Estimation and mapping of water erosion and soil loss:Application of Gavrilovic erosion potential model(EPM)using GIS and remote sensing in the Assif el mal Watershed,Western high Atlas

Water erosion is a serious problem that leads to soil degradation,loss,and the destruction of structures.Assessing the risk of erosion and determining the affected areas has become crucial in order to understand the main factors influencing its evolution and to minimize its impacts.This study focuses on evaluating the risk of erosion in the Assif el mal watershed,which is located in the High Atlas Mountains.The Erosion Potential Model(EPM)is used to estimate soil losses depending on various parameters such as lithology,hydrology,topography,and morphometry.Geographic information systems and remote sensing techniques are employed to map areas with high erosive potential and their relationship with the distribution of factors involved.Different digital elevation models are also used in this study to highlight the impact of data quality on the accuracy of the results.The findings reveal that approximately 59%of the total area in the Assif el mal basin has low to very low potential for soil losses,while 22%is moderately affected and 19.9%is at high to very high risk.It is therefore crucial to implement soil conservation measures to mitigate and prevent erosion risks.

基于ROS的蔬菜移栽机器人控制系统设计

为实现温室蔬菜移栽无人智能化作业,设计了基于ROS架构的蔬菜移栽机器人控制系统,实现了蔬菜移栽机器人自主取苗部件、秧苗栽植部件和自主移动平台的自动控制。控制系统主要分为总线单元和导航单元,并基于EtherCAT总线和Realsense深度相机搭建硬件系统,利用分层模块化理念开发基于ROS架构的软件控制系统,搭建并实现了移栽作业中取苗、投苗、栽苗及移动平台协同一体化控制。实验结果表明:在大于2s/株的取栽苗周期运动条件下,可实现较高成功率的移栽作业。所设计控制系统保证了移栽作业成功率,提高了当前蔬菜移栽机的智能化水平。

Genetic Analysis and Linkage Mapping in a Resource Pig Population Using Microsatellite Markers

The use of markers and linkage map construction are important for QTL mapping in pigs. In this article, the genetic characteristics were studied and the linkage map was constructed in a pig resource population including 214 individuals by typing 39 microsatellite marker loci on Sus scrofa chromosomes, SSC4, SSC6, SSC7, SSC8, and SSC13. Results indicated that the average allele number, the average observed beterozygosity （Ho）, and the average polymorphism information content （PIC） in F1 and F2 population were 3.2, 0.528, 0.463 and 3.2, 0.496, 0.447, respectively. In the pig resource population, the average informative meiosis （IM） was 217.4 （44-316）, and the average linkage map length between the two sexes on the five chromosomes were 172.3 cM （SSC4）, 168.7 cM （SSC6）, 191.7 cM （SSC7）, 197.3 cM （SSC8）, and 178.3 cM （SSC13）. The orders of microsatellite marker loci in the linkage maps were identical to, but the length was greater than, those of USDA-MARC reference map. The results of this research showed the genetic relationship and genetic characteristics of the microsatellite markers in the pig resource family population, and the linkage map could be used to for QTL mapping in the subsequent study.

Mapping of a Major Stripe Rust Resistance Gene in Chinese Native Wheat Variety Chike Using Microsatellite Markers

Chike （accession number Su1900）, a Chinese native wheat （Triticum aestivum L.） variety, is resistant to the currently prevailing physiological races of Puccinia striiformis Westend. f. sp. tritici in China. Genetic analysis indicated that resistance to the physiological race CY32 of the pathogen in the variety was controlled by one dominant gene. In this study, BSA （bulked segregant analysis） methods and SSRs （simple sequence repeats） marker polymorphic analysis are used to map the gene. The resistant and susceptible DNA bulks were prepared from the segregating F2 population of the cross between Taichung 29, a susceptible variety as maternal parent, and Chike as paternal parent. Over 400 SSR primers were screened, and five SSR markers Xwmc44, Xgwm259, Xwmc367, Xcfa2292, and Xbarc80 on the chromosome arm 1BL were found to be polymorphic between the resistant and the susceptible DNA bulks as well as their parents. Genetic linkage was tested on segregating F2 population with 200 plants, including 140 resistant and 60 susceptible plants. All the five SSR markers were linked to the stripe rust resistance gene in Chike. The genetic distances for the markers Xwmc44, Xgwm259, Xwmc367, Xcfa2292, and Xbarc80 to the target gene were 8.3 cM, 9.1 cM, 17.2 cM, 20.6 cM, and 31.6 cM, respectively. Analysis using 21 nulli-tetrasomic Chinese Spring lines further confirmed that all the five markers were located on chromosome lB. On the basis of the above results, it is reasonable to assume that the major stripe rust resistance gene YrChk in Chike was located on the chromosome arm 1BL, and its comparison with the other stripe rust resistance genes located on 1B suggested that YrChk may be a novel gene that provides the resistance against stripe rust in Chike. Exploration and utilization of resources of disease resistance genes in native wheat varieties will be helpful both to diversify the resistance genes and to amend the situation of resistance gene simplification in the commercial wheat cultivars in China.

