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BACKGROUND RESULTS CONCLUSIONS Food loss and waste estimates are highly inconsistent as a result of methodological and systemic differences. Additionally, the absence of in‐depth evidence surrounding the biological drivers of food loss and waste precludes targeted mitigation action. To address this challenge, we undertook a metanalysis utilising a systematic literature review combined with industry stakeholder surveys to examine the incidence of food loss and waste in the UK fruit and vegetable supply chain between primary production and retail.We estimated that 37% of fruit and vegetables, equivalent to 2.4 Mt of produce, is lost between production and sale. In the UK, primary production is the main stage responsible for these losses (58%), and is dominated by four crops (apple, onion, carrot and potato), which contribute 71% of total food loss and waste. Quality and supply/demand mismatch are the core drivers, combined with limited ability to control postharvest quality decline as a result of technical or economic barriers.Innate biological mechanisms contribute to, and detract from, marketable quality generating food loss risks where these cannot be adequately modified or controlled. Through climate change effects, reduced pesticide availability, changing consumer behaviour and increased pressure to reduce resource/energy inputs during pre‐ and postharvest handling, food loss and waste risk is likely to increase in the short term unless targeted, coordinated action is taken to actively promote its mitigation. © 2024 The Author(s). Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary Fermentation is an age‐long food processing tool used to preserve and develop functional foods and beverages. Fruits in particular have a very short shelf life due to their high water activity, favourable to microbial decomposition and spoilage, while legumes are protein‐rich crops that require improved protein digestibility. These are some standout reasons for applying this tool to develop fermented fruit‐ and legume‐based products. From multifarious fruit‐based beers, non‐alcoholic beverages and alcoholic drinks to legume‐based condiments and meals, fermentation has been used over time in Africa to enhance the food security, safety, nutrition, healthfulness and livelihoods of the people. As the nutrition and economic prospects of African fermented fruit‐ and legume‐based products are huge not only to the African continent but globally (as African diasporans and their interracial friends, spouses and relatives are notably consuming them), they are fraught with opportunities and challenges. This review describes the production factors (including raw material selection, processing techniques, environmental conditions and the role of microorganisms) and health benefits of these African fermented products. Safety concerns, fermentation challenges and other considerations are also discussed. Further studies targeting fermentation and production of novel, healthy and safer fruit‐ and legume‐based African food products are warranted due to their potential positive contribution to African and global hunger and malnutrition issues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In industrial ecology, approaches have been developed to analyze the contribution of specific sectors to environmental impacts within supply chains. In economics, a range of methods addresses the forward linkage (use of output) and backward linkage (dependency on inputs) of sectors, and the analysis of key sectors. This article offers a formal investigation of the relationship between these. It shows that both the analysis of supply chain impacts and of intersectoral linkages can be seen as special cases of a more general hypothetical extraction method (HEM). In HEM, sectors' role is assessed as the effect of their removal on the input–output model's solution. HEM also allows for the (partial) extraction of individual transactions. HEM thus offers a flexible approach to assessing the contribution of one or several sectors, or transactions, or parts thereof, to value added or footprint of any final demand. It can be applied to study the environmental footprints of companies or intermediate products, the contribution of certain inputs to sectors, or the potential impact of disruptions of supply chains on producers and consumers. In this article, the price model for HEM is introduced to identify the contribution of the extracted (target) sectors to the price or unit footprint of a commodity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The concept and influence of untraded inter‐dependencies are under‐explored in the industrial cluster and informal economy literature. In this paper, we attempt to bridge this gap by extending the conventional Cobb‐Douglas production function to operationalising and testing the moderating effects of two forms of untraded inter‐dependencies in informal production. Based on the diffusion theory, we argue that knowledge‐sharing would favour informal production, as opposed to tool‐sharing. Using quantitative methods, 334 informal artisans were randomly sampled from three clusters in the Kumasi Metropolis of Ghana and analysed data obtained with moderating models and simple slopes plots. The tested models and fuzzy set configurations confirmed that knowledge‐sharing, but not tool‐sharing, has significant interaction effects on informal production. The optimal model derived would be one in which capital interacts with incremental knowledge‐sharing at the existing level of tool‐sharing among the artisans. This paper serves as an extension of new economic geography with an additional factor of untraded inter‐dependencies. As part of post‐COVID restoration and enhancement of informal production processes, we recommend city officials to deliberately plan and space clustered enterprises that enable the observed rates of interactions between production factors and untraded inter‐dependencies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Members of the bacterial genus Burkholderia are a routine threat to onion production worldwide. In addition to the common onion‐pathogenic species, Burkholderia cepacia, Burkholderia orbicola and Burkholderia gladioli, other Burkholderia species have the potential to cause onion disease. Despite their impacts and long‐known association with onion disease, the virulence mechanisms of onion‐pathogenic Burkholderia are far less well understood than Burkholderia in human and murine infection models. In this review, we will focus on genetically characterized virulence factors in species that contribute to symptom production in onion and other plant hosts. Specifically, we will focus on the variable roles of specialized protein secretion systems (T2SS, T3SS and T4SS) and secreted proteins, thiosulphinate tolerance gene (TTG) clusters and the well‐characterized phytotoxin toxoflavin in virulence. The regulation and roles of LuxI/LuxS quorum‐sensing system and IclR‐type transcriptional regulator, qsmR, as master regulators of secondary metabolite production and virulence factors will also be discussed. The TTG clusters, involved in bacterial tolerance to thiosulphinate defence compounds, exhibit onion tissue‐specific contributions to virulence. This suggests that Burkholderia onion pathogens have tissue‐specific virulence strategies for causing disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Previous studies demonstrated the interrelationship between antioxidant activity and solvent extracts prepared according to cultivars and plant parts of Centella asiatica (CA) cultivated in Korea. In this study, the macrophage‐stimulating activity of solvent extracts was assayed, and we analysed the characteristics of the active fractions of these extracts and the mechanisms underlying the macrophage‐stimulating activity of these fractions. Treatment of macrophages with cold water (CW) extracts (GO‐L‐CW) prepared from the leaves (L) of the 'GOOD' (GO) cultivar significantly increased the secretion of immunostimulatory factors. Specifically, the high molecular weight (HMW) fraction (GO‐L‐CW‐HMW) isolated from GO‐L‐CW potently activated the secretion of immunostimulatory factors and increased the mRNA levels of genes encoding these factors or involved in the production of these factors. In addition, GO‐L‐CW‐HMW triggered the phosphorylation of ERK and p38 of MAPK along with p65 and IκBα of the NF‐κB family in the intracellular signalling pathway. The GO‐L‐CW‐HMW was identified as a complex polysaccharide with a molecular weight of 93–129 kDa. In conclusion, polysaccharides present in GO‐L‐CW suggest the possibility of application as a new immunostimulating material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increasing global consumption of protein over the last five decades, coupled with concerns about the impact on emissions of animal‐based protein production, has created interest in alternative protein sources. Microbial proteins (MPs), derived through the fermentation