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Oil palm is a versatile oil crop with numerous applications. Significant progress has been made in applying histological techniques in oil palm research in recent years. Whole genome sequencing of oil palm has been carried out to explain the function and structure of the order genome, facilitating the development of molecular markers and the construction of genetic maps, which are crucial for studying important traits and genetic resources in oil palm. Transcriptomics provides a powerful tool for studying various aspects of plant biology, including abiotic and biotic stresses, fatty acid composition and accumulation, and sexual reproduction, while proteomics and metabolomics provide opportunities to study lipid synthesis and stress responses, regulate fatty acid composition based on different gene and metabolite levels, elucidate the physiological mechanisms in response to abiotic stresses, and explain intriguing biological processes in oil palm. This paper summarizes the current status of oil palm research from a multi-omics perspective and hopes to provide a reference for further in-depth research on oil palm.

Oil palm (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.) is a typical tropical oil crop with a temperature of 26–28 °C, providing approximately 35% of the total world’s vegetable oil. Growth and productivity are significantly affected by low-temperature stress, resulting in inhibited growth and substantial yield losses. To comprehend the intricate molecular mechanisms underlying the response and acclimation of oil palm under low-temperature stress, multi-omics approaches, including metabolomics, proteomics, and transcriptomics, have emerged as powerful tools. This comprehensive review aims to provide an in-depth analysis of recent advancements in multi-omics studies on oil palm under low-temperature stress, including the key findings from omics-based research, highlighting changes in metabolite profiles, protein expression, and gene transcription, as well as including the potential of integrating multi-omics data to reveal novel insights into the molecular networks and regulatory pathways involved in the response to low-temperature stress. This review also emphasizes the challenges and prospects of multi-omics approaches in oil palm research, providing a roadmap for future investigations. Overall, a better understanding of the molecular basis of the response of oil palm to low-temperature stress will facilitate the development of effective breeding and biotechnological strategies to improve the crop’s resilience and productivity in changing climate scenarios.

Activation of the CXCL12/CXCR4/ACKR3 axis is known to aid myocardial repair through ischemia-triggered hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α). To enhance the upregulation of HIF-1α, we administered roxadustat, a novel prolyl hydroxylase inhibitor (PHI) clinically approved by the European Medicines Agency 2021 for the treatment of renal anemia, with the purpose of improving LV function and attenuating ischemic cardiomyopathy. Methods: We evaluated roxadustat’s impact on HIF-1 stimulation, cardiac remodeling, and function after MI. Therefore, we analyzed nuclear HIF-1 expression, the mRNA and protein expression of key HIF-1 target genes (RT-PCR, Western blot), inflammatory cell infiltration (immunohistochemistry), and apoptosis (TUNEL staining) 7 days after MI. Additionally, we performed echocardiography in male and female C57BL/6 mice 28 days post-MI. Results: We found a substantial increase in nuclear HIF-1, associated with an upregulation of HIF-1α target genes like CXCL12/CXCR4/ACKR3 at the mRNA and protein levels. Roxadustat increased the proportion of myocardial reparative M2 CD206+ cells, suggesting beneficial alterations in immune cell migration and a trend towards reduced apoptosis. Echocardiography showed that roxadustat treatment significantly preserved ejection fraction and attenuated subsequent ventricular dilatation, thereby reducing adverse remodeling. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that roxadustat is a promising clinically approved treatment option to preserve myocardial function by attenuating adverse remodeling.

