formation instead of just a reactive response after they have occurred. Performance evaluation of EBEHA-T against benchmark method RaSMaLai shows increased energy saving across the entire network and a marked improvement in energy consumption balance in energy-hole zones. This precludes energy hole formation and the consequent network partitioning, leading to improved network lifetime beyond that of the RasMaLai. OMNET++ network simulation software has been used for the evaluation.

Globin-like superfamily constitutes a superfamily of both extracellular and intracellular proteins that are found in 3 kingdoms of life. Globins are respiratory proteins that usually bind an oxygen molecule .Earlier, phylogenetic study of globin like superfamily was based on morphological character, however, molecular basis of their functional diversity is not completely understood. The present study focuses on the phylogenetic analysis of globin at molecular level. Firstly, proteins of SCOP families of globin like superfamily were retrieved from NCBI and then similar proteins are retrieved from PSI BLAST results and then pfam was used to predict the domains and two domains: Globin and Phycobilisome were analysed. Other analysis predicted the localization in cytoplasm of most of the proteins. The nucleotide sequences of same species for protein analysis were retrieved from NCBI, and phylogenetic analysis of aligned fasta files of proteins and nucleotides by using MEGA at molecular level was performed and analysis shows the difference on taxonomic tree and phylogenetic tree.

Microgrids of varying size and applications are regarded as a key feature of modernizing the power system. The protection of those systems, however, has become a major challenge and a popular research topic for the reason that it involves greater complexity than traditional distribution systems. This paper addresses the issue through a novel approach which utilizes detailed analysis of current and voltage waveforms through windowed fast Fourier and wavelet transforms. The fault detection scheme involves bagged decision trees which use input features extracted from the signal processing stage and selected by correlation analysis. The technique was tested on a microgrid model developed using PSCAD/EMTDS, which is inspired from an operational microgrid in Goldwind Sc. Tech. Co. Ltd, in Beijing, China. The results showed great level of effectiveness to accurately identify faults from other non-fault disturbances, precisely locate the fault and trigger opening of the right circuit breaker/s under different operation modes, fault resistances and other system disturbances.

During an interdisciplinary study of the mire “Pod Małym Śnieżnikiem”, a very old specimen of the Norway spruce (Picea abies L.) was encountered. The aim of the present work was to perform a detailed examination of this tree, to compare it to other spruce trees on the mire, and to provide support for establishing protection for this tree stand. Tree-ring cores were sampled at 1.3 m above ground using Pressler borer, in two field campaigns: in June and July 2023, the latter campaign aiming to find the oldest trees. A total of 46 trees were sampled, yielding 84 measuring radii. Tree ring widths were measured down to 0.01 mm under a stereomicroscope. The oldest sampled tree yielded a total of 370 tree rings in the two radii, representing the period 1653–2022. The average tree ring width for TM15 equals 0.33 mm/year, and shows low values (on average 0.19 mm/year) for the period 1742–1943, i.e., during the Little Ice Age cooling. TM15 does not stand out from other trees from the population with respect to height or trunk diameter. A comparison of the age of this tree to the oldest spruce trees in Poland indicates that it is one of the longest living specimens of this species. Considering the natural character of the stand, the remaining flora and the peat-forming processes taking place within the mire “Pod Małym Śnieżnikiem”, we argue that the mire should become protected by the law as soon as possible in order to preserve this valuable high-mountain habitat.

The potential of generalized machine learning models developed for crop water estimation was examined in the current study. Extreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost), Gradient Boosting Machine (GBM), and Random Forest (RF) are three ensembled machine learning models that were developed using all of the data from a single location from 1976 to 2017 and then immediately applied at eleven different locations without the need for any local calibration. For the test period of January 2018 to June 2020, the model's capacity to estimate the numerical values of crop water requirement (Pen-man-Monteith (PM) ETo values) was assessed. In comparison to the GBM and RF models, the XGBoost model outperformed them both marginally and significantly. The estimate's weighted standard error was smaller than 0.85 mm/day, and the model's effectiveness varied from 96% to 99% across various locations. The model's strong performance was indicated by the decreased noise-to-signal ratio. A real-time water management system at the regional level can be seamlessly linked with this type of model due to its accuracy in estimating crop water requirements and its capacity to generalize.

Agroforestry is often seen as a sustainable land-use system for agricultural production providing ecosystem services. Intercropping with food crops leads to equal or higher productivity than monoculture and results in food production for industry and subsistence. Low rubber price and low labor productivity in smallholdings have led to a dramatic conversion of rubber plantations to more profitable crops. The literature analysis performed in this paper aimed at better understanding the ins and outs that could make rubber-based agroforestry more attractive for farmers. A library was set-up consisting of 415 scientific references. Of the 232 journal articles, 141 studies were carried out on rubber agroforestry. Since 2011, the number of studies per year has increased. Studies on rubber-based agroforestry systems are performed in most rubber producing countries, in particular in Indonesia, Thailand, China and Brazil. These studies focus more or less equally on perennials (forest species and fruit trees), annual intercrops and mixed plantations. Of the 47 annual crops associated with rubber in the literature, 20 studies dealt with rice, maize, banana and cassava. Agronomy is the main discipline in the literature followed by socio-economy and then ecology. Only 4 papers are devoted to plant physiology and breeding. The discussion section has attempted to analyze the evolution of rubber agroforestry research, progress in the selection of food crop varieties adapted to agroforestry systems, and to draw some recommendations for rubber-based agroforestry systems associated with food crops.

Background: Hurricanes and other wind events are significant disturbances that affect coastal urban forests around the world. Past research has led to the creation of wind resistance ratings for different tree species which can be used in urban forest management efforts to mitigate the effects of these storms. While useful, these ratings have been limited to species common to one global region (Florida, USA).Methods: Drawing on past ratings and data from a global literature review on tropical storm research, we created a machine learning model to broaden both the geographic coverage and the variety of species currently assessed for their resistance to wind.Results: We were able to assign wind resistance ratings to 281 new species based on the available data and our modelling efforts. The model accuracy and agreement with the original ratings when applied to the testing data set was high with 91% accuracy.Conclusions: The resulting list of wind resistance ratings has been adapted into a spreadsheet-based decision aid for managers, allowing them to assess the overall susceptibility of their urban forest to wind events like hurricanes.

The use of hyperthermia is one of the effective methods of treating cancer. In this case, the problem arises of constructing and predicting the distribution of the thermal field inside tissues depending on their type. This paper discusses the use of linear and polynomial regression methods, as well as regression algorithms based on decision tree, random forest and K nearest neighbors methods to recover missing temperature values. The influence of the size of the training sample when performing regression on the quality of the reconstructed values is investigated. Experimental recommendations on sample size are given for the selected decision tree and random forest methods. The possibility of a significant (10 times or more) reduction in the initial sample size, without leading to a decrease in the R² metric by more than 0.05 for various tissues, has been shown.

The aim of this research is to investigate and use a variety of immersive multisensory media techniques in order to create convincing digital models of fossilised tree trunks for use in XR. This is made possible via the use of geospatial data derived from sources such as aerial imaging using UAS, terrestrial material using cameras and also include both the visual and audio element for better immersion, accessible and explorable in 6 Degrees of Freedom (6DoF). Immersiveness is a key factor in order to result in output that is especially engaging to the user. Both conventional and alternative methods are explored and compared, emphasising in the advantages made possible via the help of Machine Learning Computational Photography. Material is collected using both UAS and terrestrial camera devices, including a 3D-360º camera with 6 sensors, using stitched panoramas as sources for photogrammetry processing. Difficulties such as capturing large free standing objects using terrestrial means were overcome using practical solutions involving mounts and remote streaming solutions. Conclusions indicated that superior fidelity can be achieved by the help of Machine Learning Computational Photography processes and higher resolutions and technical specs of equipment not necessarily translating to superior outputs.

