Percent Contribution Research Articles

Age and length characteristics of female and male Walleye broodstock collected at a spawning operation

AbstractObjectiveThe need to augment of Walleye Sander vitreus populations may increase as these populations face challenges of changing habitats and climatic conditions. Since little has been published outside of agency reports on wild broodstocks, the intent of this study was to describe sex‐specific Walleye spawning participation from a Great Plains broodstock operation. Specific objectives will assess standardization to collect target number of broodstock effort, catch per unit effort, and length and age participation of female and male broodstock.MethodsWalleye were collected at Sherman Reservoir, Nebraska, during April spawn collection operations from 2015 to 2019. Gill nets were used to collect female Walleye, and boat electrofishing was used to collect male Walleye. Catch per effort was calculated for each sex, fish were measured to nearest 1‐cm length‐group, and a dorsal spine was taken from a subset of fish per length‐group. Mean lengths and ages were calculated for each year of the study. Data were combined for all years of the project to display percent contribution by length and age.ResultThe amount of effort to capture 100 female and male Walleye varied by 4× and 2.5×, respectively, over the 5 years of sampling. Mean lengths and ages (±SE) of female (65 ± 1 cm; 10.4 ± 0.1 years) and male (43 ± 1 cm; 6.3 ± 0.1 years) Walleye collected were consistent during this study. The female Walleye collected represented 14 different ages, but ages 9–12 comprised 66% of all captured broodstock. The collected male Walleye also demonstrated age‐compressed spawning tendencies, with ages 4–7 accounting for 74% of collected individuals that represented 13 different ages.ConclusionThese results can define the anticipated variability in catch that can be expected at broodstock collection operations along with connection to specific lengths and ages of Walleye. Additionally, recognition that female and male Walleye broodstock contributions are consistently coming from four specific ages that are not the same year‐classes may allow spawning operation staff to anticipate brood availability and ultimately improve the planning efficiency of these operations.

Palawan Peacock Pheasant (Polyplectron Napoleonis) Species Distribution Modeling: A Review of the Impact of Typhoon Rai/Odette on the Diversity and Distribution of an Endemic Bird Species

This study quantified the habitat requirements and, consequently, described the remaining suitable habitats through species distribution modeling of Polyplectron napoleonis within Cleopatra’s Needle Forest Reserve and Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park after the onslaught of Typhoon Odette in the Palawan region. This was accomplished using MaxEnt software, a statistical machine-learning algorithm that creates niche models with presence-only (PO) data and surrounding environmental variables (Dudik et al., 2007; Merow et al., 2013). Previous studies have identified precipitation, elevation, and land cover as the top environmental variables influencing tandikan habitat suitability, as revealed by their percent contributions. There were earlier claims of the noticeable movement of habitat-suitable areas to the fringes and beyond Cleopatra's Needle Forest Reserve. The migration seems to be going towards highland forests. Two factors could be behind this migration: the tandikan are responding to climate change or avoiding human disturbance. As this species is known to have a high tolerance for temperature change, the latter could be the more plausible factor. For 2022, post-Odette, MaxEnt analysis revealed a shift of percent contributions with elevation and land cover classification outranking aspect and slope. Environmental layers were limited to four, as these were the only currently available data. This shift in percent contributions could be linked to the direct damage to forests brought by the Typhoon in December of 2021. The land cover map generated for this year has shown large areas of forests that were converted into non-forests. Conservation efforts, therefore, for the tandikan, a forest species, should be recalibrated in response to this current development. Further, measures to mitigate the impact of solid typhoons on forests should be reviewed and evaluated.

Effect of Eighteen Years of Continuous Crop Residue Application on Crop Yields, Soil P Fractions, and Crop P Uptake in Conservation Tillage Under Semi-Arid Tropical Rainfed Conditions

