bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Comprehensive diallel analysis of combining ability and heterosis to Fusarium verticillioides ear rot resistance in maize
Authors: Guo Zifeng , Wang Shanhong , Li Wen‐Xue , Zhong Tao , Fan Xing‐Ming , Guo Wei , Xu Mingliang , Xu Yunbi 
Published: May 2024

AbstractMaize (Zea mays L.) Fusarium ear rot (FER), which is caused by the fungal pathogen Fusarium verticillioides, is a major ear disease affecting maize production in China. Developing resistant maize hybrids is a cost‐effective and environmentally friendly method of reducing yield losses due to FER. Using the nail punch inoculation method, 17 highly resistant and 16 highly susceptible inbred lines were identified in this study, and a large‐scale maize hybrid consisting of 528 F1’s was produced using a half‐diallel cross model. The hybrids were inoculated with F. verticillioides in 6 year–location environment combinations during 2020–2022. Our results showed that estimates of genotypic, environmental, and genotype × environment interaction variance components were very significant (p < 0.001). All the crosses generated from highly resistant inbred lines exhibited high kernel resistance, whereas those generated from highly susceptible inbred lines mostly exhibited high susceptibility to FER. Crosses between resistant and susceptible inbred lines showed intermediate resistance to FER. The general combining ability (GCA) effect was greater than the specific combining ability effect across multiple environments, indicating that the inheritance of FER resistance was mainly influenced by additive genetic effects. The correlation coefficient between the expected GCA value and hybrid resistance was 0.789, whereas that between the mid‐parent value and hybrid resistance was only 0.644. Inbred performance per se and their corresponding hybrids across multiple environments were significantly correlated (r = 0.823). However, no relationship was observed between the FER resistance of F1’s and that of their parental heterotic groups.
Determining critical periods for thermal acclimatisation using a distributed lag non‐linear modelling approach
Authors: Redana Matteo , Gibbins Chris , Lancaster Lesley T. 
Published: May 2024

AbstractRapid changes in thermal environments are threatening many species worldwide. Thermal acclimatisation may partially buffer species from the impacts of these changes, but currently, the knowledge about the temporal dynamics of acclimatisation remains limited. Moreover, acclimatisation phenotypes are typically determined in laboratory conditions that lack the variability and stochasticity that characterise the natural environment. Through a distributed lag non‐linear model (DLNM), we use field data to assess how the timing and magnitude of past thermal exposures influence thermal tolerance. We apply the model to two Scottish freshwater Ephemeroptera species living in natural thermal conditions. Model results provide evidence that rapid heat hardening effects are dramatic and reflect high rates of change in temperatures experienced over recent hours to days. In contrast, temperature change magnitude impacted acclimatisation over the course of weeks but had no impact on short‐term responses. Our results also indicate that individuals may de‐acclimatise their heat tolerance in response to cooler environments. Based on the novel insights provided by this powerful modelling approach, we recommend its wider uptake among thermal physiologists to facilitate more nuanced insights in natural contexts, with the additional benefit of providing evidence needed to improve the design of laboratory experiments.
Mitochondrial DNA evidence reflects high genetic divergence of Amynthas aspergillum (Oligochaeta: Megascolecidae) in southern China
Authors: Li Jiali , Jiang Jibao , Jin Qing , Yuan Zhu , Qiu Jiangping 
Published: May 2024

AbstractAmynthas aspergillum (Perrier, 1872), a natural resource used in traditional Chinese medicine (Guang‐dilong) with high economic value, is widely distributed in forests and farmland habitats in the hilly areas of southern China. To investigate the extent of genetic differentiation and diversity in A. aspergillum, a population genetic structure study was performed on 157 samples from 75 locations in southern China using the mitochondrial genes COI, COII, 12S rRNA, 16S rRNA, and NDI. The results indicated that A. aspergillum had a high level of genetic diversity, and variation within populations was the main source of the total variation. Six deeply divergent mitochondrial clades (I–VI) were detected using both phylogenetic tree and haplotype network analyses. This finding was supported by the high Kimura two‐parameter genetic distance and the pairwise fixation index value obtained based on the COI gene. No significant phylogeographic structures were observed. The widespread geographic distribution of clades II, IV, and VI suggested a recent demographic expansion based on multiple analysis results. These results include a high level of Hd and low π, star‐shaped haplotype network structures with a high number of less frequent haplotypes, significantly negative neutrality test values, and a unimodal mismatch distribution pattern. The divergence time estimates and reconstruction of the ancestral area revealed that A. aspergillum originated in Guangxi Province and underwent initial intraspecific diversification in the early Pliocene to generate clade I. Then, it gradually dispersed eastward and rapidly differentiated into clades II–V during the Pleistocene. The Yunnan‐Guizhou Plateau and Nanling and Wuyi Mountains might act as geographical barriers for the spread of A. aspergillum to the west and north.
Embryonic heart rate is higher in species that experience greater nest predation risk during incubation
Authors: Di Giovanni Alexander J. , Jones Todd M. , Benson Thomas J. , Ward Michael P. 
Published: May 2024

