bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Role of socio-economic research in developing, delivering and scaling new crop varieties: the case of staple crop biofortification
Authors: Birol Ekin , Bouis Howarth E.
Published: July 2023

The CGIAR biofortification program, HarvestPlus, was founded with the aim of improving the quality of diets through micronutrient-dense varieties of staple food crops. Implemented in four phases – discovery, development, delivery and scaling – the program was designed to be interdisciplinary, with plant breeding R&D supported by nutrition and socio-economic research. This paper explains the need, use and usefulness of socio-economic research in each phase of the program.Ex anteandex postbenefit-cost analyses facilitated fundraising for initial biofortification R&D and implementation in each subsequent phase, as well as encouraged other public, private, and civil society and non-governmental organizations to take on and mainstream biofortification in their crop R&D, policies, and programs. Socio-economics research helped guide plant breeding by identifying priority micronutrient- crop- geography combinations for maximum impact. Health impacts of biofortification could be projected both by using empirical results obtained through randomized controlled bioefficacy trials conducted by nutritionists, and through farmer-adoption models estimating impact at scale. Farmer and consumer surveys and monitoring systems provided the underlying information for estimating farmer adoption models and helped understand input/output markets, farmer and consumer preferences, and additional opportunities and challenges –all of which informed crop breeding and delivery activities, while building the knowledge base for catalyzing the scaling of biofortification.
Changing biosynthesis of terpenoid percursors in rice through synthetic biology
Authors: Basallo Orio , Perez Lucia , Lucido Abel , Sorribas Albert , Marin-Saguino Alberto , Vilaprinyo Ester , Perez-Fons Laura , Albacete Alfonso , Martínez-Andújar Cristina , Fraser Paul D. , Christou Paul , Capell Teresa , Alves Rui
Published: July 2023

Many highly valued chemicals in the pharmaceutical, biotechnological, cosmetic, and biomedical industries belong to the terpenoid family. Biosynthesis of these chemicals relies on polymerization of Isopentenyl di-phosphate (IPP) and/or dimethylallyl diphosphate (DMAPP) monomers, which plants synthesize using two alternative pathways: a cytosolic mevalonic acid (MVA) pathway and a plastidic methyleritritol-4-phosphate (MEP) pathway. As such, developing plants for use as a platform to use IPP/DMAPP and produce high value terpenoids is an important biotechnological goal. Still, IPP/DMAPP are the precursors to many plant developmental hormones. This creates severe challenges in redirecting IPP/DMAPP towards production of non-cognate plant metabolites. A potential solution to this problem is increasing the IPP/DMAPP production flux in planta. Here, we aimed at discovering, understanding, and predicting the effects of increasing IPP/DMAPP production in plants through modelling. We used synthetic biology to create rice lines containing an additional ectopic MVA biosynthetic pathway for producing IPP/DMAPP. The rice lines express three alternative versions of the additional MVA pathway in the plastid, in addition to the normal endogenous pathways. We collected data for changes in macroscopic and molecular phenotypes, gene expression, isoprenoid content, and hormone abundance in those lines. To integrate the molecular and macroscopic data and develop a more in depth understanding of the effects of engineering the exogenous pathway in the mutant rice lines, we developed and analyzed data-centric, line-specific, multilevel mathematical models. These models connect the effects of variations in hormones and gene expression to changes in macroscopic plant phenotype and metabolite concentrations within the MVA and MEP pathways of WT and mutant rice lines. Our models allow us to predict how an exogenous IPP/DMAPP biosynthetic pathway affects the flux of terpenoid precursors. We also quantify the long-term effect of plant hormones on the dynamic behavior of IPP/DMAPP biosynthetic pathways in seeds, and predict plant characteristics, such as plant height, leaf size, and chlorophyll content from molecular data. In addition, our models are a tool that can be used in the future to help in prioritizing re-engineering strategies for the exogenous pathway in order to achieve specific metabolic goals.
Allometric equations for estimating peak uprooting force of riparian vegetation
Authors: Zhang Yi , Liu Wei , He Siming
Published: July 2023

Uprooting caused by flood events is a significant disturbance factor that affects the establishment, growth, and mortality of riparian vegetation. If the hydraulic drag force acting on riparian plants exceeds the peak uprooting force originate from their below-ground portion, it may result in the uprooting of these plants. Despite previous studies have documented and investigated the uprooting processes and factors influencing the peak uprooting force of plants, most of these studies have focused on how the root morphological traits of tree and shrub seedlings affect peak uprooting force or mainly collected data in indoor experiments, which may limit the extrapolation of the results to natural environments. To address these limitations, we assume that the peak uprooting force can be estimated by the morphological traits of the above-ground portion of the vegetation. In this study, we conducted in-situ vertical uprooting tests on three locally dominant species: Conyza canadensis, Daucus carota, and Leonurus sibiricus, in a typical riverine environment. The three species were found to have the highest abundance based on the outcomes of the quadrat method. We measured the peak uprooting force, plant height, stem basal diameter, shoot and root wet biomass, and shoot and root dry biomass of each plant and compared them between species. Furthermore, we quantified the influence of morphology on peak uprooting force. Our results showed significant differences in morphological traits and peak uprooting force among the three species. We found a significant positive correlation between peak uprooting force and the morphological traits of the three species. The peak uprooting force increases with plant size following a power law function which is analogous to allometric equations. The allometric equation provided a convenient and non-destructive method to estimate the peak uprooting force based on the above-ground morphological traits of the plants, which may help to overcome the limitations of measuring root morphological traits.
Hetero-grafting affects flavonoid biosynthesis in sweet orange 'Newhall' (Citrus sinensis) peels: a metabolomics and transcriptomics analysis
Authors: Li Qin , Yao Junfei , Zheng Wei , Wang Jialu , Liao Ling , Sun Guochao , Wang Xun , Deng Honghong , Zhang Mingfei , Wang Zhihui , Xiong Bo
Published: July 2023

