Power series expansions are useful in approximation theory and mathematical physics. The manuscript presents several types of fractional Taylor expansions of sufficiently smooth functions. This is achieved by employing an incremental regularization procedure to the computation of the derivative. The series are constructed in an algorithmic way, which allows for its implementation in computer algebra systems.

Everyday place descriptions provide a rich source of knowledge about places and their relative locations. This research proposes a place graph model for modeling this spatial, non-spatial, and contextual knowledge from place descriptions. The model extends a prior place graph, and overcomes a number of limitations. The model is implemented using the Neo4j graph database, and a management system has also been developed that allows operations including querying, mapping, and visualizing the stored knowledge in an extended place graph. Then three experimental tasks, namely georeferencing, reasoning, and querying, are selected to demonstrate the superiority of the extended model.

Our health requires continual protein synthesis for maintaining and repairing tissues. For protein synthesis to function, all the essential (indispensable) amino acids (IAA) that must be available in the diet, along with those AAs that the cells can synthesize, the dispensable amino acids. Here we review studies that have shown the location of the detector for IAA deficiency in the brain, specifically for recognition of IAA deficient diets (IAAD diets) in the anterior piriform cortex (APC), with subsequent responses in downstream brain areas. The APC is highly excitable, uniquely suited to serve as an alarm for reductions in IAAs. With a balanced diet, these neurons are kept from over-excitation by GABAergic inhibitory neurons. Because several transporters and receptors on the GABAergic neurons have rapid turnover times, they rely on intact protein synthesis to function. When an IAA is missing, its unique tRNA cannot be charged. This activates the enzyme General Control Nonderepressible 2 (GCN2) that is important in the initiation phase of protein synthesis. Without the inhibitory control supplied by GABAergic neurons, excitation in the circuitry is free to signal an urgent alarm. Studies in rodents have shown rapid recognition of IAA deficiency by quick rejection of the IAAD diet.

The role of natural factors mainly solar eleven-year cycle variability, and volcanic eruptions on two major modes of climate variability the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) and El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) are studied for around last 150 years period. The NAO is the primary factor to regulate Central England Temperature (CET) during winter throughout the period, though NAO is impacted differently by other factors in various time periods. Solar variability indicates a strong positive influence on NAO during 1978-1997, though suggests opposite in earlier period. Solar NAO lag relationship is also shown sensitive to the chosen times of reference and thus points towards the previously proposed mechanism/ relationship related to the sun and NAO. The ENSO is influenced strongly by solar variability and volcanic eruptions in certain periods. This study observes a strong negative association between the sun and ENSO before the 1950s, which is even opposite during the second half of 20th century. The period 1978-1997, when two strong eruptions coincided with active years of strong solar cycles, the ENSO, and volcano suggested a stronger association, and we discussed the important role played by ENSO. That period showed warming in central tropical Pacific while cooling in the North Atlantic with reference to the later period (1999-2017) and also from chosen earlier period. Here we show that the mean atmospheric state is important for understanding the connection between solar variability, the NAO and ENSO and associated mechanism. It presents a critical analysis to improve knowledge about major modes of variability and their role in climate. We also discussed the importance of detecting the robust signal of natural variability, mainly the sun.

Non-normal mode stability analysis has long been employed to study linear transient characteristics of wall bounded shear flows. However, the application of this approach to investigate shear flows with stratified thermal conditions (STCF) has received limited attention. This paper examines thermal effects on Taylor-Couette flow. The results in this study indicate the possibility of a subcritical bifurcation in stratified Taylor-Couette flow.

This study investigates via Lie symmetry analysis the Hunter-Saxton equation, an equation relevant to the theoretical analysis of nematic liquid crystals. We employ the multiplier method to obtain conservation laws of the equation derived from first-order multipliers. Conservation laws of the Hunter-Saxton equation, in combination with the Lie point symmetries of the equation, enable us to perform symmetry reductions through employment of the double reduction method. The method exploits the relationship between Lie point symmetries and conservation laws to effectively reduce both the number of variables and the order of the equation. Five nontrivial conservation laws of the Hunter-Saxton equation are derived, four of which are found to have associated Lie point symmetries. Applying the double reduction method to the Hunter-Saxton equation results in a set of first-order ordinary differential equations, the solutions of which represent invariant solutions for the equation.

Classical numerical methods for solving ordinary differential equations often produce less accurate results when applied to problems with oscillatory or periodic behaviour. To adapt them for such problems, they are usually modified using the exponential fitting technique. This adaptation allows for the construction of new methods from their classical counterparts. The new methods are usually more accurate, efficient and suitable for handling the oscillatory or periodic behaviour of the problem. In this work, we construct a two-parameter exponentially-fitted Taylor method suitable for solving oscillatory or periodic problems that possess two frequencies. The construction algorithm is based on a proposed six-step flowchart discussed by authors in related literature. Two standard test problems were used to illustrate the accuracy and performance of the proposed method.

The purpose of this paper is to simulate a two-dimensional Rayleigh-Taylor instability problem using the classical method of Finite Element analysis of a multiphase model using ANSYS FLUENT 19.2. The governing equations consist of a system of coupled nonlinear partial differential equations for conservation of mass, momentum and phase transport equations. The study focuses on the transient state simulation of Rayleigh Taylor waves and subsequent turbulent mixing in the two phases incorporated in the model. The Rayleigh Taylor instability is an instability of an interface between two fluids of different densities which occurs when the lighter fluid is pushing the heavier fluid in a gravitational field. The problem was governed by the Navier-Stokes and Cahn-Hilliard equations in a primitive variable formulation. The Cahn- Hilliard equations were used to capture the interface between two fluids systems. The objective of this article is to perform grid dependency test on Rayleigh Taylor Instability for 2 different mesh size and compare the results for the variation in Atwood Number. The results were validated with the observations from previous published literatures.

Based upon a radically new approach, this paper describes a 2-box absolute flow model that calculates the CO₂ transfer between the atmosphere and a terrestrial / ocean mixing reservoir. Given the inputs of anthropogenic fossil fuel emissions (CO2ff), atmospheric CO₂ mixing-ratio and nuclear weapons bomb yields, the model calculates atmospheric d¹³C and Δ¹⁴C time-series, with the level of agreement for d¹³C being to within ± 0.05 ‰, for Δ¹⁴C to within ± 3‰, spanning 200 years. The model contains only seven internal parameters which are varied to optimize the fit. Yet according to conventional wisdom, this model should not work. It is commonly held that the ¹³C and ¹⁴C isotopic forms of carbon bypass seawater carbonate chemistry, resulting in very different absorption properties (Revelle factor) as compared to ¹²C. This study rejects this assumption, and uses the same residence time and reservoir mixing properties for all isotopes. The paper includes an analysis justifying why the isotopic bypass of the Revelle factor is not significant. The study describes the use of the model to track CO2ff takeup using two separate measures, a) the amount of molecular CO2ff remaining in the atmosphere and b) the amount of atmospheric growth attributable to CO2ff, thereby resolving discrepancies in published values.

Although total nett CO₂ atmospheric flow can be estimated with reasonable accuracy, the contributing gross fluxes between the atmosphere and the earth's surface are poorly understood. This paper presents a method, driven by the objective of simplicity, by which the global outflow and inflow of CO₂ between atmosphere and a globally equivalent "mixing reservoir" can be estimated, using the isotopes ¹⁴C and ¹³C as tracers. It has been asserted that the isotopic carbon in CO₂ cannot be directly used as a tracer in flow studies because it is not subject to the Revelle factor. Evidence is provided showing that this view is mistaken. The model contains 7 key parameters which are used to create synthetic records of Δ¹⁴C and d¹³C spanning 200 years or more, including during the period of atmospheric weapons testing and its decay known as the "bomb pulse". By optimising the fit between these computed values and the historical records of d¹³C and Δ¹⁴C, all seven key parameters are determined. The effective "mixing reservoir" is thereby determined to have a size around six times that of the atmosphere, with global outflux rising from 39.7 GTC yr-1 in 1750 to 58.9 GTC/yr in 2020, this figure probably not including annually cycled carbon.

This paper presents a new implementation of a 2-box absolute flow model, enabling the calculation of CO₂ transfer between the atmosphere and a mixing reservoir representing the combined effect of the terrestrial and ocean regions. The model uses published values of anthropogenic CO₂ fossil fuel emissions (CO2ff), atmospheric CO₂ mixing ratio and nuclear weapons bomb yields, to compute atmospheric d¹³C and Δ¹⁴C time-series. The level of agreement between the calculated values and the accepted values for d¹³C is within ± 0.05 ‰, and for Δ¹⁴C is within ± 3‰, spanning 200 years. The model contains only seven internal parameters; these are varied to optimize the fit, leading to reasonable parameter values, indicating the validity of the method. In addition, the model shows how a rising CO₂ exchange influx fluctuating with surface temperature is compatible with a nett atmospheric CO₂ sink. The study demonstrates that a single CO₂ residence time applies to both the ¹⁴C bomb pulse and the anthropogenic flux, contrary to the conventional view that "bomb radiocarbon and anthropogenic CO₂ do not behave identically." [Joos 1994 Nature 370, 181–182]. It is shown that the difference in behaviour, claimed to be due to seawater chemistry, is not significant in practice since fluctuating bulk carbon dominates fluctuating isotopic ratio. A new analysis of the airborne fraction indicates that the assumption of a time-dependent exchange influx results in a similar residence time for bulk CO₂ as for ¹⁴C in the nuclear bomb pulse, reinforcing the view that the ¹²C, ¹³C and ¹⁴C carbon isotopic forms of CO₂ behave similarly in the carbon cycle.

The motivations for the move to electrified vehicles are discussed with reference to their improved energy efficiency, their potential for lower CO2 emissions (if the electricity system is decarbonized), their lower (or zero) NOx/particulate matter (PM) tailpipe emissions, and the lower overall costs for owners. Some of the assumptions made in life-cycle CO2 emissions calculations are discussed and the effect of these assumptions on the CO2 benefits of electric vehicles are made clear. A number of new tribological challenges have emerged, particularly for hybrid vehicles that have both a conventional internal combustion engine and a battery, such as the need to protect against the much greater number of stop-starts that the engine will have during its lifetime. In addition, new lubricants are required for electric vehicle transmissions systems. Although full battery electric vehicles (BEVs) will not require engine oils (as there is no engine) they will require a system to cool the batteries – alternative cooling systems are discussed, and where these are fluid based, the specific fluid requirements are outlined.

The purpose of this study was to identify potential causes of violence and crime in informal settlements and residents’ strategies for response and prevention to these issues, as perceived by women living in Mathare informal settlement in Nairobi, Kenya. A total of 55 in-depth interviews were conducted with women living in the informal settlement in 2015-2016. A modified grounded theory approach was used to guide data collection and analysis. The most common contributor to violence and crime identified by women in Mathare informal settlement was idle youth, but leadership and government challenges, corruption and/or inadequacy of police, community barriers, tribalism, and lack of protective infrastructure also emerged as contributing factors. Despite facing many economic, environmental, and day-to-day challenges, women in Mathare identified violence and crime as predominant issues; thus, developing effective response and prevention strategies to these issues in informal settlements is paramount. Women suggest there are many strategies and initiatives to reduce and prevent violence and crime in informal settlements, but also identified barriers to implementing them. Findings suggest there is a need for trust-building between formal and informal organizations and institutions, systems of accountability, and long-term investment to foster sustainable and effective violence and crime response and interventions in these settlements.

Basaltic activity is the most common class of volcanism on Earth, characterized by magmas of sufficiently low viscosities such that bubbles can move independently of the melt. Following exsolution, spherical bubbles can then expand and/or coalesce to generate larger bubbles of spherical-cap or Taylor bubble (slug) morphologies. Puffing and strombolian explosive activity are driven by bursting of these larger bubbles at the surface. Here, we present the first combined model classification of spherical-cap and Taylor bubble driven puffing and strombolian activity modes on volcanoes. We furthermore incorporate the possibility that neighboring bubbles might coalesce, leading to elevated strombolian explosivity. The model categorizes behavior in terms of the temporal separation between the arrival of successive bubbles at the surface and bubble gas volume or length, with the output presented on visually intuitive two-dimensional plots. The categorized behavior is grouped into the following regimes: puffing from a) cap bubbles; and b) non-overpressurised Taylor bubbles; and c) Taylor bubble driven strombolian explosions; each of these regimes is further subdivided into scenarios whereby inter-bubble interaction does/doesn't occur. The model performance is corroborated using field data from Stromboli (Aeolian Islands, Italy), Etna (Sicily, Italy) and Yasur (Vanuatu), representing one of the very first studies, focused on combining high temporal resolution degassing data with fluid dynamics, as a means of deepening our understanding of the processes which drive basaltic volcanism.

Around one billion people live in informal settlements, globally, including over half of Nairobi, Kenya’s three million residents. The purpose of this study was to explore women’s fear of victimization within Mathare, an informal settlement in Nairobi, Kenya and how fear of victimization influences behavior. Fifty-five in-depth interviews were conducted with women in 2016. A modified grounded theory approach guided data collection and analysis. Findings suggest fear of victimization is a serious concern in informal settlements. Women have found ways to adopt their behaviors that allow them to continue to function and protect their children despite fearing victimization, but at a potential cost to their health and well-being. Thus, there is a critical need for more research focused on social, economic, structural, community, infrastructure, technological, and individual strategies to prevent violence, enhance residents’ sense of safety, and, subsequently, minimize women’s fear of victimization in informal settlements.

