Browse Articles

Nano packaging with carbon quantum dots and essential oil nanocapsules prolongs shelf life of fresh cut Kale

Inclusion of 8% alfalfa silage advances feeding time and improves late-finishing feed efficiency in pigs

Feed is the largest cost in pig production, driving interest in alternative ingredients that maintain performance at lower expense. Alfalfa, a nutrient-rich and widely available forage legume, shows promise as a partial feed substitute. However, it remains unclear how partial replacement with alfalfa affects growth dynamics, feed efficiency, and feeding behavior across fattening stages in pigs. This study investigated the effects of substitution with 8% alfalfa or alfalfa silage on growth performance and feeding behavior in growing-finishing pigs over a 60-day fattening period (60–130 kg). A total of 24 pigs were randomly assigned to three diet treatments: commercial feed, 8% alfalfa substitution, or 8% alfalfa silage substitution. Weight, feed intake, feed conversion ratio (FCR), and feeding hour were measured and analyzed using linear mixed-effects models and generalized additive mixed models. Results showed no significant effects of alfalfa on overall weight, feed intake or FCR. However, Pigs fed commercial feed showed superior FCR during mid-fattening (weeks 2.8–5.2, P < 0.05) but worse FCR than alfalfa-fed groups during late-finishing phase (weeks 6.6–8, P < 0.05). Moreover, alfalfa silage altered animal behavior by shifting feeding hour by roughly three hours earlier (P < 0.05). In summary, substitution with 8% alfalfa or alfalfa silage can be incorporated without compromising overall pig performance. While, integrating alfalfa in later fattening stages could further improve feed efficiency and reduce costs. This supports the use of phase-specific feeding strategies and adoption of such practices could enhance both economic and environmental sustainability in commercial pig farming.

Emotional intelligence training improves stress regulation and performance in high-stress occupations

Wearable technology to characterize and treat mild traumatic brain injury subtypes: Study protocol for a randomized controlled trial on biofeedback-based precision rehabilitation (SuBTyPE)

Background Rehabilitation of persistent imbalance in people with mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) is challenging, and responsiveness to rehabilitation is often suboptimal. One reason for suboptimal outcomes may be patient heterogeneity within rehabilitation referrals. Specifically, people with greater vestibular and/or ocular-motor (V/O) symptoms may respond better to vestibular rehabilitation therapy (VRT) compared to those with greater mood or cognition symptoms. Poor performance of exercises may also explain suboptimal outcomes. This study aims to 1) assess if a wearable sensor-based multidimensional biofeedback system could enhance rehabilitation, 2) examine responsiveness to rehabilitation depending on the severity of V/O deficits, 3) characterize the impact of V/O deficits on gait and turning during seven days of unsupervised daily living and establish normative mobility data from active-duty service members. Methods This study is a single-blinded randomized controlled trial involving 100 individuals experiencing persistent symptoms from subacute and chronic mTBI. Participants will be randomized into VRT with or without sensor-based biofeedback. Both groups will receive a 6-week VRT. All participants will be tested for balance, gait, turning, and V/O performance before and after VRT. We will compare the efficacy of VRT with or without biofeedback, stratified by the severity of V/O symptoms. Additionally, a subset of 50 participants with mTBI and 40 healthy active-duty service members will wear inertial sensors for seven days to quantify daily mobility. We will use the data to examine if the severity of V/O deficits following mTBI impacts daily mobility and to establish normative data for daily living mobility from military service members. Discussion This study will be the first clinical trial to investigate whether wearable technology can improve rehabilitation outcomes for those with V/O symptoms by providing real-time biofeedback during rehabilitation. This work will also help to identify individuals with sensorimotor deficits associated with V/O subtypes. These results will enhance the assessment and rehabilitative care following mTBI by integrating objective measures to identify and address V/O subtypes. Furthermore, establishing normative data for daily living mobility from service members will aid in return-to-duty decision making following mTBI. Trial registration This protocol is registered on ClinicalTrials.gov under the number NCT06381674. Registered on April 04, 2024. Recruited period from June 2024 to September 2028. https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT06381674 . Trial Protocol v1 (Dated November 14, 2023)