Integrated Geological and Geophysical Mapping for Groundwater Potential Studies at Ekwegbe-Agu and Environs, Enugu State, Nigeria

The study integrates both the geological and geophysical mapping techniques for groundwater potential studies at Ekwegbe-Agu and the environs, Enugu state, Nigeria for optimal citing of borehole. Located in the Anambra Basin between latitudes 6˚43'N and 6˚47'N and longitudes 7˚28'E and 7˚32'E, it is stratigraphycally underlain by, from bottom to top, the Enugu/Nkporo, Mamu and Ajali Formation respectively, a complex geology that make citing of productive borehole in the area problematic leading to borehole failure and dry holes due to inadequate sampling. The study adopted a field and analytic sampling approach, integrating field geological, electrical resistivity and self-potential methods. The software, SedLog v3.1, InterpexIx1Dv.3, and Surfer v10 were employed for the data integration and interpretation. The result of the geological field and borehole data shows 11 sedimentary facies consisting of sandstone, shales and heterolith of sandstone/shale, with the aquifer zone mostly prevalent in the more porous sand-dominated horizons. Mostly the AK and HK were the dominant curve types. An average of 6 geo-electric layers were delineated across all transects with resistivity values ranging from 25.42 - 105.85 Ωm, 186.38 - 3383.3 Ωm, and 2992 - 6286.4 Ωm in the Enugu, Mamu and Ajali Formations respectively. The resistivity of the main aquifer layer ranges from 1 to 500 Ωm. The aquifer thickness within the study area varies between 95 and 140 m. The western and northwestern part of the study area which is underlain mainly by the Ajali Formation showed the highest groundwater potential in the area and suitable for citing productive boreholes.

Mapping COVID-19 in India:Southern states at the forefront of new JN.1 variant

A new variant,JN.1,stemming from the omicron subvariant BA.2.86,garnered the attention of the World Health Organization(WHO)as a"variant of interest."Despite its rapid global spread,especially in the US,Canada,France,Singapore,Sweden[1],and the UK,JN.1 is considered to pose minimal danger.Current vaccinations are believed to remain effective against it.The WHO underscores the importance of maintaining immunization records amid co-occurring respiratory illnesses,and epidemiologists recommend monitoring hospitalizations,particularly in areas with low vaccination rates.

MAP4K inhibition as a potential therapy for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis(ALS)is a rare neurological disease,featuring gradual loss of muscle controls due to degeneration of motor neurons.Unfortunately,there is currently no cure for ALS.The available therapies only offer a limited extension of survival by several months,begging for more options of therapeutics.

Multi-Elemental Analysis and 2D Image Mapping within Roots, Leaves and Seeds from O. glaberrima Rice Plants Using Micro-PIXE Technique

Understanding metal accumulation at organ level in roots, leaves and seeds in O. glaberrima (OG) is crucial for improving physiological and metabolic aspects in growing Asian and African rice in salted areas. The micro-analytical imaging techniques are required to reveal its accumulation and distribution within plant tissues. PIXE studies have been performed to determine different elements in rice plants. The existing microbeam analytical technique at the iThemba LABS will be applied for the 2D image mapping of fresh rice tissues to perform a concentration of low atomic mass elements (such as Al, Si, P, S, Cl, Ca, Ti, Mn, Fe, Cu, Br, Zn and K) with detection limits of typically 1-10 μg/g. Comparison of the distribution of the elements between leaves, root and seed samples using uptake and distribution of elements in particular environmental conditions with potential amount of salt in water have been performed. We are also expecting to indicate metal exclusion as salt tolerance strategies from leaves, root, and seed compartments using matrix correlation between samples and between elements on rice species.

