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This is an interview with Fei Victor Lim (FVL) by Antonia Dilamar Araújo (ADA), Clarice Gualberto (CG), and Michelle Soares Pinheiro (MSP), in which Professor Lim outlines his view on Multimodality, Artificial Intelligence, and Education.

Commented article: CHEN, M. A comparative evaluation of the narrative thoughts in Chinese and Western classical literature. Trans/Form/Ação: revista de filosofia da Unesp, v. 47, n. 5, “Eastern thought 2”, e02400135, 2024. Available at: https://revistas.marilia.unesp.br/index.php/transformacao/article/view/15070.

ABSTRACTUltrasonic-assisted enzymatic extraction (UAEE) technology was employed to extract the polysaccharides from Dendrobium offcinale Kimura et Migo (D. offcinale). The extraction conditions were optimized by central composite design (CCD) found in the response surface methodology (RSM). The polysaccharide yield (34.05 ± 1.03%) was well matched with the predicted value, as obtained under the optimum parameters: enzyme activity of 2040 U/g, a liquid-solid ratio of 71 mL/g, and a time of 84 min. Compared to other extraction methods, UAEE was able to yield D. offcinale polysaccharide (DOP) highly efficiently in a shorter extraction time period and at a lower extraction temperature. The extracted polysaccharide (DOPUAEE) showcased a better nitrite scavenging ability, a high antioxidant activity, and more potency in inhibiting α-glucosidase, expanding its versatility in food applications.

ABSTRACT This study was conducted to identify the key volatile compounds that characterize whether silage has deteriorated and to investigate the intrinsic link between the key compounds and silage odor. First, silages with different aerobic exposure durations were sampled, and sensory evaluation integrating aerobic stability monitoring was used to distinguish whether the silage had deteriorated. Subsequently, headspace solid-phase microextraction gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (HS-SPME-GC-MS) was utilized to determine the relative content of the compounds. Using the relative content of the compounds in each silage as input, relative odor activity value (ROAV) calculations and orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA) were performed to determine the odor contribution of the compounds and the compounds with significant differences in relative content (based on variable importance for the projection, VIP) between the deteriorated and non-deteriorated silages. Next, the key compounds were identified by combining the conditions of average ROAV (aROAV) ≥ 1 and VIP > 1. Finally, the OPLS algorithm was used to analyze the intrinsic link of key compounds with the silage odor. The results showed that three out of 63 compounds—4-ethyl phenol, eugenol, and ethyl linoleate—were key compounds to characterize whether the silages deteriorated or not. In addition, ortho-guaiacol, 4-ethyl guaiacol, and 2-methoxy-4-vinyl phenol were the specific key compounds for deteriorated silage. Eugenol and ethyl linoleate were correlated with fruity, sour, and spicy odors. In addition, guaiacol, 4-ethylphenol, 4-ethyl guaiacol and 2-methoxy-4-vinyl phenol contributed to roasted, musty, and putrid odors.

ABSTRACT The objective of this study was to identify differentially expressed genes (DEG) between females and males in early bovine embryos. Superovulated cattle (n = 4) in the age span of 16–18 months were artificially inseminated with semen from the same bull that has been proven to be fertile. Blastocysts were collected by routine non-surgical uterine flushing on day 7 after insemination. This study determines the sex of embryos using a micro-injection pipette to collect a few blastomeres through the Zona pellucida. The remaining blastomeres were used for single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) analysis on the Illumina platform, followed by differential expression analysis, Gene Ontology (GO) function analysis, and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis. The criteria for identifying DEG will be set at |log2(Fold change)| ≥ 1 and P

Boundary spanning has been proven to have positive implications for innovation performance; yet, some individuals are less boundary-spanning than others. Drawing on the attachment theory and organizational support theory, this study develops a multi-level theoretical model to investigate how individuals’ attachment insecurity influences boundary-spanning behavior through self-efficacy and the moderating role of organizational support climate. To validate the proposed model, we adopted a survey research, and collected data from NPD project teams in China. The results revealed that both insecure attachment styles were associated with lower levels of individual boundary-spanning behavior, and self-efficacy partially mediated these relationships. Moreover, organizational support climate played a moderating role in the relationship between attachment anxiety and boundary-spanning behavior. With a high level of support climate, the negative impact of attachment anxiety on boundary-spanning behavior was weakened. This elucidates the role of individual affective motivation and team shared perceptions in shaping individual externally focused behavior.