The long-term use of copper (Cu)-based fungicide sprays in orchards is associated with changes in soil Cu levels. However, there is a gap in knowledge regarding the potential accumulation of Cu in orchards and the associated impacts on the soil microbial structure. This study assessed the possibility of Cu accumulation in different avocado orchard farms and further evaluated the potential effect on soil microbial activities. Soil Cu levels were quantified in Tauranga and Northland, and three avocado orchards were analysed in each experimental location. All avocado farms in both sites received Cu-based fungicide sprays for over eight years. Soil samples were collected at a 0–20 cm depth from all six orchards. The soil total and bioavailable Cu, changes in soil chemical properties, microbial biomass, dehydrogenase activity, alkaline phosphatase activity, and acid phosphatase activity were measured. The results revealed that the total Cu and bioavailable Cu concentrations in Tauranga orchards were 81.3 and 0.32, 196.7 and 0.82, and 33.6 and 0.31 mg Cu kg−1 in Farms 1, 2, and 3, respectively. In Northland orchards, the total Cu and bioavailable Cu were 54.5 and 0.06, 18.4 and 0.77, and 46 and 0.34 mg Cu kg−1 in Farm 1, 2, and 3, respectively. Five out of six of the avocado orchard farms assessed in this study had total Cu concentrations greater than 30 mg Cu kg−1 reported in New Zealand native land. The magnitude of Cu accumulation was linked with soil pH and C content. No clear trend was observed between soil Cu concentrations and the soil microbial activity. Our study results demonstrated that the long-term use of Cu-based fungicide sprays can elevate Cu concentrations in orchard soils. Mitigation strategies need to be explored to abate the accumulation of Cu in orchard soils.

AP2/ERF transcription factor genes play an important role in regulating the responses of plants to various abiotic stresses, such as cold, drought, high salinity, and high temperature. However, less is known about the function of oil palm AP2/ERF genes. We previously obtained 172 AP2/ERF genes of oil palm and found that the expression of EgAP2.25 was significantly up-regulated under salinity, cold, or drought stress conditions. In the present study, the sequence characterization and expression analysis for EgAP2.25 were conducted, showing that it was transiently over-expressed in Nicotiana tabacum L. The results indicated that transgenic tobacco plants over-expressing EgAP2.25 could have a stronger tolerance to salinity stress than wild-type tobacco plants. Compared with wild-type plants, the over-expression lines showed a significantly higher germination rate, better plant growth, and less chlorophyll damage. In addition, the improved salinity tolerance of EgAP2.25 transgenic plants was mainly attributed to higher antioxidant enzyme activities, increased proline and soluble sugar content, reduced H2O2 production, and lower MDA accumulation. Furthermore, several stress-related marker genes, including NtSOD, NtPOD, NtCAT, NtERD10B, NtDREB2B, NtERD10C, and NtP5CS, were significantly up-regulated in EgAP2.25 transgenic tobacco plants subjected to salinity stress. Overall, over-expression of the EgAP2.25 gene significantly enhanced salinity stress tolerance in transgenic tobacco plants. This study lays a foundation for further exploration of the regulatory mechanism of the EgAP2.25 gene in conferring salinity tolerance in oil palm.

Catalases (CATs) play crucial roles in scavenging H2O2 from reactive oxygen species, controlling the growth and development of plants. So far, genome-wide identification and characterization of CAT genes in oil palm have not been reported. In the present study, five EgCAT genes were obtained through a genome-wide identification approach. Phylogenetic analysis divided them into two subfamilies, with closer genes sharing similar structures. Gene structure and conserved motif analysis demonstrated the conserved nature of intron/exon organization and motifs among the EgCAT genes. Several cis-acting elements related to hormone, stress, and defense responses were identified in the promoter regions of EgCATs. Tissue-specific expression of EgCAT genes in five different tissues of oil palm was also revealed by heatmap analysis using the available transcriptome data. Stress-responsive expression analysis showed that five EgCAT genes were significantly expressed under cold, drought, and salinity stress conditions. Collectively, this study provided valuable information on the oil palm CAT gene family and the validated EgCAT genes can be used as potential candidates for improving abiotic stress tolerance in oil palm and other related crops.

