Slow Growth Rate Research Articles

LINC01614 Promotes Colorectal Cancer Cell Growth and Migration by Regulating miR-217-5p/HMGA1 Axis.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) substantially contributes to cancer-related deaths worldwide. Recently, a long non-coding RNA (lncRNA), LINC01614, has emerged as a vital gene regulator in cancer progression. Yet, how LINC01614 affects CRC progression remains enigmatic. Here, we defined LINC01614 expression in CRC, investigated the performance of CRC cells lacking LINC01614, and elucidated the underpinning mechanism. We observed that LINC01614 was upregulated in both CRC tissues and cell lines. LINC01614 knockdown repressed the proliferation and metastasis capacity of CRC cell lines. Consistently, an in vivo LINC01614 deficiency model exhibited slow tumor growth rate. Moreover, luciferase reporter assay, RNA pull-down, and immunoprecipitation confirmed that LINC01614 targeted miR-217-5p. LINC01614 knockdown reduced the expression of HMGA1 and N-cadherin, while increasing that of E-cadherin, resulting in decreased viability, proliferation, migration, and invasion capacity of CRC cells. Our results demonstrate that LINC01614 regulates CRC progression by modulating the miR-217-5p/HMGA1 axis, thus holding great potential as a prognostic biomarker for CRC diagnosis and treatment.

Geographic Atrophy after Reabsorption of Pigment Epithelial Detachment (GARPED) study

BackgroundTo describe the occurrence, rate of geographic atrophy (GA) expansion, and changes in visual acuity (VA) after reabsorption of subfoveal pigment epithelial detachments (PED).MethodsIncluded patients had reabsorption of a PED followed by GA. Patients underwent clinical examination with SD-OCT. Images were classified by size with grading occurring post reabsorption. VA was recorded pre-reabsorption, post-reabsorption, and over time.ResultsThe average age of the cohort, consisting of 22 eyes from 19 participants, was 86.9 years at reabsorption. Prior to reabsorption, the VA was 20/80 and then declined to 20/200 (p = 0.001) with an average follow-up time of 30.2 months. There was no significant VA change after the initial loss with reabsorption. The average initial lesion size of GA was 0.987 mm2 with an average growth rate of 0.274 mm/year.ConclusionsThis study longitudinally examined GA growth rate in patients with reabsorbed PEDs. These patients started with a drusenoid or serous PED, had a dramatic reduction in vision and GA that occurred in place of the PED. These GA lesions have a slower growth rate and a smaller area of onset compared to rates previously reported in the literature. They do not show significant VA change after reabsorption. As we have entered the era of GA therapy, these patients may not benefit from current treatments.

1034 A Rare Case of ROHHAD Syndrome

Abstract Introduction Early diagnosis of pediatric syndromes that are rare and involve multiple systems can be challenging. Rapid onset obesity, hypoventilation, hypothalamic dysfunction, and autonomic dysregulation characterizes ROHHAD syndrome which, if undiagnosed, can lead to potentially harmful outcomes including deferring radiological workup for a neural crest tumor (which has an over 50% association) and cardiopulmonary arrest. Report of case(s) A 10-year-old female with a history of obesity, precocious puberty, recurrent hypothermia, recurrent sodium derangements, bilateral ptosis, seizure disorder, and GERD initially presented to sleep clinic as a 4-year-old in 2017 when she recently began snoring with excessive daytime sleepiness as a result of rapid onset of weight gain. BMI at that time was 99th percentile and Epworth was 11. An in-lab polysomnography revealed severe OSA with AHI 26.4 events/hour; nocturnal hypoxemia with TS90 27% and O2 nadir 70%; and sleep related hypoventilation based on elevated pCO2 on end-tidal capnometry. Patient underwent adenotonsillectomy, revision adenoidectomy, and was started on CPAP before transitioning to BiPAP over the span of the next several years with serial polysomnographies ultimately showing significant improvement of sleep apnea with AHI 5.4 events/hour. Sleep-related hypoventilation, however, remained persistent with blood gases showing pCO2 as high as 89. PHOX2B gene testing was negative and secondary causes of hypoventilation were ruled out. During this time, she was also followed by Endocrinology for suspected hypothalamic dysfunction resulting in precocious puberty, deceleration of growth rate, sodium derangements. Autonomic dysfunction was also suspected due to recurrent hypothermia including a recent admission for Temperature < 95F and ophthalmologic abnormalities including bilateral ptosis. At a multidisciplinary care conference, a working diagnosis of ROHHAD syndrome was made based on the rapid onset of obesity, hypoventilation on sleep studies and CBGs, hypothalamic dysfunction, and autonomic degeneration. Workup for neural crest tumor with MRI chest and abdomen unremarkable. Outside academic consultation was sought for management which recommended shared decision-making regarding steroids, immunosuppressive therapy (eg rituximab, cyclophosphamide), and IVIG. Conclusion For ROHHAD syndrome, there are very few documented cases in the United States and there is no known laboratory marker; diagnosis remains clinical and takes multidisciplinary collaboration, education, and a high degree of suspicion. Support (if any)

