Source Of Supply Research Articles

Aquatic food resources in tropical Africa: a comprehensive analysis

Aquatic food production holds great promise as a viable solution to tackle the pressing issue of meeting the protein requirements of the African populace. It plays a crucial role in food security and economic growth, especially in tropical Africa. With a fast-expanding population, there is a growing need for aquatic food sources to provide inexpensive protein and essential nutrients. Despite Africa’s vast aquatic food source supplies and the importance of aquatic food in healthy and sustainable diets, several challenges hinder its full exploitation in the tropical African environment. This study, therefore, aims to assess the existing state of aquatic food resources in Africa, examine the nutritional advantages associated with these foods, and identify the problems that hinder their maximal utilization. The findings highlight the differences in aquatic protein consumption across various countries, emphasizing the importance of considering local factors when formulating nutritional interventions and policies. The comparison between the supply of protein from aquatic sources and land animals across African nations revealed a consistent trend of lower availability of aquatic protein. Africa, in particular, had relatively lower per capita consumption values of animal protein. The continent’s average quantity of land animal food significantly surpassed the average aquatic food supply. This suggests a predominant reliance on land animal sources in African countries to meet dietary protein needs. This finding holds significant importance for policymakers, nutritionists, and stakeholders, highlighting the need for targeted strategies to improve protein accessibility in African countries. Moreover, it calls for attention to address any existing imbalances between the utilization of land and aquatic protein sources in the region.

Surveillance of Antimicrobial Use in Long-Term Care Facilities: An Antimicrobial Mapping Survey

ObjectivesTo explore antimicrobial management processes in Australian residential aged care facilities (RACFs), including antimicrobial prescribing, supply, administration, and documentation to inform surveillance activities. DesignVoluntary, online cross-sectional survey. Setting and ParticipantsThe survey was disseminated to all South Australian RACFs (n = 237) seeking participation from an infection prevention and control lead (preferred respondent), a nurse or senior RACF staff member, or an aged care pharmacist. MethodsThe survey was open during May-June 2023. Questions aimed to understand clinical and medication management systems, sources of antimicrobial prescription and supply, management by external health care providers and documentation of antimicrobial administration. A process map of antimicrobial management in RACFs was developed. ResultsOf the 54 RACFs included in the analysis (29.5% response rate), most used an electronic clinical documentation system (74.1%) or a hybrid electronic paper-based system (22.2%). Medication charts were either electronic (81.0%), hybrid (5.6%), or paper-based (13.0%). Antimicrobials were prescribed by the resident's usual general practitioner, but also by locums, hospital or specialist physicians, nurse practitioners, virtual care physicians, and dentists. Oral, topical, and inhaled antimicrobial formulations were usually supplied by community pharmacies, and intravenous formulations were predominately supplied by hospitals for administration by outreach nurses. Almost all RACFs (96.2%) had imprest stock of antimicrobials that included both oral and intravenous formulations. Antimicrobials were predominately administered by an enrolled nurse or a registered nurse. Conclusions and ImplicationsAntimicrobial management in RACFs is complex, particularly during care transitions. Multiple prescribers and sources of antimicrobials, use of different systems for clinical documentation, particularly by external health care providers, and clinical governance relating to imprest supplies were identified as key areas where medication management could be improved. Addressing these gaps will facilitate comprehensive, real-time antimicrobial surveillance in Australian RACFs.

Longevity of hymenopteran parasitoids in natural versus agricultural habitats and implications for biological control.

Agricultural habitats are frequently disturbed, and disturbances could have major effects on species in upper trophic levels such as hymenopteran parasitoids that are important for biological control. A strategy for conservation biological control is to provide a diversified agricultural landscape which increases the availability of resources such as sugar required by parasitoid biological control agents. Here, we ask whether parasitoids occurring in agriculture benefit from sugar resources more or less than parasitoids occurring in natural habitats surrounding agricultural fields. We collected parasitoids from agricultural alfalfa fields, field margins, and natural prairies, and in the lab we randomly divided them into two treatments: half were given a constant supply of a sugar source to test their residual lifespan, and half were given neither sugar nor water to test their hardiness. Collected individuals were monitored daily and their day of death recorded. Parasitoids receiving a sugar source lived substantially longer than those without. Parasitoids collected in prairies lived longer than those from alfalfa fields in both the residual lifespan and hardiness treatments, with parasitoids from field margins being intermediate between them. Furthermore, the benefits of a sugar source to increase longevity was lower for parasitoids collected in agriculture than in natural habitats. This suggests that, even though parasitoid biological control agents benefit from sugar resources, their short lifespans make the benefit of sugar resources small compared to parasitoids that occur in natural habitats and have longer lifespans, and are adapted to consistent sugar sources.

