Hybrid Group Research Articles

Organic-Inorganic Phenolic/POSS Hybrids Provide Highly Ordered Mesoporous Structures Templated by High Thermal Stability of PS-b-P4VP Diblock Copolymer.

Anionic living polymerization was used to prepare a diblock copolymer of poly(styrene-b-4-vinyl pyridine) (PS-b-P4VP), and a phenolic resin with a double-decker silsesquioxane (DDSQ) cage structure was used to form a phenolic/DDSQ hybrid (PDDSQ-30 with 30 wt.% DDSQ). Strong intermolecular hydrogen bonding could be confirmed through the hydroxyl (OH) groups of PDDSQ hybrid with the pyridine group of the P4VP block in PDDSQ-30/PS-b-P4VP blends based on Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy analyses, where increasing PDDSQ concentrations resulted in a higher proportion of hydrogen-bonded pyridine groups. After thermal polymerization at 180 °C, the self-assembled structures of these PDDSQ/PS-b-P4VP blends were revealed by data from small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM), where the d-spacing increased with raising PDDSQ concentration. Because relatively higher thermal stability of the PDDSQ hybrid than pure phenolic resin and PS-b-P4VP template, we can obtain the long ranger order of mesoporous PDDSQ hybrids after removing the PS-b-P4VP template, which reveals the high surface area and high pore volume with cylindrical and spherical structures corresponding to the PDDSQ compositions that are rarely observed by using pure phenolic resin as the matrix and could be used in supercapacitor application.

Comparative analysis of the main economic and biological parameters of maize hybrids that determine their productivity

Corn kernels are characterised by the presence of all the nutrients, macro- and microelements necessary for growth and development in an easily digestible form. Considering the differentiation of soil and climatic zones of cultivation, the breeding process is designed to establish hybrids of different maturity groups. The research purposes to evaluate maize hybrids of different maturity groups for a set of economic and biological traits of productivity, high-yield stability, and further cultivation in production conditions suitable for mechanised harvesting. Methods used in the research include informational, theoretical analysis, synthesis, analogy, comparison and generalisation; research identification, and measurement. During the research, a systematic analysis was applied, considering the uniqueness of technical, productive, and economic conditions for growing hybrid corn. The research results demonstrate that to achieve successful regulation of maize hybrids productivity and improve their quality, it is necessary to select for suitability for specific soils and climatic zones, considering the biological requirements for seeds and developing effective agrotechnical means designed for processes occurring at different stages of growth and development. The seeds of corn hybrids, formed by breeding, were determined by a high nutrient content: In mid-early corn, the content of crude protein was 9.2-9.9%, crude fat – 4.2-4.4%, BER (nitrogen-free extractives) – 82.5-83.3%, starch – 71.4-73.7%; in the medium-late group, the content of crude protein ranged from 9.8-10.4%, crude fat from 4.1-4.6%, BER from 80.6-82.2%, and starch from 70.2-74.1%. The medium-early group of hybrids obtained the optimal height of 245-276 cm, the weight of 1000 seeds – 308-344 g, the ratio of node height to plant height – 0.445; the medium-ripening group respectively 296-351 cm, 318-382 g, 0.455

A hybrid group decision-making approach involving Pythagorean fuzzy uncertainty for green supplier selection

Green supplier selection is a significant issue in green supply chain management field and has drawn worldwide attention from academia, industry, and governments. Numerous methodological models have emerged for correctly choosing an appropriate green supplier, but some inadequate aspects of these models, such as the use of high-order fuzzy uncertainty, incompatible designed criteria, the weight methods used by decision experts, and consensus on distinct ranks, should be improved. This research propounds a hybrid approach that combines the analytic hierarchy process (AHP), technique for order preference by similarity to ideal solutions (TOPSIS), and linear assignment method (LAM) under Pythagorean fuzzy (PF) uncertainty to assess candidate suppliers. A new hierarchical evaluative criteria system with green factors that run throughout procurement, production, and transaction is built. The ordered weighted averaging operation predicated on a normal distribution is adopted to figure out the significance of the relevant decision experts, and the PF-AHP technique is exploited to recognize relevant criteria significance. To find the best green supplier, the PF-TOPSIS technique employs the most recent generalized distance measure and magnitudes. The LAM is exploited to arrive at a consensus on distinct ranks depending on differentiated distance parameter values in the distance formula for the PF sets, and then the optimal green supplier can be obtained. Additionally, the presented PF-AHP-TOPSIS-LAM approach was applied to an illustrative case, and the outcomes were shown to be more beneficial and efficacious than the solutions by other existing techniques. Hence, our presented hybrid approach provides a better methodological framework, establishes a critical foundation for artificial intelligence applications within a decision support field, and contributes to such competitiveness of microenterprises and the long-term development of society.