Abstract The effects of climate change over the Arctic region have attracted manifold interests in the last decades from several state and non-state actors. Due to a flawed institutional capacity to promote a multi-stakeholder approach in Arctic affairs, the main governance mechanism over the Arctic – the Arctic Council – is incapable of dealing with related geopolitical tensions. Based on document analysis and specialized literature, we discuss the implications and challenges of Brazil-China cooperation over Arctic affairs. We argue that both countries have multi-domain interests over the region (science, economics, environment, among others) and that such a cooperation can serve those interests. We also highlight that engaging in such an initiative can create strategic synergies for both countries and contribute to their common agenda of geopolitical rebalance of international order. Finally, we argue that such a cooperation is capable of stimulating an institutional reform of the Arctic Council towards a multi-stakeholder approach in the governance, as well as advance community interests of this polar area.

ABSTRACT To improve the complex process of judging the degree of soil fragmentation during potato-soil separation and to establish a fast and effective judging method. Soil drop experiments were performed using sandy soil from the potato growing region of Hohhot, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China. The effects of soil moisture content, hardness, volume, drop height, inclination of the separating sieve and composition of the separating sieve rod on soil fragmentation were investigated. The fractal dimension and image processing used to quantify soil fragmentation and scattering and obtain quantitative indicators of soil fragmentation. The results showed that the following factors influenced soil fragmentation in descending order of statistical significance: soil hardness, fall height and soil volume. The softer the soil was, the greater the fall height; the larger the soil volume was, the greater the fragmentation. Meanwhile the correlation between the two indicators is extremely high, simplifying assessment of the degree of soil fragmentation. This study clearly shows the influence of the intrinsic physical properties of soil and the external physical parameters of potato excavators on the characteristics of crushed soil. The results can provide a basis for improving the efficiency of potato-soil separation and designing more efficient devices for harvesting potatoes.

ABSTRACT To improve the working performance of hammer mill, cutting-edge hammer and oblique hammer were designed in this study. The advantages of new hammers were theoretically analyzed. The grinding process of corn grain with different hammers was studied by discrete element method (DEM) and experiments. Discrete element simulation results showed that under same rotor speed conditions, the cutting-edge hammer had highest bond-breaking efficiency in corn grain model. The oblique hammer could reduce the incident angle of corn grain and improve sieving efficiency. The motion trajectory of corn grain in grinding chamber was relatively dispersed and similar when using common hammer and cutting-edge hammer, and the motion trajectory was more concentrated when oblique hammer was used. The experimental results showed that both cutting-edge hammer and oblique hammer could improve the working performance of hammer mill. The productivity of hammer mill could be improved by using cutting-edge hammer, electricity consumption per ton and temperature rise of feed could be reduced by using oblique hammer, and the experimental results were consistent with simulation results and theoretical analysis results. The research results can provide references for the design of new hammer and the grinding process simulation of other agricultural materials.

Actualmente, mucha gente sigue pensando en «ciencias o letras» como dos ramas separadas y completamente distintas a la hora de elegir una carrera o simplemente de hacerse una idea de los intereses de una persona. Sin embargo, cada vez hay más esfuerzos para cambiar este concepto y dar a entender que no son opuestos, sino complementarios. Las letras se nutren de los avances de las ciencias y las ciencias necesitan de las letras para expresarse, avanzar y desarrollarse. Ejemplos claros son los libros que tratan temas médicos o relacionados con la medicina, ya sea desde la óptica del paciente y su entorno o desde la mirada del médico. Estos textos contribuyen a la formación humanística del médico y de los estudiantes de medicina: a cimentar el humanismo médico que debe presidir la relación entre el enfermo y el médico. En este trabajo aportamos una lectura de la relación entre literatura y medicina mediante la narración que Antonio Cavanillas de Blas hace de Abulcasis en su obra El Cirujano de al-Aldalus