AbstractAvian eggs develop outside of the female body, and therefore embryonic development is subject to multiple internal (physiological) and external (ecological) factors. Embryonic developmental rate has important consequences for survival. Within species, embryos that develop too quickly often experience deformities, disorders, or mortality, while embryos that develop slowly risk inviability and increase the time they are exposed to various sources of mortality in the nest. These contrasting forces may lead to interspecific variation in developmental rates. We investigated potential factors affecting embryonic heart rate (EHR), a proxy of development, across 14 passerine species in the field. More specifically, we investigated if nest predation risk, clutch size, seasonality, and egg volume influenced EHR. From previous research, we expected, and found, that EHR was positively associated with embryonic age and egg temperature. Species with greater nest predation risk had higher EHR, shorter incubation periods, and lower nest temperature variance. EHR increased as the season progressed and with egg volume, while EHR declined with clutch size. Bird species exhibit varying strategies to increase nestling and fledgling survival in response to predation risk, and these results suggest that variation in embryonic development may be related to species‐specific differences in nest predation risk.
Remote sensing monitoring and potential distribution analysis of Spartina alterniflora in coastal zone of Guangxi
Authors: Yao Huanmei , Chen MeiJun , Huang Zengshiqi , Huang Yi , Wang Mengsi , Liu Yin 
Published: May 2024

AbstractIn recent years, the continuous expansion of Spartina alterniflora (S. alterniflora) has caused serious damage to coastal wetland ecosystem. Mapping the coverage of S. alterniflora by remote sensing and analyzing its growth pattern pose great importance in controlling the expansion and maintaining the biodiversity of coastal wetlands in Guangxi. This study aimed to use harmonic regression to fit time series data of vegetation indices based on Landsat images, and the phenological features were extracted as the input of random forest model to distinguish S. alterniflora in coastal zone of Guangxi from 2009 to 2020. The influence of natural environmental factors on the distribution of S. alterniflora was evaluated by Maxent model, and the potential distribution was analyzed. The results showed that: (1) Based on the time series data of characteristic indices fitted by harmonic regression, the extraction of phenological features of S. alterniflora identification effect exhibited high accuracy (in the result of 2009, Overall Accuracy [OA] = 97.33%, Kappa = 0.95). (2) During 2009–2020, the S. alterniflora in coastal zone of Guangxi kept proliferating and expanding from east to west. The total area of S. alterniflora continued to increase while the growth rate showed a trend that increased first and then decreased. (3) The Maxent model shows good accuracy in simulating the habitat of S. alterniflora, with a potential distribution area of 14,303.39 hm2. The findings will be beneficial to the understanding of dynamic changes of S. alterniflora in coastal zone of Guangxi and provide a scientific reference for other coastal wetland studies on S. alterniflora expansion.
Accuracy of a non‐exercise method using seismocardiography for the estimation of V̇O2peak in sub‐elite football players
Authors: Hansen Mikkel Thunestvedt , Rømer Tue , Lange Kristine Kjær , Dela Flemming , Helge Jørn Wulff 
Published: May 2024

AbstractA non‐exercise method equation using seismocardiography for estimating V̇O2peak (SCG V̇O2peak) has previously been validated in healthy subjects. However, the performance of the SCG V̇O2peak within a trained population is unknown, and the ability of the model to detect changes over time is not well elucidated. Forty‐seven sub‐elite football players were tested at the start of pre‐season (SPS) and 36 players completed a test after eight weeks at the end of the pre‐season (EPS). Testing included an SCG V̇O2peak estimation at rest and a graded cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPET) on a treadmill for determination of V̇O2peak. Agreement between SCG V̇O2peak and CPET V̇O2peak showed a large underestimation at SPS (bias ± 95% CI: −9.9 ± 1.8, 95% Limits of Agreement: 2.2 to −22.0 mL·min−1 kg−1). At EPS no interaction (p = 0.3590) but a main effect of time (p < 0.0001) and methods (p < 0.0001) was observed between SCG and CPET V̇O2peak. No correlation in V̇O2peak changes was observed between SCG and CPET (r = −20.0, p = 0.2484) but a fair agreement in classifying the correct directional change in V̇O2peak with the SCG method was found (Cohen's κ coefficient = 0.28 ± 0.25). Overall, the SCG V̇O2peak method lacks accuracy and despite being able to estimate group changes, it was incapable of detecting individual changes in V̇O2peak following a pre‐season period in sub‐elite football players. The SCG algorithm needs to be further adjusted and the accuracy and precision improved for the method to be applicable for use within a trained population.
Explaining differences in policy learning in the EU "Fit for 55” climate policy package
Authors: von Malmborg Fredrik 
Published: May 2024