Development and redevelopment are important drivers of tree removal and canopy loss in urban landscapes. Local ordinances are often used to curtail tree removal, but punitive regulations alone may not be enough to reduce urban tree canopy loss in land development. In Florida (US), efforts to balance trees and development have so far focused on fees and fines, but with a recent backlash against tree regulations and the fast pace of urban growth, we explored the possible role of incentives in urban tree policies. We interviewed 20 land developers across Florida to understand their perspectives on current barriers and potential incentives for tree preservation and planting. We collected data from developers, whose perspectives on tree preservation are often unknown or overlooked, despite their significant role in tree planting, removal, and retention in and around cities. Our results show that major barriers to tree preservation and planting include requirements to grade sites for stormwater management, site constraints, and monetary costs. Most developers did not know of any existing incentives beyond intrinsic motivations but said that financial incentives would be most appealing to them. Top incentive suggestions include increasing building density, reducing impact fees and tax liability, and changing tree mitigation policies. Another promising finding is that developers are willing to work with regulators to find solutions that benefit both parties. Future research should consider evaluating the level of support and viability of different incentives by gathering feedback from policymakers, land developers, and the public.

Defining the best conditions for the initial development of native species is one of the significant challenges to forest production. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate andiroba's physiological behavior and growth (Carapa guianensis Aubl.) seedlings at different shading levels. In a nursery seedling, C. guianensis seedlings grew on 0, 30, 50, and 70% shading, obtained with polyethylene screens. We measured at six plants per treatment. For the physiological data we measurement four times the total chlorophyll content, chlorophyll a/b ratio, maximum photochemical efficiency of photosystem II (Fv/Fm), maximum potential photosynthesis (A), stomatal conductance (gs), transpiration (E), intrinsic water use efficiency (WUEi), and carbon use efficiency (CUE), besides the growth parameters. While for growth rates parameters we developed six evaluation for as leaf area ratio (LAF), relative growth rates (RGR), and net assimilation rate (NAR). Chlorophyll content and Fv/Fm were inversely proportional to the light intensity. The other physiological and growth parameters showed better behavior in shaded environments, emphasizing the 50% treatment, with no significant difference between the 30% shading treatment. Therefore, the C. guianensis seedlings present growth plasticity under different shading levels, and we recommended producing seedlings at 50 or 30% shading.

The aim of this research is to investigate and use a variety of immersive multisensory media techniques in order to create convincing digital models of fossilised tree trunks for use in XR. This is made possible via the use of geospatial data derived from sources such as aerial imaging using UAS, terrestrial material using cameras and also include both the visual and audio element for better immersion, accessible and explorable in 6 Degrees of Freedom (6DoF). Immersiveness is a key factor in order to result in output that is especially engaging to the user. Both conventional and alternative methods are explored and compared, emphasising in the advantages made possible via the help of Machine Learning Computational Photography. Material is collected using both UAS and terrestrial camera devices, including a 3D-360º camera with 6 sensors, using stitched panoramas as sources for photogrammetry processing. Difficulties such as capturing large free standing objects using terrestrial means were overcome using practical solutions involving mounts and remote streaming solutions. Conclusions indicated that superior fidelity can be achieved by the help of Machine Learning Computational Photography processes and higher resolutions and technical specs of equipment not necessarily translating to superior outputs.

The demand for explainable and transparent models increases with the continued success of reinforcement learning. In this article, we explore the potential of generating shallow decision trees (DT) as simple and transparent surrogate models for opaque deep reinforcement learning (DRL) agents. We investigate three algorithms for generating training data for axis-parallel and oblique DTs with the help of DRL agents ("oracles") and evaluate these methods on classic control problems from OpenAI Gym. The results show that one of our newly developed algorithms, the iterative training, outperforms traditional sampling algorithms, resulting in well-performing DTs that often even surpass the oracle from which they were trained. Even higher dimensional problems can be solved with surprisingly shallow DTs. We discuss the advantages and disadvantages of different sampling methods and insights into the decision-making process made possible by the transparent nature of DTs. Our work contributes to the development of not only powerful but also explainable RL agents and highlights the potential of DTs as a simple and effective alternative to complex DRL models.

Electroencephalography (EEG) is a brain imaging technique in which electrodes are placed on the scalp. EEG signals are commonly decomposed into frequency bands called delta, theta, alpha, and beta.While these bands have been shown to be useful for characterizing various brain states, their utility as a one-size-fits-all analysis tool remains unclear. We present a two-part data-driven methodology for objectively determining the best EEG bands for a given dataset in this paper. First, a decision tree is used to estimate the optimal frequency band boundaries for reproducing the signal’s power spectrum for a predetermined number of bands. The optimal number of bands is then determined using an Akaike Information Criterion (AIC)-inspired quality score that balances goodness-of-fit with a small band count. Data-driven EEG band discovery may aid in objectively capturing key signal components and uncovering new indices of brain activity.

Wireless sensor networks are attractive largely because they need no wired infrastructure. But precisely this feature makes them energy constrained. Recent studies find that sensing behaviors that are otherwise deemed efficient consume comparable energy with communication. The duty cycle scheduling is perceived as contributing to achieving energy efficiency of sensing. Because of different research assumptions and objectives, various scheduling schemes have various emphases. This paper designed an adaptive sensing scheduling strategy. The objective function of the scheduling strategy includes minimizing average energy expenditure and maximizing sensing coverage (reducing event miss-rate), and it requires relatively loose assumptions. We determine the functional relationship between the variables of the objective function and the step-size parameters of the proposed strategy through the numerical fitting. We found that the objective function aggregated by the fitting functions is a bivariate multi-peak function that favors the Fibonacci tree optimization algorithm. Once the optimization of parameters is done, the strategy can be easily deployed and behaves consistently in the coming hours. We name the proposed strategy as “FTOS”. The experimental results show that the Fibonacci tree optimization algorithm gets a better optimistic effect than the comprehensive learning particle swarm optimization (CLPSO) algorithm and differential evolution (DE) algorithm. The FTOS strategy is superior to the fixed time scheduling strategy in achieving the scheduling objectives. It also outperforms other strategies with the same scheduling objectives such as LDAS, BS, DSS and PECAS.

Phylogenies depict shared evolutionary patterns and structures on a tree topology, enabling the identification of hierarchical and historical relationships. Recent analyses indicate that phylogenetic signals extend beyond the primary structure of protein or DNA, and various aspects of codon usage biases are phylogenetically conserved. Several functional biases exist within genes, including the number of codons that are used, the position of the codons, and the overall nucleotide composition of the genome. Codon usage biases can significantly affect transcription and translational efficiencies, leading to differential gene expression. Although systematic codon usage biases originate from the overall GC content of a species, ramp sequences, codon aversion, codon pairing, and tRNA competition also significantly affect gene expression and are phylogenetically conserved. We review recent advances in analyzing codon usage biases and their implications in phylogenomics. We first outline common phylogenomic techniques. Next, we identify several codon usage biases and their effects on secondary structure, gene expression, and implications in phylogenetics. Finally, we suggest how codon usage biases can be included in phylogenomics. By incorporating various codon usage biases in common phylogenomic algorithms, we propose that we can significantly improve tree inference. Since codon usage biases have significant biological implications, they should be considered in conjunction with other phylogenetic algorithms.