Combining ability of tropical × temperate maize inducers for haploid induction rate, R1-nj seed set, and agronomic traits.

In vivo maternal haploid induction in isolation fields is proposed to bypass the workload and resource constraints existing in haploid induction nurseries. A better understanding of combining ability and gene action conditioning traits related to hybrid inducers is necessary to set the breeding strategy including to what extent parent-based hybrid prediction is feasible. This study aimed to evaluate the following in tropical savanna in the rainy and dry seasons for haploid induction rate (HIR), R1-nj seed set, and agronomic traits: 1) combining ability, line per se, and hybrid performance of three genetic pools; 2) genetic parameters, the modes of gene action, and heterosis; and 3) the relationships of inbred-general combining ability (GCA) and inbred-hybrid performance. Fifty-six diallel crosses derived from eight maize genotypes were evaluated in the rainy season of 2021 and the dry season of 2021/2022. Reciprocal cross effects including the maternal effect barely contributed to the genotypic variance for each trait observed. HIR, R1-nj seed set, flowering dates, and ear position were highly heritable and additive inherited, while ear length showed dominant inheritance. The equal importance of additive and dominance effects was found for yield-related traits. Temperate inducer BHI306 was the best general combiner for the HIR and R1-nj seed set, followed by two tropical inducers, KHI47 and KHI54. The ranges of heterosis were trait-dependent and slightly influenced by the environment, where hybrids in the rainy season consistently had higher heterosis than those in the dry season for each trait observed. Both hybrid groups derived from tropical × tropical and tropical × temperate inducers showed taller plants, larger ear size, and higher seed sets than the corresponding parents. However, their HIRs were still below the standard check of BHI306. The implications of genetic information, combining ability, and inbred-GCA and inbred-hybrid relationships on breeding strategies are discussed.

Correlates of breakthrough Omicron (B.1.1.529) infections in a prospective cohort of vaccinated patients with rheumatic diseases.

Data on the effectiveness of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines and the durability of protection against the prevalent Omicron variant are scarce, especially in patients with autoimmune rheumatic diseases (AIRDs). Hence, we prospectively studied Omicron breakthrough infections in patients with AIRDs and attempted to isolate associated risk factors. Patients with AIRDs who had completed primary vaccination with either AZD1222 or BBV152 vaccines were included and prospectively followed up from January 2022 onwards for the development of breakthrough Omicron infections. The time interval from the last event [2nd dose of vaccination (V) or past COVID-19 infection (I) whichever was later] to Omicron infection was recorded. Patients were divided based on the events and their order of occurrence into V + V, V + I, I + V, V + I + V, and V + V + I groups. The incidence of breakthrough infections and their predictors were studied with a focus on the vaccine type and hybrid (H) immunity (vaccinated individuals with a history of COVID-19 infection). We included 907 patients with AIRDs (53.5 ± 11.7years and a male-to-female ratio of 1:5.1), and the majority of patients had received AZD1222 (755, 83.2%). Breakthrough infections were observed in 158 of 907(17.4%) of which 97 (10.4%) were confirmed by RT-PCR. Breakthrough infections were significantly greater in the V versus the H group (15.7% and 3.5%, log-rank test, p = < 0.01). Among the hybrid group, the order of infection and vaccination had no bearing on the risk of breakthrough infections. On multivariate analysis, breakthrough infections were significantly lesser in the H versus the V group [HR: 0.2(0.1-0.4); p = 0.01]. The risk of breakthrough Omicron infections in fully vaccinated patients with AIRDs was 17.4% with a significantly lower risk in patients with hybrid immunity.