The continuous use of crop residue in soil can enhance the crop yield and potential availability and mobility of P fractions to crops in conservation tillage. A field experiment was conducted to assess the long-term effects of surface crop residue applications on soil P fractions and their relationship with P uptake and crop yields. Field experiment was conducted at ICAR-Central Research Institute for Dryland Agriculture, Hyderabad, India during 2005 to 2022. The experimental treatments applied were: T1 - no crop residue application, T2 - application of crop residue @ 2 t ha-1, T3 - application of crop residue @ 4 t ha-1, and T4 - application of crop residue @ 6 t ha-1 in conservation tillage. The test crops viz. sorghum (Sorghum vulgare) and cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) were grown in a yearly rotation every year in the kharif season in conservation tillage. The results of the long-term study revealed that the per cent increase in sorghum (Sorghum vulgare) grain yield with the application of crop residue at the rate of 2, 4 and 6 t crop residue ha-1was to the tune of 7.9, 16.1 and 26.0%, respectively over no crop residue application. Similarly, the per cent increase in the cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) seed yield was to the extent of 25.2, 43.0 and 64.1% in 2, 4 and 6 t ha-1, respectively over no crop residue application. The sorghum and cowpea stover yield also significantly (p=0.05%) increased with the added levels of the crop residue. Significantly higher P uptake by sorghum and cowpea was recorded in 6 t crop residue ha-1 as compared to the other crop residue treatments. Results of the current study also showed the significant positive response of long-term crop residue application on the P fractions viz., water-soluble phosphorus (WS-P), aluminum bound P (Al-P), iron bound P (Fe-P), calcium bound P (Ca-P) and reductant soluble P (RS-P), and on available P and total P in soil as compared to no crop residue application. The average percent contribution of P fractions toward the sum-total of extracted P was in the order: Fe-P (30.8%)>RS-P (30.7%)>Al-P (24.2%)>Ca-P (9.4%)>WS-P (4.8%). The WS-P and Al-P were found to be the P fractions indicating their specificity by cowpea crop, and WS-P and Ca-P were found to be P fractions indicating their specificity by sorghum crop. The results of the present study will be highly useful in understanding the effect of crop residue application in conservation tillage on the P fractions and their contribution toward P uptake and crop yields.

Compositional analysis of invertebrate communities in Raja Ampat conservation zones using environmental DNA (eDNA)

Raja Ampat conservation area is divided into three zones: the core zone, the tourism zone, and the open zone. This region is crucial for sustainable fisheries and environmental management, yet it is under significant anthropogenic pressure. Accurate species detection is essential for inventory and diversity surveys, and environmental DNA (eDNA) methods have been shown to be more effective than conventional techniques. This study aimed to evaluate whether V9 primers could detect multispecies invertebrate compositions, assess community structure and contributions within each zone, and identify significant differences in invertebrate diversity among the zones. A total of 66 eDNA samples were collected from water and sediment columns across the three zones. Samples were extracted using the NucleoSpin™ kit (Macherey-Nagel) protocol, amplified with universal eukaryote primers targeting the 18S gene, and sequenced using Illumina MiSeq. Taxonomic analysis was performed using QIIME2 software and the SILVA database. The study identified 19 invertebrate species. The Shannon-Wiener (H') and Simpson (D) indices revealed greater species diversity in the core zone compared to the tourism and open zones. However, the Kruskal-Wallis test indicated no significant differences in species diversity across the zones. SIMPER analysis demonstrated a high percent contribution of species in each zone. This study highlights the effectiveness of eDNA methods for biodiversity assessment and offers valuable insights into invertebrate community structures within the Raja Ampat conservation area.

Unexpected changes in source apportioned results derived from different ambient VOC metrics

Although most source apportionments of VOCs use mixing ratios, about 23 % of published studies use mass concentrations. Thus, systematically exploring the changes in VOC source apportioned results caused by metric differences is important to assess the differences in key precursor apportionment results given the observed increases in O3 pollution situation. Different monitoring instruments measured hourly VOC volumetric concentrations in three typical Chinese cities (i.e., Qingdao, Shijiazhuang, and Zhumadian). Converting volumetric to mass concentrations under standard and/or actual temperature–pressure conditions, VOC values with different metrics were obtained. The impacts of different metrics on the source apportionments were then investigated. Compared to the positive matrix factorization of the volumetric data (VC-PMF), the VOC species concentrations with low relative molecular mass (RMM) in the factor profiles substantially decreased in mass data analyses (MC-PMF). However, those species with high RMM substantially increased. There were no substantial differences in the apportioned source contributions based on standard and actual condition mass concentrations. However, the high-low rankings of percent contributions apportioned using the volumetric and mass data produced substantial differences. Compared with the VC-PMF results, the percent contributions of sources dominated by species with low RMM (e.g., natural gas usage and mixed sources containing natural gas usage) apportioned by MC-PMF decreased, while those of sources that emitted high RMM species (e.g., solvent usage and mixed sources containing solvent usage) increased. Source apportionments based on the volumetric concentration data had more practical significance compared to the mass concentration data results for control strategy development since the mass data analyses created issues.