Laser scanning is an effective tool for acquiring geometric attributes of trees and vegetation, which lays a solid foundation for 3-dimensional tree modelling. Existing studies on tree modelling from laser scanning data are vast. Nevertheless, some works don’t ensure sufficient modelling accuracy, while some other works are mainly rule-based and therefore highly depend on user inputs. In this paper, we propose a novel method to accurately and automatically reconstruct tree branches from laser scans. We first extract an initial tree skeleton from the input tree point cloud, then simplify the skeleton through iteratively removing redundant components. A global-optimization approach is performed to fit a sequence of cylinders to approximate the geometry of the tree branches. Experiments on various types of trees from different data sources demonstrate the effectiveness and robustness of our method. The resulted tree models can be further applied in the precise estimation of tree attributes, urban landscape visualization, etc.

The outstanding occurrences of red wood ant nests (RWA; Formica rufa-group) at two study sites in the Oberpfalz, NE Bavaria, Germany, could be confirmed by the 2023 re-inventory (a total of 5,393 nests and an increase by ≈8 %). RWA nests preferred mature and medium mature pine-dominated forests. Standing and downed dead wood do not negatively influence nests. Nest counts with woodpecker cavities and the diversity of the herb layer increased. The highly clustered nests in NW-SE direction suggests a strong interaction between nests distributions and the tectonic environment. Our developed (re-)inventory approach in combination with the comprehensive photo database is a valuable tool for a) monitoring the entire forest habitat including woodpecker cavities and dead wood in, at and around nests, and b) identifying GeoBio-Interactions. Such a comprehensive approach leads to more accurate and realistic counts of RWA nests during (re-)inventories and provides scientific evidence of the status quo of RWA occurrence. Our results disproved the unfounded and scientifically unsubstantiated blanket statement by laymen of the ASW Landesverband Bayern e.V. that RWA nest numbers in the Oberpfalz or even in the entire Bavaria are in sharp decline. We suggest seven to eight years as a suitable time interval for re-inventories.

As a coping mechanism to job creation and income poverty reduction, people in the rural areas are engaging in commercial farm activities commonly known as agribusinesses including tree farming. The study assessed the contribution of tree farming by smallholder farmers on livelihood assets in the study area before and after their engagement. Household survey and key informant interviews were used to collect data from 270 respondents randomly selected from 4 Wards of Njombe Distrct to include Ihanga, Iwungilo Kifanya and Lugenge which mostly practice tree farming; and 4 key informants’ interviews were done to the district officers in the Department of Agriculture, Irrigation and Cooperative. Seven out of nine livelihood asset ownerships were found to have significantly improved after farmers’ being engaged in tree farming. A paired sample ttest was conducted to evaluate the possession of assets by respondents and it was found that household assets before tree farming was (M= 1.80, SD= 0.752) and after engaging in tree farming was (M=2.00, SD= 0.199), t (269) = 8.706, p<0.0005(two-tailed). The mean increase score in houses ownership for instance was 0.2 at 95% confidence interval ranging from -0.433 to 0.033. The eta squared statistic of (0.219) indicated a strong effect on tree farmers’ livelihood in the study area and a significant improvement in livelihood assets after engagement in tree farming. It is concluded that, this activity has contributed to income poverty reduction by giving smallholder farmers a good purchasing power for the livelihood assets. It is recommended that; the government should control the market of forest related products and ensure price stability.

In this paper, we investigate the equilibrium strategies for customers arriving at overtaking-free queueing networks and receiving partial information about the system’s state. In an overtaking-free network, customers cannot be overtaken by others arriving after them. We assume that customer arrivals follow a Poisson process and that service times at any queue are independent and exponentially distributed. Upon arrival, the received partial information consists in the total number of customers already in the network, however the distribution of these among the queues is left unknown. We prove the existence of equilibrium threshold strategies for such systems and provide methods to compute them.

The present study deals with the transplantation of mature Argan trees (Argania spinosa L. Skeels) and focuses on optimizing survival rates depending on the seasons, the type of shoot pruning applied to the trees and preconditioning treatments consisting of root pruningand watering for a few months before transplanting. So far, the transplantation of this species at the adult stage has not received enough attention in spite of its ecological and socio-economic importance for the regions where it thrives. The results obtained show that transplanting in summer, autumn and winter resulted in survival rates exceeding 50%. The Argan trees transplanted in spring hardly achieved 10% survival. However, the total cutback of the crown induced survival improvement that reached a rate greater than 70% for summer, autumn and winter, and 50% for spring. Watering alone or combined with root pruning for 6 months helped improve the recovery rate but only when carried out in autumn with transplantation in spring. On the other hand, when these pre-treatments were applied in the spring to transplant the trees in summer, the recovery rate was not improved.

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a positive sense single stranded RNA genome containing virus which has infected millions of people all over the world particularly China. The virus has been mutating rapidly enough resulting in the emergence of new variants and sub-variants which have reportedly been spread from Wuhan city of China, the epicenter of the virus, to the rest of China and all over the world. The occurrence of mutations in the viral genome especially in the viral spike protein region has resulted in the evolution of multiple variants and sub-variants which gives the virus benefit of host immune evasion and render the modern-day vaccines and therapeutics ineffective. Therefore, there is a continuous need to study the genetic characteristics and evolutionary dynamics of the SARS-CoV-2 variants. Hence, in this study, a total of 833 complete genomes of SARS-CoV-2 variants (including the wild-type or reference sequence) from Taiyuan and Wuhan cities of China were genetically characterized and studies their phylogenetic and evolutionary dynamics using phylogenetics, genetic similarity, and phylogenetic network analysis. Our results show a lot of useful information regarding the evolutionary dynamics of the viral variants, their genetic similarities/dissimilarities, and their phylogenetic relationships. It has been reported in this study that the SARS-CoV-2 variants have nine recombinant events which suggest very important information regarding the viral evolution. In addition, the phylogenetic network analysis shows the number of mutations resulting in emergence and clustering of the viral variants of both cities which reveal significant information regarding the phylodynamics of the virus. This study, to the best of our knowledge, is the first ever genetic comparative study of Taiyuan and Wuhan cities. This study will help better understand the virus, cope with the emergence, and spread of new variants at local level as well as at international level and inform the public health authorities to make better informed decisions in designing new viral vaccines and therapeutics.

Natural rubber is an important national strategic and industrial raw material. Leaf anthracnose of rubber tree caused by the Colletotrichum species is one of the important factors restricting the yield of natural rubber. In this study, we isolated and identified strain Bacillus velezensis SF334 that exhibited significant antagonistic activity against both of C. australisinense and C. siamense, the dominant species of Colletotrichum causing leaf anthracnose of rubber trees in Hainan province of China, from a pool of 223 bacterial strains. The cell supernatants of SF334 had a significant prevention effect for leaf anthracnose of rubber tree with an efficacy of 79.67% against C. siamense and 71.8% against C. australisinense, respectively. We demonstrated that SF334 can lead to the lysis of C. australisinense and C. siamense mycelium by causing mycelial expansion, resulting in mycelial rupture and subsequent death. B. velezensis SF334 also harbors some traits of plant growth-promoting rhizobacterium such as secreting siderophore, protease, cellulose, pectinase and auxin of indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), as well as has broad-spectrum antifungal activity against some important plant pathogenic fungi. The genome combined with comparative genomic analyses indicated that SF334 possesses most genes of the central metabolic and secondary metabolites of B. velezensis strains. To our knowledge, this is the first time to report a Bacillus velezensis strain as a promising biocontrol agent against leaf anthracnose of rubber tree caused by C. siamense and C. australisinense. The results suggest that B. velezensis could be a potential candidate agent for leaf anthracnose of rubber tree.