Unknown Environment Measurement Mapping by Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Using Kalman Filter-Based Low-Cost Estimated Parallel 8-Beam LIDAR

The measurement and mapping of objects in the outer environment have traditionally been conducted using ground-based monitoring systems,as well as satellites.More recently,unmanned aerial vehicles have also been employed for this purpose.The accurate detection and mapping of a target such as buildings,trees,and terrains are of utmost importance in various applications of unmanned aerial vehicles(UAVs),including search and rescue operations,object transportation,object detection,inspection tasks,and mapping activities.However,the rapid measurement and mapping of the object are not currently achievable due to factors such as the object’s size,the intricate nature of the sites,and the complexity of mapping algorithms.The present system introduces a costeffective solution for measurement and mapping by utilizing a small unmanned aerial vehicle(UAV)equipped with an 8-beam Light Detection and Ranging(LiDAR)system.This approach offers advantages over traditional methods that rely on expensive cameras and complex algorithm-based approaches.The reflective properties of laser beams have also been investigated.The system provides prompt results in comparison to traditional camerabased surveillance,with minimal latency and the need for complex algorithms.The Kalman estimation method demonstrates improved performance in the presence of noise.The measurement and mapping of external objects have been successfully conducted at varying distances,utilizing different resolutions.

Multi-environment BSA-seq using large F3 populations is able to achieve reliable QTL mapping with high power and resolution: An experimental demonstration in rice

Bulked-segregant analysis by deep sequencing(BSA-seq) is a widely used method for mapping QTL(quantitative trait loci) due to its simplicity, speed, cost-effectiveness, and efficiency. However, the ability of BSA-seq to detect QTL is often limited by inappropriate experimental designs, as evidenced by numerous practical studies. Most BSA-seq studies have utilized small to medium-sized populations, with F2populations being the most common choice. Nevertheless, theoretical studies have shown that using a large population with an appropriate pool size can significantly enhance the power and resolution of QTL detection in BSA-seq, with F_(3)populations offering notable advantages over F2populations. To provide an experimental demonstration, we tested the power of BSA-seq to identify QTL controlling days from sowing to heading(DTH) in a 7200-plant rice F_(3)population in two environments, with a pool size of approximately 500. Each experiment identified 34 QTL, an order of magnitude greater than reported in most BSA-seq experiments, of which 23 were detected in both experiments, with 17 of these located near41 previously reported QTL and eight cloned genes known to control DTH in rice. These results indicate that QTL mapping by BSA-seq in large F_(3)populations and multi-environment experiments can achieve high power, resolution, and reliability.

Fine mapping of two recessive genes TaFLA1 and TaSPL8 controlling flag leaf angle in bread wheat

Flag leaf angle is one of the key target traits in high yield wheat breeding.A smaller flag leaf angle reduces shading and enables plants to grow at a higher density,which increases yield.Here we identified a mutant,je0407,with an 84.34%-89.35%smaller flag leaf angle compared with the wild type.The mutant also had an abnormal lamina joint and no ligule or auricle.Genetic analysis indicated that the ligule was controlled by two recessive genes,which were mapped to chromosomes 2AS and 2DL.The mutant allele on chromosome 2AS was named Tafla1b,and it was fine mapped to a 1 Mb physical interval.The mutant allele on chr.2DL was identified as Taspl8b,a novel allele of TaSPL8 with a missense mutation in the second exon,which was used to develop a cleaved amplified polymorphic sequence marker.F3 and F4 lines derived from crosses between Jing411 and je0407 were genotyped to investigate interactions between the Tafla1b and Taspl8b alleles.Plants with the Tafla1b/Taspl8a genotype had 58.41%-82.76%smaller flag leaf angles,6.4%-24.9%shorter spikes,and a greater spikelet density(0.382 more spikelets per cm)compared with the wild type.Plants with the Tafla1a/Taspl8b genotype had 52.62%-82.24%smaller flag leaf angles and no differences in plant height or spikelet density compared with the wild type.Tafla1b/Taspl8b plants produced erect leaves with an abnormal lamina joint.The two alleles had dosage effects on ligule formation and flag leaf angle,but no significant effect on thousand-grain weight.The mutant alleles provide novel resources for improvement of wheat plant architecture.

Mapping upland crop–rice cropping systems for targeted sustainable intensification in South China