Climate Change Threatens Barringtonia racemosa: Conservation Insights from a MaxEnt Model

Barringtonia racemosa (L.) Spreng. (Lecythidaceae), a crucial species in mangrove ecosystems, is facing endangerment primarily due to habitat loss. To address this issue, research is imperative to identify suitable conservation habitats for the endangered B. racemosa within mangrove ecosystems. The utilization of the optimized Maximum Entropy (MaxEnt) model has been instrumental in predicting potential suitable regions based on global distribution points and environmental variables under current and future climates conditions. The study revealed that the potential distribution area of B. racemosa closely aligns with its existing range with an Area Under the Curve (AUC) greater than 0.95. The Jackknife, AUC, percent contribution (PC), and permutation importance (PI) tests were employed alongside the optimized MaxEnt model to examine the influence of environmental variables on the distribution of B. racemosa. The primary factors identified as significant predictors of B. racemosa distribution included the average temperature of the ocean surface (Temperature), average salinity of the ocean surface (Salinity), precipitation of the warmest quarter (Bio18), precipitation of the driest month (Bio14), seasonal variation coefficient of temperature (Bio4), and isothermality (Bio3). Currently, the habitat range of B. racemosa is predominantly found in tropical and subtropical coastal regions near the equator. The total suitable habitat area measures 246.03 km2, with high, medium, low, and unsuitable areas covering 3.90 km2, 8.57 km2, 16.94 km2, and 216.63 km2, respectively. These areas represent 1.58%, 3.48%, 6.88%, and 88.05% of the total habitat area, respectively. The potential distribution area of B. racemosa demonstrated significant variations under three climate scenarios (SSP126, SSP245, and SSP585), particularly in Asia, Africa, and Oceania. Both low and high suitable areas experienced a slight increase in distribution. In summary, the research suggests that B. racemosa primarily flourishes in coastal regions of tropical and subtropical areas near the equator, with temperature and precipitation playing a significant role in determining its natural range. This study offers important implications for the preservation and control of B. racemosa amidst habitat degradation and climate change threats. Through a comprehensive understanding of the specific habitat needs of B. racemosa and the implementation of focused conservation measures, efforts can be made to stabilize and rejuvenate its populations in their natural environment.

Water Absorption Behavior of Date Palm Fruit Branches Fiber (DPF) Composites: Experimental and Statistical Analyses

ABSTRACT The environmental effects on the response of Date Palm Fiber (DPF) composites are explored through an in-depth analysis of water absorption behavior. This study comprehensively investigates the influence of fiber content, immersion time, and water type on mass gain. Rigorous experimentation and advanced statistical analyses quantify the percent contribution of each factor, emphasizing the dominant role of fiber content at 96.61%. While immersion time and water type contribute relatively smaller percentages (2.11% and 1.28%, respectively), their insights are invaluable for tailored composite design. The study extends to interaction effects, showcasing the combined influence of factors. Regression models, progressing from linear and reciprocal formulations to comprehensive global models, are developed. Meticulous examination of prediction accuracy, using diverse statistical metrics, highlights the superior performance of the global reciprocal model across different water types. This work provides essential insights for optimizing DPF composite design, fabrication, and application, empowering engineers and researchers to make informed decisions in industries demanding tailored water absorption behavior.

Spatio-temporal distribution and source contributions of the ambient pollutants in Lucknow city, India.

Clean air is imperative to the survival of all life forms on the planet. However, recent times have witnessed enormous escalation in urban pollution levels. It is therefore, incumbent upon us to decipher measures to deal with it. In perspective, the present study was carried out to assess PM10 and PM2.5 loading, metallic constituents, gaseous pollutants, source contributions, health impact and noise level of nine-locations, grouped as residential, commercial, and industrial in Lucknow city for 2019-21. Mean concentrations during pre-monsoon for PM10, PM2.5, SO2 and NO2 were: 138.2 ± 35.2, 69.1 ± 13.6, 8.5 ± 3.3 and 32.3 ± 7.4µg/m3, respectively, whereas post-monsoon concentrations were 143.0 ± 33.3, 74.6 ± 14.5, 12.5 ± 2.1, and 35.5 ± 6.3µg/m3, respectively. Exceedance percentage of pre-monsoon PM10 over National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) was 38.2% while that for post-monsoon was 43.0%; whereas corresponding values for PM2.5 were 15.2% and 24.3%. Post-monsoon season showed higher particulate loading owing to wintertime inversion and high humidity conditions. Order of elements associated with PM2.5 is Co < Cd < Cr < Ni < V < Be < Mo < Mn < Ti < Cu < Pb < Se < Sr < Li < B < As < Ba < Mg < Al < Zn < Ca < Fe < K < Na and that with PM10 is Co < Cd < Ni < Cr < V < Ti < Be < Mo < Cu < Pb < Se < Sr < Li < B < As < Mn < Ba < Mg < Al < Fe < Zn < K < Na < Ca. WHO AIRQ + ascertained 1654, 144 and 1100 attributable cases per 0.1 million of population to PM10 exposure in 2019-21. Source apportionment was carried out using USEPA-PMF and resolved 6 sources with highest percent contributions including road dust re-entrainment, biomass burning and vehicular emission. It is observed that residents of Lucknow city regularly face exposure to particulate pollutants and associated constituents making it imperative to develop pollution abetment strategies.