Human arteries show structural and functional peculiarities according to the nutrient and oxygen needs of a specific vascular district. This architectural heterogeneity is reflected in the pathological setting of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). Indeed, the responsiveness to cardiovascular risk factors, the morphological and molecular patterns are discriminating factors among CVDs affecting different vascular beds. Micro-RNAs (miRNAs) are endogenous regulators of gene expression and fine tuners of vascular cell differentiation, thus these non-coding RNAs can modulate the arterial heterogeneity. The identification of a miRNA signature artery-specific would be promising in the therapy of CVDs, especially in frail elderly patients. In the present review we will provide a concise description of the arterial tree heterogeneity on structural and cellular basis, mainly in the pathological context. Secondly, we will address the miRNA potential as crucial mediators of arterial heterogeneity focusing on abdominal aorta and femoral artery, with the final goal of strengthening the search of more targeted therapies in CVDs and stratification approaches in frail elderly patients.

The paradigm of leveraging code as a dataset has recently gained traction, offering innovative solutions in domains such as automated commit message generation, pull request description automation, and program repair mechanisms. Consider the challenge in generating commit messages: traditional methods treat source code as a mere token sequence, applying neural machine translation models. This approach, however, overlooks the critical syntactic structures inherent in programming languages, which could offer deeper insights and improved accuracy. Building upon prior research, specifically the Code2Seq framework, which utilized Abstract Syntax Tree (AST) structural data for source code representation to automate method name generation, this paper extends and refines this concept. We introduce "CSR", a novel methodology adapted to represent code edits effectively. This paper investigates the impact of employing syntactic structure, focusing on the classification of code edits. Drawing inspiration from Code2Seq, "CSR" utilizes AST's structural properties, particularly the paths connecting leaf nodes, to enhance the task of code edit classification. This approach is rigorously evaluated on two distinct datasets, comprising fine-grained syntactic edits. Our comprehensive experiments reveal that incorporating syntactic structures does not significantly outperform simpler methodologies. While methods like Code2Seq and our proposed "CSR" show potential, our findings highlight that there is considerable scope for improvement and refinement before such techniques can be universally applied for learning representations of code edits. We anticipate that our findings will spark further research in this field, paving the way for more effective use of syntactic structures in code representation.

The groundbreaking Advanced Forest-Based Tagging Framework (AFTF) represents a paradigm shift in the domain of information extraction from medical texts. AFTF introduces a novel dual-binary tree structure that redefines how entity-relation triples are extracted. This innovative approach directly tackles the limitations of traditional linear and graph-based methods, effectively addressing challenges related to overlapping triples and computational efficiency. The AFTF model stands as a beacon of excellence, surpassing established baselines by significant margins in comprehensive evaluations on two pivotal medical datasets. Notably, AFTF achieves remarkable improvements in F1 scores, showcasing its prowess in accurate information extraction from complex medical narratives. Beyond its exceptional performance in the medical domain, AFTF exhibits remarkable versatility. This adaptability is vividly demonstrated through its robust performance across three diverse public datasets, further affirming its position as a versatile and reliable solution for information extraction tasks. This paper provides a comprehensive exposition of the AFTF architecture, shedding light on its innovative design principles and its efficient handling of intricate medical texts. AFTF represents a groundbreaking step forward in the realm of information extraction, promising enhanced accuracy, efficiency, and adaptability for a wide range of applications.

A signed graph is an undirected graph such that all of its edges are labeled positive or negative. Let D be an embedding of a signed graph G in the Euclidean line. If in D for all of the vertices their positive neighbors are closer than the negative neighbors, then D is called a valid drawing of G. In this paper we show that signed trees, unicyclic graphs, and ladder graphs have a valid drawing in the Euclidean line.

The socioeconomic sectors increasingly rely on prompt and affordable tools to predict climatic conditions. This study uses a decision tree classifier model to identify similar monthly ENSO 3.4 indices from March 2001 to February 2011 through monthly historical ENSO3.4 indices (December 1950 – February 2001). Historical monthly ENSO3.4 indices were used to extract available high-resolution monthly historical precipitation grids (1950-2001) for Mexico and constructed monthly ensembles (March 2001 – February 2011 hindcasts). Formerly, a precipitation categorization of monthly observed and simulated precipitation (2001-2011 hindcasts) was employed. Thereafter, global vector data and spatial map assessments were performed seasonally (winter, spring, summer, and fall). Global KSS and HSS metrics indicated the model approach has skill, especially in the spring and fall. Spatial metrics exposed large areas with hit rates > 0.60 in winter and spring, though in winter and spring (dry seasons), it was due to the precipitation categorization hindcast and observed were within the first classification. Lower hit rates, but still acceptable (> 0.40), were detected in summer and fall (during the rainy season and at the end, respectively) because more precipitation classifications were tested and prone to miss. Spatial Spearman correlations provided specific areas of significant model performances and found that high hit rates during the winter and spring are spurious. Meanwhile, it was also found that during the fall the model approach is reliable in most of Mexico, followed by the spring, and in constraint areas in summer and winter across the country. It also appears that dominant ENSO neutral events followed by balanced ENSO cooling and warming events do not prefer the model skill. Overall, the empirical method shows promise (low-cost human and computational resources if ENSO indices expose certainty in its Lead months to forecast) and has the potential to be used in other developing countries influenced by El Niño phenomena.

The aim of the work was to carry out an ergonomic assessment of the workload when working with a chainsaw during motor-manual tree processing. Wearable technology was used, namely Garmin, Biostrap and Whoop devices, which are generally available. The dependence of the heart rate (HR) on physical workload was examined to calculate Heart Rate Index. The case study was done with one worker, three variations of chainsaw devices cutting the poplar wood. It was proved that the use of a heavier work tool, MS 500i /90 cm 9,3 kg, significantly contributes both to the creation of a non-physiological working position and to an increase in the energy required to perform work, which was represented by an increase in heart rate. With a lighter work tool and a shorter cutting blade, both a decrease in heart rate and a reduction in the working time were performed in a non-physiological position. The results can be used in common practice for workers´ self-assessment to increase safety and health protection at work or work productivity not only in motor-manual processing in forestry related professions.

Lasiodiplodia theobromae, as one of the causing agents associated with Chinese hickory trunk cankers, has caused huge economic losses to the Chinese hickory industry due to its extremely strong pathogenicity. Though the biological characteristics of this pathogen and the occurrence pattern of this disease have been reported, few studies have focused on investigating the mechanisms responsible for L. theobromae survival strategies and pathogenicity. The high-quality genome data and the efficient transformation system are the basis for researching above mechanism events. In this study we sequenced and assembled L. theobromae strain LTTK16-3, and established the first protoplasmic preparation method and polyethylene glycol (PEG) -mediated genetic transformation system for L. theobromae. These genetic information and transformation methods established the foundation for the future mechanisms study of L. theobromae and set up the possibility of targeted molecular improvements for Chinese hickory canker control.

In plants, phase change from the juvenile stage to maturity is a tightly controlled process at the physiological and genetic level, which is controlled by evolutionary highly conserved microRNAs. These phase changes are more pronounced in woody plant species, but the majority of molecular genetic studies on the regulation of this transition has been done in annual model or crop species. This process is of particular significance for the in vitro propagation of woody plant species, as individuals or tissues that have undergone the transition to vegetative maturity are recalcitrant to propagation. Development of effective methodologies for silver birch vegetative propagation are required to increase the efficiency of breeding programs. Conserved miRNAs that were differentially expressed between juvenile and mature silver birch tissues were identified using high-throughput sequencing of small RNA libraries. These differentially expressed miRNAs could potentially be utilized to develop markers indicating the juvenility or maturity of silver birch explants and in vitro cultures. In addition, the obtained results will provide an insight into the molecular mechanisms regulating vegetative phase change in silver birch and other perennial woody plant species.