Citrus cultivation involves the widespread practice of grafting, which has a significant impact on citrus development and fruit quality and yield. However, understanding the effect of flavonoid compounds after different rootstock grafting have been limited. Flavonoid compounds, found at the highest levels in citrus peels, contribute to improving fruit quality and nutritional value. In this study, scion-rootstock interaction was investigated at various developmental stages when sweet orange 'Newhall' was hetero-grafted with two commonly used rootstocks (Poncirus trifoliate population, C. junos Siebold ex Tanaka). Physiological index detection showed a higher concentration of total flavonoid content in peels of sweet orange 'Newhall' grafted on Poncirus trifoliate population (ct) than C. junos Siebold ex Tanaka (cj). Further metabolomic analysis identified 703 flavonoid compounds, including flavones, flavonols, and flavanones. Out of the 25 flavonoids affected by different rootstock grafting and developmental stages, most were flavones. Transcriptomic analysis identified 8,562 differentially expressed genes (DEGs). Co-expression and Pearson's correlation analysis discovered six hub structure genes and 19 transcription factors (TFs) that affected flavonoid biosynthesis. In addition to increasing the transcript levels of genes that synthesize flavones, flavonols, and flavanones, the scion-rootstock interaction also affected the expression of many TFs. Taken together, our findings suggested that hetero-grafting could promote the accumulation of flavonoid compounds in citrus peels during the development stages. These results offered fresh perspectives on grafting's application usefulness and the enhancement of the accumulation of nutritive flavonoid components by grafting in citrus.
Chilling temperatures and controlled atmospheres alter key volatile compounds implicated in basil aroma and flavor
Authors: Rodeo Arlan James D. , Mitcham Elizabeth J.
Published: July 2023

Use of basil in its fresh form is increasingly popular due to its unique aromatic and sensory properties. However, fresh basil has a short shelf life and high chilling sensitivity resulting in leaf browning and loss of characteristic aroma. Moderate CO2 atmospheres have shown potential in alleviating symptoms of chilling injury in basil during short-term storage but its effect on the flavor volatiles is unclear. Moreover, studies on basil volatile profile as impacted by chilling temperatures are limited. We investigated the response of two basil genotypes to low temperatures and atmosphere modification, with emphasis on the volatile organic compounds responsible for basil aroma and flavor. Leaves were stored for 6 days at 5, 10, or 15°C combined with three different CO2 atmospheres (0.04%, 5% or 10%). Basil volatile profile was assessed using headspace solid phase microextraction (HS-SPME) coupled with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Leaves suffered severe chilling injury and greater loss of aroma volatiles at 5°C compared to 10°C and 15°C. More than 70 volatiles were identified for each genotype, while supervised multivariate analysis revealed 26 and 10 differentially-accumulated volatiles for ‘Genovese’ and ‘Lemon’ basil, respectively, stored at different temperatures. Storage in 5% CO2 ameliorated the symptoms of chilling injury for up to 3 days in ‘Genovese’, but not in ‘Lemon’ basil. Both chilling temperatures and controlled atmospheres altered key volatile compounds implicated in basil aroma and flavor, but temperature had a bigger influence on the observed changes in volatile profile.
Self-based goals, underlying reasons, performance and discrete emotions among parkrunners
Authors: Mulvenna Mairi , Adie James W. , Tramontano Carlo
Published: July 2023

Introduction

A temporal sequence of hypothesized relationships was tested between self-based goals and their underlying reasons → stress appraisals → performance and emotions, among UK parkrunners. A conditional process model was also examined to ascertain the potential moderating role of self-determined reasons in explaining the indirect relationship of self-based goals predicting performance and emotions via stress appraisals.

Methods

Utilizing a prospective design, 324 parkrunners (Mage = 45.27; SD = 10.73 years) completed online measures of self-based goals, their underlying reasons at 7 days (T1), and stress appraisals at 24 h (T2), prior to their next UK parkrun. Performance data and discrete emotions (pride and shame) were reported 24 h post-parkrun (T3).