Practical Experience of Using the Index of Comparative Health Hazard to Substantiate the List of Pollutants for Monitoring

Introduction: When selecting the most hazardous pollutants for inclusion in air quality monitoring programs, it is important to consider criteria of population health risk. Objective: To substantiate the list of priority air pollutants for 10 new cities of the Krasnoyarsk and Irkutsk Regions enrolled in the Clean Air Federal Project using the index of comparative hazard to population health and results of air quality testing to elaborate monitoring programs for the period until the results of summary calculations for the territory are obtained. Materials and methods: We used data provided by the Federal Supervisory Natural Resources Management Service (Rosprirodnadzor) on actual annual emissions (Form No. 2-TP (Air) for 2022) from sources of air pollution located in the cities of Angarsk, Achinsk, Zima, Irkutsk, Lesosibirsk, Minusinsk, Svirsk, Usolye-Sibirskoye, Cheremkhovo, and Shelekhov. Compliance with sanitary and epidemiological requirements for ambient air quality was established based on data from monitoring sites of the Federal Service for Hydrometeorology and Environmental Monitoring (Roshydromet) and the Federal Service for Surveillance on Consumer Rights Protection and Human Wellbeing (Rospotrebnadzor) for 2020–2022. To substantiate the lists of air pollutants to be monitored within the framework of public health surveillance, we ranked chemicals according to Russian Risk Assessment Guidelines R 2.1.10.3968–23. Results: Based on the results of assessing contributions to the total index of comparative carcinogenic hazard, certain chemicals were proposed to be included into monitoring programs due to their carcinogenic potential when inhaled (acetaldehyde, benzo(a)pyrene, benzene, buta-1,3-diene, lead, carbon, formaldehyde, chromium (IV), etc.). Evaluation of percent contributions to the total index of comparative non-carcinogenic hazard revealed the need to expand monitoring programs to include the following highly hazardous chemicals: dialuminum trioxide, dihydrosulfide, dimethylamine, manganese and its compounds, sulfuric acid, fluorides, and chlorine. According to the findings, 10 to 24 pollutants were recommended for inclusion in the 2023–2024 public health surveillance program. Conclusion: The use of comparative hazard indices and consideration of their contributions to the corresponding total indices of comparative carcinogenic and/or non-carcinogenic hazard allowed us to substantiate the lists of pollutants to be included in the public health surveillance programs in 10 new cities enrolled in the Clean Air Federal Project for 2023–2024 and to expand them by including admixtures posing human health risks.

Predicting climate change impacts on the distribution of endemic fish Cyprinion muscatense in the Arabian Peninsula.

Freshwater fishes are facing considerable threats in the Arabian Peninsula which is considered as a highly stressed region in the Middle East. It is predicted that northern Oman is likely to face decreasing rainfall and increasing temperature in coming decades. In this study, we focused on an endemic cyprinid fish Cyprinion muscatense, as a model to investigate impacts of climate change on the mountain fishes inhibiting in this arid region. This species is expected to be strongly affected by climate change because of its limited distribution range in a montane area surrounded by lowlands and sea, limiting the species in shift to other areas. We used an ensemble approach by considering two regressions-based species distribution modeling (SDM) algorithms: generalized linear models (GLM), and generalized additive models (GAM) to model the species habitat suitability and predict the impacts of climate change on the species habitat suitability. Based on the distribution models, the montane area located in northeastern Oman was identified as the most suitable habitat for this species. Our results indicate that, even under the minimum greenhouse gas emissions scenario (RCP 2.6), climate change will produce a high reduction in its potential future habitats. According to the results of percent contribution, elevation and annual minimum temperature were the most important variables in predicting the species suitable habitats. Results also showed that only a small percentage of suitable habitats for the species within boundaries of protected areas. Therefore, the impact of climate change on the species appears particularly alarming. Although our study was restricted to a single cyprinid freshwater species, decreases in potential habitats are likely predicted for other cyprinid fish species restricted to the mountains of this region, suggesting severe consideration is needed for aquatic systems in future conservation planning, especially for endemic freshwater fishes.

Reliability analysis of deep space satellites launched 1991–2020: Bulk population and deployable satellite performance analysis

AbstractFlight data for deep space satellites launched and operated between 1991 and 2020 is analyzed to generate various reliability metrics. Satellite reliability is first estimated by the Kaplan‐Meier estimator, then parameterized through the Weibull distribution. This general process is applied to a general satellite data set that included all deep space satellites launched between 1991 and 2020, as well as two data subsets. One subset focuses on deployable satellites, while the other introduces a methodology of normalizing satellite lifetimes by satellite design life. Results from the general data set prove deep space satellites suffer from infant mortality while the results from the deployable data subset show deployable deep space satellites are only reliable over short periods of time. Results from the design life normalized data set give promising results, with satellites having a relatively high chance of reaching their design life. Available information regarding specific modes of failure is also leveraged to generate a percent contribution to overall satellite failure for eight distinct failure modes. Satellite failure due to crashing, in‐space propulsion failure, and telemetry system failure are proven to drive both early in life failure and later in life failure, making them the main causes of decreased reliability.