Despite extensively investigating the impact of social media on fashion products’ marketing, little evidence is available on how the platforms influence sales prediction. Focusing on Lolita fashion, this study investigates the impact of social media marketing on the sales volume prediction of fashion products. Essentially, we analyzed marketing data, including comments, likes, and shares from the Weibo social platform, to forecast future sales, examine how to enhance profit performance, and make production decisions. Using a quantitative approach, we tested three different prediction models, including multiple regression, decision tree, and XGBoost. The results revealed that increasing comments and decreasing the number of likes could significantly improve the sales volumes of Lolita products. In contrast, shares exerted a less significant impact on sales. Regarding prediction models, XGBoost was found to be the best method. In the fashion industry, social media is a useful tool for forecasting market trend. A limitation of this study is that only one social media platform was used to extract data, which might limit the generalization of the findings.

Flexible implementations of Monte Carlo Tree Search (MCTS), combined with domain specific knowledge and hybridization with other search algorithms, can be a very powerful for the solution of problems in complex planning. We introduce mctreesearch4j, a standard MCTS implementation written as a standard JVM library following key design principles of object oriented programming. We define key class abstractions allowing the MCTS library to flexibly adapt to any well defined Markov Decision Process or turn-based adversarial game. Furthermore, our library is designed to be modular and extensible, utilizing class inheritance and generic typing to standardize custom algorithm definitions. We demon- strate that the design of the MCTS implementation provides ease of adaptation for unique heuristics and customization across varying Markov Decision Process (MDP) domains. In addition, the implementation is reasonably performant and accurate for standard MDP’s. In addition, via the implementation of mctreesearch4j, the nuances of different types of MCTS algorithms are discussed.

Responses to water stress were measured for sugar maple (Acer saccharum subsp. saccharum Marshall) sources from Oklahoma (Caddo sugar maple), Missouri, Tennessee, Ontario and a black maple (Acer saccharum subsp. nigrum F. Michx.) source from Iowa. Seedling sources were selected for differences in temperature and precipitation of their geographic origins. Seedlings were preconditioned through moist (watered daily) or dry (watered every 4-7 days) cycles and then exposed to prolonged water stress. Dry preconditioned sugar maple seedlings from Oklahoma, Missouri, and Tennessee, sources from warmer and/or drier climates with greater relative evapotranspiration potentials, declined less rapidly in net photosynthesis, stomatal conductance, and water use efficiency (WUE) as water stress increased than dry preconditioned seedlings from Ontario and Iowa having origins in cooler, moister climates. Under imposed water stress the Ontario and Iowa sourced seedlings increased their root to shoot ratios and decreased their specific leaf area, mechanisms for drought avoidance. However, no corresponding changes in these values occurred for Oklahoma, Missouri, and Tennessee sources. Results from this study suggest greater tolerance of water stress in the Oklahoma, Missouri and Tennessee ecotypes from the western and southern range of sugar maple resulted primarily with WUE rather than other water stress coping mechanisms.

Machine learning plays a key role in present day crime detection, analysis and prediction. The goal of this work is to propose methods for predicting crimes classified into different categories of severity. We implemented visualization and analysis of crime data statistics in recent years in the city of Boston. We then carried out a comparative study between two supervised learning algorithms, which are decision tree and random forest based on the accuracy and processing time of the models to make predictions using geographical and temporal information provided by splitting the data into training and test sets. The result shows that random forest as expected gives a better result by 1.54% more accuracy in comparison to decision tree, although this comes at a cost of at least 4.37 times the time consumed in processing. The study opens doors to application of similar supervised methods in crime data analytics and other fields of data science

XGBoost is recognized as an algorithm with exceptional predictive capacity. Models for a binary response indicating the existence of accident claims vs. no claims can be used to identify the determinants of traffic accidents. We compare the relative performances of logistic regression and XGBoost approaches for predicting the existence of accident claims using telematics data. The dataset contains information from an insurance company about individuals’ driving patterns – including total annual distance driven and percentage of total distance driven in urban areas. Our findings show that logistic regression is a suitable model given its interpretability and good predictive capacity. XGBoost requires numerous model-tuning procedures to match the predictive performance of the logistic regression model and greater effort as regards interpretation.

Many various using of this new-born fuzzy model for solving real-world problems and urgent requirements involve introducing new concept for analyzing the situations which leads to solve them by proper, quick and ecient method based on statistical data. This gap between the model and its solution cause that we introduce nikfar domination in neutrosophic graphs as creative and eective tool for studying a few selective vertices of this model instead of all ones by using special edges. Being special selection of these edges aect to achieve quick and proper solution to these problems. Domination hasn't ever been introduced. So we don't have any comparison with another denitions. The most used graphs which have properties of being complete, empty, bipartite, tree and like stu and they also achieve the names for themselves, are studied as fuzzy models for getting nikfar dominating set or at least becoming so close to it. We also get the relations between this special edge which plays main role in doing dominating with other special types of edges of graph like bridges. Finally, the relation between this number with other special numbers and characteristic of graph like order are discussed.

The main purpose of this paper is to evaluate electrical treeing degradation for cable insulation. To effectively deal with the currently facing issues, I endeavor to find the most optimal methods by means of applying signal process. First, we made three type models of electrical tree for PD generation to show the distribution characteristics and applied voltage to acquire data by using a PD detecting system. These acquired data presented distribution and four 2D distributions. Hn(q), Hn(), Hqn(), and Hqmax() were derived from the distribution of partial discharge. From the analysis of these distributions, each PD model is proved to hold its unique characteristics and the results were then applied as basic specific qualities for insulation conditions. In order to recognize the progresses of an electrical tree, we proposed methods using scale parameter by means of Weibull distribution. We measured the time of tree propagation for 16 specimens of each model from initiation stage, middle stage, and breakdown respectively, using these breakdown data, we estimated the shape parameter, scale parameter and MTTF(Mean Time To Failure). The results of this study recognize the sources of PD by applying acquired data from PD signals to pre-acquired data. If the cause of PD is degradation, in other words, electrical tree, we can determine the replacement time of devices at the initiation stage of tree growth progress or no later than the middle stage and use it as a basic methods analysis diagnosis system. That is, pattern recognition and Weibull distribution can be employed to get the reliability of diagnosis.

Bent trees have been observed during the early years in juvenile plantations (less than 5 years-old) of Tectona grandis in Costa Rica. The relationship between bending and the morphological characteristics of the trees was explored. An evaluation of bent trees was conducted in six juvenile plantations (8, 17, 27, 28, 31, and 54 months old) of Tectona grandis. Site 1 with 8-month-old plantations did not display any relationship with any tree morphological variable (diameter, height, and crown weight of tree), whereas for the sites 2, 3, and 4 with 17-, 27-, and 28-month-old plantations, respectively, all the tree morphological variables were statistically correlated with the bent trees. A multiple regression analysis showed that the most influential variables were height to crown base, crown weight, diameter, and total height of the tree. An evaluation of the bending risk factor (RF) was correlated with the height to crown base, crown weight, and form factor. The modulus of elasticity and chemical compositions of bent trees differed from those of straight trees. The causes of tree bending are complex, involving, among other factors, the morphology of the trees, plantation conditions, and other factors specific to the xylem, such as the specific gravity, modulus of elasticity, and presence of calcium and magnesium in the wood.