Oil palm, a tropical woody oil crop, is widely used in food, cosmetics, and pharmaceuticals due to its high production efficiency and economic value. Palm oil is rich in free fatty acids, polyphenols, vitamin E, and other nutrients, which are beneficial for human health when consumed appropriately. Therefore, investigating the dynamic changes in free fatty acid content at different stages of development and hypothesizing the influence of regulatory genes on free fatty acid metabolism is crucial for improving palm oil quality and accelerating industry growth. LC-MS/MS is used to analyze the composition and content of free fatty acids in the flesh after 95 days (MS1 and MT1), 125 days (MS2 and MT2), and 185 days (MS3 and MT3) of Seedless (MS) and Tenera (MT) oil palm species fruit pollination. RNA-Seq was used to analyze the expression of genes regulating free fatty acid synthesis and accumulation, with differences in genes and metabolites mapped to the KEGG pathway map using the KEGG (Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes) enrichment analysis method. A metabolomics study identified 17 types of saturated and 13 types of unsaturated free fatty acids during the development of MS and MT. Transcriptomic research revealed that 10,804 significantly different expression genes were acquired in the set differential gene threshold between MS and MT. The results showed that FabB was positively correlated with the contents of three main free fatty acids (stearic acid, myristate acid, and palmitic acid) and negatively correlated with the contents of free palmitic acid in the flesh of MS and MT. ACSL and FATB were positively correlated with the contents of three main free fatty acids and negatively correlated with free myristate acid. The study reveals that the expression of key enzyme genes, FabB and FabF, may improve the synthesis of free myristate in oil palm flesh, while FabF, ACSL, and FATB genes may facilitate the production of free palmitoleic acid. These genes may also promote the synthesis of free stearic acid and palmitoleic acid in oil palm flesh. However, the FabB gene may inhibit stearic acid synthesis, while ACSL and FATB genes may hinder myristate acid production. This study provides a theoretical basis for improving palm oil quality.

The beneficial utilization of potentially increasing urban green waste (UGW) is critical for sustainable urban development in China. In this study, UGW was pyrolyzed at different temperatures, and the resulting biochar was used to amend Cd-contaminated soils to grow cabbage. Our results showed that the Cd adsorption capacity of UGW-biochar was positively correlated with the surface area, O/C, and (O+N)/C value of biochar. Furthermore, UGW-biochar was incorporated into three Cd-contaminated soils, including one acidic soil and two neutral soils, to assess its impact on the availability of Cd. The most substantial reduction in the concentration of available Cd was observed in the acidic soil, of the three tested soils. In the neutral soils, a more substantial reduction was found in the heavily Cd-contaminated soil compared to the lightly Cd-contaminated soil. UGW-biochar amendments to the three Cd-contaminated soils resulted in an increase in the cabbage biomass in acidic soil, whereas in neutral soils, it increased in lightly contaminated soils but decreased in heavily contaminated soils. Additionally, the Cd bioaccumulation factor (BCF), translocation factor (TF), and removal efficiency (RE), as impacted by the biochar application, were calculated in the lightly Cd-contaminated soil–cabbage system. The BCF decreased from 5.84 to 3.80 as the dosage of the UGW-biochar increased from 0% to 3%, indicating that the UGW-biochar immobilized Cd and reduced its bioaccumulation in cabbage roots. Based on our investigations, UGW-biochar effectively immobilizes Cd by reducing its mobility and bioavailability in a lightly contaminated environment matrix.

In a dynamic healthcare landscape, healthcare professionals (HCPs) must be proficient in artificial intelligence (AI). The Clinician Champions Program was created to address these AI education gaps. Over six weeks, three cohorts participated in this interprofessional program, featuring weekly assignments and a capstone project. This study employs a qualitative descriptive approach to assess the program’s effectiveness in enhancing knowledge, confidence, and skills in AI integration. With a 78% completion rate among 158 clinicians, the program utilized engaging methods, including case studies, capstone projects, and reflective learning to meet diverse learning needs. It also emphasized ethical considerations (e.g., IDEA framework) and the importance of extending educational opportunities to various healthcare professionals. The findings highlight the necessity of a diverse, equitable, and inclusive learning environment to bridge AI education gaps in healthcare. The program’s success supports the idea that enhancing AI knowledge and fostering confidence can lead to meaningful AI discussions in healthcare practice. This research offers insights for educators and institutions aiming to address the evolving healthcare needs through innovative interprofessional educational approaches.

