Performance Profile Research Articles

Peri‐Anthracenethioindigo: A Scaffold for Efficient All‐Red‐Light and Near‐Infrared Molecular Photoswitching**

AbstractMolecular photoswitching with red light is greatly desired to evade photodamage and achieve specific photoresponses. In virtually all reported cases however, only one switching direction uses red light while for the reverse switching, UV or visible light is needed. All‐red‐light photoswitching brings with it the clear advantage of pushing photoswitching to the limit of the low‐energy spectrum, but no viable system is available currently. Here we report on peri‐anthracenethioindigo (PAT) as molecular scaffold for highly efficient all‐red‐light photoswitching with an outstanding performance and property profile. The PAT photoswitch provides near‐infrared (NIR) absorption up to 850 nm, large negative photochromism with more than 140 nm maxima shifts and changes color from green to blue upon irradiation with two shades of red light. Thermal stability of the metastable Z isomer is high with a corresponding half‐life of days at 20 °C. Application in red‐light responsive polymers undergoing pronounced and reversible green to blue color changes demonstrate spatially resolved photoswitching. The PAT photoswitch thus offers unique responsiveness to very low energy light together with predictable and large geometrical changes within a rigid molecular scaffold. We expect a plethora of applications for PAT in the near future, e.g. in materials, molecular machines or biological context.

Effects of heat stress on performance, physiological parameters, and blood profiles of early-fattening Hanwoo steers in climate chambers.

This study was conducted to assess effects of heat stress on growth performance, physiological parameters, and blood profiles of Hanwoo steers during early-fattening period in climate chambers. Four Hanwoo steers (body weight, 454.3±10.9 kg; age, 14±0.1 month) were allocated into four levels of temperature-humidity index (THI) in a 4×4 Latin square design for 21 days (pre-adaptation, 7 d; heat stress, 7 d; post-adaptation, 7 d) per period. Experimental treatments were assigned according to THI chart based on National Institute Animal Science (NIAS, 2022): Comfort (25.5°C to 26.5°C, 60%; THI 73 to 75), Mild (28°C to 29°C, 60%; THI 77 to 79), Moderate (29.5°C to 30.5°C, 80%; THI 82 to 84), and Severe (31°C to 32°C, 80%; THI 85 to 86) in separate climatic controlled chambers. The dry matter intake (DMI) of the formula feed was lower in Severe compared to Mild and Comfort (p<0.05). The DMI of rice straw was the lowest in Severe and lower in Moderate than Comfort and Mild (p<0.05). Both average daily gain and feed conversion ratio of Severe and Moderate were lower than those of Mild and Comfort (p<0.05). Water intake was the highest in Severe and lower in Moderate compared with Comfort and Mild (p<0.05). Heart rate and rectal temperature increased as THI level increased (p<0.05). Glucose was the lowest in Severe and lower in Moderate compared to Comfort (p<0.05). On the contrary, non-esterified fatty acid was the highest in Severe and lower in Moderate compared with Comfort (p<0.05). Blood urea nitrogen of Moderate and Severe were higher than those of Comfort and Mild (p<0.05). Cortisol increased as THI increased (p<0.05). This study demonstrated the negative effects of heat stress on the performance and physiological responses of Hanwoo steers during the early-fattening period. In addition, it is judged that the THI chart for Hanwoo steers of National Institute of Animal Science (2022) was properly calculated.

Effect of mineral-vitamin premix supplementation on behavioral, performance, hormonal, oxidative stress, and serum biochemical profiles on rutting male Camelus dromedarius in Egypt.

