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Preharvest application of abscisic acid promotes fruit ripening, colour development and modulates phenylpropanoid pathway in early maturing ‘Yoho’ persimmon
No full textPersimmon is cultivated globally for its distinctive flavour profile and nutritional benefits. Skin colour is one of the important harvest maturity indicators of persimmon fruit, and inadequate colour development in early-maturing cultivars presents significant economic challenges for growers. This study investigated the efficacy of preharvest s-(+)-cis, trans-abscisic acid (S-ABA) spray application on accelerating colour development and improving fruit quality parameters in ‘Yoho’ persimmon. Trees were treated with foliar application of S-ABA at concentrations 0 (control), 25, 50, 75 mg L−1 two weeks before anticipated harvest. Quality attributes of persimmon fruit were subjected to evaluation at one and two weeks post-application. Results demonstrated that S-ABA treatment significantly enhanced colour indicators, including colour index, a*, b*, and chroma values at both harvest intervals. Harvested fruit treated with spray application of S-ABA (25 and 50 mg L−1) showed higher soluble solids content (SSC), and slightly reduced firmness. The 50 mg L−1 treatment substantially enhanced carotenoid content in fruit harvested after one week, while both 25 and 50 mg L−1 treatments increased carotenoid levels in fruit harvested after two weeks. S-ABA treatments increased total phenolics, flavonoids, and antioxidant capacity as compared to untreated control fruit. Our findings indicate that a single preharvest application of S-ABA at 50 mg L−1 effectively accelerates ripening within one week, while the 25 mg L−1 treatment produces significant improvements after two weeks. Accordingly, preharvest spray application of S-ABA could be employed for advancing harvest maturity, colour development, and promoting overall persimmon fruit quality
Bridging competency and technology: User evaluation of a digital clinical workbook for nurse practitioner students
No full textThe objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of an educationally designed digital clinical workbook for Master of Nursing (Nurse Practitioner) students\u27 work-integrated learning experience. Sixteen students completed an anonymous online survey consisting of closed questions and open-ended free text items to capture students\u27 experience of the usability and utility of the digital clinical workbook to complete work-integrated assessments. Three focus groups were conducted comprising nine students and one alumnus. Despite initially finding the technology challenging, students found the digital platform navigable and useful. They preferred the digital clinical workbook over paper-based assessment methods and acknowledged the benefit of intentionally embedding the digital platform across the curriculum, the importance of providing user resources, and the influence of the workbook on employability skills. The digital clinical workbook is an innovative option for nurse practitioner students to complete clinical-based assessments while increasing their digital literacy and employability skills
Near-field beamforming for covert wireless communications with finite blocklength
No full textIn this work, we focus on developing near-field beamforming schemes for covert wireless communications to maximize the communication quality while ensuring communication covertness, where three different antenna architectures are considered. Specifically, we first analyze the monotonicities of the throughput and the minimum detection error probability with respect to the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) at a legitimate receiver and a warden. Then, the formulated optimization problem is transformed into a semi-definite programming (SDP) problem via vectorizing the matrix. Lastly, a maximum signal-to-leakage ratio (MSLR) scheme with a low complexity is proposed. Our results indicate that the proposed near-field beamforming schemes facilitate covert communication in both the distance and angle dimensions. The two hybrid antenna architectures lead to a slight performance loss, but significantly reduce the circuit budget. Meanwhile, the low-complexity algorithm greatly reduces the algorithm complexity, although it exhibits a noticeable disadvantage in its covert transmission performance. Furthermore, our results indicate that the designed near-field beamforming strategies are more beneficial in meeting the covertness constraints, highlighting a feasibility of covert communications in the near-field region
Hybridity and safety: The lived experiences of market vendors in urban settlement communities in Lae, Papua New Guinea
No full textIn most developing countries, informal economies–such as those that operate through urban markets–commonly support city dwellers’ livelihoods. However, public perceptions of safety and informality in urban markets have often focused on apparent deficiencies, resulting in a limited understanding of the dynamics and resilience of such spaces. There has been limited consideration of the perspectives of those who work within these spaces every day and the support structures they create for themselves. Drawing on focus group discussions and interviews with vendors and other actors at one market, Awagasi market in Lae City in Papua New Guinea, we argue that the history of these spaces and insider perspectives provide a nuanced understanding of such markets’ key features and internal support mechanisms. Instead of defining these market spaces by their informalities, we view them through the lens of hybridity. Hybridity is related to how relationships are established and maintained, how the market hosts economic engagements and how the market is governed. This research uses the Melanesian Indigenous worldview to demonstrate how local values contribute to providing safety for residents and vendors in an urban hybrid market setting