AbstractThrough learning, policy actors can maintain, reinforce, or revise their beliefs and positions about the design and outcomes of policies. This paper critically analyzes factors influencing policy learning by comparing policy processes of two EU laws of the recent “Fit for 55” climate package: (i) revised provisions on increasing energy efficiency in companies included in the recast Energy Efficiency Directive and (ii) the new FuelEU Maritime regulation provided for decarbonizing maritime shipping. Learning across coalitions with competing beliefs was encountered in the first case but not in the other despite similar institutional settings. The difference is attributed to a more politicized debate on decarbonizing shipping, leading to consensus through bargaining instead of deliberation, and a circumscribed leader of one coalition, with a less flexible negotiation mandate. The paper adds to the theory on policy learning, suggesting that levels of politicization and polarization, as well as the mandates of the coalition leaders, influence cross‐coalition learning.
Simplified weighting formulations of weighted compact nonlinear schemes for compressible flows
Authors: Bai Jinwei , Mao Meiliang , Ma Yankai , Yan Zhen‐Guo , Min Yaobing 
Published: May 2024

SummaryWeighted compact nonlinear schemes (WCNSs) are a popular family of high‐resolution shock‐capturing schemes for simulating compressible flows, of which the nonlinear interpolation procedure is dominant for the performance. In this work, a simplified weighting strategy is introduced for the nonlinear interpolation procedure. Firstly, an equivalent weighting formulation of WCNS is presented by explicitly including the whole‐point stencil into the set of candidate stencils. Secondly, motivated by the reorganization of WCNS, the WCNS‐CU6 scheme is achieved in a more straightforward way. Thirdly, by introducing a TENO selection procedure in the framework of WCNS‐CU6‐Simplified, a TCNS6‐Simplified scheme is proposed, the resolution of which is comparable with the excellent TENO6 scheme, while the computational cost is much lower. The simplified schemes exhibit more outstanding, at least comparable, fidelity than the original schemes, however, with superior characteristics in terms of efficiency and simplicity. A variety of benchmark test problems are studied to demonstrate the behaviour of the simplified weighting strategy.
Managing herd‐level disease risks in UK dairy cows
Authors: Sibley Dick 
Published: May 2024

Background: The risks of disease entering and spreading within any animal population can be managed. Dairy herds are no exception, although they bring special challenges due to their size, dynamic populations of mixed ages, and the stresses inherent with production demands.Aim of the article: This article discusses managing infectious disease risks at the herd level, providing principles and practical guidance on how to minimise the risk of introducing disease into a dairy herd and how to effectively control any disease introduction.
The development of recommendations for the assessment and management of sesamoiditis by podiatrists: A Delphi and content validity study
Authors: Stewart Sarah , Kaur Preeti , Tehan Peta , Molyneux Prue , Carroll Matthew 
Published: May 2024

AbstractIntroductionSesamoiditis is a common, and often painful, musculoskeletal pathology frequently encountered by podiatrists. However, there are currently no recommendations to guide podiatrists in the assessment and management of people with sesamoiditis. The aim of this study was to develop consensus‐driven clinical recommendations on the assessment and management of people with sesamoiditis.MethodsA four‐round online Delphi survey was conducted with a panel of New Zealand and Australian podiatrists. In the first round, panellists answered open‐ended questions that were used to create statements. In round two, the panellists scored the statements from 1 to 9 (1 = not at all important, 9 = absolutely essential). Consensus was defined using the RAND/University of California Los Angles Disagreement Index. Panellists were asked to reconsider statements that did not achieve consensus in round three. In the final round, content validity and acceptability of the statements for inclusion in clinical recommendations were determined using content validity ratios and the Content Validity Index (CVI).ResultsEighteen panellists completed round one with 16 (89%) completing all four rounds. A total of 118 statements were generated following round one. Following rounds two and three, 78 statements were accepted by panellists as being important, with 62 statements achieving sufficient content validity for inclusion in clinical recommendations. The CVI for these 62 statements was 0.58. These recommendations provide guidance on subjective assessment (pain characteristics/symptomology, activity/sports/training history and medical history) objective assessment (establishing a diagnosis, identifying contributing biomechanical factors, footwear/orthoses, ruling out differential diagnoses) and management (temporary padding/strapping, education, footwear, foot orthoses and when to consider referral).ConclusionThis consensus exercise has provided a set of consensus‐based recommendations for the assessment and management of people with sesamoiditis. In the current absence of research‐based evidence in this area, these recommendations are intended to support clinicians. The recommendations may also serve as a basis for future clinical trials evaluating the efficacy of conservative interventions for people with sesamoiditis.
Impact of COVID‐19 infection among patients hospitalized for conventional pacemaker implantation: Analysis of the Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS) 2020
Authors: Wattanachayakul Phuuwadith , Yanpiset Panat , Suenghataiphorn Thanathip , Srikulmontri Thitiphan , Danpanichkul Pojsakorn , Rujirachun Pongprueth , Polpichai Natchaya , Saowapa Sakditad , Casipit Bruce A. , Suparan Kanokphong , Amanullah Aman 
Published: May 2024

