bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Pretreatment drug resistance in people living with HIV: A large retrospective cohort study in Chongqing, China
Authors: Liu Min , He Xiao‐Qing , Deng Ren‐Ni , Tang Sheng‐Quan , Harypursat Vijay , Lu Yan‐Qiu , He Kun , Huo Qin , Yang Hong‐Hong , Liu Qian , Chen Yao‐Kai
Published: March 2022

Objectives

The emergence of pretreatment drug resistance (PDR) caused by increased usage of antiretroviral therapy (ART) represents a significant challenge to HIV management. In this study, we evaluated the prevalence of PDR in people living with HIV (PLWH) in Chongqing, China.

Methods

We retrospectively collected the data of 1110 ART‐naïve PLWH in Chongqing from January 1, 2018 to June 30, 2021. HIV‐1 genotypes and drug resistance were analyzed using the HIV‐1 pol sequence. Risk factors associated with PDR were evaluated via the logistic regression model.

Results

Nine genotypes were detected among 1110 participants, with CRF07_BC (55.68%) being the dominant genotype, followed by CRF01_AE (21.44%), CRF08_BC (14.14%), and other genotypes (8.74%). Of all the participants, 24.14% exhibited drug resistance mutations (DRMs). The predominant DRMs for non‐nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTIs) and nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs) were V179D/E/A/DIN (13.60%) and M184V/I (1.44%), respectively, whereas only two major DRMs (M46L and I54L) were identified for protease inhibitors (PIs). The total prevalence of PDR was 10.54%, with 2.43%, 7.66%, and 1.71% participants exhibiting PDR to NRTIs, NNRTIs, and PIs, respectively. Furthermore, female PLWH, delays in ART initiation, and the CRF08_BC genotype were associated with a higher risk of PDR.

Conclusions

Our study provides the first large cohort data on the prevalence of PDR in Chongqing, China. HIV‐1 genotypes are diverse and complex, with a moderate level of PDR, which does not reach the threshold for the initiation of a public health response. Nevertheless, continuous surveillance of PDR is both useful and advisable.
Early‐life determinants of excessive weight gain among low‐income children: Examining the adherence of theoretical frameworks to empirical data using structural equation modelling
Authors: Dourado Bruna Larine Lemos Fontes Silva , De Melo Jayanne Mayara Magalhães , Longo‐Silva Giovana , de Menezes Risia Cristina Egito , da Silveira Jonas Augusto Cardoso
Published: March 2022

Background

Although childhood obesity is increasing in low‐income regions, theoretical models cannot be adequately applied due to the lack of prospective studies with under 2‐year‐old children from impoverished populations.

Objective

To analyse direct and indirect effects of environmental, maternal, and individual factors on excess weight gain among low‐income children during the first year of life.

Methods

We analysed data from a prospective birth cohort conducted in Brazil, which followed infants at birth, 3rd, 6th, and 12th month of life (n = 205). The weight‐for‐age z‐score was used to calculate the conditional weight gain (CWG). Direct and indirect effects on CWG were estimated using structural equation modelling.

Results

Children's consumption of ultra‐processed food (UPF) ≥1 time/day, breastfeeding duration >90 days, and maternal obesity showed a statistically significant direct effect on children's CWG. We observed a positive indirect pathway linking the maternal intake of UPF ≥4 times/day to the CWG, given its direct effect on the infant's UPF consumption.

Conclusions

In this low‐income population, women who were frequent users of UPF tended to introduce these products more frequently into their children's diets. The early trade‐off trend in children's diet between breastfeeding and UPF was the leading cause of excessive weight gain.
Safety and efficacy of apalutamide in Japanese patients with metastatic castration‐sensitive prostate cancer receiving androgen deprivation therapy: Final report for the Japanese subpopulation analysis of the randomized, placebo‐controlled, phase III TITAN study
Authors: Uemura Hirotsugu , Arai Gaku , Uemura Hiroji , Suzuki Hiroyoshi , Aoyama Junya , Hatayama Tomoyoshi , Ito Miku , Lefresne Florence , McCarthy Sharon , Mundle Suneel , He Jin , Chi Kim N
Published: March 2022

Objectives

The TITAN study is a randomized, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled, multinational trial that evaluated apalutamide with androgen deprivation therapy in patients with metastatic castration‐sensitive prostate cancer. At the first interim analysis in the Japanese subpopulation (median follow‐up 25.7 months), there was an improvement in overall survival and radiological progression‐free survival with apalutamide versus placebo. Here, we report the final analysis results for the Japanese subpopulation.

Methods

Patients were randomized 1:1 to receive apalutamide 240 mg or placebo. After the first interim analysis, protocol treatment was unblinded, and crossover was allowed. Efficacy and safety were evaluated in the preplanned, event‐driven final analysis.

Results

Fifty‐one patients were Japanese (apalutamide n = 28; placebo n = 23). After a median follow‐up of 46.0 months, the median overall survival was not reached neither in the apalutamide nor the placebo group; the hazard ratio was 0.45, favoring apalutamide, which was consistent with the overall population. Hazard ratios for time to cytotoxic chemotherapy (0.39), time to pain progression (0.87), and time to chronic opioid use (0.82) also favored apalutamide and were comparable with those of the overall population. Time to prostate‐specific antigen progression and progression‐free survival 2, respectively, was favored in the apalutamide group (0.21 and 0.44). Apalutamide was associated with higher incidences of rash and fracture in the Japanese subpopulation compared with the overall population.

