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Copyright of Food Research & Development is the property of Food Research & Development Editorial Department and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Environmental Science & Technology (10036504) is the property of Editorial Board of Environmental Science & Technology and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Translation has played a paramount role in the development of the Albanian language, literature, and culture. Ever since Formula e Pagëzimit ("Baptism Formula"), the first written document translated into Albanian in 1462, the Albanian language, literature and culture have developed and expanded mainly through translation. Literary translation, in particular, has contributed to establishing mutual relations between nations; it has also stimulated the development of Albanian literature by influencing areas in which the national literary output was not yet sufficient, allowing for the development of Albanian national literature. This article examines Fan S. Noli's contribution to literary translation. One of the greatest modern translators of Anglo-American literary works into Albanian, his translations have enriched Albanian literature and culture. To evidence this, we have divided his translations into three main periods: 1. The Early Period (1906-1920); 2. The Middle Period (1920-1961) and 3. The Late Period (1961-1965). The paper concludes that Noli's translations of Anglo-American literary masterpieces have marked a cultural and intellectual turning point allowing for the modernization of Albanian literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Protein sample preparation is the most critical step in protein analysis of complex samples and is constituted by tedious, time-consuming, and difficult-to-automate steps that usually involve the use of high volumes of solvents. In recent years, novel extraction or digestion nanomaterials (NMs) have been developed aiming to overcome these drawbacks. In this review, we have grouped the recent works related to the development of new NMs and their applications to the extraction, enrichment/purification, and digestion of proteins. This paper evaluates the role of different kinds of NMs in each step of protein sample preparation focusing on the type of established interaction between the protein and the nanomaterial, their sensitivity and selectivity, their adsorption capacity, and the advantages that they bring in relation to time, efficiency, or reusability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microplastics has gradually become a global environmental pollution problem and may bring some harm to the human public health and animal health. A number of studies have also shown that gut microbiota is closely related to host health and can act as a toxicity target for certain environmental pollutants like microplastics. This paper reviewed the research status in this issue in terms of the recent literature and summarized the sources, classifications and research direction of microplastics. The paper analyzed the changes in intestinal flora for the tested animals after exposure to microplastics and also discussed the potential mechanisms of microplastics against intestinal flora. This paper can provide a reference and help for the future research about the influence of microplastics on intestinal flora. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Terrigenous nutrients discharged into seawater played an important role in controlling the marine primary productivity. Study on the horizontal and vertical distribution characteristics of nutrients was essential in eutrophication and sea-air exchange study. In this paper, the nutrient concentrations and their distribution in the surface microlayer and three sub-surface layers of the Yellow River estuary were measured. The horizontal and vertical distribution characteristic of nutrients was analyzed, so did the potential eutrophication assessment and the nutrient enrichment of the surface microlayer. The results showed that nutrient concentrations decreased from the estuary to the shore horizontally. NH4+-N and NO2--N increased vertically. NO3--N and PO4³-P decreased vertically. Eutrophication occurred in the micro-layer and the sub-surfaces. The Yellow River estuary suffered an eutrophication outbreak risk. The enrichment of NH4+-N, NO3--N and NO2--N was significant in April 2018, nor did PO43-- P. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article describes the solution of the problem of determining the ore belonging to a particular quarry in the multi-flow technological process of ore crushing at the ore enrichment fabric of a mining and processing plant. The paper proposes a new temporal model for solving this problem and describes its implementation in the form of an online monitoring system of ore quality and it belonging to a concrete quarry. This publication is an expanded version of the publication on The 10th Asian Conference on Intelligent Information and Database Systems (ACIIDS) 19–21 March 2018, Dong Hoi City, Vietnam (Toporov, Axelrod, & Tukeyev, 2018). The added material concerns issues related to the following aspects: – increased visibility of the object of monitoring of ore-preparation operations of concentrating mills, where, as a rule, ore of various quarries is processed; – detailing the functional structure of the automated system for operational monitoring of characteristics of processed ores; – an assessment of the adequacy of the operational model of the input characteristics of the processed ores and the adaptation of its parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper studied the macerals enrichment of the low-rank coal which produced by Shigetai Coal Mine, Shenhua Group. The coal sample fed to the Falcon were the product of the rod mill after 10 minutes grinding. Three factors were carried out, rotational frequency, feed rate and water pressure. The orthogonal experiment was designed to investigate the interaction between the three factors and a model was established between the factors and response values. Taking the vitrinite recovery rate as the response value, there was an interaction between the rotational frequency and the water pressure, moreover, the effect of the rotational frequency on the vitrinite recovery rate was greater than the water pressure, while, the feed rate on the vitrinite recovery rate was not significant. Taking the vitrinite enrichment ratio as the evaluation index, the Quadratic model was recommended, there was an interaction between the rotational frequency and the feed rate, moreover, the rotational frequency had better response to the vitrinite enrichment ratio than the water pressure and the feed rate. In order to optimize the experimental conditions, and the vitrinite enrichment ratio was set to 1.2, the vitrinite recovery rate was the larger the better, the optimal separation conditions obtained were the rotational frequency 30Hz, the water pressure 0.03MPa, and the feed rate 15ml/s in the laboratory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In metalexicography the term "enriched item" refers to a dictionary item of which the centre has been expanded, i.e. enriched, by other item parts so that a new complex item is established as topic. This paper provides a brief discussion of the prevailing notion of enrichment. It is then indicated that the lexicographic practice has already increased the scope of this procedure, albeit that these innovations have not yet sufficiently been described in metalexicographic work. The lack of a theoretical discussion often leads to a haphazard application of enrichment where this procedure is not optimally employed. A classification is given of different procedures of enrichment, allowing a distinction between data-homogeneous and data-heterogeneous enrichment. These procedures can present examples of either single or double enrichment. It is shown that enrichment does not only target a single item but also an article zone where the procedure of enrichment can add another item, representing either the same or a different data type, to complement the original item. A typological distinction is made between enrichment aimed at expanding the data transfer in a dictionary article, enrichment aimed at enhancing the access in a dictionary and enrichment aimed at adding to the lexicographic functions. This last type is discussed with reference to the addition of the cognitive function in a dictionary with communication as primary function. The paper argues in favour of an even closer relation between lexicographic theory and practice, which will lead to a better description of enrichment but also a better application of this lexicographic procedure.

