bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Isolation and identification of plant growth‐promoting rhizobacteria from tall fescue rhizosphere and their functions under salt stress
Authors: Li Youyue , You Xiangkai , Tang Zhe , Zhu Tianqi , Liu Bowen , Chen Mo‐Xian , Xu Yuefei , Liu Tie‐Yuan 
Published: November 2022

AbstractSoil salinity has become one of the major factors that threaten tall fescue growth and turf quality. Plants recruit diverse microorganisms in the rhizosphere to cope with salinity stress. In this study, 15 plant growth‐promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) were isolated from the salt‐treated rhizosphere of tall fescue and were annotated to 10 genera, including Agrobacterium, Fictibacillus, Rhizobium, Bhargavaea, Microbacterium, Paenarthrobacter, Pseudarthrobacter, Bacillus, Halomonas, and Paracoccus. All strains could produce indole‐3‐acetic acid (IAA). Additionally, eight strains exhibited the ability to solubilize phosphate and potassium. Most strains could grow on the medium containing 600 mM NaCl, such as Bacillus zanthoxyli and Bacillus altitudinis. Furthermore, Bacillus zanthoxyli and Bacillus altitudinis were inoculated with tall fescue seeds and seedlings to determine their growth‐promoting effect. The results showed that Bacillus altitudinis and mixed culture significantly increased the germination rate of tall fescue seeds. Bacillus zanthoxyli can significantly increase the tillers number and leaf width of seedlings under salt conditions. Through the synergistic effect of FaSOS1, FaHKT1, and FaHAK1 genes, Bacillus zanthoxyli helps to expel the excess Na+ from aboveground parts and absorb more K+ in roots to maintain ion homeostasis in tall fescue. Unexpectedly, we found that Bacillus altitudinis displayed an inapparent growth‐promoting effect on seedlings under salt stress. Interestingly, the mixed culture of the two strains was also able to alleviate, to some extent, the effects of salt stress on tall fescue. This study provides a preliminary understanding of tall fescue rhizobacteria and highlights the role of Bacillus zanthoxyli in tall fescue growth and salt tolerance.
Pre‐donation water and salty snacks to prevent vasovagal reactions among blood donors
Authors: Lewin Antoine , Deschênes Jessyka , Rabusseau Isabelle , Thibeault Catherine , Renaud Christian , Germain Marc 
Published: November 2022

AbstractBackgroundMinimizing the risk of vasovagal reactions (VVRs) can prevent donor harms and improve donor return. We report the results of a program to reduce VVR rates.Study Design and MethodsThe program was implemented on June 11, 2017 and consisted in drinking water and eating a salty snack before donating blood, plasma, or platelets. All donations made during the “pre‐program period” (October 11, 2015–June 10, 2017) and “post‐program period” (June 11, 2017–May 11, 2019) were included. Study outcomes comprised VVRs (any severity) and syncopal VVRs, whether employee‐ or donor‐reported. An interrupted time series (ITS) analysis proxied causality based on the “pre‐program trend,” the “immediate trend” (i.e., immediately before versus after the program), and the “post‐program trend”. The relative risk (RR) of VVR (along with confidence intervals [CIs]) was reported, overall and stratified by subgroups based on age, sex, donor type (i.e., first‐time versus repeat), and donation type (i.e., whole blood versus apheresis).ResultsThe monthly VVR rate (any severity) dropped from 4.6% in the pre‐program period to 4.3% in the post‐program period, and never reached its pre‐program level. The ITS analysis revealed a statistically significant and increasing pre‐program trend (RR [95% CI] = 1.011 [1.002–1.020]), a statistically significant and decreasing immediate trend (RR [95% CI] = 0.848 [0.743–0.969]), and a non‐statistically‐significant and stable post‐program trend (RR [95% CI] = 0.999 [0.993–1.006]). Similar trends were observed for nearly all high‐ and low‐risk subgroups. No statistically significant trend was observed for syncopal VVRs.DiscussionThese results suggest that the herein‐described program durably reduced the incidence of VVRs (any severity) by ~15%.
Non-Axisymmetric Buckling Stress of Axially Compressed Circular Cylindrical Shells: Closed-Form and Simplified Formulae
Authors: Musa Abubakr E. S. , Dehwah Osamah H. A. , Al-Shugaa Madyan A. , Al-Gahtani Husain J. 
Published: November 2022