Maxent Predictive Species Distribution Models and Model Accuracy Assessment for Two Species of Psilochalcis Kieffer (Hymenoptera: Chalcididae) Occurring in the Eastern Great Basin of Utah, USA

Two species of Psilochalcis wasps (P. minuta and P. quadratis) were recently described from Utah’s eastern Great Basin. The extent of their known distributions is extremely limited, based on few data points. We developed species distribution models (SDMs) using Maxent modeling software for each Psilochalcis species to identify areas of probable suitable habitat for targeted collecting to improve our knowledge of their distributions. We used six occurrence data points for P. minuta and eight occurrence data points for P. quadratis, along with ten environmental variables as inputs into the Maxent modeling software. Model-predicted areas with a potential suitable habitat value greater than 0.69 were mapped using ArcGIS Pro to help select locations for model accuracy assessment. Employing Malaise traps, eighteen sites were sampled to evaluate each SDM’s ability to predict the occurrence of Psilochalcis species. Psilochalcis minuta occurred at eight of nine juniper-dominated sample sites that were predicted as having high suitability by the model for this species. Likewise, P. quadratis occurred at two of four cheatgrass-dominated sample sites predicted by the model. Psilochalcis minuta occurred at three of nine sampled sites that were not predicted by the model, and P. quadratis occurred at seven of fourteen non-predicted sites. The Maxent SDM results yielded an AUC value of 0.70 and p-value of 0.02 for P. minuta and 0.68 and 0.02. for P. quadratis. These results were reflected in our model accuracy assessment. Of the selected environmental variables, aspect, historic fire disturbance, and elevation yielded the greatest percent contributions to both species’ models. Sympatric distributions were observed for P. minuta and P. quadratis. Elevation, vegetation type, NDVI, and soil type are the most important environmental variables in differentiating areas of optimal suitable habitat for the two species.

Forecasting the Expansion of Bactrocera tsuneonis (Miyake) (Diptera: Tephritidae) in China Using the MaxEnt Model.

The invasive pest, Bactrocera tsuneonis (Miyake), has become a significant threat to China's citrus industry. Predicting the area of potentially suitable habitats for B. tsuneonis is essential for optimizing pest control strategies that mitigate its impact on the citrus industry. Here, existing distribution data for B. tsuneonis, as well as current climate data and projections for four future periods (2021-2040, 2041-2060, 2061-2080, and 2081-2100) from the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 6 (CMIP6) were obtained. The distribution of B. tsuneonis under current and different climate change scenarios in China was predicted using the optimized MaxEnt model, ArcGIS, and the ENMeval data package. Model accuracy was assessed using ROC curves, and the primary environmental factors influencing the distribution of the pest were identified based on the percent contribution. When the regularization multiplier (RM) was set to 1.5 and the feature combination (FC) was set to LQH, a model with lower complexity was obtained. Under these parameter settings, the mean training AUC was 0.9916, and the mean testing AUC was 0.9854, indicating high predictive performance. The most influential environmental variables limiting the distribution of B. tsuneonis were the Precipitation of Warmest Quarter (Bio18) and Temperature Seasonality (standard deviation ×100) (Bio4). Under current climatic conditions, potentially suitable habitat for B. tsuneonis in China covered an area of 215.9 × 104 km2, accounting for 22.49% of the country's land area. Potentially suitable habitat was primarily concentrated in Central China, South China, and East China. However, under future climatic projections, the area of suitable habitat for B. tsuneonis exhibited varying degrees of expansion. Furthermore, the centroid of the total suitable habitat for this pest gradually shifted westward and northward. These findings suggest that B. tsuneonis will spread to northern and western regions of China under future climate changes. The results of our study indicate that climate change will have a major effect on the invasion of B. tsuneonis and have implications for the development of strategies to control the spread of B. tsuneonis in China.