The rutting period imposes a stressful condition on male camels, which results in elevated serum cortisol levels and alterations in their sexual behavior. Therefore, the current work was carried out to investigate the effect of mineral-vitamin premix supplementation on behavior, reproductive performance, hormones, serum oxidative stress profile, and other serum biochemical parameters of Camelus dromedarius during the breeding season. Fourteen mature, fertile male Camelus dromedarius were divided into two groups, a control group (n = 7) and a mineral-vitamin premix group (n = 7). The present study lasted for 95 days during the rutting period (1st February to 5th May). Each camel in the premix group received a daily diet of 50 g of mineral-vitamin premix throughout the whole rutting period, during which the frequencies and durations of the following behaviors: maintenance, posture, aggressiveness, and sexual activity were collected every 20 min. At the end of the study, blood samples were collected. Results revealed that the premix group showed higher (P < 0.05) maintenance (feeding and rumination), standing, and overall sexual desire-related behavior frequency, besides more times (P < 0.001) for rumination, standing, walking, and lying while showing lower (P < 0.001) frequencies of overall aggressive behaviors than the control group. The serum concentration of malondialdehyde, nitric oxide, cortisol, blood glucose, and urea evidenced a significant decrease in the premix group compared with the control one, while significantly elevated levels of reduced glutathione, testosterone, total antioxidant capacity, triiodothyronine, and thyroxin, total protein, albumin, globulin, calcium, phosphorus, potassium, and magnesium were recorded in the premix group in comparison with the control. It could be concluded that daily dietary supplementation of 50 g of mineral-vitamin premix to male camels during the breeding season is necessary to overcome the oxidative stress and serum cortisol concentration with a subsequent decrease in aggressive behavior and improvement to testosterone level in blood, body condition score and body weight gain.

Investigation of physical and cognitive performance profiles of 7-8 years old children in terms of talent selection in sports and sports orientation: the case of Kayseri

This study seeks to compare the physical and cognitive performances of 7-8-years-old children in terms of gender based on talent selection in sports and sports orientation as well as to contribute to the coaches studying in the field and the physical education teachers working in the schools in terms of talent selection tests and determination of talented athletes. The sample group consists of 178 boys and 151 girls studying in primary schools in Kayseri. To determine the physical performance of the participants, the eurofit test protocols including standing long jump, 30-m sprint test, sit-reach flexibility test, flamingo balance test, and 30 second sit-up test were applied. On the other hand, to determine the cognitive performance of the participants, visual and auditory reaction times were measured via the Newtest 1000 instrument. The SPSS 22 package program was used to evaluate the data. As a result of the statistical analysis, it was understood with the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test that the data showed normal distribution. The descriptive statistical method and the independent sample t-test were applied to the participants in inter-group comparisons. As a result of the descriptive statistical analyzes, the mean values ​​of the participants' anthropometric characteristics were found as (male, age; 7.30 ± .46 (years), height; 127.39±5.75 (cm), body weight; 28.84±5.93 (kg), BMI; 17.67±2.74) and (female, age; 7.27±.44 (years), height; 125.26±5 .19 (cm), body weight; 27.35±5.43 (kg), BMI; 17.36±2.79). As a result of the analysis, a statistically significant difference was found between the height values ​​of girls and boys in terms of anthropometric characteristics (p&lt;0.01). No significant difference was found in terms of other anthropometric values ​​(p&gt;0.05). In terms of physical performances, a significance at the level of (p&lt;0.01) was found in favour of boys in 30-m sprint test and standing long jump tests, and in favour of girls in flamingo balance test parameters. No significant difference was found in terms of cognitive performance. The results of the study reveal that the physical and cognitive performance data of primary-school 7-8-years-old children show similar developmental characteristics when evaluated in terms of gender.

Psychological Factors Affecting Athletes' Motivation and Performance in Competitive Sports in Mexico