of agro‐industrial byproducts, present a promising option. This review assesses a century of advancements in this domain. We conducted a comprehensive review and meta‐analysis, examining 347 relevant research papers to identify trends, technological advancements, and key influencing factors in the production of MP. The analysis covered the types of feedstocks and microbes, fermentation methods, and the implications of nucleic acid content on the food‐grade quality of proteins. A conditional inference tree model and Bayesian factor were used to ascertain the impact of various parameters on protein content. Out of all the studied parameters, such as type of feedstock (lignocellulose, free sugars, gases, and others), type of fermentation (solid, liquid, gas), type of microbe (bacteria, fungi, yeast, and mix), and operating parameters (temperature, time, and pH), the type of fermentation and microbe were identified as the largest influences on protein content. Gas and liquid fermentation demonstrated higher protein content, averaging 52% and 42%, respectively. Among microbes, bacterial species produced a higher protein content of 51%. The suitable operating parameters, such as pH, time, and temperature, were also identified for different microbes. The results point to opportunities for continued innovation in feedstock, microbes, and regulatory alignment to fully realize the potential of MP in contributing to global food security and sustainability goals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study of the minimality of (hyper)surfaces is a fundamental problem in mathematics with major applications in both fundamental and applied sciences. Recently, the minimality of production models in microeconomics has been investigated by several authors who obtained important classification results for quasi‐sum and quasi‐product production functions with two and three inputs. In the present work, we deal with the minimality of isoquants of production functions with arbitrary number of inputs, this being a key concept used in making the best decision for optimizing the production costs. In the main result of the article, we give the complete classification of quasi‐product production functions whose isoquants are minimal, showing that there are exactly nine production models with such a property. Among them, we can identify a particular classic model already widely used in economic analysis (viz., a Cobb–Douglas model with unit output elasticities with respect to some production factors) and various production models completely unknown until now and which will open new opportunities for applied research in the field of mathematical economics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anthracnose, caused by several Colletotrichum species, is a major restricting factor for guava production, but no comprehensive study of the causal agent has been conducted from the plant host centre of diversity. This work characterizes isolates from guava, mainly from the fruit, but also leaves and flowers, representing most Brazilian physiographies according to the partial sequences of the rDNA‐ITS, ApMAT, TUB2, HIS3 and GAPDH gene regions. In addition, the pathogenicity and aggressiveness to fruits of two widely planted guava varieties (SLG and RM) are described. Guava‐derived Colletotrichum isolates were found in five complexes: gloeosporioides, acutatum, boninense, gigasporum and orchidearum. The gloeosporioides complex was the most prevalent (81%), followed by the acutatum complex (14%). A total of 16 Colletotrichum species were naturally associated with guava anthracnose: C. aeschynomenes, C. asianum, C. chrysophilum, C. fructicola, C. gigasporum, C. gloeosporioides, C. karsti, C. melonis, C. musae, C. nymphaeae, C. paranaense, C. siamense, C. sojae, C. syzygicola, C. theobromicola and C. tropicale. Apart from C. nymphaeae and C. gloeosporioides, all the remaining 14 taxa are reported for the first time in P. guajava. The most aggressive species belonged to the C. gloeosporioides complex. C. siamense was the most prevalent, especially in warmer regions, followed by C. chrysophilum, mostly in temperate environments. The most aggressive species were C. siamense, C. chrysophilum, C. fructicola and C. tropicale. Fruits of the variety SLG were consistently more resistant to anthracnose than the fruits of RM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agriculture is a very important sector in Africa's economic development, particularly in Burkina Faso, as it employs a large proportion of the population. Given the importance of labor in this sector, a good allocation of the different types of labor could help increase agricultural productivity in Burkina Faso. This research contributes to the literature by determining the specific contributions of each type of labor in enhancing cotton productivity. The sample of this research is 477 cotton farms, and a semiparametric stochastic frontier model has been used in the analysis. The results show that the proportion of wage labor has a nonlinear effect and contributes to improving cotton productivity when the number of educated people in the household increases. But family labor decreases cotton productivity when the number of educated people in the household increase. The comparison between the findings of the semiparametric and parametric frontier shows that technical efficiency is 72.44% when education is used as the channel through which production factors affect cotton productivity. However, this technical efficiency is 54.96% when production factors directly affect cotton productivity in the parametric frontier model. Promoting education in rural areas will help to increase the number of people educated and consequently improve cotton productivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vogt‒Koyanagi‒Harada (VKH) disease is a severe autoimmune disease. Herein, whole‐exome sequencing (WES) study are performed on 2,573 controls and 229 VKH patients with follow‐up next‐generation sequencing (NGS) in a collection of 2,380 controls and 2,278 VKH patients. A rare c.188T>C (p Val63Ala) variant in the olfactory receptor 11H1 (OR11H1) gene is found to be significantly associated with VKH disease (rs71235604, Pcombined = 7.83 × 10−30, odds ratio = 3.12). Functional study showes that OR11H1‐A63 significantly increased inflammatory factors production and exacerbated barrier function damage. Further studies using RNA‐sequencing find that OR11H1‐A63 markedly increased growth arrest and DNA‐damage‐inducible gamma (GADD45G) expression. Moreover, OR11H1‐A63 activates the MAPK and NF‐κB pathways, and accelerates inflammatory cascades. In addition, inhibiting GADD45G alleviates inflammatory factor secretion, likely due to the regulatory effect of GADD45G on the MAPK and NF‐κB pathways. Collectively, this study suggests that the OR11H1‐A63 missense mutation may increase susceptibility to VKH disease in a GADD45G‐dependent manner. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This data article presents a high‐resolution map of available water content (AWC) for Senegal, derived from the iSDA Africa dataset and the USDA Rosetta3 model, as well as the method used for its production. The map covers the entire country at a resolution of 30 m and provides a valuable resource for hydrological studies and spatialized crop model simulations in the region where water is a limiting factor for crop production. The dataset is based on existing soil properties data and leverages pedotransfer functions (PTFs) to estimate water retention capabilities from soil properties. This AWC map derived from datasets with enhanced accuracy offers a more precise estimate of soil water retention capacity, which can be instrumental in informing water and agricultural management, policy decisions and investments. The dataset, including intermediate variables, is available in geotiff format at Cirad Dataverse under the DOI 10.18167/DVN1/SGNSII and complies with FAIR data principles, allowing its broad reuse. The code used to produce this dataset is also made available under the DOI 10.5281/zenodo.10078399, so that AWC maps can be produced for any territory covered by the iSDA Africa product. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Key Clinical Message: The mainstays of treatment for granuloma pyogenicum include careful evaluation of any penile growth, thorough excision of the polypoid, histological examination, and close monitoring to check relapse and management. Pyogenic granuloma is an acquired noncancerous vascular proliferation that arises from the mucosa and skin, seldom subcutaneously or intravascularly. It is also referred to as telangiectasis granuloma or lobular capillary haemangioma. The risk factors include vascular abnormalities, medicines, hormones, and microtrauma. We discussed the case of a 24‐year‐old man who had a poorly managed ventral distal penile polypoid lesion at a peripheral hospital. Upon further histopathological examination, the diagnosis of pyogenic granuloma was made. Histopathologically speaking, the term "pyogenic granuloma" is misleading because the illness is not linked to the production of granulomas. Pyogenic granuloma's etiopathogenesis is still unknown; true hemangioma is thought to be a reactive hyperproliferative of the vasculature brought on by a variety of stimuli; pyogenic granuloma may be caused by uneven angiogenic factor production in response to minor local trauma or cutaneous disease. Histopathological analysis and surgical excision are the methods used for diagnosis and treatment. The mainstay of treatment for granuloma pyogenic granuloma includes careful evaluation of any penile growth, thorough excision of the polypoid, histological examination, close follow‐up to check for relapse, and early management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Cannabis, more commonly known as marijuana or hemp, has been used for centuries to treat various conditions. Cannabis contains two main components cannabidiol (CBD) and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). CBD, unlike THC, is devoid of psychoactive effects and is well tolerated by the human body but has no direct effect on the receptors of the endocannabid system, despite the lack of action on the receptors of the endocannabid system. Objectives and methods: We have prepared a literature review based on the latest available literature regarding the analgesic effects of CBD. CBD has a wide range of effects on the human body. In this study, we will present the potential mechanisms responsible for the analgesic effect of CBD. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first review to explore the analgesic mechanisms of CBD. Results and conclusion: The analgesic effect of CBD is complex and still being researched. CBD models the perception of pain by acting on G protein‐coupled receptors. Another group of receptors that CBD acts on are serotonergic receptors. The effect of CBD on an enzyme of potential importance in the production of inflammatory factors such as cyclooxygenases and lipoxygenases has also been confirmed. The presented potential mechanisms of CBD's analgesic effect are currently being extensively studied. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, we analyze nuclear effects in the inclusive production of quarkonium in proton‐nucleus collisions at high energy regime. A theoretical framework that includes initial state effects like nuclear shadowing and gluon density saturation is considered. Numerical results for nuclear modification factor, RpA(y)$$ {R}_{pA}(y) $$, as a function of meson rapidity in proton‐nucleus collisions are presented. The parameter‐free predictions are compared to the available data from the Large Hadron Collider. Discussion on the main theoretical uncertainties is made, with emphasis on the phenomenological models for the nuclear saturation scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To explore the mechanism involved in variable phenotypes of epilepsy models induced by γ‐aminobutyric acid type A γ2 subunit (GABRG2) mutations. Methods: The zebrafish carrying wild‐type (WT) GABRG2, mutant GABRG2(P282S), GABRG2(F343L) and GABRG2(I107T) were established by Tol2kit transgenesis system and Gateway method. Behavioral analysis of different transgenic zebrafish was performed with the DanioVision Video‐Track framework and the brain activity was analyzed by field potential recording with MD3000 Bio‐signal Acquisition and Processing System. The transcriptome analysis was applied to detect the underlying mechanisms of variable phenotypes caused by different GABRG2 mutations. Results: The established Tg(hGABRG2P282S) zebrafish showed hyperactivity and spontaneous seizures, which were more sensitive to chemical and physical epileptic stimulations. Traditional antiepileptic drugs, such as Clonazepam (CBZ) and valproic acid (VPA), could ameliorate the hyperactivity in Tg(hGABRG2P282S) zebrafish. The metabolic pathway was significantly changed in the brain transcriptome of Tg(hGABRG2P282S) zebrafish. In addition, the behavioral activity, production of pro‐inflammatory factors, and activation of the IL‐2 receptor signal pathway varied among the three mutant zebrafish lines. Conclusion: We successfully established transgenic zebrafish epileptic models expressing human mutant GABRG2(P282S), in which CBZ and VPA showed antiepileptic effects. Differential inflammatory responses, especially the SOCS/JAK/STAT signaling pathway, might be related to the phenotypes of genetic epilepsy induced by GABRG2 mutations. Further study will expand the pathological mechanisms of genetic epilepsies and provide a theoretical basis for searching for effective drug treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Unemployment is an important index describing an economic situation and the development of societies. The existence of unemployment means a loss of production factor that is not savable and irrecoverable. Therefore, it is essential to proper planning and policymaking to control and reduce unemployment, and it is necessary to conduct extensive studies on unemployment. Since there is a probability of autocorrelation between the unemployment rate of provinces, it is necessary to pay attention to spatial dynamics. In addition, controlling unemployment requires a longrun policy, and it cannot be reduced over periods as short as 1 year. Correspondingly, unemployment in a province can be expected to be dynamic by nature and dependent on the unemployment in the previous period. Thus, temporal dynamics should be considered when examining unemployment's driving factors. To do that, this study seeks to identify the driving factors of unemployment by emphasizing temporal and spatial dynamics in 28 of Iran's provinces for the period 2001-2019 using the dynamic SAR model. The result indicates that the lag time of unemployment positively affects unemployment in the current time. Additionally, the unemployment of neighbors has a negative and statistically significant impact on the unemployment of provinces. The effects of GDP per capita, government budget per capita, human capital, inflation rate, industrial concentration, the share of the added value by agriculture in GDP, and the share of value added by services in GDP on the unemployment rate are negative and statistically significant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Colony‐stimulating factor 3 (CSF3) is a key factor in neutrophil production and function, and recombinant forms have been used clinically for decades to treat congenital and acquired neutropenia. Although biallelic inactivation of its receptor CSF3R is a well‐established cause of severe congenital neutropenia (SCN), no corresponding Mendelian disease has been ascribed to date to CSF3. Here, we describe three patients from two families each segregating a different biallelic inactivating variant in CSF3 with SCN. Complete deficiency of CSF3 as a result of nonsense‐mediated decay (NMD) could be demonstrated on RT‐PCR using skin fibroblasts‐derived RNA. The phenotype observed in this cohort mirrors that documented in mouse and zebrafish models of CSF3 deficiency. Our results suggest that CSF3 deficiency in humans causes a novel autosomal recessive form of SCN. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many species of insects show phenotypically plastic dispersal traits in response to suboptimal environmental conditions. These polyphenetic traits can have large impacts on the population dynamics of the dispersing insects. Therefore, it is important to understand what environmental factors affect the development of dispersal traits and how these factors affect population dynamics via immigration/emigration.Pea aphids (Acyrthosiphon pisum) exhibit a polyphenetic wing dimorphism in which individuals are either winged (alate) or not (apterous). The production of alate offspring is determined by environmental cues experienced by the mother. Environmental factors associated with these cues have been intensively studied, with crowding, host plant quality, natural enemies, fungal infection, and viral infection being shown to affect the production of pea aphid alates under controlled laboratory conditions. Nonetheless, environmental factors affecting alate production have rarely been studied in field populations of pea aphids.Using data from a three‐year study of alate production in 5–9 alfalfa (lucerne) fields, we examined the effects of (i) pea aphid abundance, (ii) host plant maturity, (iii) temperature, (iv) predator and herbivore abundance, (v) parasitism, and (vi) entomopathic fungal incidence. In twice‐weekly samples taken over the growing season, alate production ranged from 0% to 83% of the nymphal population.Pea aphid abundance, temperature, and alfalfa maturity together explained 67% of the variation in alate production. The other factors we investigated explained little variation. These results suggest there is a limited number of key environmental factors that consistently predict changes in alate production in field populations, while many factors