Copper (Cu2+)-and-magnesium (Mg2+)-doped Zinc aluminate ZnAl2O4 is a promising material with diverse applications in electronic and energy storage devices. In this study, the synthesis of Zn0.9MxAl2O4 (M = Cu2+ and Mg2+; x = 0.00 and 0.10) was conducted via the sol–gel combined combustion technique. The structural, spectral, optical and dielectric parameters of the synthesized spinel aluminates were analysed to explore the substitution effect of Cu2+ and Mg2+ content. The formation and crystallinity analyses of the single-phase cubic spinel structure in the synthesized spinel aluminates were confirmed using XRD patterns. The lattice parameter and grain size were ascertained from the XRD data. The crystallite size of Cu2+ and Mg2+ substituted into ZnAl2O4 using Scherrer’s formula was found to be around 22 nm. The spinel structure formations in the prepared spinel aluminates were ascertained through an FT-IR study. The UV-Vis spectra exhibited a broad absorption band in the UV-Vis region, indicating the presence of electronic transitions. The band gap energy of the prepared aluminates was estimated from the absorption edge, with values varying between 2.90 eV and 3.03 eV, revealing its suitability for optoelectronic applications. Measurement of the dielectric parameters was performed in the frequency range of 100 Hz to 20 MHz at temperatures ranging from 30 °C to 250 °C. The dielectric constant (ε′) and dielectric loss (ε”) were determined as a function of frequency at different temperatures. The results showed that the dielectric constant decreased with increasing frequency for all the observed temperatures, while the dielectric loss exhibited a peak at a specific temperature. The conductivity results indicate that the conduction mechanism occurred due to polaron hopping. The Arrhenius relation was adopted to calculate the activation energies Ea for all the samples, and the values were between 0.70 eV and 0.38 eV. The obtained results were discussed and interpreted. These findings contribute to our understanding of the electrical behaviour of doped zinc aluminate materials and their useful applications in different electronic and energy systems.

Composite glasses possessing an amorphous nature and high dielectric constants exhibit properties suitable for optoelectronic and electrochemical applications. Multi-component silica–calcium phosphate glasses doped with 0.5 and 1 mol% of trivalent praseodymium (Pr3+) were synthesized using the sol-gel method. The Pr3+-doped and undoped glasses were compared at room temperature (300 K) to analyze their electrical variations. Dielectric studies predicted an increase in the dielectric constant and conductivity in the doped samples when compared to the undoped glass. A high dielectric constant of 89.2 was observed in the optimally doped glass at 1 kHz. The value of the capacitance increases to the order of nanofarads as the concentration of Pr3+ increases, indicating enhanced storage in the material. The AC conductivity of the highly doped sample evidenced a high value of 2.9 × 10−5 S/cm at 10 MHz. The Cole–Cole plot of the glasses demonstrated a single flattened semicircle due to the lack of grains. The equivalent circuitry constitutes a constant-phase element (CPE) in series with the parallel circuit of a resistor and CPE. This behavior is indicative of the suitability of the glasses as cathodes. The increase in capacitance with doping in the low-frequency region suggests the use of the glasses as dielectric energy-storage materials in condensers.

Multi-component silica calcium phosphate glasses doped with modifiers of alkaline and transition metal oxides of Mg2+, Fe3+, and Bi3+ were synthesized using the sol-gel method. The glasses were analyzed for structural behavior via XRD analysis. While alkaline metal-doped glasses were purely amorphous, the transition metal oxides induced fractional crystallinity in the material, with bismuth evidencing a high glass–ceramic attribute. FT-IR analysis confirmed the presence of silicate and phosphate linkages in the glass material via the vibration modes around 790 cm−1 and 450 cm−1, respectively. The peaks also represented the bridging and non-bridging oxygens of the glass formers. The UV-visible absorption spectra of the alkaline metal-infused glasses demonstrated the absence of sharp absorption peaks, while the transition metal-doped glasses evidenced prominent UV absorption. Tauc’s plots of the absorption spectra were employed to predict the band gap energies. While the Fe3+-doped glass exhibited the lowest band gap energy of 2.6 eV approaching a semiconducting nature, the remaining glasses exhibited an insulating behavior with a value of around 4 eV. The high UV absorption and lower bandgap indicate the suitability of the iron-doped glass for photovoltaic devices. Green and red emissions from all the glasses were observed using photoluminescence analysis. While the emission indicates the nature of the glass host, the intensity of its luminescence was altered by the influence of modifiers. Multi-component silicate glasses underscore the efficiency of the modifiers that could be suitably tailored for influencing the laser activity.