Preparation and Electrical Performance Analysis of a GaAs‐Based Tritium Battery

A nuclear battery is a promising candidate for small power supply sources in the military and commercial fields, but its output power and energy conversion efficiency need to be improved. This paper mainly describes a design, preparation, and electrical performance analysis of a GaAs-based tritium battery. The design of the tritium battery uses a multistage process with Monte Carlo and Matlab simulations. A titanium tritide source was prepared by a high-temperature tritium absorption device, and a GaAs semiconductor transducer was developed using a metal-organic chemical vapor deposition method. The D/Ti ratio and T/Ti ratio of the deuterium/tritium titanium films were 1.9 and 1.7, respectively. Two kinds of GaAs-based PIN junction semiconductor transducers were proposed and irradiated with the prepared tritium source. Their electrical properties were measured in situ and analyzed qualitatively. Under the irradiation of a 0.61-Ci tritium source, the short-circuit current of the device was 0.3 to 0.38 μA, the open-circuit voltage was 35 to 63 mV, the peak power was 2.8 to 6.4 nW, and the energy conversion efficiency of the GaAs semiconductor transducer was about 1.86%. It was found that an air gap between the GaAs semiconductor transducer and the radioactive source caused serious loss of beta particle energy, resulting in low output power and low energy conversion efficiency of the nuclear battery. The open-circuit voltage of the devices with a SiO2 passivation layer on the surface decreased both in a dark environment and in light illumination, but SiO2 passivation did not reduce surface recombination as expected. The research work in this paper will provide some valuable reference for the preparation and performance optimization of nuclear batteries.

Asset-light or asset-heavy? Implications for ride-hailing platforms’ profits, consumer surplus, and driver surplus

Recently, ride-hailing platforms have started buying vehicles and leasing them to drivers with and without cars to expand supplies and serve more customers, switching from asset-light to asset-heavy companies. Unlike the asset-light model, where the platforms can only induce with-car drivers to use their vehicles to provide services, if the platforms switch to the asset-heavy model, they have an extra supply source that allows both with-car and without-car drivers to rent vehicles.This paper studies the impact of this switch on a ride-hailing platform’s profit, consumer surplus, and driver surplus. We consider a ride-hailing platform that decides whether to buy cars and sets a price charged to customers and a wage paid to drivers. Both customers and drivers are sensitive to the payment terms set by the platform and also to congestion in the system (given by the relative numbers of available customers and drivers in the market).Driven by these features, we find that under the asset-heavy model, as the car purchase cost increases, the platform should shift from inducing both with-car and without-car drivers to rent vehicles to inducing only without-car drivers. However, in the case where the car purchase cost is not too large, the platform should adopt the asset-heavy model, which allows both classes of drivers to rent vehicles, and choose the asset-light model otherwise. We further show that customers do not always benefit from the asset-heavy model because the corresponding total supply may be less than that of the asset-light model, leading to increased congestion. Additionally, we find that the with-car driver surplus of the asset-heavy model may be higher or lower than that of the asset-light model. Finally, if the cost is sufficiently small, when the number of potential without-car drivers is large or customers’ sensitivity to congestion is large, we show that the asset-heavy model can increase platform profit, consumer surplus, and total driver surplus (i.e., the sum of with-car and without-car drivers’ surpluses), resulting in a “win-win-win” outcome.

Load Flow Analysis of 10-Bus Test System

The importance of power flow analysis can’t be overstated. In the field of electrical power engineering, it is critical for both the utility and the consumer to understand a variety of electrical variables such as voltages and power flows inside power systems. This paper effectively applies Power World Simulator software to perform load flow analysis on a typical power system. The results may be applied to a much more complicated system with many loads and a range of power supply sources.