identified in lab studies may be unimportant. Our results highlight the value of investigating factors affecting the expression of plastic traits in insect species at a broad spatiotemporal scale and under natural conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article estimates dynamic productivity change and its components (i.e., technical inefficiency change, scale inefficiency change, and technical change) for a sample of ~700 US farm supply cooperatives over the 2005–2017 period. Estimation is undertaken using a directional distance function that accounts for the presence of adjustment costs associated with investments in quasi‐fixed factors of production. A bootstrap regression is then used to determine the factors affecting dynamic productivity change and its components. Results show that the sample cooperatives experienced a modest decline in productivity over the study period, on average. The analysis of productivity change decompositions suggests that productivity decline is mainly due to the negative contribution of technical inefficiency change. Results further reveal that ignoring adjustment costs when modeling cooperatives' performance leads to distortions in estimates of productivity and its components. The regression analysis results show that years of operation and a higher share of energy products in supply turnover are positively related to productivity change, technical inefficiency change, and scale inefficiency change. [EconLit Citations: Q12, D22, C61]. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bacteria produce several virulence factors and cause massive mortality in fish and crustaceans. Abundant quorum sensing (QS) signals and high cell density are essentially required for the production of such virulence factors. Although several strategies have been developed to control aquatic pathogens through antibiotics and QS inhibition, the impact of pre‐existing QS signals in the aquatic environment has been overlooked. QS signals cause detrimental effects on mammalian cells and induce cell death by interfering with multiple cellular pathways. Moreover, QS signals not only function as a messenger, but also annihilate the functions of the host immune system which implies that QS signals should be designated as a major virulence factor. Despite QS signals' role has been well documented in mammalian cells, their impact on aquatic organisms is still at the budding stage. However, many aquatic organisms produce enzymes that degrade and detoxify such QS signals. In addition, physical and chemical factors also determine the stability of the QS signals in the aqueous environment. The balance between QS signals and existing QS signals degrading factors essentially determines the disease progression in aquatic organisms. In this review, we highlight the impact of QS signals on aquatic organisms and further discussed potential alternative strategies to control disease progression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mass production of black soldier fly, Hermetia illucens (L.) (Diptera: Stratiomyidae), larvae results in massive heat generation, which impacts facility management, waste conversion, and larval production. We tested daily substrate temperatures with different population densities (i.e., 0, 500, 1000, 5000, and 10 000 larvae/pan), different population sizes (i.e., 166, 1000, and 10 000 larvae at a fixed feed ratio) and air temperatures (i.e., 20 and 30 °C) on various production parameters. Impacts of shifting larvae from 30 to 20 °C on either day 9 or 11 were also determined. Larval activity increased substrate temperatures significantly (i.e., at least 10 °C above air temperatures). Low air temperature favored growth with the higher population sizes while high temperature favored growth with low population sizes. The greatest average individual larval weights (e.g., 0.126 and 0.124 g) and feed conversion ratios (e.g., 1.92 and 2.08 g/g) were recorded for either 10 000 larvae reared at 20 °C or 100 larvae reared at 30 °C. Shifting temperatures from high (30 °C) to low (20 °C) in between (∼10‐d‐old larvae) impacted larval production weights (16% increases) and feed conversion ratios (increased 14%). Facilities should consider the impact of larval density, population size, and air temperature during black soldier fly mass production as these factors impact overall larval production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Davis and Dingel explain the distributions of skills, occupations, and sectors across cities. Their model predicts that larger cities will be relatively skill‐abundant and specialize in skill‐intensive activities. This relates the model to factor‐driven comparative advantages. They also develop an elasticity test and pairwise comparison test for the spatial distributional implications of the model. What is not analyzed, however, is the associated structure of trade flows. This next step—the analysis of the structure of trade—is the main contribution of our article. We combine micro‐economic data to analyze how the sorting process of factors of production across cities determines the revealed comparative advantage (RCA) distributions of Dutch cities. We find that (i) the sorting of factors of production across cities is consistent with Davis and Dingel, (ii) RCA patterns differ significantly across locations, (iii) RCA differences can be explained by the interaction of local skill‐abundance and sector skill‐intensity (in line with the factor abundance model), and (iv) the RCA analysis relative to the Netherlands mostly, but not always, coincides with that relative to the world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The production, distribution, and evolution of lunar regolith are critical in deciphering the lunar bombardment history and comprehending the transport of materials across the lunar surface, which are still not well understood. In this study, we conducted a comprehensive investigation of factors influencing the production and distribution of lunar regolith by individual simple craters. Combining our results for the impact‐generated regolith volume with a lunar production function, we developed an analytical model to describe the regolith growth process. We found that the strength of bedrock significantly affects the crater size and hence the volume of regolith produced especially for subdecameter impactors. The regolith volume produced by an individual impact crater is quantitatively characterized as a function of crater diameter and preimpact regolith thickness. This regolith production is primarily determined by how much bedrock is shattered, followed by the impact‐induced volume change of target material and lastly by the regolith volume created by secondary cratering processes. When a single crater forms, preimpact regolith thickness greatly affects the regolith distribution pattern; a larger fraction of the regolith will be distributed outside the crater rim for a deeper preimpact regolith layer. Our regolith evolution model can serve as a good first‐order estimation of the regolith growth process that provides better constraints on the regolith buffering trend than previous studies. This model also suggests that, when ignoring the contribution from large, distant impacts, the regolith growth process is dominated by impact craters at scales from a meter to a few hectometers. Plain Language Summary: Lunar regolith refers to the fine‐grained surficial layer of fragmental debris on the Moon that is primarily formed by continuous impact events. Knowledge of regolith production, distribution and evolution is important for revealing the impact history of the Moon and the mixing and transport processes of materials on the lunar surface. In this study, we investigated how individual impact craters produce and distribute regolith and developed an analytical regolith evolution model to describe the process of regolith growth. We found that the strength of bedrock greatly affects the regolith production especially for subhectometer craters. The regolith volume is mainly determined by how much bedrock is shattered by impact cratering, but it also depends upon the impact‐induced volume change of target material and secondary cratering processes. The results also show that the distribution of postimpact regolith is greatly influenced by the preimpact regolith layer, with more regolith distributed outside the crater rim with increasing preimpact regolith thickness. Compared with previous studies, our analytical regolith evolution model better describes how preimpact regolith protects bedrock from bombardment, hence suppressing regolith production. The model also suggests that the local regolith growth process is primarily controlled by meter‐ to hectometer‐scale impact craters. Key Points: We conducted a comprehensive study of the factors influencing regolith production and distribution by individual lunar simple cratersAn analytical regolith evolution model is developed based on regolith volume produced by individual craters and lunar production