AbstractLocal estimates of coastal flood risk are required for coastal planning and development, including the location and design of sea-defences and coastal buildings, such as harbours and associated infrastructure. This paper discusses the use of three parameters associated with estimating such risks; the flood return period, the instantaneous flood probability and the flood design risk, and it describes the mathematical background for their derivation. The discussion is extended to include the effects of sea level rise and how it can be incorporated into the calculations. Flood height can vary quite rapidly with distance along the coast, being affected by coastal topology, which may magnify or diminish the tidal and surge effects. Similarly land heave influences the local effects of sea level rise and can be influenced by water extraction, tectonic movements and melting ice. Tide gauge measurements provide a local historical record from which the various parameters can be retrieved. This paper discusses the algorithms used to derive these measures from tide-gauge records. The figures have been derived for four tide gauges located on the UK east coast.

Nociceptive threshold (NT) testing is widely used for the study of pain and its alleviation. The end point is a normal behavioural response which may be affected by restraint or unfamiliar surroundings leading to erroneous data. Remotely controlled thermal and mechanical NT testing systems were developed to allow free movement during testing and were evaluated in cats, dogs, sheep, horses and camels. Thermal threshold (TT) testing incorporated a heater and temperature sensor held against the animal’s shaved skin. Mechanical threshold (MT) testing incorporated a pneumatic actuator attached to a limb containing a 1 - 2mm radiused pin pushed against the skin. Both stimuli were driven from battery powered control units attached on the animal’s back, controlled remotely via infra-red radiation from a hand held component. Threshold reading was held automatically and displayed digitally on the unit. The system was failsafe with a safety cutout at a preset temperature or force as appropriate. The animals accepted the equipment and behaved normally in their home environment enabling recording of reproducible TT (38.5 – 49.8°C) and MT (2.7 – 10.1N); precise values depended on species, the individual and the stimulus characteristics. Remote controlled NT threshold testing appears to be a viable refinement for pain research.

Diabetes is a life-long illness, it requires life-long solution. Today’s treatment is trading one type of pain with another, never truly ride off the illness. When Artificial Pancreas (AP) offered a possibility of cure, it stirred up a great deal of interest in the diabetic community (1). The system was based on artificial intelligence. It can automate the dosing of insulin to reduce high blood sugar levels overnight. The most dangerous time for diabetes. Artificial Pancreas may be able to allow diabetic patients to sleep through the night without waking up to check and manage their blood glucose levels. It was a significant advancement. However, the achievement was limited: 76.4% in range with the system vs. 67.8% without the system. This accomplishment was creditable, but not optimal. If Artificial Pancreas was to be offered as a viable treatment for diabetes, it must be a life-long solution and must be a total solution. Artificial Pancreas has failed in this challenge. We decided to pursue an alternative approach, a self-regulated system: bioartificial pancreas. It has the potential became a complete cure.

A critical review of recent work on fuel lubricant interactions is undertaken. The work focusses on liquid fuels used in diesel and gasoline vehicles. The amount of fuel that contaminates the lubricant depends on driving conditions, engine design, fuel type and lubricant type. When fuel contaminates a lubricant, the viscosity of the lubricant will change (it will usually decrease), the sump oil level may increase, there may be a tendency for more sludge formation, there may be an impact on friction and wear, and low speed pre-ignition could occur. The increased use of biofuels (particularly biodiesel) may require a reduction in oil drain intervals, and fuel borne additives could contaminate the lubricant. The move to active regeneration of particulate filters by delayed fuel post-injection and the move to hybrid electric vehicles, and vehicles equipped with stop-start systems will lead to increased fuel dilution. This will be of more concern in diesel engines, since significant fuel dilution could still persist at sump oil temperatures in the range 100-150C (whereas in gasoline engines the more volatile gasoline fuel will have substantially evaporated at these temperatures). It is anticipated that more research into fuel lubricant interactions, particularly for diesel engines, will be needed in the near future.

The biosynthesis of DNA inherently competes with RNA synthesis because it depends on the reduction of ribonucleotides (RNA precursors) to 2’-deoxyribonucleotides by ribonucleotide reductase (RNR). Hence, RNA viruses can increase viral RNA production in cells by partially blocking the synthesis of DNA, e.g. by downregulating the mammalian selenoprotein thioredoxin reductase (TR), which normally acts to sustain DNA synthesis by regenerating reduced thioredoxin, a hydrogen donor for RNR. Computational and preliminary experimental evidence supports the hypothesis that a number of pathogenic RNA viruses, including HIV-1, Ebola, Zika, some flu viruses, and SARS-CoV-2, target TR isoforms by antisense. TR knockdown would create a host antioxidant defect that could be partially rectified by increased selenium intake, or be exacerbated by selenium deficiency, contributing to viral pathogenesis. There are several non-selenium-dependent means that viruses might also exploit to slow DNA synthesis, such as targeting RNR itself, or components of the glutaredoxin system, which serves as a backup redox system for RNR. HIV-1 substantially downregulates glutathione synthesis, so it interferes with both the thioredoxin and glutaredoxin systems. Computational results suggest that, like Ebola, SARS-CoV-2 targets TR3 by antisense. TR3 is the only TR isoform that includes an N-terminal glutaredoxin domain, so antisense knockdown of TR3 may also affect both redox systems, favoring RNA synthesis. In contrast, some DNA viruses encode their own glutaredoxins, thioredoxin-like proteins and even RNR homologues – so they are doing just the opposite, favoring DNA synthesis. This is clear evidence that viruses can benefit from shifting the RNA:DNA balance to their advantage.

Striated muscle thick filaments are composed of myosin II and several non- myosin proteins which define the filament length and modify its function. Myosin II has a globular N-terminal motor domain comprising its catalytic and actin-binding activities and a long α-helical, coiled-coil tail that forms the dense filament backbone. Myosin alone polymerizes into filaments of irregular length, but striated muscle thick filaments have defined lengths that with the thin filament define the sarcomere structure. The motor domain structure and function are well understood but the myosin filament backbone is not. Here we report a structure of the flight muscle thick filaments from Drosophila melanogaster at 4.7 Å resolution which eliminates previous ambiguities in the non-myosin densities. The full proximal S2 region is resolved as are the connecting densities between the Ig domains of stretchin-klp. The proteins, flightin and myofilin are resolved in sufficient detail to build an atomic model based on an AlphaFold prediction. Our results suggest how flightin and myofilin cooperate to define the structure of the thick filament and explains a key myosin mutation that affects flightin incorporation. Drosophila is a genetic model organism for which our results can define strategies for functional testing.

Much has been learned about the interaction between myosin and actin through biochemistry, in vitro motility assays and cryo-electron microscopy of F-actin decorated with myosin heads. Comparatively less is known about actin-myosin interactions within the filament lattice of muscle, where myosin heads function as independent force generators and thus most measurements report an average signal from multiple biochemical and mechanical states. All of the 3-D imaging by electron microscopy that has revealed the interplay of the regular array of actin subunits and myosin heads within the filament lattice has been accomplished using the flight muscle of the large waterbug Lethocerus sp. Lethocerus flight muscle possesses a particularly favorable filament arrangement that enables all the myosin cross-bridges contacting the actin filament to be visualized in a thin section. This review covers the history of this effort and the progress toward visualizing the complex set of conformational changes that myosin heads make when binding to actin in several static states as well as fast frozen actively contracting muscle. The efforts have revealed a consistent pattern of changes to the myosin head structures determined by X-ray crystallography needed to explain the structure of the different acto-myosin interactions observed in situ.

Nitrogen (N) is an essential macro nutrient for crop growth; therefore, N deficit can greatly limit crop growth and production. In the North China Plain (NCP), winter wheat is one of the main food crops, and its yield has increased from approximately 4000 kg ha-1 to 6000 kg ha-1 in the last two decades. Determining the proper N application rates at different growth stages and in all seasons is very important for the sustainable and high production of wheat in the NCP. A field experiment with five N application rates (250, 200, 150, 100, and 40 kgN·ha-1, designated as N250, N200, N150, N100, and N40, respectively) was conducted during the 2017-2018 and 2018-2019 winter wheat seasons to investigate the effects of the N application rate on water- and fertiliz-er-utilization efficiency, and on the crop growth and yield of winter wheat under sprinkler fer-tigation conditions. The results showed that, in the N application range of 40-200 kg ha-1, crop yield and water- and fertilizer-use efficiencies increased as the N application rate increased; however, further increases in the N application rate did not have additional benefits. The N up-take after regreening of winter wheat linearly increased with crop growth. Considering the wheat yield and N-use efficiency, the optimal N application range was 200 kg ha-1, and the best top-dressing strategy was equal amounts of N applied at the regreening, jointing, and grain-filling stages. The results of this study will be useful for optimizing field N management to achieve high wheat yield production in the NCP and in regions with similar climatic and soil environment conditions.

Detecting, especially locating local degradations at an incipient stage, is very important for mission-critical high voltage rotating machines. One particular challenge of the existing testing techniques is that the characteristic of a local incipient defect is not prominent due to various factors such as averaging with the healthy remainder, attenuation in signal propagation, interference, and varied operating conditions. This paper proposes and investigates the frequency domain reflectometry (FDR) technique based on scattering parameter measurement. The FDR result presents the object length, wave impedance, and reflections due to impedance discontinuity along the measured windings. Experiments were performed on two commercial coils with artificially made defects. These defects include turn-to-turn short, surface creepage, loose coils, and local overheating, which are commonly seen in practice. Two practical water pumps in the field were also selected for investigation. The study outcome shows that the FDR can identify and locate both structure and insulation degradations of both shielded and unshielded objects with good sensitivity. This makes the FDR a comprehensive tool for fault diagnosis and aging assessment.

This study presented a novel and sustainable method for producing chitin nanocrystals (PA-ChNCs) using phosphoric acid hydrolysis. The produced PA-ChNCs were used as stabilizers for Pickering emulsions and their physicochemical properties as well as stabilization mechanisms were systematically investigated. The PA-ChNCs exhibited small particle sizes and high surface areas, enabling an effective adsorption at the oil/water interface, which prevented coalescence in Pickering emulsions. The particle size and surface charge PA-ChNCs were strongly pH-dependent, which were critical factors for stabilizing Pickering emulsions. The study showed that emulsions with higher O:W ratios (50%) exhibited larger droplets but greater viscosity, forming a stable gel-like matrix that was more stable than emulsions with other O:W ratios after storage for 30 days. Emulsions with higher PA-ChNCs concentrations (2.0 wt%) and higher pH values (pH 10) showed small droplets and high viscosity, leading to stable emulsions. This research contributes to the development of sustainable and effective emulsifiers for use in the food industry, making utilization of seafood waste in an eco-friendly manner possible. Overall, this study highlights the potential of using newly developed PA-ChNCs as stabilizers for Pickering emulsions in food products.

Double burden of malnutrition (DBM) and anaemia is a growing concern in developing countries. 5,763 mother-child pairs were selected from a cross-sectional study (Bangladesh Demographic Health Survey, 2011) to examine DBM and anaemia in households. Overweight mothers had stunted (24.5%), underweight (19.8%), wasted (9.3%) and anaemic (51.7%) children. Region and drinking water were positively associated with both DBM and anaemia (p < 0.001). Father’s occupation and wealth index were positively associated with DBM (p <0.001) only. More policies and awareness programmes are needed to address the coexistence of child undernutrition and maternal overweight/obesity and anaemia in the same household.

Eating disorders, especially restrictive eating, are common among female athletes. There are two main types of winter sports, those that are practised outdoors on snow (-25 to +5ºC and 2500 m), such as alpine skiing or snowboarding, and those that are practiced indoors on ice (5-10º C at low altitude), such as figure skating and ice hockey. The aim of this research was to identify the nutritional status and potential risk of female athletes practising winter sports considering the altitude of training. The sample was composed of 58 women (aged 19.81 years (SD: 12.61) who were competitors in some winter sports. Anthropometrics and nutritional variables were taken. Statistically significant differences were found between groups for all the characteristics except thigh skinfold and neither group had an EI that matched their TEE. Both groups met at least 2/3rd of the RDI for all minerals and vitamins, except iodine, fluorine, vit D, E and retinol. This study suggest that female winter sports athletes have insufficient energy, vitamin and mineral intake that can be worsened by altitude.

