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The impact of Regional Fishery Management Organization structure on collaborative performance
No full textCollaboration is integral to understand, plan, coordinate, and implement management measures for fisheries that cross international borders. Regional Fishery Management Organizations (RFMOs) are the main arenas for countries to collaborate and make decisions for transboundary fisheries, but these organizations have generally failed to prevent the depletion of some of the world\u27s most valuable fish stocks. It is unclear how the structure and functioning of RFMOs can improve collaborative performance to better manage transboundary fish stocks. Using fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis, our study analyzes 10 RFMOs to identify the combination of six organizational conditions associated with high and low collaborative performance. Using United Nations-mandated Performance Reviews conducted by internal and external experts we assess RFMOs for six collaborative performance metrics based on international standards. Our results show that high collaborative performance requires distinct roles for Secretariats and committees, meaningful representation of stakeholders, and a small decision-making body. Specifically, ‘a high number of committees’ combined with a ‘a high diversity of Secretariat duties’ led to low performance overall, but when combined with ‘a low diversity of Secretariat duties’ led to high conservation and management performance. ‘A small Commission size’ was a necessary condition for high overall performance and compliance performance. ‘Low stakeholder involvement’ led to low overall performance and low financial and administrative performance. Current trends in global governance call for RFMOs to increase their number of contracting parties and expand their mandates to address the growing environmental challenges affecting transboundary fisheries. Our results show that as the membership and scope of RFMOs expand, managers should prioritize the inclusion of stakeholders and technical experts over additional bureaucrats to achieve collaborative performance goals
Vitamin D Activation and Mineral Ion Regulation
No full textNutrients frequently act in coordination with the absorption and metabolism of one nutrient often interdependent on the presence of others. For example, magnesium is essential for the activation of vitamin D, which, in turn regulates calcium and phosphate homeostasis, both of which are critical for cellular and organ function. A comprehensive understanding of disorders arising from disruptions in vitamin D and mineral ion metabolism is essential for explaining the pathophysiological mechanisms associated with their imbalance. The chapters of this book are selected to provide in-depth insights and highlight important areas of bidirectional relationship between vitamin D and mineral ions for future research to advance the understanding of the delicate interactions between nutrients and overall health
Vitamin D-Induced Antimicrobial Peptides in Combating Viral Infections
No full textViral infectious diseases rank among the leading causes of mortality globally. The rise of drug resistance mechanisms puts the effectiveness of all existing antimicrobial drugs at risk, several of which have become ineffective. Consequently, there is an acute need for novel antimicrobial agents. Host defense antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are naturally occurring, evolutionarily conserved peptides that contribute to innate immunity and exhibit broad activity against viruses, bacteria, and fungi. They can also exert immunomodulatory and adjuvant activities by serving as chemotactic agents for immune cells and promoting cytokine and chemokine production. Vitamin D is a fat-soluble steroid hormone essential for regulating calcium and phosphorus metabolism to preserve bone homeostasis. Recent research has indicated that vitamin D has immunomodulatory effects on both the innate and adaptive immune systems, suggesting that it is a vital regulator of immunological homeostasis. Vitamin D stimulates the development of robust AMPs found in natural killer cells, monocytes, neutrophils, and epithelial cells of the respiratory tract. This chapter explains the evidence suggesting that vitamin D can reduce viral survival and replication by inducing AMPs
Intelligent dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (iDXA) and small animal scanning as a useful tool to measure appendicular bird bone mineral density
No full textAccurately assessing the bone mineralization status of birds is crucial for poultry production and wild bird studies. We investigated the use of dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) using Small Animal Measurement software to measure bone mineral content (BMC) and areal bone mineral density (aBMD) in excised radii of the willow ptarmigan (Lagopus lagopus) as a bird model. Our exploratory tests involved 117 scans to evaluate scanning parameters, scanning board types, bone stabilization, scan mode and size, and region of interest placement. Results indicated that mean BMC or aBMD were each significantly different when scanned on a forearm positioner board than a dissecting board (P \u3c 0.0001). We found no significant differences in means when stabilizing bones with tape (P = 0.09), however unsecured bones moved from scanner vibrations. Among choices of small, medium, and large scan modes, significant differences in measurements resulted (P \u3c 0.0001). A significant difference between the scan size choice resulted for BMC (P \u3c 0.001) but not aBMD (P = 0.73) resulted. Use of quadrilateral versus manual edge placement of region of interests was significantly different (PBMC = 0.002; PaBMD = 0.0001). We demonstrate that precise and reproducible measurements are achieved when bones are stabilized, scanned on a thin, smooth forearm positioner, utilizing a small scan mode, and with manually adjusted ROI edges. We offer practical guidance on scanning methods and discuss the suitability of iDXA as a reliable, non-destructive research method in poultry science and management studies
Digital twin for battery energy storage systems