Human umbilical cord lining epithelial cells [CLECs) are naïve in nature and can be ethically recovered from cords that are routinely discarded. The success of using oral mucosal epithelial cells for cornea defects hints at the feasibility of treating cutaneous wounds using non-native CLECs. Herein, we characterized CLECs using flow cytometry (FC) and skin organotypic cultures in direct comparison with skin keratinocytes (KCs). This was followed by wound healing study to compare the effects of CLEC application and the traditional use of human skin allografts (HSGs) in a porcine wound model. While CLECs were found to express all the epidermal cell markers probed, the major difference between CLECs and KCs lies in the level of expression (in FC analysis) as well as in the location of expression (of the epithelium in organotypic cultures) of some of the basal cell markers probed. On the pig wounds, CLEC application promoted accelerated healing with no adverse reaction compared to HSG use. Though CLECs, like HSGs, elicited high levels of local and systemic immune responses in the animals during the first week, these effects were tapered off more quickly in the CLEC-treated group. Overall, the in vivo porcine data point to the potential of CLECs as a non-native and safe source of cells to treat cutaneous wounds.

A robust forecast of rice yields is of great importance for medium-to-long-term planning and decision-making in cereal production, from regional to national level. Incorporation of spatially correlated adjacent effects in forecasting models in general, results in accurate forecast. The Space Time Autoregressive Moving Average (STARMA) is the most popular class of model in linear spatiotemporal time series modelling. However, STARMA cannot process nonlinear spatiotemporal relationships in datasets. Alternately, Time Delay Neural Network (TDNN) is a most popular machine learning algorithm to model the nonlinear pattern in data. To overcome these limitations, two-stage STARMA approach was developed to predict rice yield in some of the most intensive national rice agroecosystems in India. The Mean Absolute Percentage Errors value of proposed STARMA-II approach is lower compared to Autoregressive Moving Average (ARIMA) and STARMA model in all examined districts, while the Diebold-Mariano test confirmed that STARMA-II model is significantly different from classical approaches. The proposed STARMA-II approach is promising alternative to classical linear and nonlinear spatiotemporal time series models for estimating mixed linear and nonlinear patterns and can be advanced tool for mid-to-long-term sustainable planning and management of crop yields and patterns in agroecosystems, i.e., food supply and demand from local to regional levels.

Background: Branched chain amino acids (BCAA) supplementation is reported to aid in lean mass preservation, which may in turn minimize the reduction in resting metabolic rate (RMR) during weight loss. Our study aimed to examine the effect of BCAA supplementation to a hypocaloric diet on RMR and substrate utilization during a weight loss intervention. Methods: A total of 111 Chinese subjects comprising 55 males and 56 females aged 21 to 45 years old with BMI between 25 and 36 kg/m2 were randomized into three hypocaloric diet groups: (1) standard-protein (14%) with placebo (CT), (2) standard-protein with BCAA, and (3) high-protein (27%) with placebo. Indirect calorimetry was used to measure RMR, carbohydrate, and fat oxidation before and after 16 weeks of dietary intervention. Results: RMR was reduced from 1600 ± 270 kcal/day to 1500 ± 264 kcal/day (p < 0.0005) after weight loss, but no significant differences in the change of RMR, respiratory quotient, and percentage of fat and carbohydrate oxidation were observed among the three diet groups. Subjects with BCAA supplementation had an increased postprandial fat (p = 0.021) and decreased postprandial carbohydrate (p = 0.044) oxidation responses compared to the CT group after dietary intervention. Conclusions: BCAA-supplemented standard-protein diet did not significantly attenuate reduction of RMR compared to standard-protein and high-protein diets. However, the postprandial fat oxidation response increased after BCAA-supplemented weight loss intervention.