AbstractIntroductionThe cardiac pacemaker is indicated for treating various types of bradyarrhythmia, providing lifelong cardiovascular benefits. Recent data showed that COVID‐19 has impacted procedure numbers and led to adverse long‐term outcomes in patients with cardiac pacemakers. However, the impact of COVID‐19 infection on the in‐hospital outcome of patients undergoing conventional pacemaker implantation remains unclear.MethodPatients aged above 18 years who were hospitalized for conventional pacemaker implantation in the Nationwide In‐patient Sample (NIS) 2020 were identified using relevant ICD‐10 CM and PCS codes. Multivariable logistic and linear regression models were used to analyze pre‐specified outcomes, with the primary outcome being in‐patient mortality and secondary outcomes including system‐based and procedure‐related complications.ResultsOf 108 020 patients hospitalized for conventional pacemaker implantation, 0.71% (765 out of 108 020) had a concurrent diagnosis of COVID‐19 infection. Individuals with COVID‐19 infection exhibited a lower mean age (73.7 years vs. 75.9 years, p = .027) and a lower female proportion (39.87% vs. 47.60%, p = .062) than those without COVID‐19. In the multivariable logistic and linear regression models, adjusted for patient and hospital factors, COVID‐19 infection was associated with higher in‐hospital mortality (aOR 4.67; 95% CI 2.02 to 10.27, p < .001), extended length of stay (5.23 days vs. 1.04 days, p < .001), and linked with various in‐hospital complications, including sepsis, acute respiratory failure, post‐procedural pneumothorax, and venous thromboembolism.ConclusionOur study suggests that COVID‐19 infection is attributed to higher in‐hospital mortality, extended hospital stays, and increased adverse in‐hospital outcomes in patients undergoing conventional pacemaker implantation.
Raman study of P–T phase diagram for U3O8
Authors: Wang Yijia , Wu Binbin , Liu Jingyi , Jia Xu , Li Yue , Liu Benqiong , Fang Leiming , Lei Li 
Published: May 2024

AbstractRaman spectroscopy is very sensitive to the U‐O bonding strength changes under high pressure, and it could reveal important information about the bonding and stoichiometry of the U‐O systems. The pressure and temperature (P–T) phase diagram of U3O8 was investigated by Raman spectroscopy via four independent P–T experimental paths. The phase boundaries between different phases have been determined by the changes in Raman spectra. A new phase (α′‐U3O8) was observed below 233 K at 0.6 GPa or 198 K at zero pressure accompanied by the discontinuities in Raman wavenumber and the new shoulder peak near the B2(6) Raman modes. Upon compressing at low temperature (123 K), the high‐pressure irreversible phase transition from orthorhombic to cubic structure (α′‐δ) was observed at around 11.3 GPa, evidenced by the merging of B2(6) and B′2(6) Raman modes.
Harnessing an amide‐based covalent organic framework in solid‐phase extraction for chlorophenol analysis in industrial wastewaters
Authors: Firouzy Masoumeh , Ghiasvand Alireza , Hashemi Payman 
Published: May 2024

An amide‐based covalent organic framework (COF) was successfully synthesized using the reaction between 1,3,5‐trimesoyl chloride and ethylenediamine. The structure and morphology of the COF were characterized using Fourier‐transform infrared spectra, nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, X‐ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, energy‐dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy, and Brunauer‐Emmett‐Teller surface area analysis. The COF was employed as a solid‐phase extraction adsorbent for the sampling and preconcentration of chlorophenols from industrial wastewater samples prior to high‐performance liquid chromatography with ultraviolet detection. The experimental parameters influencing the extraction efficiency including type and volume of eluent solvent, sample solution volume, salt concentration, sample flow rate, and sample solution pH were investigated and optimized using a response surface methodology employing Box‐Behnken‐design. Under optimized conditions, calibration curves exhibited good linearities over the range of 0.003–10 µg/mL with determination coefficients (R2) ranging from 0.9982 to 0.9999. The method's limits of detection ranged from 0.001 to 0.01 µg/mL. Good repeatability was achieved with relative standard deviations below 4.7%. The developed procedure utilizing the COF adsorbent was successfully applied to determine chlorophenols accurately and precisely in various industrial wastewater samples.