Investigation on PFAS Sources and Removal in a Municipal Wastewater Treatment Plant

PFAS (per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances) is a complex family of manmade highly fluorinated aliphatic organic chemicals including thousands of chemical structures identified. PFASs were first synthesized in the 1940s and their physical and chemical properties such as oil and water repellency, temperature resistance, and friction reduction were then used in a wide range of products and industrial applications. Awareness about the possible health and environmental risks related to exposure to these substances has only risen in recent years and is resulting in the inclusion of such compounds in the Proposal for the recast of the Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council concerning urban wastewater treatment.A research was carried out at a municipal wastewater treatment plant (MWWTP) in Northern Italy to define the inflowing load of PFAS, the main load sources and the removal efficiency of the treatment processes.First, the contribution of the water supplied to the local population was excluded by means of specific chemical analyses. Then, the 100 industrial settlements served by the MWWTP were examined for the raw materials used, the final products and the productive cycle and 8 of them were selected as potential sources. A sampling campaign was carried out and the specific PFAS load was calculated. The total PFAS load entering the MWWTP was calculated from the analytical results and the flow. The percent contribution of each of the selected settlements to the total PFAS load was then calculated. 40% derives from a textile dyeing industry and 32% from a waste platform receiving also landfill leachates. 89% of the total PFAS load comes from the sum of such contributions and two other activities: the processing of slaughterhouse wastes and the production of chemicals for agriculture.Specific investigations lead to attribute an important role also to fire drills and fire extinguishing, using Aqueous Film Forming Foams (AFFF) containing PFAS. So, domestic contribution can be held as negligible.The removal in the WWTP was null and, in some cases, negative. As also reported in the literature some precursors can be transformed in PFAS during the biological process and some sludge accumulated compounds can be released.

Sources and determinants of free sugars intake by 5-year-old Australian children in the SMILE cohort.

Reducing free sugars intake is important for the prevention of dental caries and obesity in children. The study aimed to determine the amount and sources of free sugars known to contribute to dental caries, and identify sociodemographic determinants of intake by children aged 5 years in Australia. Cross-sectional analysis of dietary data from a cohort study, collected using a customized food frequency questionnaire were used to calculate free sugars intake as grams/day and percentage contribution to Estimated Energy Requirement (EER).The percent contribution of food sources to free sugars intake was derived. Sociodemographic determinants of achieving intakes within WHO thresholds (i.e., <5% and <10% Energy were explored with multinomial logistic regression. Complete data were available for 641 children (347 boys, 294 girls). Median (IQR)free sugars intake (g/day) was 31.6 (21.3-47.6) in boys and 28.1 (19.6-47.9) in girls. The median (IQR)percentage contribution to EER was 7.9 (5.4-12.7); 21% and 42% of children had intakes <5% EER and between 5% and<10%, respectively. The main sources of free sugars were: (1) Cakes, Biscuits and Cereal Bars; (2) Sweetened Milk Products (predominantly yoghurts) and (3) Desserts. Maternal university education, single-parent household, and maternal place of birth being Australia or New Zealand were associated with free sugars intake <5% EER. In conclusion, less than a quarter of 5-year-old children in the SMILE cohort achieved the WHO recommendations to limit free sugars to <5% EER. Strategies to lower free sugars intake could target priority populations such migrants, populations with lower levels of education or health literacy and identify areas for intervention in the wider food environments that children are exposed to.

Effects of Environment Change Scenarios on the Potential Geographical Distribution of Cunninghamia lanceolata (Lamb.) Hook. in China

Changes in climate and environmental conditions have aggravated the severity and unpredictability of plant survival and growth. Cunninghamia lanceolata (Lamb.) Hook. is an economically important timber tree. Exploring its potential distribution and dynamic changes and identifying the leading environmental variables affecting it will help to adjust the planting range reasonably according to the habits and climate change, thus contributing to its survival and growth. Based on the MaxEnt model and ArcGIS tool, climate, soil, terrain, human activities, variable environment layers, and 395 C. lanceolata distribution points were used to simulate and analyze the geographical distribution characteristics of C. lanceolata in the current and future periods (the 2050s and 2070s) under RCP2.6, RCP4.5, RCP6.0, and RCP8.5. The results showed that C. lanceolata was suitable to grow in a subtropical monsoon climate with warm, humid, abundant rainfall and a relatively gentle topography. Additionally, using percent contribution, permutation importance, and the knife-cutting test, we noted that the annual precipitation (Bio12), human activities (Hfp), minimum temperature of the coldest month (Bio6), mean temperature of the coldest quarter (Bio11), precipitation of coldest quarter (Bio19), annual temperature range (Bio7), and elevation were the leading environmental factors affecting the geographical distribution of C. lanceolata. Among them, it should be noted that the impact of human activities was negatively correlated with suitable habitat areas of C. lanceolata and led to the degeneration of suitable habitats and fragmentized distribution. In addition, predictions have shown that the areas of habitats under other scenarios will be characterized by an increasing and then decreasing trend by the 2050s and 2070s, except for the RCP2.6 scenario, under which the suitable habitats area of C. lanceolata will increase continuously. The core distributional shifts showed that the suitable habitats of C. lanceolata will gradually shift and migrate to high-latitude areas due to global warming. This study focused on the characteristics of suitable habitats of C. lanceolata under different climatic scenarios using more environmental factors and scenarios than before, aiming to provide a theoretical basis and guidance for the management and utilization of forest resources, the planning of suitable planting areas, and germplasm protection.