AbstractDue to their thin-walled characteristics, axially loaded circular cylindrical shells (CCSs) commonly undergo buckling failure. The limiting buckling stress of such shells has not yet been fully developed due to a wide range of influencing parameters such as sensitivity to imperfections, nonlinearity, and buckling mode. It has been proved early, and in this study, that the nonaxisymmetric buckling stress can be one of the remedies that casts into eliminating the overestimation caused by the classical axisymmetric buckling formula. However, the complex nonlinear constrained optimization required to obtain the nonaxisymmetric buckling stress and mode remains to be the main obstacle for practicing engineers to approach the nonaxisymmetric buckling. In this study, the nonaxisymmetric buckling formula has been cast in a compact form and possible approaches to utilize it have been discussed considering the degree of user knowledge and availability of computational tools. Moreover, it has been used to derive a closed-form buckling stress formula that considers the effect of all geometric and material properties. The proposed closed-form formula predicts buckling stress that is always less than that of the classical formula for L/R greater than 0.91 and the amount of reduction increases with the increase of L/R ratio. In comparison with the exact nonaxisymmetric buckling formula, the proposed closed-form formula yields buckling stress within ± 4%. Thus, it shares the simplicity of the classical axisymmetric buckling formula and the accuracy of the nonaxisymmetric buckling formula.
Floating Oil On Seawater, in Situ Thermal Structure, Thickness, and Remote Sensing: Part 1. Laboratory Study
Authors: Leifer Ira , Daniel William , Melton Christopher , Marston Charlotte 
Published: November 2022

Abstract
Thermal infrared (TIR) remote sensing shows potential for oil spill response. Most TIR remote sensing uses the brightness temperature contrast, ΔTB, between oil and oil-free water. This study evaluates the potential of remotely-sensed ΔTB to quantify oil thickness through a series of lab experiments that measured actual surface temperature contrast, ΔT, for a Denver/Julesburg Basin crude oil. Specifically, TIR and visible video cameras imaged oil layers of different thicknesses, h, floating on seawater. Also, fast thermocouples collected high resolution (to ~10 &amp;#181;m) vertical profiles. A novel deconvolution approach corrected for thermocouple time response. Slope changes in the profiles indicated the oil-water interface location. Experimental illumination was for full sunlight (outdoors) and incandescent light (indoors) for emulsified and unemulsified crude oils.
Oil slicks were classified by distinct behaviors with a transition at h~1 mm. Thinner than this transition, ΔT was strongly sensitive to h, with oil temperatures decreasing monotonically with depth in the slick. In contrast, oil slicks thicker than this transition featured an internal temperature peak with ΔT weakly sensitive to h. This peak isolates the oil below the peak from affecting surface temperatures. Thicker slicks also were associated with a thin warm air layer that increasingly developed with h.
This study highlights the potential for deriving oil slick thickness from ΔTB and the need for an improved understanding of solar insolation absorption and heat transfer for a range of oil and oil emulsion slicks.
Experimental and Numerical Investigation of Bio-Inspired Riblet for Drag Reduction
Authors: Sharma Vikas , Dutta Sushanta 
Published: November 2022

Abstract
Flow alteration using the bio-inspired riblet structure is a fascinating field of study resulting in drag benefits. Riblets have no power requirement being a passive method. This work aims to study the effect of riblets on flow and drag behavior using both experimental and numerical analysis. The experiments are performed using a flush mount shear stress probe (FMSSP) and constant temperature anemometry (CTA). FMSSP is a novel technique to measure stress without obstructing the flow. The study is done on longitudinal streamwise sawtooth-shaped riblet with a maximum Reynolds number (Re) of 1.68 × 105. Three-dimensional numerical modeling of the riblet structure over a smooth wall is analyzed to study the mechanism responsible for drag-reducing behavior. A maximum reduction of 13.2% in shear stress is observed in the study. The result infers an upward shift in the velocity profile relative to the smooth wall in the near-wall region. Due to riblets, large-scale structures breakdown near the wall and better mixing are observed above the surface. Near-wall vortices are imparted a movement away from the wall due to the riblet tip, thus mitigating the near-wall fluctuations. Along with this, drag-reducing riblets hamper the cross-flow near the wall, thus further decreasing the turbulence intensity. Results suggest that turbulent kinetic energy (TKE) has a similar trend to the drag reduction characteristic near the wall. The finding ascertains the potential application of the riblets for real-life settings.
Palatini formulation of the conformally invariant $$f\left( R,L_m\right) $$ gravity theory
Authors: Harko Tiberiu , Shahidi Shahab 
Published: November 2022