Development of food sharing online networks for sustainability: Consumer perspectives on food security and sharing

PurposeSharing food through online communities is an effective channel for quickly exchanging edible food, avoiding food waste and promoting environmental sustainability. This study explores how the different characteristics of food sharing platforms influence consumers' perceptions of food safety, attitudes and intentions to engage in sharing activities.Design/methodology/approachIn-depth interviews are first used to identify the key platform mechanisms that consumers pay attention to. A 2 (protection rules) × 2 (food supply sources) × 2 (transaction volume) factorial between-subjects experiment is used to design 8 scenarios in the literal description. This study finally collects a total of 604 valid samples through a web-based questionnaire to test the hypotheses after conducting manipulation checks, reliability and validity.FindingsThe results of this study show that the three variables of protection rules, food supply sources and transaction volume are the most important among all factors and have different levels of effects in reducing consumers' perceived lack of safety of food shared on online platforms and in improving positive attitudes and behavioral intentions. A moderating role in improving consumers' perceptions, food knowledge and cooking techniques, is also demonstrated.Originality/valueThe findings of this study make a significant contribution to the literature, which lacks research on the influence of food (un) safety on consumer perceptions through platform mechanisms in non-Western countries, as digital technology platforms can effectively connect food providers and recipients. Some practical implications for consumers regarding wasting and sharing food are also provided.

The Integrating Impacts of Extreme Weather Events and Shrimp Farming Practices on Coastal Water Resource Quality in Ninh Thuan Province, Vietnam

Ninh Thuan is a coastal province in the central region of Vietnam and is characterized by a climate that is the hottest and driest in the country. Vietnam is also one of the top five countries most vulnerable to the effects of climate change worldwide. The objective of this study was a thorough evaluation of the quality of water supply sources and the impacts of water effluents from shrimp farms in Ninh Thuan province. The comprehensive evaluation was based on an understanding of the water–wastewater cycle employed in coastal shrimp cultivation. We combined qualitative and quantitative analyses in undertaking this study. Secondary data of groundwater and coastal water from the local periodic water quality monitoring program and national technical regulations were collected in the qualitative approach. We also integrated participatory rural appraisal techniques and field observations to understanding shrimp cultivation and the environmental and social impacts of shrimp farm effluents. The quantitative assessment consisted of measuring groundwater and wastewater contamination from shrimp ponds. As a result, four main reasons for water pollution issues were determined including extreme weather events, shrimp cultivation practices, degraded infrastructure, and mismanagement by local governance. Shrimp cultivation practices (feeding, using chemicals) have resulted in elevated levels of suspended solid (TSS, total Coliform), organic and carbon matter (BOD5, COD), and excessive nutrients (total Nitrogen, NO2-N, NO3-N, PO4-P). According to a local monitoring program, the coastal water and groundwater have experienced nutrient pollution. Groundwater sampling near the shrimp farms identified salinization elevated levels of Coliform from local domestic sewage sources. This study resulted in an integrated approach that evaluated the combined effects of extreme weather events and shrimp farming practices on the quality of coastal water. Also, the finding can be useful in recommending remedial water treatment technologies as a follow-on phase.

Upper‐flow‐regime deposits related to glacio‐volcanic interactions in Patagonia: Insights from the Pleistocene record in Southern Andes

