Daily Samples Research Articles

Low-dose apatinib optimizes the vascular normalization and enhances the antitumor effect of PD-1 inhibitor in gastric cancer.

Apatinib is a tyrosine kinase inhibitor that has shown potential in combination with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) in gastric cancer (GC); however, its role in GC is unclear. This research aims to investigate the effect of low-dose apatinib in GC, and analyze the mechanisms of its underlying action. A mouse model of GC was established, and the experimental mice were divided into different groups for different treatment: group NS (normal saline), group A (low-dose apatinib 50 mg/kg), group B (high-dose apatinib 200 mg/kg), group C [programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) inhibitor monotherapy], and group D (PD-1 inhibitor combined with low-dose apatinib). After 14 days of treatment, the tumor and blood samples were collected from all mice for histological and cytokine detection. Compared with the control group, mice in the low-dose apatinib group showed smaller tumor volumes and slower growth. CD31/α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) double staining revealed significantly higher coverage of perivascular cells in the low-dose apatinib group by contrast to the control and high-dose apatinib groups, suggesting that low-dose apatinib may alleviate hypoxia. Compared to the high-dose apatinib group, the expression of hypoxia inducible factor 1 alpha (HIF1α) significantly decreased in the low-dose apatinib group. Hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining results showed a higher proportion of necrotic tumor tissues in the group of mice treated with low-dose apatinib combined with PD-1 inhibitor than in other groups. In addition, this combined treatment significantly reduced the expression of NG2 and HIF1α in mouse tumor tissues, indicating a more normalized vascular density, and also increased the proportion of CD8+ T cells. Low-dose apatinib enhances the antitumor effect of PD-1 inhibitor by normalizing tumor-related blood vessels, alleviating intratumor hypoxia and altering immunosuppressive microenvironment (IM).

Lessons learned during a 12-year monitoring project with the endangered Magdalena River turtle (Podocnemis lewyana): hunting pressure, habitat degradation, and methodological considerations

Turtle species in the Family Podocnemididae, including the Colombian endemic and critically endangered Magdalena River Turtle Podocnemis lewyana, characteristically present low recapture rates that preclude estimation of population parameters using maximum likelihood modeling. In our 12-year monitoring project with this species, we evaluated changes in relative abundances, proportions of sex/size classes, and individual body sizes and body conditions in a population in four channels in the middle Magdalena River drainage. We also inspected for associations between trends in changes in these variables and differences in hunting pressure and habitat degradation. To inspect for temporal and spatial demographic dynamics, we estimated variation in relative abundances using the Catch Per Unit Effort index, the total number of turtles captured over an entire 5-day sampling period using ten baited funnel traps. Relative abundances and the proportions of sex/size classes were different between sites and years. We found a significant decline in the proportion of females and juveniles over time, along with evidence that the females still present were smaller in body size. Our results support the hypothesis that hunting eliminates adult females from these sites, perhaps also translating into a reduction in recruitment. The lack of evidence of generalized declines in body condition of all size classes suggests that habitat degradation might contribute less to the population declines in this region. Our results also illustrate that even when recapture rates are low, monitoring turtles via standardized trapping may yield insights into the population’s conservation status that other relative abundance indices cannot.

High frequency monitoring of carbon (iv) oxide evolution from a tropical soil amended with organomineral fertilizer in a screenhouse Ile-Ife, Nigeria

The study compared responses of carbon (iv) oxide evolved from an Ultisol sampled at different time scales and the soil properties when amended with organomineral fertilizer (OMF); thus tracking the carbon footprint of the amendment in ambient air. The carbon (iv) oxide efflux was measured titrimetrically in a static chamber set up in a screenhouse at sub-daily, daily and weekly time scales. At the same time, the antecedent soil properties were determined using standard methods. The treatments involved OMF addition at three rates (0 kg OMF, 40 kg Urea-N + 2.5 tons/ha organic fertilizer and 40 kg Urea-N + 5 tons/ha organic fertilizer) based on some Nigerian indigenous vegetable nutrient requirements. The result showed that a more detailed and accurate understanding of CO2 evolution processes was revealed at daily sampling resolution while sub-daily variation occurred in response to sub-daily variation in ambient temperature. Organomineral fertilizer at 40 kg/ha Urea + 2.5 tons/ha OF rate was comparatively safer in C management through the reduction in the CO2 released thus constituting a better alternative in terms of the greenhouse effect. Thus, the study recommends at least daily monitoring for a detailed understanding of CO2 evolution dynamics and management and identifies OMF rate with less CO2 release as a comparatively better alternative in the production of those vegetables in the environmental context.