Results

Structural Equation Modeling revealed partial support for the hypothesized model. More specifically, findings suggested that: (1) T1 self-determined reasons underpinning a self-approach goal positively predicted T2 challenge appraisals and T3 pride, (2) T1 self-determined reasons for pursuing a self-avoidance goal corresponded to reduced T3 performance and shame, (3) T2 challenge and threat appraisals were found to positively relate to T3 pride, and (4) the slower parkrunners ran, the more shame they felt post-event. T2 challenge and threat appraisals were found to mediate the relationship between T1 self-determined reasons underlying a self-approach goal and T3 pride. Further analysis failed to support a conditional process model.

Discussion

Our findings suggest the intensity of pursuing a self-based goal does not matter at all, but underlying self-determined reasons are a key driver influencing stress appraisals, performance and subsequent emotions among parkrunners.
A randomized controlled trial examining a Tranquil sitting intervention compatible with Confucian values
Authors: Wen Xiaochen , Zhou Yaping , Li Yinan , Lv Yue , Han Siyi , Zhao Junshu
Published: July 2023

Introduction

During the COVID-19 pandemic in China, the silent management (Lockdown) policy has caused severe sleep problems for university students. Long-term isolation may further deteriorate sleep quality, and it requires practical interventions. Today in mental and sleep health, interventions based on Buddhist, Taoist and Confucian ethics have been proven effective in reducing cognition and sleep disorders. However, such interventions also have limitations. They tend to focus on peace of mind or some technical means with the main direction of symptom improvement but neglect the mundane activities of daily life.

Methods

We conducted an innovative tranquil sitting intervention program based on the Chinese Confucian value of the “tranquility and reverence” method, integrating various intervention techniques traditionally recognized as effective for achieving more lasting mental health and sleep quality. This study aims to assess the effectiveness and feasibility of a tranquil sitting intervention in improving sleep problems in isolated university students. Using a randomized control trial (RCT), the participants in the intervention program (n = 35) practiced the tranquil sitting intervention program for ten weeks. They had their PSQI scores measured at the pre-experimental, post-test, and 1-month follow-up time points and compared to the control group (n = 35).

Results

The participants who received the tranquil sitting intervention had significantly better sleep quality than the control group, with moderate to large effect sizes in the middle and late stages. The instructor may challenge the intervention group at the beginning of the tranquil sitting technique. However, the improvement in sleep quality was significant after fully mastering the method.

Discussion

The intervention program in this study emphasized the importance of “tranquility” and showed the same sleep improvement as in other traditional interventions. In conclusion, this intervention is a feasible and promising new approach to improving sleep quality among youths.
Agentic and communal narcissism in predicting different types of lies in romantic relationships
Authors: Harhoff Nico , Reinhardt Nina , Reinhard Marc-André , Mayer Michael
Published: July 2023

Several studies have investigated a potential positive association between agentic narcissism and general dishonesty, revealing both supportive and contradicting evidence. Few have focused on dishonesty within romantic relationships, a phenomenon that occurs in almost all partnerships. With the present research, we first aimed to extend existing literature on narcissism by including its two complementary facets (i.e., agentic and communal narcissism). Second, we aimed to improve the understanding of narcissists’ lying behavior in the context of partnerships by distinguishing between two different types of lies (i.e., self-centered and other-oriented lies). We hypothesized that both, people higher in agentic and communal narcissism, will report increased dishonesty toward their romantic partners (Hypothesis 1). Given the self-benefit function of self-centered lies and given that agentic narcissists aim to fulfill their relationship-based motives by agentic means, we predict agentic narcissism (compared with communal narcissism) will be a stronger predictor for self-centered lies (Hypothesis 1a). Given the other-benefiting function of other-oriented lies and given that communal narcissists aim to fulfill their motive of self-enhancement by communal means, we predict that communal narcissism (compared with agentic narcissism) will be a stronger predictor for other-oriented lies (Hypothesis 1b). In two preregistered online studies (N = 298: N = 256) we showed that people higher in agentic narcissism believed to be good liars, but this does not lead to higher self-reported frequencies of other-oriented and self-centered lies within romantic relationships historically; communal narcissism was also not related to self-reported deception. Limitations and directions for future research are discussed.
An international consensus definition for contextual factors: findings from a nominal group technique
Authors: Cook Chad E. , Bailliard Antoine , Bent Jennifer A. , Bialosky Joel E. , Carlino Elisa , Colloca Luana , Esteves Jorge E. , Newell Dave , Palese Alvisa , Reed William R. , Vilardaga Jennifer Plumb , Rossettini Giacomo
Published: July 2023

Objective

Emerging literature suggests contextual factors are important components of therapeutic encounters and may substantially influence clinical outcomes of a treatment intervention. At present, a single consensus definition of contextual factors, which is universal across all health-related conditions is lacking. The objective of this study was to create a consensus definition of contextual factors to better refine this concept for clinicians and researchers.

Design

The study used a multi-stage virtual Nominal Group Technique (vNGT) to create and rank contextual factor definitions. Nominal group techniques are a form of consensus-based research, and are beneficial for identifying problems, exploring solutions and establishing priorities.

Setting

International.

Main outcome measures

The initial stages of the vNGT resulted in the creation of 14 independent contextual factor definitions. After a prolonged discussion period, the initial definitions were heavily modified, and 12 final definitions were rank ordered by the vNGT participants from first to last.