Conclusions

The efficacy of apalutamide with androgen deprivation therapy in Japanese patients was consistent with efficacy demonstrated in the overall population. No new safety concerns emerged with long‐term follow‐up.
Fitful circulations: Unauthorized movements in the Sicilian transit zone
Authors: Anderlini Jacopo
Published: March 2022

The region of Sicily, in the south of Italy, has been at the centre of diverse contemporary migration movements since the 90s. This has made it an ideal setting for experimentation of new border control devices and procedures at the EU level. This article analyses the constellation of migrant circulations – local and seasonal, trans‐local, transnational – characterizing this area, considering them as the product of border configurations, (g)local markets (agriculture, tourism) and migrant's agency. The scenario has been deeply affected by the current Covid‐19 pandemic which transformed global supply chains, local economies and migrant labour, producing a selection of mobilities due to public health reasons. This contribution is based on a multi‐sited ethnographic fieldwork I have been conducting since 2016 in the Sicilian region, which has continued through the pandemic, from the hotspot border apparatus of Pozzallo to the sites of seasonal informal agricultural work as Cassibile, Ragusa area and Campobello di Mazara. What comes to light from the field is a complex sketch, in which migrants’ movement is the outcome of contrasting drives to push, block, divert and accelerate. I define fitful circulations the result of the friction between the economic need to let move labour power commodity and the sovereign push to select, contain or exclude living labour on the basis of citizenship, race, class and gender, emerging from the intertwine of economic and labour markets configurations, territorial sovereignty administration, public health management and the agency of migrants.
A new technique of suturing using adhesive skin closure for uncooperative patients
Authors: Hong Joon‐Shik , Yoo Seok‐Ju , Shin Hea‐Kyeong
Published: March 2022

Open wounds are usually closed with suture. However, young patients often do not cooperate and prevent proper suture placement. Young patients are often terrified of mild pain and wholly uncooperative, which is why we introduce this timesaving, less painful, more aesthetic technique of placing and removing stitches. 104 patients with facial lacerations aged 5 to 15 years were treated at a single center from May 2019 to March 2021. Patients were randomly assigned equally to a simple interrupted suture group (the SI group) or a continuous locking with Steri‐Strip group (the CS group). Suture times, times for stitch removal, pain scores at stitch removal and mature scar scores were evaluated. Suture and stitch removal times were significantly shorter, and pain scores at stitch removal and observer scar assessment scale scores were lower in the CS group. Patient scar assessment scale score was non‐significantly lower in the SI group. This study shows that the novel continuous locking with the Steri‐Strip technique is easier and quicker to perform, causes less pain when removing stitches, provides better aesthetic results than the simple interrupted suture technique and suggests the continuous locking with Steri‐Strip technique would be very useful for uncooperative young patients.
Phenotypic selection on an ornamental trait is not modulated by breeding density in a pied flycatcher population
Authors: Morales‐Mata José Ignacio , Potti Jaime , Camacho Carlos , Martínez‐Padilla Jesús , Canal David
Published: March 2022

Most studies of phenotypic selection in the wild have focussed on morphological and life‐history traits and looked at abiotic (climatic) variation as the main driver of selection. Consequently, our knowledge of the effects of biotic environmental variation on phenotypic selection on sexual traits is scarce. Population density can be considered a proxy for the intensity of intrasexual and intersexual competition and could therefore be a key factor influencing the covariation between individual fitness and the expression of sexual traits. Here, we used an individual‐based data set from a population of pied flycatchers (Ficedula hypoleuca) monitored over 24 years to analyze the effect of breeding density on phenotypic selection on dorsal plumage colouration, a heritable and sexually selected ornament in males of this species. Using the number of recruits as a fitness proxy, our results showed overall stabilizing selection on male dorsal colouration, with intermediate phenotypes being favoured over extremely dark and dull individuals. However, our results did not support the hypothesis that breeding density mediates phenotypic selection on this sexual trait. We discuss the possible role of other biotic factors influencing selection on ornamental plumage.
Paleoproterozoic ultrahigh‐temperature metamorphism in the Alxa Block, the Khondalite Belt, North China Craton: Petrology and phase equilibria of quartz‐absent corundum‐bearing pelitic granulites
Authors: Zou Lei , Guo Jing‐Hui , Jiao Shu‐Juan , Huang Guang‐Yu , Tian Zhong‐Hua , Liu Ping‐Hua
Published: March 2022