Temporal characteristics and vertical profiles of atmospheric CH4 at the northern foot of the Qinling Mountains in China

A two-year (March 2021 to February 2023) continuous in-situ atmospheric CH4 measurements and periodic vertical CH4 measurements (<2000 m) in July and November 2021 were conducted at the northern foot of the Qinling Mountains in Xi'an, China, aiming to study the temporal and vertical variations in atmospheric CH4 and the influence of air mass transport. The two-year average CH4 concentration at this site was 2119.6 ± 108.8 ppb. Seasonal CH4 concentrations were the highest in winter (2177.6 ± 121.5 ppb) and lower in summer (2079.1 ± 77.6 ppb) and spring (2073.9 ± 68.4 ppb). Diurnal CH4 peaked at 10:00–11:00. Atmospheric CH4 there was mainly from local source emissions from Xi'an and short distance transport from the southern Qinling Mountains through the valleys. On the July sampling days, vertical CH4 concentrations increased in the morning (08:00) and at mid-night (23:30), while they decreased in the early afternoon (13:00) and late afternoon (18:00) from near the surface (20 m) to 200 m, increased at 200–500 m, and then decreased at 500–1000 m. During the heating period in November, vertical CH4 concentrations increased by 20.0–86.8 ppb at 20–200 m due to horizontal transport and poor atmospheric dispersion conditions, and then decreased up to 2000 m, with the fastest decrease rate (−44.4 ± 51.4 ∼ −17.6 ± 19.3 ppb/100 m) at 500–1000 m. Vertical CH4 concentrations increased at all heights especially below 500 m in serve haze, mainly attributed to horizontal transport from the northwestern and southeastern polluted regions. Vertical observations further confirmed the important influence of transport on CH4 levels at this site.

Antimicrobial and antioxidative electrospun cellulose acetate-essential oils nanofibrous membranes for active food packaging to extend the shelf life of perishable fruits

Food preservation is critical to meeting the growing demand for fresh foods. We construct novel active packaging using active chemicals to extend the shelf life of fresh fruit and vegetables. In our study, we harnessed electrospinning technology to manufacture cellulose acetate nanofibers (CANFs) using natural, highly volatile cinnamon bark oil (CNO) and clove bud oil (CBO). The CNO and CBO loaded electrospun fibers were characterized and applied as active packaging membrane to evaluate the impact on shelf life of fresh grapes and tomatoes. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) analysis indicated a uniform volatile component distribution, average fiber diameters, regulated release kinetics, and substantial antioxidant, and antibacterial activities. The use of 50 % w/w CNO and CBO-loaded CANFs as an active food packaging membrane for a shelf-life study of fresh grapes and tomatoes at 4 °C confirmed the microbiological safety of consumption for 40 days compared to 15 days in control samples, with a lesser reduction in physiochemical properties despite sensory evaluation revealing a shelf-life extension until 30 days.The efficacy and potential benefits of sustainable and effective packaging strategies are highlighted in this study, making it a promising alternative for preserving perishable tomatoes and grapes.

Enclosure design and welfare of plains zebras: Impact of enclosure design on behavior and space use of plains zebras under human care

ABSTRACT Plains zebras are commonly hosted in zoos, but few welfare-related studies are available in the literature. This research aimed to assess the effect of enclosure design on two groups of captive zebras housed at the Giardino Zoologico di Pistoia – GZP (Italy) and Parco Faunistico Valcorba – PFV (Italy) through the analysis of behavior and enclosure use. The groups consisted of an adult pair and a male juvenile at GZP and six adult females at PFV. We collected data in 2019 over 19 sampling days using the continuous focal animal sampling technique. We performed 12 observation sessions per day, with each session lasting 30 min. We analyzed the subjects’ behavioral time budget and enclosure use using Generalized Linear Mixed Models and the Electivity Index. The results showed that the time allocated to feeding behavior varied from 8–16% in the enclosure with gravel substrate (GZP) to 72–85% in the exhibit enriched with a pasture (PFV), with this last percentage resembling data reported for wild zebras. Results showed that institution was a significant predictor of feeding behavior, suggesting that the presence of a pasture can stimulate food-related behavioral patterns. Regarding enclosure use, the presence of hay and water troughs influenced the animals’ space use. Our findings also suggest that evaluating both behavior and enclosure use can provide a more comprehensive overview of the welfare state of the animals. However, future studies are needed to better investigate the influence of social factors on the behavior and enclosure usage of captive Plains zebras.