Oil palm crops are the most important determinant of the agricultural economy within the segment of oilseed crops. Oil palm growing in their natural habitats are often challenged simultaneously by multiple stress factors, both abiotic and biotic that limit crop productivity and are major constraints to meeting global food demands. The stress-tolerant oil palm crops that mitigate the effects of abiotic stresses on crop productivity are crucially needed to sustain agricultural production. Basal stem rot threatens the development of the industry, and the key to solving the problem is to breed new oil palm varieties resistant to adversity. This has created a need for genetic improvement which involves evaluation of germplasm, pest and disease resistance, earliness and shattering resistance, quality of oil, varieties for different climatic conditions, etc. In recent years, insights into physiology, molecular biology, and genetics have significantly enhanced our understanding of oil palm response towards such stimuli as well as the reason for varietal diversity in tolerance. In this review, we explore the research progress, existing problems, and prospects of oil palm stress resistance-based physiological mechanisms of stress tolerance as well as the genes and metabolic pathways that regulate stress response.

Central fat accumulation is a significant determinant of cardio-metabolic health risk, known to differ between ethnically distinct human populations. Despite evidence for preferential central adiposity in Asian populations, the proportional distribution between the subcutaneous and visceral compartments in Chinese postmenopausal women has not been thoroughly investigated. For this analysis, volumetrically quantified subcutaneous and visceral adipose tissue (SAT, VAT) in the pelvic and abdominal regions of postmenopausal Asian (Chinese-Singaporean) and Caucasian (German) women matched for age and Body Mass Index (BMI) was undertaken, to examine such differences between the two groups. Volumes were calculated from segmentations of magnetic resonance imaging datasets of the abdomen and pelvis. Despite SAT, VAT, and the corresponding total adipose tissue (TAT) being similar between the groups, VAT/SAT and VAT/TAT were higher in the Asian group (by 24.5% and 18.2%, respectively, each p = 0.02). Further, VAT/SAT and VAT/TAT were positively correlated with BMI in the Caucasian group only (p = 0.02 and p = 0.01, respectively). We concluded that VAT is proportionally higher in the non-obese Asian women, compared to the Caucasian women of matched age and BMI. This conclusion is in agreement with existing literature showing higher abdominal adiposity in Asian populations. Additionally, in the Asian group, BMI did not correlate with visceral adiposity on a significant level. Further analysis is required to examine the extent to which this increased VAT may impact cardio-metabolic health. There is, however, a need to emphasize healthy lifestyle behaviors in non-obese post-menopausal women of Chinese ancestry.

The current study aimed to investigate the cytotoxicity of co-administrating local anesthetics (LA) with glucocorticoids (GC) and hyaluronic acid (HA) in vitro. Human articular cartilage was obtained from five patients undergoing total knee arthroplasty. Chondrocytes were isolated, expanded, and seeded in 24-well plates for experimental testing. LA (lidocaine, bupivacaine, ropivacaine) were administered separately and co-administered with the following substances: GC, HA, and GC/HA. Viability was confirmed by microscopic images, flow cytometry, metabolic activity, and live/dead assay. The addition of HA and GC/HA resulted in enhanced attachment and branched appearance of the chondrocytes compared to LA and LA/GC. Metabolic activity was better in all LA co-administered with HA and GC/HA than with GC and only LA. Flow cytometry revealed the lowest cell viability in lidocaine and the highest cell viability in ropivacaine. This finding was also confirmed by live/dead assay. In conclusion, HA supports the effect of GC and reduces chondrotoxic effects of LA in vitro. Thereby, the co-administration of HA to LA and GC offers an alternative less chondrotoxic approach for treating patients with symptomatic osteoarthritis of the knee.

Foldable furniture is a trend of the modern furniture industry. However, apart from limitations attributed to multifunctionality and space saving characteristics, a complete design process documentation of foldable furniture is uncommon in furniture research. This study aims to develop a space-saving multipurpose table for improved ergonomic performance. Features and functions are extracted from research articles and patents for concept generation. The final concept is modelled using Autodesk Inventor Professional 2019. Mechanical simulations are done to confirm the structural integrity of the invention before prototyping and testing. The tests accounted for usage efficiency, space and usability. Using Minitab 19, the experimental data are analysed with t-tests. The survey data are analysed using Spearman’s correlation test via IBM SPSS Statistics version 21. Participants were able to complete tasks around 1.1–1.5 times faster with the proposed invention than with single-function furniture items. The amount of space occupied with the proposed invention was approximately 25–80% lesser than with the single-function furniture items placed together. The survey analysis demonstrated that there was a strong, positive and significant correlation between space saving effectiveness and ergonomic performance. Further developments to transition this invention to its commercialisation phase should be done to facilitate daily living domestic activities of society at large.