functionOur model suggests that regolith growth process is dominated by impact craters at scales smaller than a few hectometers [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Adrenarche, the biological event marked by rising production of dehydroepiandrosterone and its sulfate (DHEAS), may represent a sensitive period in child development, with important implications for adolescence and beyond. Nutritional status, particularly BMI and/or adiposity, has long been hypothesized as a factor in DHEAS production but findings are inconsistent, and few studies have examined this among non‐industrialized societies. In addition, cortisol has not been included in these models. We here evaluate effects of height‐ (HAZ), weight‐ (WAZ), and BMI‐ (BMIZ) for‐age on DHEAS concentrations among Sidama agropastoralist, Ngandu horticulturalist, and Aka hunter‐gatherer children. Methods: Heights and weights were collected from 206 children aged 2–18 years old. HAZ, WAZ, and BMIZ were calculated using CDC standards. DHEAS and cortisol assays were used to determine biomarker concentrations in hair. Generalized linear modeling was used to examine effects of nutritional status on DHEAS concentrations, as well as cortisol, controlling for age, sex, and population. Results: Despite the prevalence of low HAZ and WAZ scores, the majority (77%) of children had BMI z‐scores >−2.0 SD. Nutritional status has no significant effect on DHEAS concentrations, controlling for age, sex, and population. Cortisol, however, is a significant predictor of DHEAS concentrations. Conclusions: Our findings do not support a relationship between nutritional status and DHEAS. Instead, results suggest an important role for stress and ecology in DHEAS concentrations across childhood. Specifically, effects of environment via cortisol may be influential to patterning of DHEAS. Future work should investigate local ecological stressors and their relationship to adrenarche. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Siderophores are strong iron‐binding molecules produced and utilized by microbes to acquire the limiting nutrient iron (Fe) from their surroundings. Despite their importance as a component of the iron‐binding ligand pool in seawater, data on the distribution of siderophores and the microbes that use them are limited. Here, we measured the concentrations and types of dissolved siderophores during two cruises in April 2016 and June 2017 that transited from the iron‐replete, low‐macronutrient North Pacific Subtropical Gyre through the North Pacific Transition Zone (NPTZ) to the iron‐deplete, high‐macronutrient North Pacific Subarctic Frontal Zone (SAFZ). Surface siderophore concentrations in 2017 were higher in the NPTZ (4.0–13.9 pM) than the SAFZ (1.2–5.1 pM), which may be partly attributed to stimulated siderophore production by environmental factors such as dust‐derived iron concentrations (up to 0.51 nM). Multiple types of siderophores were identified on both cruises, including ferrioxamines, amphibactins, and iron‐free forms of photoreactive siderophores, which suggest active production and use of diverse siderophores across latitude and depth. Siderophore biosynthesis and uptake genes and transcripts were widespread across latitude, and higher abundances of these genes and transcripts at higher latitudes may reflect active siderophore‐mediated iron uptake by the local bacterial community across the North Pacific. The variability in the taxonomic composition of bacterial communities that transcribe putative ferrioxamine, amphibactin, and salmochelin transporter genes at different latitudes further suggests that the microbial groups involved in active siderophore production and usage change depending on local conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We develop a medium‐run dynamic model to investigate the effects of financial factors and production technique on a capitalist economy. We incorporate neoclassical elements and contributions of Keynes, Kalecki, and Minsky into the model. We formulate a price decision and endogenous money supply mechanism. The medium‐run steady state is constrained by the normal capacity utilization rate. Moreover, the economy can become endogenously unstable if bank lending reacts excessively to the firm's profit rate. In a stable economy, an increase in the target‐inflation rate increases the expected inflation rate and interbank rate but does not affect the optimal labor‐capital ratio. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main goal of the paper is to provide a statistical categorization of small and micro knowledge‐intensive business service (KIBS) companies, based on their knowledge management (KM) attitude. Since knowledge is the main production factor and output of these companies, it is essential to achieve a better understanding of how they manage this resource. A questionnaire‐based survey was conducted on a sample of Polish small and micro KIBS operating in various service sectors. A cluster analysis of the data was performed, to categorize the sample according to the KM attitude of the companies. Three main groups of companies were identified, varying in terms of their levels of "knowledge needs", "intensity of use" of KM practices and "perceived barriers to KM implementation". This classification is shown to characterize attitudes towards KM to a higher level of statistical significance than do structural characteristics. The survey was based on a single country sample. On the one hand, this provides consistency to the analysis. On the other hand, further insights can be obtained by a multi‐national study. In addition, cluster analysis is exploratory in nature. The results provide useful insights for policy makers (to formulate policies for facilitating KM implementation in small KIBS) and managers (to reflect on the KM attitudes of their company). The statistical categorization of small and micro KIBS in terms of their KM attitude has been very rarely undertaken. Even the most recent investigations of KM issues used samples from large companies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: The ester‐synthesis enzymes influenced by environmental factors during Daqu‐making process largely determine the flavor of Chinese liquor, but the main ester‐synthesis enzyme and its key influencer remain unclear. Here, the volatile ester profiles over the whole Daqu‐making process, under different treatments, for at least 90 days, were carefully analyzed, and the potential ester‐synthesis enzymes, as well as their dependently environmental factors, were explored. RESULTS: In the detected 46 volatile esters, only the short‐chain (C4–C8) and medium‐chain (C9–C13) ester content obviously changed, as the primary contributor discriminating different samples. Their trends were both consistent with that of the alcohols and the primary metabolism, which included alcohol acyltransferases (AATs) reaction with alcohols and acyl‐CoAs as the substrates. Among the potential ester‐synthesis enzymes, the typical AAT activity also exhibited the highest correlation with the short‐ and medium‐chain esters (r > 0.78, P < 0.05). The Mantel test between environmental factors and ester production showed that temperature of Daqu was directly correlated with the short‐chain esters (r = 0.58, P < 0.01) and AAT activity (r = 0.56, P < 0.01). Further, the short‐ and medium‐chain ester content in Daqu under the treatment nearer to the reported optimal temperature of 40–50 °C of AATs reaction was overall higher than that of the other treatment Daqu. CONCLUSION: This study revealed that the temperature‐dependent AATs reaction was the main enzymatic method producing the short‐ and medium‐chain esters over the whole Daqu‐making process. The results could contribute to the flavor improvement of Baijiu. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper shows a systematic literature review using HistCiteTM in the context of factor market misallocation in China. Four key research streams are identified: government intervention; misallocation explanation; market distortion and regional factor distortion. Further, the paper identifies three emerging research streams: endogeneity; legislation relating to factors of production; and knowledge management. Factor markets misallocation has been a lasting problem since the market‐oriented reform implemented by the Chinese Government. The academic literature review mainly focuses on the misallocation under Chinese national situation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Industrial Internet is a promising technology combining industrial systems with Internet techniques to significantly improve production efficiency and reduce cost by cooperating with intelligent devices. Under industrial internet environment, a production process usually consists of multiple subtasks, and one or more types of product factors are needed to finish a subtask. Thus, the service composition under industrial application is more complex and challenging compared with traditional service composition under the Internet environment. In this article, we model the problem of service composition for production factors under industrial internet as a multiobjective optimization problem. To derive the optimal Pareto service composition plans, we propose a hybrid optimization algorithm, named TLBO‐TS, by combining the advantages of teaching‐learning‐based optimization algorithm and tabu search algorithm. Extensive experiments are conducted to compare with other population‐based optimization methods under a real‐world ship production process to verify the superiority of our approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The economic growth and development literature emphasizes that investment in technology and physical and human capital is essential for achieving higher levels of development. Political and economic institutions are also relevant in this process. With a sample of 5,503 Brazilian municipalities, this study carries out a development accounting exercise and measures the effects of institutional quality on per capita gross domestic product (GDP), physical capital intensity, human capital stock, and productivity. The empirical results indicate that institutional quality affects GDP per capita mainly through human capital accumulation and total factor productivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Patients on continuous flow ventricular assist devices (CF‐VADs) are at high risk for the development of Acquired von‐Willebrand Syndrome (AVWS) and non‐surgical bleeding. von Willebrand Factor (vWF) plays an essential role in maintaining hemostasis via platelet binding to the damaged endothelium to facilitate coagulation. In CF‐VAD patients, degradation of vWF into low MW multimers that are inefficient in facilitating coagulation occurs and has been primarily attributed to the supraphysiological shear stress associated with the CF‐VAD impeller. Methods: In this review, we evaluate information from the literature regarding the unraveling behavior of surface‐immobilized vWF under pulsatile and continuous flow pertaining to: (A) the process of arterial endothelial vWF production and release into circulation, (B) the critical shear stress required to unravel surface bound versus soluble vWF which leads to degradation, and (C) the role of pulsatility in on the production and degradation of vWF. Results and Conclusion: Taken together, these data suggests that the loss of pulsatility and its impact on arterial endothelial cells plays an important role in the production, release, unraveling, and proteolytic degradation of vWF into low MW multimers, contributing to the development of AVWS. Restoration of pulsatility can potentially mitigate this issue by preventing AVWS and minimizing the risk of non‐surgical bleeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study suggests a new measure of productivity for production factors. Adjustment costs for capital‐intensive firms are higher than for labor‐intensive firms (the differences are systematic). Therefore, higher changes in capital relative to labor will induce higher risk. The capital/labor ratio has been studied extensively. However, the new measure is based on other items, which facilitate the marginal changes in capital and labor, rather than quantities. When the elasticity of capital to labor (ECL) is higher, stock returns are significantly higher as well. This is true both statistically and economically. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although implementing conservation practices on private farms and forests can produce substantial environmental benefits, these practices are not being adopted widely enough to result in measurable improvements at regional scales. Researchers have investigated the production and program factors influencing producer choices to voluntarily adopt these practices. However, the findings of reviews are inconsistent, raising questions about review methods, including the omission of relevant variables. Further, applying lessons from past work to promote adoption is difficult because many reviews investigated dispositional or demographic variables that practitioners and policy makers cannot directly observe or influence. We conducted a new review of 146 empirical studies that tested the effects of different interventions (e.g., financial incentives, outreach events, and nudges) on increasing the likelihood of producers adopting conservation practices. We conducted a metaregression of quantitative studies from diverse disciplines that filtered studies by quality (i.e., use of randomization and clear analysis reporting). We synthesized these results with a thematic analysis of qualitative studies on producer perspectives about conservation practices. Financial incentives had the strongest evidence of increasing producers' likelihood of adopting conservation practices (odds ratio 1.86, p < 0.05). However, this effect was only apparent after filtering by study quality, which also improved model fit and identified significant regional differences (odds ratio –1.69, p < 0.01). The thematic review of qualitative studies revealed that peer groups may be successful in reinforcing adoption behaviors due to homophily effects and that financial incentives not only offset implementation costs but also mitigated perceived risks of adoption. Given the problems we encountered in testing hypotheses about the magnitude of variability explained by intervention types and practice characteristics, we recommend additional experimental and longitudinal work that accounts for financial incentives and pairs qualitative and quantitative data to clarify relationships between program design and practice adoption rates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Free trade agreements (FTAs) can ignite domestic conflicts between export‐ and import‐competing industries over trade gains. However, if the factors of production, such as capital and labour, move freely across industries, the returns to factor owners will quickly converge. Then, sectoral conflicts over FTAs will be less likely to arise. We analyse the case of South Korea's FTAs to measure (a) sectoral FTA gains and (b) interindustry factor mobility and to examine (c) the role of interindustry factor mobility in mitigating sectoral conflicts over trade policies. South Korea is an ideal case study due to the low barriers to domestic geographic mobility and high trade dependence. Based on data on its trade with 252 countries and factor returns between 2002 and 2017, we find that export industries did not gain much from the FTAs, while the import‐competing agricultural sector was the winner. Sectoral conflicts greatly decreased over 2008–2010. Interindustry capital mobility plays a significant role in weakening the sectoral conflicts, while the impact of interindustry labour mobility is limited. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

β‐Carotene is the most treasured provitamin A carotenoid molecule exhibiting antioxidant and coloring properties and significant applications in the food, pharmaceutical, and nutraceutical industries. β‐Carotene has many biological functions within the human body; however, it is not synthesized within the human body, so its requirements are fulfilled through food and pharmaceuticals. Its manufacturing via chemical synthesis or extraction from plants offers low yields with excessive manufacturing expenses, which attracted the researchers toward microbial production of β‐carotene. This alternative provides higher yield and low expenses and thus is more economical. Phaffia rhodozyma is a basidiomycetous yeast that is utilized to prevent cardiovascular diseases and cancer and to enhance immunity and antiaging in people. This paper reviews the methods of production of β‐carotene, biosynthesis of β‐carotene fromP. rhodozyma, factors affecting β‐carotene production during fermentation, and pharmacological properties of β‐carotene. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pecuniary externalities in models with financial friction justify macroprudential policies for preventing excessive risk taking by economic agents. We extend the Diamond and Rajan model of banks with production factors and explore how a pecuniary externality affects a bank's leverage. We show that the laissez‐faire banks in our model take on excessive risks compared with the constrained social optimum. Our numerical simulations suggest that the crisis probability is 2–3 percentage points higher in the laissez‐faire economy than in the constrained social optimum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since 1995, family farming in Brazil has been heavily financialized through the federal PRONAF program, which has simultaneously created new opportunities for third parties to capture and control financial resources for themselves. Drawing on long‐term ethnographic research with land rights movements on the southern coast of Bahia, Brazil, this contribution analyses a case of accumulation by agricultural extension, as a predatory form of financial extractivism based on asymmetrical bureaucratic and communicative power, which was carried out by a local agricultural extension firm and export company. Associated with the Odebrecht Foundation, this extension firm promoted a development project to diversify the livelihoods of rural families living in land reform communities affiliated with Brazil's famous Landless Rural Workers' Movement, or the Movimento dos Trabalhadores Rurais Sem Terra (MST). The firm owner actively recruited families to cultivate palmito, or heart of palm, effectively converting them into a captive productive force responsible for almost all factors of production—land, labour, and capital—but in the service of the extension firm's business interests. The firm was thus able to decouple itself from all hazards involved in production, while the MST community members bore almost all of the risks. In the process, the project gave rise to an exploitative form of production that is barely even recognizable as capitalism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: The correct time for harvesting is a key factor contributing to the production of high‐quality maize seeds. We conducted field experiments to harvest seeds at 11 developmental stages for 3 years, to investigate seed vigor traits in three early maturity maize varieties and two late maturity varieties in one location. RESULTS: Significant correlations (r = 0.72 ~ 0.89) were found among six seed‐related traits: standard germination (SG), accelerated aging germination (AAG), cold test germination (CTG), hundred‐seed weight (HSW), seed moisture content (SMC), and ≥ 10 °C accumulated temperature from pollination to harvest (AT10). Analysis of variance showed that harvest stage, year, and variety had significant effects on all traits, and harvest stage displayed the greatest effect. The responses of SG, AAG, CTG, HSW and SMC to harvest stage fitted quadratic models, and AT10 fitted a linear model. From the quadratic models, an ideal harvest time (IHT, the final date to reach maximum SG, AAG, and CTG) could be calculated for each variety. The three early maturity varieties reached their IHT at 54.94–58.44 days after pollination (DAP); the two later maturity varieties reached IHT several days later (at 59.87–59.90 DAP). The early maturity varieties consistently required less AT10 to reach the IHT than the later maturity varieties. However, all of the varieties reached the IHT at similar SMC levels of about 35%. CONCLUSION: The later maturity varieties reached the IHT at later DAPs when they acquired more AT10 than the early maturity varieties but both reached it at similar SMC levels. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pyometra is one of the most common diseases in adult female dogs, characterized by a suppurative bacterial infection of the uterus with accumulation of inflammatory exudate and a variety of local and systemic clinical manifestations. This study aimed to identify the bacteria within the uterine content and vaginal canal of bitches with pyometra and evaluate their antimicrobial susceptibility and production of virulence factors. Uterine and vaginal content were collected with sterile swabs from 30 bitches diagnosed with pyometra. Bacteria were identified and assessed for their antimicrobial susceptibility and production of virulence factors, including biofilms, siderophores, proteases and hemolysins, both in planktonic and biofilm forms. A total of 82 bacterial isolates (35 uterus, 47 vagina), belonging to 21 species, were identified, with Escherichia coli as the most prevalent species (32/82, 39%). As for susceptibility, 39/79 (49.4%) isolates were resistant to one or more drugs, with resistance proportion among Gram‐positive bacteria (87.5%) higher (p <.05) than that observed for Gram‐negative bacteria (32.7%). Four coagulase‐negative Staphylococcus species were resistant to methicillin. Regarding virulence, the isolates had low production of biofilms, siderophores, proteases and hemolysins, suggesting that the occurrence of pyometra might be more associated with host‐related factors than bacterial virulence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microalgae are regarded as a rich trove of diverse secondary metabolites that exert remarkable biological activities. In particular, microalgae‐derived bioactive phenolic compounds (MBPCs) are a boon to biopharmaceutical and nutraceutical industries due to their diverse bioactivities, including antimicrobial, anticancer, antiviral, and immunomodulatory activities. The state‐of‐the‐art green technologies for extraction and purification of MBPCs, along with the modern progress in the identification and characterization of MBPCs, have accelerated the discovery of novel active pharmaceutical compounds. However, several factors regulate the production of these bioactive phenolic compounds in microalgae. Furthermore, some microalgae species produce toxic phenolic compounds that negatively impact the aquatic ecosystem, animal, and human life. Therefore, the focus of this review paper is to bring into light the current innovations in bioprospection, extraction, purification, and characterization of MBPCs. This review is also aimed at a better understanding of the physicochemical factors regulating the production of MBPCs at an industrial scale. Finally, the present review covers the recent advances in toxicological evaluation, diverse applications, and future prospects of MBPCs in biopharmaceutical industries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) is a promising feedstock for bioenergy and bioproducts; however, its inherent variability in chemical attributes creates challenges for uniform conversion efficiencies and product quality. It is necessary to understand the range of variation and factors (i.e., field management, environmental) influencing chemical attributes for process improvement and risk assessment. The objectives of this study were to (1) examine the impact of nitrogen fertilizer application rate, year, and location on switchgrass chemical attributes, (2) examine the relationships among chemical attributes, weather and soil data, and (3) develop models to predict chemical attributes using environmental factors. Switchgrass samples from a field study spanning four locations including upland cultivars, one location including a lowland cultivar, and between three and six harvest years were assessed for glucan, xylan, lignin, volatiles, carbon, nitrogen, and ash concentrations. Using variance estimation, location/cultivar, nitrogen application rate, and year explained 65%–96% of the variation for switchgrass chemical attributes. Location/cultivar × year interaction was a significant factor for all chemical attributes indicating environmental‐based influences. Nitrogen rate was less influential. Production variables and environmental conditions occurring during the switchgrass field trials were used to successfully predict chemical attributes using linear regression models. Upland switchgrass results highlight the complexity in plant responses to growing conditions because all production and environmental variables had strong relationships with one or more chemical attributes. Lowland switchgrass was limited to observations of year‐to‐year environmental variability and nitrogen application rate. All explanatory variable categories were important for lowland switchgrass models but stand age and precipitation relationships were particularly strong. The relationships found in this study can be used to understand spatial and temporal variation in switchgrass chemical attributes. The ability to predict chemical attributes critical for conversion processes in a geospatial/temporal manner would provide state‐of‐the‐art knowledge for risk assessment in the bioenergy and bioproducts industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Salvianolic acid B (SAB) is one of the main active ingredients of Salvia Miltiorrhiza. It has significant skin anti‐aging, whitening, and sun protection properties. Aims: The study aimed at studying the mechanism underlying the effect of salvianolic acid Bon collagen synthesis, which has good anti‐aging efficacy and modulates microcirculation. Methods: This study employed available public databases, bioinformatics methodologies, and the inverse docking approach to explore the effectiveness of SAB in the regulating collagen synthesis, and then used an human dermal fibroblast (HDF)– Human dermal microvascular endothelial cell (HDMEC) in vitro model to validate the predicted mechanism of SAB in influencing collagen synthesis. Results: The results showed that NO production in SAB‐treated HDMEC‐conditioned medium was increased compared to that in control media, and the same tendency was also observed for growth factor production. SAB also upregulated HDMEC cellular eNOS and VEGF. When SAB‐treated HDMEC conditioned medium was transferred to HDFs, the expression of collagen I, collagen III, and elastin in HDFs was upregulated and MMP‐1 was downregulated. Conclusions: The results show that