Total Value Research Articles

Hematological and Biochemical Profiles of Gagnoa High School Students (Côte D’ivoire)

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to determine the normal hematological values and those of some biochemical parameters of the students of the city of Gagnoa (Côte d’Ivoire). Design et Methods: The study was conducted in 184 adolescents (94 girls and 90 boys), aged 11 to 18 years old, recruited in moderne high schools of Gagnoa. The hematological values were determined using an automatic analyzer (Sysmex XP3000, France). The concentrations of biochemical parameters (albumin, protein total, cholesterol total, triglycerides, calcium, magnesium, chloride, potassium and sodium) were determined by spectrophotometer (KENZA MAX BioChemis Try, France) on the venous blood samples were taken from the fold of the elbow with an empty stomach. The results were treated with the statistical analysis software XLSTAT-PRO 7.1. 2018. Results: The median values of red blood cells were 4.5,106/µL (girls) and 4.9,106/µL (boys). The median values of hemoglobin in girls was 12.3 g/dL and among boys was 13 g/dL. The median values of hematocrit girls was 35.9 % and boys was 38 %. The median values MCV were 79.3 fL (girls) and 77 fL (boys). The median values of MCH were 27.6 pg/cell among girls and 26.9 pg/cell among boys. The median values of MCHC girls 34.5 g/dL and boys 34.8 g/dL. The médians values of white blood cells were 6.1.103/µL among girls and 5.8.103/µL among boys. The median values of granulocyte were 2.2,103/µL among girls and 2.4, 103/µL among bboys. The median values of lymphocytes among girls and boys were the same (3,103/µL). The median values of monocyte were 0.7, 103/µL among girls and 0.6 103/µL in boys. The median values of platelet among girls and boys were equal to 247,103/µL and 242,103/µL. The median valeues of protein total among girls and boys were 68 g/L and 69 g/L. The median values of albumin were respectively 47 g/L and 45.7 g/L among girls and boys. The median values of cholesterol total in girls and boys were the same (1.3 g/L). The median values .....

Serum Hepatocyte Growth Factor Concentration Correlates with Albuminuria in Individuals with Optimal Blood Pressure and Untreated Arterial Hypertension.

Background/Objectives: Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) is a protective factor against acute renal injury and chronic renal fibrosis. A positive correlation between HGF and blood pressure (BP) has been established. This study aimed to determine the association between serum HGF concentration and albuminuria in subjects with optimal blood pressure (OBP) and untreated arterial hypertension (UAH), as well as its association with BP levels, serum glucose levels, and inflammatory markers. Methods: Data from 563 subjects were analyzed. Albuminuria was normalized to urine creatinine and expressed as the albumin/creatinine ratio (ACR). HGF, serum glucose, C-reactive protein, and blood leucocyte counts were measured. BP was measured and subjects were divided into optimal blood pressure (BP < 120/80 mmHg, N = 295) and untreated arterial hypertension (BP > 140/90 mmHg, N = 268) groups. Results: The subjects with UAH were significantly older and had higher values of body mass index, waist circumference, serum total and LDL cholesterol levels, triglyceride levels, fasting glucose levels, and ACR (all p < 0.001). A significant positive correlation was found between serum HGF concentration and ACR in both groups. There was no difference or correlation between HGF and BP or inflammatory markers in either group. The multivariate regression analysis identified serum HGF concentration as a strong predictor of ACR increase (Beta = 0.376, p < 0.001). Conclusion: This study found that serum HGF concentration is associated with albuminuria not only in individuals with untreated arterial hypertension, but also in those with optimal blood pressure. The results suggest that serum HGF is an independent predictor of ACR increase in both groups.

Development and Psychometric Evaluation of the Symptom Assessment Scale for Turkish Children with Cancer

Objective: The present study was conducted to developed the Symptom Assessment Scale for Children with Cancer (SAS-CC) and assessed its reliability and validity for Turkish children. Methods: This research was conducted among in 497 children with cancer who were between 7 and 18 years old. The data were collected with a demographic form and SAS-CC. Descriptive statistics, reliability and validity analysis were used to analyze the data. Results: The mean age of children with cancer was 12.02 +3.38 years. The scale consists of 16 items and 3 sub-dimensions. Total factor loads were more than 0.30 in factor analyses. The confirmatory factor analysis revealed all fit indexes as higher than 0.91, and the root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA) was less than 0.080. Cronbach’s alpha values of total was 0.96. According to the split-half analysis, α values of the first and second halves were 0.94 and 0.93, respectively. Conclusions: This study demonstrated that SAS-CC is the first study to develop and test and a valid scale to evaluate symptoms in children with cancer. Effective strategies of coping with symptoms in children with cancer are required to improve prognosis, increase survival, and improve the quality of life. Therefore, assessing symptoms and their frequency in children with cancer is an majority initiative of nurses working in the pediatric oncology clinic.