AbstractSupercritical flows and their associated upper‐flow‐regime bedforms have been increasingly recognized in several contrasting depositional environments around the world, including volcano‐sedimentary settings. In recent years, there have been significant advances in flow modelling, architecture and depositional dynamics in upper‐flow‐regime bedforms related to glacio‐volcanic interaction, however most of these works come from specific volcanic landscapes. Examples of other regions with different tectonic and volcanic settings are needed in order to gain a more global perspective regarding the generation and preservation of upper‐flow‐regime glacio‐volcanic bedforms. This study presents a detailed analysis of Pleistocene volcaniclastic deposits accumulated in alluvial to lacustrine deltaic environments in the Southern Andes within the Southern Volcanic Zone. Six facies were defined and related to distinctive bedforms by examining sedimentary features, including textural characteristics, sedimentary structures, architecture and composition. Among these facies, five are distinguished by deposition from supercritical flows and upper‐flow‐regime bedforms, such as cyclic steps, chutes and pools, and antidunes. The stratigraphic succession reveals a predominance of repeated supercritical flows, which appear to be influenced by the availability of detritus for removal along with sudden water discharges. Compositional analyses indicate that explosive volcanism was the primary source of detritus, occurring synchronously with sedimentation. Additionally, the widespread occurrence of Pleistocene glacial conditions in this region suggests that volcanic‐induced melting ice or snow may have been an important source of water supply. Regarding the Southern Andes, the presence of local depressions, such as volcano‐tectonic calderas plays an essential role in the generation and preservation of the upper‐flow‐regime bedforms related to glacio‐volcanism. Furthermore, the importance of carrying out detailed and multidisciplinary studies seems to be critical for the recognition of these deposits in the record of the Andes.

Pia-FLOW: Deciphering hemodynamic maps of the pial vascular connectome and its response to arterial occlusion

The pial vasculature is the sole source of blood supply to the neocortex. The brain is contained within the skull, a vascularized bone marrow with a unique anatomical connection to the brain meninges. Recent developments in tissue clearing have enabled detailed mapping of the entire pial and calvarial vasculature. However, what are the absolute flow rate values of those vascular networks? This information cannot accurately be retrieved with the commonly used bioimaging methods. Here, we introduce Pia-FLOW, a unique approach based on large-scale transcranial fluorescence localization microscopy, to attain hemodynamic imaging of the whole murine pial and calvarial vasculature at frame rates up to 1,000 Hz and spatial resolution reaching 5.4 µm. Using Pia-FLOW, we provide detailed maps of flow velocity, direction, and vascular diameters which can serve as ground-truth data for further studies, advancing our understanding of brain fluid dynamics. Furthermore, Pia-FLOW revealed that the pial vascular network functions as one unit for robust allocation of blood after stroke.

Seasonal environmental transitions and metabolic plasticity in a sea-ice alga from an individual cell perspective

Sea-ice microalgae are a key source of energy and nutrient supply to polar marine food webs, particularly during spring, prior to open-water phytoplankton blooms. The nutritional quality of microalgae as a food source depends on their biomolecular (lipid:protein:carbohydrate) composition. In this study, we used synchrotron-based Fourier transform infra-red microspectroscopy (s-FTIR) to measure the biomolecular content of a dominant sea-ice taxa, Nitzschia frigida, from natural land-fast ice communities throughout the Arctic spring season. Repeated sampling over six weeks from an inner (relatively stable) and an outer (relatively dynamic) fjord site revealed high intra-specific variability in biomolecular content, elucidating the plasticity of N. frigida to adjust to the dynamic sea ice and water conditions. Environmental triggers indicating the end of productivity in the ice and onset of ice melt, including nitrogen limitation and increased water temperature, drove an increase in lipid and fatty acids stores, and a decline in protein and carbohydrate content. In the context of climate change and the predicted Atlantification of the Arctic, dynamic mixing and abrupt warmer water advection could truncate these important end-of-season environmental shifts, causing the algae to be released from the ice prior to adequate lipid storage, influencing carbon transfer through the polar marine system.

Dynamic role of GlyT1 as glycine sink or source: Pharmacological implications for the gain control of NMDA receptors