Electrospinning technology is a common method for preparing ultrafine fibers and nanofibers. Using natural or synthetic polymers as raw materials, fibers with diameters ranging from tens of nanometers to several microns can be prepared. Using hexafluoroisopropanol as solvent, electrospinning was applied to peanut protein, and the resulting fiber morphology was observed by scanning electron microscopy. Using the Box–Behnken design for the response surface method, the solution concentration, voltage, and spinning speed were selected as the three main influencing factors, the peanut protein isolate(PPI) fiber diameter was the object of investigation, and the second-order multiple regression model was established through regression analysis. The results showed that solution mass fraction had the most significant effect on fiber diameter, followed by voltage and spinning speed. The optimal conditions obtained by the simulated annealing algorithm were, as follows: Solution mass fraction, 10%; voltage, 16 kV; spinning speed, 0.6 mL/h. The predicted fiber diameter was 151 nm and the actual fiber diameter obtained experimentally was 164 nm. The fiber diameter predicted by the model was in good agreement with the real value, indicating that the model effectively predicted the diameter of electrospun PPI fiber. The use of response surface methodology to design experiments is of great significance for nanofiber preparation by electrospinning technology.

Various stresses are commonly encountered by probiotics in their ecological niches. Effects of adaptation treatments on the heat tolerance of Lactobacillus plantarum KLDS 1.0628 were evaluated. Cells pre-adapted to heat, cold, oxidative, acid, bile salt, and osmotic stresses were evaluated for tolerance and cross-protection against subsequent challenge. Except for cold, pre-adaptation to sublethal levels of stress significantly improved the cell viability after heat challenge compared to the control. Heat-adapted cells showed the highest heat stress tolerance, with their tolerance factor against heat challenge reaching 31.38-fold after pre-adaptation at 45°C for 1 h. Moreover, adaptation treatments improved tolerance to the same stress and evoked cross-protection against heterologous challenges, inducing a significantly lower ratio of saturated to unsaturated fatty acid content in the cell membrane of L. plantarum KLDS 1.0628. The results indicated that adaptation treatments are potential strategies for enhancing the survival rate of probiotics and exerting their functional properties.

Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD) affect over 50 million persons globally, and the number is expected to rise. In response, health ministries are developing and implementing policies and programs to systemically address the needs of individuals and families affected by ADRD. While national plans of action on ADRD are advancing among European Member States of World Health Organization (WHO), those in the Asia-Pacific and Americas are lagging behind. Since previous studies have largely ignored the Americas and Asia-Pacific—where approximately two-thirds of the global ADRD population resides—this study sought to identify (a) the socioeconomic factors associated with the likelihood of having a national dementia policy, and (b) to examine common and differing features among the national plans in these regions. Employing the dementia policy guidelines of WHO and the Pan American Health Organization as an extraction guide for data collection and analysis, the national dementia plans and available socioeconomic data of 10 Member States were analyzed with comparative and qualitative analyses. Findings suggested at least a 14-fold increase in the likelihood of having a national dementia plan if a Member State had one of the following: a universal health care system, more than 14% of the population 65 years of age or older, or high-income. All the Member States in the study identified dementia as a public health priority, but priorities differed. Inconsistencies included development of information systems, training for health care professionals, and long-term care systems.

This article is a part of the EDIS series “Economic Value of Florida Water Resources” (see https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/topic_series_valuing_florida_water_resources ). This series is aimed at helping water-resource professionals and interested citizens improve their knowledge of the economic value of goods and services provided by Florida water resources. The focus of this paper is specifically on supporting and regulating ecosystem services provided by Florida water resources.

This article is a part of the EDIS series “Economic Value of Florida Water Resources” (see https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/topic_series_valuing_florida_water_resources ). This series is aimed at helping water-resource professionals and interested citizens improve their knowledge of the economic value of goods and services provided by Florida water resources. The focus of this paper is specifically on supporting and regulating ecosystem services provided by Florida water resources.