Recent advances in synthetic membranes allow their use in fields as diverse as food and agriculture, biotechnology, industrial wastewater treatment, and potable water production. Among the newly developed technologies, nanofiltration for liquids and more particularly for desalination of seawater or saline aquifers are actively pursued. However, current solid-state membranes performance is limited, which calls for the development of novel formulations for membranes offering both high permeability (ion and water flux) and ion differentiation (selectivity), usually considered antagonist features. We report the development of hybrid nanoporous membranes made of solid-state polymeric carbonate track-etched (PCTE) thin films in which biological ion channels such as Gramicidin A (GA), alpha-hemolysin (α-HL), and outer-membrane protein F (OmpF) aquaporin are confined and graphene oxide (GO) conjugated cobalt ion selective binding peptide motifs (Copep) are adsorbed, referring as bioinspired and biomimetic approaches, respectively. These solid-state nanoporous membranes are attracting widespread attention since they offer scalability, mechanical robustness, selectivity, controlled pore dimension and shape, for water sustainability. The ion permeability, ion diffusion coefficient and selective ion recognition are evaluated via nanofiltration, cell diffusion kinetics, and UV-Visible absorption spectroscopy to gain insights into the role of key performance parameters including effective ion confinement in track-etched pores, rich surface chemistry, and peptide-induced channel for selective ion transport. These findings provide new avenues for artificial ion channels by synergistic combination of eco-friendly material design such as GO enabled by bio-molecular recognition chemistry.

Appropriate nutrition during pregnancy and the post-partum period is vital to both the parent and their offspring. Both under- and over-nourished status may have important microbial implications on the parental and infant gut microbiomes. Alterations to the microbiome can have implications for a person’s risk of obesity and metabolic diseases. In this review, we examine alterations in the parental gut, vaginal, placental, and milk microbiomes in the context of pre-pregnancy BMI, gestational weight gain, body composition, gestational diabetes, and parental diet. We also investigate how the infant gut microbiome may be altered by these different parameters. Many of the microbial changes seen in under- and over-nourished states in birthing parents may result in long-term implications to the health of offspring. Differences in diet appear to be a major driver of the parental, and subsequently milk and offspring microbiomes. Further prospective longitudinal cohort studies are needed examining nutrition and the microbiome to better understand its implications. Additionally, trials involving dietary interventions in child-bearing age adults should be explored to improve the parent and child’s risks for metabolic diseases.

Mexico shows a high prevalence of obesity in children and adolescents. Geographical location and cultural environment could play a role in the promotion of healthy lifestyles in terms of physical activity (PA), sedentary behavior (SB) and nutrition. The purpose of this study was to assess rural and urban differences in body composition (BC), physical fitness (PF), PA and nutritional status of adolescents from the state of Jalisco (Mexico). The study involved 469 students aged 13-17 years (55.0% girls) from 8 high schools. BC was analyzed by bioimpedance, and PF by standardized field tests. Objective measurements of PA and SB were taken in a subsample (n=240). Energy intake (EI) was calculated from two 24h recalls. Rural residents presented a higher prevalence of overweight, waist circumference, trunk fat mass, regional fat free mass and muscle handgrip strength (all p&lt;0.05, ηp2&lt;0.06). Cardiorespiratory fitness was similar among participants, whereas urban adolescents showed higher muscle power, speed-agility and flexibility scores (all p&lt;0.05, ηp2&lt;0.07). Overall lifestyle behavior in urban adolescents was more sedentary (p&lt;0.05, ηp2= 0.11). EI was similar in both locations. In conclusion, urban Mexican adolescents presented a generally higher sedentary behavior and better fitness and fatness profile than their rural peers.

Currently the majority of studies on vision-based measurement has been conducted under ideal environments so that an adequate measurement performance and accuracy is ensured. However, vision-based systems may face some adverse influencing factors such as illumination change and fog interference, which can affect the measurement accuracy. This paper develops a robust vision-based displacement measurement method which can handle the two common and important adverse factors given above and achieve sensitivity at the subpixel level. The proposed method leverages the advantage of high-resolution imaging incorporating spatial and temporal context aspects. To validate the feasibility, stability and robustness of the proposed method, a series of experiments was conducted on a two-span three-lane bridge in the laboratory. The illumination change and fog interference are simulated experimentally in the laboratory. The results of the proposed method are compared to conventional displacement sensor data and current vision-based method results. It is demonstrated that the proposed method gives better measurement results than the current ones under illumination change and fog interference.

We have an unprecedented ability to map the Earth’s surface as deep learning technologies are applied to an abundance of high-frequency Earth observation data. Simple, free, and effective methods are needed to enable a variety of stakeholders to use these tools to improve scientific knowledge and decision making. Here we present a trained U-Net model that can map and delineate ground mounted solar arrays using publicly available Sentinel-2 imagery, and that requires minimal data pre-processing and no feature engineering. By using label overloading and image augmentation during training, the model is robust to temporal and spatial variation in imagery. The trained model achieved a precision and recall of 91.5% each and an intersection over union of 84.3% on independent validation data from two distinct geographies. This generalizability in space and time makes the model useful for repeatedly mapping solar arrays. We use this model to delineate all ground mounted solar arrays in North Carolina and the Chesapeake Bay watershed to illustrate how these methods can be used to quickly and easily produce accurate maps of solar infrastructure.

Research Question: To what extent is local flora influenced by ornithogenic soil biochemical-composition in the South Sandwich Islands, with special attention given to Zavodovski, and what are the down-stream effects on the geology of the islands? Hypothesis: Areas supplied by fluvial run-off from penguin colonies, especially crˆeches, host the most productive and species rich floral landscapes, even after controlling for geothermal activity.

Polarization in online social networks has gathered a significant amount of attention in the research community and in the public sphere due to stark disagreements with millions of participants in topics surrounding politics, climate, the economy and other areas where an agreement is required. There are multiple approaches to investigating the scenarios in which polarization occurs and given that polarization is not a new phenomenon but that its virality may be supported by the low cost and latency messaging offered by online social media platforms; an investigation into the intrinsic dynamics of online opinion evolution is presented for complete networks. Extending a model which utilizes the Binary Voter Model (BVM) to examine the effect of the degree of freedom for selecting contacts based upon homophily, simulations show that different opinions are reinforced for a period of time when users have a greater range of choice for association. The facility of discussion threads and groups formed upon common views further delays the rate in which a consensus can form between all members of the network. This can temporarily incubate members from interacting with those who can present an alternative opinion where a voter model would then proceed to produce a homogeneous opinion based upon pairwise interactions.

Dictyostelium discoideum is gaining increasing attention as a model organism for the study of calcium binding and calmodulin function in basic biological events as well as human diseases. After a short overview of calcium-binding proteins, the structure of Dictyostelium calmodulin and the conformational changes effected by calcium ion binding to its four EF hands is compared to its human counterpart, emphasizing the highly conserved nature of this central regulatory protein. The calcium-dependent and -independent motifs involved in calmodulin binding to target proteins are discussed with examples of the diversity of calmodulin binding proteins that have been studied in this amoebozoan. The methods used to identify and characterize calmodulin binding proteins is covered followed by the ways Dictyostelium is currently being used as a system to study several neurodegenerative diseases and how it could serve as a model for studying calmodulinopathies such as those associated with specific types of heart arrythmia. Because of its rapid developmental cycles, its genetic tractability, and a richly endowed stock center, Dictyostelium is in a position to become a leader in the field of calmodulin research.

The neuropeptide oxytocin (OT) is a well-described modulator of socio-emotional traits, such as anxiety, stress, social behavior, and pair-bonding, however, when dysregulated, it is associated with adverse psychiatric traits, like various aspects of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). In this study, we identify the transcription factor MEF2A as the common link between OT and cellular changes symptomatic for ASD, encompassing neuronal morphology, connectivity, and mitochondrial function. We provide evidence for MEF2A as the decisive factor defining the cellular response to OT: while OT induces neurite retraction in MEF2A expressing neurons, OT causes neurite outgrowth in absence of MEF2A. A CRISPR-Cas-mediated knockout of MEF2A and retransfection of an active version or permanently inactive mutant, respectively, validated our findings. We also identified the phosphatase calcineurin as the main upstream regulator of OT-induced MEF2A signaling. Further, MEF2A signaling dampens mitochondrial functioning in neurons, as MEF2A knockout cells show increased maximal cellular respiration, spare-respiratory capacity, and total cellular ATP. In summary, we reveal a central role for OT-induced MEF2A as major regulator of cellular morphology as well as neuronal connectivity and mitochondrial functioning, with broad implications for a potential treatment of disorders based on morphological alterations or mitochondrial dysfunction.

The mass composition of Particulate Matter (PM) with an aerodynamic diameter of 2.5 microns (PM2.5) in San Joaquin Valley (SJV) is dominated by ammonium nitrate (NH4NO3) which is a secondary pollutant. The goal of this research was the investigation of the relationship between emissions, meteorology and PM2.5 concentrations in Fresno for the winter season. It was found that the location of sites near emission sources such as freeways compared with residential sites strongly affected measured PM2.5 concentrations. It was found that although long-term trends showed declines in both emissions and PM2.5 concentrations there was substantial variability between the years in the PM2.5/emissions relationship. Much of the yearly variation in the relationship between emissions and PM2.5 concentrations can be attributed to yearly variations in weather, such as atmospheric stability, precipitation frequency and average wind speed. There are moderate correlations between PM2.5 concentrations and temperature differences between nearby surface stations at varying elevations which explains some of the daily and seasonal variation in PM2.5. Occurrence of precipitation was related to low PM¬2.5 although the higher wind speeds and lower atmospheric stability associated with precipitation likely explain some of the low PM2.5 as well as washout of PM.

Empirical models help us understand the process of plant residue decomposition and nutrient release into the soil. The objective of this study was to determine an appropriate model to describe the decomposition of hairy vetch (Vicia villosa Roth) and cereal rye (Secale cereale L.) cover crop (CC) residue and nitrogen (N) release. Data pertaining to above and belowground CC residue mass loss and N release for up to 2633 cumulative decomposition degree days (112 d) after litterbag installation were obtained from two cropping system experiments, one conducted in 2015 and the other in 2017 and 2018 at the humid subtropical environment of southern IL, USA. Six exponential and two hyperbolic models were fit to percent mass and N remaining data to find the one with minimum Akaike Information Criterion (AIC) and residual sum of squares. Modified three-parameter single exponential and two- or three-parameter hyperbolic models best met the assumed criteria of selection for above and belowground CC residue, respectively. Fitting a double exponential model to a combined data for percent mass and N remaining, which identified two mass and N pools, a fast and a slow pool with different rate constants. A five-parameter double exponential with an asymptote met the preset criteria and passed all tests for normally distributed population, constant variance, and independence of residuals at α = 0.05 when fit to combined data of hairy vetch shoot mass and N remaining. However, a two-parameter hyperbolic and three-parameter asymptotic hyperbolic model provided the best fit to a combined data of cereal rye shoot mass and N remaining, respectively. Both hyperbolic decay models showed a good fit for belowground mass decomposition and N release for both CCs. Cereal rye had poorer fit than hairy vetch for mass and N remaining of both above and belowground mass. The best-selected decay models can be used to estimate the decomposition and N release rates of hairy vetch and cereal rye above and belowground residue in a similar environment.

Sentinel lymph node dissection (sLND) using a magnetometer and superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs) as a tracer was successfully applied in prostate cancer (PCa). Radioisotope-guided sLND combined with extended pelvic LND (ePLND) achieved better node removal, increasing the number of affected nodes or the detection of sentinel lymph nodes outside the established ePLND template. We determined the diagnostic value of additional magnetometer-guided sLND after intraprostatic SPION-injection in high-risk PCa. This retrospective study included 104 high-risk PCa patients (PSA >20 ng/ml and/or Gleason score ≥8 and/or cT2c) from a prospective cohort who underwent radical prostatectomy with magnetometer-guided sLND and ePLND. The diagnostic accuracy of sLND was assessed using ePLND as a reference standard. Lymph node metastases were found in 61 of 104 patients (58.7%). sLND had a 100% diagnostic rate, 96.6% sensitivity, 95.6% specificity, 96.6% positive predictive value, 95.6% negative predictive value, 3.4% false negative rate, and 4.4% false positive rate (detecting lymph node metastases outside the ePLND template). These findings demonstrate the high sensitivity and additional diagnostic value of magnetometer-guided sLND, exceeding that of ePLND through the individualized extension of PLND or the detection of sentinel lymph nodes / lymph node metastases outside the established node template in high-risk PCa.

Planetary waves in the mesosphere are studied using observational data and models to establish their origin, as there are indications of their generation independently of waves in the stratosphere. The quantitative relationships between zonal wave numbers m = 1 (wave 1) and m = 2 (wave 2) were studied with a focus on the mid-latitude mesosphere at 50N latitude. Aura Microwave Limb Sounder measurements were used to estimate wave amplitudes in geopotential height during the 2020–2021 winter major sudden stratospheric warming. The moving correlation between the wave amplitudes shows that, in comparison with the anticorrelation in the stratosphere, wave 2 positively correlates with wave 1 and propagates ahead of it in the mesosphere. A positive correlation r = 0.5–0.6, statistically significant at the 95% confidence level, is observed at 1–5-day time lag and in the 75–91 km altitude range, which is the upper mesosphere–mesopause region. Wavelet analysis shows a clear 8-day period in waves 1 and 2 in the mesosphere at 0.01 hPa (80 km), while in the stratosphere–lower mesosphere the period is twice as long at 16-days; this is statistically significant only in wave 2. Possible sources of mesospheric planetary waves are discussed.