An Al‐rich, quartz‐absent corundum‐bearing pelitic granulite is reported for the first time at the Diebusige complex in the Alxa Block in the western part of the Khondalite Belt (KB), North China Craton (NCC). A detailed petrographic study shows that a quartz‐present domain occurs in porphyroblastic garnet cores from the corundum‐bearing pelitic granulite, with a prograde metamorphic mineral assemblage (M1) of garnet + plagioclase + quartz + biotite + spinel + rutile ± melt, and a quartz‐absent domain occurs in the matrix of this rock, with a preserved peak mineral assemblage (M2) of garnet + corundum + spinel + biotite + plagioclase + K‐feldspar + rutile + melt and a retrograde metamorphic mineral assemblage (M3) of garnet + sillimanite + corundum + biotite + plagioclase + K‐feldspar ± rutile. Phase equilibrium modelling and Zr‐in‐rutile and ternary feldspar thermometry all reveal similar peak conditions of 890–940°C at 7.5–9.8 kbar, which indicate a high geothermal gradient of ~110°C/kbar and ultrahigh‐temperature (UHT) conditions. Combining this information with the detailed analysis of metamorphic zircons, we obtain the metamorphic evolution of the corundum‐bearing pelitic granulite. Specifically, the corundum‐bearing pelitic granulite experienced granulite‐facies metamorphism at ~1950 Ma. Then, this rock was slowly uplifted with heating and partial melting until it achieved UHT conditions. Finally, it cooled to the solidus at ~1830 Ma. Thus, we propose that the UHT metamorphic conditions of a corundum‐bearing pelitic granulite from the Diebusige complex of the Alxa Block may be the result of long‐term slow uplift with heating under a high geothermal gradient.
Indicators and predictors modifiable by the nursing department during the preoperative period: A scoping review
Authors: Fernández Fernández Eloísa , Fernández‐Ordoñez Eloísa , García‐Gamez Marina , Guerra‐Marmolejo Cristina , Iglesias‐Parra Rosa , García‐Agua Soler Nuria , González‐Cano‐Caballero María
Published: March 2022

Aim and objectives

The aim of this study is to identify preoperative indicators and/or predictors of complications or inefficiencies in the surgical process that can be modified within nursing practice.

Background

Due to rapid sociodemographic and technological change, the global demand for surgical attention is rising exponentially, requiring new strategies for optimisation and sustainability in perioperative care.

Design

We conduced the scoping review using the methodology recommended by the Joanna Briggs Institute supported with The PAGER framework and guided by the PRISMA‐ScR Checklist.

Methods

Four databases (CINAHL, MEDLINE, SCOPUS and PUBMED) were examined to extract relevant published results for elective surgery on adult patients during the period 2011–2021. This process identified 609 records. Exclusion criteria were applied, and the sample was then evaluated with the Quality Assessment Tool for Studies with Diverse Designs (QATSDD), after which 15 studies remained.

Results

The following preoperative indicators and/or predictors were considered: (1) Anxiety; (2) Pain; (3) Health education, knowledge and training; (4) Satisfaction; (5) Management/organisation (including costs, resources used/available, organisational issues, hospital stay (preoperative), standardisation and protocolisation.

Conclusion

The identification of five indicators and/or predictors of complications or inefficiencies in the surgical process, which can be modified by nursing, allows the effective application of interventions in the preoperative phase, optimising care and improving health outcomes.

Relevance to clinical practice

The development and implementation of specific nursing skills in the preoperative phase are essential to optimise the surgical process.
How do prosocial motivation and performance‐related pay interact in the workplace context? Evidence from the non‐profit sector
Authors: Lanfranchi Joseph , Narcy Mathieu
Published: March 2022

The aim of this paper is to analyse the effectiveness of performance‐related pay among employees that place high value on working in a job with a prosocial mission. More particularly, using a sample of 2,648 employees coming from an original European dataset in 2004, we compare their subjective assessment of effectiveness of actual and hypothetical performance‐related pay on the work effort in the non‐profit and for‐profit sectors. Estimations of ordered probit models reveal that non‐profit employees consider the use and extension of performance‐related pay schemes to be less effective in terms of their level of effort than their for‐profit counterparts. In addition, this relative inefficiency in the non‐profit sector increases as the employee's intrinsic motivation becomes higher. Indeed, while in the non‐profit sector, a higher intrinsic motivation is associated with a lower stated impact of actual and hypothetical performance‐related pay on effort, intrinsic motivation and monetary incentives appear to be independent within the for‐profit sector. In conclusion, these results suggest that within pro‐social jobs the employee's intrinsic motivation is less compatible with the use of monetary incentives. Consequently, the principals of a non‐profit organization should make more extensive use of low‐powered monetary incentives than their for‐profit counterparts.
Risk and Prognostic Factors for Different Organ Metastasis in Primary Osteosarcoma: A Large Population‐Based Analysis
Authors: Xu Guijun , Wu Haixiao , Zhang Yanting , Xu Yao , Guo Xu , Baklaushev Vladimir P. , Chekhonin Vladimir P. , Peltzer Karl , Wang Jun , Lu Feng , Wang Guowen , Wang Xin , Ma Wenjuan , Zhang Chao
Published: March 2022

Objective

Based on a large public cohort, we aimed to investigate the prevalence of distant metastases in patients with osteosarcoma, to evaluate the survival of patients with different metastases and to reveal the related risk and prognostic factors for distant metastases.

Methods

The information of osteosarcoma patients with or without distant metastases was retrospectively extracted from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Result database from January 2010 to December 2015. Patients were excluded if they were diagnosed at autopsy or via death certification. The Kaplan–Meier method was used to calculate the overall survival in the entire cohort and across patients with metastases to different organs. The related prognostic factors were investigated by univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazard regression analysis. The logistic regression method was used to reveal the risk factors for the development of different metastases. The effects of different variables on the survival and prevalence of distant metastases were compared using subgroup analysis. Variables with P < 0.05 in the univariate regression analysis were further examined using multivariate regression analysis.