Growth Rate and Body Size Mapping of Male Buffaloes during the Fattening Phase

Background: Buffalo is an animal that really likes water. Generally, buffalo like to soak in muddy waters and swamps around the cage. This behavior appears because buffalo have very few sweat glands. Therefore, if one wants to develop buffalo farming, he/she should look for special habitats or existing buffalo breeding centers. Differences in growth rates are caused by physiological factors and functional demands. Growth in animal body size usually follows an exponential function, with the growth rate varying from one body size to another. An animal's body size that functions earlier will grow faster with a greater growth rate than an animal that functions later. Differences in the growth rate of animal body size are also influenced by the constituent components of these body parts. Body parts composed primarily of bone will develop earlier than those composed of muscle or fat. During fattening, the body size of male buffaloes will have a different growth rate, where this difference indicates the potential for body size. The body size of a buffalo with a high growth rate has relatively large growth potential, while those with a small growth rate have small growth potential, or the body part has stopped growing because it has reached its maximum point. The purpose of this study is to determine the body size growth rate of male buffaloes, which have high potential during fattening. Mapping the body size of male buffaloes during fattening aims to help breeders determine at what age the buffaloes start to be fattened and slaughtered for meat production purposes so that they are economically quite profitable.
 Methodology: Data was collected using a saturated sampling technique, in which the livestock taken were all buffaloes kept by the Sumber Sari Livestock Group in Kalianget village, Seririt District, Buleleng Regency, Bali, which met the requirements in terms of their health and physical condition. The data obtained were analyzed using the power model regression analysis to determine the growth rate of the body size of the buffaloes. To map the growth rate, Biplot analysis was carried out with a Promax rotation of 90, as the variable is the estimated body size of the buffaloes based on the equation of the power regression line, and the object is the age of the male buffaloes.
 Conclusion: The results showed that the fastest growth rate or the greatest potential was chest width, followed by hip width, chest depth, body length, chest circumference, and shoulder height. At the same time, the slowest part of the lowest potential was the height of the hips. The results of mapping the body size growth rate of male buffalo aged 11-74 months with biplot charts showed that their growth potential was still quite high. However, there was a tendency for male buffalo over 30 months to have a slower growth rate in body size than those under 30 months.

Physiological responses to pH in the freshwater microalga Limnomonas gaiensis.

The ecological niche of the recently described limnic microalga Limnomonas gaiensis (Chlamydomonadales) in Northern Europe remains unknown. To decipher the species tolerance capacity to pH, the effects of hydrogen ions on the physiological response of L. gaiensis were investigated. Results showed that L. gaiensis could tolerate exposure from pH 3 up to pH 11, with an optimal survival at pH 5-8. Its physiological response to pH was strain specific. Globally the southernmost strain was more alkaliphilic, had a slightly rounder shape, a slowest growth rate, and a lowest carrying capacity. Despite strain discrepancies among lakes, Swedish strains exhibited similar growth rates, faster at more acidic conditions. The extreme pH conditions affected its morphological features such as the eye spot and papilla shape, especially at acidic pH, and the cell wall integrity, at more alkaline pH. The wide range tolerance of L. gaiensis to pH would not be a hindrance to its dispersal in Swedish lakes (pH 4-8). Notably, the storage of high-energetic reserves over a wide range of pH conditions, as numerous starch grains and oil droplets, makes L. gaiensis a good candidate for bioethanol/fuel industrial production and a key resource to sustain aquatic food chain and microbial loop.