Modification of the Protein Amino Acid Content in Hen Eggs as a Consequence of Different Concentrations of Lupine and Soy in Feed.

The effect of the diet modification (soybean and lupine addition) on the content of protein and amino acids (AA) in eggs was studied. Both the sampling day and the diet influenced the total protein content. In albumen, the lowest protein content (10.6%) was noted after administering a diet containing 25% lupine; in the same egg the yolk contained the most proteins (16.7%). In the content of nonessential AA (NAA) in egg yolks, differences were noted only for cysteine, with its the highest content in the yolks of the control group. The stable content of essential yolk amino acids (EAA) was observed only for isoleucine, leucine, tryptophan and phenylalanine. The highest contents of EAA and NAA were recorded in the yolks of the control group (~47 and ~53 g/100 g of protein, respectively) and in the group with 25% additions of lupine (~42 and ~51 g/100 g of protein, respectively). AA with constant content in the tested albumens were methionine, tryptophan and alanine. The highest content of EAA (>~42 g/100 g of protein) and NAA (>~62 g/100 g of protein) were determined in albumen of eggs determined in the group with at least 20% additions of lupine. The highest content of EAA for humans delivered eggs from groups 4-6 (with the addition of soy into the diet ≤5%). The protein sources used in the hen diet significantly influenced the content of protein and individual AA in the produced eggs.

Antibacterial action of penicillin against Mycobacterium avium complex.

β-lactam antibiotics are promising treatments for Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) lung disease. We hypothesized that benzylpenicillin has efficacy against MAC. Benzylpenicillin lung concentration-time profiles of seven doses in three dosing schedules were administered for 28 days using the hollow fiber system model of intracellular MAC (HFS-MAC). Data were analyzed using the inhibitory sigmoid maximal effect (Emax) model for each sampling day, while two ordinary differential equations (ODEs) were used for the wild-type and penicillin-resistant mutants. Benzylpenicillin killed >2.1 log10 colony-forming unit (CFU)/mL below Day 0, better than azithromycin, ethambutol, and rifabutin. Efficacy was terminated by acquired resistance. Sigmoid Emax parameter estimates significantly differed between sampling days and were a poor fit. However, ODE model parameter estimates vs. exposure were a better fit. The exposure mediating Emax was 84.6% (95% CI 76.91-82.98) of time concentration exceeded the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC). In Monte Carlo experiments, 24 million international units of benzylpenicillin continuous infusion achieved the target exposure in lungs of >90% of 10,000 subjects until an MIC of 64 mg/L, designated the susceptibility breakpoint. Benzylpenicillin demonstrated a better bactericidal effect against MAC than guideline-recommended drugs before the development of resistance. Its role in combination therapy with other drugs with better efficacy than guideline-recommended drugs should be explored.

Impact of environmental exposures on exhaled breath and lung function: NELA Birth Cohort

Exposure to environmental exposures (i.e.air pollution and second-hand tobacco smoke) have been associated with impaired lung function. However, the impact of environmental factors on lung health is usually evaluated separately and not with an exposomic framework. In this regard, breath analysis could be a non-invasive tool for biomonitoring of global human environmental exposure.Data come from 337 mother–child pairs from the NELA birth cohort. Levels of BTEX (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylenes) in exhaled breath from mothers and children at 3 months after birth were estimated using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Short-term residential exposures (breath sampling day and 15 days before breath sampling) to nitrogen dioxide (NO2), particulate matter (PM2.5), and ozone (O3) were determined by chemical dispersion/transport modelling. Forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume at 0.5 s (FEV0.5) and forced expiratory flow at 75% of FVC (FEF75) and at 25%–75% of FVC (FEF25-75) were measured in infants according to the raised-volume rapid thoracoabdominal compression technique.The results showed significant associations between short-term exposure to external agents and levels of benzene and toluene in exhaled breath. It was observed that exhaled levels of benzene and toluene were influenced by smoking status and outdoor air pollution in mothers, and by air pollution in infants (3 months of age). No significant relationship was observed between exposure to maternal tobacco smoking and/or short-term air pollution and lung function in healthy infants. However, there was a significant relationship between FEV0.5and exhaled toluene in children.These findings indicated a significant relationship between environmental exposures and exhaled levels of benzene and toluene, suggesting that breath analysis could be a helpful exposure biomonitoring tool.