Results

In total, 1470 osteosarcoma patients (mean age 30 ± 22 years) were included, among which 278 patients (18.9%) were initially diagnosed with distant metastasis. The median follow‐up duration was 33.0 (30.2–35.8) months. The lung was the most common metastatic site (83.8%), followed by the bone (21.9%), liver (2.9%), and brain (2.2%). A total of 232 patients (83.5%) presented only one distant metastatic site, while the other 46 patients showed two or more metastatic sites. A lower proportion of metastasis was observed in patients aged from 25 to 59 years [odds ratio (OR) = 0.59; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.37–0.95]. More metastases were noted in patients with T2/T1 (OR = 1.91; 95% CI: 1.28–2.84), T3/T1 (OR = 4.48; 95% CI: 1.78–11.30) and N1/N0 stages (OR = 6.66; 95% CI: 2.68–16.56). The 1‐, 3‐, and 5‐year overall survival rates for metastatic patients were 57.3% (95% CI: 50.8%–63.8%), 25.3% (95% CI: 18.8%–31.9%), and 18.1% (95% CI: 10.2%–26.0%), respectively. Metastatic patients older than 25 years were prone to have poor survival and a relatively better prognosis (hazard ratio = 0.41; 95% CI: 0.25–0.69) was noticed among those who underwent surgery on the primary site. Different metastatic organs have homogeneous and heterogeneous risk and prognostic factors.

Conclusion

The high incidence of initial distant metastasis in osteosarcoma and the inconsistent predictive factors should be given more attention in the clinical management of patients with osteosarcoma.
Publication rates in English of abstracts presented at the annual meeting of the Japanese Society of Psychiatry and Neurology
Authors: Yoshida Kazunari , Moriguchi Sho , Koda Masahide , Oka Takuya , Ueno Fumihiko , Ikai‐Tani Saeko , Tani Hideaki , Mimura Masaru
Published: March 2022

Background

Relatively low publication rates of abstracts presented at scientific meetings (i.e. 37.3%, 95% CI: 35.3–39.3) have been reported across various fields worldwide. However, no study has investigated the publication rate of abstracts presented at psychiatric meetings and factors associated with full publication in Japan. This study aimed to determine the proportion of conference abstracts in the psychiatric field that reach full publication in English and its associated factors in Japan.

Methods

A retrospective study was conducted to determine the publication rate of abstracts presented at the annual meetings of the Japanese Society of Psychiatry and Neurology (JSPN) in 2013 and 2014, the largest psychiatric meeting in Japan, by searching for full‐text publications in PubMed and Google Scholar. Furthermore, we examined factors associated with a successful full publication of the conference abstract.

Results

Of the 737 abstracts evaluated, 132 (17.9%) were published in peer‐reviewed journals; the publication rates for oral and poster presentations were 12.7% (46/363) and 23.0% (86/374), respectively. In multivariate logistic regression analyses, the following factors were significantly associated with successful publications: poster presentations (odds ratio [OR]: 1.67, 95% CI: 1.10–2.57), original studies (OR: 4.16, 95% CI: 2.44–7.47), and academic institutions (OR: 5.77, 95% CI: 3.44–10.19).

Conclusions

The publication rate in English of the conference abstracts presented at the JSPN annual meetings was relatively lower than those in previous studies. Further encouragement of the publication of the abstracts presented in psychiatric conferences in Japan would be helpful in disseminating scientific findings in the field of psychiatry.
Collaboration–competition dilemma in flattening the COVID‐19 curve
Authors: Van Oorschot Kim E. , Van Wassenhove Luk N. , Jahre Marianne
Published: March 2022

Testing for COVID‐19 is a key intervention that supports tracking and isolation to prevent further infections. However, diagnostic tests are a scarce and finite resource, so abundance in one country can quickly lead to shortages in others, creating a competitive landscape. Countries experience peaks in infections at different times, meaning that the need for diagnostic tests also peaks at different moments. This phase lag implies opportunities for a more collaborative approach, although countries might also worry about the risks of future shortages if they help others by reallocating their excess inventory of diagnostic tests. This article features a simulation model that connects three subsystems: COVID‐19 transmission, the diagnostic test supply chain, and public policy interventions aimed at flattening the infection curve. This integrated system approach clarifies that, for public policies, there is a time to be risk‐averse and a time for risk‐taking, reflecting the different phases of the pandemic (contagion vs. recovery) and the dominant dynamic behavior that occurs in these phases (reinforcing vs. balancing). In the contagion phase, policymakers cannot afford to reject extra diagnostic tests and should take what they can get, in line with a competitive mindset. In the recovery phase, policymakers can afford to give away excess inventory to other countries in need (one‐sided collaboration). When a country switches between taking and giving, in a form of two‐sided collaboration, it can flatten the curve, not only for itself but also for others.
The equity turn in palliative and end of life care research: Lessons from the poverty literature
Authors: Richards Naomi
Published: March 2022