Ion transport through carbon nanotubes enable highly crystalline Na3V2(PO4)2F3 cathode for ultra-stable sodium-ion storage

Highly crystallized Na3V2(PO4)2F3 (NVPF) is desired for high-performance sodium-ion battery cathode material. However, the slow growth-rate induced by lack of multi-ion-transport pathway during sol-gel synthesis process makes it especially difficult to produce NVPF cathode with high crystallinity. Herein, we find that the presence of carbon nanotube (CNT) can significantly promote the ion transport during synthesis, which drastically increases the NVPF crystallinity. The CNT assisted synthetic route produces quality cathode material with high structural stability and electronic conductivity. As expected, the optimal NVPF cathode with trace CNT (0.1%) delivers favorable rate performance of 113.7 and 96.0 mAh g−1 at 1 and 20 C-rate, respectively, and impressive cycling stability up to 5000 cycles with a high-capacity retention of 77.3%. Furthermore, kilogram-scale produced NVPF@CNT cathode showed excellent adaptability in NVPF@CNT-1 || NaTi2(PO4)3 full-cell with high-rate capability and cycling stability. This work provides a practicable and simple strategy to fabricate highly crystallized electrode materials for commercial applications.

Variation and process of life history evolution in insular dwarfism as revealed by a natural experiment

Islands are a classic focus for evolutionary studies. One topic of great interest has been the evolution of “dwarfs,” significantly smaller island mammals relative to their continental counterparts. Although a consensus has been achieved regarding the multivariate ecological causes behind changes in body size, the processes involved remain largely unexplored. Life history variables, including age at first reproduction, growth rate, and longevity, are likely to be key to understanding the process of insular dwarfism. The Japanese archipelago, with its numerous islands, offers a unique natural experiment for the evolution of different sizes within the same group of organisms; namely, deer. Thus, we investigated eight deer populations with a total number of 52 individuals exhibiting body size variation, both extant and fossil, to clarify the effect of insularity on life history traits. We applied several methods to both extant and extinct populations to resolve life history changes among these deer populations. Skeletochronology, using lines of arrested growth formed in long bones (femur and tibia), successfully reconstructed body growth curves and revealed a gradual change in growth trajectories reflecting the degree of insularity. Slower growth rates with prolonged growth periods in more isolated deer populations were revealed. An extensive examination of bone microstructure further corroborated this finding, with much slower growth and later somatic maturity evident in fossil insular deer isolated for more than 1.5 Myr. Finally, mortality patterns assessed by demographic analysis revealed variation among deer populations, with a life history of insular populations shifting toward the “slow life.”

Controls on the hydrogen isotope composition of tetraether lipids in an autotrophic ammonia-oxidizing marine archaeon