Purpose: The study sought to investigate the Psychological Factors Affecting Athletes' Motivation and Performance in Competitive Sports in Mexico&#x0D; Materials and Methods: The study adopted a desktop methodology. Desk research refers to secondary data or that which can be collected without fieldwork. Desk research is basically involved in collecting data from existing resources hence it is often considered a low cost technique as compared to field research, as the main cost is involved in executive’s time, telephone charges and directories. Thus, the study relied on already published studies, reports and statistics. This secondary data was easily accessed through the online journals and library&#x0D; Findings: Psychological factors significantly impact athletes' motivation and performance in competitive sports. High self-efficacy and clear goal-setting practices are associated with improved motivation and performance, while athlete burnout, often resulting from stress and overtraining, negatively affects both. Autonomy and self-determination foster higher motivation and better performance, as do positive coach-athlete relationships. Managing pre-competition anxiety is crucial, as high anxiety levels can reduce motivation and performance. These findings underscore the importance of addressing these psychological factors to optimize athlete performance in the realm of competitive sports.&#x0D; Unique Contribution to Theory, Practice and Policy: The study recommends that the education should focus on building psychological skills, such as goal setting, visualization, and stress management, which can significantly impact motivation and performance. Coaches and sports psychologists should work closely with athletes to create personalized mental training plans. Sporting organizations should adopt policies that mandate the use of performance profiling and individualized psychological support for athletes at all levels.

The impact of misclassification errors on the performance of biomarkers based on next-generation sequencing, a simulation study

ABSTRACT The development of next-generation sequencing (NGS) opens opportunities for new applications such as liquid biopsy, in which tumor mutation genotypes can be determined by sequencing circulating tumor DNA after blood draws. However, with highly diluted samples like those obtained with liquid biopsy, NGS invariably introduces a certain level of misclassification, even with improved technology. Recently, there has been a high demand to use mutation genotypes as biomarkers for predicting prognosis and treatment selection. Many methods have also been proposed to build classifiers based on multiple loci with machine learning algorithms as biomarkers. How the higher misclassification rate introduced by liquid biopsy will affect the performance of these biomarkers has not been thoroughly investigated. In this paper, we report the results from a simulation study focused on the clinical utility of biomarkers when misclassification is present due to the current technological limit of NGS in the liquid biopsy setting. The simulation covers a range of performance profiles for current NGS platforms with different machine learning algorithms and uses actual patient genotypes. Our results show that, at the high end of the performance spectrum, the misclassification introduced by NGS had very little effect on the clinical utility of the biomarker. However, in more challenging applications with lower accuracy, misclassification could have a notable effect on clinical utility. The pattern of this effect can be complex, especially for machine learning-based classifiers. Our results show that simulation can be an effective tool for assessing different scenarios of misclassification.

Effect of Outdoor and Pasture Foraging Accessibility on Performance and Carcass Characteristics of Noiler Birds

This experiment was carried out to determine the effect of outdoor and pasture foraging accessibility on performance responses and carcass characteristics of Noiler birds. A total number of 320 Noiler birds were divided into 5 treatments and each treatment was replicated 4 times with 16 birds per replicate. At the end of the brooding phase (2 weeks), the birds were placed in a 2 x 2 factorial arrangement (outdoor durations and pasture accessibility were considered as factors) in a completely randomised design (CRD). T1 serves as control (indoor), T2 4 hours outdoor accessibility, 8 hours outdoor, 4 hours outdoor plus pasture foraging and 8 hours outdoor plus pasture foraging for T2, T3, T4 and T5 respectively. The data obtained in this study were subjected to Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) where means were separated using Duncan Multiple Range Test (DMRT) of the Statistical Analysis Software package (SAS). The birds in T2 had significantly (P&lt;0.05) higher final weight; similarly, higher (P&lt;0.05) weight gain were observed in birds reared in T2. The result revealed that there are no significant (P&gt;0.05) differences in both carcass and visceral weight proportion across all the treatments. However, considerable numerical variations exist. Higher dress weight was observed in T3 (70.333%) followed by T5, T2, T4 and T1 with 67.853, 67.372, 63.901 and 59.888% respectively. The result however, suggests non-significant (P&gt;0.05) differences in initial weight, feed conversion ratio, feed cost per kilogram diet. It is therefore concluded that outdoor and pasture foraging has a profound effect on the performance profile of Noiler birds. It is therefore recommended for enhanced body weight and weight gain birds should also be enriched with pasture foraging material and at least 4 hours outdoor accessibility.