Effectiveness of Area-to-Value Legends and Grid Lines in Contiguous Area Cartograms.

A contiguous area cartogram is a geographic map in which the area of each region is proportional to numerical data (e.g., population size) while keeping neighboring regions connected. In this study, we investigated whether value-to-area legends (square symbols next to the values represented by the squares' areas) and grid lines aid map readers in making better area judgments. We conducted an experiment to determine the accuracy, speed, and confidence with which readers infer numerical data values for the mapped regions. We found that, when only informed about the total numerical value represented by the whole cartogram without any legend, the distribution of estimates for individual regions was centered near the true value with substantial spread. Legends with grid lines significantly reduced the spread but led to a tendency to underestimate the values. Comparing differences between regions or between cartograms revealed that legends and grid lines slowed the estimation without improving accuracy. However, participants were more likely to complete the tasks when legends and grid lines were present, particularly when the area units represented by these features could be interactively selected. We recommend considering the cartogram's use case and purpose before deciding whether to include grid lines or an interactive legend.

Transcultural adaptation and validation of the DASH questionnaire in Mexican healthy volunteers and patients with neurogenic disorders of the upper extremity

The Disability of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (DASH) questionnaire assesses the impact of upper extremity disorders on quality of life. However, its use in the Mexican population has not been formally validated. To conduct a cultural adaptation and validation of the DASH questionnaire to evaluate the perspective of patients with neurogenic disorders of the upper extremity regarding the impact on their quality of life. We performed an adaptation of the Spanish version of the DASH questionnaire to the Mexican vocabulary and applied it to 478 volunteers. Ceiling effect, floor effect, item-total correlation, descriptive statistics of items and total score, internal consistency, precision, cross-sectional and longitudinal validity were estimated by comparing healthy controls and affected individuals with different disability levels. Our DASH questionnaire version was equivalent to those previously approved and showed homogeneity of the items with respect to the total value of the questionnaire (Cronbach's alpha > 0.96). In addition, it showed an accuracy of 7.25 points and the crosssectional and longitudinal validity was documented with significant differences between groups and subgroups with distinct disability levels. The DASH questionnaire can be used with a high level of confidence in the Mexican population.

A Comparative Approach to Sustainable Fish Meal: Prussian carp meal (Carassius gibelio Bloch, 1782)

In the present study, the usability of Prussian carp (Carassius gibelio) meal (PCM) as an alternative animal protein source in fish feeds was investigated by comparing it with anchovy (Engraulis encrasicholus) and sprat (Sprattus sprattus) meals in terms of their biochemical, fatty acid, amino acid and element compositions. Prussian carp were obtained by fishing and made into a meal (PCM). Anchovy (AM), and sprat (SM) meals were purchased from a commercial company. The amino acid analysis results show that PCM's total, essential, and non-essential amino acid values were lower than that of AM and SM (P &amp;lt; 0.05). The polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) and Omega-6 values of PCM were higher than AM and SM; and lower than saturated fatty acids (SFA), Omega-3, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), atherogenicity index (AI) values (P &amp;lt; 0.05). According to the element analysis, the P and Ca values of the PCM were higher than the AM and SM (P &amp;lt; 0.05), and the Na, K, Fe, Cu, Zn and Se values were lower. According to the results of the present study, PCM can be utilized in the feed industry to boost the sustainability of fish meals used in feed production, which in turn will reduce the foreign dependency on vegetable and fish meals, and lower feed costs.

The Short-Term Effect of Sleeve Gastrectomy on Blood Lipid Parameters and Emotional Appetite in Morbidly Obese Individuals

Background: Obesity is a public health problem that has an increasing effect all over the world and affects health in many ways. In cases where the BMI exceeds 40 kg/m2 or in individuals with a BMI of 35 kg/m2 and accompanying diseases, weight loss cannot be achieved, thus bariatric surgeries are applied. Methods: In this study, the relationship between blood lipid parameters and emotional appetite status in the pre-operative and early post-operative periods of individuals who underwent sleeve gastrectomy (n = 47) was investigated. Results: As a result of the study, total cholesterol, triglyceride, high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, and low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol values of individuals in the early post-operative period were statistically significantly decreased (p&lt; 0.001). It was found that there was a weak positive correlation between individuals' early post-operative total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol values, positive mood and state total scores, and negative emotion and state total scores (p

First Report of Alternaria alternata Causing Leaf Spot on Coffea arabica in China.