Constructing high-efficiency aggregation-induced delayed fluorescence molecules and OLEDs applying C-H···N hydrogen bond manipulation strategy

Thermally activated delayed fluorescent materials with aggregation-induced emission (AIE) feature have shown great potential applications in organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs). In this work, three donor-acceptor molecules including PM-DMSFAC, Trz-DMSFAC, and PYPM-DMSFAC were constructed using dimethyl spiro-fluorene acridine as electron donor, while pyrimidine, triazine, and pyrimidine-pyridine hybrid groups with multiple C–H···N hydrogen bonds were respectively chosen as the acceptor units. There is a large dihedral angle between donor and acceptor, which facilitates the three molecules with efficient reverse intersystem crossing, and meanwhile the large steric hindrance endows them with AIE property. In comparison with PM-DMSFAC, an extra nitrogen atom is added in Trz-DMSFAC and PYPM-DMSFAC, making them more electronegative and exhibiting more intramolecular and intermolecular C–H···N interactions, which result in more stable molecular structures and higher PLQYs. When adopted to construct OLEDs, Trz-DMSFAC and PYPM-DMSFAC devices exhibit significantly improved efficiency. Importantly, Trz-DMSFAC afforded the best device performances with a maximum external quantum efficiency of 21.7% for non-doped OLED and 32.6% for doped device.

Effect of Clove Powder Syzygium aromaticum Supplementation on Growth and Health Status of Cantang Grouper (Epinephelus fuscoguttatus ♀ × Epinephelus lanceolatus ♂) in Floating Net Cage

Cantang grouper is a hybrid grouper which is one of the main grouper species cultivated in Indonesia. This study aimed to evaluate the growth and health status of cantang grouper in floating net cages supplemented with clove powder. This study used a completely randomized design with three treatments, each with three replications. Two levels of clove powder dose used were 10 and 15 g kg-1 and one treatment without clove powder dose (control). Feed treatment using the repelletting method. Parameters observed were growth, survival rate, levels of malondialdehyde and superoxide dismutase enzyme, blood parameters, phagocity activity, total bacterial count (TBC) and total vibrio count (TVC). The results showed that the treatment of clove powder supplementation in cantang grouper feed for 30 days was able to increase the growth, survival rate, activity of the enzyme superoxide dismutase (SOD), and differential leukocyte (lymphocyte). The application of clove powder in the feed did not significantly affect the total erythrocytes, leukocytes, hematocrit, phagocytic activity, total bacterial count (TBC) and total vibrio count (TVC) of hybrid grouper in floating net cages. The conclusion of this study, administration of clove powder at a dose of 15 g kg-1 feed was able to significantly increased growth, differential leukocyte (lymphocyte), and survival rate of cantang grouper in floating net cages.

Screening of host gut-derived probiotics and effects of feeding probiotics on growth, immunity, and antioxidant enzyme activity of hybrid grouper (Epinephelus fuscoguttatus♀ × E. lanceolatus♂)

In recent years, the widespread use of antibiotics in intensive grouper mariculture has resulted in the ineffectiveness of antibiotic treatment, leading to an increasing incidence of diseases caused by bacteria, viruses, and parasites, causing serious economic losses. Hence, it is crucial to develop alternative strategies to antibiotics for healthy and sustainable development of the mariculture industry. Here, we aimed to screen host gut-derived probiotics and evaluate its effects on growth and immunity of grouper. In this study, 43 bacterial strains were isolated from the intestine of the hybrid grouper (Epinephelus fuscoguttatus♀ × E. lanceolatus♂), and a potential probiotic strain G1-26, which can efficiently secrete amylase, protease, and lipase, was obtained using different screening mediums. Based on 16S rDNA sequencing, the potential probiotic strain G1-26 was identified as Vibrio fluvialis. The results of a biological characteristic evaluation showed that V. fluvialis G1-26 could grow at 25–45 °C, pH 5.5–7.5, salinity 10–40, and bile salt concentration 0–0.030%, and produce amylase, lipase, and protease under different culture conditions. Additionally, V. fluvialis G1-26 is sensitive to many antibiotics and does not exhibit aquatic biotoxicity. Subsequently, hybrid groupers were fed diets containing V. fluvialis G1-26 at different concentrations (0, 106, 108, and 1010 CFU/g) for 60 d. The results showed that V. fluvialis G1-26 at 108 CFU/g did not significantly affect the growth performance of the hybrid grouper (P > 0.05). V. fluvialis G1-26 supplementation at 108 and 1010 CFU/g significantly promoted the relative expression of immune-related genes in hybrid groupers (TLR3, TLR5, IL-1β, IL-8, IL-10, CTL, LysC, TNF-2, and MHC-2) and improved the activities of alkaline phosphatase, acid phosphatase, total superoxide dismutase, and total protein in the liver. In conclusion, V. fluvialis G1-26, a potential probiotic strain isolated from the intestine of the hybrid grouper, can be used as an effective immunopotentiator at an optimal dose of 108 CFU/g diet. Our results provide a scientific basis for the development and utilization of probiotics in the grouper mariculture industry.