Integration of distributed generations and static var compensators with static synchronous compensators to reduce power losses

The necessity of power is growing in response to today's growing population. In order to reduce both real and reactive power losses, three devices have been combined in this research. The distributed generations (DGs) and static var compensator (SVC) with static synchronous compensator (STATCOM) play important role for reduction of power losses (both real and reactive power) and improvement of voltage profile. The research outcome presented here outlines that presents genetic algorithm (GA) may be utilised to improve power system performance and voltage profile (VP) of distribution networks by integrating DG, SVC and STATCOM planning properly. On a 37-bus distribution network, the proposed methodology has been applied. The results of this study are helpful to those focusing on the functionality of viable and upcoming electrical grids, as well as those working in the disciplines of DG, SVC and STATCOM integration for improved system performance.

Genetic Associations With Acceleration, Change of Direction, Jump Height, and Speed in English Academy Football Players.

McAuley, ABT, Hughes, DC, Tsaprouni, LG, Varley, I, Suraci, B, Bradley, B, Baker, J, Herbert, AJ, and Kelly, AL. Genetic associations with acceleration, change of direction, jump height, and speed in English academy football players. J Strength Cond Res 38(2): 350-359, 2024-High-intensity movements and explosive actions are commonly assessed during athlete development in football (soccer). Although many environmental factors underpin these power-orientated traits, research suggests that there is also a sizeable genetic component. Therefore, this study examined the association of 22 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) with acceleration, change of direction, jump height, and speed in academy football players. One hundred and forty-nine, male, under-12 to under-23 football players from 4 English academies were examined. Subjects performed 5-, 10-, 20-, and 30-m sprints, countermovement jumps (CMJs), and the 5-0-5 agility test. Simple linear regression was used to analyze individual SNP associations, whereas both unweighted and weighted total genotype scores (TGS; TWGS) were computed to measure the combined influence of all SNPs. To control for multiple testing, a Benjamini-Hochberg false discovery rate of 0.05 was applied to all genotype model comparisons. In isolation, the GALNT13 (rs10196189) G allele and IL6 (rs1800795) G/G genotype were associated with faster (∼4%) 5-, 10-, and 20-m sprints and higher (∼16%) CMJs, respectively (p < 0.001). Furthermore, the TGS and TWGS significantly correlated with all performance assessments, explaining between 6 and 33% of the variance (p < 0.001). This study demonstrates that some genetic variants are associated with power-orientated phenotypes in youth football players and may add value toward a future polygenic profile of physical performance.

Performance Profiling in Handball Using Discriminative Variables and its Practical Applications

Performance profiles of teams performance highlight areas of weaknesses and strengths for coaches to inform their decision-making on how to spend their limited training time with athletes. This study used a stepwise discriminative analysis approach comparing one successful team’s (TEAM) performances through five consecutive seasons against a) other top four teams (TOP4) and b) teams with a final rank between 5th and eight (LOW) in a semi-professional league. The predictive model created was used to set forth a performance profile for the selected team. A total of 95 matches of the TEAM’s matches from the last five seasons are in the analysis. The objective was to create a performance profile with relevant performance indicators selected based on the discriminant analysis results of the selected TEAM and discuss its practical applicability. For matches against other TOP4 teams, the predictive model created consisted of three variables; legal stops, blocked shots and 9 m shots, classifying 72.6% correctly. The LOW ranked teams model had six variables and correctly classified 94.4% of cases (assists, blocked shots, legal stops, the goalkeeper saved shots, 2-minute exclusion, and shot efficiency). The selected variables are presented in Table 4, with medians and a 95% confidence interval of the median as a team performance profile. The profile provides the coaches with two models containing values that can serve as a reference for this team’s performance. The profile of this TEAM’s performances during the last five seasons generally aligns with the variables associated with success in other studies in female handball.

