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1136. Xylem growth cessation in stems and branches of European beech and silver birch : influences of temperature and droughtLorène Julia Marchand, Jožica Gričar, Peter Prislan, Inge Dox, Melanie S. Verlinden, Omar Flores, Matteo Campioli, 2025, original scientific article Abstract: Introduction: Assessing wood growth phenology over multiple years is essential for understanding the environmental drivers of forest growth and improving large-scale predictions of the carbon cycle. Xylogenesis methods facilitate the assessment of the timing and rate of xylem cell wall thickening, the primary sink of carbon in wood. In angiosperm trees, where wood anatomy is complex, significantly less is known about the factors controlling growth cessation in autumn due to indirect, sinteracting, and lag effects, in contrast to growth resumption in spring. Furthermore, both branch and stem growth must be considered to account for the total aboveground phenology. Methods: In this study, we focused on European beech (Fagus sylvatica) and silver birch (Betula pendula) in a mild temperate region (Northern Belgium). We examined the progress of cell wall thickening in autumn and the seasonal timing of xylem growth cessation for these species’ stems over five years and for their branches over one year in mature trees. In addition, we investigated the same variables in the stems and branches of potted saplings for two years and for oak (Quercus robur) and aspen (Populus tremula) saplings over one year. Results: Our results demonstrate a considerable variation in the progression and cessation of wood growth, with differences of up to a month and a half in growth cessation (early September to late October), predominantly driven by climatic variables. Early cessation of xylem growth in stems was strongly associated with high temperatures in April and August, elevated vapour pressure deficit, and severe soil drought in August. The progression of cell wall thickening in late summer was generally synchronized between branches and stems for every species. However, branches sustained a higher percentage of growth (approximately 2 weeks) in early autumn during non-drought years. Discussion: These findings provide valuable insights for refining models of forest growth and carbon storage, enabling a more comprehensive representation that encompasses the entire tree under different climatic scenarios.
Keywords: phenology, cambium, cell wall thickening, hardwood species, atmospheric drought
Published in DiRROS: 08.09.2025; Views: 315; Downloads: 153
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1138. Silver binding dichotomy for 7-deazaadenine/thymine : preference for Watson–Crick pairing over homobase interactions in DNACarmen López-Chamorro, Antonio Pérez-Romero, Alicia Domínguez-Martín, Uroš Javornik, Oscar Palacios, Janez Plavec, Miguel A. Galindo, 2025, original scientific article Abstract: DNA strands modified with 7-deazaadenine (X) and 7-deazaguanine (Y) have shown promise in forming silver-DNA assemblies while maintaining canonical Watson–Crick base pairing, highlighting the compatibility of silver binding with standard DNA structures. However, critical questions remain regarding the binding preferences of AgI ions to sequences containing 7-deazapurine bases, particularly the prevalence of silver-modified Watson–Crick base pairs versus alternative homobase pair arrangements. To address this, we examined the binding of AgI to complementary X-T sequences, demonstrating a strong preference for canonical X-AgI-T pairing over homoleptic X-AgI-X or T-AgI-T pairs. Additionally, we report the discovery of a novel metallized DNA duplex featuring continuous X-AgI-X homobase pairs, whose structural analysis at the monomeric level, using model base 9-propyl-7-deazaadenine (pX) and AgI salts, reveals a unique silver-binding pattern through the Watson–Crick face. These findings not only advance our understanding of silver-mediated DNA architectures using 7-deazapurines but also provide a foundation for the rational design of sophisticated metal-DNA nanostructures with tailored properties, opening new avenues for the development of functional DNA-based materials.
Keywords: crystal structure, genetics, ions, silver, solution chemistry
Published in DiRROS: 08.09.2025; Views: 380; Downloads: 168
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1139. Application of the HIDRA2 deep-learning model for sea level forecasting along the Estonian coast of the Baltic SeaAmirhossein Barzandeh, Matjaž Ličer, Marko Rus, Matej Kristan, Ilja Maljutenko, Jüri Elken, Priidik Lagemaa, Rivo Uiboupin, 2025, original scientific article Abstract: Sea level predictions, typically derived from 3D hydrodynamic models, are computationally intensive and subject to uncertainties stemming from physical representation and inaccuracies in initial or boundary conditions. As a complementary alternative, data-driven machine learning models provide a computationally efficient solution with comparable accuracy. This study employs the deep-learning model HIDRA2 to forecast hourly sea levels at five coastal stations along the Estonian coastline of the Baltic Sea, evaluating its performance across various forecast lead times. Compared to the regional NEMOBAL and subregional NEMOEST hydrodynamic models, HIDRA2 frequently outperforms both, particularly in terms of overall forecast skill. While HIDRA2 shows limitations in resolving high-frequency sea level variability above (6h) 1, it effectively reproduces energy in lower-frequency bands below (18h) 1. Errors tend to average out over longer time windows encompassing multiple seiche periods, enabling HIDRA2 to surpass the overall performance of the NEMO models. These findings underscore HIDRA2’s potential as a robust, efficient, and reliable tool for operational sea level forecasting and coastal management in the eastern Baltic Sea region.
Keywords: sea flooding, deep learning, convolutional networks
Published in DiRROS: 08.09.2025; Views: 362; Downloads: 154
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1140. Influence of selected cognitive performances on musculoskeletal injury occurrence in adult male professional Slovenian PrvaLiga football players in a prospective cohort studyF. Giesche, Manca Peskar, Luka Šlosar, Boštjan Šimunič, Rado Pišot, Uroš Marušič, 2025, original scientific article Abstract: Evidence suggests athletes with lower baseline cognitive performance are at higher risk of musculoskeletal injuries. This prospective cohort study investigates basic and executive cognitive functions in predicting injuries in 78 professional male football (soccer) players from four Slovenian f irst league teams. Data were collected during the 2018/2019 winter break, and injuries recorded in the second half of that and the 2019/2020 season. Cognitive functions assessed by computerized tests (PsyToolkit) included psychomotor vigilance (simple, choice reaction time) and visuospatial memory (Corsi-block-tapping-test), while pen-and-paper tests assessed motor speed, visual scanning, and executive functions (TMT; Delis-Kaplan-Executive-Function-System). Forty-two players sustained at least one musculoskeletal injury (9 contact injuries), 36 remained injury-free. Logistic regression analyses indicated that none of the cognitive measures significantly influenced injury occurrence (p > 0.05). However, non-significant trends were observed for the TMT ratio score (p = 0.065, OR = 1.64), reflecting cognitive flexibility, and for TMT-A (p = 0.05, OR = 0.60), reflecting visual scanning. Specifically, players with lower cognitive flexibility showed a 64% increase in the odds of sustaining an injury, while better visual scanning performance was associated with a 40% reduction in injury odds. No significant association was found between basic or executive cognitive functions and musculoskeletal injuries in professional male football players. However, a non-significant trend suggested that lower cognitive flexibility may be associated with increased injury risk. These findings underscore the need for larger studies to better clarify the role of executive functions in assessing injury risk in football.
Keywords: neurocognitive testing, cognitive-motor tests, sports injury, risk screening
Published in DiRROS: 08.09.2025; Views: 289; Downloads: 138
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