Lutetium-177 radio-pharmaceutical has become an important theranostic candidate in cancer treatment. Its availability from bench-to-bed requires strategic implementation of isotope-enrichment, neutron-irradiation and radio-chemical techniques. In this paper, the need for enrichment of lutetium-176 is emphasized by estimating specific activity of lutetium-177 as a function of enrichment percentage for typical neutron flux available at Dhruva reactor, India. A novel Atomic Vapour Laser Isotope Separation (AVLIS) module for lutetium-176 enrichment is designed to meet the above requirement. The paper documents its characteristics and production estimates. The design is carried out after critical assessment and evaluation of available AVLIS-infrastructure in the country. Outline of lutetium-177 enrichment, capable of producing non-carrier-added lutetium is also provided. This work concludes that India has taken a step forward towards self-reliance (Atmanirbhar Bharat) in securing the supply chain of lutetium-177. • Estimation of specific activity of 177Lu using Bateman's approach. • Assessment of enrichment technologies for neutron flux of Dhruva reactor, India. • Selection of AVLIS for 176Lu enrichment after reviewing its infrastructure in India. • Design of AVLIS-module to achieve useable amount and desired enrichment of 176Lu. • Outline for enrichment of 177Lu to produce carrier-free 177Lu. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This review has been developed as part of the mEATquality project with the main objective to examine the types of extensification practices used in European pig husbandry and their effect on intrinsic meat quality. Literature search has resulted in 679 references in total, from which 53 showed a strict compliance with the goals of this review: 1) the use of local European breeds and their crossbreds (22 papers); 2) addition of forage to diet (9 papers); 3) increased space allowance (3 papers); 4) enrichment of environment (19 papers). The evaluation of selected extensification factors showed that not all of them have a clear impact on meat quality, and are often confounded. The most clear differences were observed when comparing autochthonous with commercial breeds, and systems with access to pastures or woodlands vs. indoor housing. Despite many studies focusing on the extensification of husbandry practices, some of the factors cannot be confirmed to have a direct effect on pork intrinsic quality. • Significant differences of pork meat quality were observed when comparing local with commercial breeds. • Autochthonous breeds have higher pH, IMF, a* and b*, or lower L*, compared to commercial pig breeds and their crossbreeds. • The access to natural forage affects the IMF content and the fatty acid profile of meat. • Pork from pigs kept outdoors often was darker and redder with lower pH and water holding capacity than in pigs kept indoor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Enrichment increases the ability of a sow to express innate behavior in a barren environment and can reduce aggressive behaviors, stress, and promote animal welfare. The objective of this study was to determine sow interaction with different types of enrichment materials provided before farrowing. A total of 11 sows were randomly assigned an enrichment combination of cardboard, paper, and banana leaves. Sows received two enrichment types, then enrichment was switched for the following day, until all combinations were completed. The enrichment material hung from 2x4 wood using ropes that hung the enrichment and chains placed in the ceiling of the farrowing room that held the 2x4 above the pen of each sow. Therefore, enrichment was placed within the nose reach of each sow. Enrichment material (113 g) was placed in the pens at 0700 h and left for 24 h each day before changing with another enrichment combination. Any enrichment material remaining was weighed. Final weight varied by treatment (P = 0.01), with sows consuming the least of cardboard (24.9 ± 10.0 g) and having an equal preference for banana leaves and paper (74.1 ± 10.0 g and 50.1 ± 11.3 g, respectively). Scan sampling was utilized to measure the frequency of interaction with the enrichments. The scans were designed with the first hour recording every minute a sow interacted with enrichment and the following 3 hours recording every 10 minutes. Continuous observation for the first hour of placement was performed for count data. Each time the sow made contact with the enrichment with her nose, the observation was recorded. The results of the behavior observation suggested that time in contact with enrichment did not differ (P > 0.05), nor did the number of times the pig-initiated contact with enrichment (P > 0.05). In conclusion, sow preference showed that bananas and papers were preferred over cardboard. However, sows will engage with any enrichment material provided before farrowing. Future research should be done to see if any environmental factors play a role in sow's preference. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Owls (Strigiformes) have been a source of fascination for wildlife rehabbers, zookeepers, falconers, and many others throughout history. They can be slow to learn and difficult to work with. Their behavior is quite different from diurnal raptors because of their unique nocturnal adaptations. Given their popularity as education and flight demonstration birds, captive owls offer researchers and observers a chance to observe how these animals interact with the world around them. Enrichment is an important component of keeping any animal mentally and physically healthy in captivity, but devising enrichment for owls can be challenging. A survey (Appendix A) was sent to 622 wildlife rehabilitation centers, raptor centers, nature centers, zoos, falconers, and similar institutions across the United States in an effort to determine the success and failure of various methods of enrichment for various owl genera, as well as imprints versus non-imprints. Significant findings suggest distinct correlations between imprints and non-imprints for both successful and failed enrichment among Bubo and Tyto species, respectively. Additionally, significant correlations were measured between imprints and non-imprints among all owl genera for successful and failed enrichment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Uranium metal and its compounds have been of great interest to physicists and chemists due to its use for both civil and military applications, e.g. production of electricity, use in the medical field and for making nuclear weapons. This review paper describes the occurrence, chemistry and metallurgy of the element 'uranium', its conversion to stable compounds such as yellow cake, uranium tetrafluoride and uranium hexafluoride and the enrichment technologies and uses for both civil and military purposes. The paper is meant for ready reference for students and teachers in connection with the recent spate of interest shown in nuclear power generation in Pakistan and abroad. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Psicologia Educativa is the property of Colegio Oficial de Psicologos de Madrid and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