Two new conjugate gradient methods in unconstrained optimization problems

Zheng Y. and Zheng B. in [14] modified Dai-Liao conjugate gradient method to come up with two new Dai-Liao-type conjugate gradient methods. These methods were shown to have satisfied descent condition taken into consideration the strong Wolfe line search. Convergence for objective functions were also guarantied. In this work, two new conjugate gradient methods are introduced in line with the work of Zheng Y. and Zheng B. [14] by changing the first term in AyO-CG method [3] to solve unconstrained non-linear optimization problems. Descent properties of these methods are shown and guarantied. Convergence analyses of these methods in line with strong Wolfe conditions showed that they are globally convergent. Comparison based on Dolan More performance profile of the numerical strength of these methods with the two modified Dai-Laio type methods proved that our methods compare favorably well with them

Performance and profiling data of plane-wave calculations in quantum ESPRESSO simulation on three supercomputing centres.

This dataset reflects the parallel execution profiles of five Quantum ESPRESSO simulation (QE) versions in finding the total energy of the Cerium Oxide lattice using the self-consistent field (SCF) method. The data analysis used a strong scale setting to identify the optimal parameters and computing resources needed to complete a single SCF loop for one specific material efficiently. This analysis notably contributed to achieving the Best Performance Award at the 5th APAC HPC-AI Competition. The data comprises three sets. The first set features the parallel execution traces captured via the Extrae performance profiling tool, offering a broad view of the QE's model execution behaviour and how it used computational resources. The second set records how long QE's model ran on a single node at three HPC centres: ThaiSC TARA in Thailand, NSCC ASPIRE-1 in Singapore, and NCI Gadi in Australia. This set focuses on the impact of adjusting three parameters for K-point parallelisation. The final set presents benchmarking data generated by scaling out the QE's model across 32 nodes (1,536 CPU cores) on the NCI Gadi supercomputer. Despite its focus on a single material, the dataset serves as a roadmap for researchers to estimate required computational resources and understand scalability bottlenecks, offering general guidelines adaptable across different HPC systems.

Distinct profiles of multisensory processing between professional goalkeepers and outfield football players

In association football (soccer), the position of goalkeeper is the most specialised position in the sport and has the primary objective of stopping the opposing team from scoring. While previous studies have highlighted differences in physiological and match performance profiles between goalkeepers and outfield players1, surprisingly little research has focused on whether goalkeepers differ in terms of their perceptual-cognitive abilities. Given that goalkeepers use multiple sensory cues and are often required to make rapid decisions based on incomplete multisensory information to fulfil their role2, we hypothesised that professional goalkeepers would display enhanced multisensory temporal processing relative to their outfield counterparts. To test this hypothesis, we measured the temporal binding windows - the time window within which signals from the different senses are integrated into a single percept - of professional goalkeepers, professional outfield players, and a control group with no professional football experience using the sound-induced flash illusion3. Our results indicated a marked difference in multisensory processing between the three groups. Specifically, we found that the goalkeepers displayed a narrower temporal binding window relative to both outfielders and control participants, indicating more precise audiovisual timing estimation. However, this enhanced multisensory temporal processing was accompanied by a general reduction in crossmodal interactions relative to the other two groups that could be attributed to an a priori tendency to segregate sensory signals. We propose that these differences stem from the idiosyncratic nature of the goalkeeping position that puts a premium on the ability of goalkeepers to make quick decisions, often based on partial or incomplete sensory information.

Evaluation of a hepatic biomarker of nutritional imbalance in juvenile red drum (Sciaenops ocellatus) fed 60% soybean meal-based diets using NMR-based metabolomics