Yunnan Province is the major region for coffee (Coffea arabica) cultivation in China, contributing to over 98% of the national yield and total production value (Ma et al. 2022). In May 2023, brown spot symptoms were observed only on the leaves of coffee plants in a field located in Baoshan City (98°52'37.988400"E, 24°58'17.673600"N), Yunnan Province. Notably, brown and irregularly shaped spots initially started on the leaf bases. The spots enlarged and developed concentric rings with dark brown margins, which are often surrounded by yellow halos. Finally, the necrotic spots spread across the entire leaf and caused the leaf to curl and fall off. The incidence of the disease was approximately 3% of the coffee plants (n = 600). The symptomatic leaves collected from 10 plants were sectioned (5 × 5 mm), subjected to surface sterilization with 70% ethanol for 40 s, rinsed with sterile distilled water, air-dried, and transferred to potato dextrose agar (PDA). Fungi with grayish-white, cotton-like aerial mycelia grew after 7 days at 28°C. The older mycelia of these isolates displayed dark gray pigmentation. Single conidia were cultivated on PDA, and 15 morphologically similar monosporic isolates were ultimately obtained. Microscopic observation revealed that these isolates produced branched, septate, transparent and amber mycelium. Brown, elliptical or pear-shaped conidia with 2 to 4 transversal septa and 0 to 3 longitudinal septa, measuring 9.6 to 33.3 long × 6.0 to 15.0 μm wide (n = 30), were observed on potato carrot agar (PCA). Molecular identification of multiple genes, such as ITS (Schoch et al. 2012), RPB2 (O'Donnell et al. 2010) and GAPDH (Berbee et al. 1999), indicated consistent 100% identity among these isolates. Sequences of the representative isolates CFSY1-CFSY5 were deposited in GenBank (acc. nos.: OR351112, PP188577, PP188578, PP294863, PP294864, OR509742, PP215341-PP215344, OR509740 and PP239378-PP239381), revealing 98.35% - 100% homology with distinct Alternaria alternata strains previously deposited in GenBank (acc. nos.: PP110780, MN649031 and OR485338). The multigene phylogenetic analysis positioned isolates CFSY1-CFSY5 within a distinct cluster, alongside diverse A. alternata isolates. Based on morphological and molecular characterizations, the pathogen was identified as A. alternata. To verify its pathogenicity, a conidial suspension (1×106 conidia/mL) of isolate CFSY1 was sprayed on six leaves of three healthy one-year-old C. arabica seedlings. Subsequently, the inoculated seedlings were covered with plastic bags and placed in a growth chamber under controlled conditions (a 14 h daylight period and a 10 h dark period at 28°C). The experiment was repeated three times. After 20 days, typical brown spot symptoms analogous to those originally observed in the field appeared on the leaves in all inoculated plants. Reisolation, morphology identification and DNA sequencing substantiated Koch's postulates. In contrast, control plants treated with sterilized water remained asymptomatic, and no pathogen was reisolated from them. Significantly, A. alternata has been previously reported as the causal agent for leaf spot disease in a diverse variety of woody plant species in China, including Prunus avium (Ahmad et al. 2020), Magnolia grandiflora (Liu et al. 2019) and citrus (Wang et al. 2010). This study represents the first report of brown leaf spot caused by A. alternata specifically on C. arabica in China, enriching the contents of fungal pathogens under Chinese coffee cultivation conditions.