Upland crop-rice cropping systems(UCR)facilitate sustainable agricultural intensification.Accurate UCR cultivation mapping is needed to ensure food security,sustainable water management,and rural revitalization.However,datasets describing cropping systems are limited in spatial coverage and crop types.Mapping UCR is more challenging than crop identification and most existing approaches rely heavily on accurate phenology calendars and representative training samples,which limits its applications over large regions.We describe a novel algorithm(RRSS)for automatic mapping of upland crop-rice cropping systems using Sentinel-1 Synthetic Aperture Radar(SAR)and Sentinel-2 Multispectral Instrument(MSI)data.One indicator,the VV backscatter range,was proposed to discriminate UCR and another two indicators were designed by coupling greenness and pigment indices to further discriminate tobacco or oilseed UCR.The RRSS algorithm was applied to South China characterized by complex smallholder rice cropping systems and diverse topographic conditions.This study developed 10-m UCR maps of a major rice bowl in South China,the Xiang-Gan-Min(XGM)region.The performance of the RRSS algorithm was validated based on 5197 ground-truth reference sites,with an overall accuracy of 91.92%.There were7348 km^(2) areas of UCR,roughly one-half of them located in plains.The UCR was represented mainly by oilseed-UCR and tobacco-UCR,which contributed respectively 69%and 15%of UCR area.UCR patterns accounted for only one-tenth of rice production,which can be tripled by intensification from single rice cropping.Application to complex and fragmented subtropical regions suggested the spatiotemporal robustness of the RRSS algorithm,which could be further applied to generate 10-m UCR datasets for application at national or global scales.

Improving model performance in mapping cropland soil organic matter using time-series remote sensing data

Faced with increasing global soil degradation,spatially explicit data on cropland soil organic matter(SOM)provides crucial data for soil carbon pool accounting,cropland quality assessment and the formulation of effective management policies.As a spatial information prediction technique,digital soil mapping(DSM)has been widely used to spatially map soil information at different scales.However,the accuracy of digital SOM maps for cropland is typically lower than for other land cover types due to the inherent difficulty in precisely quantifying human disturbance.To overcome this limitation,this study systematically assessed a framework of“information extractionfeature selection-model averaging”for improving model performance in mapping cropland SOM using 462 cropland soil samples collected in Guangzhou,China in 2021.The results showed that using the framework of dynamic information extraction,feature selection and model averaging could efficiently improve the accuracy of the final predictions(R^(2):0.48 to 0.53)without having obviously negative impacts on uncertainty.Quantifying the dynamic information of the environment was an efficient way to generate covariates that are linearly and nonlinearly related to SOM,which improved the R^(2)of random forest from 0.44 to 0.48 and the R^(2)of extreme gradient boosting from 0.37to 0.43.Forward recursive feature selection(FRFS)is recommended when there are relatively few environmental covariates(<200),whereas Boruta is recommended when there are many environmental covariates(>500).The Granger-Ramanathan model averaging approach could improve the prediction accuracy and average uncertainty.When the structures of initial prediction models are similar,increasing in the number of averaging models did not have significantly positive effects on the final predictions.Given the advantages of these selected strategies over information extraction,feature selection and model averaging have a great potential for high-accuracy soil mapping at any scales,so this approach can provide more reliable references for soil conservation policy-making.

Early detection and intervention in diabetic gastroparesis:Role of body surface gastric mapping

Diabetic gastrointestinal neuropathy is a diabetes-related complication,associated with a complex interplay of hyperglycemic damage,autoimmune responses,oxidative stress,gastrointestinal hormones,and vascular insufficiency.Patients with diabetes should be monitored and therapeutic intervention introduced to prevent neuropathy due to diabetes prior to“the point of no return”.Determining gastric bioelectrical activity by body surface gastric mapping may be a promising option to monitor diabetic gastrointestinal neuropathy.

基于ROS平台的激光雷达Slam-GMapping的重定位方法研究

目前主流的机器人操作平台ROS(Robot Operating System)建图媒介是Kinect双目摄像头,采用CMOS红外传感器感知黑白光谱的方式来构建目标地图。计算量大,建图轮廓不清晰,地图构建与实际地图偏移量较大,重定位精度差。本文提出基于ROS平台的激光雷达Slam-GMapping的重定位技术,包括RBPF粒子滤波算法、激光雷达Slam-GMapping建图和机器人的重定位。实验结果表明:激光雷达Slam-GMapping相比于Kinect,能够更好地构建目标地图,建图效果更加优越,建图精度更高;该重定位技术的定位方位更加精确,定位误差更小。

Research fronts and researchers of World Journal of Psychiatry in 2023: A visualization and analysis of mapping knowledge domains