Palliative and end of life care researchers are being issued ‘wake up’ calls that they need to start adopting an equity framework and pay more attention to how the social determinants of health impact people at the end of their lives. Acknowledging systemic health inequities has become even more important during the COVID‐19 pandemic. I argue that within this new equity‐driven agenda, learning needs to be incorporated from decades of work within critical poverty studies which critiques the very concept of poverty. I highlight the most relevant of these critiques and advocate for the transfer and translation of these arguments into palliative and end of life care research by scholars working in the field. Just as poverty studies was critiqued in the 1990s for theoretical weakness and an uncritical empiricism, so palliative care and end of life research needs to go beyond its almost exclusive concentration onmeasurementto show a deeper awareness of, and even a commitment to changing, the structural context within which people are dying. I argue that just as critical poverty scholars and primary care researchers have argued for a fairer political‐economic system, so palliative and end of life researchers need to not only ‘wake up’ but also ‘stand up’ and become more political.
CF1 reduces grain‐cadmium levels in rice (Oryza sativa)
Authors: Li Lanying , Mao Donghai , Sun Liang , Wang Ruigang , Tan Longtao , Zhu Yuxing , Huang Han , Peng Can , Zhao Yaping , Wang Jiurong , Huang Daoyou , Chen Caiyan
Published: March 2022

Rice (Oryza sativa) is a leading source of dietary cadmium (Cd), a non‐essential heavy metal that poses a serious threat to human health. There are significant variations in grain‐Cd levels in natural rice populations, which make the breeding of low‐Cd rice a cost‐effective way to mitigate grain‐Cd accumulation. However, the genetic factors that regulate grain‐Cd accumulation have yet to be fully established, thereby hindering the development of low‐Cd varieties. Here, we reported a low‐Cd quantitative trait locus, CF1, that has the potential to reduce Cd accumulation in rice grains. CF1 is allelic to the metal transporter OsYSL2, which transports Fe from the roots to the shoots. However, it is incapable of binding Cd, and thus, reduces grain‐Cd levels indirectly rather than directly in the form of upward delivery. Further analysis showed that high expression levels of CF1 improve Fe nutrition in the shoots, subsequently inhibiting Cd uptake by systemically inhibiting expression of the main Cd uptake gene OsNramp5 in the roots. Compared with the CF1 allele from ‘02428’ (CF102428), higher expression levels of CF1 from ‘TQ’ (CF1TQ) increased the Fe contents and decreased Cd levels in rice grains. In natural rice populations, CF1TQ was found to be a minor allele, while CF102428 is present in most japonica rice, suggesting that CF1TQ could be widely integrated into the japonica rice genome to generate low‐Cd varieties. Overall, these results broaden our mechanistic understanding of the natural variation in grain‐Cd accumulation, supporting marker‐assisted selection of low‐Cd rice.
Translational repression of FZP mediated by CU‐rich element/OsPTB interactions modulates panicle development in rice
Authors: Chen Qiong , Tian Fa'an , Cheng Tingting , Jiang Jun'e , Zhu Guanlin , Gao Zhenyu , Lin Haiyan , Hu Jiang , Qian Qian , Fang Xiaohua , Chen Fan
Published: March 2022

Panicle development is an important determinant of the grain number in rice. A thorough characterization of the molecular mechanism underlying panicle development will lead to improved breeding of high‐yielding rice varieties. Frizzy Panicle (FZP), a critical gene for panicle development, is regulated by OsBZR1 and OsARFs at the transcriptional stage. However, the translational modulation of FZP has not been reported. We reveal that the CU‐rich elements (CUREs) in the 3′ UTR of the FZP mRNA are crucial for efficient FZP translation. The knockout of CUREs in the FZP 3′ UTR or the over‐expression of the FZP 3′ UTR fragment containing CUREs resulted in an increase in FZP mRNA translation efficiency. Moreover, the number of secondary branches (NSB) and the grain number per panicle (GNP) decreased in the transformed rice plants. The CUREs in the 3′ UTR of FZP mRNA were verified as the targets of the polypyrimidine tract‐binding proteins OsPTB1 and OsPTB2 in rice. Both OsPTB1 and OsPTB2 were highly expressed in young panicles. The knockout of OsPTB1/2 resulted in an increase in the FZP translational efficiency and a decrease in the NSB and GNP. Furthermore, the over‐expression of OsPTB1/2 decreased the translation of the reporter gene fused to FZP 3′ UTR in vivo and in vitro. These results suggest that OsPTB1/2 can mediate FZP translational repression by interacting with CUREs in the 3′ UTR of FZP mRNA, leading to changes in the NSB and GNP. Accordingly, in addition to transcriptional regulation, FZP expression is also fine‐tuned at the translational stage during rice panicle development.
Rotational cattle grazing improves understory vegetation biodiversity and structural complexity in oil palm plantations
Authors: Nobilly Frisco , Atikah Sharifah Nur , Yahya Muhammad Syafiq , Jusoh Shokri , Cun Grace S. , Norhisham Ahmad Razi , Tohiran Kamil Azmi , Zulkifli Raja , Azhar Badrul
Published: March 2022