No full textBattery Energy Storage Systems (BESSs) have become pivotal in modern energy infrastructures due to their critical role in balancing supply-demand dynamics, integrating renewable sources, and ensuring grid stability. However, the operational complexity, real-time variability, and data heterogeneity associated with BESS present significant challenges in their design, monitoring, and optimization. Digital Twin (DT) technology offers a promising paradigm to address these issues by enabling cyber-physical synchronization, predictive analytics, and intelligent control. Despite increasing research interest, a consolidated understanding of how DTs are applied to BESSs, including architecture, enabling technologies, and deployment challenges, remains lacking. This paper presents a comprehensive systematic literature review to bridge this gap by synthesizing DT research for BESSs in five key research questions. The study investigates DT applications, connectivity levels, enabling technologies, deployment challenges, and future directions. Through rigorous screening and quality assessment, relevant studies were analyzed to identify trends, gaps, and future opportunities. The paper introduces a multilayered architecture tailored for BESSs that spans the physical, control, preprocessing, monitoring, and optimization layers, facilitating robust integration of cloud edge devices. The findings highlight dominant use cases such as monitoring, prediction, and optimization, with increasing reliance on artificial intelligence, Internet of Things, and cloud-edge platforms. Common deployment challenges include data inconsistency, real-time synchronization, and scalability constraints. The proposed architecture and synthesized insights are expected to guide future research and industrial implementation, contributing to more adaptive, resilient, sustainable, and efficient BESS ecosystems
Evolving last-mile logistics: Where unmanned delivery fits
No full textUnmanned delivery is reshaping last-mile logistics and challenging traditional courier operations. This study employs a game-theoretical framework to examine two strategic delivery models: one offering conventional human delivery and self-pickup options, and another integrating unmanned delivery services. The analysis focuses on strategic decisions regarding the timing and conditions under which courier firms introduce unmanned delivery, as well as the resulting impact on consumer choices among available delivery modes. Findings indicate that unmanned delivery becomes profitable only when customer preferences are moderate—neither strongly favoring nor entirely indifferent to specific service types. This challenges the common assumption that expanding delivery options inherently enhances operational efficiency. Furthermore, the introduction of unmanned delivery, especially when supported by subsidies, may unintentionally suppress demand for traditional services due to internal competition among delivery modes. Although subsidies can stimulate demand for unmanned delivery, they do not necessarily improve overall profitability or ensure widespread adoption, as the crowding-out effect may offset potential gains. In certain contexts—such as rigid consumer preferences or limited public funding—subsidies aimed at promoting unmanned delivery may even reduce social welfare. Given the diminishing marginal returns of technology subsidies associated with larger incentives, small to moderate subsidies are more effective
Models of Change: Communicating to your Funder and Stakeholders How You Believe Your Project will Succeed
No full textSpatiotemporal analysis of genetic perturbations reveals a genetic cascade driving Tribolium gap gene initialization
No full textThe ‘French flag’ model has long served as the prevailing framework for explaining how morphogen gradients generate spatial domains during embryonic development. However, recent evidence indicates that many tissues establish patterns by translating the sequential activation of genes into spatial domains. While the sequential nature of this process is becoming clear, the mechanisms that mediate these temporal dynamics and translate them into stable spatial boundaries remain debated. Using the gap gene network in the flour beetle Tribolium castaneum [which mediates the regionalization of the anterior-posterior (AP) axis into different axial fates through the regulation of downstream Hox genes] as a model, we combined hybridization chain reaction in situ hybridization, parental RNA interference (RNAi), and computational modeling to dissect these mechanisms. Our high-resolution spatiotemporal analysis indicates that gap genes initially function as a genetic cascade in the posterior growth zone. Specifically, RNAi perturbations reveal that the disruption of upstream genes prevents the initiation of downstream targets in the posterior rather than merely affecting their anterior maintenance. Conversely, the knockdown of downstream repressors leads to the posterior persistence of upstream genes. Furthermore, we investigated the relationship between this dynamic initiation phase and anterior maintenance. We observe that in milles-pattes (mlpt) RNAi embryos, the gap gene shavenbaby (svb) fails to propagate anteriorly out of the growth zone, indicating that the anterior maintenance of svb is actively mediated by other genes in the network. Computational simulations demonstrate that a gene network switching framework, where regulatory interactions reconfigure across the AP axis, successfully reproduces these complex phenotypes. These findings provide definitive spatiotemporal evidence that Tribolium gap gene initialization is driven by a genetic cascade, and support a model in which dynamic network rewiring converts this cascade into stable spatial patterns more anteriorly
A Preliminary Investigation of Research Collaboration Through Scientific Paper Co-authorship in the Gulf of Mexico
No full textIt is well known that publications with collaborators from external institutions increase citations. This effect scales with spatial distance. There are also many barriers to long-distance collaborations, including linguistic differences, funding constraints, and the incremental costs of remote collaboration. This paper uses the Gulf of Mexico as a case study to examine long-distance research collaboration because it consists of three countries with diverse development levels and two prominent diplomatic languages, within a singular regional ecosystem of tremendous natural and economic value. This paper uses bibliometric network analysis to examine scientific research article co-authorship in the Gulf of Mexico from 2000 to 2018. The results reveal that, although inter-organizational co-authorship has increased, significant fragmentation exists between the U.S.A, Mexico, and Cuba. Large differences in technological and organizational proximity as well as research capacity between US and Mexican states in the Gulf of Mexico may make collaboration more difficult compared to other transboundary settings, such as the US-Canadian border. Centrally located organizations in the network, such as NOAA, have played a prominent role in cross-institutional research, suggesting a capacity to bridge political entities in the Gulf of Mexico
Photograph of Interstate Citrus Fruit Warehouse - 01
No full textColor photograph. Shows three women packing citrus in an Interstate Citrus Fruit/Tex-Rio warehouse.https://scholarworks.utrgv.edu/kikadelagarzaphotographs/1132/thumbnail.jp