Participants

The 10 international vNGT participants had a variety of clinical backgrounds and research specializations and were all specialists in contextual factors research.

Results

A sixth round was used to identify a final consensus, which reflected the complexity of contextual factors and included three primary domains: (1) an overall definition; (2) qualifiers that serve as examples of the key areas of the definition; and (3) how contextual factors may influence clinical outcomes.

Conclusion

Our consensus definition of contextual factors seeks to improve the understanding and communication between clinicians and researchers. These are especially important in recognizing their potential role in moderating and/or mediating clinical outcomes.
Self-talk: research challenges and opportunities
Authors: Brinthaupt Thomas M. , Morin Alain
Published: July 2023

In this review, we discuss major measurement and methodological challenges to studying self-talk. We review the assessment of self-talk frequency, studying self-talk in its natural context, personal pronoun usage within self-talk, experiential sampling methods, and the experimental manipulation of self-talk. We highlight new possible research opportunities and discuss recent advances such as brain imaging studies of self-talk, the use of self-talk by robots, and measurement of self-talk in aphasic patients.
Dental professionals' use of personal protective equipment during COVID-19: a cross-sectional study in China
Authors: Wan Qinjie , Han Lei , Yang Xin , Yu Shaoling , Zheng Xiaohong
Published: July 2023

Background

Appropriate use of personal protective equipment (PPE) could significantly reduce the risk of viral transmission and infection. This study aimed to assess the use of PPE among dentists during the COVID-19 pandemic in China, explore its influencing factors, and provide some practical recommendations.

Methods

An online cross-sectional survey was conducted among 384 Chinese dentists in September 2022. The questionnaire comprised a series of questions about demographic characteristics, compliance with proper PPE use, personal barriers to use, and exposure risk estimation.

Results

Of the 384 respondents, 57.3% had unacceptable compliance with the proper use of PPE during COVID-19. Medical surgical mask is the most common for dental professionals to wear (93.8%), followed by goggles or face shield (63.8%), and isolation gown (53.1%). Unexpectedly, only 63.3% of respondents always change masks with guidelines. The condition for changing goggles/face shields and isolation gowns is even worse (45.6 and 37.0%, respectively). Visual barriers, physical discomfort, complex procedures, and heavy workload were the most common personal barriers to use. According to the results of Chi-square test and correlation analysis, PPE use compliance was associated with age, years of practice, medical institution type, and exposure risk estimation.

Conclusion

Chinese dental professionals need to improve their compliance with the proper use of PPE, especially those in the 31–40 age group, with 11–15 experience years and working in private dental clinics. Increasing compliance with PPE may be achieved by addressing personal barriers to use, human resource shortages, and perceptions of exposure risk.
Early impact of COVID-19 social distancing on social determinants of health and their effects on mental health and quality of life of Korean undergraduate students
Authors: Lee Kyeongeun , Han Sola , Suh Hae Sun
Published: July 2023

Introduction

This study aimed to investigate the association between social determinants of health and perception of COVID-19 social distancing/mental health/quality of life during COVID-19 social distancing in Korean undergraduate students using online survey data augmented with natural language processing.

Methods

An online cross-sectional survey including sociodemographic characteristics, students' perceptions of COVID-19 social distancing, and social determinants of health was conducted between July and November in 2020. We conducted logistic regression analysis to investigate the relationship between social determinants of health (independent variables) and perceptions of COVID-19 social distancing, mental health, and quality of life (dependent variables). This association was augmented using sentiment analysis and word clouds by visualizing open-ended comments on COVID-19 social-distancing policies.

Results

Data were collected from 1,276 undergraduate students. Participants who experienced negative impacts on their social-networking activities due to COVID-19 social distancing were at significantly higher odds to perceive COVID-19 social distancing as not being beneficial [odds ratio (OR) = 1.948, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.254–3.027], to have increased stress levels (OR = 1.619, 95% CI 1.051–2.496), and to experience decreased quality of life over 5 weeks (OR = 2.230, 95% CI 1.448–3.434) against those who answered neutrally. In contrast, Participants who reported positive perceptions of social-networking activities during the COVID-19 pandemic had lower odds of feeling depressed or anxious (OR = 0.498, 95% CI 0.278–0.894) and reporting a low quality of life over 5 weeks (OR = 0.461, 95% CI 0.252–0.842) compared to those who reported neutral perceptions. Furthermore, the results of the word cloud and sentiment analyses showed that most students perceived social distancing negatively.