Optimal Dietary Protein/Energy Ratio and Phosphorus Level on Water Quality and Output for a Hybrid Grouper (Epinephelus lanceolatus ♂ × Epinephelus fuscoguttatus ♀) Recirculating Aquaculture System

In a recirculating aquaculture system (RAS), feed is critical to the growth of fish and is the main source of nutrient pollutants in aquaculture water. An eight-week feeding trial was conducted to investigate the role of feed on the growth efficiency of hybrid grouper (Epinephelus lanceolatus ♂ × Epinephelus fuscoguttatus ♀) and water quality in a RAS. Five commercial feeds with different respective dietary protein/energy (P/E) ratios and available phosphorus levels were selected (LNLP, 31.97 g/MJ, 0.96%; LNMP, 32.11 g/MJ, 1.54%; MNLP, 36.26 g/MJ, 0.98%; MNMP, 36.53 g/MJ, 1.58%; and HNP, 41.54 g/MJ, 1.97%). The results showed that HNP had the highest growth efficiency and MNLP provided the best economic benefit. The trend in water quality within 6 h after feeding was similar among the five groups. The relative concentrations of ammonia nitrogen, total nitrogen, active phosphate, and total phosphorus reached a maximum 2 h after feeding, and the relative concentration of nitrite reached a maximum 1 h after feeding. The high P/E ratio feed increased the concentrations of total ammonia nitrogen and nitrite nitrogen. The total ammonia nitrogen concentration in HNP was much higher than those in the other treatments. The dietary P/E ratio had no significant effect on total nitrogen concentration. High dietary phosphorus levels increased the total phosphorus concentration in the water, but no significant effect on the active phosphate concentration was observed. Considering the growth efficiency, economic benefit, and water quality, it can be concluded that MNLP is the most suitable feed for RAS breeding hybrid grouper. The results of this study supplement the gap on the effects of feed on RAS water quality and provide data support for the sustainable development of RAS industry.

Comparative Analysis of Endovascular Repair of Single-Branched Stent-Graft and Hybrid Procedure for Patients With Type B Acute Aortic Dissection Involving the Left Subclavian Artery

Purpose: Thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) with left subclavian artery (LSA) revascularization has been used in patients with type B aortic dissection (TBAD), with inadequate proximal landing zone (PLZ). The outcomes of comparisons between TEVAR and hybrid procedure on patients with TBAD, with inadequate PLZ, are rarely reported. This study sought to compare and clarify the early and midterm outcomes between TEVAR and hybrid procedure in patients with TBAD, with inadequate PLZ. Materials and Methods: Between January 2019 and December 2021, 93 patients with TBAD, with inadequate PLZ, who underwent TEVAR or hybrid procedure, were retrospectively evaluated in Beijing Anzhen hospital. Demographics, comorbidities, preoperative imaging features, periprocedural details, and follow-up outcomes were analyzed. Survival was analyzed according to Kaplan–Meier method. Results: TEVAR procedures were performed on 41 patients (TEVAR group) and hybrid procedures on 52 patients (hybrid group). Early events, 30 day mortality, and all-cause mortality, were not significantly different between the 2 groups. However, patients receiving TEVAR had significantly shorter procedure time (p<0.001), hospital stay (p<0.001), and intensive care unit (ICU) stay (p=0.001) compared with those in the hybrid group. Patients receiving TEVAR had significantly lower midterm events (p=0.014) and re-intervention (p=0.015) compared with those in the hybrid group. Conclusion: The study indicated that TEVAR with LSA revascularization for TBAD with inadequate PLZ is associated with a trend toward lower rates of midterm events, while the early and midterm mortalities were comparable with those in hybrid procedure. Clinical Impact This study is novel as it compared the outcomes between thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) and hybrid procedure in patients with type B aortic dissection (TBAD), with inadequate proximal landing zone, which has been rarely reported previously. We believe that our study makes a significant contribution to the literature because it is clinically relevant as it demonstrated that TEVAR with left subclavian artery (LSA) revascularization for TBAD with inadequate proximal landing zone is associated with a trend toward lower rates of mid-term events, while the early and mid-term mortalities were comparable with those in the hybrid procedure.