Bullying plays a moderated mediation role in the association between emotional intelligence and school engagement through self-esteem

Reinforcement Operator Learning (ROL): A hybrid DeepONet-guided reinforcement learning framework for stabilizing the Kuramoto–Sivashinsky equation

This study presents Reinforcement Operator Learning (ROL)—a hybrid control paradigm that marries Deep Operator Networks (DeepONet) for offline acquisition of a generalized control law with a Twin-Delayed Deep Deterministic Policy Gradient (TD3) residual for online adaptation. The framework is assessed on the one-dimensional Kuramoto–Sivashinsky equation, a benchmark for spatio-temporal chaos. Starting from an uncontrolled energy of 42.8, ROL drives the system to a steady-state energy of 0.40  ± 0.14, achieving a 99.1% reduction relative to a linear–quadratic regulator (LQR) and a 64.3% reduction compared with a pure TD3 agent. DeepONet attains a training loss of 7.8 × 10 −6 after only 200 epochs, enabling the RL phase to reach its reward plateau 2.5 × sooner and with 65% lower variance than the baseline. Spatio-temporal analysis confirms that ROL restricts state amplitudes to ± 1.8 —three-fold tighter than pure TD3 and an order of magnitude below LQR—while halving the energy in 0.19 simulation units (33% faster than pure TD3). These results demonstrate that combining operator learning with residual policy optimisation delivers state-of-the-art, sample-efficient stabilisation of chaotic partial differential equations and offers a scalable template for turbulence suppression, combustion control, and other high-dimensional nonlinear systems.

Correction: A practical approach to replenishment optimization with extended (R, s, Q) policy and probabilistic models

Adaptive laboratory evolution and transcriptomic profiling reveal carbon–nitrogen metabolic reprogramming enabling aerobic co-fermentation of glucose and xylose in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

The efficient conversion of lignocellulosic sugars into bioethanol is constrained by the inability of Saccharomyces cerevisiae to metabolize xylose and by its preference for glucose when both sugars are available. Although recombinant strains have been developed to improve xylose utilization, further optimization is needed to achieve robust co-fermentation performance. In this study, three parental strains were used: a wild-type S. cerevisiae strain (GF16), a genetically engineered S. cerevisiae strain capable of metabolizing xylose (TMB3001), and a reference strain of Scheffersomyces stipitis (ATCC 58376). From these, we obtained an evolved S. cerevisiae strain (F2C7A) through a combination of UV mutagenesis, protoplast fusion, and adaptive laboratory evolution. In synthetic medium containing only xylose, F2C7A consumed 87.9% of the sugar after 72 h, compared with only 52.3% by its parental hybrid strain, although, its biomass yield was lower (0.20 g/g vs. 0.35 g/g). Under mixed-sugar conditions, F2C7A consumed all available glucose and 33% of xylose within 48 h, producing ethanol at 0.45 g/g yield with minimal xylitol accumulation. In culture medium containing only xylose, it reached a biomass yield of 0.86 g/g and a xylitol yield of 0.11 g/g. Transcriptomic analysis revealed strong induction of XYL1 , XYL2 , tricarboxylic acid cycle genes, and oxidative phosphorylation components under xylose, consistent with a respiratory phenotype. Mixed-sugar cultures displayed a respirofermentative profile and reduced xylitol formation, suggesting improved redox balance in the presence of glucose. Several nonspecific sugar transporters ( HXT8 , HGT1 , STL1 ) were overexpressed under xylose, indicating potential compensatory uptake mechanisms. Changes in nitrogen metabolism included upregulation of GLT1 and repression of GDH1 , suggesting a shift toward NADH-dependent glutamate synthesis. These findings demonstrate that combining classical and evolutionary strategies can enhance xylose metabolism in S. cerevisiae , providing a foundation for further improvement of strains intended for lignocellulosic bioethanol production.