Conclusions

The government's social-distancing policy to prevent the spread of COVID-19 may have had a negative impact, particularly on undergraduate students' social-networking activities. This highlights the need for greater social support for this population, including access to psychotherapeutic resources, and improvements in policies to prevent infectious diseases while still maintaining social connections.
Post-pandemic self-reported mental health of mental healthcare professionals in the Netherlands compared to during the pandemic – an online longitudinal follow-up study
Authors: de Vroege Lars , van den Broek Anneloes
Published: July 2023

The mental health of professionals was under pressure during- and post-pandemic. Initially, the focus was mainly on the health workers in the hospitals, but over time the pressure shifted to other sectors, including mental health care. An increase in workload and decrease in mental health of healthcare professionals in mental health care can lead to a decrease in the available care capacity. In an earlier online survey of mental health professionals, 1,300 professionals from a large number of mental healthcare institutions were involved. In this study, conducted in September 2021, about half of the respondents reported increased levels of stress. Feelings of anxiety, anger, and sadness were also increasingly experienced due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Furthermore, 4.2% replied that they were considering resigning their jobs. One of the recommendations of this previous study was to monitor these professionals repeatedly to be able to make an estimate of the stress and vision of work during the course of the pandemic and afterwards. Following this recommendation, the online survey was repeated. The aim of the current online longitudinal follow-up study was to re-evaluated mental status of healthcare workers. 510 healthcare workers participated in this follow-up survey. The reported mental health complaints were significantly higher during compared to post-pandemic. Respondents were less able to maintain work/life balance during the pandemic and even reported a shift to work. However, the majority of respondents indicated that they had restored this balance post-pandemic. Moreover, more sick leave was reported post-pandemic than during the pandemic and more frequent absences post-pandemic. This highlights the importance of focusing on resilience over training and career.
Bacterial populations in different parts of domestic drinking water systems are distinct and adapted to the given ambient temperatures
Authors: Meyer Benjamin , Pannekens Mark , Soares André R. , Timmermann Lara , Probst Alexander J. , Hippelein Martin , Bendinger Bernd , Nocker Andreas
Published: July 2023

Drinking water enters buildings with a given microbiological community composition. Within premise plumbing systems, the drinking water is subject to very different conditions and temperatures. Whereas part of the water stays cold, another part is heated to provide hot water. In this study, drinking water samples were taken at different locations in four buildings that had central heating circles and that were equipped with ultrafiltration modules. The latter were intended to keep bacterial numbers low. When studying the increase in bacterial concentrations in these water samples using regrowth tests at different incubation temperatures, a temperature-dependence could be observed. Bacteria in cold water samples propagated best when incubated at 22°C, but often poorly at 36°C and not at all at 50°C. Bacteria in hot water samples showed the reverse behavior and grew best when incubated at 50°C, whereas growth at 22°C was poor or associated with a long growth lag. Water samples from distal taps in periphery locations used for retrieving both cold and hot water showed intermediate growth behaviors. Results suggest the existence of different temperature-adapted bacterial populations within domestic drinking water systems. The finding was supported by sequence data revealing distinct differences in the microbiomes between cold and hot water samples. Abundant bacterial groups in hot water included Deinococci, Kryptonia, Ignavibacteria, Nitrospiria, Gemmatimonadetes and different genera of Gammaproteobacteria. Stagnation of hot water at 50°C, 55°C, or 60°C furthermore shaped the microbiome in different ways indicating that small temperature differences can have a substantial impact on the bacterial communities.
Heat stress in wheat: a global challenge to feed billions in the current era of the changing climate
Authors: Farhad Md. , Kumar Uttam , Tomar Vipin , Bhati Pradeep Kumar , Krishnan J. Navaneetha , Kishowar-E-Mustarin  , Barek Viliam , Brestic Marian , Hossain Akbar
Published: July 2023

Crop failure is largely caused by various climate hazards, and among them, heat stress is the primary factor hindering crop production. The significant global loss of crop yield is primarily due to heat-related damage during the reproductive phase. Terminal heat stress has been well documented in wheat, causing morphophysiological alterations, biochemical disruptions, and reduction of genetic potential. The formation of shoots and roots, the effect on the double ridge stage, and early biomass in the vegetative stage are also impacted by heat stress. The final negative outcomes of heat stress include reduced grain number and weight, slower grain filling rate, reduced grain quality, and shorter grain filling duration. Plants have developed mechanisms to adapt to heat stress through modifications in their morphological or growth responses, physiological and biochemical pathways, and changes in enzyme reactions. Numerous heat tolerance genes have been identified in wheat, but the more extensive study is needed to increase heat tolerance in crops to satisfy the food demands of the world’s growing population. The global food policy needs to prioritize and promote additional joint research and the development of heat-tolerant wheat breeding to ensure the world’s food security.
Poultry health constraints in smallholder village poultry systems in Northern Ghana and Central Tanzania
Authors: Ouma Emily Awuor , Kankya Clovice , Dione Michel , Kelly Terra , Enahoro Dolapo , Chiwanga Gaspar , Abukari Yakubu , Msoffe Peter , Kayang Boniface Baboreka , Zhou Huaijun
Published: July 2023

Introduction

Smallholder poultry production is a major contributor to food security and rural livelihoods in low-and middle-income countries. However, infectious diseases limit improvements to smallholder poultry production and performance of the sector in general. Infectious diseases of poultry, especially viral diseases, have major impacts on the health and productivity of flocks and account for significant morbidities and mortalities of birds each year.

Methods

This study utilized participatory epidemiology approaches to better understand the poultry health constraints and challenges faced by smallholder poultry producers in village poultry systems in Northern Ghana and Central Tanzania.