Internal and International Migration and the Mental Health of “Left-Behind” Older Parents

Despite evidence of the impact of adult children's migration on left-behind older parents, the comparison of left-behind older parents’ mental health and psychological well-being between internal and international migration is limited. This article examines how the relationship between adult children's migration and parent's mental health differs according to the migrant's destination — only internal migration, only international migration, or hybrid migration (at least one child who migrated internally and at least one child who migrated internationally). Drawing on a 2019 cross-sectional population-based survey of 697 left-behind older adults (≥ 60 years) in Nepal, we assessed the mental health of older parents, using the 21-item Depression Anxiety Stress Scales and a range of socio-demographic, health, lifestyle, and child-related characteristics. Multilevel mixed-method linear regression was performed to examine the effect of adult children's migration on left-behind older parents’ depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms. Results showed that parents whose children had all migrated internationally were at higher risk of mental health problems, particularly anxiety and stress, compared to parents whose children had all migrated internally. Older parents from the hybrid group (having both internal and international migrant adult children) had higher levels of anxiety, compared to parents whose children had all migrated internally, with no significant difference in depression and stress symptoms. Further, mothers of internationally migrated children were at higher risk of mental health symptoms than fathers. Interventions aiming to improve left-behind older parents’ mental health and psychological well-being should specifically target parents whose children have migrated internationally.

John N. Insall Award: Randomized Clinical Trial of Cementless Versus Cemented Tibial Components: Durable and Reliable at a Mean 10-Years Follow-Up

BackgroundCementless fixation is gaining popularity for primary total knee arthroplasties (TKAs). The prior 5-year results of our randomized clinical trial that included 3 different tibial designs found minimal differences. The purpose of the current study was to investigate the 10-year results in the same cohort. MethodsBetween 2003 and 2006, 389 primary TKAs were randomized: traditional modular cemented tibia (135); hybrid (cemented baseplate with uncemented pegs) monoblock tibia (128); and cementless monoblock tibia (126). Implant survivorships, radiographs, and clinical outcomes were analyzed. Mean age at TKA was 68 years (range, 41 to 85), 46% were male, and mean body mass index was 32 (range, 21 to 59). The mean follow-up was 10 years. ResultsThe 10-year survivorship free of any revision was similar between the hybrid monoblock and cementless monoblock groups at 96%, but lower (89%) for the traditional modular cemented tibia (P = .05). The traditional modular cemented tibia group had significantly more revisions for aseptic tibial loosening than the other 2 groups (7 versus 0%) at 10 years (P = .003). The traditional modular cemented tibia group had significantly more nonprogressive radiolucent lines than the hybrid and cementless monoblock groups (24, 12, and 9%, respectively). Clinical outcomes were similar and excellent between all 3 groups. ConclusionCementless and hybrid monoblock tibial components have excellent implant survivorship (96%) with no cases of aseptic tibial loosening to date. The traditional cemented modular tibial group had a 7% cumulative incidence of aseptic loosening at 10 years. Level of EvidenceLevel I, Prospective Randomized Control Trial.

Effects of different cardiopulmonary resuscitation education interventions among university students: A randomized controlled trial.

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) education for the public may improve bystander intention to perform CPR on cardiac arrest patients. Studies have shown that different CPR education intervention methods can improve learning performance, with key indicators including attitude toward to CPR, intention to perform CPR, and degree of CPR knowledge and skills. The present study compared the traditional face-to-face method to hybrid and virtual reality (VR) methods to observe difference in learning performance and length of performance retention. This study adopted randomized controlled trial to compare CPR learning performance between traditional face-to-face, hybrid, and VR methods. Participants from each intervention group completed a pretest and 2 posttests. The measurement tools included an attitude and intention questionnaire, knowledge examination, and skill examination with a RESUSCI ANNE QCPR ® manikin. The performance among all participants in pretest showed no significant difference between the intervention groups, indicating no difference in their background attitude, knowledge, and skill level. Significant differences were observed in the average degree of intention to perform CPR between the hybrid and traditional groups in 1st and 2nd posttest. Compared to the pretest results, the posttests revealed significantly higher attitude toward CPR, intention to perform CPR, knowledge examination results, accuracy of overall chest compression, accuracy of CPR procedure, accuracy of AED usage, accuracy of chest compression rate, and accuracy of chest compression depth. The average time to reattending CPR learning and practice session was 11-12 weeks reported by participants. The hybrid and VR methods to CPR education resulted in the same level of improvement in learning performance as traditional face-to-face teaching. The suggested frequency for renewing CPR knowledge and skills is 12 weeks which may be considered in new strategies aimed at promoting CPR education and exposure to the public.