A modern approach to animal nutrition involves the use of sustainable and environmentally safe solutions with maximum efficiency and the provision of all required nutrients. It is necessary to search for new methods of animal feed formulation and enrichment to meet these requirements. This paper presents an innovative spray biosorption method fortification of feeds for laying hens with valuable micronutrients (Cu, Mn, Zn, and Fe). The study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of the method in vitro (extraction in water and ammonium citrate) and in vivo tests on laying hens. Experiments were conducted on a laboratory scale (up to 1 kg of feed was enriched), semi-technical scales (up to 1000 kg of feed was enriched), and the possibility of enriching feed in a spouted bed column was also investigated to test this method for an industrial scale. The influence of process conditions on biosorption efficiency (total concentration of micronutrients in solution 5000–15,000 g/L, the low rate of enrichment liquid 3.33·10–8 to 1.33·10–7 m3/s, material spraying time 68–720 s) was also investigated. A group of 108 Lohmann Brown laying hens was randomly divided into six experimental groups (including a control group). Each group of hens was fed a compound feed in which all or part of their micronutrient requirements were replaced with material enriched by the innovative method for 90 days. Egg characteristics, sensory evaluation, and micronutrient content were analysed, and in most cases, better results were obtained than with feeds enriched by standard methods. High-quality eggs were obtained, and egg production reached 95–96 %. The amount of micronutrients in the egg content was higher than the standard value for conventional farming for all research groups. A significant improvement in eggshell quality was also observed. The results are promising, and micronutrient-enriched eggs can be functional foods with higher micronutrient content. • An innovative spray sorption method for enriching feed materials was developed. • The feed mixture was enriched with micronutrients Cu, Mn, Zn, and Fe. • Research was conducted on laboratory and semi-technical scales. • The obtained high-quality feed material was tested on laying hens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel and facile surface molecularly imprinted polymer coated on magnetic chitosan (Fe3O4@CS@MIP) was fabricated for the selective recognition and enrichment of naringin (NRG). The Fe3O4@CS@MIP was prepared based on covalent–noncovalent synergistic imprinting strategies, utilizing 4‐vinyl phenyl boric acid as covalent functional monomer, deep eutectic solvent (choline chloride/methacrylic acid [ChCl/MAA]) as non‐covalent functional monomer and Fe3O4@CS nanoparticles as the magnetic support. The obtained Fe3O4@CS@MIP exhibited a uniform morphology, excellent crystallinity, outstanding magnetic properties, and high surface area. Owing to the double recognition abilities, the resultant polymer showed exceptional binding performance and rapid mass transfer in phosphate buffer (pH 7.0). The maximum binding amount of Fe3O4@CS@MIP was found to be 15.08 mg g−1, and the equilibrium adsorption could be achieved within 180 min. Moreover, they also exhibited stronger selectivity for NRG and satisfactory reusability, with only 11.0% loss after five adsorption‐desorption cycles. Additionally, the Fe3O4@CS@MIP, serving as an adsorbent, presented practical application potential in the separation and enrichment of NRG from pummelo peel, with extraction efficiency in the range of 79.53% to 84.63%. This work provided a new strategy for improving the performance of MIP and contributed an attractive option for the extraction of NRG in complex samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This review provides a summary of the existing literature on a crucial raw material for the production of isotopically pure semiconductors, which are essential for the development of second-generation quantum systems. Silicon-28-tetrafluoride (28SiF4) is used as an educt for several isotope-engineered chemicals, such as silane-28 (28SiH4) and silicon-28-trichloride (28SiHCl3), which are needed in the pursuit of various quantum technologies. We are exploring the entire chain from the synthesis of 28SiF4 to quantum applications. This includes the chemical properties of SiF4, isotopic enrichment, conversion to silanes, conversion to bulk 28Si and thin films, the physical properties of 28Si (spin neutrality, thermal conductivity, optical properties), and the applications in quantum computing, photonics, and quantum sensing techniques. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A fullerene mixture was enriched with endohedral metallofullerenes (EMF) using Lewis acid (TiCl4), which took 22 min, whereas the standard method requires about 8 h. An algorithm for assessing small-area chromatographic peaks has been proposed, which has improved the accuracy of determination. For example, the area of the C84 peak was 4.24% using the developed program, while the use of chromatograph software estimated the area of this peak to be 1.78%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

On-site bioaerosol monitoring is essential for estimating microbial biomass and mitigating the risk of infection induced by aerosol transmission. This study introduces a novel electrostatic bioaerosol sampler, which is fabricated by the use of 3D printing, for rapid bioaerosol collection. Aerosol particles were charged and enriched in the sampler. Relationships between particle sizes and collection efficiencies under varying charging voltages were established using a charging model. The design of the sampler was optimized using commercial software, incorporating electrostatic field analysis, computational fluid dynamics (CFD), and particle trajectory simulations. To validate the sampler's collection efficiency, polystyrene (PS) spheres in an aerosol dispenser were atomized into an aerosol. The sampler collection efficiency exceeded 90% for particles larger than 1.2 μm under an applied voltage of 4.7 kV and an airflow rate of 2 L/min. The enrichment capacity was greater than 153,000 for particles larger than 1.2 μm under an applied voltage of 4.7 kV and an airflow rate of 8 L/min. With the merits of low cost, miniaturization, and high collection efficiency, the sampler can be used to collect samples on-site and in remote areas to verify the pathogens and reduce the risk of infection through aerosol transmission. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Utilization of agroindustrial waste, such as press mud from the sugar industry, presents a compelling opportunity to address both economic and environmental concerns. Press mud is obtained during sugarcane juice clarification, is rich in sugar, minerals, and nutrients, making it a valuable resource for various applications. Since it is rich in nutrient, primarily press mud is used as manure for crop growth such as rice, maize, and wheat especially sugarcane. It increases the higher quality, yield, shoot, and root length. Press mud is mixed with bioinoculants, inorganic fertilizer, and it also contains native inoculum. It reduces the usage of chemical fertilizer. In addition to fertilizer, press mud is also used as biofuel, with detailed exploration into its conversion into biogas, biocompressed natural gas, and hydrogen, providing renewable resource, cost effective, eco-friendly alternatives, and contributions. Press mud role as an animal feed is delved into showcasing its inclusion in diets for layers, swine, broilers, and lambs and demonstrating its potential to reduce expenses without compromising growth. The economic, energetic, and environmental feasibility of these processes are discussed, highlighting the potential of press mud to contribute significantly to sustainable energy solutions. Sugarcane press mud is positioned as a versatile and valuable resource through this comprehensive exploration, offering solutions to waste management, agricultural enhancement, and sustainable energy production. The widespread adoption of press mud utilization is advocated by the findings, promoting a holistic approach to address both agricultural and environmental challenges. In future days, press mud can be explored as potential bioinoculant, renewable sources, and viable alternative feed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this paper is to examine the current problems of wealth, which is due to the current steady trends of increasing wealth and the increasing number of wealthy people. The aim of the paper is to define the essence, prerequisites for the emergence and development of wealth, as well as to reflect the historical aspects of the evolution of wealth and its present state. The topic of the article is conditioned by the necessity to reveal modern stratification of social strata by the level of wealth, formation of society's wealthy class and its growth, processes of wealth creation and multiplication. At the same time, the purpose of the article is to study wealth as an object of taxation. In this connection, the economic essence of wealth tax and prerequisites for its introduction were considered, the specifics of functioning of wealth tax in the market economy were determined, and the most important features of functioning of wealth tax were revealed. Methodology. A correct analysis of the social structure of society in terms of material well-being makes it possible to assess the efficiency of the economy and the quality of public policy in the system of creation and distribution of public income, public goods and wealth. Without the results of these calculations, fatal errors arise in the choice of state priorities of socio-economic policy and in making optimal decisions in the financial sphere. The study is based on the comparison of wealth tax data in different countries. Results. The question and modern specificity of wealth is explored. The value of wealth to society and the state is determined. Wealth tax is an effective fiscal instrument of the state in the distribution of state revenues. Wealth tax exists in many countries in various forms. Practical implications. Possibilities of increasing welfare and increasing wealth are considered. An adequate assessment of wealth and well-being will allow the state to conduct a balanced and effective socio-economic and financial policy to stabilize society and adopt a stable social order. The financial essence of the wealth tax and the prerequisites for its introduction were studied. The specifics of functioning of wealth tax in the market socially oriented economy are considered. Value/originality. It was found that wealth is a complex, multifaceted category, which can be characterized as a specific feature of the socio-economic structure of society, which determines its state, results, dynamics and trends of development. Wealth characterizes the ability to achieve a positive result (effect) in the market conditions of management and use of socio-economic potential available in the society, which indicates the level of its civilizational development. The features of functioning of wealth tax in different countries of the world are considered. The use of wealth tax as a fiscal tool in the tax system of the state was proposed.

PICO question In domestic cats in a shelter setting, does clicker training decrease proxy measures of a stressed emotional state (behavioural or physiological) compared to no clicker training? Clinical bottom line Category of research question Treatment The number and type of study designs reviewed Two papers were critically reviewed. One was a prospective quasi-randomised clinical trial, the other was a quasi-experimental before-and-after study with each cat being its own control Strength of evidence Weak Outcomes reported Both papers reported a decrease in behavioural stress indicators in shelter cats following a clicker training programme. Not all of these decreases were statistically significant and there are large issues with confounding factors in both papers Conclusion Preliminary evidence suggests that clicker training can be implemented as one form of enrichment to reduce stress in shelter cats alongside other means. Further evidence is required to demonstrate superiority to other forms of enrichment to reduce stress in shelter cats, especially given the practical limitations of implementing such a programme in most shelters How to apply this evidence in practice The application of evidence into practice should take into account multiple factors, not limited to: individual clinical expertise, patient’s circumstances and owners’ values, country, location or clinic where you work, the individual case in front of you, the availability of therapies and resources. Knowledge Summaries are a resource to help reinforce or inform decision making. They do not override the responsibility or judgement of the practitioner to do what is best for the animal in their care.