Results

The results show dominance of small-scale semi-intensive and extensive scavenging poultry production systems in the study areas. Newcastle disease ranked as the highest cause of morbidity and mortality in chickens in the two countries. The disease occurred mainly during the months coinciding with the dry season in both countries. Other health challenges among poultry flocks included worm infestation, fowl pox, coryza, and coccidiosis. Producers, especially in rural locations, had poor access to veterinary services and critical inputs necessary for poultry production. In the Northern region of Ghana, producers lacked definitive diagnoses for sick poultry due to a shortage of veterinary personnel and diagnostic laboratories.

Discussion

These challenges point to the need for increased investment in poultry disease control and prevention programs, particularly in rural areas. Interventions focused on expansion of veterinary and agricultural extension services and diagnostic laboratory capacity in rural areas and increased gender-sensitive training to enhance smallholder knowledge in poultry husbandry and disease prevention measures will support the development of the smallholder village poultry systems. Tapping into the diverse genetic reservoir of local chicken ecotypes with enhanced resistance to Newcastle disease through genomic selection, coupled with models for enhancing ND vaccination supply and use in the rural areas are potential future avenues for addressing ND constraints to production.
Efficacy of the low dose apatinib plus deep hyperthermia as third-line or later treatment in HER-2 negative advanced gastric cancer
Authors: Han Guohu , Sun Changchun , Cui Lihua , Huang Yufeng , Yu Lijiang , Liu Shenzha , Tao Min
Published: July 2023

Aim: To observe the efficacy of the low dose apatinib plus deep hyperthermia as third-line or later treatment for patients with human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER-2) negative advanced gastric cancer.

Methods: 80 eligible patients with HER-2 negative advanced gastric cancer admitted to Jingjiang People’s Hospital Affiliated with Yangzhou University-from March 2021 to March 2022 were selected, and they were divided into the control group (n = 40, apatinib) and experimental group (n = 40, apatinib plus deep hyperthermia) on the basis of random number table method. The levels of serum carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), carbohydrate antigen 199 (CA199), and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) were monitored, and the efficacy of the two groups was analyzed by referring to Karnofsky performance status (KPS), overall survival (OS) and disease control rate (DCR) before and after treatment.

Results: The levels of CEA, CA199, and VEGF in both groups were lower after treatment than before (p < 0.05), and lower (CEA: 8.85 ± 1.36 vs. 12.87 ± 1.23, CA199: 34.19 ± 4.68 vs. 50.11 ± 5.73, VEGF: 124.8 ± 18.03 vs. 205.9 ± 19.91) in the experimental group than in the control group (p < 0.05). The DCR and KPS of the patients in the experimental group were significantly higher (DCR: 62.50% vs. 40.00%; KPS: 83.25 ± 1.15 vs. 76.25 ± 1.17) than in the control group (p < 0.05). In survival analysis, patients with control group had shorter OS than the experimental group. (median 5.65 vs. 6.50 months; hazard ratio [HR], 1.63 [95% confidence interval (CI) 1.02–2.60], p = 0.0396).

Conclusion: The application of low-dose apatinib plus deep hyperthermia for patients with HER-2 negative gastric cancer who failed second-line treatment should be a promising option.
An Orchestration Method for Integrated Multi-Disciplinary Simulation in Digital Twin Applications
Authors: Brusa Eugenio , Dagna Alberto , Delprete Cristiana , Gentile Rocco
Published: July 2023

In recent years, the methodology of Model-Based System Engineering (MBSE) has become relevant to the design of complex products, especially when safety critical systems need to be addressed. It allows, in fact, the deployment of product development directly through some digital models, allowing an effective traceability of requirements, being allocated upon the system functions, components, and parts. This approach enhances the designer capabilities in controlling the product development, manufacturing and after-market services. However, the application of such a methodology requires overcoming several technological barriers, especially in terms of models integration. The interoperability and management of several models—developed within different software to cover multiple levels of detail across several technical disciplines—is still very difficult, despite the level of maturation achieved by Systems Engineering. This paper describes a possible approach to provide such a connection between tools to allow a complete multi-disciplinary and heterogeneous simulation to analyse complex systems, such as safety-critical ones, which are typical of aerospace applications. Such an application is within a defined industrial context, placing particular attention on the compatibility of the approach with the legacy processes and tools.
An Innovative External Heat Flow Expansion Formula for Efficient Uncertainty Analysis in Spacecraft Earth Radiation Heat Flow Calculations
Authors: Fu Xiaoyi , Hua Yuntao , Ma Wenlai , Cui Hutao , Zhao Yang
Published: July 2023