The stable hydrogen isotope composition of persistent biomolecules is used as a palaeohydrological proxy. While much previous work has focused on plant leaf wax-derived n-alkanes, the potential of prokaryotic lipid biomarkers as carriers of H isotope signatures remains underexplored, particularly in the Archaea. Here we investigated H isotope distributions in the membrane lipids of the ammonia-oxidizing chemoautotroph Nitrosopumilus maritimus strain SCM1. Hydrogen isotope ratios were measured on the cleaved biphytane chains of tetraether membrane lipids extracted from steady-state continuous cultures cultivated at slow, medium, and fast growth rates. In contrast to recent work on bacterial fatty acids, where the direction and magnitude of isotopic fractionation varies widely (ca. 600‰ range) as a function of central C and energy metabolism, archaeal biphytane data in the present work are relatively invariant. The weighted average 2H/1H fractionation values relative to growth water (2εL/W) ranged from –272 to –260‰, despite a three-fold difference in doubling times (30.8–92.5 hr), yielding an average growth-rate effect <0.2‰ hr−1. These 2εL/W values are more negative than most heterotrophic microbial lipid H isotope measurements in the literature, and are on par with those from other autotrophic archaea, as well as with phytol from photoautotrophic algae. N. maritimus values of 2εL/W also varied systematically with the number of internal rings (cyclopentyl + cyclohexyl), increasing for each additional ring by 6.4 ± 2.7‰. Using an isotope flux-balance model in tandem with a comprehensive analysis of the sources of H in archaeal lipid biosynthesis, we use this observation to estimate the kinetic isotope effects (KIEs) of H incorporation from water; from reducing cofactors such as flavins and NADPH, and for the transhydrogenation reaction(s) that convert the electron-donor derived NADH into these cofactors. Consistent with prior studies on bacteria and plants, our results indicate the KIEs of reducing cofactors in archaea are highly fractionating, while those involving exchange of water protons are less so. When combined with the observation of minimal growth-rate sensitivity, our results suggest biphytanes of autotrophic 3HP/4HB utilizing Nitrososphaerota (a.k.a. Thaumarchaeota) may be offset from their growth waters by a nearly constant 2εL/W value. Together with the ring effect, this implies that all biphytanes originating from a common source should have a predictable ordering of their isotope ratios with respect to biphytane ring number, allowing precise reconstruction of the original δ2H value of the environmental water. Collectively, these patterns indicate archaeal biphytanes have potential as paleo-hydrological proxies, either as a complement or an alternative to leaf wax n-alkanes.

Enhancing submerged fermentation of Antrodia camphorata by low-frequency alternating magnetic field

This work aimed to investigate the impact of low-frequency (30–300 kHz) alternating magnetic field (LF-AMF) on enhancing submerged fermentation of Antrodia camphorata (A. camphorata), a basidiomycete fungus. This study assessed mycelial biomass, active metabolites, microstructure, cytomembrane fluidity, and molecular mechanism. Under optimal magnetic treatment conditions, the mycelial biomass and the yields of polysaccharides and triterpenoids increased by 15.88, 24.26, and 26.85% at laboratory level and 8.99, 20.81, and 29.91% at scale-up level, respectively, compared with the control. The microstructures displayed that the magnetically treated mycelium showed a rough, loose, and wrinkled surface morphology, a slightly thinner cell wall, and enlarged vesicle and mitochondrial volume compared with the control. The cytomembrane fluidity increased over the magnetic exposure time. Transcriptomic analysis revealed that LF-AMF treatment enhanced the mycelium growth of A. camphorata by significantly up-regulating gene expression related to amino acid metabolism and synthesis and cell growth. Additionally, unigenes involved in RNA transport and endocytosis were up-regulated in response to magnetic stimulation to promote the accumulation of the active metabolites. Industrial relevanceA. camphorata is a precious edible medicinal basidiomycete with various pharmaceutical activities and high commercial value. However, the wild fruiting bodies of A. camphorata are scarce and expensive due to the host specificity and slow growth rate in nature. Our findings indicated that LF-AMF-assisted-submerged fermentation could be considered an effective way to produce A. camphorata mycelia at laboratory and scale-up levels, achieving efficient, high-quality, and large-scale production of precious edible fungus.