AbstractWe investigate the field equations of the conformally invariant models of gravity with curvature-matter coupling, constructed in Weyl geometry, using the Palatini formalism. We consider the case in which the Lagrangian is given by the sum of the square of the Weyl scalar, the strength of the field associated to the Weyl vector, and a conformally invariant geometry-matter coupling term, constructed from the matter Lagrangian and the Weyl scalar. After substituting the Weyl scalar in terms of its Riemannian counterpart, the quadratic action is defined in Riemann geometry and involves a nonminimal coupling between the Ricci scalar and the matter Lagrangian. For the sake of generality, a more general Lagrangian, in which the Weyl vector is nonminimally coupled with an arbitrary function of the Ricci scalar, is also considered. By varying the action independently with respect to the metric and the connection, the independent connection can be expressed as the Levi-Civita connection of an auxiliary Ricci scalar- and Weyl vector-dependent metric, which is related to the physical metric by means of a conformal transformation. The field equations are obtained in both the metric and the Palatini formulations. The cosmological implications of the Palatini field equations are investigated for three distinct models corresponding to different forms of the coupling functions. A comparison with the standard $$\Lambda $$
Λ
CDM model is also performed, and we find that the Palatini type cosmological models can give an acceptable description of the observations.
Reproductive and Metabolic Health of Young Men Conceived Using ICSI
Authors: CATFORD Sarah , HALLIDAY Jane , LEWIS Sharon , O’BRYAN Moira , HANDELSMAN David , HART Roger , MCBAIN John , ROMBAUTS Luk , AMOR David , SAFFERY Richard , MCLACHLAN Robert 
Published: November 2022

Background: Use of ICSI has escalated globally. Concerns include: 1) heritability of infertility, 2) effects of poor-quality spermatozoa on offspring health, 3) epigenetic effects of ICSI procedure. Aim: Compare reproductive and metabolic health of ICSI-conceived men to IVF-conceived and spontaneously conceived (SC) controls. Method: This study is part of a larger project investigating the health and development, reproductive and metabolic health, and epigenetic profiles of ICSI-conceived men (aged 18-25 years). Age-matched IVF-conceived controls were sourced from the Clinical review of the Health of 22–35-year-olds conceived with and without ART (CHART) study; SC controls were derived from the Western Australian Pregnancy Cohort (Raine) study. In subgroup analyses, ICSI-conceived men of fathers with spermatogenic failure (STF-ICSI) were compared with ICSI-conceived men whose fathers had an obstructive cause of infertility, and IVF- and SC controls. Semen parameters and serum reproductive hormones were compared between 120 ICSI-conceived men and 356 SC controls. Resting systolic and diastolic blood pressure (BP), height, weight, BMI, body surface area, and serum metabolic markers were compared between 121 ICSI-conceived men, and 74 IVF-conceived and 688 SC controls. Results: We found no compelling evidence of poorer reproductive health in ICSI-conceived men compared to age-matched SC controls, including a subgroup of STF-ICSI-conceived men. There was no correlation in any of the semen parameters between ICSI fathers and sons, including STF-ICSI father-son pairs. ICSI-conceived men compared with SC controls had higher resting diastolic BP and higher homeostasis model assessment for insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), but a similar proportion had insulin resistance. Metabolic parameters of ICSI-conceived men and IVF-conceived controls were comparable. Conclusion: This study is the largest to date and indicates comparable reproductive health of ICSI-conceived men, including men whose fathers had STF, to a similarly aged population-representative cohort of SC men. It shows few metabolic differences between ICSI-conceived men, and IVF-conceived and SC controls.
Novel Oocyte-Secreted Factors Improve Mouse IVM Outcomes
Authors: RICHANI Dulama , ZHAO Yiqing , LIAO Xiuhua , CAMPBELL Jared M. , HABIBALAHI Abbas , STOCKER William A. , GOLDYS Ewa M. , HARRISON Craig A. , GILCHRIST Robert B. 
Published: November 2022