The location and number data of individual fruit trees are critical for planting area investigation, fruit yield prediction, and smart orchard management and planning. These data are conventionally obtained through manual investigation and statistics with time-consuming and laborious effort. Object detection models in deep learning used widely in computer vision could provide an opportunity for accurate detection of individual fruit trees, which is essential for rapidly obtaining the data and reducing human operations errors. This study proposes an approach to detecting individual fruit trees and mapping their spatial distribution by integrating deep learning with unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) remote sensing. UAV remote sensing collected high-resolution true-color images of fruit trees in the experimental pomelo tree orchards in Meizhou city, South China. An image dataset of deep learning samples of individual pomelo trees (IPTs) was constructed through visual interpretation and field investigation based on the fruit tree images captured by UAV remote sensing. Four different scales of YOLOv5 (YOLOv5s, YOLOv5m, YOLOv5l, and YOLOv5x) for object detection were selected to train, validate, and test on the image dataset of pomelo trees. The results show that the average precision (AP@0.5) of the four YOLOv5 models for validation reach 87.8%, 88.5%, 89.1%, and 90.7%, respectively. The larger the model scale, the higher the average accuracy of the detection result of validation. It suggests that YOLOv5x is a preferred high-accuracy model among the YOLOv5 family and is suitable to realize the detection of IPTs. The number of the IPTs in the study area was counted using YOLOv5x, and their spatial distribution map was made using the non-maximum suppression method and ArcGIS software. This study will provide primary data and technical support for smart orchard management in Meizhou city and other fruit-producing areas.

Despite the long history of using protein sequences to infer the tree of life the potential for different parts of protein structures to retain historical signal remains unclear. We propose that it might be possible to improve analyses of phylogenomic datasets by incorporating information about protein structure; we test this idea using the position of the root of Metazoa (animals) as a model system. We examined the distribution of “strongly decisive” sites (alignment positions that support a specific tree topology) in a dataset comprising &gt;1,500 proteins and almost 100 taxa. The proportion of each class of strongly decisive sites in different structural environments was very sensitive to the model used to analyze the data when a limited number of taxa were used but they were stable when taxa were added. As long as enough taxa were analyzed, sites in all structural environments supported the same topology (ctenophores sister to other animals) regardless of whether standard tree searches or decisive sites were used to select the optimal tree. However, the use of decisive sites revealed a difference between the support for minority topologies for sites in different structural environments; buried sites and sites in sheet and coil environments exhibited equal support for the minority topologies whereas solvent exposed and helix sites had unequal numbers of sites supporting the minority topologies. Given the plausible trees equal support for minority topologies is consistent with discordance among gene trees, making it possible the relatively slowly evolving buried (and sheet and coil) sites are giving an accurate picture of the true species tree as well as the amount of conflict among gene trees. Alternatively, the apparent support could reflect currently uncharacterized processes of molecular evolution. Regardless, it is clear that analyses of the deepest branches in the animal tree of life using sites in different structural environments are associated with a subtle data type effect that results in distinct phylogenetic signals.

The decline in global pollinator populations has raised serious concerns about the sustainability of ecosystems and agricultural productivity. Urban environments, often characterized by habitat loss and environmental stressors, are considered challenging habitats for pollinators. However, urban green spaces, including street and ornamental trees, can play a crucial role in supporting pollinators by providing essential food resources. This study aimed to evaluate the sugar and amino acid production of eight urban tree species to determine their potential contributions to pollinator nutrition. Our findings revealed significant variability among species regarding nectar volume, sugar content, and amino acid composition, emphasizing the importance of considering multiple factors when assessing the utility of floral resources. Consequently, Tilia amurensis, Heptacodium miconioides, Aesculus turbinata, and Wisteria floribunda demonstrated superior potential in supporting urban pollinator communities. Contrastingly, Sorbus commixta, Styrax japonicus, and Cornus kousa, often favored for their aesthetic appeal, showed less potential. This study underscores the need for urban tree selection that prioritizes species that provide diverse and abundant nutritional resources for pollinators while balancing aesthetic and ecological values. Our results offer a foundation for better-informed urban biodiversity management and contribute to creating pollinator-friendly urban environments.

Aim of the study was to determine the influence of climatic and hydrological changes on the growth of Scotch pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) and Black alder (Alnus glutinosa (L.) Gaertn) in the Narew National Park over past 50 years. The researches were based on tree increment cores extracted from 42 pine trees and 57 alder trees ranging in age from 25 to 88 years and climatic (temperature and precipitation for Bialystok) and hydrological (water level of the Narew River) data. Standardized data (5-year index) were analysed by species, generation (Y - 21-40 years, M - 41-60, O - 61-90) and decade using correlation analysis. The results of the study show that pine responded more strongly to changes in air temperature and changes in precipitation totals, while alder growth was more strongly related to fluctuations in the water level of the Narew River. The most variable climatic and hydrological conditions and the most difficult conditions for tree growth prevailed in the first and last decades (1971-1980, 2011-2020). The decrease in the water level of the Narew River that occurred over the last 50 years did not adversely affect the condition of the trees. Analysis of DBH growth rates showed that the younger generations (Y, M) grow faster than the older generation (O). One of the reasons for the accelerated tree growth and increased resistance to the decline in the water level of the Narew River may be the increase in CO2 concentration in the atmosphere. Accelerated tree growth and increased resistance to drought may have certain consequences like increased damage from wind as a result of the decrease in wood density or decline in the sensitivity of trees to climate and hydrological changes. However, less sensitivity to changes in climatic conditions may only apply to older trees.

Cutting and packing problems have been studied for decades and are of concern for a wide variety of industries to reduce costs and material utilization. This paper addresses the one-dimensional cutting stock problem, focusing on minimizing total stock usage. Procedures that address this problem include linear programming methods and metaheuristics. However, linear programming methods are limited to low-complexity instances, while most metaheuristics require extensive parameter tuning. In this paper, we develop a Petri-net model to construct cutting patterns. Using the reachability tree of the Petri net, the filtered beam search algorithm is implemented to find the best solution. Our algorithm is compared with the Least Lost Algorithm and the Generate & Solve algorithm over five datasets of instances. These algorithms share some characteristics with ours and have proven to be effective and efficient. Experimental results demonstrate that our algorithm effectively finds optimal solutions for both low and high-complexity instances. These findings confirm that Petri nets are suitable for modeling and solving the one-dimensional cutting stock problem.

The use of sustainable energy sources is a feasible alternative for fossil fuel products, which can represent a positive factor to alleviate many current environmental issues. In that sense, not only the sustainable industrial development is important, but also sustainable practices at local level, including households. Specifically, heating and cooking are one of the most important activities that require energy in households, where the role of biomass could be interesting, as it can provide an energy source with lower environmental impact. However, there is room for improvement in biomass stoves, whose adaptability to specific wastes, as well as their improvement in efficiency, should be accomplished. The aim of this work was to assess the improvement of combustion performance of a domestic stove by the implementation of a programmable logic converter for a better adaptation to different biomass samples (holm oak, pear tree, poplar and sugarcane bagasse pellets). Thus, the working regime of the stove was controlled, especially concerning the screw conveyor (to regulate pellet feeding) and flue gas fan (to change oxygen supply). As a result, better combustion performances were obtained, heat capacities from 5.66 to 8.67 kW for the selected samples. On the other hand, different improvements of the combustion stove to avoid blockages, for instance, are proposed as further steps.