This paper presents the effect of cavity-based injection in an axisymmetric supersonic combustor using numerical investigation. An axisymmetric cavity-based angled and transverse injections in a circular scramjet combustor are studied. A three-dimensional Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes (RANS) equation along with the k-ω shear-stress transport (SST) turbulence model and species transport equations are considered for the reacting flow studies. The numerical results of the non-reacting flow studies are validated with the available experimental data and are in good agreement with it. The performance of the injection system is analyzed based on the parameters like wall pressures, combustion efficiency, and total pressure loss of the scramjet combustor. The transverse injection upstream of the cavity and at the bottom wall of the cavity in a supersonic flow field creates a strong shock train in the cavity region that enhances complete combustion of hydrogen-air in the cavity region compared to the cavity fore wall injection schemes. Eventually, the shock train in the flow field enhances the total pressure loss across the combustor. However, a marginal variation in the total pressure loss is observed between the injection schemes.

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) has become an innovative strategic management tool of socially and environmentally conscious business organizations in the 21st century. Although external CSR activities are better researched, firms’ internal CSR activities such as workplace health promotion and its impact on employee wellbeing are less understood, especially during a pandemic where job security is relatively lower in many sectors of employment. Additionally, wellbeing and good health have been recognized as important targets to achieve as part of the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goal 3. Therefore, this study investigates the relationship between health-related work benefits and employee wellbeing, satisfaction and loyalty to their workplace. Large scale survey research was performed with responses from 537 employees in Hungary and 16 hypotheses were tested. Data analysis and path modelling using PLS-SEM (Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling) reveal two-layers of factors that impact employee wellbeing, satisfaction and loyalty. We term this as ‘internal locus of control’ and ‘external locus of control’ variables. Internal locus of control variables such as mental and emotional health leads to wellbeing at the workplace but do not directly impact employee satisfaction and loyalty. In contrast, external locus of control factors such as healthcare support leads to wellbeing, satisfaction and loyalty. Employer commitment to healthcare support system is found pertinent especially during the pandemic. We discover wellbeing as a unique standalone construct in this study, which is vital as is it formed by mental and emotional wellbeing of employees, albeit not a determinant of employee workplace satisfaction and loyalty. We theorize workers’ self-reliance and preservation as possible explanations to the disassociation between employee wellbeing and loyalty to workplace during times of crisis and the pandemic.

This paper focuses on the influence of ramp locations upstream of a strut-based scramjet combustor under reacting flow conditions that are numerically investigated. In contrast, a computational study is adopted using Reynolds Averaged Navier Stokes (RANS) equations with the Shear Stress Transport (SST) k-ω turbulence model. The numerical results of the Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt or German Aerospace Centre (DLR) scramjet model are validated with the reported experimental values that show compliance within the range, indicating that the adopted simulation method can be extended for other investigations as well. The performance of the ramps in the strut-based scramjet combustor is analyzed based on parameters such as wall pressures, combustion efficiency and total pressure loss at various axial locations of the combustor. From the numerical shadowgraph, more shock interactions are observed upstream of the strut injection region for the ramp cases, which decelerates the flow downstream, and additional shock reflections with less intensity are also noticed when compared with the DLR scramjet model. The shock reflection due to the ramps enhances the hydrogen distribution in the spatial direction. The ignition delay is noticed for ramp combustors due to the deceleration of flow compared to the baseline strut only scramjet combustor. However, a higher flame temperature is observed with the ramp combustor. Because more shock interactions arise from the ramps, a marginal increase in the total pressure loss is observed for ramp combustors when compared to the baseline model.