Temporal and Spatial Differences in CO2 Equivalent Emissions and Carbon Compensation Caused by Land Use Changes and Industrial Development in Hunan Province

The differences in CO2 equivalent emissions and carbon compensation due to land use changes can provide a basis for formulating low-carbon development policies in various regions according to net CO2 emissions. Based on the land use and energy consumption data of Hunan Province from 2000 to 2020, the calculation model is constructed to calculate the CO2 equivalent emissions and carbon compensation values for different cities in different periods. The results showed that: (1) From 2000 to 2020, there was a significant growth trend in the area of built-up land in Hunan Province, mainly from the forest and cropland, while the area of forest is relatively stable. (2) The net CO2 equivalent emissions from land use changes in Hunan Province shows a trend of increasing first and then decreasing with an initially fast and then slowed growth rate. Built-up land is the main carbon source, and its CO2 equivalent emissions increased by 26.78 million tons, while the forest is the main carbon sink, and its carbon absorption decreased by 4.11 × 104 tons. (3) The carbon sink areas are mainly located in Zhangjiajie and Xiangxi in western Hunan, and the CO2 equivalent emission intensity of other carbon source areas is gradually increasing from eastern Hunan to southern Hunan. (4) The carbon compensation value is very similar to the spatial distribution of CO2 equivalent emissions in different cities. The high carbon compensation areas are mainly Yueyang, Loudi, and Xiangtan due to their backward energy structure, un-upgraded industrial structure, and large net CO2 equivalent emissions, while the high carbon compensation areas are mainly Changsha, due to its high economic development level, great technological progress, and small net CO2 equivalent emissions. To achieve regional coordination and low-carbon development, it is necessary to continually improve the carbon compensation mechanism and to build on carbon compensation to promote regional low-carbon coordinated development from a low-carbon level. Meanwhile, the government should rank and direct the transformation and development of different types of cities, to build a low-carbon land development model and achieve the goal of developing carbon neutrality.

Double emulsions as a high-throughput enrichment and isolation platform for slower-growing microbes

Our understanding of in situ microbial physiology is primarily based on physiological characterization of fast-growing and readily-isolatable microbes. Microbial enrichments to obtain novel isolates with slower growth rates or physiologies adapted to low nutrient environments are plagued by intrinsic biases for fastest-growing species when using standard laboratory isolation protocols. New cultivation tools to minimize these biases and enrich for less well-studied taxa are needed. In this study, we developed a high-throughput bacterial enrichment platform based on single cell encapsulation and growth within double emulsions (GrowMiDE). We showed that GrowMiDE can cultivate many different microorganisms and enrich for underrepresented taxa that are never observed in traditional batch enrichments. For example, preventing dominance of the enrichment by fast-growing microbes due to nutrient privatization within the double emulsion droplets allowed cultivation of slower-growing Negativicutes and Methanobacteria from stool samples in rich media enrichment cultures. In competition experiments between growth rate and growth yield specialist strains, GrowMiDE enrichments prevented competition for shared nutrient pools and enriched for slower-growing but more efficient strains. Finally, we demonstrated the compatibility of GrowMiDE with commercial fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) to obtain isolates from GrowMiDE enrichments. Together, GrowMiDE + DE-FACS is a promising new high-throughput enrichment platform that can be easily applied to diverse microbial enrichments or screens.

Progression Dynamics of Early versus Later Stage Atrophic Lesions in Nonneovascular Age-Related Macular Degeneration Using Quantitative OCT Biomarker Segmentation

To investigate the progression of geographic atrophy (GA) secondary to non-neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD) in early and later stage lesions using AI-based precision tools. Retrospective analysis of an observational cohort study. Seventy-four eyes of forty-nine patients with at least one complete retinal pigment epithelial and outer retinal atrophy (cRORA) lesion secondary to AMD were included. Patients were divided between recently developed cRORA and lesions with advanced disease status. Patients were prospectively imaged by spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) volume scans. The study period encompassed 18 months with scheduled visits every 6 months. Growth rates of recently to cRORA converted lesions were compared with lesions in an advanced disease status using mixed effect models. The progression of retinal pigment epithelial loss (RPEL) was considered the primary endpoint. Secondary endpoints consisted of external limiting membrane disruption (ELMD) and ellipsoid zone loss (EZL). These pathognomonic imaging biomarkers were quantified using validated deep learning algorithms. Further the EZ/RPE-Loss ratio was analysed in both study cohorts. Mean [95%CI] square root progression of recently converted lesions was 79.676[-77.140 - 236.493], 68.219[-101.210 - 237.648) and 84.825[-124.816 - 294.467] mm/half year for RPEL, ELML and EZL respectively. Mean square root progression of advanced lesions was 131.737[-22.574 - 286.047], 129.964[-36.666 - 296.594] and 116.837[-90.556 - 324.301] mm/half year for RPEL, ELML and EZL respectively. RPEL (p=0.038) and ELMD (p=0.026) progression showed significant differences between the two study cohorts. Further recent converters had significantly (p<0.001) higher EZ/RPE-Loss ratios in all time points compared to patients in an advanced disease status (1.716 [1.135 - 2.296] versus 1.153 [0.576 - 1.729]). Early cRORA lesions have a slower growth rate in comparison to atrophic lesions in advanced disease stages. Differences in growth dynamics may play a crucial role in understanding the pathophysiology of non-neovascular AMD and for the interpretation of clinical trials in GA. Individual disease monitoring using AI-based quantification paves the way towards optimized GA management.