Dietary L-carnitine supplementation for heat stressed juvenile pearl gentian grouper(Epinephelusllanolatus (Epinephelus♂×Epinephelusfuscoguttatus♀): Effects on the antioxidant enzyme, survival, and gene expression

The effects of increasing dietary inclusion levels of L-carnitine at 0 (control group) 200, 400, 600, 1200, 1400, and 1600 mg/kg were evaluated in juvenile hybrid groupers exposed to heat shock stress. The feeding trial was conducted for eight weeks. After the feeding trial, hybrid groupers were subjected to a heat stress test for an hour at a temperature of 36 °C to determine the influence of the treatments on survival, biochemical parameters, and gene expression. The results of the current study showed that the survival rate of hybrid grouper was low in fish fed the control diet. A large number of survivors were observed in the treatment group with 400 mg/kg L-carnitine supplementation (LC 400), obtaining the highest survival rate. Heat stress decreased (P < 0.05) the activities of alkaline phosphatase and acid phosphatase in the control group but was increased in fish fed the LC 400 diet. Additionally, in the LC 400 treatment, malondialdehyde content decreased considerably (P < 0.05) compared to LC0. Hybrid grouper exposed to a high temperature of 36 °C for 1 h without L-carnitine (LC0, control group) supplementation showed the most increased Aspartate Aminotransferase activity (2.04 U L−1). Additionally, the LC 400 group reached the maximal value for the expressions of genes in the PPARs (peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors) signaling pathway, which showed a tendency of downregulation and, subsequently, up-regulation. The gene expression of FAS (fatty acid synthase) was discovered upstream and downstream (P < 0.05). The lowest mRNA level was found in the lowest L-carnitine supplementation treatment (200 mg/kg). A CPT-1 (carnitine palmitoyltransferase) that controls fatty acid oxidation showed upstream and downstream activity in response to increasing doses of L-carnitine supplementation. Our findings showed that dietary supplementation with L-carnitine 400 mg/kg reduced heat stress-related mortality and oxidative damage by enhancing the survival and oxidative enzymes of grouper, which provides a nutritional method of minimizing the consequences of heat exposure.

Effects of feeding regimes and dietary energy on the production performance, plasma immune parameters and expression of genes involved in the TOR/S6K1 pathway of juvenile hybrid grouper (Epinephelus fuscoguttatus ♀ × Epinephelus lanceolatus ♂)

The aim of this research was to assess the effects of different feeding regimes on growth performance, plasma immune indices and related genes' expression of hybrid grouper (Epinephelus fuscoguttatus ♀ × Epinephelus lanceolatus ♂) juveniles fed two dietary energy levels. A 3 × 2 factorial experiment was designed including three feeding regimes (two meals a day, one meal a day, one meal every two days; designated as 2 M, 1 M, 2DM) and two dietary available energy levels (3.4 and 3.6 kcal/g; designated as E3.4, E3.6), with three replicates per treatment. Juvenile hybrid grouper (average initial body weight: 19.39 ± 0.04 g/fish) were cultured for 6 weeks in 18 floating cages (125 cm × 80 cm × 40 cm) placed in six concrete ponds sharing the same water source. Results revealed that the 2 M and 1 M treatments had significantly higher weight gain rate (WGR), protein efficiency ratio (PER), expression of hepatic IGF-1, TOR, and S6K1 than the 2DM treatment (P < 0.05), whereas feed conversion ratio (FCR) displayed an opposite trend (P < 0.05). No significant differences in the above parameters were found between the 2 M and 1 M groups. As the feeding frequency decreased, the total feed intake (FI) per fish was significantly reduced (P < 0.05), while feed intake per meal (FIM), stomachic index (SI) and expression of hypothalamus agouti related neuropeptide (AgRP) were significantly increased (P < 0.05). The 2 M treatment supported higher plasma lysozyme contents than the 1 M and 2DM treatments (P < 0.05). The E3.6 treatment had higher intraperitoneal fat ratio and intestinosomatic index, but lower plasma lysozyme and immunoglobulin M contents than the E3.4 treatment (P < 0.05). Based on our results, a feeding regime of two meals/day of a diet containing 3.4 kcal DE/g of dry matter is recommended for the culture of juvenile hybrid grouper with an initial size of 19.39 g.