Based upon Maxwell's equations, it has long been established that oscillating electromagnetic (EM) fields incident upon a metal surface decay exponentially inside the conductor, leading to a virtual EM vacuum at sufficient depths. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) utilizes radiofrequency (r.f.) EM fields to produce images. Here we present the first visualization of a virtual EM vacuum inside a bulk metal strip by MRI, amongst several novel findings. We uncover unexpected MRI intensity patterns arising from two orthogonal pairs of faces of a metal strip, and derive formulae for their intensity ratios, revealing differing effective elemental volumes (voxels) underneath these faces. Further, we furnish chemical shift imaging (CSI) results that discriminate different faces (surfaces) of a metal block according to their distinct nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) chemical shifts, which holds much promise for monitoring surface chemical reactions noninvasively. Bulk metals are ubiquitous, and MRI is a premier noninvasive diagnostic tool. Combining the two, the emerging field of bulk metal MRI can be expected to grow in importance. The fundamental nature of results presented here may impact bulk metal MRI and CSI across many fields.

One route to reducing CO2 emissions is to improve the energy efficiency of machines. For example, conventional combustion engines are being downsized (and down-speeded), are now running on lower viscosity engine lubricants (such as SAE 0W-20 or lower viscosity grades) and often also have stop-start systems fitted (to prevent engine idling when the vehicle is stopped). Some of these changes result in higher levels of mixed and boundary friction, and so accurate estimation of mixed/boundary friction losses is becoming of increased importance, both for estimating friction losses, and also for estimating wear volumes. Traditional approaches to estimating mixed/boundary friction, which employ real area of contact modelling such as the Greenwood-Tripp model [1] are widely used, but recent experimental data suggests that these approaches underestimate mixed/boundary friction losses [2-5]. A new model has been developed, based on experimental data, which estimates the proportion of mixed/boundary lubrication, X, as a function of the value (where is the ratio of the oil film thickness separating the surfaces to the combined root mean square surface roughness of the interface surfaces). The precise equation that describes the way in which X varies with takes the form of a “reverse S-curve”, which makes physical sense since S-curves arise naturally in growth processes, and in mixed/boundary lubrication, the real area of contact of rough surfaces grows as the load (and 1/) increases. Numerical estimates of mixed/boundary lubrication losses in internal combustion engines are presented here and compared with published data [2,6]. In addition, the improved method described here is used to estimate both the financial cost of mixed/boundary lubrication for today’s passenger car fleet, and the CO2 emissions associated with these friction losses.

This study aimed to determine whether camelina oil is safe for use in canine diets, using canola oil and flax oil as controls as they are similar and generally regarded as safe (GRAS) for canine diets. Thirty privately-owned adult dogs of various breeds (17 females; 13 males), with an average age of 7.2 ± 3.1 years (mean ± SD) and body weight (BW) of 27.4 ± 14.0 were used. After a 4-week wash-in period using sunflower oil and kibble, dogs were blocked by breed, age, and size, and randomly allocated to one of three treatment oils (camelina (CAM), flax (FLX), or canola (OLA)) at a level of 8.2 g oil/100g total dietary intake. Body condition score (BCS), BW, food intake (FI), and hematological and select biochemical parameters were measured at various timepoints over a 16-week feeding period. All data were analyzed with ANOVA using PROC GLIMMIX of SAS. No biologically significant differences were seen between treatment groups for BW, BCS, FI, hematological and biochemical results. Statistically significant differences noted among some serum biochemical results were considered small and due to normal biological variation. These results support a conclusion that camelina oil is safe for use in canine nutrition.

The 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends limiting intakes of saturated fat and added sugars (SF/AS) to 88% of the representative sample of U.S. adults. The top sources of SF were cheese, pizza, ice cream, and eggs. The leading sources of AS were soft drinks, tea, fruit drinks, and cakes and pies. This analysis reflects a parsimonious approach to reliably identify foods and beverages that contribute to SF/AS intakes in U.S. adults.

Despite a significant advance in the pathophysiological understanding of peripheral nerve damage, the successful treatment of large nerve defects remains an unmet medical need. In this article, axon growth guidance for peripheral nerve regeneration is systematically reviewed and discussed mainly from the engineering perspective. In addition, the common approach to surgery, bioengineering approaches to emerging technologies (i.e. optogenetic stimulation and magnetic stimulation) for functional recovery are discussed, with pros and cons. Alternatively, clear future perspectives of axon guidance and nerve regeneration are addressed.

Valence tautomerism (VT) may occur if a molecule contains two chemically different redox-active units, which differ only slightly in their intrinsic redox potential. Herein, we present three new half-sandwich complexes [(η6arene)Cr(CO)2L]+ with a triarylmethylium substituent appended to the -coordinated arene and different coligands L (L = CO, P(OPh)3, PPh3, 1+  3+) at the chromium atom. Ligand substitution purposefully lowers the half-wave potential for chromium oxidation and thereby the redox potential difference towards tritylium reduction. For the PPh3-substituted complex 3+, cyclic voltammetry measurements indicate that chromium oxidation and tritylium reduction occur at (almost) the same potential. This renders the diamagnetic Cr(0)C6H4CAr2+ form 3+ and its paramagnetic diradical Cr(I)+•C6H4CAr2• valence tautomer 3+•• energetically nearly degenerate. Temperature-dependent IR spectroscopy shows indeed two pairs of carbonyl bands assignable to a Cr(0) and a Cr(I) species, coexisting in a T-dependent equilibrium with almost equal quantities for both at 70 °C. The diradical form with one unpaired spin at the trityl unit engages in a monomer ⇌ dimer equilibrium, which was investigated by means of quantitative EPR spectroscopy. The diradical species 1+••  3+•• were found to be highly reactive, leading to several identified reaction products, which presumably result from hydrogen atom abstraction by the trityl C atom, e.g. from the solvent.

Summer annual species are the most widely grown crops in the Upper Midwest, but reliance on a summer annual system has led to excessive soil and nutrient loss when crops are not present. Integrating winter rye (Secale cereale L.), known for its hardiness and environmental benefits, into the rotation can address these issues. However, there's limited understanding of the phenotypic diversity in winter rye during key growth stages that overlap with the typical planting dates for corn (Zea mays L.), soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr], and late-planted crops like dry bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.). Thus, the objectives of this study were to evaluate changes in biomass accumulation and quality of winter rye and triticale (x Triticosecale Wittmack) cultivars at three growth stages. Twenty cultivars were assessed over the 2014-2015 and 2015-2016 growing seasons across three environments in Minnesota. Winter rye and triticale were harvested for biomass at the tillering, booting, and soft dough growth stages and rye biomass yield and quality [i.e., crude protein, neutral detergent fiber (NDF), and 48-hour digestibility (NDFD)] were determined following harvest. Overall, there was little variation in each parameter among the cultivars within a location and growth stage. NDFD had some variation at the soft dough stage where digestibility ranged from 273 to 324 g kg-1 at the Crookston site and 332 to 406 g kg-1 at the St. Paul site. The lack of difference between cultivars indicates a wide range of choice when selecting a winter rye cultivar.

This study evaluated the exogenous application of PGRs substitute chemical fertilization without compromising the growth and yield of tomato in fluctuated day-night temperature and humidity stressed late winter. Two-factor experiment comprising chemical fertilizers at 100, 110, 90 and 80 % of recommended doses besides control and PGRs of GA3; NAA, 4-CPA and SA @ 50 ppm including control was conducted where treatments were assigned in triplicates. Results revealed no significant variation among the fertilizer doses (80% to 110% of recommendation) regarding growth and yield contributing traits while among the PGRs, GA3 @ 50 ppm produced maximum number of flower clusters plant-1 (16.85), flowers (8.80) and fruits (5.79) cluster-1, single fruit weight (67.83 g) and fruit yield (6.61 kg plant-1) of tomato that was statistically identical with the findings of SA. But significant reduction in yield was noted in NAA and 4-CPA (1.20 kg and 1.21 kg plant-1, respectively). Interestingly, GA3 and SA in combination with any doses of the studied fertilizers maximize the tomato morphological and reproductive traits while fertilizer plus NAA and 4-CPA interaction gave the inferior results. Further, correlation matrix and PCA findings revealed that five fertilizer doses have no distinctiveness whereas GA3 and SA has distinct position than other PGRs with the maximum dependent variables those were contributed positively in the total variations. The study findings suggested that 20% fertilizer requirement could be reduced with the substitution of GA3 and SA @ 50 ppm for successful cultivation of tomato in late winter having the extreme environmental issues.

The goal of newborn screening is to improve health outcomes by identifying and treating affected newborns. This manuscript provides an overview of a data tool to facilitate the longitudinal collection of health information on newborns diagnosed with a condition through NBS. The Newborn Screening Translational Research Network (NBSTRN) developed the Longitudinal Pediatric Data Resource (LPDR) to capture, store, analyze, visualize, and share genomic and phenotypic data over the lifespan of NBS identified newborns to facilitate understanding of genetic disease, and to assess the impact of early identification and treatment. NBSTRN developed a consensus-based process using clinical care experts to create, maintain, and evolve question and answer sets organized into common data elements (CDEs). The LPDR contains 24,172 core and disease-specific CDEs for 118 rare genetic diseases, and the CDEs are being made available through the NIH CDE Repository. The number of CDEs for each condition average of 2,200 with a range from 69 to 7,944. The LPDR is used by state NBS programs, clinical researchers, and community-based organizations. Case level, de-identified data sets are available for secondary research and data mining. The development of the LPDR for longitudinal data gathering, sharing, and analysis supports research and facilitates the translation of new discoveries into clinical practice.

Worldwide, different strategies are elaborated in order to ensure optimum conditions for the development and growth of the economic competitiveness, but also for increasing the quality of life and environment protection. All these strategies are closely linked with the development and modernization of the systems for producing energy from clean and renewable sources. In this context, the present paper presents the results of the researches regarding the evaluation of the sustainability of the briquettes production, using the biomass resulted from vine winter pruning as raw material. An analysis of the scientific references indicates that nearly 8 Mt of biomass result from over 7.4 million hectares of vine plantations existent worldwide, biomass that could be valorized through densification in order to produce solid biofuels with a lower calorific value of more than 17 MJ·kg-1. When designing the scientific endeavor, the following aspects were considered: defining the aim and objectives of the research; design of the research algorithm; collection, preparation and conditioning of the biomass; chemical analysis of the briquettes; evaluation of the technological characteristics of the briquettes; evaluation of the energy consumption and energy efficiency for producing the briquettes, taking into account two drying methods (natural and artificial drying). In the meantime, some specific laboratory equipment was design and built for the artificial drying of biomass, evaluation of the mechanical durability, measurement of the energy consumption etc. The analysis of the experimental data has led to the conclusion that the agricultural waste from vine pruning can constitute an important and sustainable source of energy in the form of bri-quettes, which fulfill most of the requirements imposed by the international standards.

Machine learning (ML) is widely used in the field of crop-growing information identification based on high-resolution remote sensing images. With Baoying County in Jiangsu Province, China, as the study area, this paper used Sentinel-2 images during the winter wheat growth period to construct its spectral, textural, and topographic features during its growth period and proposes a winter wheat-growing area extraction method based on the extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost) algorithm, which was compared with traditional ML algorithms such as the support vector machine (SVM), classification and regression tree (CART), and random forest (RF) algorithms. The results indicated that (1) a winter wheat-growing area identification model based on the XGBoost algorithm was successfully constructed based on Sentinel-2 images, considering 27 spectral, textural, and topographic features; (2) the constructed model could effectively extract winter wheat in the study area with an overall accuracy of 93.43% and only a small error compared with the actual winter wheat-growing area in Baoying County, meeting the accuracy requirement for crop identification in the study area; and (3) the deep learning algorithm XGBoost outperformed the three traditional ML algorithms, among which the RF algorithm was better than the SVM and CART algorithms, both of which had poor identification performance and a large error compared with the actual growing area. This paper provides a scientific basis for the accurate extraction of winter wheat-growing areas and further research on winter wheat growth monitoring and yield estimation.

The aim of this work is to study the zonally asymmetric stratopause that occurred in the Arctic winter of 2019/2020, when the polar vortex was particularly strong and there was no sudden stratospheric warming. Aura Microwave Limb Sounder temperature data were used to analyze the evolution of the stratopause with a particular focus on its zonally asymmetric wave 1 pattern. There was a rapid descent of the stratopause height below 50 km in the anticyclone region in mid-December 2019. The descended stratopause persisted until mid-January 2020 and was accompanied by a slow descent of the higher stratopause in the vortex region. The results show that the stratopause in this event was inclined and lowered from the mesosphere in the polar vortex to the stratosphere in the anticyclone. It was found that the vertical amplification of wave 1 between 50 km and 60 km closely coincides in time with the rapid stratopause descent in the anticyclone. Overall, the behavior contrasts with the situation during sudden stratospheric warmings when the stratopause reforms at higher altitudes following wave amplification events. We link the mechanism responsible for coupling between the vertical wave 1 amplification and this form of zonally asymmetric stratopause descent to the unusual disruption of the quasi-biennial oscillation that occurred in late 2019.