This article is a part of the EDIS series “Economic Value of Florida Water Resources” (see https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/topic_series_valuing_florida_water_resources ). This series is aimed at helping water-resource professionals and interested citizens improve their knowledge of the economic value of goods and services provided by Florida water resources. The focus of this paper is specifically on supporting and regulating ecosystem services provided by Florida water resources.

This article is a part of the EDIS series “Economic Value of Florida Water Resources” (see https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/topic_series_valuing_florida_water_resources ). This series is aimed at helping water-resource professionals and interested citizens improve their knowledge of the economic value of goods and services provided by Florida water resources. The focus of this paper is specifically on supporting and regulating ecosystem services provided by Florida water resources.

Cordyceps militaris is widely cultivated as a functional food and traditional medicine in China and Southeast Asia. In this study, C. militaris hybrid strains were isolated from different parts of hybrid fruiting body cultivated through mating-based sexual reproduction of ascospores. We investigated the effect of strains, solid-state substrates and light condition on production of yield and contents of bioactive compounds (cordycepin and adenosine) using HPLC in fruiting bodies. The results indicated that yield and production of bioactive compounds exist distinct differences on strain separated part, solid-substrates and light conditions. The middle strain obtained the highest yield on wheat substrate. The yield was higher on wheat substrate, the concentration of cordycepin and adenosine in fruiting bodies were higher on rice substrate. The red light is beneficial to high yield, and white light is conducive to the accumulation of cordycepin in fruiting bodies, the light condition has little effect on the adenosine content.

To improve product quality and osmotic efficiency, the effects of osmotic dehydration (OD) at 120 min and ultrasound-assisted osmotic dehydration (UOD) at 45 min on the nutrient composition, flavor, texture, microstructure, and water state in button mushrooms were investigated. In terms of nutrient composition, the results showed that UOD produced samples with reducing sugar, ascorbic acid, and soluble protein content at significantly higher rates than OD process. Meanwhile, UOD reduced the losses in titratable acidity, free amino acids, and 5′-nucleotides compared to the OD process, and the UOD samples also showed a better texture and microstructure. In addition, low-field nuclear magnetic resonance data revealed that the relative signal intensity of vacuole protons declined during OD process; meanwhile, the UOD was more efficient than the OD treatment. Overall, UOD process not only retained nutrient composition and flavor material more effectively but also improved the texture and efficiency of mushrooms treated with osmosis.

The effects of three drying methods on volatile flavor components of Tuber indicum were studied. After hot air drying (AD), vacuum drying (VD), and vacuum-freeze drying (FD), flavor components were analyzed by headspace solid phase microextraction GC-MS and electronic nose (E-nose). The results from GC-MS showed that aldehydes (54.8%) and alcohols (31.4%) are the two dominant chemical species in fresh T. indicum and eight carbon (C8) compounds including 1-octen-3-ol, 3-octanol, n-octanol, 3-octanone. After dehydrating, C8 compounds, aldehyde, and ester components reduced, while alkanes, heterocyclic, and sulfur components were produced. Multivariate statistical analysis of the GC-MS revealed the components responsible for the chemical differences between fresh and three drying samples. In addition, E-nose could discriminate fresh and three drying samples. The result obtained by E-nose showed good identity compared with GC–MS. Therefore, FD was the optimal dehydrating method to preserve Tuberaceae with the most retained fresh flavor.