Improvement of straw decomposition and rice growth through co-application of straw-decomposing inoculants and ammonium nitrogen fertilizer

BackgroundThe growth of rice is reduced by the slow decomposition of accumulated straw, which competes with rice for soil nitrogen nutrient. In recent year, straw-decomposing inoculants (SDIs) that can accelerate straw decomposition and ammonium nitrogen (N) fertilizer that can quickly generate available N is increasingly adopted in China. However, it is still unknown whether the N demand of straw decomposition and crop growth can be simultaneously met through the co-application of SDIs and ammonium N fertilizer.ResultsIn this study, we investigated the effect of the co-application of SDIs and ammonium bicarbonate on decomposition rate of wheat straw, rice growth and rice yield over two consecutive years in rice-wheat rotation system. Compound fertilizer (A0) was used as control. The ratios of ammonium bicarbonate addition were 20% (A2), 30% (A3) and 40% (A4), respectively, without SDIs or with SDIs (IA2, IA3, IA4). Our results revealed that without SDIs, compared with A0, straw decomposition rate, rice growth and yield were improved under A2; However, under A3, rice yield was decreased due to the slow decomposition rate of straw and limited growth of rice during late growth stage. Combining SDIs and N fertilizer increased straw decomposition rate, rice growth rate and yield more than that of N fertilizer alone, especially under IA3. Compared with A0, straw decomposition rate, tiller number, aboveground biomass, leaf area index, root length, and nitrogen use efficiency were significantly increased by 16%, 8%, 27%, 12%, 17%, and 15% under IA3. Consequently, the average rice yield of IA3 was increased to 10,856 kg/ha, which was 13% and 9% higher, respectively, than of A0 and A2.ConclusionOur results indicated that ammonium bicarbonate application alone carried a risk of nutrient deficiency during late growth stage and yield decline. Therefore, the co-application of SDIs and 30% ammonium N fertilizer substitution can be a favorable practice to simultaneously accelerate straw decomposition and increase rice crop growth.

Micropropagated walnut dependency on phosphate fertilization and arbuscular mycorrhiza for growth, nutrition and quality differ between rootstocks both after acclimatization and post-acclimatization

The English walnut (Juglans regia L.) is the main species cultivated for the production of edible nuts. In vitro micropropagation of walnut explants, necessary for mass propagation of high-quality walnut rootstocks, needs an ex vitro acclimatization phase followed by a post-acclimatization growth in greenhouse when plantlets become photoautotrophic. However, poor survival and slow growth rates are common difficulties encountered in nurseries when establishing micropropagated walnut saplings. Walnut exhibits dependency on symbiotic soil-borne arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi for better soil nutrient acquisition and development due to a coarse root architecture that limits soil inorganic phosphate (Pi) uptake. In the context of rootstock production, the objective of this study was to investigate for the first time the effect of the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus Rhizophagus irregularis on the growth, quality, and Pi nutrition of seven in vitro grown walnut rootstocks of economic interest (RG2, RG6, R17, RX1, VLACH, VX211, and WIP3). For this purpose, inoculation was performed before both acclimatization and post-acclimatization of rootstocks under two contrasting Pi fertilization regimes. Two months after inoculation, we analysed mycorrhizal growth, phosphate and quality responses in the four conditions tested by measuring plant height, root length, root surface, branch number, collar, biomass dry weight, Pi content, and quality (Dickson's index). The results indicated that Pi fertilization impacted root colonization parameters only in a few cases. Irrespective of root colonization parameters and developmental stages, mycorrhizal growth depression after inoculation with R. irregularis was generally observed with increasing Pi availability in the substrate. Principal component analysis showed that mycorrhizal dependency, growth and quality responses were positively correlated to each other under the lowest Pi fertilization regime tested, both at the acclimatization and post-acclimatization stages. We also found that mycorrhizal benefits in terms of growth, quality and Pi nutrition, were rootstock-dependent, indicating that walnut dependency for Pi nutrition varies between cultivars.