Fusarium Head Blight (FHB) is a destructive disease affecting the grain yield and quality of wheat, barley, rye and triticale. Developing varieties with genetic resistance is integral to successfully managing FHB. However, significant knowledge gap exists in the genetic diversity present in triticale for FHB resistance. This information is critical for breeding new varieties of triticale as its production continues to increase. In the present study, a set of 298 winter triticale accessions from a worldwide collection were screened for their type-2 FHB resistance in an artificially inoculated misted nursery with high levels of inoculum density. Most of the triticale accessions were susceptible to FHB, and only 8% of accessions showed resistance in the field nursery screening. The resistant accessions identified in the nursery screening were selected and further screened for three years in greenhouse conditions. Seven accessions were found to show robust FHB resistance over the three years of greenhouse testing. Thirteen accessions showed significantly lower levels of Deoxynivalenol accumulation when compared to the susceptible triticale control. The accessions identified in the study will be useful in triticale and wheat breeding programs for enhancing FHB resistance and reducing DON accumulation.

Every biological image contains quantitative data that can be used to test hypotheses about how patterns were formed, what entities are associated with one another, and whether standard mathematical methods inform our understanding of biological phenomena. In particular, spatial point distributions and polygonal tessellations are particularly amendable to analysis with a variety of graph theoretic, computational geometric, and spatial statistical tools such as: Voronoi Polygons; Delaunay Triangulations; Perpendicular Bisectors; Circumcenters; Convex Hulls; Minimal Spanning Trees; Ulam Trees; Pitteway Violations; Circularity; Clark-Evans spatial statistics; Variance to Mean Ratios; Gabriel Graphs; and, Minimal Spanning Trees. Furthermore, biologists have developed a number of empirically related correlations for polygonal tessellations such as: Lewis’s Law (the number of edges of convex polygons are positively correlated with the areas of these polygons): Desch’s Law (the number of edges of convex polygons are positively correlated with the perimeters of these polygons); and Errara’s Law (daughter cell areas should be roughly half that of their parent cells’ areas). We introduce a new Pitteway Law that the number of sides of the convex polygons in a Voronoi tessellation of biological epithelia is proportional to the minimal interior angle of the convex polygons as angles less than 90 degrees result in Pitteway violations of the Delaunay dual of the Voronoi tessellation.

Growing acreage and changing consumer preferences cause increasing interest in the cereal products originating from organic farming. Lack of results of objective test, however, does not allow drawing conclusions about the effects of cultivation in the organic system and comparison to currently preferred conventional system. Field experiment was conducted in organic and conventional fields. Thirty modern cultivars of winter wheat were sown. They were characterized for disease infection including Fusarium head blight, seed sowing value, the amount of DNA of the six species of Fusarium fungi as well as concentration of ergosterol and trichothecenes in grain. The intensity Fusarium head blight was at a similar level in both systems. However, Fusarium colonization of kernels expressed as ergosterol level or DNA concentration was higher for the organic system. It did not reflect in an increased accumulation of trichothecenes in grain, which was similar in both systems, but sowing value of organically produced seeds was lower. Significant differences between analyzed cropping systems and experimental variants were found. The selection of the individual cultivars for organic growing in terms of resistance to diseases and contamination of grain with Fusarium toxins was possible. Effects of organic growing differ significantly from the conventional and grain obtained such way can be recommended to consumers. There are indications for use of particular cultivars bred for conventional agriculture in the case of organic farming, and the growing organic decreases plant stress resulting from intense fertilization and chemical plant protection.

As data driven models gain importance in driving decisions and processes, recently it becomes increasingly important to visualize the data with both speed and accuracy. A massive amount of data is presently generated in the educational sphere from various learning platforms, tools, and institutions. Visual analytics of educational big data has capability to improve student learning, develop strategies for personalized learning, and improve faculty productivity. How-ever, there are limited advancements in the education domain for data-driven decision making leveraging the recent advancements in the field of machine learning. Some of the recent tools such as Tableau, Power BI, Microsoft Azure suite, Sisense etc. leverage artificial intelligence and machine learning techniques to visualize data and generate insights out of it, however their ap-plicability in educational advances is limited. This paper focuses on leveraging machine learn-ing and visualization techniques to demonstrate their utility through a practical implementation using k-12 state assessment data compiled from the institutional websites of the State of Texas and Louisiana. Effective modeling and predictive analytics are the focus of the sample use case presented in this research. Our approach demonstrates the applicability of web technology in conjunction with machine learning to provide a cost-effective and timely solution to visualize and analyze big educational data. Additionally, ad-hoc visualization provides contextual anal-ysis within areas of concern for Education Agencies (EA).

The use of the commercial simulator Aspen Plus® could bring an amelioration in the accuracy of the predictions of the chemical species composition in the output streams of the anaerobic digestion process, due to availability of a broad library of thermodynamic and phenomena transport properties in this commercial package. In the present investigation, the process simulation model for anaerobic digestion, which was originally developed by Rajendran et al. [1], has been modified by including a stoichiometric-equilibria reactor to calculate the extent of the ionization of the molecules present in the anaerobic digestate. The refined model offers a more accurate prediction of the composition of the biogas because it delves on the chemical equilibrium of the gaseous stream and the anaerobic digestate. Additionally, the refined model allows to assess the possibility of upgrading the gaseous stream to biomethane degree via manufacturing of ammonium bicarbonate. This processing pathway relies on the stabilization of the anaerobic digestate by means of biomass ash-based treatment. First of all, the titration of the manure digestate with the hydrochloric acid showed that a dose of 3.18 mEq/g would be required to attain the targeted pH of zero-point charge, upon addition of the sewage sludge ash in a ratio to the manure digestate of 0.6 ± 0.2 %. Secondly, the profiles of ammonia, carbon dioxide, and methane found in the biogas agree with both the pH of the treated digestate and the processes described in for the simultaneously upgrading the biogas and the production of ammonium bicarbonate. The refined Aspen Plus® model presented in this article needs to be further developed to ensure the standards are attained in all output streams of stabilized anaerobic digestate, biomethane, and isolated added-value chemical fertilizers.

In the last decade, we have witnessed an upsurge in nuclei-based studies, particularly coupled with next-generation sequencing. Such studies aim at understanding the molecular states that exist in heterogeneous cell populations by applying increasingly more affordable sequencing approaches, in addition to optimized methodologies developed to isolate and select nuclei. Although these powerful new methods promise unprecedented insights, it is important to understand and critically consider the associated challenges. Here, we provide a comprehensive overview of the rise of nuclei-based studies and elaborate on their advantages and disadvantages. Improved designs and appropriate use of the various experimental strategies will result in acquiring biologically accurate and meaningful information.

Flour yield determined the profitability of flour mill, but the intrinsic variability of the grain makes it very complex to analysis and estimate wheat grain flour yield. Simulation for flour yield attributes offer considerable advantages in flour mill, if reliable predictions of flour yield can be provided, because the wheat grain characteristics can be tested before milling. If this is possible, the characteristics thus observed could be quantified more reliably and objectively by Structural Equation Modelling (SEM). SEM was used to look for the most important wheat grain characteristics on flour yield, and then these wheat grain characteristics were used to simulate flour yield. Furthermore, the regressive equation was verified by the field experiment. The coefficient of variation of grain characteristics was low and distributed rather closely. The results of SEM showed that test weight had the most significantly effects on flour yield, followed by the hardness index. Test weight and hardness index could excellently estimate flour yield by multiplicative effect of test weight and hardness index, and which could determine 68% of the variation in flour yield. The simulation result can not only predict flour yield, but also look for the important grain characteristics for the flour yield.

This work updates the characterization of winter fish communities in salt marsh areas of Guadiana estuary (SE-Portugal) and discusses the potential risks of habitat dominance by a non-indigenous species (NIS). To this effect, six field campaigns were carried out during winter season targeting the collection of fish species. Individuals from seven different families (marine and estuarine) were collected although the community was dominated by two estuarine species – the native Pomatoschistus sp. (goby) and the NIS Fundulus heteroclitus (mummichog). Goby controlled the majority of salt marsh habitats, except one specific, marsh pool, where extreme environmental conditions were registered, namely high temperature and salinity. Such conditions may have boosted the intrusion of mummichog in this area. This species is well adapted to a wide range of abiotic factors enabling them to colonize habitats where no predators inhabit. Impacts of mummichog intrusion in the Guadiana salt marsh area are still unpredictable since this is the first recorded in such high density. Nevertheless, in scenarios of increased anthropogenic pressure and, consequently, habitat degradation, there is a potential risk of mummichog spread to other habitats and therefore compete for space and food resources with native species.

Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM) is a common medical complication of pregnancy, which is associated with increased risk of future diabetes. mHealth (mobile health, in this paper applica-tions abbreviated to apps) can facilitate health modifications to decrease future risks. This study aims to understand mHealth app use and preferences among women with past GDM and healthcare professionals (HCP) in Australia. An explorative cross-sectional online survey was disseminated via social media, a national diabetes registry, and professional networks. Descrip-tive analyses were conducted on valid responses (women with prior GDM: n=1475; HCP: n=75). One third (33%) of women with prior GDM have used health apps, and a further 80% of non-app users were open to using a health app if recommended by their HCP. Over half (53%) of HCPs supported health information delivery via mHealth, although only 14% had recommended a health app to women post-GDM, and lack of knowledge about mHealth apps was common. Health app users reported that they preferred tracking features, while non-users desired credible health and dietary information and plans. Expanding mHealth app use could facilitate healthy behaviours, but endorsement by HCPs is important to women and currently lacking.

Attempts to use computers to aid in the detection of breast malignancies date back more than 20 years. Despite significant interest and investment, this has historically led to minimal or no significant improvement in performance and outcomes with traditional computer aided detection. However, recent advances in artificial intelligence and machine learning are now starting to deliver on the promise of improved performance. There are at present more than 20 FDA approved AI applications for breast imaging, but adoption and utilization are widely variable and overall low. Breast imaging is unique and has aspects that create both opportunities and challenges for AI development and implementation. Breast cancer screening programs worldwide rely on screening mammography to reduce the morbidity and mortality of breast cancer and many of the most exciting research and available AI applications focus on cancer detection for mammography. There are however multiple additional potential applications for AI in breast imaging including decision support, risk assessment, breast density quantitation, workflow and triage, quality evaluation, response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy assessment, and image enhancement. In this review the current status, availability, and future directions of investigation of these applications are discussed, as well as the opportunities and barriers to more widespread utilization.

The utilization of wild genera in sugarcane has been recognized as an important strategy to enhance the genetic base to impart biotic and abiotic stress tolerance in hybrid cultivars. A set of 15 Erianthus procerus derived hybrids along with five popular check varieties were evaluated for two years (2018–19 and 2019–20) for agro-morphological, quality, physiological traits and three years (2018–19, 2019–2020, and 2020–21 for winter sprouting potential. The E. procerus hybrid GU 12-19 recorded the highest winter sprouting potential with a winter sprouting index (WSI) of 10.6 and a percent superiority of 279 over best check (Co 0238) followed by GU 12-22 with WSI: 8.5 and % superiority over best check was 204. The other top-performing hybrids, GU 12-21 and GU 12-29, recorded the excellent winter sprouting potential with WSI of 7.2 and 6.9 respectively. The four E. procerus hybrids identified with higher WSI were also resistant to the prevalent races of red rot in both tropical and subtropical conditions. The association analysis revealed significant correlations between various traits, particularly fibre content with a maximum number of associations, which indicates its multifaceted impact on sugarcane characteristics. Principal component analysis (PCA) summarized the data, explaining 57.6% of the total variation for measured traits and genotypes, providing valuable insights into the performance and characteristics of the E. procerus-derived hybrids under subtropical climate. The anthocyanin content of E. procerus hybrids was better than the check varieties with a mean of 0.147 (2018–19) and 0.144 (2019–20) and range of 0.123–0.179 (2018–19) and 0.111–0.172 (2019–20), anthocyanin plays a vital role in mitigating the cold injury, acting as an antioxidant in cool weather conditions, particularly in sugarcane. Further, seven hybrids recorded more than 22% fibre threshold, indicating their industrial potential. These hybrids would be potential donors for cold tolerance and high ratooning ability along with red rot resistance under subtropical climate.

Air pollution is now considered to be the world’s largest environmental health threat accounting for millions of deaths globally each year. The social group that is particularly exposed to the harmful effects of air pollution is the children. A daily route to school can constitute an important component of children’s physical activity, but air pollution can pose a threat to their health. Numerous studies have proved high loads of PM can be effectively reduced by vegetation. Little is however known, whether vegetation can also reduce PM during the leaf dormancy period. In this study, we investigated the role of trees in PM removal on children’s routes to schools during winter. We investigated walking routes to selected schools in Warsaw, by examining the adjacent vegetation and PM2.5 and PM10 concentrations and the presence of local black-smoke-belching stoves. We found that proximity to local CHP emitters had the strongest impact on pollution on the way to schools, while not finding a significant relationship between dense greenery and PM loads. Even more, the highest density of vegetation along walking routes tended to stimulate higher PM concentrations. The results obtained show the poor performance of tree canopy in reducing PM loads during winter.