Li, J., Fei, L., Chen, Z., & Sun, X. (March-April, 2017). Particle size distribution and settling velocity of sediments in water diverted from the Yellow River during border-strip irrigation. Water Technology and Sciences (in Spanish), 8(2), 31-41. Diversion of river water for irrigation is an important factor in sustainable agricultural development in the Yellow River basin. This study examines patterns in the advance of sediment in irrigation water diverted from the Yellow River during border-strip irrigation. An irrigation experiment was carried out on a 1.8 m-wide strip and a 2.7 m-wide strip of a fruit field in order to observe the advance rate of irrigation water, the distribution of settled sediment, and the concentration and particle size distribution of sediment in the water flow. The settling velocity of sediment particles was then calculated using an empirical formula. The results show that the irrigation water gradually slowed as it advanced along the strip length, and the amounts of deposited particles decreased from the top ends of the strips to their bottom ends. The decrease was especially sharp on the section of each strip between 40 and 120 m from the water pipe outlet. Overall, the size of particles carried by the irrigation water fell within the range of 0.004 to 0.016 mm, with coarse and fine particles making up small proportions of the sediment. The concentration of coarse particles was higher at the top ends than at the bottom ends, while the concentration of fine particles was higher at the bottom ends than at the top ends. Water content in the soil at several locations varied significantly before and after irrigation, and the deposition of sediment was found to exert a great influence on the infiltration of irrigation water. The particle size distribution of the sediment deposited along the strips accords with the law of sedimentation in that coarse particles accumulated primarily at the top ends of the strips as a result of high settling velocity. Moreover, the results demonstrate that it is feasible to simplify the water flow over the field to open-channel flow when calculating settling velocity. However, the formula for calculating settling velocity needs further modification to take into account the influences of flume rate and the scouring action of irrigation water on the surface sediment deposited on the strips.

The effect of ultrasonication (US), shear mixing (SM) and high pressure homogenization (HPH) on soybean (Glycine max L.) milk-produced set-type soybean yogurt was evaluated. The US treated with 280 W sample had the lowest water holding capacity value and highest syneresis value. Rheological constants were predicted by means of fitting the rheological model of non-Newton model. The soybean yogurt samples were found as a pseudoplastic fluid nature and the SM treated with 20,000 r/min sample had the highest apparent viscosity value and the US treated with 280 W had the lowest value. The HPH treatment caused a general decrease of hardness and adhesiveness in comparison to other samples. The overall acceptability scores of all the samples were above 6 on a scale of 1–10 indicating acceptability yogurts and the lower score in beany flavor for the yogurt might be partly due to the objectionable beany flavor still present in the samples.

This paper is a part of the EDIS series “Economic Value of Florida Water Resources”. As the other papers in the series discuss, water resources provide us with a variety of goods and services (often referred to as ecosystem services). This paper discusses another ecosystem service that Florida water resources provide: water supply for households needs. In this article, we present several examples of valuing water availability found in literature and focused on Florida and other regions.

This paper is a part of the EDIS series “Economic Value of Florida Water Resources”. As the other papers in the series discuss, water resources provide us with a variety of goods and services (often referred to as ecosystem services). This paper discusses another ecosystem service that Florida water resources provide: water supply for households needs. In this article, we present several examples of valuing water availability found in literature and focused on Florida and other regions.

This paper is a part of the EDIS series “Economic Value of Florida Water Resources”. As the other papers in the series discuss, water resources provide us with a variety of goods and services (often referred to as ecosystem services). This paper discusses another ecosystem service that Florida water resources provide: water supply for households needs. In this article, we present several examples of valuing water availability found in literature and focused on Florida and other regions.

The goal of MicroWEX-3 was to understand the land-atmosphere interactions during the growing season of cotton, and their effect on observed microwave brightness signatures at 6.7 GHz, matching that of the two satellite-based microwave radiometers (AMSR-E and AMSR). This document is Circular 1481, one of a series of the Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, UF/IFAS Extension. Original publication date November 2005. CIR1481/AE361: Field Observations During the Third Microwave Water and Energy Balance Experiment (MicroWEX-3): June 16–December 21, 2004 (ufl.edu)

The goal of MicroWEX-3 was to understand the land-atmosphere interactions during the growing season of cotton, and their effect on observed microwave brightness signatures at 6.7 GHz, matching that of the two satellite-based microwave radiometers (AMSR-E and AMSR). This document is Circular 1481, one of a series of the Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, UF/IFAS Extension. Original publication date November 2005. CIR1481/AE361: Field Observations During the Third Microwave Water and Energy Balance Experiment (MicroWEX-3): June 16–December 21, 2004 (ufl.edu)

The goal of MicroWEX-3 was to understand the land-atmosphere interactions during the growing season of cotton, and their effect on observed microwave brightness signatures at 6.7 GHz, matching that of the two satellite-based microwave radiometers (AMSR-E and AMSR). This document is Circular 1481, one of a series of the Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, UF/IFAS Extension. Original publication date November 2005. CIR1481/AE361: Field Observations During the Third Microwave Water and Energy Balance Experiment (MicroWEX-3): June 16–December 21, 2004 (ufl.edu)