Robust optimization strategies for contour uncertainties in online adaptive radiation therapy

Objective. Online adaptive radiation therapy requires fast and automated contouring of daily scans for treatment plan re-optimization. However, automated contouring is imperfect and introduces contour uncertainties. This work aims at developing and comparing robust optimization strategies accounting for such uncertainties. Approach. A deep-learning method was used to predict the uncertainty of deformable image registration, and to generate a finite set of daily contour samples. Ten optimization strategies were compared: two baseline methods, five methods that convert contour samples into voxel-wise probabilities, and three methods accounting explicitly for contour samples as scenarios in robust optimization. Target coverage and organ-at-risk (OAR) sparing were evaluated robustly for simplified proton therapy plans for five head-and-neck cancer patients. Results. We found that explicitly including target contour uncertainty in robust optimization provides robust target coverage with better OAR sparing than the baseline methods, without increasing the optimization time. Although OAR doses first increased when increasing target robustness, this effect could be prevented by additionally including robustness to OAR contour uncertainty. Compared to the probability-based methods, the scenario-based methods spared the OARs more, but increased integral dose and required more computation time. Significance. This work proposed efficient and beneficial strategies to mitigate contour uncertainty in treatment plan optimization. This facilitates the adoption of automatic contouring in online adaptive radiation therapy and, more generally, enables mitigation also of other sources of contour uncertainty in treatment planning.

Feasibility of Delivering 5-Day Normobaric Hypoxia Breathing in a Hospital Setting.

Beneficial effects of breathing at [Formula: see text] < 0.21 on disease outcomes have been reported in previous preclinical and clinical studies. However, the safety and intra-hospital feasibility of breathing hypoxic gas for 5 d have not been established. In this study, we examined the physiologic effects of breathing a gas mixture with [Formula: see text] as low as 0.11 in 5 healthy volunteers. All 5 subjects completed the study, spending 5 consecutive days in a hypoxic tent, where the ambient oxygen level was lowered in a stepwise manner over 5 d, from [Formula: see text] of 0.16 on the first day to [Formula: see text] of 0.11 on the fifth day of the study. All the subjects returned to an environment at room air on the sixth day. The subjects' [Formula: see text], heart rate, and breathing frequency were continuously recorded, along with daily blood sampling, neurologic evaluations, transthoracic echocardiography, and mental status assessments. Breathing hypoxia concentration dependently caused profound physiologic changes, including decreased [Formula: see text] and increased heart rate. At [Formula: see text] of 0.14, the mean [Formula: see text] was 92%; at [Formula: see text] of 0.13, the mean [Formula: see text] was 93%; at [Formula: see text] of 0.12, the mean [Formula: see text] was 88%; at [Formula: see text] of 0.11, the mean [Formula: see text] was 85%; and, finally, at an [Formula: see text] of 0.21, the mean [Formula: see text] was 98%. These changes were accompanied by increased erythropoietin levels and reticulocyte counts in blood. All 5 subjects concluded the study with no adverse events. No subjects exhibited signs of mental status changes or pulmonary hypertension. Results of the current physiologic study suggests that, within a hospital setting, delivering [Formula: see text] as low as 0.11 is feasible and safe in healthy subjects, and provides the foundation for future studies in which therapeutic effects of hypoxia breathing are tested.

Imidacloprid Uptake and Accumulation in Lettuce Plant (Lactuca sativa L. var. longipolia) and Its Effects on Abundance of Microbial Communities in Cultivated and Non-Cultivated Arid Soil.