Thermal uncertainty analysis of spacecraft is an important method to avoid overdesign and underdesign problems. In the context of uncertainty analysis, thermal models representing multiple operating conditions must be invoked repeatedly, leading to substantial computational costs. The ray tracing calculation of Earth infrared and albedo radiation heat flux is an important reason for the slow calculation speed. As the rays emitted during external heat flux calculations under different operating conditions are independent and unconnected, the rays produced across various conditions are effectively wasted. In this study, the external heat flow equation is thoroughly expanded and the derived factors are clustered and analyzed to develop a novel formula for calculating external heat flow. When this formula is employed to compute the uncertain external heat flux, only one condition necessitates ray tracing, while the remaining conditions utilize simple matrix operations in place of complex ray tracing. Within the aforementioned procedure, certain matrices demonstrate sparse characteristics. The optimization calculations for these matrices can, therefore, benefit from the application of sparse matrix optimization algorithms. Using a spacecraft as an example, the uncertain external heat flux calculation outcomes of the new and traditional formulas are compared and assessed. The findings reveal that the new formula is highly suitable for estimating uncertain Earth radiation heat flow, with a marked improvement in efficiency. The accuracy is essentially equivalent to that of the traditional formula and the calculation precision can be dynamically adjusted to meet user requirements. The methodology can be further generalized to assess the uncertainties associated with radiative external heat fluxes for other celestial bodies within the solar system. This offers a valuable theoretical framework for addressing the uncertainties in the thermal design of deep space exploration vehicles.
Thermal Behaviour of the Cooling Jacket Belonging to a Liquid Oxygen/Liquid Methane Rocket Engine Demonstrator in the Operation Box
Authors: Ricci Daniele , Battista Francesco , Fragiacomo Manrico , French Ainslie Duncan
Published: July 2023

The cooling jackets of liquid rocket engines are composed of narrow passages surrounding the thrust chambers and ensure the reliable operation of the engine. Critical conditions may also be encountered, since the cooling jackets of cryogenic engines, such as those using LOX/LCH4 propellants, are based on a regenerative strategy, where the fuel is used as a refrigerant. Consequently, deterioration modes near where pseudocritical conditions are reached or low heat transfer coefficients where the fuel becomes a vapour and must therefore be managed. The verification of the cooling jacket behaviour to consolidate the design solutions in all the extreme points of the operating box represents a very important phase. The present paper discusses the full characterization of the HYPROB (HYdrocarbon PROpulsion test Bench Program) first unit of the final demonstrator, (DEMO-0A), by considering the working points within the limits of the operating box and comparisons with the nominal conditions are given. In this way, a full understanding of the cooling system behaviour, affecting the working of the entire thrust chamber, is accomplished. Moreover, the design strategy and choices have been confirmed, since the verifications also include potentially even more extreme conditions with respect to the nominal ones. The investigation has been numerically performed and supported the thermo-structural analyses accomplished before the final firing campaign, completed in December 2022. Since little information is available in the literature on LOX/LCH4 engines, suggestions are given as to the organization of the numerical simulations, which support the design of such rocket engine cooling systems.
Evaluation of Cow-Side Meters to Determine Somatic Cell Count in Individual Cow Quarter and Bulk-Tank Milk Samples
Authors: Jacobsen Leslie A. , Niesen Ashley M. , Lucey Padraig , Rossow Heidi A.
Published: July 2023

Intramammary infections, which cause mastitis, can increase treatment and labor costs, decrease milk production, and affect milk quality. Meters that measure quarter somatic cell count (SCC) could be used to make more informed dry cow therapy decisions. The objective of this study was to compare the RT-10 iPhone adapter (RT-10; Dairy Quality Inc., Newmarket, ON, Canada), DeLaval Cell Counter (DSCC; DeLaval, Gurnee, IL, USA), Porta Check Quick Test (PortaCheck, White City, OR, USA), California Mastitis Test (ImmuCell, Portland, ME USA), pH meter (Hanna Instruments, Smithfield, RI, USA), electrical conductivity meter (OHAUS, Parsippany, NJ, USA), and the dual laser infrared temperature thermometer (Klein Tools, Lincolnshire, IL, USA) for measuring SCC in individual Holstein mammary quarters in comparison to a reference standard, the Fourier Transform Spectrometer 600 Combi System (Combi; Bentley Instruments, Chaska, MN, USA). Meters were evaluated using 658 individual cow quarter samples and 100 bulk-tank samples to measure SCC. Individual quarter milk samples from 160 cows from four commercial dairy herds were collected just before dry off and tested within 4 h of collection. To test bulk-tank SCC, 100 bulk-tank milk samples (25 mL) were collected from UC Davis Veterinary Medicine Teaching and Research Milk Quality Lab. Meter SCC values were regressed on observed Combi SCC. Goodness of fit was then evaluated by partitioning the mean square predicted error (MSPE). For individual quarter SCC, RT-10 had the highest coefficient of determination (R2 = 0.86), lowest MSPE, and highest proportion of MSPE due to random variation (96%). Both the RT-10 and DSCC had the highest sensitivity and specificity for identifying quarter SCC above and below 200,000 cells/mL. For bulk-tank SCC, DSCC had the highest coefficient of determination (R2 = 0.45), lowest MSPE, and highest proportion of MSPE due to random variation (80%). The RT-10 and DSCC could be used to measure individual quarter SCC to determine which cows to treat at dry off potentially reducing antibiotic use.
Cocaine- and Amphetamine-Regulated Transcript (CART) Peptide Is Co-Expressed with Parvalbumin, Neuropeptide Y and Somatostatin in the Claustrum of the Chinchilla
Authors: Szalak Radosław , Matysek Małgorzata , Mozel Sylwia , Arciszewski Marcin B.
Published: July 2023