Importance of both Hemidiaphragms in Maintaining Optimal Breathing Mechanics, Respiratory Rate, and Hemoglobin Oxygen Saturation: a Case Study

Background: The mechanical process of breathing consists of the abdominal breathing (AB) driven/generated by the diaphragm, and thoracic breathing (TB) generated by the intercostal muscles. The coordinated movements of the two portions of diaphragm account for 80% of the inspiration, although their exact roles are still investigated. While bilateral diaphragmatic paralysis causes severe shortness of breath, unilateral hemidiaphragm paralysis is asymptomatic at rest, making it challenging to diagnose. Objective: To measure and compare the amplitudes of abdominal and chest movements in different body positions between a healthy individual and an individual with unilateral diaphragmatic paralysis (phrenic nerve injury). Methods: Changes in the circumference of the abdomen and chest were measured during inhalation and exhalation with respiratory plethysmography belts (placed on standardized reproducible positions on the chest, and abdomen) in different body positions: sitting (SI), standing (ST), lying (SU) and prone (PR) in a healthy (H) individual and an individual with unilateral diaphragmatic paralysis. (Ph). Breathing frequency and other parameters were calculated from the measured signals. Furthermore, the blood oxygen saturation (SpO2) was measured with a pulse oximeter. Results: Percent (%) contribution of abdominal breathing H/Ph: SI: 29.6/16.0; ST: 72.8/50.3; SU: 90.6/-53.5; PR: 32.8/1.1. A negative sign shows paradoxical breathing. Respiratory rate (1/min) H/Ph: SI:18.7/19.4; ST: 19.0/15.0; SU: 15.9/37.5; PR: 16.6/35.9. Phase angle of abdominal and thoracic breathing curves (degrees) H/Ph: SI: 4.09/-5.73; ST: -20.82/-9.48; SU: 3.68/184.29; PR: 25.08/-26.51. In case of a negative sign, chest breathing precedes abdominal expansion, and vice versa in the case of a positive sign. A value around 180 degrees indicates paradoxical breathing, seen in Ph, when SpO2 significantly decreased: SI: 93% vs. SU: 82%. Conclusions: In different body positions, the amplitude changes of the abdomen and chest differed substantially during the complete respiratory cycle. Both portions of diaphragm are important because in unilateral phrenic nerve injury, abdominal breathing markedly decreased in most body positions compared to a healthy individual. Furthermore, paradoxical breathing occurred in a supine position, as indicated by a change in the phase angle. The lowest respiratory rate was measured in standing position (15/min), in which the participation of the abdomen/chest ratio was 50.3%, / 49.7%, while the highest value was obtained in supine position (38 breaths/min), which coincided by a decreased hemoglobin oxygen saturation / i.e. oxygen intake. In case of hemidiaphragm paralysis, the diminished mechanical breathing effciency requires a higher respiratory rate to sustain/maintain hemoglobin oxygen saturation. However, this elevated respiratory rate also increases energy consumption, potentially resulting in dyspnea during physical exertion / exercise. Ministry of Innovation and Technology (MIT) of Hungary-NRDI TKP2020-NKA-17, TKP2021-EGA-37, and National Research, Development, and Innovation Offce (NKFIH) OTKA K 132596 K_19, and Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Post-Covid 2021-34, and HUN-REN-SE: 02068 of Hungary. This is the full abstract presented at the American Physiology Summit 2024 meeting and is only available in HTML format. There are no additional versions or additional content available for this abstract. Physiology was not involved in the peer review process.

Multi-objective optimization of the hydrogen fuel production of a solar-based cobalt-chlorine (Co–Cl) thermochemical cycle with grey relational analysis

In this paper, multi-objective optimization of the hydrogen production (m˙H2) of a solar-based cobalt-chlorine (Co–Cl) thermochemical cycle with grey relational analysis (GRA) has been performed. Monthly total irradiance averages (A), wind velocity (B), receiver height (C), receiver radius (D) and number of heliostats (E) are considered to achieve the highest the useful energy absorbed by the solar receiver (Q˙abs), efficiency of the receiver (ηrec), the overall efficiency of the system (ηoverall) and hydrogen production (m˙H2). Orthogonal experimental design is planned according to L18 orthogonal array created by Taguchi method. The percent contribution rates (PCR) on the Q˙abs, ηrec, ηoverall and m˙H2 are determined with the help of ANOVA analysis. The optimal parameters are identified as monthly total irradiance average of 143.8 kW h (A3), wind velocity of 5 m/s (B2), receiver height of 8 m (C1), receiver radius of 3 m (D1) and number of heliostats of 850 (E3), respectively. The highest Q˙abs, ηrec, ηoverall and m˙H2 values corresponding to A3B2C1D1E3 are obtained as 50.2 GW; 64.1%; 22.2% and 122.59 (tons/month), respectively. The PCR of the A, B, C, D and E parameters influencing the f-factor are determined to be 12.6 %, 1.92 %, 0.48 %, 15.03 %, and 53.20 %, respectively. Also, empirical equations are developed with regression analysis (RA) to estimate the Q˙abs, ηrec, ηoverall, m˙H2 values. The statistical coefficients (R2-value) for training and testing data's are determined in the range of 0.771167–0.99608 for Q˙abs, ηrec, ηoverall and m˙H2, respectively.