Numerous animal species use defense mechanisms such as chemical secretion to defend against attacks of predators. Although defense mechanisms have the potential to considerably change the dynamics and stability of a system, few theoretical studies exist. In this paper, we focus on predator-prey systems with reservoir-based chemical defense, which is also called "reducible defense" and is widespread among invertebrates. The predator has to attack often enough to disarm and consume prey, and prey can biosynthetically restore lost secretion. The model includes these features in the functional response, and in a separate equation for the stored amount of secretion. Additionally, our model takes into account that defense involves metabolic costs, reducing population growth of the prey. By performing computer simulations, we show that the defense mechanism causes the predator to take more time to consume prey. This time is increased more efficiently when the prey invests in a large reservoir rather than in fast restoration of secretion. We also investigate the stationary states resulting on longer time scales, finding that both predator and prey can become considerably more abundant due to the defense mechanism. However, investment into defenses pays off only when predator density is large enough and costs of defense are not too high. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The housing of farmed animals is increasingly scrutinised by society and thereby subject to a change towards more animal-friendly systems. For rabbits, also kept as pets, there are no EC regulations regarding their housing under farming conditions. In many countries, studies have been carried out to improve their welfare and health under current and alternative housing systems. This paper reviews and integrates the research efforts made since the EFSA report in 2005 on reproducing rabbit does and provides some conclusions, where possible, with special emphasis on animal welfare according to the principles stated by the Welfare Quality® project, i.e. good housing, good health and appropriate behaviour. The use of an elevated platform provides greater opportunities for does and their kits to move, jumping up and down. Management and housing systems (especially flooring) must guarantee good hygienic conditions (all-in, all-out) and separation of the rabbits from their excreta for proper resting places, hygiene and health. Plastic floors and footrests and environmental enrichments (e.g. gnawing material) are also recommended. Continuous group housing systems for reproducing females have been definitively proven to challenge animal welfare by increased aggression and injuries among does and to kits. Part-time group housing systems have proven to have potential, but cannot yet be recommended in farms until major problems of aggression and injuries among animals are solved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aims of XML data conversion to ontologies are the indexing, integration and enrichment of existing ontologies with knowledge acquired from these sources. The contribution of this paper consists in providing a classification of the approaches used for the conversion of XML documents into OWL ontologies. This classification underlines the usage profile of each conversion method, providing a clear description of the advantages and drawbacks belonging to each method. Hence, this paper focuses on two main processes, which are ontology enrichment and ontology population using XML data. Ontology enrichment is related to the schema of the ontology (TBox), and ontology population is related to an individual (Abox). In addition, the ontologies described in these methods are based on formal languages of the Semantic Web such as OWL (Ontology Web Language) or RDF (Resource Description Framework). These languages are formal because the semantics are formally defined and take advantage of the Description Logics. In contrast, XML data sources are without formal semantics. The XML language is used to store, export and share data between processes able to process the specific data structure. However, even if the semantics is not explicitly expressed, data structure contains the universe of discourse by using a qualified vocabulary regarding a consensual agreement. In order to formalize this semantics, the OWL language provides rich logical constraints. Therefore, these logical constraints are evolved in the transformation of XML documents into OWL documents, allowing the enrichment and the population of the target ontology. To design such a transformation, the current research field establishes connections between OWL constructs (classes, predicates, simple or complex data types, etc.) and XML constructs (elements, attributes, element lists, etc.). Two different approaches for the transformation process are exposed. The instance approaches are based on XML documents without any schema associated. The validation approaches are based on the XML schema and document validated by the associated schema. The second approaches benefit from the schema definition to provide automated transformations with logic constraints. Both approaches are discussed in the text. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

As two pollutants with similar transport pathways, microplastics (MPs) and antibiotics (ATs) inevitably co-exist in water environments, and their interaction has become a topic of intense research interest for scholars over the past few years. This paper comprehensively and systematically reviews the current interaction between MPs and ATs, in particular, the role played by biofilm developed MPs (microplastic biofilm). A summary of the formation process of microplastic biofilm and its unique microbial community structure is presented in the paper. The formation of microplastic biofilm can enhance the adsorption mechanisms of ATs on primary MPs. Moreover, microplastic biofilm system is a diverse and vast reservoir of genetic material, and this paper reviews the mechanisms by which microplastics with biofilm drive the production of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) and the processes that selectively enrich for more ARGs. Meanwhile, the enrichment of ARGs may lead to the development of microbial resistance and the gradual loss of the antimicrobial effect of ATs. The transfer pathways of ARGs affected by microplastic biofilm are outlined, and ARGs dependent transfer of antibiotic resistance bacteria (ARB) is mainly through horizontal gene transfer (HGT). Furthermore, the ecological implications of the interaction between microplastic biofilm and ATs and perspectives for future research are reviewed. This review contributes to a new insight into the aquatic ecological environmental risks and the fate of contaminants (MPs, ATs), and is of great significance for controlling the combined pollution of these two pollutants. [Display omitted] • Reviewed characteristics of MPs biofilm and the mechanism of their effect on ATs. • The driving mechanisms of MPs biofilm for ARGs enrichment were summarized. • Comprehensive reviewed the environmental risks of MPs biofilms and ATs. • Research perspectives on the interaction between MPs biofilm and ATs were proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Farm animal welfare is an important issue for both farmers and the general public. In order to monitor animal welfare on a large population of finishing pig farms in the