Glycine transporter 1 (GlyT1) mediates the termination of inhibitory glycinergic receptor signaling in the spinal cord and brainstem, and is also present diffusely in the forebrain. Here, it regulates the ambient glycine concentration and influences the ‘glycine’ site occupancy of N-methyl-d-aspartate receptors (NMDARs). GlyT1 is a reversible transporter with a substantial, but not excessive, sodium-motive force for uphill transport. This study investigates its role as a potential source of glycine supply, either by reverse uptake or heteroexchange. Indeed, glutamate alone does not induce NMDAR current in “naive” oocytes co-expressing GluN1/GluN2A and GlyT1, a previously characterized cellular model. However, after substantial intracellular glycine accumulation, GlyT1 reverses its transport mode, and begins to release glycine into the external compartment, allowing NMDAR activation by glutamate alone. These uptake-dependent glutamate currents were blocked by ALX-5407 and potentiated by sarcosine, a specific inhibitor and substrate of GlyT1, respectively, suggesting a higher occupancy of the co-agonist site when GlyT1 functions as a glycine source either by reversed-uptake or by heteroexchange. These two glycine release mechanisms can be distinguished by their voltage dependence, as the reversed-uptake cycle decreases at hyperpolarized potentials, whereas heteroexchange electroneutrality preserves glycine efflux and NMDAR activation at these potentials. These results establish GlyT1-mediated efflux as a positive regulator of NMDAR coagonist site occupancy, and demonstrate the efficacy of sarcosine heteroexchange in enhancing coagonist site occupancy. Because NMDAR facilitation by GlyT1-inhibitors and sarcosine relies on different transport mechanisms, their actions may be a source of variability in reversing NMDAR hypofunction in schizophrenia.

Isogeochemical Characterization of Mountain System Recharge Processes in the Sierra Nevada, California

AbstractMountain System Recharge processes are significant natural recharge pathways in many arid and semi‐arid mountainous regions. However, Mountain System Recharge processes are often poorly understood and characterized in hydrologic models. Mountains are the primary water supply source to valley aquifers via lateral groundwater flow from the mountain block (Mountain Block Recharge) and focused recharge from mountain streams contributing to focused Mountain Front Recharge at the piedmont zone. Here, we present a multi‐tool isogeochemical approach to characterize mountain flow paths and Mountain System Recharge in the northern Tulare Basin, California. We used groundwater chemistry data to delineate hydrochemical facies and explain the chemical evolution of groundwater from the Sierra Nevada to the Central Valley aquifer. Stable isotopes and radiogenic groundwater tracers validated Mountain System Recharge processes by differentiating focused from diffuse recharge, and estimating apparent groundwater age, respectively. Novel application of End‐Member Mixing Analysis using conservative chemical components revealed three Mountain System Recharge end‐members: (a) evaporated Ca‐HCO3 water type associated with focused Mountain Front Recharge, (b) non‐evaporated Ca‐HCO3 and Na‐HCO3 water types with short residence times associated with shallow Mountain Block Recharge, and (c) Na‐HCO3 groundwater type with long residence time associated with deep Mountain Block Recharge. We quantified the contribution of each Mountain System Recharge process to the valley aquifer by calculating mixing ratios. Our results show that deep Mountain Block Recharge is a significant recharge component, representing 31%–53% of the valley groundwater. Greater hydraulic connectivity between the Sierra Nevada and Central Valley has significant implications for parameterizing groundwater flow models. Our framework is useful for understanding Mountain System Recharge processes in other snow‐dominated mountain watersheds.

The small-scale irrigation in México: Characterization of supply source and size

La pequeña irrigación (PI) en México ha sido fundamental para su desarrollo agrícola. La PI surge principalmente de organizaciones de riego tradicional con autogobierno; sin embargo, la intervención del Estado reconfiguró su base autogestiva para reagruparlas “institucionalmente” como unidades de riego (UR). El objetivo de este trabajo fue caracterizar la tipología de las UR en términos de la fuente de abastecimiento de agua y su tamaño. A diferencia de los distrito de riego (DR), las UR son autogestivas y abastecidas principalmente de aguas subterráneas, y han estado marginadas de la intervención del Estado, por lo que la información sobre el inventario de las UR es limitada. Existe una gran diferenciación de las UR según su fuente de abastecimiento, tamaño y localización. Las UR se encuentran muy dispersas y predominan las UR monousuario abastecidas por aguas subterráneas operadas por usuarios independientes con limitada solidaridad hídrica, lo cual dificulta su estudio, seguimiento y apoyo.