A similarity-enhanced hybrid group recommendation approach in cloud manufacturing systems

With the development of cloud manufacturing (CMfg), a huge amount of services appears on the Internet, which makes recommender systems in CMfg service a promising research field. To this end, recent studies mainly focus on solving individual recommendation to meet the requirements of every user. However, due to the time complexity problem, ‘Many-to-Many’ recommendation mode is increasing in real applications. To implement such a group recommendation is very challenging, because the system not only needs to achieve high recommendation quality but also satisfies user clusters in an even way. Therefore, we propose a similarity-enhanced hybrid group recommendation approach named HGRA for cloud manufacturing. Specifically, we implement the HGRA system by three main components. Firstly, an enhanced user similarity measuring approach is designed to identify a similar user group based on the non-linear model Proximity-Significance-Singularity (PSS) and Kullback-Leibler (KL) distance algorithms. Secondly, a set of user subgroups are further clustered using K-medoids algorithm, in which additional information similarity is calculated by making full use of functional information about the users. Thirdly, a weighted ranking aggregation model is established to generate a recommendation list according to the representative user of each subgroup. The performance of our system is tested by two data sets from real-world cloud manufacturing systems. The experimental results demonstrate the feasible and effectiveness of our approach, compared with some state-of-the-art benchmark solutions, especially in CMfg systems.

Comparison of the effects of different rapid maxillary expansion techniques on craniofacial structures: a finite element analysis study

AimTo compare the effects of three different maxillary expansion appliances with five different types of expansion modalities on stress distribution and displacement on the maxilla and its adjacent craniofacial structures using the finite element method (FEM).Materials and methodsCone-beam computed tomography data of a patient with maxillary transverse deficiency were rendered into a three-dimensional model of craniomaxillary structures. The expansion appliances included tooth-borne, hybrid, and bone-borne expanders. Five different expansion modalities were applied to each expander [conventional Rapid Maxillary Expansion (RME) (type 1), midpalatal suture cortico-puncture-assisted RME (type 2), LeFort l cortico-puncture-assisted RME (type 3), surgically assisted RME (SARME) without pterygomaxillary junction (PMJ) separation (type 4), and SARME with bilateral PMJ separation (type 5)]. The numerical and visual data were analyzed.ResultsThe highest amount of stress accumulation on teeth was found in the tooth-borne and hybrid groups. On the other hand, more stress concentration on the maxilla was observed in the bone-borne group. SARME cuts with PMJ separation increased total movement by reducing the stress on the midpalatal suture in all groups. While types 1, 2, and 3 were similar in terms of the amounts of displacement, types 4 and 5 increased the total amount of displacement in all groups. The total amounts of displacements from the highest value to the lowest value for the anterior and posterior maxilla were in the bone-borne, tooth-borne, and hybrid groups.ConclusionsSARME cuts were effective in reducing stress on the teeth, but the cortico-puncture application affected neither the stress values on the teeth nor the transverse displacement in the tooth-borne expanders. Surgical procedures such as SARME and corticotomy should be used with bone-borne devices to improve the outcomes of maxillary expansion procedures.

Reproductive and Agronomic Characterization of Novel Apomictic Hybrids of Paspalum (Poaceae).

The tetraploid germplasm of Paspalum contains a large diversity that can be used to generate better forages. The objective was to evaluate a group of Paspalum notatum and Paspalum simplex apomictic hybrids for a set of agronomic traits and apomixis expressivity. Forage yield, cold tolerance, winter regrowth, and seed yield were evaluated. The expressivity of apomixis was evaluated in P. simplex hybrids by flow cytometry. Progeny testing with molecular markers was used to determine the genotypic variability in the progeny. Differences within P. notatum and P. simplex hybrids were observed for all traits, and some of them were superior in comparison with the controls. The accumulated forage yield during three years was 988 g m-2 in the P. notatum hybrids, whereas, in P. simplex, the average forage yield per harvest (40 days of regrowth) was 180 g m-2. In P. simplex, the apomixis expressivity varied between 0 and 100%, and 65% of the hybrids showed high apomixis expressivity (superior to 70%). The genotypic mean homogeneity in the progeny was 76% and 85% in P. notatum and P. simplex, respectively. The generation of hybrids with high apomixis expressivity that combine good agronomic performance and homogeneity in the offspring is possible in tetraploid P. notatum and P. simplex.