UK, the "Real Welfare" project developed a methodology for on-farm assessment based on regular measurement of some key animal-based measures, so-called welfare outcomes. This paper presents estimates of the percentage of these different welfare outcomes over the years since the inception of the scheme. Between 2016 and 2019, the mean percentage of pigs in the mainstream herd showing four mandatory welfare outcomes (pigs requiring hospitalization, lame pigs, pigs with severe tail lesions, and pigs with severe body marks) was very low and a decreasing trend was observed for all outcomes except severe tail lesions. These data give good representation of the overall situation in the UK finishing pig population. Farm animal welfare is an increasingly important issue, leading to the need for an efficient methodology to deliver accurate benchmarking. The "Real Welfare" project developed a methodology based on regular recording of a limited number of animal-based measures, so-called welfare outcomes, which allows faster and easier on-farm assessment of finishing pig welfare. The objective of this paper is to estimate, with sufficient robustness and confidence, the prevalence of different mandatory and optional welfare outcomes in the mainstream herd of the finishing farms in the UK based on the "Real Welfare" scheme data and to assess the changes in prevalence over time, inspection visits and seasons. The mean overall prevalence of the four mandatory welfare outcomes (pigs requiring hospitalization, lame pigs, pigs with severe body marks, and pigs with severe tail lesions) was very low (≤0.2%) and a significant decreasing trend was observed for the first three of these mandatory welfare outcomes since the inception of the scheme. This result might reflect either a reduction in factors giving rise to welfare problems in the mainstream herd or increasing awareness about management of compromised pigs. Additional data are required to clarify these possibilities, but both represent improved pig welfare. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Enrichment is important for supporting the well-being of captive animals. Enrichment increase animal quality of life through encouraging natural behaviours. As enrichment is shifting to a more centered role in animal care, technology is becoming increasingly accessible and is becoming embedded in animal enrichment in creative ways. This review explores the trends in technology usage in animal enrichment studies. Through pulling the past decade of technology enrichment work together, we discuss gaps such as needing to include a larger variety of species (extending passed mammals), ensuring enrichment designs focus primarily on the senses an animal uses to interact with the world rather than human senses, and encouraging similar study designs across animal contexts to allow for streamlined comparisons. Environmental enrichment is adding complexity to an environment that has a positive impact on a captive animal as a necessity of care. Computing technology is being rapidly weaved throughout the space in both enrichment devices as well as evaluating enrichment outcomes. In this article, we present a scoping review of 102 captive animal enrichment studies and propose a contextual lens for exploring current practices. We discuss the importance of directed growth in species inclusion, transitioning beyond anthro-centric designs, and utilizing shared methodologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The maintenance of high diversity in deep‐sea sediments is often hypothesized to be a result of heterogeneity in disturbance and carbon availability creating long‐lived patches of unique communities. Deep‐sea food falls are known to contribute to this patchiness, influencing the beta‐diversity of soft‐bottom communities through varying effects of enrichment and disturbance. Previous food fall work has centered on large (>1000 kg, e.g., whales) or small (0–10 kg, e.g., kelp, fish, wood) food parcels, leading to the hypothesis that only the largest persist long enough to impact sediment communities. The effect of intermediately sized (10–1000 kg) carcasses on sediment macrofauna communities remains poorly understood. Here, we deployed an individual Alligator mississippiensis carcass (19.5 kg) as organic enrichment to an otherwise food‐poor landscape at 2034 m in the northern Gulf of Mexico. Sediment cores collected at three distances from the alligator fall following decomposition were used to describe changes in macrofauna abundance and alpha‐ and beta‐diversity. We found that the carcass enriched nearby sediments with up to three times more carbon than background sediments. This carbon enrichment near the carcass did not influence species richness but did correlate with higher abundance and a suite of species unique from background communities. Our findings suggest that the food fall size threshold above which enrichment of local sediments occurs may be lower than previously thought, as we demonstrate that an intermediately sized (19.5 kg) food fall can contribute carbon and promote beta‐ and thus gamma‐ diversity of the infaunal benthos. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, the internet has become the first destination as a recruitment market, which has increased the number of job offers and resumes online. Recommendation systems are proposed to help users filter this massive amount of information, selecting the best candidate or the relevant offer. Processing the content of the documents correctly not only can reduce the matching complexity but also improve the recommender performance. This paper presents a semantic-based information extraction process, which intelligently and automatically extracts domain entities. The extracted entities are inter-linked to build domain context utilizing domain ontology covering the most significant and common parts of job offers/resumes. Moreover, the extracted information is structured in RDF triples delivering a semantic and unified presentation of documents data. The used ontology is dynamically enriched with both domain instances and relations to keep up with the constant change of the relevant data. We evaluate our system using various experiments on data from real-world recruitment documents. Our test results show that our approach can achieve a precision value of more than 90% in extracting domain-specific information. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The web and the social web play an increasingly important role as an information source for Members of Parliament and their assistants, journalists, political analysts and researchers. It provides important and crucial background information, like reactions to political events and comments made by the general public. The case study presented in this paper is driven by two European parliaments (the Greek and the Austrian parliament) and targets an effective exploration of political web archives. In this paper, we describe semantic technologies deployed to ease the exploration of the archived web and social web content and present evaluation results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pigs have a need for manipulable materials to satisfy a range of behavioural needs, which can be different in different classes of pig. When these needs are not met, a range of adverse welfare consequences result, one of these being an increased risk for tail-biting in weaners and rearing pigs. The ability to control the risk of tail-biting is essential when aiming to avoid tail-docking. Based on available scientific information this Opinion identifies the multiple interactions between risk factors, welfare consequences and animal and non-animal-based measures on the two subjects requested (i) the absence of functional manipulable materials, for pigs at different stages in life and (ii) tail-biting, for weaners and rearing pigs only. An attempt is made to quantify the relationships between the identified interactions by carrying out a statistical analysis of information from available databases, those being an international dataset collected using the Welfare Quality® protocol, which was not designed to evaluate risk factors for tail-biting and therefore, it had limitations in fitness for this analysis, and a large Finnish dataset with undocked pigs. Based on the current state of knowledge, the AHAW Panel proposes two simple tool-boxes for on farm use to assess (i) the functionality of the supplied manipulable material and (ii) the presence and strength of risk factors for tail biting. Both proposed tool-boxes include a combination of the most important resource-based and animal-based measures. Further development and validation of decision-support tools for customised farm assessment is strongly recommended and a proposal for harmonised data collection across the range of European farming circumstances is presented. A series of further recommendations are made by the AHAW Panel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bisphenol-A (BPA) is a notable endocrine disrupting chemical and a core raw material utilised in the manufacture of some food contact materials such as epoxy resin and polycarbonate (PC) plastics. The human health risk (HRI) associated with the migration of BPA into malt drinks packaged in epoxy-cans and stored under various conditions was investigated. Solid-phase extraction (SPE) was used to extract BPA, while analysis was performed with a high performance liquid chromatography coupled to an ultraviolet detector (HPLC-UV). The health risk index was used to assess the likelihood of developing chronic non-carcinogenic health risk among consumers of epoxy-can malt drink. Results showed BPA concentrations at 3.98 ± 0.05°C, 25.34 ± 0.70°C and 30.98 ± 0.27°C range from 0.0166 to 0.0300 μg L−1, 0.0188 to 0.0788 μg L−1 and 0.0217 to 0.2131 μg L−1 respectively. BPA levels in the samples did not exceed the European Union limit (50 μg kg−1). Enrichment levels of BPA in samples stored at 30.98 ± 0.27°C were highest, while that at 3.98 ± 0.05°C samples were the least. Initial migration rate of BPA at 3.98 ± 0.05°C and 25.34 ± 0.70°C decreased with increasing exposure duration, and later maintained a mildly constant rate at longer exposure duration. However, at 30.98 ± 0.27°C, BPA migration rates decreased initially with increase in exposure duration, and increased later at prolonged exposure. Although BPA concentrations showed no significant difference (p > 0.05) at the study's storage conditions, a significant difference (p < 0.05) was observed in BPA migration rates. The computed chronic non-carcinogenic health risk for daily ingestion of malt drink contaminated with BPA by both adults and children was less than one indicating no probable adverse health effect from consumption of the malt drink. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

PICO question Can straw based enrichment be used successfully as a treatment intervention to reduce tail biting injuries in weaner to finisher pigs housed in indoor farming systems? Clinical bottom line Category of research question Treatment The number and type of study designs reviewed Three papers were critically reviewed. All three papers answered the PICO question and matched the inclusion criteria for this Knowledge Summary, providing moderate evidence. One non-randomised controlled trial and two randomised controlled trials. Strength of evidence Moderate Outcomes reported Veit et al. (2016) found that straw based enrichment can reduce tail biting, similarly, Larson et al. (2018) found straw based enrichment could reduce tail biting, however, other factors contribute more so to reducing tail biting. Haigh et al. (2019) did not find evidence to suggest straw-based enrichment could reduce tail biting. Triggers for tail biting injuries are multifaceted, therefore enrichment alone will not eliminate pen mate manipulation Conclusion In view of the strength of evidence and the outcomes from the studies the following conclusions have been made; it is expected that these findings provide enough evidence to encourage farmers to introduce novel straw based enrichment as a treatment measure, however it would be most effective if other husbandry factors could be considered in addition How to apply this evidence in practice The application of evidence into practice should take into account multiple factors, not limited to: individual clinical expertise, patient’s circumstances and owners’ values, country, location or clinic where you work, the individual case in front of you, the availability of therapies and resources. Knowledge Summaries are a resource to help reinforce or inform decision making. They do not override the responsibility or judgement of the practitioner to do what is best for the animal in their care.

One of the main goals of modern drug development is customized care, where doctors match the right patient to the right treatment at the right dose, based on quantitative evidence. In this paper we review three key aspects of drug development that are critical towards achieving this goal. More specifically, we discuss (i) the advantages of modern model-based dose-finding as opposed to traditional pairwise comparisons, (ii) the value of pharmacometrical modeling, understanding the variability in how patients metabolize, tolerate, and respond to drugs, and (iii) the potential impact of enrichment strategies to identify study populations that are most likely to benefit from the investigational drug under development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There are increasing demands for fast and simple detection of pathogens in foodstuffs. Fluorescence analysis has demonstrated significant advantages for easy operation and high sensitivity, although it is usually hindered by a complex matrix, low bacterial abundance, and long-term bacterial enrichment. Effective enrichment procedures are required to meet the requirements for food detection. Here, boronate-functionalized cellulose filter paper and specific fluorescent probes were combined. An integrated approach for the enrichment of detection of Staphylococcus aureus was proposed. The modification of polyethyleneimine demonstrated a significant effect in enhancing the bacterial enrichment, and the boronate affinity efficiency of the paper was increased by about 51~132%. With optimized conditions, the adsorption efficiency for S. aureus was evaluated as 1.87 × 108 CFU/cm2, the linear range of the fluorescent analysis was 104 CFU/mL~108 CFU/mL (R2 = 0.9835), and the lowest limit of detection (LOD) was calculated as 2.24 × 102 CFU/mL. Such efficiency was validated with milk and yogurt samples. These results indicated that the material had a high enrichment capacity, simple operation, and high substrate tolerance, which had the promising potential to be the established method for the fast detection of food pathogens.