Systemic plant protection products, such as neonicotinoids (NIs), are capable of being translocated throughout a plant. Although NIs are less toxic to mammals, fish, and birds, their impact on microbial and non-target insects is of concern. This study investigates the uptake, translocation, and accumulation of the NI, imidacloprid (IMI), in romaine lettuce (Lactuca sativa L. var. longipolia). Exposing 15-day-old seedlings to "10 mg/L" of IMI, the effects on microbial communities in both cultivated (CS) and non-cultivated soil (NCS) were studied along with IMI translocation within plant tissues. The concentrations of IMI in soil varied temporally and between soil types after initial application, with a decrease from 2.0 and 7.7 mg/kg on the first day of sampling to 0.5 and 2.6 mg/kg on the final sampling day (day 35) for CS and NCS, respectively. The half-life of IMI soil was 10.7 and 72.5 days in CS and NCS, respectively, indicating that IMI degraded more quickly in CS, possibly due to smaller grain size, aeration, microbial degradation, and water flow. The accumulated concentrations of IMI in lettuce tissues ranged from 12.4 ± 0.2 and 18.7± 0.9 mg/kg in CS and NCS, respectively. The highest concentration of IMI was found in the shoots, followed by the roots, whereas the soil showed the lowest IMI residuals at the end of the trial. Soil bacteria and fungi were altered by the application of IMI, with a lower abundance index within the bacterial community, indicating a negative impact on the distribution of bacteria in the soil.

Immune cell population dynamics following neonatal BCG vaccination and aerosol BCG revaccination in rhesus macaques

The BCG vaccine is given to millions of children globally but efficacy wanes over time and differences in the immune systems between infants and adults can influence vaccine efficacy. To this end, 34 rhesus macaques were vaccinated with BCG within seven days of birth and blood samples were collected over 88 weeks for quantification of blood cell populations. Overall, the composition of cell populations did not change significantly between BCG vaccinated and unvaccinated groups, and that BCG vaccination did not perturb normal development. In comparison to adult macaques, higher numbers of CD4+ T-cells, Tregs and NK cells were measured in the infant age group, suggesting a potential bias towards immunosuppressive and innate immune populations. Antigen-specific IFNγ secreting cell frequencies in infant BCG vaccinated animals were detectable in peripheral blood samples for 36 weeks after vaccination but declined following this. To evaluate the long-term impact of infant BCG vaccination on subsequent revaccination with BCG, a pilot study of three adult macaques received an aerosol BCG revaccination approximately 3 years after their initial BCG vaccination as infants. This induced an increase in PPD-specific IFNγ secreting cells, and increased secretion of the cytokines IFNγ and IL-1β, following stimulation with other microorganisms, which are signals associated with trained innate immunity.

Soft sensor for the dry solid content in thickened primary sludge

ABSTRACT Software sensors, or soft sensors, can be a feasible option to monitor parameters that are difficult (or impossible) to measure with hardware sensors. At Henriksdal water resource recovery facility (WRRF), the operators have long experienced issues with a clogging sensor for the dry solid (DS) content in thickened primary sludge. A soft sensor was developed, and in the process, two methods were compared: long short-term memory (LSTM) network and linear regression. The first is a recurrent neural network that can capture non-linear dynamics, whereas the latter is a linear static model. The LSTM network was the best at predicting the DS content, with a mean squared error (MSE) of 0.341 with respect to laboratory data. The linear regression model performed worse than estimating a long-time average of daily manual samples but outperformed the online sensor. Replacing the existing sensor with the developed soft sensor can open up possibilities for more efficient control and operation of the thickener unit.

Dynamic linkages and contagion effects: Analyzing the linkages between crude oil prices, US market sector indices and energy markets