OBJECTIVES: to investigate the quality of life and the associated factors on left behind elderly in rural China.METHOD: the research was conducted cluster sampling to select 456 elderly left behind when family members migrated out of rural China to participate in a cross-sectional study by completing a general data questionnaire and Quality of Life questionnaire.RESULTS: 91.5% of the elderly requested psychological counseling and education. For the elderly, scores for mental health (39.56±13.73) were significantly lower compared with Chinese standard data (61.6±13.7) (P

The influence of ultrasonic pretreatment prior to vacuum drying of Chinese fir specimens was examined in this work. In the pretreatments, wood samples were immerged in a distilled water bath and were treated using two wave frequencies for four different elapsed times to investigate effects of ultrasonic frequency and treatment duration. Then the wood samples were vacuum-dried at 80°C and absolute pressure of 0,05 MPa. After the pretreatment, microscopic analysis was carried out on the wood samples to check micro-cracks, the loss of extractives from the cell walls and other micro-structural changes on the wood. Results show that the ultrasonic treatment prior to vacuum drying significantly shortened the wood drying time. The drying time decreased with increase in the wave frequency and the treatment time. Furthermore, ultrasound pretreatment tended to reduce the content of extractives in the wood cell walls and cause cell-wall micro-cracking.

Circular 1515, a 56-page illustrated report by Fei Yan, Hwan Hee Han, Ruofan Yang, Joaquin Casanova, Jasmeet Judge, Jennifer Jacobs, Orlando Lanni, and Larry Miller, presents the results of experiments using microwave remote sensing to determine root-zone soil moisture at UF/IFAS PSREU. Published by the UF Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, May 2007. CIR 1515/AE409: Field Observations During the Sixth Microwave Water and Energy Balance Experiment (MicroWEX-6): from June 19 through November 30, 2006 (ufl.edu)

Circular 1514, a 47-page illustrated report by Joaquin Casanova, Fei Yan, Mi-young Jang, Juan Fernandez, Jasmeet Judge, Clint Slatton, Kai-Jen Calvin Tien, Tzu-yun Lin, Orlando Lanni, and Larry Miller, presents the results of experiments using microwave remote sensing to determine root-zone soil moisture at UF/IFAS PSREU. Published by the UF Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, May 2007. CIR1514/AE407: Field Observations During the Fifth Microwave Water and Energy Balance Experiment: from March 9 through May 26, 2006 (ufl.edu)

Circular 1514, a 47-page illustrated report by Joaquin Casanova, Fei Yan, Mi-young Jang, Juan Fernandez, Jasmeet Judge, Clint Slatton, Kai-Jen Calvin Tien, Tzu-yun Lin, Orlando Lanni, and Larry Miller, presents the results of experiments using microwave remote sensing to determine root-zone soil moisture at UF/IFAS PSREU. Published by the UF Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, May 2007. CIR1514/AE407: Field Observations During the Fifth Microwave Water and Energy Balance Experiment: from March 9 through May 26, 2006 (ufl.edu)

Circular 1515, a 56-page illustrated report by Fei Yan, Hwan Hee Han, Ruofan Yang, Joaquin Casanova, Jasmeet Judge, Jennifer Jacobs, Orlando Lanni, and Larry Miller, presents the results of experiments using microwave remote sensing to determine root-zone soil moisture at UF/IFAS PSREU. Published by the UF Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, May 2007. CIR 1515/AE409: Field Observations During the Sixth Microwave Water and Energy Balance Experiment (MicroWEX-6): from June 19 through November 30, 2006 (ufl.edu)

Circular 1515, a 56-page illustrated report by Fei Yan, Hwan Hee Han, Ruofan Yang, Joaquin Casanova, Jasmeet Judge, Jennifer Jacobs, Orlando Lanni, and Larry Miller, presents the results of experiments using microwave remote sensing to determine root-zone soil moisture at UF/IFAS PSREU. Published by the UF Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, May 2007. CIR 1515/AE409: Field Observations During the Sixth Microwave Water and Energy Balance Experiment (MicroWEX-6): from June 19 through November 30, 2006 (ufl.edu)