Solar nanoflares in different spectral ranges

Aims. The rates and other characteristics of solar nanoflares were measured for the same area of the Sun in different extreme-ultravioilet (EUV) channels to find how the main properties of nanoflares depend on the spectral range. Methods. We used images of the quiet Sun obtained by the Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (AIA) on board the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) in seven spectral channels, 94 Å, 131 Å, 171 Å, 193 Å, 211 Å, 304 Å, and 335 Å. We analyzed 300 images for each AIA/SDO channel covering one hour from 12:00 UT to 13:00 UT on 20 May 2019 with a 12 s cadence. We searched for nanoflares in two 360″×720″ fields of view above (N) and below (S) the Sun’s equator to measure nanoflare latitudinal distributions and their N–S asymmetry. To detect nanoflares, we used a threshold-based algorithm with 5σ threshold. Results. The integral nanoflare rate measured in seven spectral ranges is 3.53 × 10−21 cm−1 s−1; the corresponding frequency is 215 events s−1 for the entire surface of the Sun. A search for nanoflares in any single AIA-channel leads to significant underestimation of their frequency and rate: 171 Å −34% of the total value; 193 Å −33%; 211 Å −24%; other channels – less than 16%. Most EUV nanoflares are single-pixel (∼78%) and mono-channel (∼86%) events. In channel 304 Å, multipixel events dominate over single-pixel events (68% vs. 32%). The average duration of nanoflares is in the range of (89 − 141)±(40 − 61) s depending on the spectral region with the mean value being 129 ± 59 s. The latitudinal distribution of nanoflares is approximately uniform in the range from 0° to 45° for all channels. We find a slight difference between the N and S hemispheres (up to 20% depending on channel), but we do not find it to be statistically significant. Conclusions. We demonstrate that solar nanoflares can be found in all AIA EUV channels. The detection probability strongly depends on the spectral range and the channels can be approximately ranked as follows (from high to low probability): 171 Å, 193 Å, 211 Å, 131 Å, 304 Å, 335 Å, and 94 Å. The first three channels, 171, 193, and 211 Å, allow the detection of ∼78% of all the nanoflares. The remaining four add only 22%. Other characteristics of nanoflares, including duration and spatial distribution, weakly depend on spectral range.

In Vitro Determination of Nitric Oxide Synthase Inhibition, Antioxidant Capacity and Phenolic Content of Various Natural Products (Bee and Herbal Products).

It is obvious that the oxidation process is an undeniable fact and when it comes to aging, one of the first solutions that come to mind is natural products. When it comes to natural products, both plants and bee products play an important, almost combative role against oxidation. For this purpose, natural products of both plant and animal origin were considered together in our study: Linden, green tea, aronia, wild grapes, myrtle, blueberries and basil, honey, pollen and propolis. Total phenolic content values of the extracts ranged between 49.28 and 3859.06 mg gallic acid equivalent/100 g, and propolis, green tea, chestnut flower and aronia samples were found to have the highest values. When looking at the NOS inhibition potential, it was determined that propolis, pollen and aronia samples had the highest percentage inhibition values of 98.11, 92.29, 83.44, respectively. Antioxidant activities of methanolic extracts were investigated using iron(III) reducing/antioxidant capacity (FRAP), 2,2-Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity test and NOS inhibition tests. The phenolic composition of methanolic extracts was tested using the RP-HPLC-UV (high-performance liquid chromatographic method with ultraviolet) method with 19 phenolic standards.

Evaluating the impact of off-design CHP performance on the optimal sizing and dispatch of hybrid renewable-CHP distributed energy resources

The maturation of distributed energy resources (DER) has prompted the exploration of their deployment in commercial building applications due to their potential to supply energy at lower costs and emissions rates compared to centralized generation. While several software tools exist for evaluating the techno-economic potential of integrated renewable energy and combined heat and power (CHP) systems for distributed generation applications, many suffer from poor accuracy in capturing off-design (part load and changes in ambient air temperature and pressure) performance characteristics of microturbines, combustion turbines, or internal combustion engines. Thus, this paper presents a methodology for integrating these off-design characteristics in the mixed-integer linear program within REopt, a hybrid DER screening tool. The economic impact of the CHP off-design performance is observed through several application studies of various hybrid system configurations in different climates. Each study indicates how CHP off-design performance influences optimal sizing and dispatch decisions and therefore overall system economic value. We observe through case studies that modeling without the off-design effects, depending on the CHP prime mover and site, can result in Net Present Value predictions of hybrid systems that can be overoptimistic in frequently hot climates (up to 52 %), too conservative in frequently cold climates (up to 11 %), or unaffected (＋/−1 %) in temperate climates. Cases also highlight several advantages of hybrid systems relative to non-hybrid systems such as total economic value and the systems’ ability to mitigate potentially negative consequences attributed to off-design performance.