Background: In vitro maturation (IVM) is a technology designed to obtain mature oocytes following culture of immature cumulus–oocyte complexes (COC) in vitro. IVM is characterized by minimal patient stimulation, making it attractive for patients with excessive AFC or those requiring immediate fertility preservation. However, the clinical uptake of IVM has been slow, primarily due to lower embryo yield and live birth rate relative to IVF, therefore improving IVM culture is required. Aim: To assess whether supplementation of IVM culture medium with the novel in-house engineered TGFβ proteins cumulin and super-GDF9 improves subsequent embryo development. Method: Immature mouse COCs were cultured by standard IVM or bi-phasic IVM ± cumulin or super-GDF9. Following IVM, cumulus expansion was scored and COCs were fertilized, and cultured to assess embryo development. Differential staining was performed on day 6 blastocysts following bi-phasic IVM to assess cell allocation. In a separate experiment, hyperspectral imaging of autofluorescence was carried out on oocytes and cumulus cells following standard IVM ± cumulin to assess the molecular composition of these cells. Results: Both cumulin and super-GDF9 in standard IVM significantly increased cumulus expansion (P<0001; n=104-115 COCs) and blastocyst rate (53.9% control, 73.6% cumulin, 70.4% super-GDF9; P=0.006; n=382-406 oocytes). Hyperspectral imaging showed that oocytes (n=115-158) and cumulus cells (n=532-600) exposed to cumulin during IVM had a distinct spectral profile that varied dramatically (P<0.005) from untreated cells, demonstrating that cumulin has a major impact on the molecular composition of these cells, likely contributing to the improved oocyte quality. In bi-phasic IVM, cumulin did not significantly alter embryo yield (n=387-424 oocytes) or blastocyst cell number or allocation (n=84-112 blastocysts). Conclusion: Cumulin did not provide an additional beneficial effect in bi-phasic IVM, however in standard IVM, cumulin and super-GDF9 significantly improve oocyte developmental competence suggesting that their effects in human IVM should be investigated.
A Cross-Sectional Analysis of Live Birth Rates in Day 5 Fresh Versus Vitrified Single Blastocyst Transfer Cycles
Authors: KIEU Violet , POLYAKOV Alex , ROZEN Genia , LANTSBERG Daniel , STERN Kate , TEH Wan Tinn 
Published: November 2022

Background: The use of frozen embryo transfers (FETs) in assisted reproduction has increased worldwide. Proponents of FETs suggest that controlled ovarian hyperstimulation (COH) in a fresh transfer impairs endometrial-embryo synchronicity, however there has been conflicting evidence on live birth rate (LBR) and clinical pregnancy rate (CPR) outcomes. Aim: To compare LBRs and CPRs between single autologous day 5 fresh versus vitrified blastocyst transfer cycles, in order to investigate the impact of COH on embryo-endometrium asynchrony. Method: A large cross-sectional analysis of 6,002 embryo transfers (ETs), comprising of 3774 fresh and 2228 FET cycles from 2016-2019. Inclusion criteria: first two stimulation cycles, single ET, and no pre-implantation genetic testing for aneuploidy (PGT-A). Multivariate analysis performed, also sub-group analysis for high-responders (>20 oocytes collected). Results: Univariate analysis showed no absolute difference in LBR (28.3% vs 27.4%, p=0.43) and CPR (32.2% vs 30.9%, p=0.30), however multivariate analysis demonstrated significantly lower LBR (OR 0.864, p<0.05, 95% CI 0.749-0.997) and CPR (OR 0.852, p<0.05, 95% CI 0.742-0.979) in FET compared to fresh ETs. Younger patient age, previous IVF pregnancy, advanced blastocyst expansion, higher trophectoderm quality and lower cumulative number of ETs all improved the odds of both LBR and CPR (p<0.001). Conventional IVF, rather than ICSI, improved CPR (p<0.05) but not LBR (p=0.138). BMI affected neither LBR (p=0.492) nor CPR (p=0.359). In sub-group multivariate analysis of high-responders, no significant difference in LBR (p=0.439) or CPR (p=0.450) noted. Conclusion: This study demonstrates a relative higher LBR and CPR for fresh ETs compared to FETs, in multivariate analysis. Having a FET decreased the odds of LBR by nearly 14% compared to fresh ET, when adjusted for confounders. Our results suggest that universal freeze-all strategy, without appropriate indication, may lead to suboptimal outcomes. In high-responders, freeze-all cycles may be beneficial, as adjusted outcomes appear to be similar.
Innovation, Commerce and Assisted Reproductive Technology: Opportunities and Challenges
Authors: LIPWORTH W. , LEDGER W. , GALLAGHER S. , KARPIN I. , KERRIDGE I. , MAYES C. , MILLS C. , NEWSON A. , NORMAN R. , STEWART C. , WALDBY C. 
Published: November 2022