SAB regulates collagen through the HDMEC–HDF pathway. Furthermore, the mechanisms might be closely related to the microcirculation factors NO and VEGF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To explain the continuous hold of a single touristic real estate investor over the greater part of Crete's easternmost peninsula, Cape Sidero, for a period of over thirty years, this article examines the production of rent gaps on 'exceptional' rural land through increasing potential rent rather than a falling capitalized rent. I examine Neil Smith's 'alternative' rent gap hypothesis as it applies to two main factors: the production of and sustained control over land of monopolistic quality, which has no fixed value and is resistant to depreciation; and the dramatic neoliberal reworking of land markets through institutional and legislative changes, which produce legally 'exceptional' spaces. I employ the conceptual lens of the rent gap to examine how opening up a rent gap on 'exceptional land' based solely on the promise of (re)development can be a sufficient driver of land dispossession. Simply sustaining this promise can perpetuate land with monopolistic quality as a site of rent‐generating possibility, and while this process might never lead to (re)development, it can result in the submersion of the landscape into a captive, limbo state, stealing its future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chlorophyte microalgae Dunaliella are halophilic flagellated cells; they can resist high salinities, producing β‐carotene to balance osmotic stress. This pigment has important antioxidant properties for biotechnology, the prevention of tissue aging, the efficiency of the immune system, and sun protection against UV‐B rays. The objective of this study was to characterize native strains of the genus Dunaliella from the Marine Institute of Peru, under the influence of stress factors for the production and concentration of β‐carotene. Different tools were used to characterize these strains through molecular analysis, optimization of parameters for carotene accumulation, growth curves, life cycle, and carotene analysis. The accumulation of this pigment was mainly due to adaptation to salt stress. The differences between Dunaliella strains according to their population growth demonstrated that they did not have the same capacity to respond to the same cultivation conditions, although most of them are from the same species. The IMP‐BG‐001 strain, from Piura, can accumulate high concentrations of β‐carotene (up to 8.64 pg/cell) and still maintain a considerable growth rate without affecting the increase in biomass under controlled conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Performance and application of stabilised soil blocks Between conventional earthen building materials and modern solid building materials, stabilised soil blocks have recently emerged as a promising alternative for masonry structures. They offer the potential to exploit the ecological and economic advantages of earthen building without the typical sensitivity to moisture. However, current standards and regulations do not allow for the engineering design of masonry made of stabilised soil blocks. In an attempt to investigate the potential of stabilised soil blocks, this paper therefore discusses the various key factors of production, construction and weathering. The findings and specifications from technical literature and the application in East Africa are verified and supplemented by compressive strength tests on stabilised soil blocks and masonry specimens. This integrated approach allows an evaluation of the compressive strength of stabilised soil blocks with a following design according to the simplified method in Annex A of DIN EN 1996‐3. An outlook on future application possibilities and limits of stabilised soil blocks is given in conclusion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cannibalism behaviour in the Spodoptera frugiperda (J.E. Smith) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) is among of liming factor for mass production of the larvae for laboratory experiment. To understand the change of cannibalism, larvae of 1st, 2nd, and 3rd were used to study cannibalism they were put on the 3rd, 4th, and 5th larvae growth stages in a density of 30, 40, 50, 60, and 70. In this study, the results showed that the functional response of the 3rd ‐5th instar larvae to the 2nd larvae and the 4th–5th instar larvae to the 3rd larvae and 5th and 6th instar larvae to the 4th larvae fitted well with the Holling II mode. The maximum predation of the 3rd‐5th instar larvae on the 2nd instar larvae were 27.17, 74.63, and 232.6 respectively, the maximum predation of the 4th–5th instar larvae on the 3rd instar larvae were 76.92 and 11.82 respectively, and the maximum predation of the 5th–6th instar larvae on the 4th instar larvae were 15.83 and 10.40. The predation of the older larvae to the younger larvae increased with the increase of the density of the younger larvae. This research aims at selecting the minimum number of larvae that will be effective and sustainable for laboratory experiments and minimizing the development of cannibalism in S. frugiperda, reduces crowding for larvae management and promoting healthy larvae. This study provides a pavement of managing larvae ensuring massive indoor larvae rearing to reduce the challenge of inadequate larva for the experiment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Botrytis cinerea is an economically important disease on numerous vegetables including tomato. From our previous studies, a spore suspension of Streptomyces philanthi RL‐1‐178 and RM‐1‐138 and Streptomyces mycarofaciens SS‐2‐243 showed strong inhibition against B. cinerea. In this study, the efficacy of their antifungal metabolites against B. cinerea was investigated after enhancing the production through the optimum culture medium and environmental conditions (temperature, light/dark cycle). In vitro studies indicated that glucose yeast‐malt (GYM) agar and incubation at 28°C were optimal for growth and mass spore production of all three Streptomyces strains. Moreover, light/dark conditions had a positive effect on the growth and spore production of S. philanthi RM‐1‐138 and RL‐1‐178 but not on S. mycarofaciens SS‐2‐243. Both strains of S. philanthi possessed an antifungal activity against B. cinerea (100% inhibition) while S. mycarofaciens showed different results on PDA (83% inhibition) and GYM (88% inhibition) at the optimum incubation temperature at 21°C. The antifungal compounds from S. philanthi RM‐1‐138 exhibited the highest protection efficacy against B. cinerea on tomato leaves (82.89% and 0.33 cm2 lesion areas symptoms). The antifungal compounds RM‐1‐138, identified by GC‐MS, were greatly altered based on components concentration under various temperatures and light/dark conditions. The anti‐B. cinerea of S. philanthi RM‐1‐138 was established at a higher level in several metabolic compounds in the dark condition (11 and 32 antifungal compounds after incubation at 21°C and 28°C, respectively) than in the light condition (11 and 19 antifungal compounds after incubation at 21°C and 28°C, respectively). At 21°C, the dominant component was acetic acid (67.41% and 68.77% in light and dark conditions, respectively) while at 28°C, benzeneacetamide (43.58% in light) and propanamide (20.68% in the dark) were dominant. The results clearly demonstrated the significant influence of environmental factors on the production of antifungal metabolites of Streptomyces spp. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Activation of the alternative complement pathway is an initiating event in the pathology of age‐related macular degeneration (AMD). Unchecked complement activation leads to the formation of a pro‐lytic pore, the membrane attack complex (MAC). MAC deposition is observed on the choriocapillaris of AMD patients and likely causes lysis of choroidal endothelial cells (CECs). Complement factor H (FH, encoded by the gene CFH) is an inhibitor of complement. Both loss of function of FH and reduced choroidal levels of FH have been reported in AMD. It is plausible that reduced local FH availability promotes MAC deposition on CECs. FH is produced primarily in the liver; however, cells including the retinal pigment epithelium can produce FH locally. We hypothesized that CECs produce FH locally to protect against MAC deposition. We aimed to investigate the effect of reduced FH levels in the choroid to determine whether increasing local FH could protect CECs from MAC deposition. We demonstrated that siRNA knockdown of FH (CFH) in human immortalized CECs results in increased MAC deposition. We generated AMD iPSC‐derived CECs and found that overexpression of FH protects against MAC deposition. These results suggest that local CEC‐produced FH protects against MAC deposition, and that increasing local FH protein may be beneficial in limiting MAC deposition in AMD. © 2022 The Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]