Caregiver acceptability, and uptake of voluntary medical circumcision among male children under 5 years in Gulu city, Northern Uganda

Factors associated with unmet healthcare needs in patients using Primary Care Access Points for unattached patients in Quebec (Canada)

Background Access to primary care is an important component of health systems. Given the barriers experienced by unattached patients to accessing primary care in Quebec (Canada), the Ministry of Health mandated the province-wide implementation of Primary care access points for unattached patients ( Guichet d’accès première ligne ; GAP), an organizational innovation designed to orient patients to the most appropriate professional or service. This study aims to 1) document the factors associated with unmet healthcare needs after receiving GAP services and 2) assess whether those factors vary by GAP orientation. Methods This cross-sectional study builds on data collected between April and July 2024 using an online patient questionnaire. All patients with a valid email address registered on the centralized waiting list for unattached patients in three local health territories (LHTs) received an email invitation to participate in the survey. The total sample included 20,282 participants who responded to the questionnaire and used the GAP. Results The findings showed that younger age, self-reporting poor/fair physical and mental health, receiving services in LHT 3 and reporting an emergency room visit were associated with increased likelihood of reporting unmet needs. Stratified analyses suggested that some characteristics (age, use of emergency room) were associated with unmet needs across orientations, while others (self-reported physical and mental health) were associated with specific orientations. Conclusion This study serves as a first step in deepening our understanding from a patient perspective of how to better plan primary care services and improve unattached patients’ experiences using the GAP. The findings showed that patients oriented to other professionals than a medical appointment with a family physician had the highest percentage of unmet needs. The next step involves an in-depth exploration of the reasons for patients’ unmet needs, enabling the development of more precise and effective strategies to address them.

Efficient workflow scheduling in fog-cloud collaboration using a hybrid IPSO-GWO algorithm

Abstract With the rapid advancement of fog-cloud computing, task offloading and workflow scheduling have become pivotal in determining system performance and cost efficiency. To address the inherent complexity of this heterogeneous environment, a novel hybrid optimization strategy is introduced, integrating the Improved Particle Swarm Optimization (IPSO) algorithm, enhanced by a linearly decreasing inertia weight, with the Grey Wolf Optimization (GWO) algorithm. This hybridization is not merely a combination but a synergistic fusion, wherein the inertia weight adapts dynamically throughout the optimization process. Such adaptation ensures a balanced trade-off between exploration and exploitation, thereby mitigating the risk of premature convergence commonly observed in standard PSO. To assess the effectiveness of the proposed IPSO-GWO algorithm, extensive simulations were carried out using the FogWorkflowSim framework—an environment specifically developed to capture the complexities of workflow execution within fog-cloud architectures. Our evaluation encompasses a range of real-world scientific workflows, scaling up to 1000 tasks, and benchmarks the performance against PSO, GWO, IPSO, and the Gravitational Search Algorithm (GSA). The Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) is employed to substantiate the results. The experimental results reveal that the proposed IPSO-GWO approach consistently outperforms existing baseline methods across key performance metrics, including total cost, average energy consumption, and overall workflow execution time (makespan) in most scenarios, with average reductions of up to 26.14% in makespan, 37.73% in energy consumption, and 12.52% in total cost Beyond algorithmic innovation, this study contributes to a deeper understanding of workflow optimization dynamics in distributed fog-cloud systems, paving the way for more intelligent and adaptive task scheduling mechanisms in future computing paradigms.

Lethal means safety for Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Veterans: Insights from key informants

Aims Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Veterans are more likely to use suffocation and less likely use firearms in suicide deaths, relative to Veterans overall. Information to inform tailoring of lethal means safety (LMS) interventions for AANHPI Veterans is limited. We elicited subject matter experts’ perspectives regarding LMS among AANHPI Veterans, including awareness of differences in suicide methods and insights regarding LMS considerations. Method Qualitative interviews were conducted with forty-three key informants in the Continental U.S. (CONUS), Hawaii, and Guam in 2022–2024. Interview transcripts were examined via deductive content analysis for this secondary analysis. Results Key informants noted an increased use of hanging among AANHPI Veterans and in specific regions (e.g., Pacific Islands), though mention of hanging/suffocation was specific to key informants in Hawaii and Guam. Key informants noted that LMS efforts do not address hanging, emphasizing the need for resources that address hanging and that are tailored to local contexts. Some key informants also noted the lower use of firearms as a suicide method among AANHPI Veterans, sharing potential explanations for this, while expressing concerns that recent increases in firearm access in this population could lead to increases in firearm suicide deaths. Accordingly, key informants expressed a need to understand how cultural considerations could be incorporated into firearm LMS efforts for AANHPI Veterans. Discussion Some subject matter experts, particularly those in the U.S. Pacific Islands, have awareness of the differences in suicide methods among AANHPI Veterans; however, increasing CONUS practitioners’ awareness of the increased use of hanging/suffocation as a suicide method among AANHPI Veterans may be warranted. Developing strategies to prevent suicide by hanging is crucial to preventing suicide among AANHPI Veterans. Considering potentially increased rates of firearm access among AANHPI Veterans, development of culturally responsive firearm suicide prevention efforts for this population is also warranted.