A 12-week feeding trial with juvenile red drum (Sciaenops ocellatus) fed high-soybean meal (SBM) diets was conducted to investigate a putative biomarker of nutritional imbalance, N-formimino-L-glutamate (FIGLU). Three fishmeal-free, 60% SBM pelleted diets (named B12, Fol, and Met, respectively) were tested to evaluate the effects on growth performance and tissue metabolite profiles of supplementation of vitamin B12 (0.012 mg/kg), folate (10 mg/kg), methionine (1 g/kg) respectively, above basal supplementation levels. A fourth SBM-based diet (named B12/Fol/Met) was formulated with a combination of B12, folate, and methionine to attain the above-mentioned target concentrations. A fifth 60% SBM diet (named FWS) with methionine supplementation (1 g/kg above basal supplementation levels), enriched with taurine, lysine and threonine as well as minerals, was also tested. This diet contained formulation targets and additives which have allowed for replacing fishmeal with plant proteins in rainbow trout feeds. Control diets included a fishmeal-based diet (named FM), an unsupplemented basal 60% SBM diet (named SBM60), and a “natural” diet (named N) made up of equal parts of fish (cigar minnows), squid and shrimp as a positive reference for growth performance. Formulated feeds contained approximately 37% total crude protein, approximately 14% total crude lipid and were energetically balanced. Standard growth performance metrics were measured, and tissues (liver, muscle) were collected at week 12 to evaluate diet-induced metabolic changes using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR)-based metabolomics. Our results show that the FWS diet outperformed all other SBM diets and the FM diet under all performance metrics (P < 0.05). FIGLU was not detected in fish fed the N diet but was detected in those fed the SBM diets and the FM diet. Fish fed the FWS diet and the Met diet showed lower hepatic levels of FIGLU compared with the other SBM-based diets (P < 0.05), suggesting that among the different supplementation regimes, methionine supplementation was associated with lower FIGLU levels. The FWS diet produced tissue metabolite profiles that were more similar to those of fish fed the N diet. Based on our results, the FWS diet constitutes a promising SBM-based alternative diet to fishmeal for red drum.

Board Size and Leverage in Indonesian’s Pharmaceutical Companies. The Moderating Role of Profitability

This empirical study examines the relationship between board size, leverage, and profitability in the pharmaceutical sector. Using a sample of pharmaceutical companies from 2019 to 2022, the study reveals that board size has a significant positive impact on leverage. Additionally, profitability acts as a moderator in the relationship between board size and leverage. The results indicate a significant negative relationship between board size and leverage when considering profitability, suggesting that larger boards in pharmaceutical companies are associated with lower levels of leverage. These findings contribute to the existing literature on corporate governance and financial performance, highlighting the significance of board size in shaping leverage decisions and influencing profitability. The study suggests that larger boards in the pharmaceutical sector exercise caution in managing debt, leveraging their enhanced monitoring capabilities, diverse expertise, and increased accountability. Policymakers, industry practitioners, and investors can use these insights to make informed decisions regarding board composition, financing strategies, and evaluating the financial performance and risk profiles of pharmaceutical companies.

Porcine digestible peptides as alternative protein source in weaner diets: effects on performance and systemic cytokine profile in pigs followed from weaning to slaughter

Porcine digestible peptides (PDP) are high-quality hydrolysed proteins obtained from porcine intestinal mucosa as a by-product of the heparin manufacturing process. PDP contain bioactive peptides and are used as alternative protein sources in several animal species, including pigs. We aimed to explore the (carry-over) effects of feeding PDP to weaned piglets on performance and systemic cytokine levels of pigs followed until slaughter. A total of 192 piglets were allocated to one of two dietary treatments: control (CON) or PDP weaner diets. PDP was included at 5.0% until day 13 post-weaning at the expense of skimmed milk powder and partial replacement of soybean meal, and at 2.5% between days 13 and 34 post-weaning at the expense of soy protein concentrate. Grower-finishers were fed commercial diets according to a 3-phase feeding scheme until slaughter, when carcass traits were determined. Six pigs were housed per weaner pen and eight per grower-finisher pen with 16 and 10 pens per treatment, respectively. Pigs were weighed at the start and at the end of each phase, and feed intake was recorded. Faecal consistency was recorded twice a week in the weaner facility. Ten pigs per treatment were sampled for blood at days 13, 34 and 69 post-weaning. We found that PDP-fed piglets had a higher feed intake in the first two weeks post-weaning compared to CON-fed piglets (+32 g/pig per day; P = 0.02). Moreover, piglets in the PDP group showed improved feed conversion between days 13 and 34 versus the CON group (1.36 vs 1.43; P = 0.03). Piglets that were fed with PDP in the weaner diets tended to grow faster in the grower-finisher period (+32 g/pig per day; P = 0.07), tended to reach slaughter age earlier (129.9 vs 131.5 days; P = 0.07) and had a lower dressing percentage at slaughter (76.3 vs 76.7%, P = 0.045) than piglets previously fed with CON. Additionally, PDP-fed piglets showed higher serum levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines interleukin (IL)-12 (P = 0.02), tumour necrosis factor-alpha (P = 0.02), interferon-gamma (P = 0.03) and IL-8 (at day 34 post-weaning, P = 0.06) as well as anti-inflammatory cytokines transforming growth factor-beta (P = 0.02), IL-4 (P = 0.04) and IL-10 (at day 34 post-weaning, P = 0.02). No significant differences among dietary treatments were observed regarding faecal consistency of weaned piglets and carcass weight, lean meat percentage, muscle depth, and back fat thickness at slaughter. We conclude that feeding PDP, as an alternative to conventional milk and soy protein sources, showed positive effects on pig performance, not only during the provisioning period but also thereafter into the grower-finisher phase.