Dynamic Revealed Comparative Advantage: Export Potential Crude Palm Oil (CPO) Indonesia Database 2018

As the largest CPO exporter country in the world, Indonesia's CPO production is increasing every year. Even though Indonesia's CPO production has increased, Indonesia's CPO has a slow growth rate, low productivity and the competitiveness of Indonesian CPO to destination countries has not increased. The purpose of this research is to analyze the factors that influence the competitiveness of Indonesian CPO and formulate policies that can increase the competitiveness of Indonesian CPO. Quantitative analysis uses Stata 14 along with panel data with the 2018 database. Export volume growth, selling prices, inflation and population growth in importing countries have a negative effect on the competitiveness of CPO export commodities while GDP growth in importing countries and exchange rates have a positive relationship to competitiveness CPO export commodity.

Time estimation for mating peak and calving of Bali cattle in semi-arid area in Netemnanu village Kupang district

Bali cattle have advantages in terms of adaptation and fertilization rates, but tend to have slow growth rate because the rearing system is still grazing so that livestock growth becomes uncontrollable. This study aims to determine the peak of mating and calving estimation of Bali cattle (Bos sondaicus) that did not experience reproductive disorders, aged 4-7 years, belonging to smallholder farmers. The cattle were reared in semi-arid area of Netemnanu village, South Amfoang district, Kupang regency, Nusa Tenggara Timur. The method used was interviews with farmers, diagnosis of pregnancy through rectal palpation and ultrasonography. The results showed that the pregnancy rate was 86.20% (50/58). Based on pregnancy data, it was known that the peak of mating would occur in December 2021 and estimated calving would reach its peak in September 2022.

Time estimation for mating peak and calving of Bali cattle in semi-arid area in Netemnanu village Kupang district

Bali cattle have advantages in terms of adaptation and fertilization rates, but tend to have slow growth rate because the rearing system is still grazing so that livestock growth becomes uncontrollable. This study aims to determine the peak of mating and calving estimation of Bali cattle (Bos sondaicus) that did not experience reproductive disorders, aged 4-7 years, belonging to smallholder farmers. The cattle were reared in semi-arid area of Netemnanu village, South Amfoang district, Kupang regency, Nusa Tenggara Timur. The method used was interviews with farmers, diagnosis of pregnancy through rectal palpation and ultrasonography. The results showed that the pregnancy rate was 86.20% (50/58). Based on pregnancy data, it was known that the peak of mating would occur in December 2021 and estimated calving would reach its peak in September 2022.

Enhancement of nitrogen removal in coupling Anammox and DAMO via Fe-modified granular activated carbon