Herbicide overuse decimates understory vegetation, including those beneficial plants which may lead to a reduction of some production‐related ecosystem services such as nutrient cycling, water regulation, natural pest control, and pollination. Such conventional weed management practices need to be replaced with environmentally friendly methods such as ecological grazing to make palm oil supply chain environmentally sustainable. Contrary to chemical weeding, livestock integration is believed to be a useful tool to control weeds without negative impact to human health and the environment. However, little is known about the influence of different livestock grazing practices on oil palm understory vegetation. Thus, the present study investigates the effects of weed management practices (i.e., rotational grazing, free‐ranged grazing, and conventional weeding) on understory vegetation species richness, composition assemblages, and structural complexity. Based on plant surveys that were conducted on 360 sampling points, 120 understory vegetation species consisting of grasses, sedges, ferns, and legume covers were recorded. We found understory vegetation composition assemblages were different between treatments. Results revealed that the number of understory vegetation species, coverage, and height were significantly higher in rotational grazing compared with other practices. Given the major contribution of vegetation composition assemblages and structure on palm oil productions and biodiversity, oil palm growers should adopt rotational livestock grazing as a part of an integrated pest management strategy to control understory vegetation.
LINEAR PROGRAMMING MODEL FOR THE OPTIMIZATION OF THE BIODIESEL SUPPLY CHAIN IN THE MINDANAO ISLAND OF THE PHILIPPINES
Authors: C. Camacho Yra Mae , Davila Kristin Joy , V. Flores Ysabela Angela , D. del Rosario Julie Anne
Published: March 2022

Biofuels are known to have several advantages over fossil fuels including, but not limited to, high abundance of resources, negligible SOx emissions, lower NOx emissions, and more environment-friendly processes. In the Philippines, the biofuels industry is anchored onto the Biofuels Act of 2006 which mandates the use of biofuels made from indigenous sources such as coconut. Despite this, biodiesel is still less preferred by consumers over conventional fuel due to its high cost. This can be attributed to high production costs of biodiesel, wherein 18-28% is credited to transportation of products.  This work proposes a linear programming model to reduce the overall cost of biodiesel by minimizing the transportation cost in the Philippine biodiesel supply chain, using the Mindanao cluster as case study. Multiple scenarios were done to gauge the impact of varying the supply allocation and biodiesel blend on the supply chain. The optimal supply allocation, transportation cost, and carbon footprint of each scenario were determined. A new facility locator feature was also added as an extension of the program. Results also showed high reproducibility using easily accessible programming tools such as Microsoft Excel and Python.
WET DIAPER DETECTION AND NOTIFICATION DEVICE TO ALERT THE BABY CARETAKER
Authors: Burhannuddin Dirman Hanafi , Mazlan Sulaiman , Abdul Rahman Hisyam , Abdul Rahim Ruzairi
Published: March 2022

Diapers have been popular with parents for a past few decades now for protecting babies/children from urine when they urinate. However, there are some disadvantages when using diapers such as skin rash, irritation, and infection. Skin rashes can occur when the diaper is wet with urine and left to be used for a long time with the baby. This paper aims (i) to develop wet diaper detection and notification device for helping caretakers identify wet diaper conditions, (ii) to evaluate the performance of the wet diaper detection and notification device based on the response time to trigger notification after detecting wet diaper condition. The methods of this study were divided into four phases including project design, algorithm development, hardware development, and performance evaluation. This system serves to identify the wet diaper condition based on temperature and humidity values. DHT22 was selected as a main sensor and Arduino pro mini was selected as the microprocessor for this project. As the results, two wet diaper detection and notification devices have been designed and fabricated. Comparisons have been made to evaluate the performance between the first and second versions of the devices. The performance of second version device resulting better response time with 1700ms to notify the caretaker when detecting the wet diaper condition.
ESTIMATE RIG CAPACITY AND RENTAL COST IN DRILLING OPERATION GH-02 WELL EXPLORATION MATALOKO GEOTHERMAL FIELDRATION GH-02 WELL EXPLORATION MATALOKO GEOTHERMAL FIELD
Authors: Herianto Herianto
Published: March 2022

Exploration well GH-02 will be drilled directionally at an inclination of 44º and a target of 5920 ft MD or 4840 ft TVD. So that the drilling process can be safe, the rig capacity must be determined optimally so that it is not over capacity which causes higher rig rental costs and also low capacity which causes disruption of the drilling process. The main components that influence the calculation of the horsepower required by the rig are the hoisting system, the rotary system, and the circulation system. The amount of horsepower required in the hoisting system is influenced by the lifting velocity, the hook load and the efficiency factor. While the rotary system is influenced by the amount of rpm and the target depth. Circulation system is influenced by the pump flow rate and pressure loss along the circulation system. The total horsepower required can be calculated by adding up the horsepower from the hoisting system, rotary system, circulation system, plus the safety factor of 100-250 HP for rigs with more than 1000 horsepower. The drilling time is designed optimally so that not much time is wasted which can cause the drilling costs to increase expensive. The amount of the rig rental cost is obtained from the rig rental cost per day with the planned drilling time. The results of the case study calculations show that the rig capacity is 1500 horsepower, drilling is carried out for 22 days and the cost of renting the rig is 660000 USD
WIND CHARACTERISTICS ANALYSIS IN FOUR POTENTIAL TOWNSHIPS IN MYANMAR
Authors: Soe Paing Hein , Htike Thein Min
Published: March 2022