Diagnostic Performance and Safety Profile of Robotic-assisted Bronchoscopy: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Rationale: Conventional electromagnetic navigation bronchoscopy and other guided bronchoscopic modalities have a very desirable safety profile, but their diagnostic yield is only 60-70% for pulmonary lesions. Recently, robotic-assisted bronchoscopy (RAB) platforms have been introduced to improve the diagnostic performance of bronchoscopic modalities. Objectives: To determine the diagnostic performance and safety profile of RAB (using shape-sensing and electromagnetic navigation-based platforms) by performing a systematic review and meta-analysis. Methods: The PubMed, Embase, and Google Scholar databases were searched to find studies that reported on the diagnostic performance and/or the safety profile of one of the RAB systems. The quality of included studies was assessed using the Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies 2 tool. Meta-analysis was performed using MedCalc version 20.118. Pooled diagnostic yield was calculated using a Freeman-Tukey transformation. We planned to use a random-effects model if the I2 index was >40%. Results: Twenty-five studies were included: 20 including diagnostic and safety analyses and 5 including only safety analyses. The pooled diagnostic yield of RAB (20 studies, 1,779 lesions) was 84.3% (95% confidence interval, 81.1-87.2%). The I2 index was 65.6%. On the basis of our subgroup analyses, the heterogeneity was likely driven by differences in study designs (prospective vs. retrospective) and procedural protocols (such as different RAB systems). Lesion size > 2 cm, the presence of a computed tomography bronchus sign, and concentric radial endobronchial ultrasound view were associated with a statistically significant increase in the odds of diagnosis with RAB. The overall rates of pneumothorax, need for tube thoracostomy, and significant hemorrhage were 2.3%, 1.2%, and 0.5%, respectively. Conclusions: RAB systems have significantly increased the diagnostic yield of navigational bronchoscopy compared with conventional systems such as electromagnetic navigation bronchoscopy, but well-designed prospective studies are needed to better understand the impact of various factors, such as the use of three-dimensional imaging modalities, cryobiopsy, and specific ventilatory protocols, on the diagnostic yield of RAB.

Socio-economic Profile of Equine Owner, Morphometric Characterization and Reproductive Performance of Indigenous Horses in Bangladesh