Anaerobic ammonium oxidation (Anammox) coupled with Denitrifying anaerobic methane oxidation (DAMO) is an attractive technology to simultaneously remove nitrogen and mitigate methane emissions from wastewater. However, its nitrogen removal rate is usually limited due to the low methane mass transfer efficiency, low metabolic activity and slow growth rate of functional microorganisms. In this study, GAC and Fe-modified GAC (Fe-GAC) were added into Anammox-DAMO process to investigate their effects on nitrogen removal rates and then reveal the mechanism. The results showed that after 80-day experiments, the total nitrogen removal rate was slightly improved in the presence of GAC (3.94 mg L−1·d−1), while it reached high as 16.66 mg L−1·d−1 in the presence of Fe-GAC, which was ca.17 times that of non-amended control group (0.96 mg L−1·d−1). The addition of Fe-GAC stimulated the secretion of extracellular polymeric substance (EPS), improved the electron transfer capability and promoted the production of Cytochrome C. Besides, the key functional enzyme activities (HZS, HDH and NAR) were highest in the Fe-GAC group, which were approximately 1.06–1.56 times higher than those of GAC-amended and blank control groups. Microbial community analysis showed that the abundance of the DAMO archaea (Candidatus Methanoperedens) and Anammox bacteria (Candidatus Brocadia) were remarkably increased with the addition of Fe-GAC. Functional genes associated with nitrogen removal and methane oxidation in Fe-GAC system were up-regulated. This study provides a promising strategy for achieving high rate of nitrogen removal upon Anammox-DAMO process.

Two-In-One: End-Emitting Blue LED and Self-Powered UV Photodetector based on Single Trapezoidal PIN GaN Microwire for Ambient Light UV Monitoring and Feedback.

With the continuous miniaturization and integration of the semiconductor industry, micro/nanoscale integrated photonics has received extensive attention as a key technology for optical communication, optical storage, and optical interconnection. Here, a two-in-one device is reported with both unidirectional blue light emission and UV photodetection functions based on single trapezoidal PIN GaN microwire. By constructing a Fabry-Perot resonator cavity structure, the end-emitting blue light-emitting diode with a low turn-on voltage (≈0.97V) and high color purity (full width at half maximum ≈22nm) is implemented. Furthermore, benefiting from the slow growth rate of the semipolar planes on both sides of the trapezoidal microwire and the high diffuse reflectivity of the patterned substrate, the trapezoidal microwire sides can be used as a high-performance UV photodetector. In self-driven mode, the device exhibits a large responsivity (0.218AW-1 ), high external quantum efficiency (83.31%) and fast response speed (rise/decay time of 0.48/0.98ms). Finally, the prepared two-in-one device is successfully integrated into ambient light UV monitoring and feedback system and tested. This work provides a novel strategy to combine luminescence with photodetection, demonstrating high potential for applications, such as on-chip photonic integration, energy-saving communication and ambient light monitoring and feedback system.

The Phosphorylation Status of Hsp82 Regulates Mitochondrial Homeostasis During Glucose Sensing in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Sensing extracellular glucose, budding yeast switches from aerobic glycolysis to oxidative phosphorylation to adapt to environmental changes. During the conversion of metabolic mode, mitochondrial function and morphology change significantly. Mitochondria are the main supply factories of energy for various life activities in cells. However, the research on the signal pathways from glucose sensing to changes in mitochondrial function and morphology is still scarce and worthy of further exploration. In this study, we found that in addition to the known involvement of molecular chaperone Hsp82 in stress response during the conversion of metabolic mode, the phosphorylation status of Hsp82 at S485 residue regulates mitochondrial function and morphology to maintain mitochondrial homeostasis. The Hsp82S485A mutant that mimics dephosphorylation at S485 residue showed abnormal growth phenotypes related to mitochondrial defects, such as the petite phenotype, slow growth rates, and inability to use non-fermentable carbon sources. Further exploring the causes of growth defects, we found that the Hsp82S485A mutant caused mitochondrial dysfunction, including a decrease in cellular oxygen consumption rate, defects in mitochondrial electron transport chain, decreased mitochondrial membrane potential and complete loss of mtDNA. Furthermore, the Hsp82S485A mutant displayed fragmented or globular mitochondria, which may be responsible for its mitochondrial dysfunction. Our findings suggested that the phosphorylation status of Hsp82 at S485 residue might regulate mitochondrial function and morphology by affecting the stability of mitochondrial fission and fusion-related proteins. Thus, Hsp82 might be a key molecule in the signal pathway from glucose sensing to changes in mitochondrial function and morphology.