Chromobacterium species are common in tropical and subtropical zones in environmental water samples and believed to «tropical» species. Here we describe an environmental case of resident Chromobacterium vaccinii in biofilms associated with Carex spp. roots in Moscow region, Russia (warm-summer humid continental climate zone). We performed broad characterization of individual properties as well as surrounding context for better understanding the premise of C. vaccinii survival during winter season. Genome properties of isolated strains propose some insights into adaptation to habit and biofilm mode of life, including social cheaters carrying ΔluxR mutation. Isolated C. vaccinii differs with previously described strains in some biochemical properties and some basic characteristics like fatty acid composition as well as unique genome features. Despite potential to modulate membrane fluidity and presence of several genes responsible for cold shock response, isolated C. vaccinii didn`t survive during exposure to 4 °C, while in initial complex biofilm it was able to survive for months in vitro at 4 °C. Surrounding bacterial community within the same biofilm with C. vaccinii represented a series of psychrophilic bacterial species which may share resistance to low temperatures with other species within biofilm and provide C. vaccinii opportunity to survive during cold winter season.

This research concerns in to understand the link between urban heat and cool island, the Local Climatic Zones (LCZ) and atmospheric systems during the winter season in the city of Balneário Camboriú, Southern Brazil. To collect meteorological data on urban environmental, 11 permanent points in the Balneário Camboriú metropolitan region were installed. To understand the atmos-pheric systems operating in the region, a synoptic analysis of the dates was performed, and then, the LCZs map created for the city in World Urban Database and Acess Portal Tools was used to cor-relate the magnitudes of the heat and cool islands found in Balneário Camboriú in the winter period. The results indicate that the increasing verticalization with the construction of skyscrapers in Balneário Camboriú has a significant influence on local conditions for the occurrence of heat and cold islands. The findings indicate that LCZs with sparsely distributed buildings (LCZs 6, 8 and 9) and LCZs with dense vegetation (LCZ A) have lower intensity magnitudes of heat and cool con-ditions. The biggest magnitudes of heat and cool islands were reported in LCZs 1 and 3 during the timeframe. The synoptic analysis supports earlier researches that points to atmospheric stability (Anticyclonic domain) as a favorable atmospheric setting for the emergence of urban hear and coolness islands.

Fusarium head blight (FHB) is a wheat disease caused by fungi of the genus Fusarium. The aim of the study was to find relationships between the weather conditions in the experimental years and the locations and the amount of F. culmorum DNA and trichothecene genotypes, as well as the proportions between them. A three-year field experiment (2017, 2018 and 2019) was established at two locations (Poznań, Radzików). F. culmorum DNA was detected in all grain samples in an average amount of 20124 pg per 1 g of wheat DNA. The average amount of DNA from the 3ADON genotype was 4879 pg/μg and the amount of DNA from the NIV genotype was 3330 pg/μg. In the three experimental years, a large variability was observed in the coefficients of correlation between DNA concentrations and the FHB index, FDK, ergosterol, and the corresponding toxins. There were significant correlations between disease incidence, fungal biomass (quantified as the total amount of fungal DNA or DNA trichothecene genotypes) and toxins (DON, 3AcDON and NIV) concentrations. The 3ADON trichothecene genotype dominates over the NIV genotype (ratio 1.5); however, this varied greatly depending on environmental conditions.

In a two-year field trial, the effect of nitrogen (N) and sulfur (S) fertilization was investigated on grain yield, grain quality parameters, formation of acrylamide (AA), and the precursor free asparagine (Asn) in organically and conventionally produced winter wheat cultivars. In both production systems, different types, amounts, and temporal distributions of N were tested. While the effect of S fertilizer types and amounts on free Asn was only tested in the conventional farming system. Within both cropping systems, grain yield and baking quality were significantly influenced by N treatment while the effect on free Asn was only minor. Especially within the organic farming system, increasing N fertilization levels did not increase free Asn significantly. A slight trend of increasing free Asn levels with an intensified N supply was observed, especially in the presence of crude protein contents of 14% or higher. But only N amounts of 180 kg N ha⁻¹ or higher increased the probability of high free Asn contents considerably, while N supply below that amount led to free Asn values similar to the unfertilized controls. The results indicated that good baking quality can be achieved without significantly increasing free Asn levels. In addition, cultivars affected the levels of free Asn significantly. Compared to cv. “Bussard” and “Naturastar”, cv. “Capo” exhibited the lowest AA formation potential at an N supply of 180 kg N ha⁻¹ while simultaneously reaching a crude protein content > 15% (conventional) and > 12% (organic). Thus, it seems that cultivars differ in their ability to store and incorporate free Asn into proteins. Over all trials, a correlation of free Asn and AA was shown by R² = 0.77, while a relation of free Asn and protein was only R² = 0.36. Thus, lowering free Asn by adjusting N treatments should not necessarily affect baking quality. S nutrition within conventional farming did not change free Asn amount or crude protein significantly, probably due to the fact that soil was not sulfate-deficient. In summary, it was evident that free Asn amounts in wheat varied widely both within cultivars and between cropping systems. In order to clearly unravel genotypic differences and their interaction with environmental factors and especially N fertilization, further research is needed.

Transition-metal-catalyzed amide bond formation from alcohols and amines is an atom-economic and eco-friendly route. Herein, we identified a highly active in situ N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC)/ruthenium (Ru) catalytic system for this amide synthesis. Various substrates, including sterically hindered ones, could be directly transformed into the corresponding amides with the catalyst loading as low as 0.25 mol%. In this system, we replaced the p-cymene ligand of the Ru source with a relatively labile cyclooctadiene (cod) ligand so as to more efficiently obtain the corresponding poly-carbene Ru species. Expectedly, the weaker cod ligand could be more easily substituted with multiple mono-NHC ligands. Further HR-MS analyses revealed that two tetra-carbene complexes were probably generated from the in situ catalytic system.

The objectives were to identify conditions under which mothers may be willing to use telelactation and explore associations between participant characteristics, willingness, and beliefs regarding telelactation use. Mothers 2-8 weeks postpartum were recruited from two Florida maternal care sites and surveyed to assess demographics, breastfeeding initiation, and potential telelactation use. Analyses included descriptive statistics and logistic regression models. Of the 88 participants, most were white, married, earned less than $50,000 per year, had access to technology, and were willing to use telelactation if it was free (80.7%) or over a secure server (63.6%). Fifty-six percent were willing to use telelactation if it involved feeding the baby without a cover, but only 45.5% were willing if their nipples may be seen. Those with higher odds of willingness to use telelaction under these modesty conditions were experienced using videochat, white, married, and of higher income. Mothers with security concerns had six times the odds of being uncomfortable with telelactation compared to mothers without concerns. While telelactation can improve access to critical services, willingness to use telelactation may depend on conditions of use and sociodemographics. During the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond, these findings offer important insights for lactation professionals implementing virtual consultations.

(1) Background: To investigate the dynamic issues behind international variation in EWM. (2) A rolling EWM calculation is used to reveal seasonal changes in the EWM calculation and is especially relevant nearer to the equator. (3) Results: In addition to latitude country specific factors determine EWM. Females generally show higher EWM mainly due to respiratory conditions. The EWM for respiratory conditions in England and Wales ranges from 44% to 83% which is about double the all-cause mortality equivalent. Age has a profound effect on EWM with a peak in puberty and then increasing EWM at old age. The gap between male and female EWM seems to act as a diagnostic tool reflecting the infectious/metrological mix in each winter. Additional difference due to ethnicity are also observed. An EWM equivalent calculation for sickness absence demonstrates how additional health-related variables can be linked to EWM. (4) Conclusions: EWM does not reach a peak at the same time each year, especially so in the tropics. Countries midway between the equator and the poles show highest EWM. Differences between the genders are highly significant and seem to vary according to the mix of variables active each winter. Pandemic influenza does not elevate EWM, although seasonal influenza plays a part each winter.

We present a summary of our protocol for employment of small-molecule circadian rhythm modulators. The abilities of compounds to affect oscillations have received significant attention. We outline assessments of circadian changes using indirubin-3’-oxime (IO), 5-iodo-indirubin-3’-oxime (5I-IO), and 5-sulfonic acid-indirubin-3’-oxime (5SA-IO), analyzing effects on Bmal1 and Per2 oscillations and oncogenic features.

The scale and accessibility of passive global surveillance have rapidly increased over time. This provides an opportunity to calibrate the performance of models, algorithms, and reflectance ratios between remote sensing devices. Here we test the sensitivity and specificity of Eucalypt chlorophyll-a reflectance ratio (ECARR) and Eucalypt chlorophyll-b reflectance ratio (ECBRR) to remotely identify eucalypt vegetation in Queensland, Australia. We compare reflectance ratio values from Sentinel-2 and Planet imagery across four sites of known vegetation composition. All imagery was transformed to reflectance values and Planet imagery was additionally scaled to harmonize across Planet Scenes. ECARR can identify eucalypt vegetation remotely with high sensitivity, but shows low specificity and is impacted by the density of the vegetation. ECBRR reflectance ratios show similar sensitivity and specificity when identifying eucalypt vegetation but with values an order of magnitude smaller than ECARR. We find that ECARR was better at identifying eucalypt vegetation in the Sentinel-2 imagery than Planet imagery. ECARR can serve as a general chlorophyll indicator but is not a specific index to identify Eucalyptus vegetation with certainty.

The HIV-1 nef gene terminates in a 3’-UGA stop codon, which is highly conserved in the main group of HIV-1 subtypes, along with a downstream potential coding region that could extend the nef protein by 33 amino acids, if readthrough of the stop codon occurs. Antisense tethering interactions (ATIs) between a viral mRNA and a host selenoprotein mRNA are a potential viral strategy for the capture of a host selenocysteine insertion sequence (SECIS) element (Taylor et al, 2016) [1]. This mRNA hijacking mechanism could enable the expression of virally encoded selenoprotein modules, via translation of in-frame UGA stop codons as selenocysteine (SeC). Here we show that readthrough of the 3’-terminal UGA codon of nef occurs during translation of HIV-1 nef expression constructs in transfected cells. This was accomplished via fluorescence microscopy image analysis and flow cytometry of HEK 293 cells, transfected with engineered GFP reporter gene plasmid constructs, in which GFP can only be expressed by translational recoding of the UGA codon. SiRNA knockdown of thioredoxin reductase 1 (TR1) mRNA resulted in a 67% decrease in GFP expression, presumably due to reduced availability of the components involved in selenocysteine incorporation for the stop codon readthrough, thus supporting the proposed ATI. Addition of 20 nM sodium selenite to the media significantly enhanced stop codon readthrough in the pNefATI1 plasmid construct, by >100%, supporting the hypothesis that selenium is involved in the UGA readthrough mechanism.

This research focusing on the environmental impact of tire and brake pad wear constitutes a significant area of transport-related studies. These two key vehicle components are not only the most frequently worn, but also generate micro and nano pollutants (i.e., rubber, metal oxides) that potentially harm the environment. Over half of the globally produced natural and synthetic rubbers, which amounted to about 30 million tons in 2022, are used for tire production. According to Wagner et al.'s research, over 1.3 million tons of such particles are released due to wear and tear in the European Union alone. This work focuses on examining snow deposits from various locations in an urban agglomeration (Poznan, Poland) in the winter season. FT-IR and NMR spectroscopic studies, optical and electron scanning microscopy SEM-EDS, and particle size studies using the DLS technique were conducted for a detailed characterization of pollutants in the environment. The conducted particle separation methods allowed for the extraction of a fraction mainly containing gum residues with particle sizes less than 2 µm. The results of these studies are crucial for understanding the impact of vehicle part exploitation on the environment.

In recent years, the interest in increasingly sustainable agriculture has also turned attention towards new crops which could enter the food chain as new protein and oil sources or that can be used as new cover crops. In this scenario, Camelina sativa is a perfect crop to study. Camelina is an annual herbaceous plant belonging to the Brassicaceae which is interesting for its oil content, since the seeds contain about 40% of oils, with a high level of polyunsaturated fatty acids (30-40% alpha linolenic acid, 15-25 % linoleic acid, 15% oleic acid and about 15% eicosenoic acid). It is a hexaploid species (2n = 40, genome size ~782 Mb) characterized by rapid growth, short life cycle (85-100 days for spring varieties, 190-210 for autumn varieties) and low input cultivation needs. All these traits make it suitable for use in marginal areas. However, its use in feed and food is limited by the presence of glucosinolates (GLS). GLS are sulfur molecules involved in plant defense. In recent years, they have been studied not only as anti-nutritionals, but also for their anti-carcinogenic effects against chronic inflammatory and heart diseases and for their use as natural pesticides. Given the recent interest in camelina and its highly nutritious oil, eight pure lines and a synthetic population were compared in two different growing periods, spring and winter. In this work, the genetic materials were characterized for different phenotypic traits, yields and yield components, bromatological and glucosinolate content. The results confirmed that in North Italy camelina has higher yields if cultivated in the autumn-winter period (about 2 t/ha vs 0.6 t/ha), furthermore, a negative correlation was found between spring and winter yields, indicating that varieties that produce more in winter cultivation produce less in spring cultivation. Moreover, to our knowledge, it is the first work in which a synthetic population of Camelina sativa has been tested and proved to be a valid solution for use in various environments both for its adaptability and for the low content of glucosinolates (about 17 mmol/ kg).