This paper aims to assess the dynamic linkages between crude oil futures contracts, renewable energy indices, carbon credit futures indices and several US sector market indices by applying the DECO-GARCH model and the connectedness index of Diebold and Yilmaz (2012). The analysis is conducted on a daily data sample from August 2014 to February 2024 and performed at both the aggregated and disaggregated levels. The disaggregated analysis revealed that the correlation between the variables was lower before periods of stress, such as the COVID-19 crisis and the Russian–Ukrainian conflict as well as a complex correlation structure with a diverse mix of positive and negative values between different pairs of variables. Moreover, the static connectedness results in terms of returns underscore a significant degree of interconnection and transmission of shocks between oil prices and sector markets, renewable energy, and carbon credit futures indices. In addition, the results highlight the responsiveness of the clean energy and carbon credit sectors to global circumstances and economic conditions. The study concludes with a dynamic connectedness analysis, highlighting once again the intricate connections and interactions between all the variables, which are exacerbated during periods of market instability and key events. The net interconnectedness analysis demonstrated that changes in crude oil prices have a significant impact on most of the variables analyzed. The findings of this study have clear implications for a wide range of market participants, policy-makers, and individuals managing portfolios, particularly in terms of diversification opportunities.

Electrochemical and statistical study of Nickel ion assessment in daily children intake samples relying on magnesium aluminate spinel nanoparticles

Lately, children's daily consumption of some products, such as cereals and candies, has been rising, which provides a compelling rationale for determining any metallic substances that may be present. Monitoring the concentration of certain metals, like nickel, in these products is necessary due to medical issues in humans when consumed regularly. So, in this work, a novel and highly selective carbon paste as a Ni(II) ion-selective sensor was prepared and investigated using ceramic magnesium aluminum spinel nanoparticles as the ionophore and tritolyl phosphate (TOCP) as a plasticizer. A modified co-precipitation method was used to synthesize the spinel nanoparticles. X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscope with EDAX, transmission electron microscope, and BET surface area were used to determine the phase composition, microstructure, pores size, particle size, and surface area of the synthesized nanoparticles. The spinel nanoparticle was found to have a nano crystallite size with a cubic crystal system, a particle size ranging from 17.2 to 51.52 nm, mesoporous nature (average pore size = 8.72 nm), and a large surface area (61.75 m2/g). The composition ratio of graphite carbon as a base: TOCP as binder: spinal as ionophore was 67.3:30.0:2.7 (wt%) based on potentiometric detections over concentrations from 5.0 × 10−8 to 1.0 × 10−2 mol L−1 with LOD of 5.0 × 10−8 mol L−1. A measurement of 29.22 ± 0.12 mV decade−1 over pH 2.0–7.0 was made for the Nernstian slope. This sensor demonstrated good repeatability over nine weeks and a rapid response of 8 s. A good selectivity was shown for Ni(II) ions across many interferents, tri-, di-, and monovalent cations. The Ni(II) content in spiked real samples, including cocaine, sweets, coca, chocolate, carbonated drinks, cereals, and packages, were measured. The results obtained indicated no significant difference between the proposed potentiometric method and the officially reported ICP method according to the F- and t-test data. In addition to utilizing ANOVA statistical analysis, validation procedures have been implemented, and the results exceed the ICP-MS methodology.

Impact of Heat Stress on the Balance between Oxidative Markers and the Antioxidant Defence System in the Plasma of Mid-Lactating Modicana Dairy Cows.

Animal health is affected during heat stress as a result of impaired immune responses, increased production of reactive oxygen species, and/or a deficiency of antioxidants. This leads to an imbalance between oxidants and antioxidants and results in oxidative stress. Heat stress is usually measured in dairy cattle via the temperature-humidity index (THI). In the present study, we aimed at assessing the influence of incremental THI on the balance between oxidative markers and the antioxidant defence system in the plasma of Modicana cows. Twenty-four multiparous, mid-lactating dairy cows were divided into two groups on the basis of different levels of mean THI reached in the period of the previous week up until the day of blood and milk sampling (April THI1:55, May THI2:68, June THI3:71, July THI4:80). The blood samples were collected to measure reactive oxygen metabolites (ROM) and antioxidant defense markers (ferric reducing ability of plasma (FRAP), paraoxonase (PON), advanced oxidation protein products (AOPP), plasma thiol groups (SHp), as well as lipid-soluble antioxidant pro-vitamin (β-carotene) and vitamins (tocopherol and retinol). Milk characteristics, haematological values, and plasma biochemical metabolites were also evaluated. Results showed a significant increase in ROM (p < 0.05) and a significant decrease in PON (p < 0.05), AOPP (p < 0.05), and β-carotene (p < 0.001). Incremental THI significantly decreased levels of milk fat content, red and white blood cells, plasma glucose, and non-esterified fatty acids, while significantly increasing monocytes and the concentrations of β-hydroxybutyrate and creatinine, but not fructosamine. The results of the study show that heat stress significantly affects reactive oxygen species production and antioxidant parameters. Carotenoid supplementation should be considered to alleviate the impact of these effects.