Study of changes in the surface structure of tungsten irradiated by helium plasma

One of the important aspects is the interaction of plasma with the surface of a material, especially in the conditions of a fusion facility. The current work presents the preliminary results of the study of tungsten surface structure modification under helium plasma irradiation. A small-sized linear simulator KAZ-PSI with a plasma-beam setup was designed and assembled, where helium was used as a working gas. The main elements of the linear plasma simulator are an electron beam gun with a LaB6 cathode, a plasma-beam discharge chamber, an interaction chamber, a target device, and an electromagnetic system consisting of electromagnetic coils. It was revealed that under irradiation on the surface of the samples there is a relief with defective structure consisting of chaotically arranged ledges and pits of various shapes with average size (100‒600) nm and pore sizes (0.1‒1.5) μm with visible areas of flaking and sputtering. It was found that when the negative potential on the target is varied by –500V/–1000V/–1500V, the formation of dislocation with chaotic and cellular structure of tungsten with an average grain size of (1‒25) μm is observed; it was revealed that the total values of elastic and plastic components of deformation across the tungsten grain differ from each other by about 2.5 times.

Tobacco/Salvia miltiorrhiza Intercropping Improves Soil Quality and Increases Total Production Value

Unreasonable cultivation methods and management measures have led to widespread obstacles in tobacco continuous cropping in planting areas, resulting in reduced tobacco yield and soil degradation. Therefore, intercropping tobacco with other crops is an effective strategy to improve continuous cropping barriers. In this study, flue-cured tobacco NC102 and conventional planting varieties of Salvia miltiorrhiza were used as materials, and four treatments of flue-cured tobacco monoculture (CK), flue-cured tobacco, and Salvia miltiorrhiza at a ratio of 1:1 (TS11), 2:2 (TS22), and 2:3 (TS23), respectively, were set up to study their effects on soil microorganisms, physical and chemical properties, and yield and quality of flue-cured tobacco. The results showed that intercropping Salvia miltiorrhiza increased the number of soil bacteria and actinomycetes, decreased the number of fungi, and increased the activity of urease and sucrase. The content of available nitrogen and available phosphorus in intercropping Salvia miltiorrhiza soil was significantly higher than that of the flue-cured tobacco monoculture, while the content of available potassium was lower than that of the flue-cured tobacco monoculture. The soil environment was more conducive to the growth of flue-cured tobacco. Compared with the flue-cured tobacco monoculture, the proportion of superior tobacco in intercropping Salvia miltiorrhiza increased by 2.2–3.4%, and the ratio of potassium to chlorine in leaves of different parts of flue-cured tobacco increased by 12.3–75.0%. The content of total sugar and soluble sugar in middle and upper leaves of intercropping flue-cured tobacco was higher than that of the flue-cured tobacco monoculture, which improved the quality of flue-cured tobacco. From the analysis of the chemical composition of tobacco leaves, TS11 (flue-cured tobacco and Salvia miltiorrhiza intercropping row ratio of 1:1) had the best treatment effect, potassium content, total sugar, reducing sugar content, and potassium chloride ratio of flue-cured tobacco were the highest, the chlorine content was the lowest, and the quality was better than other treatments. From the analysis of total output value, the total output value of TS22 (flue-cured tobacco and Salvia miltiorrhiza intercropping row ratio of 2:2) was higher than that of other intercropping treatments. In 2018 and 2019, the total output value increased by 21.3% and 22.4%, respectively, compared with the flue-cured tobacco monoculture. The intercropping advantage was obvious, and the treatment effect was the best.

Breathing changes following mini-implant-supported maxillary skeletal expander treatment in late adolescent or adult patients : Assessment of objective and subjective functional breathing changes.