Abstract: This paper describes the quantification of extracellular carbonic anhydrase (eCA) concentrations in the sea surface microlayer (SML), the boundary layer between the ocean and the atmosphere of the Indo‐West Pacific. We demonstrated that the SML is enriched with eCA by 1.5 ± 0.7 compared to the mixed underlying water. Enrichment remains up to a wind speed of 7 m s−1 (i.e., under typical oceanic conditions). As eCA catalyzes the interconversion of HCO3− and CO2, it has been hypothesized that its enrichment in the SML enhances the air‐sea CO2 exchange. We detected concentrations in the range of 0.12 to 0.76 nM, which can enhance the exchange by up to 15% based on the model approach described in the literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Arid regions can benefit from using native desert plants, which require minimal freshwater and can aid in remediating soil phytotoxic metals (PTMs) from traffic emissions. In this study, we assessed the ability of three native desert plants—Pennisetum divisum, Tetraena qatarensis, and Brassica tournefortii—to accumulate phytotoxic metals (PTMs) in their different plant organs, including leaves, stems, and roots/rhizomes. The PTMs were analyzed in soil and plant samples collected from Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE). The results indicated significantly higher levels of PTMs on the soil surface than the subsurface layer. Brassica exhibited the highest concentrations of Fe and Zn, measuring 566.7 and 262.8 mg kg−1, respectively, while Tetraena accumulated the highest concentration of Sr (1676.9 mg kg−1) in their stems. In contrast, Pennisetum recorded the lowest concentration of Sr (21.0 mg kg−1), while Tetraena exhibited the lowest concentrations of Fe and Zn (22.5 and 30.1 mg kg−1) in their leaves. The roots of Pennisetum, Brassica, and Tetraena demonstrated the potential to accumulate Zn from the soil, with concentration factors (CF) of 1.75, 1.09, and 1.09, respectively. Moreover, Brassica exhibited the highest CF for Sr, measuring 2.34. Pennisetum, however, could not translocate PTMs from its rhizomes to other plant organs, as indicated by a translocation factor (TF) of 1. In contrast, Brassica effectively translocated the studied PTMs from its roots to the stem and leaves (except for Sr in the leaves). Furthermore, Pennisetum exclusively absorbed Zn from the soil into its leaves and stems, with an enrichment factor (EF) greater than 1. Brassica showed the ability to uptake the studied PTMs in its stem and leaves (except for Fe), while Tetraena primarily absorbed Sr and Zn into its stems. Based on the CF and TF results, Pennisetum appears to be a suitable species for phytostabilization of both Fe and Zn, while Brassica is well-suited for Sr and Zn polluted soils. Tetraena shows potential for Zn phytoremediation. These findings suggest that these plants are suitable for PTMs phytoextraction. Furthermore, based on the EF results, these plants can efficiently sequester PTMs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mining activities, even in arctic regions, create waste materials releasing metals and metalloids, which have an impact on the microorganisms inhabiting their surroundings. Some species can persist in these areas through tolerance to meta(loid)s via, e.g., metabolic transformations. Due to the interaction between microorganisms and meta(loid)s, interest in the investigation of microbial communities and their possible applications (like bioremediation or biomining) has increased. The main goal of the present study was to identify, isolate, and characterize microorganisms, from subarctic mine sites, tolerant to the metalloid antimony (Sb) and the metal copper (Cu). During both summer and winter, samples were collected from Finnish mine sites (site A and B, tailings, and site C, a water-treatment peatland) and environmental parameters were assessed. Microorganisms tolerant to Sb and Cu were successfully enriched under low temperatures (4°C), creating conditions that promoted the growth of aerobic and fermenting metal(loid) tolerating or anaerobic metal(loid) respiring organism. Microbial communities from the environment and Sb/Cu-enriched microorganisms were studied via 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing. Site C had the highest number of taxa and for all sites, an expected loss of biodiversity occurred when enriching the samples, with genera like Prauserella, Pseudomonas or Clostridium increasing their relative abundances and others like Corynebacterium or Kocuria reducing in relative abundance. From enrichments, 65 putative Sb- and Cu-metabolizing microorganisms were isolated, showing growth at 0.1 mM to 10 mM concentrations and 0°C to 40°C temperatures. 16S rRNA gene sequencing of the isolates indicated that most of the putative anaerobically Sbrespiring tolerators were related to the genus Clostridium. This study represents the first isolation, to our knowledge, of putative Sb-metabolizing cold-tolerant microorganisms and contributes to the understanding of metal (loid)-tolerant microbial communities in Arctic mine sites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Analytical atomic spectrometry is a well-established and widely-used analytical technique for the sensitive detection of inorganic elements in diverse samples. Sample pretreatment methods are still a critical part of elemental analysis, which are usually used to remove interfering matrix components and preconcentrate the targets of interest before analysis. Significant advances in the development of sample separation and preconcentration techniques for elemental analysis have been made in recent years. This review focuses on the applications of sample separation and preconcentration techniques for analytical atomic spectrometry, including liquid phase (micro)extraction, cloud point extraction, solid phase (micro)extraction, microwave-assisted extraction, ultrasonic-assisted extraction, chemical vapor generation as well as hyphenated techniques. This review presents several applications of the above sample pretreatment methods in recent years, whose advantages and drawbacks were also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Currently, the sex selection of cattle offspring holds great promise for genetic advancement and meeting consumer demand. Sperm sorting by flow cytometry provides a reliable tool for artificial insemination and the creation of embryos with predetermined sexes. A precise evaluation of the yield of sperm separation is still needed for a field application of this method or for the advancement and validation of other related semen sexing technologies. The current study was conducted to develop a qPCRbased method for the determination of sperm sex ratio in cow bull semen. Methods: The SYBR Green-based Real-Time PCR chemistry targeting PLP (X chromosome-specific gene) and SRY (Y chromosomespecific gene) genes were used for the development of the assay. To determine the efficiency of PCR amplification, standard curves were generated. Result: The developed assay revealed a negligible variation in the semen sex ratio (51.7±0.465% X and 48.23±0.465% Y) of unsorted semen. The repeatability and reproducibility of this approach were evaluated. For PLP and SRY, the standards produced a linear relationship with regression coefficients of 0.994 and 0.997, respectively. The low mean values of CV obtained in repeatability and reproducibility trials demonstrated the high dependability of this novel method for assessing the sexual chromosomal content in semen samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]