Assessment of Energy Poverty and Alleviation Strategies in the Global South

The incidence of energy poverty in the Global South is identified by the lack of basic access to modern fuels and energy carriers. Impoverished people have traditional biomass and human power as their only sources of energy. This situation of deprivation of basic resources, in which (according to estimates of international agencies) almost one third of the world’s population lives, masks other relevant characteristics of energy poverty. Current assessments of energy poverty in impoverished areas and the mitigation strategies being implemented are derived from the development agenda and, with variations in detail and scope, highlight electricity connections and access to clean cooking fuels as guarantors of progress. However, a comprehensive understanding of energy poverty requires focusing beyond basic access, building on the interactions between the supply of energy sources and carriers, the provision of energy services, and their impact on decent living conditions. To deal with the effects of these interactions on the energy poor, several studies have attempted in the last decade to construct an assessment framework centred on energy services. This work discusses the relevant dimensions in the framework (supply, services, and impact on wellbeing), reviews the multidisciplinary work available in each aspect, presents a range of proposed taxonomies, and discusses the different issues. A detailed framework is proposed for the integrated assessment of the supply of energy carriers and energy equipment, the provision of relevant energy services, and the improvements obtained in living conditions.

Perceived university entrepreneurship support services and entrepreneurial intentions: experiences from the University of Dodoma’s graduates

Entrepreneurship plays a pivotal role in economic growth for developing countries, including Tanzania. Unfortunately, the number of entrepreneurs in Tanzania is still lagging behind other East African countries. The emergence of knowledge-based entrepreneurship programs makes universities one of the vital supply sources for creating entrepreneurs. Even though it has institutional support from the government, entrepreneurship is still not considered a promising alternative career choice. Thus, we investigated the influence of perceived university support services on building entrepreneurial intention from the perspective of the University of Dodoma’s graduates. In this cross-sectional research study, a sample size of 120 is drawn from the business graduates of the University of Dodoma who have received entrepreneurship support services using two-stage random sampling, of which females were 37.5% and males were 62.5%. The data were analysed using multiple regressions. The study found that most of the respondents do not intend to own businesses. The study further found that perceived entrepreneurship education and business development support services have a positive and significant influence on the odds of graduates becoming entrepreneurs. However, concept development support has a positive but insignificant influence on graduates’ entrepreneurial intentions. Thus, we draw a number of recommendations for the theory, future research, and practice of university entrepreneurship support services.

System model of risks and trees of alternative solutions for improving the logistics chain at a manufacturing enterprise

The subject of this article is the decision-making processes for improving the elements of the supply chain of a manufacturing enterprise under conditions of uncertainty and risks. The purpose of the research is to reduce the time and cost of in supply and distribution of products of manufacturing enterprises by considering possible risks through making rational management decisions. The article addresses the following tasks: examination of the characteristics of supply chain elements; investigation of the main problems of supply and distribution management and identification of ways to solve them; development of a systemic model of logistic risks for a manufacturing enterprise; and formation of decision trees for alternative decisions in strategic supply chain management at manufacturing enterprises. The methods applied include a systems approach, structural decomposition methods, a risk-oriented approach. The following results were obtained: features and problems of supply chain elements such as supply, production, storage, and distribution were examined and identified; main supply chain management tasks were investigated and solutions identified; problems in warehouse management were pinpointed; internal and external supply risks were identified; a systemic model of logistic risks for a manufacturing enterprise was formed, which main components are logistic problems, partial risks, their consequences, and possible management decisions to mitigate risks; decision trees were built for problems of raw material supply instability and transportation bottlenecks and delays; an alternative decision diagram was constructed for an illustrative example. Conclusions: To overcome the problem of raw material supply instability, it is recommended to develop diversification of supply sources, stock reservation, and the use of alternative transport routes. Building alternative decision trees in strategic management is an effective tool for making rational decisions by manufacturing enterprises in complex conditions of uncertainty and risks. They help to analyze alternatives and their consequences to choose a path to optimize the supply chain.

The Prevalence of Malnutrition among Children Aged 6-10 Years in Umuahia South, Abia State, Nigeria