Nowadays small and medium sized enterprises have become increasingly important in contribution to job creation and economic growth both in national and European level. Considering the rapidly and continuously changing business environment, due to the impacts of globalization and concentration, staying competitive is a great challenge for companies in the 21st century, especially in fashion retail sector. The current paper is intended to map the current situation of the sector—focusing primarily on SMEs—through the extensive literature review; and provide a better understanding of sector-specific competitive factors in fashion industry. The research methods are the analysis of different related articles, reports and other scientific literature sources, in-depth interviews and questionnaire survey. The survey was validated by confirmatory factor analysis, data were analyzed and evaluated through PLS-SEM model. The main findings of the study show that the most important competitive factor is the compliance with consumer needs. Furthermore, the research also points out that SME sector lag behind chains, thus, they need to focus more on better understanding and meeting consumer expectations. In this activity, it would be useful if they received EU and domestic support for educational assistance.

MicroRNA (miRNA) is a short, single-stranded, non-coding RNA found in eukaryotic cells that can regulate the expression of many genes at the post-transcriptional level. Among various plant miRNAs with diverse functions, miR156 plays a key role in biological processes, including developmental regulation, immune response, metabolic regulation, and abiotic stress. MiRNAs have become the regulatory center for plant growth and development. MicroRNA156 (miR156) is a highly conserved and emerging tool for the improvement of plant traits, including crop productivity and stress tolerance. Fine-tuning of squamosa promoter biding-like (SPL) gene expression might be a useful strategy for crop improvement. Here, we studied the regulation of the miR156 module and its interaction with SPL factors to understand the developmental transition of various plant species. Furthermore, this review provides a strong background for plant biotechnology and is an important source of information for further molecular breeding to optimize farming productivity.

Current plant-based yogurts are made by the fermentation of plant-based milks. Although this imparts fermented flavors and probiotic cultures, the process is relatively longer and often leads to textural issues. The protein content of these plant-based yogurts is also lower than their dairy counterparts. To overcome these challenges, this paper explores the high pressure processing (HPP) of plant protein ingredients as an alternative structuring strategy for plant-based yogurts. Using mung bean (MB), chickpea (CP), pea (PP), lentil (LP), and faba bean (FB) proteins as examples, this work compared the viscosity and viscoelastic properties of high pressure-structured (600 MPa, 5 min, 5 °C) 12% (w/w) plant protein gels without, and with 5% (w/w) sunflower oil (SO) to commercial plain skim and whole milk Greek yogurts and discussed the feasibility of using HPP to develop plant-based yogurts. HPP formed viscoelastic gels (G’ > G’’) for all plant protein samples with comparable gel strength (G’~102–103 Pa; tan δ~0.2–0.3) to commercial dairy yogurts. The plant protein gel strength decreased in the order: CP~CPSO~LP~LPSO > MBSO~PPSO~FB~FBSO > PP >> MB. Modest addition of sunflower oil led to little change in viscoelastic properties for all plant protein samples except for MB and PP, where gel strength increased with incorporated oil. The emulsion gels were also more viscous than the hydrogels. Nonetheless, the viscosity of the plant protein gels was similar to the dairy yogurts. Finally, a process involving separate biotransformation for optimized flavor production and high pressure processing for consistent texture generation was proposed. This could lead to high protein plant-based yogurt products with desirable texture, flavor, and nutrition.

We thank the authors Vorland, Kyle and Brown for their interest in our paper and their comments [...]

Ramadan fasting is a form of time-restricted feeding which combines a fast and feast period daily for a duration of one month every year. During Ramadan, Muslims abstain from food and drink consumption from dawn till sunset and this change in the meal schedule and frequency results in significant changes to the composition of the diet, such as energy and nutrient intake. These changes in dietary habits and their corresponding effects on cardiometabolic disease risk are compiled in this review. Ramadan fasting shows limited benefits to body composition via reductions in body mass in both healthy and obese individuals, although the results are often found to be transient and heterogeneous. There is, however, a more consistent improvement in blood lipid profile during Ramadan fasting, which often lasts beyond the Ramadan period. The results for glucose homeostasis, on the contrary, are more conflicting and inconclusive. The heterogeneity in the findings from the various studies can be generally attributed to cultural variations in dietary habits, differences in the duration of fasting due to seasonal/climatic differences at various geographical locations, age, gender and socioeconomic status, as well as other health and lifestyle factors of the various study populations.