Field and simulation studies on yield, water and nitrogen dynamics and use efficiency in rice-wheat crops in sequence

ContextThe dominant rice-wheat cropping system in the Indo-Gangetic plain faces challenges of water depletion and nitrogen pollution of groundwater as well as declining productivity caused by over irrigation and nitrogen fertilization by the farmers. To appreciate the apt use of irrigation water and nitrogen fertilizer in rice and wheat crops it is essential to explore the water and nitrogen balances as well as dynamics in these crops, involving complex interaction between weather, soil, irrigation water and nitrogen fertilizer management. ObjectiveThe objective of the study is to quantify yield, field water balance components, water use efficiency, water productivity, water footprint, and water and nitrogen dynamics of rice and wheat crops in relation to season, varieties, irrigation regimes and nitrogen levels. MethodsField experimentations were conducted in double split plot design along with calibrated and validated HYDRUS 1D model use for two years comprising of treatments in rice i.e. two varieties (PR122-V1 and PR126-V2), two irrigation regimes (2-days drainage period-I1 and soil water suction 16 kPa-I2) and two nitrogen levels (120-N1 and 90-N2 kg N ha−1); and in wheat, two varieties (Unnat PBW343-V1 and Unnat PBW550-V2), two irrigation (1.2 IW/CPE-I1 and 0.9 IW/CPE-I2) regimes and two nitrogen levels (120-N1 and 90-N2 kg N ha−1). ResultsThe highest grain yield recorded was 7.6 t ha−1 in treatment combination of V1I2N1 in rice and 5.4 t ha−1 in V1I1N1 in wheat owing to better plant growth and yield attributes (biomass production, number of effective tillers, panicle length, and 1000 grain weight). Total water footprints were lower in the treatment combination of V1I1N1 in rice and V1I2N1 in wheat. The water budget revealed a higher percent contribution of the total water input to drainage (62 %) in rice ensuing restoration of water in the soil profile; and to evapotranspiration (ET) (100 %) in wheat ensuing water depletion. Modeling water and nitrogen dynamics showed higher root water uptake in I2 treatment in rice and with I1 treatment in wheat; and leaching losses of NO3-N under rice than wheat; and under I2 treatment than I1 as well as in N1 than N2. ConclusionsThe V1I2N1 treatment in rice and V1I1N1 treatment in wheat demonstrated superior grain yield, soil water storage, and root water uptake. Conversely, V1I1N1 treatment in rice and V1I2N1 treatment in wheat showed higher water use efficiency and lower water footprint. SignificanceIt helps to evaluate the effectiveness of irrigation and nitrogen management strategies in maximizing crop productivity while minimizing environmental impacts.

Temporal and Spatial Dynamics of Plankton Communities in the Lower Haora River, Tripura, India

Planktons are significant bioindicator of ecosystem functioning, knowledge of the seasonal fluctuation in the plankton population in riverine waters of Indian subcontinent is rather limited. In the present study, analysis regarding spatio-temporal variations based on different multivariate statistics and indicator value analysis is done along with analysis of community structure of plankton assemblages. A total of 46 plankton taxa out of which 38 phytoplankton and 8 zooplankton taxa have been identified based on examination of samples taken from four locations over three sampling seasons. The primary phytoplankton families that involve Chlorophyceae, Bacillariophyceae, Cyanophyceae, Euglenophyceae and Composopogonophyceae. Chlorophyceae dominated the phytoplankton population, followed by Bacillariophyceae and Cyanophyceae. The plankton abundance was recorded highest in spring, followed by winter, and the least reported in monsoon season. The high average percent contribution of Aulacoseira, Oscillatoria, and Spirogyra species is well represented through SIMPER analysis. In addition, the Shannon–Wiener index (H) was calculated to determine plankton diversity, and Pielous' Evenness index (E) was calculated to determine individual distribution within a community whereas Margalef’s Richness index showed species richness of the study area. This qualitative and quantitative study will aid future research on the occurrence of plankton as well as the more trustworthy information generation on fish diet and feeding behaviors. The condition of planktons as bioindicators would indirectly provide an estimation of the ecosystem's natural state or amount of pollution.