The challenges of hunger and inadequate intake of food which hampers the nutritional status of children remains an issue of concern in Nigeria. This study assessed the prevalence of malnutrition among children aged 6-10 years in Umuahia South, Abia State. A multistage sampling technique was used to select the respondents for the study. Two hundred and twenty three (223) children 6-10 years were randomly selected from three community schools in Umuahia South. Structured and validated questionnaires were used in data collection. Data collection included basic characteristics of children, socio-demographic and socio-economic characteristics of the parents. Food habits of the participants, anthropometric characteristics of the children. Data obtained from the study were analyzed using Statistical Package for Service Solution (SPSS) for Windows Version 20. Descriptive statistics, frequency, percentages, Pearson’s correlation, cross tabulation and chi-square were used to examine the relationship between the variables, significance was accepted at p<0.05. Almost all the children (99.6%) were immunized. About half of the households (57.8%) had a size of 4-6 persons. More than one third of the mothers’ had secondary (46.2%) and tertiary (30.9%) education. Most of the households used tap (70.4%) and borehole water (16.1%) as their major source of water. The households used gas (37.7%) and firewood (22.4%) mainly as cooking fuel. Based on the anthropometric status of the children, about 29.6% of the children were stunted, 5.8% were underweight and 2.6% were thin. There was a significant difference (p<0.05) between the mother’s education, source of water supply, mother’s occupation and underweight in the children. In addition, there was a significant relationship (p<0.05) between mothers’ occupation, source of energy, type of toilet, good health facility and stunting in the children. There was a significant relationship (p<0.05) between mother’s education, source of water supply, source of energy, good health facility, type of housing and BMI-for-age in the children. Socio economic characteristics of the mothers was an important factor in the health and nutritional status of children. There is need for school feeding programs and nutrition education to improve on children’s health and feeding habit.

Symbiotic bacteria diversity and metabolome analyses of Nostoc sphaeroides grown under different organic carbon sources

Organic carbon source plays a fundamental function in the metabolism and production of photosynthetic microorganisms. Herein, this study explored the effects of carbon source additions (glucose, sucrose and sodium acetate) on growth and biochemical components of the economic cyanobacterium Nostoc sphaeroides. The effects of sucrose and sodium acetate on its metabolomics changes, as well as the diversity and community composition of symbiotic bacteria, were analyzed. Results showed that sucrose noticeably enhanced the relative growth rate of N. sphaeroides. The content of phycocyanin was significantly greater under sodium acetate than under other carbon sources. Some metabolites associated with amino acid biosynthesis was significantly enriched under sodium acetate, implying its critical role in phycocyanin synthesis. Sodium acetate had a significant impact on the diversity and community composition of symbiotic bacteria. Additionally, partial symbiotic bacteria were shown to be involved in the amino acid metabolism of N. sphaeroides. These findings provided valuable insights into the mechanisms of N. sphaeroides on its metabolic responses to carbon source changes and the synergy of its symbiotic bacteria, contributing to the establishment of effective carbon source supply strategies for artificial cultivation and resource restoration.

CFD of the diffusion movement and concentration distribution of culinary particles in the respiratory zone of restaurant diners

Released aerosol particles during restaurant culinary activity affect diners' health. The air conditioning system is crucial for regulating indoor air quality. However, its improper air distribution increases the individuals' exposure to particle pollution. This study investigates restaurants employing side-up airflow during summer with numerous heat sources and examines the culinary particle diffusion in the diners’ respiratory zone under the combined influence of air conditioning cold jet air supply and culinary heat source heat plume. It elucidates the change rule of the concentration distribution of culinary particles under the combined action of these two heterogeneous airflows.This study investigated the movement and concentration distribution of indoor particle by numerical simulation under various air supply velocities, culinary heat source strengths and positions and tuyere opening modes. In restaurants with culinary sources, the thermal buoyancy by the heat plume causes particles to rise. However, the drag force exerted by the cold air supply jet impedes the particles’ upward motion. The particle concentration distribution is significantly influenced by both the air supply velocity and the relative positioning of the heat source and the tuyere. Particle concentration increases by 27.13 % in the respiratory zone when the air supply jet trajectory is above the pollution emission source than below. Therefore, lowered air supply velocity is ideal with increased horizontal distance between the emission source and the tuyere under the condition of comfort satisfaction. This scenario mitigates the downward movement exerted by the jet on the particles. The drag force is increased with the air supply velocity increasing from 2.5 m/s to 4.0 m/s. Particle concentration is raised to 41.38 % in the respiratory zone. The drag force by the cold jet on the particles is also heightened with the bilateral tuyere than its single-side counterpart which increases particle concentration maximum by 40.30 % in the respiratory zone.