BACKGROUND In the rapidly evolving landscape of psychiatric research,2023 marked another year of significant progress globally,with the World Journal of Psychiatry(WJP)experiencing notable expansion and influence.AIM To conduct a comprehensive visualization and analysis of the articles published in the WJP throughout 2023.By delving into these publications,the aim is to deter-mine the valuable insights that can illuminate pathways for future research endeavors in the field of psychiatry.METHODS A selection process led to the inclusion of 107 papers from the WJP published in 2023,forming the dataset for the analysis.Employing advanced visualization techniques,this study mapped the knowledge domains represented in these papers.RESULTS The findings revealed a prevalent focus on key topics such as depression,mental health,anxiety,schizophrenia,and the impact of coronavirus disease 2019.Additionally,through keyword clustering,it became evident that these papers were predominantly focused on exploring mental health disorders,depression,anxiety,schizophrenia,and related factors.Noteworthy contributions hailed authors in regions such as China,the United Kingdom,United States,and Turkey.Particularly,the paper garnered the highest number of citations,while the American Psychiatric Association was the most cited reference.CONCLUSION It is recommended that the WJP continue in its efforts to enhance the quality of papers published in the field of psychiatry.Additionally,there is a pressing need to delve into the potential applications of digital interventions and artificial intelligence within the discipline.

Genome-wide association mapping and genomic prediction of stalk rot in two mid-altitude tropical maize populations

Maize stalk rot reduces grain yield and quality.Information about the genetics of resistance to maize stalk rot could help breeders design effective breeding strategies for the trait.Genomic prediction may be a more effective breeding strategy for stalk-rot resistance than marker-assisted selection.We performed a genome-wide association study(GWAS)and genomic prediction of resistance in testcross hybrids of 677 inbred lines from the Tuxpe?o and non-Tuxpe?o heterotic pools grown in three environments and genotyped with 200,681 single-nucleotide polymorphisms(SNPs).Eighteen SNPs associated with stalk rot shared genomic regions with gene families previously associated with plant biotic and abiotic responses.More favorable SNP haplotypes traced to tropical than to temperate progenitors of the inbred lines.Incorporating genotype-by-environment(G×E)interaction increased genomic prediction accuracy.

Structural Controls and Predictive Mapping of Tin, Niobium and Tantalum Mineralization Associated with the Mayo Darlé Stanniferous Granitoids;Contributions of Geostatistics

The aim of this study of the spatial dispersion of tin, niobium and tantalum mineralization associated with the Mayo Darlé granitoids was to produce prospecting guides through predictive maps of Sn, Nb and Ta in the region. It was based on a database (in appendix) obtained after analysis of rock samples (greisens and quartz veins) collected in the field, using a portable X-ray fluorescence (XRF) spectrometer. Two approaches were used: 1) structural studies in the field using the directions of veins and fractures 2) the use of variographic maps, an essential element in geostatistics for determining directional anisotropies. A joint synthesis of the modelling results shows that tin, tantalum and niobium mineralization at Mayo Darlé is concentrated along strike intervals N315E to N320E, with mineralization also occurring along strike N35E for high-grade Sn, medium-grade Ta and low-grade Nb. In short, mineral concentrations disperse progressively in space: positively from east to west for tantalum and niobium, and inversely for tin.

Modelling and mapping soil erosion potential in China

Soil erosion is an important environmental threat in China.However,quantitative estimates of soil erosion in China have rarely been reported in the literature.In this study,soil loss potential in China was estimated by integrating satellite images,field samples,and ground observations based on the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation(RUSLE).The rainfall erosivity factor was estimated from merged rainfall data using Collocated CoKriging(ColCOK)and downscaled by geographically weighted regression(GWR).The Random Forest(RF)regression approach was used as a tool for understanding and predicting the relationship between the soil erodibility factor and a set of environment factors.Our results show that the average erosion rate in China is 1.44 t ha^(–1) yr^(–1).More than 60%of the territory in China is influenced by soil erosion limitedly,with an average potential erosion rate less than 0.1 t ha^(–1) yr^(–1).Other unused land and other forested woodlands showed the highest erosion risk.Our estimates are comparable to those of runoff plot studies.Our results provide a useful tool for soil loss assessments and ecological environment protections.

Recent progress and future prospect of digital soil mapping： A review

To deal with the global and regional issues including food security, climate change, land degradation, biodiversity loss, water resource management, and ecosystem health, detailed accurate spatial soil information is urgently needed. This drives the worldwide development of digital soil mapping. In recent years, significant progresses have been made in different aspects of digital soil mapping. The main purpose of this paper is to provide a review for the major progresses of digital soil mapping in the last decade. First, we briefly described the rise of digital soil mapping and outlined important milestones and their influence, and main paradigms in digital soil mapping. Then, we reviewed the progresses in legacy soil data, environmental covariates, soil sampling, predictive models and the applications of digital soil mapping products. Finally, we summarized the main trends and future prospect as revealed by studies up to now. We concluded that although the digital soil mapping is now moving towards mature to meet various demands of soil information, challenges including new theories, methodologies and applications of digital soil mapping, especially for highly heterogeneous and human-affected environments, still exist and need to be addressed in the future.