Effect of The Combination of Kefa Forest Honey and Euphorbia hirta as a Curative agent of Vibrio alginolyticus in the Hybrid Grouper Epinephelus fuscoguttatus

Kefa forest honey and Euphorbia hirta have an antibacterial effect against pathogenic bacteria in fish. This work investigated the combination of honey and E. hirta against Vibrio alginolitycus in the hybrid grouper Epinephelus fuscoguttatus. The active ingredients and antibacterial activity of Kefa forest honey and E. hirta were tested in vitro at different concentrations using the disk method. The experimental animals were injected with V. alginolitycus suspension at a concentration of 106 cells ml−1/fish. After the fish showed symptoms of infection, the treatment was carried out for 5 consecutive days by immersion in the mixture of 25% Kefa honey and E. hirta at different concentrations of honey and E. hirta combinations. After treatment, the fish were monitored for 7 days. During the study, observations on hematology and clinical symptoms were made. The results showed that the combination of Kefa honey and E. hirta had antibacterial activity against V. alginolitycus in vitro and in vivo can increase the hematological profile of grouper and alleviate clinical symptoms due to V. alginolitycus infection. The results showed that administration of a combination Kefa forest honey and E. hirta was effective as a cure for V. alginolyticus infection in grouper.

Abstract P147: A Community-Based, Heart-Healthy Lifestyle-Promoting Program Using Hybrid Behavioral Strategies: Study Protocol of a Three-Group Randomized Controlled Trial

Introduction: A hybrid intervention of online and offline behavioral strategies can be more effective in promoting multiple lifestyle behaviors than online strategies alone. However, little is known about the effects of hybrid behavioral strategies on the modification of multiple heart-healthy lifestyle behaviors in cardiovascular health. The present study aims to evaluate the effects of a community-based, heart-healthy lifestyle-promoting program (i.e., HeartHELP program) using hybrid behavioral strategies on heart-healthy lifestyle outcomes for individuals at cardiovascular risk. Hypothesis: We assessed three hypotheses: 1) a mobile-app group would be more likely to increase heart-healthy behavioral outcomes than a control group 2) a hybrid group would be more likely to increase heart-healthy behavioral outcomes than the control group 3) the hybrid group would be more likely to increase heart-healthy behavioral outcomes than the mobile-app group. Methods: The present study is a three-arm, parallel group, randomized controlled trial (clinical trial No. ISRCTN83643383) with assessments carried out at baseline and after a 12-week HeartHELP program. We will recruit 75 participants, each having at least one component of metabolic syndrome, in a community-based setting. The participants will be allocated to one of the following three study arms by age- and gender-stratified block randomization: (1) a hybrid group (n = 25), (2) a mobile-app group (n = 25), or (3) a control group (n = 25). The hybrid group will receive a “HeartHELP program” with hybrid strategies: (1) mobile-app use as an online strategy and (2) motivational interviewing counselling as an offline strategy. The mobile-app group will receive the online strategy exclusively. The control group will receive a brochure that will include information on cardiovascular health. The mobile-app use involves receiving text messages, self-monitoring six heart-healthy lifestyle behaviors, and receiving feedback text messages based on behavioral outcomes obtained from self-monitoring. The motivational interviewing counselling includes customized individual and group counseling based on motivational interviewing principle. At baseline and after 12 weeks, a battery of heart-healthy behavioral outcomes will be measured. The primary outcome will comprise heart-healthy behavioral practices; the secondary outcomes will be heart-healthy knowledge, heart-healthy motivation, heart-healthy self-efficacy, and cardiometabolic biomarkers (i.e., fasting glucose, total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, and triglycerides). In conclusion, we expect the community-based HeartHELP program to provide significant data findings on how heart-healthy behavioral practices can be improved, along with other cardiometabolic biomarkers.