Myanmar has set renewable energy aspirations in the energy mix of the country to meet growing energy demand and to increase clean access to electricity as indicated in Myanmar’s Intended Nationally Determined Contribution. Among renewable energy resources, solar and wind energy are expected to contribute to 9% of total energy mix. Although there have been initiatives on the implementation of solar photovoltaic in Myanmar, implementation of wind energy has not been reported. Few studies on wind energy in Myanmar focused on resource assessment investigating the spatial variation of wind speed and power density. Little has been studied on the seasonal nature and persistence of wind in Myanmar from the perspective of energy generation. This study aims at generating wind speed and power density maps of Myanmar using most recent wind data from 2010 to 2017 to identify potential townships with favourable wind conditions. Prominent wind direction, seasonal variations and wind speed persistence were analyzed for four townships with favourable wind conditions. Weibull parameters suggest that frequency of wind is also favourable for wind energy generation. Hence, this study has identified Chauk, Kyaukpadaung, Meiktila and Natogyi townships as potential regions for wind energy development with estimated power producing time of 53.17% and 65.91% of a year at average wind speed of 4 m/s above. This study serves as a basis for further resource assessment for micrositing of wind turbines to identify feasible sites for wind energy generation in Myanmar.
SIMULATION RESEARCH ON INTERACTION BETWEEN WIND AND SOLAR PHOTOVOLTAICS SYSTEMS
Authors: Kim Dung Hoang Thi , Khanh Nguyen Phu
Published: March 2022

There are many options for reducing greenhouse gas emissions from energy systems while still meeting the global energy needs. One of the options could be renewable energy. Renewable energy has a huge potential to mitigate climate change, that can also provide people with utilities when using them. Renewable energy, if properly implemented, would contribute to socio-economic development, access to energy as a safe source of energy, and reduction of negative impacts on the environment and health. In the most demanding conditions, increasing the share of renewable energy in the energy mix will require policies to stimulate changes in the energy system. This research was focused on the solar photovoltaics (PV) system, especially on the interaction between wind and the PV system. The wind had a cooling effect to the PV system. The wind speed could greatly affect the operating performance of a PV system, especially in windy locations. In this paper, different velocity (from 3 to 15m/s) and incident angle of wind (from 0 to 180 degree) were used to carry out first the strength of PV system and then the influence of wind to the PV system by using ANSYS software. The PV system was found durable under these conditions. Velocity and direction of wind had strong effect to aerodynamic characteristics of solar panels.
HEIGHT RELIABILITY-BASED ANALYSIS OF WOVEN BAMBOO MAT REINFORCED MECHANICALLY STABILIZED EARTH WALL IN TEMPORARY RAILWAY EMBANKMENT
Authors: Faris Fikri , Adi Agus Darmawan
Published: March 2022

Railway is a main transportation to sustain the fast-growing population and economy in many countries. Developing railway infrastructures, such as additional tracks, without disturbing daily operations often requires temporary mechanically stabilized earth as embankment construction. This paper discussed woven bamboo mat (WBM) as a highly potential local material that can be used in mechanically stabilized earth construction in such condition. Considering that WBM has a wide variation in tensile strength, this study determined the reliable railway embankment height through reliability-based analysis. First-order reliability method (FORM) was adopted to estimate the probability of failure (pF). The results of FORM were compared with the results of Monte Carlo simulation (MCS). The results showed positive trends in pF against increasing height, and the effective tensile capacity factor R negatively affected pF. The theoretically undegradable tensile strength in the design (R = 1.00) could increase the reliable height up to 12 m when sv = 0.2 m. Comparison between the FORM and MCS results showed that the pF calculated by FORM conformed with those computed by MCS. This study provided some insights and opened the opportunity for further research on other potential local materials as geomechanics reinforcement.
Level of Sustainability Heritage Cities in Malaysia
Authors: Ghazali Mohamad Khairul Anuar , Saleh Yazid , Mahat Hanifah
Published: March 2022

This article aims to measure the level of sustainability of heritage cities in Malaysia. Respondents consisted of 1000 residents in 10 selected heritage towns throughout Malaysia selected based on cluster sampling method and simple random to fill out a questionnaire. Likert scale questionnaires 1 to 5 were used to elicit feedback. Five sustainability constructs were used, namely economic, social, environmental, cultural heritage, and government/community role. The results showed that items in each study construct achieved acceptable reliability with a Cronbach Alpha value greater than 0.70 and met normality test requirements. Descriptive analysis of frequency, percentage, and mean values were used to obtain each construct's level of sustainability. The results of the study found that the cities that got high scores were Georgetown (3.94), Taiping (4.00), Melaka City (3.76), and Muar (3.71). Meanwhile, the cities that got average scores were Kuala Kubu Bharu (3.36), Jugra (3.23), Tampin (3.37), Kuala Lipis (3.28), Kota Bharu (3.65), and Kuching (3.51). Only, five cities surpass the average value of Malaysia heritage cities of 3.58. The implications of this study can be used as an indicator of the level of sustainability of heritage cities in Malaysia and be a reference to make the process of improvement towards a more sustainable city by 2030.
Indeks Kemiskinan Multidimensi Global: Analisis Menurut Perspektif Maqasid Syariah (Global Multidimensional Povety Index: An Analysis According to Maqasid Syariah Perspectives)
Authors: Abdul Rahman Muhamad Zulfadli , Mohamad Mohammad Taqiuddin , Abdul Azzis Muhammad Shamshinor
Published: March 2022