Circular 1514, a 47-page illustrated report by Joaquin Casanova, Fei Yan, Mi-young Jang, Juan Fernandez, Jasmeet Judge, Clint Slatton, Kai-Jen Calvin Tien, Tzu-yun Lin, Orlando Lanni, and Larry Miller, presents the results of experiments using microwave remote sensing to determine root-zone soil moisture at UF/IFAS PSREU. Published by the UF Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, May 2007. CIR1514/AE407: Field Observations During the Fifth Microwave Water and Energy Balance Experiment: from March 9 through May 26, 2006 (ufl.edu)

Introduction. This is the written version of the keynote address (Making user studies matter: Thank you Mister Feynman and Monsieur Foucault) delivered by senior author Dervin. The paper is linked to the Invited Paper in this issue and like that paper, reports on a project involving a dialogue between researchers and practitioners in library and information science, human computer interaction, and communication focusing on gaps in our understandings of users and audiences as well as in our efforts to collaborate with each other to conduct and apply research to the design and implementation of information, library, communication, and media systems. Argument. Our main conclusion in Paper 1 was that the traditional modes used for communication in social science research are not doing the job for user and audience studies. We set out five propositions relating to this conclusion: (1) the traditional modes of communicating in the research enterprise are not working; (2) Do the social sciences matter? Some serious and fundamental attacks; (3) a call to focus on the special problematics of the social sciences: agency, structure, power and the good; (4) eschewing scientific recipes and scholarly creeds and bringing back the joys of adventuring and muddling; (5) the paradox of communicatingfreedom is another word for nothing left to lose. Conclusion. We argue for shared dialogue in communicating across the three fields studied here: this will introduce uncertainty, but, rather than relying upon 'authority', the individual will be encouraged through the exploration of that uncertainty, to make their own sense of the offerings of others.

pH-Zone-refining counter-current chromatography (PZRCCC) was successfully used for preparative separation isoquinoline alkaloids from Phellodendri Cortex. Two target compounds of berberine and palmatine were completely resolved by a two-phase solvent system chloroform/methanol/water (4:2:2, v/v), with 10 mmol L-1 HCl in upper stationary phase and 10 mmol L-1 TEA in lower organic phase. From 2.0 g of the crude alkaloids, palmatine (448 mg, 95.1%) and berberine (159 mg, 95.4%) were obtained in one-step PZRCCC separation. The chemical structures were identified by ESI-MS and NMR data. The results indicated that PZRCCC separation is an excellent preparative separation method for isoquinoline alkaloids from Phellodendri Cortex.

ABSTRACT: Yellowing is a key stage in the curing of flue-cured tobacco (Nicotiana tobacum L.) as much of the chemical transformation occurs during this period. This study examined the effect of different yellowing degrees on the value of flue-cured tobacco leaves at the farm level for both processing and manufacturing. The study was conducted in the counties of Chuxiong, Dali, and Yuxi in Yunnan, China over two years. Yellowing treatments have been designed to have either a mild or a regular yellowing degree. Yield, value, appearance, suction property, smoking characteristics, and physical resistance to further processing were investigated to evaluate the effect of degree of yellowing on the industrial utilization of flue-cured tobacco leaves. The regular yellowing degree enhanced yield, value, and appearance compared to the mild yellowing degree, regardless of cultivar or location; however, physical resistance to further processing and the suction property of the mild yellowing degree treatment were better than with the regular yellowing degree regardless of cultivar or location. Furthermore, although the regular yellowing degree recorded higher smoking characteristic scores than the mild yellowing degree immediately after flue-curing, the scores of mild yellowing degree leaves could be further augmented by increasing intensity in the re-drying stage. The smoking characteristic score in the regular yellowing degree can only be increased by low intensity re-drying, and significantly decreased by mild and high intensity re-drying. Therefore, in terms of industrial utilization, mild yellowing is the better choice for flue-curing tobacco. This study also suggested that the current regular yellowing stage in Yunnan should be shortened to meet the demands of the traditional tobacco industry.