Analysis of river water quality in Rourkela Odisha using multiple indices to inform sustainable water management

Genetic diversity of alpha and betacoronaviruses in cave and temple-roosting bats in Vientiane Province, Lao PDR

The emergence of MERS-CoV, SARS-CoV-1, and SARS-CoV-2 highlights the significant public health and economic threats posed by coronaviruses. In Lao PDR, SARS-CoV-2-related bat coronaviruses capable of binding to human ACE2 receptors have been found in northern regions, but little is known about coronavirus diversity in anthropized environments like temples. This study investigated coronavirus circulation, diversity, and prevalence in bats from caves and temples in Vientiane Province, Lao PDR. A total of 648 guano samples (505 Chaerephon plicatus , 100 Hipposideros spp., 43 Taphozous spp.) were collected between December 2022 and June 2023 and screened using pan-coronavirus RT-PCR approach. The overall positivity rate was 17.28%, significantly higher in caves (18.8%) than temples (4.41%) (p = 0.003). C. plicatus showed the highest positivity rate (21.38%), followed by Hipposideros spp. 4%, while Taphozous spp. were negative. Phylogenetic analysis revealed diverse coronavirus lineages within Alphacoronavirus (80.4%) and Betacoronavirus (19.6%) genera. Although none were closely related to known human pathogens, coronaviruses of Decacovirus genus related to Chinese bat viruses and Pedacovirus genus similar to porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) were detected. Unclassified betacoronaviruses identified were also related to viruses from C. plicatus in Thailand. This study provides valuable insights into coronavirus circulation in both natural and anthropized environments. The detection of PEDV-like viruses underlines the need for continued surveillance at the human-bat interface, where activities like guano harvesting and temple visits increase contacts. Further genomic and functional studies would enhance our understanding of their evolutionary relationships and potential for further cross-species transmission.

Improved black-winged kite optimization algorithm with multi-strategy hybrid and its application

Placing anurans in water can improve photo-based individual identification

Identification of individuals across time and space is required for investigating numerous evolutionary-ecology and conservation-related questions, and photo-based identification is commonly used for a broad taxonomic range. Success of available photo-matching software may greatly depend on image quality as well as the focal body parts. We tested the hypotheses that individual identification by colour patterns can be facilitated by taking into account the natural medium surrounding the animals and the natural body posture they tend to take. We optimised photography methods enabling individual identification by whole-body assessment of agile frogs (Rana dalmatina) , and compared the reliability of those photography methods for computer-assisted identification in the HotSpotter software as well as for observers operating it. We found that photographing either hand-restrained frogs with towel-dried skin, or frogs moving freely in clean water enabled comparison of the dorsal surface of the whole body including the hind legs, and HotSpotter identified matching images at rates similar to those anuran studies that reported high success before. Specifically, the true match ranked in the top 10 for >92% of photographs taken with the above methods. By contrast, submerging hand-restrained frogs in water significantly improved identification: images of the same individual were always ranked as the most likely match. We attribute this outstanding performance to the combination of advantageous effects of in-water light refractions that improve the visibility of pigment patterns, and uniform body postures facilitating comparison across individuals. Observers in general successfully identified matching images and ruled out non-matching ones, but some mistakes were recorded when images featured freely moving frogs. The photography methods described in this study should be easily adapted to most frog and toad species for reliable individual identification. Our study highlights that taking into account features of the natural environment of the studied species can improve individual identification by photographs.