Background: The socio-economic importance of horses plays a decisive role in the dynamism of rural economies in remote regions of developing countries such as Bangladesh. Horses are particularly suitable for transportation and recreation in these areas. Methods: The study was conducted from January to March 2023 in 200 randomly selected horse families concentrated in Sherpur, Jamalpur, Tangail, Sirajganj, Natore, and Noagoan districts of Bangladesh. After the necessary corrections and modifications, the final questionnaire was created based on the objectives of the study. The data were collected by respondents individually through personal interviews. Results: The average number of horses per family was 1.18, with 70% of them being transported and only 11.5% participating in horse races. The average peak and the poor seasonal income of the farmers were recorded as BDT (12,920-6,717). On average, 2 kg of concentrate feed per day is supplied to each horse with forages in the morning and afternoon depending on the situation. All farmers practiced natural mating, but they did not perform vaccination (100%). The indigenous horse's face color was observed as a star of 30%, and 45% non-specific, while the coat color was chestnut 38.5%, bay 41.5%, grey 8%, pseudo-Albino 3.5%, black 3.5%, brown 1% and bay roan 4%. The chest stocking color was observed as black 48%, white 33%, black and white 19%. The average body length, chest girth, neck length, ear length, and body weight in the research region were 119.86±0.17 cm, 126.28±0.19 cm, 37.87±0.14 cm, 15.78±0.12 cm, and 160.43±0.65 kg. The body length and body weight (p=0.000) differ significantly from region to region. Age at first service, service per conception (no.), gestation length, and foaling interval were 2.34±0.07 years, 1.21±0.06 years, 10.91±0.33 months and 1.00±0.03 years, respectively. Conclusions: Horses have enormous potential for livelihoods in rural areas, so it is important to preserve and improve horse genetic resources and ensure sustainable horse rearing in Bangladesh.

Phosphorus nutrition strategies in a Symbiodiniacean species: Implications in coral-alga symbiosis facing increasing phosphorus deficiency in future warmer oceans.

Coral reefs thrive in the oligotrophic ocean and rely on symbiotic algae to acquire nutrients. Global warming is projected to intensify surface ocean nutrient deficiency and anthropogenic discharge of wastes with high nitrogen (N): phosphorus (P) ratios can exacerbate P nutrient limitation. However, our understanding on how symbiotic algae cope with P deficiency is limited. Here, we investigated the responses of a coral symbiotic species of Symbiodiniaceae, Cladocopium goreaui, to P-limitation by examining its physiological performance and transcriptomic profile. Under P stress, C. goreaui exhibited decreases in algal growth, photosynthetic efficiency, and cellular P content but enhancement in carbon fixation, N assimilation, N:P ratio, and energy metabolism, with downregulated expression of carbohydrate exporter genes. Besides, C. goreaui showed flexible mechanisms of utilizing different dissolved organic phosphorus to relieve P deficiency. When provided glycerol phosphate, C. goreaui hydrolyzed it extracellularly to produce phosphate for uptake. When grown on phytate, in contrast, C. goreaui upregulated the endocytosis pathway while no dissolved inorganic phosphorus was released into the medium, suggesting that phytate was transported into the cell, potentially via the endocytosis pathway. This study sheds light on the survival strategies of C. goreaui and potential weakening of its role as an organic carbon supplier in P-limited environments, underscoring the importance of more systematic investigation on future projections of such effects.

Effects of Rumen-Protected Methionine Supplementation on Growth Performance, Nutrient Digestion, Nitrogen Utilisation and Plasma Amino Acid Profiles of Liaoning Cashmere Goats.

This study determined the effects of rumen-protected methionine (RPM) supplementation on the growth performance, nutrient digestibility, nitrogen (N) utilisation and plasma amino acid profiles of Liaoning cashmere goats during cashmere fibre growth. Twenty-four yearling male cashmere goats (body weight: 35.41 ± 1.13 kg) were randomly assigned to four dietary treatments: a corn-soybean meal basal diet deficient in methionine (negative control, NC) and a basal diet supplemented with 1, 2 and 3 g/kg of RPM. The RPM supplementation quadratically increased the average daily gain (ADG) and decreased the feed to gain ratio (p = 0.001) without affecting the final body weight and dry matter intake. In particular, compared to NC, 2 g/kg RPM supplementation increased the ADG by 35 g/d (p < 0.001) and resulted in the lowest feed to gain ratio (p < 0.001). RPM increased the apparent total tract digestibility of N and decreased the faecal N levels, both in a linear fashion (p = 0.005). Urinary N levels did not have an effect, but the N retention levels increased linearly with PRM (p = 0.032). Moreover, the RPM decreased the plasma urea N levels (p < 0.001) and increased the plasma Met levels quadratically (p < 0.001). In conclusion, RPM supplementation in the diet of cashmere goats can enhance the utilisation of N and improve ADG during the cashmere fibre growing period, and 2 g/kg of RPM in the diet is suggested.