Abstract Objective This study aimed to investigate the impact of post-thoracotomy analgesia with dexmedetomidine and morphine on immunocytes. Methods A total of 118 patients with post-thoracotomy Patient-Controlled Intravenous Analgesia (PCIA) in our hospital from March 2016 to July 2018 were randomly selected and divided into the Composite (COM) Group (57 patients administered with dexmedetomidine [1.0 µg.kg-1 body weight] and morphine [0.48 mg.kg-1 body weight]) and the Morphine (MOR) group (61 patients administered with morphine [0.48 mg.kg-1]). The values of lymphocyte subsets (CD3+, CD4+, and CD8+) and Natural Killer cells in the peripheral blood of these two groups were detected by FACSCalibur flow cytometry at different time points (before anesthesia induction [T0], immediately after tracheal extubation [T1], 12 hours after surgery [T2], 24 hours after surgery [T3], 48 hours after surgery [T4], 72 hours after surgery [T5], and 7 days after surgery [T6]). The doses of morphine at T3 to T5 and the adverse reactions between the two groups were also recorded and compared. Results The CD3+ level and the CD4+/CD8+ ratio at T2 to T5 and the CD4+ level and NK cells at T3 to T5 were significantly higher in the COM Group than in the MOR Group (p< 0.05). The postoperative morphine dose and the incidence of postoperative itching, nausea, and vomiting were significantly lower in the COM Group than in the MOR Group (p< 0.05). Conclusions Dexmedetomidine combined with morphine for post-thoracotomy PCIA can improve the function of immunocytes, reduce morphine consumption, and reduce the adverse reactions during analgesia induction.

Abstract Background and objectives Preoperative use of flurbiprofen axetil (FA) is extensively adopted to modulate the effects of analgesia. However, the relationship between FA and sedation agents remains unclear. In this study, we aimed to investigate the effects of different doses of FA on the median Effective Concentration (EC50) of propofol. Methods Ninety-six patients (ASA I or II, aged 18–65 years) were randomly assigned into one of four groups in a 1:1:1:1 ratio. Group A (control group) received 10 mL of Intralipid, and groups B, C and D received 0.5 mg.kg−1, 0.75 mg.kg−1 and 1 mg.kg−1 of FA, respectively, 10 minutes before induction. The depth of anesthesia was measured by the Bispectral Index (BIS). The “up-and-down” method was used to calculate the EC50 of propofol. During the equilibration period, if BIS ≤ 50 (or BIS > 50), the next patient would receive a 0.5 µg.mL−1-lower (or -higher) propofol Target-Controlled Infusion (TCI) concentration. The hemodynamic data were recorded at baseline, 10 minutes after FA administration, after induction, after intubation and 15 minutes after intubation. Results The EC50 of propofol was lower in Group C (2.32 µg.mL−1, 95% Confidence Interval [95% CI] 1.85–2.75) and D (2.39 µg.mL−1, 95% CI 1.91–2.67) than in Group A (2.96 µg.mL−1, 95% CI 2.55–3.33) (p = 0.023, p = 0.048, respectively). There were no significant differences in the EC50 between Group B (2.53 µg.mL−1, 95% CI 2.33–2.71) and Group A (p > 0.05). There were no significant differences in Heart Rate (HR) among groups A, B and C. The HR was significantly lower in Group D than in Group A after intubation (66 ± 6 vs. 80 ± 10 bpm, p < 0.01) and 15 minutes after intubation (61 ± 4 vs. 70 ± 8 bpm, p < 0.01). There were no significant differences among the four groups in Mean Arterial Pressure (MAP) at any time point. The MAP of the four groups was significantly lower after induction, after intubation, and 15 minutes after intubation than at baseline (p < 0.05). Conclusion High-dose FA (0.75 mg.kg−1 or 1 mg.kg−1) reduces the EC50 of propofol, and 1 mg.kg−1 FA reduces the HR for adequate anesthesia in unstimulated patients. Although this result should be investigated in cases of surgical stimulation, we suggest that FA pre-administration may reduce the propofol requirement when the depth of anesthesia is measured by BIS.