Chemometric and metabolomic profiles of global tea brands sold in Saudi Arabia

Numerical analysis of low-frequency electromagnetic field effects from three-phase transformer on coronary stents and cardiac tissues

The widespread clinical adoption of novel magnesium alloy coronary stents, combined with increasing densification of urban power transmission infrastructure, highlighted a significant research gap regarding the effects of power-frequency electromagnetic fields (EMFs) on these implants. This study employed field-circuit coupling numerical methods to simulate electromagnetic field exposure in simulated patients with implanted coronary stent positioned at various locations near a 200kVA three-phase transformer. The analysis focused on the distribution patterns of induced electromagnetic fields within both cardiac tissues and the stent, as well as the resultant Ampere forces acting on the stent. The results showed that the simulated patient directly beneath the three-phase transformer was exposed to the maximum electromagnetic radiation, but the magnetic flux density ( B max ) and the induced electric field intensity ( E max ) of the cardiac tissue were lower than the public exposure limits of the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP). The B max and E max of the stent at the same position were 1.245 μ T and 5.086 × 10 −4 mV/m, respectively. The maximum Ampere force density of the stent in the Y- axis (perpendicular to the coronal plane) was 3.714 × 10 −6 N/m 3 . The above findings indicate that, under the conditions of this simulation, a 200 kVA power transformer exerts minimal interference on the magnesium alloy stent and cardiac tissues. The magnetic flux density and induced electric field in the heart tissues, as well as the Ampere force acting on the magnesium alloy stent, all remain within established safety limits.

Response to multigenerational graphene oxide exposure in acheta domesticus strains selected for longevity

Abstract The development of new nanotechnologies and their use in everyday life always carries the risk of environmental hazards and consequences for human health. Among them, graphene oxide (GO) is a promising material. Due to its excellent physicochemical properties, GO is attractive not only for industrial applications but also in medicine. There is still a lack of sufficient reports on the long-term effects of GO on organisms, including studies of a multigenerational nature. We investigated the health status of two strains of Acheta domesticus : the wild type and the long-lived. The strains were exposed to GO for five generations and a sixth recovery generation. We investigated parameters that may indirectly explain the mechanisms involved in transmitting the informational pattern of the stress response to subsequent generations: DNA stability, mitochondrial potential, apoptosis, and autophagy. GO intoxication induced multilevel cellular responses in five subsequent generations. GO cessation in recovery F5 acted as a new stressor. Across five generations, variation in the response to GO was observed. GO is most likely responsible for changes that persist over generations. We believe that epigenetic inheritance is a likely mechanism underlying the multigenerational adaptation observed in GO-exposed insects, and future research should aim to elucidate this phenomenon in more detail.

Disparate estimates of intrinsic productivity for Antarctic krill across small spatial scales under a rapidly changing ocean

Understanding the spatio-temporal dynamics of Antarctic krill ( Euphausia superba ) productivity along the Western Antarctic Peninsula (WAP) requires the application of robust analytical approaches. Both design-based and model-based methodologies have been employed to address this challenge. The Spawning Potential Ratio (SPR) is a indicator that provides valuable insights about population productivity. In this study, we analyzed the spatial and temporal variability of the SPR for krill by modeling Length-Based Spawning Potential Ratio (LBSPR) with 20 years of fishery-dependent length composition data. Results showed spatial and temporal heterogeneity among five fishing strata in the WAP, where SPR in Gerlache Strait stratum was consistently lower than the 20% SPR reference point, compared with Elephant, Bransfield Strait, Southwest and Joinville Island strata. Moreover, we demonstrate the sensitivity of LBSPR to changes in growth parameters, such as k and L inf , which are influenced by environmental variables like chlorophyll. Our findings underscore the value of incorporating environmental variability into stock assessment models, such as those based on SPR, to accurately assess krill stock conditions. Given the apparent spatial heterogeneity in intrinsic productivity identified through our SPR estimates, we propose using this approach to establish a management procedure based on a control rule for each stratum. This method adjusts the allocation of catch limits in line with the new management strategy of the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR). By integrating knowledge about spatial krill dynamics and its intrinsic productivity, advice can be recommended to promote the sustainable management of krill populations in Subarea 48.1.