Phytophthora cinnamomi is a devastating soil-borne plant pathogen. The primary source of P. cinnamomi infection is the soil, where the pathogen can persist for long periods. Effective prevention and management of this pathogen in tree crops require an early and reliable detection method. In this study, we develop a simple, fast, reliable, and sensitive method based on real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR) for P. cinnamomi detection and quantification directly in plant or soil samples. Primers were developed targeting the nuclear single-copy ras-related protein gene Ypt1, suitable for Phytophthora-specific PCR. The specificity of the assay was confirmed by testing it against genomic DNA from 50 isolates across 8 different Phytophthora clades, including very similar P. parvispora. The efficiency and reliability of the qPCR protocol were evaluated on challenging environmental samples, such as plant tissue of different host trees (walnut, chestnut, oak) and naturally infected soils in walnut orchards. The main outcome was the development of a qPCR method for the specific identification and quantification of P. cinnamomi in natural soil samples. Additionally, this study established a systematic and repeatable soil sampling method and developed an efficient soil DNA extraction technique to apply the developed qPCR in naturally infested soils of walnut orchards.

Crop phenotyping data collection is the basis for precision agriculture and smart decisionmaking applications. In this study, a dynamic slicing and reconstruction canopy volume (DR) algorithm is proposed to accurately estimate citrus canopy volume. The algorithm dynamically slices nearby slices based on their proportional area change and density difference, subsequently conducting AS reconstruction and volume calculation for each slice using an iterative mean point spacing as the α-value. Compared with six point cloud-based reconstruction algorithms, the DR approach achieved the best results in removing perforations and lacunae (0.84) and exhibited volumetric consistency (1.53) that closely aligned with the growth pattern of citrus trees. The DR algorithm effectively addresses the challenges of adapting the thickness and number of canopy point cloud slices to the shape and size of the canopy in the ASBS and CHBS algorithms, as well as overcoming inaccuracies and incompleteness in reconstructed canopy models caused by limitations in capturing detailed features using the PCH algorithm. It offers improved adaptive ability, finer volume computations, better noise reduction, and anomaly removal. In conclusion, we recommend selecting appropriate operating environments for each algorithm based on their principles, geometric properties, volumetric values, running time, and linear relationships with one another to guide orchard mechanization and intelligent operation.

With recent advancements in network technology and spread of Internet, use of social network services and Internet of Things devices has flourished, leading to a continuous generation of large volumes of graph stream data, where changes, such as additions or deletions of vertices and edges occur over time. Additionally, owing to the need for efficient use of storage space and security requirements, graph stream data compression has become essential in various applications. Even though various studies on graph compression methods have been conducted, most of them do not fully reflect the dynamic characteristics of graph streams and complexity of large graphs. In this paper, we propose a compression scheme using provenance data to efficiently process and analyze large graph stream data. It obtains provenance data by analyzing graph stream data and builds a pattern dictionary based on this to perform dictionary-based compression. By improving the existing dictionary-based graph compression methods, it enables more efficient dictionary management through tracking pattern changes and evaluating their importance using provenance. Furthermore, it considers the relationships among sub-patterns using an FP-tree and performs pattern dictionary management that updates pattern scores based on time. Our experiments show that the proposed scheme outperforms existing graph compression methods in key performance metrics, such as compression rate and processing time.

Spodoptera frugiperda (J.E. Smith) is a global agricultural pest that poses a threat to crop production, characterized by its refractory polyphagous nature that makes it difficult to control and may lead to damage to woody plants. However, research on its adaptability to woody plants remains limited. This study compares the feeding adaptations (survival rate, pupation time, pupation rate, weight, length, and feeding volume), protective enzyme activities, and feeding preferences of S. frugiperda on leaves of six economically significant tree species (Areca catechu, Aquilaria sinensis, Cocos nucifera, Camellia oleifera, Dalbergia odorifera and Hevea brasiliensis) and maize as a control treatment. The results indicate that A. sinensis as the most vulnerable trees in high risk, H. brasiliensis and C. nucifera presented varying degrees of susceptibility, A. catechu, C. oleifera, and D. odorifera were unsuitability for S. frugiperda. In conclusion, this report extensively explores the feeding effects of S. frugiperda on six economically important tree species, and provides insights into the feeding preferences on these plants, thereby informing the potential threat posed by S. frugiperda to economically vital trees.

Parkland contributes economic, social, and ecological benefits worldwide. However, parklands degradation is an encounter to biodiversity loss needs generating information on woody species. This study was aimed to investigate woody species composition, diversity, structure, and management of parklands along Agroecology, and farmers’ wealth status. Multistage sampling technique was employed. Highland Bede Kebele, and midland Durgi Kebele were randomly selected. A total of 60 quadrats with size of 100m x 50m were used for inventory. A total of 276 respondents were used. Species richness, Shannon, Simpson, and evenness diversity indices were subjected to one-way ANOVA, and independent t-test for comparison STATA V. 17.0. Of 31 woody species, (16 families in 26 genera) observed, 26 woody species belonging to 13 families in 22 genera from midland while 18 woody species belonging to 12 families in 16 genera from highland parklands were observed. Species richness 6.8, 3.7; Shannon 1.82, 1.68; Simpson 0.85, 0.73; evenness 0.83, 0.7 were observed in midland, and highland parklands, respectively. Poorly regenerated stands were observed along Agroecology. Pruning, pollarding, coppicing, lopping, cutting, fertilizing, watering were common management practices. In conclusion, woody species diversity, and structure were affected by Agroecology, and socioeconomic factors needing intervention to enhancing woody species conservation.

Despite being considered as natural components of many ecosystems, forest fires pose significant threats to the environment and human health. In order to ensure public safety and effective fire suppression planning, it is necessary to develop reliable prediction models to mitigate forest fire danger. These models should account for specific environmental conditions. The advent of big data in recent years has opened new avenues for improving forest fire predictions. Machine learning techniques, surpassing traditional forecasting methods, have shown significant promise in this area. By applying the Cross-Industry Standard Process for Data Mining (CRISP-DM) methodology to a real-world dataset, this paper explores the application of machine learning approaches to understand forest fire patterns and predict fire danger. We consider six distinct time stages and incorporate feature selection to refine our predictions. It is important to note that forest fire behavior models are not universally effective due to geographical variations in data. Nevertheless, advanced decision-making techniques are vital in forest fire management. Our research presents a systematic exploration of the topic, comparing various machine learning models, thereby providing a comprehensive baseline for future investigations in this crucial environmental arena.

Bitcoin has been launched for over a decade and made an increasing impact on the world’s financial order, which attracted extensive attention of researchers. Bitcoin system runs on a dynamic P2P network, containing tens of thousands of nodes including reachable nodes and unreachable nodes. In this article, a detection system BNS (Bitcoin Network Sniffer) was prososed, which could collect as many Bitcoin nodes as possible. For reachable nodes, the authors designed an algorithm BRF (Bitcoin Reachable-nodes Finding) based on node activity evaluation, which reduced the nodes to be detected and greatly shortened the detection time. For unreachable nodes, the authors trained a dicision tree model BUF(Bitcoin Unreachable-nodes Finding) to identify unreachable nodes based on attribute features from massive node addresses. Experiments showed that BNS performed better than the website "Bitnodes" in total number and efficiency. Based on the experimental results, the authors analyzed the real network size, node "churn" and geographical distribution.