Although for many years, researchers have been working on understanding the function of the cocaine- and amphetamine-regulated transcript (CART) peptide at the central- and peripheral-nervous-system level, data describing the presence of CART in the claustrum are still missing. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to immunohistochemically investigate the CART expression in the claustrum neurons in chinchillas as well as the CART co-localization with somatostatin (SOM), parvalbumin (PV), and neuropeptide Y (NPY) using double-immunohistochemical staining. The claustrum is divided into two main parts: the dorsal segment (CL), which is located above the rhinal fissure, and the ventral segment (EN), located below the rhinal fissure. The presence of HU C/D-IR CART-IR-positive neurons was detected in both the insular claustrum (CL) and the endopiriform nucleus (EN). The vast majority of CART-IR neurons were predominantly small and medium in size and were evenly scattered throughout the claustrum. CART co-localization with selected neurotransmitters/neuromodulators (SOM, NPY, and PV) showed the presence of a CART-IR reaction only in the neurons, while the nerve fibers were, in all cases, devoid of the CART-IR response. Our research supplements missing knowledge about the distribution and co-localization pattern of CART with SOM, NPY, and PV in the chinchilla claustrum, and also provides a better understanding of the similarities and differences compared to other species of rodents and other mammals.
Non-Destructive Testing in Concrete Maturity Modeling and Master Curve Development
Authors: Saremi Setare , Goulias Dimitrios
Published: July 2023

Assessing concrete quality as construction goes on provides early warnings of potential flaws and leads to timely corrections in mix proportioning and placement techniques. Compressive strength and maturity modeling are among the most common parameters used by the concrete industry. Past studies indicated that non-destructive methods, NDTs, relate well to maturity and concrete strength predictions. In this study, the hydration temperature–time history of concrete was explored in defining “master curves” for concrete maturity for the first time. Well-accepted NDTs, such as ultrasonic pulse velocity and resonant frequency, were used in this effort. The study findings indicated that the novel approach of “master curves” for the maturity of concrete can be defined and follow a generalized logarithmic form. The best fit models relating NDT response and the maturity temperature–time product provided a high coefficient of determination (i.e., in almost all cases above 0.9 and p < 0.05), thus resulting in a very good fit. The shift factors for each mixture’s maturity function in relation to the master curve were related to concrete properties. The shifted maturity functions from the concrete mixtures included in the study had a perfect transition to the master curve (i.e., all the shifted data overlap the master curve trend line with an R2 = 1). The NDTs’ ability to capture the hydration temperature-time history was assessed with impeded sensors into the concrete mixtures. This approach has provided strength prediction models with a high accuracy (i.e., good agreement between observed and predicted strength values with R2 = 0.93). The proposed NDT-based maturity modeling through “master curve” development provides significant benefits in relation to traditional maturity modeling since it offers the opportunity to: (i) predict strength without having to repeat maturity testing each time a producer adjusts mixture proportioning to fine tune mix design; (ii) save testing time and cost due to reduced maturity evaluation from the use of master curves; and (iii) be able to quickly predict without further testing what the strength gain will be due to variations in mixture proportioning. The ability to monitor concrete maturity, and thus strength, with NDTs in reinforced concrete is of particular interest since using cores is problematic due to the presence of reinforcement.
A Strong Limit Theorem of the Largest Entries of a Sample Correlation Matrices under a Strong Mixing Assumption
Authors: Zhao Haozhu , Zhang Yong
Published: July 2023

We are interested in an n by p matrix Xn where the n rows are strictly stationary α-mixing random vectors and each of the p columns is an independent and identically distributed random vector; p=pn goes to infinity as n→∞, satisfiying 0<c1≤pn/nτ≤c2<∞, where τ>0, c2≥c1>0. We obtain a logarithmic law of Ln=max1≤i<j≤pn|ρij| using the Chen–Stein Poisson approximation method, where ρij denotes the sample correlation coefficient between the ith column and the jth column of Xn.
Battery State of Health Estimate Strategies: From Data Analysis to End-Cloud Collaborative Framework
Authors: Yang Kaiyi , Zhang Lisheng , Zhang Zhengjie , Yu Hanqing , Wang Wentao , Ouyang Mengzheng , Zhang Cheng , Sun Qi , Yan Xiaoyu , Yang Shichun , Liu Xinhua
Published: July 2023

Lithium-ion batteries have become the primary electrical energy storage device in commercial and industrial applications due to their high energy/power density, high reliability, and long service life. It is essential to estimate the state of health (SOH) of batteries to ensure safety, optimize better energy efficiency and enhance the battery life-cycle management. This paper presents a comprehensive review of SOH estimation methods, including experimental approaches, model-based methods, and machine learning algorithms. A critical and in-depth analysis of the advantages and limitations of each method is presented. The various techniques are systematically classified and compared for the purpose of facilitating understanding and further research. Furthermore, the paper emphasizes the prospect of using a knowledge graph-based framework for battery data management, multi-model fusion, and cooperative edge-cloud platform for intelligent battery management systems (BMS).