The aim of this study was to assess objective and subjective breathing changes in adult patients who underwent maxillary skeletal expansion with the mini-implant-supported maxillary skeletal expander (MSE). Twenty-nine patients (mean age 18.1 ± 4.3years) who underwent expansion using the MSE were compared pre- and posttreatment and with acontrol group (mean age 19.9 ± 2.6years) to assess objective and subjective functional breathing changes. Objective measurements of the airway including peak nasal inspiratory flow (PNIF) and peak oral inspiratory flow (POIF) were measured utilizing the In-Check medical device (Clement Clarke, Harlow, United Kingdom). Patients reported subjective breathing assessment utilizing the visual analog scale (VAS). Intragroup comparisons were performed with Wilcoxon tests and intergroup comparison with Mann-WhitneyU tests. Spearman correlation coefficients were calculated among the studied variables (P < 0.05). Following MSE treatment, there were significantly higher values for PNIF total (P < 0.0001), PNIF right (P < 0.0001), PNIF left (P < 0.0001), and POIF (P < 0.01) compared to pretreatment and control group results. Also, patients reported asignificant decrease in troubled breathing as measured by the VAS for breathing through the right nostril (P < 0.01), left nostril (P < 0.001), and both nostrils (P < 0.01). Comparing the objective and subjective variables for both the pre-MSE or post-MSE groups, the results indicated no significant correlation between total PNIF and total VAS. However, the values had significant correlations between PNIF and VAS on each side when the patients were asked to block one nostril. Objective functional breathing measurements were increased immediately after treatment with MSE. Subjective functional breathing measurements changes were significantly higher after MSE treatment and compared with the control group. MSE presents anonsurgical alternative to achieving orthopedic expansion in adult patients which may provide abenefit for patients with nasal airway obstruction.

Morphological Characteristics of Ovarian Tissues and Follicular Fluid Metabolites of Female Lambs and Ewes in Subtropics

Background: Oocyte and follicular fluid recovery and evaluation are a crucial step in assisted reproductive technologies. The aims of the current study were to evaluate the ovarian tissues and their resulting oocytes and follicular fluid of Awassi female lambs and ewes in subtropics of Saudi Arabia. Methods: Thirty reproductive systems of female lambs in addition to forty reproductive systems of ewes of follicular and luteal phases were collected. The ovarian tissues were evaluated through ovarian follicle numbers, oocytes recovery in addition to determination of follicular fluid (FF) metabolites. The ovarian follicles were categorized into small ( less than 3 mm), medium (3-5 mm) and large follicles ( greater than 5 mm). The medium and large ovarian follicles were aspirated for FF collection and oocytes recovery. The FF concentrations of total protein (g/dl), urea (mg/dl), glucose (mg/dl), total cholesterol (mg/dl) and triglycerides (mg/dl) were determined. Result: The weight of reproductive system and ovary were increased of ewes compared to female lambs. The number of small follicles was not differed among groups whereas the numbers of medium and large follicles increase in ewes groups. The highest number of medium follicles was found in ewes of follicular phase compared to other groups. Although the percentage of oocyte recovery increased in ewes compared to lambs, the oocytes quality was not differed among groups. The total protein values were high (P less than 0.05) in FF of ewes compared to that of female lambs. On the other, the values of urea and triglycerides were low (P less than 0.05) in FF of ewes compared to FF of female lambs. Moreover, the values of total protein, urea and triglycerides were comparable in FF of ewes during follicular or luteal phase. Additionally, there is slight increase of glucose and slight decrease of total cholesterol values in FF of ewes compared to FF of female lambs. In conclusion, follicles of ovarian tissues, oocyte recovery and quality and follicular fluid biochemistry of female lambs and ewes showed differences. The recovered oocytes and FF are available for assisted reproductive techniques.

Enhanced Thermoelectric Performance of Cu2Se Alloys by Simultaneous Engineering of Thermal and Electrical Transport Properties through S and Te Co‐Doping

Cu2Se‐based binary compounds have recently fetched the attention of researchers due to their remarkable electrical and extremely low thermal properties. In addition, Cu2Se‐based quaternary chalcogenides are expected to present exceptional thermoelectric performance. Cu2Se1−x−ySxTey‐like compounds are synthesized via microwave‐assisted hydrothermal method and their respective thermal and electrical transport properties are studied in this research work. The phase purity and homogeneity are examined by X‐ray diffraction and energy‐dispersive X‐ray spectrometry analysis. The introduction of S and Te elements into Cu2Se matrix enhances Seebeck coefficient resulting in improved electrical performance illustrating a maximum power factor of 989.4 μWK−2 m−1 at 673 K. Furthermore, S‐ and Te‐co‐doped samples exhibit reduced total thermal conductivity values with lowest value of 0.808 WK−1 m−1 for Cu2Se0.96S0.02Te0.02 sample in comparison to 1.18 WK−1 m−1 for the pristine sample. The simultaneous improvement in electrical and thermal properties results in enhanced figure of merit of 0.82 for Cu2Se0.96S0.02Te0.02 sample at 673 K.