Epilithic algal composition and the functioning of Anthropocene coral reefs
Get PDFEpilithic algae dominate cover on coral reefs globally, forming a critical ecological interface between the benthos and reef organisms. Yet, the drivers of epilithic algal composition, and how composition relates to the distribution of key taxa, remain unclear. We develop a novel metric, the Epilithic Algal Ratio, based on turf cover relative to total epilithic algae cover, and use this metric to assess cross-scale patterns. We reveal water quality and hydrodynamics as the key environmental drivers of the Epilithic Algal Ratio across the Great Barrier Reef (GBR), and reefs globally. On the GBR, the abundance of herbivorous fishes and juvenile corals were also related to the Epilithic Algal Ratio, suggesting that reefs with long-dense turfs support fewer herbivores and corals. Ultimately, epilithic algae represent the interface through which the effects of declining water quality, which impacts a third of reefs globally, can reverberate up through coral reefs, compromising their functioning
Hydrogen diffusion into water and cushion gases – Relevance for hydrogen geo-storage
Get PDFHydrogen (H2) has been recognized as a promising solution to reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. H2 is considered a green energy carrier for energy storage, transport, and usage, and it can be produced from renewable energy resources (such as solar, hydropower, and wind energy). However, H2 is a highly diffusive compound compared to other natural gases, raising concerns about the possibility of H2 loss in geo-storage (e.g. in underground geological formations such as depleted oil/gas reservoirs, aquifers or shale formations) or H2 leak via pipelines when blending H2 with natural gas in existing pipeline systems. Thus, understanding H2 diffusion in subsurface formations and pipeline systems is vital. However, despite its importance, only limited data is available to assess the above situations. Therefore, in this study, molecular dynamics simulations were used to predict the self-diffusion coefficients of H2 in water and cushion gases (CH4 and N2) at relevant geothermal conditions (i.e. 300 K–373 K and pressures up to 50 MPa). The findings showed that H2 self-diffusion in methane and nitrogen increases with increasing temperature but decreases with increasing pressure. However, H2 self-diffusion in water increases with increasing temperature but is not impacted by increasing or decreasing pressure. The results also indicated that the rate of H2 self-diffusion in cushion gas is faster than in water, about exceeding two-digit times. Furthermore, the outcomes reported extended or new data on H2 self-diffusion for the binary system of H2–H2O, H2–CH4, and H2–N2. This study is beneficial and contributes to assessing efficiency and safety for executing H2 transportation and underground hydrogen storage (UHS) schemes
miRNAome-metabolome wide association study reveals effects of miRNA regulation in eosinophilia and airflow obstruction in childhood asthma
Get PDFBackground: There are important inter-relationships between miRNAs and metabolites: alterations in miRNA expression can be induced by various metabolic stimuli, and miRNAs play a regulatory role in numerous cellular processes, impacting metabolism. While both specific miRNAs and metabolites have been identified for their role in childhood asthma, there has been no global assessment of the combined effect of miRNAs and the metabolome in childhood asthma. Methods: We performed miRNAome-metabolome-wide association studies (‘miR-metabo-WAS’) in two childhood cohorts of asthma to evaluate the contemporaneous and persistent miRNA-metabolite associations: 1) Genetic Epidemiology of Asthma in Costa Rica Study (GACRS) (N = 1121); 2) the Childhood Asthma Management Program (CAMP) (NBaseline = 312 and NEnd of trial = 454). We conducted a meta-analysis of the two cohorts to identify common contemporaneous associations between CAMP and GACRS (false-discovery rate (FDR) = 0.05). We assessed persistent miRNA-metabolome associations using baseline miRNAs and metabolomic profiling in CAMP at the end of the trial. The relation between miRNAs, metabolites and clinical phenotypes, including airway hyper-responsiveness (AHR), peripheral blood eosinophilia, and airflow obstruction, were then assessed via. Mediation analysis with 1000 bootstraps at an FDR significance level of 0.05. Findings: The meta-analysis yielded a total of 369 significant contemporaneous associations, involving 133 miRNAs and 60 metabolites. We identified 13 central hub metabolites (taurine, 12,13-diHOME, sebacate, 9-cis-retinoic acid, azelate, asparagine, C5:1 carnitine, cortisol, 3-methyladipate, inosine, NMMA, glycine, and Pyroglutamic acid) and four hub miRNAs (hsa-miR-186-5p, hsa-miR-143-3p, hsa-miR-192-5p, and hsa-miR-223-3p). Nine