Poverty is often associated with the issue of lack of income. However, when questions such as "do children get the education they deserve?", "does a family get the right health services?" and "does the community receive the clean water and electricity supply it needs?" cannot be answered well, then it is a sign that poverty still exists from a multidimensional view. This study applies library methods, textual and contextual analysis methods by taking into the five elements of Shariah Maqasid in the context of multidimensional poverty and extracted based on inductive, deductive, and comparative methods. The results of the study show that multidimensional poverty has a direct relationship to Maqasid Syariah. All dimensions of multidimensional poverty such as education, health, and living standards have their importance in preserving the five elements of Maqasid Syariah, namely religion, intellect, soul, lineage, and property. In the education aspect, achievement in this aspect must take into account both types of educational streams, namely fardu ain and fardu kifayah. In the  health aspect, emphasis is given to the prevention of disease as well as a balanced diet by taking into the source of treatment and halal supply for both. While in the aspect of living standards, the accumulation of wealth serves as a pillar to build a more prosperous life, providing benefits to human beings, rewards, and favors given by Allah SWT to his servants and is a test in human life. This study is seen to contribute to improving the shortcomings that exist in the existing multidimensional poverty measurement through the application of poverty measurement elements based on the perspective of Maqasid Syariah as an added value in creating a comprehensive multidimensional poverty measurement as discussed by Islam.
Effect of Articular Surface Compression on Cartilage Extracellular Matrix Deformation
Authors: Torzilli Peter A. , Allen Samie N.
Published: March 2022

Early stage osteoarthritis is characterized by disruption of the superficial zone (SZ) of articular cartilage, including collagen damage and proteoglycan loss, resulting in “mechanical softening” of the extracellular matrix (ECM). The role of the SZ in controlling fluid exudation and imbibition during loading and unloading, respectively, was studied using confined creep compression tests. Bovine osteochondral (OC) plugs were subjected to either a static (88 kPa) or cyclic (0–125 kPa at 1 Hz) compressive stress for five minutes, and the cartilage deformation and recovery were measured during tissue loading and unloading, respectively. During unloading, the articular surface of the cartilage was either loaded with a small 1% tare load (∼1 kPa) applied through a porous load platen (covered), or completely unloaded (uncovered). Then the SZ (∼10%) of the cartilage was removed and the creep tests were repeated. Randomized tests were performed on each OC specimen to assess variability within and between plugs. Static creep strain was always greater than cyclic creep strain except at the beginning of loading (10–20 cycles). Uncovering the articular surface after creep deformation resulted in faster thickness recovery compared to the covered recovery. Removal of the SZ resulted in increased static and cyclic creep strains, as well as an increase in the cyclic peak-to-peak strain envelope. Our results indicate that an intact SZ is essential for normal cartilage mechanical function during joint motion by controlling fluid exudation and imbibition, and concomitantly ECM deformation and recovery, when loaded and unloaded, respectively.
Network Analogy for Convecting Walls of an Enclosure
Authors: Bennett T. D.
Published: March 2022

The classical thermal network analogy is extended to plates bounded by two distinct states of convection, such as the walls of an enclosure. The full network is derived from an effective network representation, expressed in term of the average convection coefficient. The full network description allows the internal flow temperature of an enclosure to be treated as an unknown in analysis of convecting plates, which is an important class of problems in thermal packaging design.
Adaptation to noise in normal and impaired hearing
Authors: Marrufo-Pérez Miriam I. , Lopez-Poveda Enrique A.
Published: March 2022

Many aspects of hearing function are negatively affected by background noise. Listeners, however, have some ability to adapt to background noise. For instance, the detection of pure tones and the recognition of isolated words embedded in noise can improve gradually as tones and words are delayed a few hundred milliseconds in the noise. While some evidence suggests that adaptation to noise could be mediated by the medial olivocochlear reflex, adaptation can occur for people who do not have a functional reflex. Since adaptation can facilitate hearing in noise, and hearing in noise is often harder for hearing-impaired than for normal-hearing listeners, it is conceivable that adaptation is impaired with hearing loss. It remains unclear, however, if and to what extent this is the case, or whether impaired adaptation contributes to the greater difficulties experienced by hearing-impaired listeners understanding speech in noise. Here, we review adaptation to noise, the mechanisms potentially contributing to this adaptation, and factors that might reduce the ability to adapt to background noise, including cochlear hearing loss, cochlear synaptopathy, aging, and noise exposure. The review highlights few knowns and many unknowns about adaptation to noise, and thus paves the way for further research on this topic.
Gender Equity in Disability Sport: A Rapid Scoping Review
Authors: Culver Diane M. , Shaikh Majidullah , Alexander Danielle , Fournier Karine
Published: March 2022

Aim: A scoping review was conducted to map the literature related to gender equity in disability sport. Design: Six databases relevant to the sport sciences were searched, yielding an initial 1,543 records; after two phases of screening and data extraction, 61 records were selected for synthesis. Descriptive statistics were generated on information related to the record contexts, approaches, and results. Qualitative descriptive analyses were used to group data inductively into themes in line with addressing the research question. Results: Most records examined the experiences, participation, and representation of adults in elite contexts. Insights across records pointed to gender inequities in participation and experience, often influenced by the intersection of ableist and masculinity notions. Limited research also pointed to strategies that can contribute to advancing gender equity. Conclusions: Implications were discussed to advance understandings of disability sport and enhance participation across levels (e.g., coaching, athletic) and contexts (e.g., elite/Paralympic, recreational).