Aerial Biomass Estimation in the Cerrado Biome Using Canopy Height Data

Adaptations to climate change rely on understanding the dynamics of plant biomass stocks on the planet. The high levels of deforestation in Cerrado have transformed this biome into the second-largest Brazilian source of carbon emissions. The objective of this study was to develop a method to accurately estimate aboveground and total biomass values among shrublands, savannas, and forests located in the Cerrado biome using an allometric equation adjusted from canopy height obtained through optical and laser sensors. The results show similarity between the estimates employed by our method and the data found in the literature review for different phytophysiognomies in the Cerrado biome. Shrubland formations showed higher biomass estimation uncertainties due to the discontinuity of isolated trees and the lower canopy height when compared to more clustered tree canopies in savannas and taller canopies in forests. Aboveground biomass estimates are related to expansion factors, and specific maps were developed for each compartment by root, litter, and necromass. The sum of these compartments is presented in the aboveground and below forest biomass map. This study presents, for the first time, the mapping of total biomass in 10 m pixels of all regions of the Cerrado biome.

Genetic variability of maize (Zea mays) germplasm from Iran: genotyping with a maize 600K SNP array and genome-wide scanning for selection signatures

Context Maize (Zea mays L.) is one of the most economically important plants of the cereal family; it has value as human food, livestock feed, and as a component of industrial products. Aims This study focused on genetic diversity and existence of genetic divergence among promising maize inbred lines in Iran. Methods A commercial maize 600K SNP (single-nucleotide polymorphism) array was used to inspect genetic variability among 93 maize inbred lines. Key results The rate of transition mutation was twice as high as transversion mutation, and the density of detected SNPs was greater close to telomere regions of maize chromosomes. Considering the fluctuation of observed, expected and total heterozygosity and fixation index values across maize chromosomes, as well as polymorphism information content values, there is a high level of genetic variability among the studied maize panel. In addition, discriminant analysis of the principal components revealed four subpopulations in which the subpopulation ‘Line’ was distinct from other subpopulations and had no genomic overlap with them. Selection signature analysis revealed 177 regions harbouring 75 genes that differentiate among subgroups. Detected genes had a role in the mitogen-activated protein kinase signalling pathway, spliceosome, protein processing in endoplasmic reticulum, and hormone signal transduction. Conclusions We conclude that remarkable genetic diversity and differentiation exists among the studied maize subpopulations. The most differentiated SNPs among the subpopulations were associated with important biological processing genes and pathways. Implications The findings provide valuable insights for future maize breeding programs through exploitation of heterosis, as well as marker-assisted selection.

A Comprehensive Analysis of China’s Water Resources Tax Reform

In response to the growing disparity between the supply and demand of water resources, the Chinese government has piloted a more binding and reformed water resources tax to realize the sustainable utilization of water resources. However, reasonable tax standards and their water-saving effects and economic benefits are important and worthy of attention. Therefore, in this study, we combine the virtual water theory with the price input–output model to discuss the impact of water resources taxation on the economy and its water-saving effects. The results show the following: (1) A water resources tax has a significant water-saving effect, and is predicted to save 33.12 billion cubic meters of virtual water. (2) Consumers’ expected reductions in spending on food and tobacco manufacturing and agriculture are predicted to save more virtual water at a lower economic cost. (3) The collection of water resources taxes can actively and simultaneously guide water savings in terms of consumption and production. The water consumption of the construction industry is worthy of attention. The expected output value reduction accounts for 67.2% of the total output value reduction, and its water savings account for 96% of the total water savings. Other service sectors also have ample room to optimize the utilization of their water resources.

Effects of different thawing methods on physical and physicochemical properties of frozen dough and quality of corresponding steamed bread

The thawing method is critical for the final quality of products based on the frozen dough. The effects of ultrasound thawing, proofer thawing, refrigerator thawing, water bath thawing, ambient thawing, and microwave thawing on the rheology, texture, water distribution, fermentation characteristics, and microstructure of frozen dough and the properties of steamed bread were investigated. The results indicated that the ultrasound thawing dough had better physicochemical properties than other doughs. It was found that ultrasound thawing restrained the water migration of dough, improved its rheological properties and fermentation capacity. The total gas volume value of the ultrasound thawing dough was reduced by 21.35% compared with that of unfrozen dough. The ultrasound thawing dough displayed a thoroughly uniform starch-gluten network, and an enhanced the specific volume and internal structure of the steamed bread. In conclusion, ultrasound thawing effectively mitigated the degradation of the frozen dough and enhanced the quality of steamed bread.