of these associations, between eight miRNAs and eight metabolites, were persistent in CAMP from baseline to the end of trial. Finally, five central hub metabolites (9-cis-retinoic acid, taurine, sebacate, azelate, and 12,13-diHOME) were identified as primary mediators in over 100 significant indirect miRNA-metabolite associations, with a collective influence on peripheral blood eosinophilia, AHR, and airflow obstruction. Interpretation: The robust association between miRNAs and metabolites, along with the substantial indirect impact of miRNAs via 5 hub metabolites on multiple clinical asthma metrics, suggests important integrated effects of miRNAs and metabolites on asthma. These findings imply that the indirect regulation of metabolism and cellular functions by miRNA influences Th2 inflammation, AHR, and airflow obstruction in childhood asthma. Funding: Molecular data for CAMP and GACRS via the Trans-Omics in Precision Medicine (TOPMed) program was supported by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)
Navigating complexity in sustainability and climate action: Comparing participatory action research and developmental evaluation in higher education
Get PDFPurpose: This paper aims to investigate how sustainability and climate action are integrated in higher education through collaborative researchmethodologies. Specifically, it addresses the challenges encountered by those using participatory action research (PAR) and suggests developmental evaluation (DE) as a potentially suitable alternative participatorymethodology in certain contexts.
Design/methodology/approach: A comparative analysis of PAR and DE is conducted, highlighting their strengths and limitations in sustainability and climate action initiatives within higher education. Philosophically grounded in pragmatism, the study draws on existing literature to clarify the theoretical foundations and practical implications of both methodologies, focusing on their application in complex, dynamic environments.
Findings: While PAR is well-represented in educational research and holds potential for transformative change in sustainable development and climate action, it presents challenges, including the need for multiple action research cycles. In addition, PAR can struggle to accommodate epistemological differences among participants. In contrast, DE offers a flexible alternative, allowing for diverse epistemologies while integrating complexity theory and systems thinking, both crucial for sustainability and climate action.
Originality/value: This paper advances the discussion on collaborative methodologies in sustainability and climate action research by proposing DE as a viable alternative to PAR in higher education. The proposed DE model provides a new framework for researchers and practitioners, especially in contexts where PAR’s traditional requirements create obstacles
Does mortality salience produce positive effects on hotel employee behaviors? A temporal distance perspective
No full textDrawing on generativity theory and terror management theory, this study investigates how mortality salience influences proactive service behavior and helping behavior through anxiety and reflection as two death awareness dimensions. Additionally, it examines the moderating role of temporal distance. Three experiments, employing different mortality salience manipulations across various contexts (e.g., fire and pandemic), were conducted. The findings reveal that: (1) mortality salience positively influences proactive service behavior and helping behavior among hotel employees; (2) mortality salience suppresses these behaviors through death anxiety but enhances them through death reflection; and (3) the direct and indirect effects of mortality salience on proactive service and helping behaviors are moderated by temporal distance. This research provides practical insights for hotels on managing internal and external mortality threats, fostering positive employee behavioral responses
Atypical beta oscillatory dynamics are related to poor procedural learning in children with developmental coordination disorder
Get PDFProcedural learning difficulties are commonly reported in children with developmental coordination disorder (DCD), yet the neural basis of this impairment remains unclear. This study addressed this gap by examining the correlation between cortical oscillatory activity and procedural learning of a sequence of finger movements in children with and without DCD. Participants were 19 children with DCD and 38 typically developing (TD) children, with a mean age of 10 years and 3 months. Children completed the Serial Reaction Time task, a standard measure of procedural learning, during which they unintentionally learned a sequence of finger movements. Electroencephalography (EEG) was continuously recorded as they performed the task. Behavioural analyses indicated poorer procedural learning in the DCD group compared to the TD group. EEG analyses revealed that beta activity over motor areas and theta/alpha activity over occipital areas were sensitive to procedural learning effects. Group differences were observed only in beta activity, with the DCD group showing reduced beta modulation relative to TD children. No significant group differences were found for theta or alpha activity. This study provides new evidence demonstrating an association between poor procedural learning and atypical beta oscillatory dynamics in DCD