Good child protection systems and processes require reliable and accurate data. A retrospective study of the case records of 452 children referred to a major UK children’s tertiary centre for suspected child maltreatment was undertaken to determine whether routinely collected data on a child’s journey through the child protection system, together with a study of related multidimensional factors, can be used to develop an enhanced dataset to protect children in the UK and in other countries. Child maltreatment was substantiated in 65% of referred cases, with the vast majority of referrals coming from children living in the most deprived neighbourhoods in the country. Domestic violence and abuse, and the child’s previous involvement with statutory bodies was associated with case substantiation. Physical abuse predominated, with soft tissue injuries, including dog bites, and burns. Burns were related almost exclusively to supervisory neglect. There were also cases of medical neglect. Emotional abuse was associated with exposure to domestic violence and abuse, and to self-harm. The strengths and weaknesses for single centre data systems were explored, concluding with a recommendation to establish an agreed national and international minimum data set to protect children from maltreatment.

The potential for transmission of the SARS-CoV-2 virus during minimally invasive gynaecological procedures, such as hysteroscopy or laparoscopy, on the reproductive tract of patients with COVID-19 is not known. We examined existing data for prevalence of virus in the reproductive tract and other bodily fluids.

Despite the well-documented health benefits of recreational sports, few opportunities exist in lower- and middle-income countries for adult women to participate in recreational physical activities. An explanatory sequential mixed methods approach was used to explore associations between an innovative soccer program for adult women and self-reported health status. Cross-sectional survey data were collected in 2018-2019 from 702 women in the Nikumbuke Project, a health and literacy program in southeastern rural Kenya, followed by focus group discussions with 225 women who also participated in the Project's soccer program. Quantitative findings suggest that women who participated in soccer had 67% greater odds of reporting good or excellent health than their non-soccer playing peers. Thematic analysis of qualitative data indicated that women credited soccer with less pain, fatigue, and stress, as well as weight loss and reduced dependence on medicine for hypertension, pain, and sleep problems. Women equated health benefits with greater ease and efficiency in completing chores, reduced worries, youthful energy, male-like strength, and pleased husbands. Soccer programs for adult women may be particularly effective interventions in settings where access to health care is limited and where lack of opportunity to engage in physical aerobic activity increases women's risks for poor health outcomes. .

Early and accurate mapping of winter canola planting areas provides critical support for sustainable cropland management. Although some methods have been proposed to map the winter canola at the flowering or later stage, mapping winter canola planting areas at the early stage is still challenging, due to the insufficient understanding of the multi-source remote sensing features sensitive for winter canola mapping. This study proposed an early-stage winter canola area mapping method by using the combination of optical and synthetic aperture radar (SAR) data. We analyzed the spectral features, backscatter coefficients, and textural features of winter canola based on Sentinel-2 and Sentinel-1 images. Random forest (RF) and Support Vector Machine (SVM) classification models were built to map winter canola based on early-stage images and field samples in 2017 and then apply the best model to corresponding satellite data in 2018-2022. Results showed that: (1) The red edge and near-infrared-related spectral features were most important for the mapping of early-stage winter canola, followed by VV, DVI and GOSAVI, which also showed greater differences than the other features; (2) Based on Sentinel-1 and Sentinel-2 data, winter canola could be earliest mapped around 130 days prior to ripening (i.e., early overwinter stage) with the F-score over 0.85 and the OA over 81%; (3) Adding Sentinel-1 could improve the OA by about 2%-4% and the F-score by about 1% -2% in winter canola mapping. (4) The F-score of winter canola mapping based on the classifier transfer approach in 2018-2022 varied between 0.75 and 0.97, and the OA ranged from 79% to 86%. This study demonstrates the potential of early-stage winter canola mapping using the combination of Sentinel-2 and Sentinel-1 images, which could provide valuable and timely information for stakeholders and decision makers.

In this paper, the experimental study of heating in 2 h lunch mode of air-conditioned bed system is carried out. The results show that the power consumption of heat conduction heating is only 0.34 kW·h, and the average heat dissipation is 81.3 W, while the power consumption of convection heating is 1.43 kW·h, with an average heat dissipation of 748.7 W. Regardless of power consumption or heat dissipation, convection heating is significantly higher than heat conduction heating, resulting in the room air temperature of the former increased from 12.3 °C to 17.3 °C, while the latter only increased from 14.4 °C to 15.2 °C. The study found that the water temperature of heat conduction heating can meet the thermal comfort needs of the human body in the range of 38~40 °C, while convection heating requires a higher temperature range, In contrast, the grade of hot water required for heat conduction heating is lower. Through the experiment, it is also found that the temperature of convection heating rises fast, but it is easy to appear dry feeling after a long time, while heat conductive heating has a slow temperature rise. there is a cool feeling within 20 min after the heating starts, and then the thermal comfort is better. The air conditioning system in this paper is used for the heating experiment in the winter lunch break mode, compared with convection heating, the overall thermal comfort of heat conduction heating is better and more energy efficient. it is suggested to adopt heat conduction heating mode in the winter heating of this system.

Fusarium head blight (FHB) can cause contamination of cereal grain with mycotoxins. Winter wheat is also infected with FHB. It is more resistant than durum wheat to head infection and less than other small grain cereals. The aim of this study was to identify winter wheat lines that combine low head infection and kernel damage with low toxin contamination. Resistance to FHB of 27 winter wheat lines and cultivars was evaluated over a three-year experiment established in two locations. At the anthesis stage, heads were inoculated with Fusarium culmorum isolates. The FHB index was scored and the percentage of Fusarium-damaged kernels (FDKs) assessed. The grain was analysed for type B trichothecenes (deoxynivalenol and derivatives, nivalenol) and zearalenone content. The average FHB index was 12.9%. The proportion of FDK was 6.9% (weight) and 8.5% (number). An average content of deoxynivalenol amounted to 3.543 mg/kg and nivalenol to 2.115 mg/kg. In total, it was 5.804 m/kg of type B trichothecenes. The zearalenone content in the grain was 0.214 mg/kg. Relationships between FHB index, FDK and mycotoxin contents were highly significant for wheat lines; however, they were stronger for FDK versus mycotoxins. Breeding lines combing all types of FHB resistance were found, and five of them had resistance similar to that of wheat lines with the Fhb1 gene.

As in any other plant, in the grapevine roots play a vital role in terms of anchorage, uptake of water and nutrients, as well as storage and production of chemicals. Their behaviour and development depend on various factors, namely rootstock genetics, soil physical and chemical features, field agronomic practices. Canopy management, involving techniques such as defoliation and pruning, could greatly influence root growth. To date, most of the studies on grapevine winter pruning have focused on the effects on yield and quality of grapes, achievable by using different pruning systems and techniques, while the knowledge of root distribution, development, and growth in relation to winter pruning is still not well understood. In this contest, the purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of winter pruning on the root system of field-grown Vitis vinifera cv. Pinot Gris grafted onto rootstock SO4. We compared two pruning treatments (pruning-P and no pruning-NP) and analysed the effect on root distribution and density, root index and on the root sugar reserves. Root data were analysed in relation to canopy growth and yield, to elucidate the effect of winter pruning on the root/yield ratio. Our data indicated that winter pruning stimulated the root growth and distribution without compromising canopy development, while no-pruning treatment produced less growth of roots but a larger canopy. Information regarding root growth and root canopy ratio is important as it gives us an understanding of the relationship between the aerial and subterranean parts of the plant, how they compete, and finally, offers us the possibility to ponder on cultural practices.

In this paper, the entire downhole fluid sucker rod pump system is replaced with a viscoelastic vibration model, namely a third-order differential equation with an inhomogeneous forcing term. Both Kelvin and Maxwell viscoelastic models can be implemented along with the dynamic behaviors of a mass point attached to the viscoelastic model. By employing the time-dependent polished rod force measured with a dynamometer as the input to the viscoelastic dynamic model, we have obtained the displacement responses, which match closely with the experimental measurements in actual operations, through an iterative process. The key discovery of this work is the feasibility of the so-called inverse optimization procedure which can be utilized to identify the equivalent scaling factor and viscoelastic system parameters. The proposed Newton-Raphson iterative method with some terms in the Jacobian matrix expressed with averaged rates of changes based on perturbations of up to two independent parameters provides a feasible tool for optimization issues related to complex engineering problems with mere information of input and output data from either experiments or comprehensive simulations. The same inverse optimization procedure is also implemented to model the entire fluid delivery system of a very viscous non-Newtonian polymer modeled as a first-order ordinary differential system similar to the transient entrance developing flow. The convergent parameter reproduces transient solutions which match very well with those from full-fledged computational fluid dynamics models with the required inlet volume flow rate and the outlet pressure conditions.

Ransomware is continually evolving. The most recent tactic is to combine crypto-ransomware with data exfiltration, mandate fraud, and other such schemes to steal from victims and attempt to blackmail them. This paper examines the new trend, its underlying motives, and proposes practical recommendations to help organizations defend against this menace

Helicobacter pylori is a gastric oncopathogen that infects over half of the world’s human population. It is a Gram-negative, microaerophilic, helix-shaped bacterium that is equipped with flagella, which provide high motility. Colonization of the stomach is asymptomatic in up to 90% of people but is a recognized risk factor for developing various gastric disorders such as gastric ulcers, gastric cancer and gastritis. Invasion of the human stomach occurs via numerous virulence factors such as CagA and VacA. Similarly, outer membrane proteins (OMPs) play an important role in H. pylori pathogenicity as a means to adapt to the epithelial environment and thereby facilitate infection. While some OMPs are porins, others are adhesins. The epithelial cell receptors SabA, BabA, AlpA, OipA, HopQ and HopZ have been extensively researched to evaluate their epidemiology, structure, role and genes. Moreover, numerous studies have been performed to seek to understand the complex relationship between these factors and gastric diseases. Associations exist between different H. pylori virulence factors, the co-expression of which appears to boost pathogenicity of the bacterium. Improved knowledge of OMPs is a major step towards combatting this global disease. Here, we provide a current overview of different H. pylori OMPs and discuss their pathogenicity, epidemiology and correlation with various gastric diseases.

Targeted radioisotope-guided sentinel lymph node dissection (sLND) has shown high diagnostic accuracy in prostate cancer (PCa). To overcome the downsides of the radioactive tracers, magnetometer-guided sLND using superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs) was successfully applied in PCa. This prospective study (SentiMag Pro II, DRKS00007671) determined the diagnostic accuracy of magnetometer-guided sLND in intermediate- and high-risk PCa. Fifty intermediate- or high-risk PCa patients (PSA≥10 ng/ml and/or Gleason score ≥7; median PSA 10.8 ng/ml, IQR 7.4–19.2 ng/ml) were enrolled. After intraprostatic SPIONs injection a day earlier, patients underwent magnetometer-guided sLND and eLND, followed by radical prostatectomy. SLNs were detected in vivo and in ex vivo samples. Diagnostic accuracy of sLND was assessed using eLND as the reference. SLNs were detected in all patients (detection rate 100%), with 447 SLNs (median 9, IQR 6–12) being identified and 966 LNs (median 18, IQR 15-23) being removed. Thirty-six percent (18/50) of patients had LN metastases (median 2, IQR 1–3). Magnetometer-guided sLND had 100% sensitivity, 97.0% specificity, 94.4% positive predictive value, 100% negative predictive value, 0.0% false negative rate, and 3.0% additional diagnostic value (LN metastases only in SLNs outside the eLND template). In vivo, one positive SLN/LN-positive patient was missed, resulting in a sensitivity of 94.4%. In conclusion, this new magnetic sentinel procedure has high accuracy for nodal staging in intermediate- and high-risk PCa. The reliability of intraoperative SLN detection using this magnetometer system requires verification in further multicentric studies.

Objectives: A wealth of literature has established risk factors for social isolation among older people, however much of this research has focused on community-dwelling populations. Relatively little is known about how risk of social isolation is experienced among those living in long-term care (LTC) homes. We conducted a scoping review to identify possible risk factors for social isolation among older adults living in LTC homes. Methods: A systematic search of five online databases retrieved 1535 unique articles. Eight studies met the inclusion criteria. Results: Thematic analyses revealed that possible risk factors exist at three levels: individual (e.g., communication barriers), systems (e.g., location of LTC facility), and structural factors (e.g., discrimination). Discussion: Our review identified several risk factors for social isolation that have been previously documented in literature, in addition to several risks that may be unique to those living in LTC homes. Results highlight several scholarly and practical implications.

The objective of this study is to preliminarily evaluate a new CT-biopsy guidance device, an origami needle guide. The device is created by laser cutting the structure from a sheet of cardboard, 3D printing two radiocontrast agent grids on to the surface and folding the structure into a rectangular prism with a viewing window. An abdominal imaging phantom was used to evaluate the device through CT imaging and the targeting of lesions for needle insertion. The lesion targeting trials resulted in a mean targeting error of 1.88 mm with a standard deviation of 0.73 mm. The device attaches to the patient and is rigid enough to adequately support standard biopsy needles, reducing the effect of gravity and the risk of laceration by the needles, making it potentially advantageous for biopsy of superficial lesions and lesions approached from a horizontal orientation. The device supports insertion of multiple needles at once, making it particularly suitable for composite ablation using multiple needles. Another advantage of the device is that it can guide off-axial needle insertion. The low-cost and disposability of the device make it well-suited for the minimally invasive image guided therapy environment.