Pet your cat, walk your dog: The spillover effects of morning quality time with pets on outcomes during and after the workday.

For decades, psychologists have explored dynamics within the realm of human-animal interaction. Organizational psychologists are no different; research has found that exchanges with pets and other animals have the potential to influence important work outcomes, such as performance, well-being, and satisfaction. Relatively little is understood, however, regarding the potential spillover effects of human-animal interaction from the non-work to work context. To address this gap in the literature, the present research-synthesising Broaden and Build Theory and Conservation of Resources Theory-explores the daily spillover effects of morning quality time with pets on affective, behavioural, and cognitive outcomes for employees, both during and after the workday. It is also suggested that openness to experience may act as a cross-level moderator for these daily relationships. An occupationally heterogenous daily diary sample of employed pet owners from the United Kingdom (NLevel 1=405, NLevel 2=81) was used to test these relationships. Using a mixed effects modelling approach, it was revealed that morning quality time with pets was associated with reduced Negative Affect (NA) during the workday, and reduced incivility and withdrawal upon returning home from work. Moreover, higher levels of trait openness to experience strengthened the negative relationships between daily morning quality time with pets and daily workday NA and afterwork incivility. Implications for research and practice are discussed.

Information and communication technology availability demand and leadership behavior: A daily diary experience sampling method analysis

The widespread use of information and communication technologies (ICT) in the hospitality industry has resulted in a new form of job demand: ICT availability demand. However, it remains unclear how ICT availability demand shapes leadership behavior. To address this gap, this paper develops a moderated mediation model within the job demands-resources (JD-R) framework. A daily experience sampling method was used to collect 1066 daily cases from 111 team leaders in hotels in China over 15 consecutive workdays. Multilevel regression analysis shows that daily ICT availability demand impedes supervisory coaching but enhances supervisor undermining on the following day; previous day relaxation mediates these two relationships. Moreover, previous day home autonomy buffers the indirect relationship linking ICT availability to leadership behavior. This study is an early attempt to highlight the potential of ICT availability demand to serve as an antecedent to daily supervisor undermining and supervisory coaching.

Comprehensive source identification of heavy metals in atmospheric particulate matter in a megacity: A case study of Hangzhou

Megacities face significant pollution challenges, particularly the elevated levels of heavy metals (HMs) in particulate matter (PM). Despite the advent of interdisciplinary and advanced methods for HM source analysis, integrating and applying these approaches to identify HM sources in PM remains a hurdle. This study employs a year-long daily sampling dataset for PM1 and PM1-10 to examine the patterns of HM concentrations under hazy, clean, and rainy conditions in Hangzhou City, aiming to pinpoint the primary sources of HMs in PM. Contrary to other HMs that remained within acceptable limits, the annual average concentrations of Cd and Ni were found to be 20.6 ± 13.6 and 46.9 ± 34.8 ng/m³, respectively, surpassing the World Health Organization's limits by 4.1 and 1.9 times. Remarkably, Cd levels decreased on hazy days, whereas Ni levels were observed to rise on rainy days. Using principal component analysis (PCA), enrichment factor (EF), and backward trajectory analysis, Fe, Mn, Cu, and Zn were determined to be primarily derived from traffic emissions, and there was an interaction between remote migration and local emissions in haze weather. Isotope analysis reveals that Pb concentrations in the Hangzhou region were primarily influenced by emissions from unleaded gasoline, coal combustion, and municipal solid waste incineration, with additional impact from long-range transport; it also highlights nuanced differences between PM1 and PM1-10. Pb isotope and PCA analyses indicate that Ni primarily stemmed from waste incineration emissions. This explanation accounts for the observed higher Ni concentrations on rainy days. Backward trajectory cluster analysis revealed that southern airflows were the primary source of high Cd concentrations on clean days in Hangzhou City. This study employs a multifaceted approach and cross-validation to successfully delineate the sources of HMs in Hangzhou's PM. It offers a methodology for the precise and reliable analysis of complex HM sources in megacity PM.