The $k$-set tree connectivity, as a natural extension of classical connectivity, is a very important index to evaluate the fault-tolerance of interconnection networks. Let $G=(V, E)$ be a connected graph and a subset $S\subseteq V$, an $S$-tree of graph $G$ is a tree $T=(V',E')$ that contains all the vertices of $S$. Two $S$-trees $T$ and $T'$ are internally disjoint if and only if $E(T)\cap E(T')=\varnothing$ and $V(T)\cap V(T')=S$. The cardinality of maximum internally disjoint $S$-trees is defined as $\kappa_{G}(S)$, and the $k$-set tree connectivity is defined by $\kappa_{k}(G)=\min\{\kappa_{G}(S)|S\subseteq V(G)\ \text{and} \ |S|=k\}$. In this paper, we show that the $k$-set tree connectivity of hierarchical folded hypercube when $k=4$, that is, $\kappa_{4}(HFQ_{n})=n+1$, where $HFQ_{n}$ is hierarchical folded hypercube for $n\geq 7$.

Global energy scenario is becoming vital for the sustainable economic development of a region or country. Current changes in energy production, mainly due to scarcity and geopolitical factors, have proven the need for changes in energy mix towards a lower energy dependence. In that sense, a considerable amount of biomass waste is generated in many regions, because of agro-industrial activities, whose management could contribute to energy production. The aim of this work was to study the determination of combustion conditions in a biomass stove by using different raw materials as fuels, such as pine, poplar, and plum tree pellets. For that purpose, power, excess air, and biomass content were optimized, among other parameters, and fumes were analyzed with a Testo 335 analyzer, recording temperatures with temperature probes. As a conclusion, high yields were found for the optimized parameters of the studied biomass (ranging from 91.1 % for poplar pellet to 92.34 % for pine pellet), making these three biomass fuels suitable for combustion in the abovementioned stove. Also, increasing biomass flow by 25 % in the stove contributed to a higher efficiency of the process, especially in the case of plum tree pellets.

Canistel (Pouteria campechiana (Kunth) Baehni) (yellow sapote, canistel). Originally from Mexico, the fruit is edible, and the tree is used as an ornamental and medicinal plant. Descriptive studies were carried out with the objective of morphologically characterizing the fruits and leaves of trees located in different regions of Mexico to select outstanding specimens and propose their massive reproduction. The trees were selected in three zones. In zone 2 from flower anthesis to harvest 11 months, fruits with 3 seeds, greater weight (180 to 330 g) and quantity of pulp (198.88 g), subglobose shape, total soluble solids 33 %. The fruits of zone 1 at harvest 8 months and zone 3 took 9 months to be harvested, in the rest of the characteristics evaluated were exceeded by the fruits of zone 2. To characterize the canistel (P. campechiana) leaf and identify accessions or cultivars, the three main variables, according to the principal component analysis were: leaf area, perimeter, and minor diameter. The three zones where canistel fruits and leaves were characterized are important and can be recommended for propagation in zones with favorable climatic conditions for fruiting in tropical and subtropical regions of Mexico.

The minimum dominating tree (MDT) problem consists of finding a minimum weight sub-graph from an undirected graph, such that each vertex not in this sub-graph is adjacent to at least one of the vertices in it, and the sub-graph is connected without any ring structures. This paper presents a Dual Neighborhoods Search (DNS) algorithm for solving the MDT problem, which integrates several distinguishing features, such as two neighborhoods collaboratively working for optimizing the objective function, a fast neighborhood evaluation method to boost the searching effectiveness, and several diversification techniques to help the searching process jump out of the local optimum trap thus obtaining better solutions. DNS improves the previous best-known results for 4 public benchmark instances while providing competitive results for the remaining ones. Several ingredients of DNS are investigated to demonstrate the importance of the proposed ideas and techniques.

In the clock network design, the trade-off between power consumption and timing closure is an important and difficult issue. To achieve this target, a hybrid clock network architecture that combines both clock tree and clock mesh seems to be a promising solution. In this paper, we propose a novel clock mesh architecture – cross-mesh, with the average dispersion of the overall driving force, our methodology creates small non-zero skew clock trees. In addition, we integrate clock gating and register clustering techniques to further reduce dynamic power consumption. The proposed algorithms have four stages: cross-mesh planning, register clustering, mesh line connecting, and load balancing. Experimental results show that our methodology and algorithms get feasible solution effectively and improve both power consumption and clock skew simultaneously.

Water pollution is a common problem for dams situated within an urban or agricultural catchment. This can negatively affect the hydro ecosystem, drinking, recreational and other uses of water. In this study, the drinking water quality class of the Roodeplaat Dam, South Africa which faces pollution problems was modeled using machine learning algorisms in Python Jupyter Notebook 6.0.0. Eleven monthly water quality parameters recorded at five sampling stations from January 1981 to September 2017 were used for training and testing the model. Five machine learning classifiers: Gaussian Naïve Bayes (GNB), K-nearest neighbors (KNN), Decision Tree (DT), Support Vector Machines (SVM), and Linear Regression (LR) at a test size of 20%, 25%, 30%, and 40% were used to classify water into five classes (Excellent to Very bad). It was investigated that the dam water has only three classes good, medium, and bad. The prediction accuracies of machine learning algorithms from the highest to the lowest were 96.39%, 96.17%, 92.25%, 90.20, and 54.19% for KNN, DT, SVM, GNB, and LR, respectively. Therefore, KNN at a test size of 30% was recommended to classify the water quality of Roodeplat Dam accurately. Hence, machine learning algorithms can be used to identify the class of water quality before the water is treated and distributed for drinking use.

Rare study on quantitative relationship between energetic impact of debris flows on the intensity and duration of growth disturbances of tree rings was carried out, partly due to lack of feasible approaches and detailed field evidence. In this study, we firstly determine the age of a recent debris flow derived from historic landslide deposits at Qingyang mountain (QYM) on the northeastern Tibet plateau by dendrogeomorphic technique. We acquired the quantitative data of annual widths of tree rings in history and confirmed the influence of debris flow rather than other factors (e.g. climatic event and inset outbreaking) in disturbing the growth of tree rings in a specific year. Using the approach, we determined the age of the debris flow at QYM occurred in 1982, which was speculated to be triggered by high monthly precipitation of July in 1982. Subsequently, based on the boundaries of historic debris flow identified on remote sensing images before and after 1982 and depth-integrated continuum model, we reconstructed the process of 1982-debris flow and obtained the kinematic energy of debris flow impacting on the sampled trees. Based on the study, we observed that two growth disturbance patterns of tree rings influenced by the reconstructed 1982-debris flow were revealed including growth suppression and asymmetric growth. A raw logarithm relationship between duration (i.e. lasting time for the disturbed tree rings to recover the initial width) and intensity of growth disturbances (i.e. growth suppression ratio of disturbed tree rings) was obtained. We concluded that there is a negative exponential relationship between simulated kinematic energy of debris flow impacting on the disturbed trees and time to recover the initial width of corresponding tree rings.

Chi-squared automatic interaction detector (CHAID) algorithm is considered to be one of the mostly used supervised learning methods as it is adaptable to solving any kind of problem at hand. We have been starkly aware of CHAID maps non-linear relationships quite well, and it can empower predictive models with stability. But we don’t know how high its accuracy is precisely. To find out the perfect scope CHAID algorithm fits into, this paper presents the analysis of the accuracy of the CHAID algorithm. We introduce the causes, applicable conditions and application scope of CHAID algorithm at first, and then highlight the difference of branching principal between the CHAID algorithm and several other common decision tree algorithms, which is our first step towards basic analysis on CHAID algorithm. We next employee an actual branching case to help us understand CHAID algorithm better. Specifically, we use vehicle customer satisfaction data to compare multiple decision tree algorithms, and cite some factors that affecting the accuracy and some corresponding countermeasures which are more conducive to us to obtain accurate results. The results show that CHAID can analyze the data very well, and detect the significantly correlated factors surely. In this paper, we learn the clear information required to understand CHAID algorithm, thereby make better choices when we need to use decision tree algorithms.