We have investigated the canine of olive flounder in terms of the nonlinear optical signals of two-photon excitation autofluorescence (2PEF) and second harmonic generation (SHG), whereby two kinds of nonlinear microscope images of the canine were obtained using ~140 femtosecond pulses. For increasing excitation power of laser pulses, a photobleaching effect was found to be significant in the red and green ranges of autofluorescence, where a double-exponential decay of the intensity occurs within hundreds of second due to collagen fluorophores in the canine. In the blue range of autofluorescence, the photobleaching is suppressed due to an energy conversion of the incident laser pulse to SHG signal. As a result, the signal in blue range remains constant for long term exposure to laser. We have also found that the SHG intensity depends on the orienta-tion of linearly polarized excitation, and the optical anisotropy of SHG can be attributed to the collagen alignment of canines.

Limited availability of expensive alloying elements elevates low-alloyed steels to a unique position in the field of lightweight construction and mass production. Quenching and partitioning (Q&P) heat treatments of low-alloyed steels with exceptional property combinations are particularly promising. In this study, we characterize for the first time a new low-alloyed steel to be processed by Q&P heat treatments. In combined experimental and numerical studies, we design a novel approach that effectively combines the short cycle times of press hardening with the excellent property profiles of Q&P-treated steels. We identify appropriate transformation parameters for Q&P heat treatments by dilatometric studies and we adjust a number of reference conditions with different isothermal holding times. By means of SEM analysis and XRD measurements, we show that different fractions of retained austenite result in different mechanical properties. Initial numerical designs of the process can identify varying temperature profiles and cooling rates depending on the position in the die. The results show that the geometry of the part plays a minor role, but the die temperature is the dominant factor for successful partitioning directly in the press hardening process.

Higher salt (sodium) intake has been associated with a higher blood pressure (BP). The association degree may be influenced by factors such as age, origin and dietary components. This study aimed to evaluate the 24-hours urinary sodium (Na) and potassium (K) excretion in normotensive and hypertensive Dominicans adults and estimate their salt intake. 163 volunteers (18-45, 46-80 years) participated in a cross-sectional study. 24-hours Na and K urinary excretion were measured using an ion selective electrode technique. Na and K urinary excretion (99.4±46.5 and 35.0±17.5 mmol/24h) did not correlated with BP, except in the normotensive group in which K correlated with SBP (0.249, p=0.019). Na and K excretion were similar for normo- and hypertensive subjects. Na-to-K molar ratio (3.1±1.3) was higher in younger subjects (p=0.040). Na-to-K ratio was associated with DBP in the total group (r=0.153, p=0.052), in the hypertensive group (r=0.395, p<0.001) and in the older group with SBP (0.350, p=0.002) and DBP (0.373, p<0.001). In the older group, Na-to-K ratio and DBP correlated after controlling for subjects with hypertension controlled by treatment (r=0.236, p=0.041). The Na-to-K ratio correlated, when salt intake was over 5g/d (52.2%), with SBP (rho=0.219, p=0.044) and DBP (rho=0.259, p=0.017). Determinants of BP were age-dependent and in younger subjects were: sex (SBP, beta: 14.02±2.87, p<0.001) and body mass index (BMI) (beta:-12.07±3.72, p=0.001, beta:9.44±2.87, p=0.001, for SBP and DBP, respectively) and, in the olders, the Na-to-K ratio, for SBP (beta:6.7±2.4, p=0.005) and DBP (beta:3.8±1.1, p<0.001). The mean Na and salt intakes (2.3 and 5.8 g/d) were slightly higher and K intake lower (1.4 g/d) than WHO recommendations.

The purpose of this research was two-fold: (a) to observe whether highly trained adolescent swimmers abide to vitamin D supplement recommendations; and (b) to monitor changes in circulating 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) that occur between the autumn and winter months. Twenty swimmers (age: 17 ± 2 years) from a UK high-performance swimming club volunteered to complete two blood spot cards to determine 25(OH)D concentration: the first in an autumn training phase (October) and the second during winter training (January). All swimmers were advised to consume vitamin D3 supplements across the assessment period; however, only 50% of swimmers adhered to this recommendation. Resultantly, a winter decline in 25(OH)D was observed in non-supplementing swimmers (79.6 ± 25.2 to 52.6 ± 15.1 nmol·L-1, p = 0.005), with swimmers either displaying an ‘insufficient’ (60%) or ‘deficient’ (40%) vitamin D status. In comparison, greater maintenance of 25(OH)D occurred in supplementing swimmers (92.0 ± 25.5 to 97.2 ± 38.3 nmol·L-1, p = 0.544), although variable outcomes occurred at the individual level (four increased, three maintained, three declined). These findings highlight possible risks of vitamin D insufficiency during the winter for swimmers in the UK, possibly requiring standardised supplement practices. Moreover, alternative educational strategies may be required for swimmers to transfer knowledge to practice in order to improve supplement adherence in future.

Burn-induced cardiac dysfunction is thought to involve mitochondrial dysfunction although the mechanisms responsible are unclear. In this study, we used our established model of in vivo burn injury to understand the genetic evidence of burn-induced mitochondrial metabolism confusion by describing cardiac mitochondrial metabolism-related gene expression after burn. Cardiac tissue was collected at 24 hours after burn injury. An O2K respirometer system was utilized to measure cardiac mitochondrial function. Oxidative phosphorylation complex activities were determined using enzyme activity assays. RT Profiler PCR array was used to identify differential regulation of genes involved in mitochondrial biogenesis and metabolism. Quantitative qPCR and Western Blotting were applied to validate differentially expressed genes. Burn-induced cardiac mitochondrial dysfunction was supported by the finding of decreased state 3 respiration and decreased mitochondrial electron transport chain activity in complex I, III, IV, and V following burn injury. Eighty-four mitochondrial metabolism-related gene profiles were measured. The mitochondrial gene profile showed that one third of genes related to mitochondrial energy and metabolism was differentially expressed. Of these 28 genes, 15 were more than 2-fold upregulated and 13 were more than 2-fold downregulated. All genes were validated using qPCR; 4 genes had a protein level which correlated with the observed change in gene expression. This study provides preliminary evidence that a large percentage of mitochondrial metabolism-related genes in cardiomyocytes were significantly affected by burn injury.

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a slowly progressing neurodegenerative disorder that is coupled to both widespread protein aggregation and to loss of substantia nigra dopamine (DA) neurons, resulting in a wide variety of motor and non-motor signs and symptoms. Recent findings suggest that the PD process is triggered several years before there is sufficient degeneration of DA neurons to cause onset of overt motor symptoms. According to this concept, the number of DA neurons present in the substantia nigra at birth could influence the time from the molecular triggering event until the clinical diagnosis with lower number of neurons at birth increasing the risk to develop the disease. Conversely, the risk for diagnosis would be reduced if the number of DA neurons is high at birth. In this commentary, we discuss the genetic and epigenetic factors that might influence the number of nigral DA neurons that each individual is born with and how these may be linked to PD risk.

A variety of techniques have been utilized in metal additive manufacturing (AM) for melt pool size management, including modeling and feed-forward approaches. In a few cases, closed-loop control has been demonstrated. In this research, closed-loop melt pool size control for large-scale, laser-wire based Directed Energy Deposition is demonstrated with a novel modification: site-specific changes to the controller set-point were commanded at trigger points, the locations of which were generated by the projection of a secondary geometry onto the primary 3D-printed component geometry. The present work shows that, through this technique, it is possible to print a specific geometry that occurs beyond the actual toolpath of the print head. This is denoted as an extra-toolpath geometry and is fundamentally different from other methods of generating component features in metal AM. A proof-of-principle experiment is presented in which a complex oak leaf geometry was embossed on an otherwise ordinary double-bead wall made from Ti-6Al-4V. The process is introduced and characterized primarily from a controls perspective with reports on the performance of the control system, the melt pool size response, and the resulting geometry. The implications of this capability, which extend beyond localized control of bead geometry to the potential mitigations of defects and functional grading of component properties, are discussed.

Phosphorus is required by laying hens for a variety of biological functions. It is usually provided in excess, in a readily digestible inorganic form in diet formulations. However, this does not represent an efficient use of a finite resource and can result in water pollution. Plant bound phosphorus in phytate, is common in commercial poultry diets, and represents an alternate source of phosphorus, however poultry lacks the enzyme to digest it. By adding enzymes to their diets, the availability of this phytate-bound phosphorus can be increased allowing for the reduced inclusion of inorganic P in the diet formulation. Therefore, this study was conducted to examine the effect of a natural enzyme complex that contains phytase and xylanase in layer diets. Novogen Brown Classic layers (n=314) were fed one of two diets: (T1) control diet or (T2) control diet plus a natural mixed-enzyme product with both, phytase and xylanase. Experimental diets were provided for 12 days after which the excreta from each pen were collected for an additional three days to determine total retention and ileal digestibility of phosphorus and gross energy. At the end of the trial the birds were euthanized, and their ileal contents were collected. Productivity parameters were also recorded over the course of the study. The amount of phosphorus detected in the excreta of the control group was significantly higher than the amount detected in the enzyme-supplemented group (P<0.05). Both phosphorus retention and phosphorus ileal digestibility were significantly higher in the enzyme-supplemented birds (P<0.001). Gross energy digestibility was significantly higher in the enzyme-supplemented birds for both the total tract and ileal samples (P<0.001). There were only numerical improvements, not significant, in the layer productivity parameters. This study showed that the enzyme supplement can improve total retention and ileal digestibility of phosphorus and gross energy in older layers.

The importance of enzymes in the poultry industry is ever increasing because they help to extract as many nutrients as possible from the raw material available and reduce environmental impacts. Therefore, an experiment was conducted to examine the effect of a natural enzyme complex (ASC) on diets low in AME, Ca and P. Ross 308 broilers (n = 900) were fed one of four diets: (1) positive control (PC) with no enzyme added (AME 12.55 MJ/kg, AVPhos 4.8 g/kg and AVCal 9.6 g/kg); (2) negative control (NC) with no enzyme added and down-specified for AME, Ca and P (AME 12.18 MJ/kg, AVPhos 3.3 g/kg, AVCal 8.1 g/kg); (3) negative control plus ASC at 200 g/t; and (4) negative control plus ASC at 400 g/t. Broiler performance, digesta viscosity, tibia mineralization and mineral content were analyzed at d 21. Between d 18 and 20, excreted DM, GE, total nitrogen, Ca, and P were analyzed. ASC at 200 g/t and 400 g/t improved the FCR (p = 0.0014) significantly when compared with that of the NC. There were no significant differences in BW or FI between the treatments. Birds fed ASC at 200 g/t and 400 g/t had significantly improved digesta viscosity (p &lt; 0.0001) compared with that of the PC and NC and had significantly higher excreted DM digestibility (p &lt; 0.01) than the NC and the PC with 400 g/t ASC. ASC inclusion significantly improved P retention (p &lt; 0.0001) compared with that in the PC. Ca retention was significantly increased by 400 g/t ASC compared with that in the PC and NC (p &lt; 0.001). AME was significantly higher (p &lt; 0.0001) for all treatments compared with that in the NC. There were no significant differences between treatments for any of the bone measurements. This study showed that feeding ASC can support the performance of broilers when fed a specification reduced in Ca, P and AME, with the greatest results being seen with the higher inclusion level of ASC.

In view of the expected climate changes, a paradigm shift in soil management, through reduced tillage and/or a different use of crop residues, can be a key point in the mitigation of the climate impacts. The transition from a traditional cropping system (i.e., durum wheat in continuous cropping system under conventional tillage and/or straw removal) to those undergoing the conservative practices require to be evaluated in a medium to long time frame to reach an equilibrium and thus to be properly investigated. In this regard, cropping system simulation models are fundamental tools for the in-silico evaluation of the response of crop growth and soil organic matter dynamics to varying cropping scenarios. This paper reports the evaluations on the parameterization and reliability of the ARMOSA crop simulation model calibrated and validated on experimental datasets collected on durum wheat grown in continuous cropping system under several straw and soil management strategies in a Mediterranean environment.

The rising global population amidst the growing concerns of climate change will have a dire consequence on global food security and socio-economic activities. Wheat is one of the most important staple foods consumed by more than four billion people in the world, but climate change impacts account for a decline of 5.5% in wheat yield and predictions indicate that the production could further dwindle by nearly 30% in 2050, due to trends in temperature, precipitation, and carbon dioxide. An effective annual crop estimate is necessary not only to inform government the status of national food security, but also is used to determine the benchmark on which agricultural commodities are priced in the market. Thus, annual crop monitoring and yield estimate is paramount to determine the amount of wheat imports required to make up for the shortfalls in the national wheat production in South Africa, which has been a net importer of wheat since 1998. A joint project between South Africa and Poland investigated satellite based-crop growth monitoring using Sentinel 2 and determined the most distinguishable crop phenology for an accurate winter wheat classification during the growing season from August – December with Random Forest (RF) algorithm. The winter wheat crop was more accurately identified during the crop ‘heading’ stage in October yielding the highest user’s (75.56%) and producer’s (92.52%) accuracies, despite the relatively lower overall accuracy (78.14%) compared to that of December with OA of 83.58% obtained during the maturity stage. This study, therefore, confirms the suitability of sentinel 2 for an effective phenology-based winter wheat crop classification during the heading stage, reducing the ambiguity of spectral confusion created with surrounding grass and maize crops.