Background: The increasing demand for ART services in Australia has supported the development of a significant number of private sector commercial providers. This sector is innovative and research active, but the effects of commercial influences on research and clinical innovation have not been fully explored. Here we report on the results of a National Health and Medical Research-funded project exploring the views and experiences of professionals working in the ART field. Aims: To elucidate the views and experiences of expert stakeholders regarding research and innovation in the ART sector. Method: We interviewed 31 ART industry stakeholders including medical, nursing, counselling, management and scientific staff, owners/directors, regulators, advocates, and referring clinicians using a standardised semi-structured interview guide. Participants were asked about strengths and weaknesses of the current system and what, if any, reform is necessary. Three team members coded the data for themes relevant to research and innovation and analysed it in accordance with the principles of thematic analysis. Results: There are several positive impacts of commercial forces on research and innovation, including competition, scale, and clinicians’ financial stake in research. Commercialised services can more easily commit to large national, transnational and technology-intensive research projects, and they can translate results rapidly into practice. It is, however, difficult to perform clinical trials in the ART setting and there are incentives to implement interventions in advance of comprehensive evaluation. Clinical innovation is a crucial component of ART practice, but it is hampered by lack of a clear, agreed distinction between innovation, experimentation, and ‘add-on’ treatments; deficiencies in the formal processes used to appraise the outcomes of innovation and challenges of communication and consent. Conclusions: Professionals who have a deep understanding of research and innovation in the ART sector recognise both benefits and harms of its current commercial organisation. To harness the benefits of commercialisation, the ART industry requires a fair, sustainable, coordinated and needs based approach to research funding and a consistent and principled-based approach to clinical innovation.
Plus Paternal — A Case for Change
Authors: VON SALDERN Simon 
Published: November 2022

Background: The health of mothers and babies is rightly prioritised within our health system, but men have needs as they seek to, and become fathers, that are often overlooked. Fertility specialists are well placed to empower men and support meaningful improvements in psychosocial health in the planning for and transition to fatherhood. Aim: Healthy Male’s ‘Plus Paternal: a focus on fathers’ project sought to establish the current situation in Australia in relation to paternal health, and to identify opportunities for improvement. Method: Evidence was gathered through surveys of men and health professionals, literature reviews, consultations and a review of national strategies and guidelines. This forms the ‘Plus Paternal Case for Change’ 1 . Results: Non-birthing parents, most commonly men, are poorly engaged by reproductive health services. They are often viewed as secondary to achieving pregnancy and child-rearing – welcome, but not active participants. There is no systematic approach to engage, recognise, or support their needs during this critical life transition. This leaves men feeling undervalued and overlooks their fertility and health needs, as well as their contribution to healthy pregnancies and families. The ‘Plus Paternal Case for Change’ sets seven goals for change, calling for the collective efforts to challenge traditional stereotypes and to improve the experiences, psychosocial health of men and families. An increasing number of organisations have endorsed these goals and joined the Plus Paternal Network to progress meaningful change. Conclusion: Policy, systems and practice-level changes are required to create a more inclusive health system — one that recognises the evolving roles, expectations and needs of both parents. Fertility services are asked to reflect on their systems and practice, and to take steps to ensure that fathers and prospective fathers are proactively engaged and supported as equal parenting partners.