Anti-aging performance improvement and enhanced combustion efficiency of boron via the coating of PDA

Boron is an ambitious fuel in energetic materials since its high heat release values,but its application is prohibited by low combustion efficiency and oxidization during storage.The polydopamine(PDA)was introduced into boron particles,investigating the impact of PDA content on the energetic behavior of boron.The results indicated that the PDA coating formed a fishing net structure on the surface of boron particles.The heat release results showed that the combustion calorific value of B@PDA was higher than that of the raw boron.Specifically,the actual combustion heat of boron powder in B@10%PDA increased by 38.08%.Meanwhile,the DSC peak temperature decreased by 100.65℃under similar oxidation rate compared to raw boron.Simultaneously,the B@PDA@AP and B@AP composites were prepared,and their combustion properties were evaluated.It was demonstrated that B@10%PDA@AP exhibited superior performance in terms of peak pressure and burning time,respectively.The peak pressure is 12.43 kPa more than B@AP and burning time is 2.22 times higher than B@AP.Therefore,the coating of PDA effectively inhibits the oxidization of boron during storage and enhances the energetic behavior of boron and corresponding composites.

Deterioration Reason and Improvement Measure of the Retarding Effect of Protein Retarder on Phosphorus Building Gypsum

The retarding effect of protein retarder on phosphorus building gypsum(PBG)and desulfurization building gypsum(DBG)was investigated,and the results show that protein retarder for DBG can effectively prolong the setting time and displays a better retarding effect,but for PBG shows a poor retarding effect.Furthermore,the deterioration reason of the retarding effect of protein retarder on PBG was investigated by measuring the pH value and the retarder concentration of the liquid phase from vacuum filtration of PBG slurry at different hydration time,and the measure to improve the retarding effect of protein retarding on PBG was suggested.The pH value of PBG slurry(<5.0)is lower than that of DBG slurry(7.8-8.5).After hydration for 5 min,the concentration of retarder in liquid phase of DBG slurry gradually decreases,but in liquid phase of PBG slurry continually increases,which results in the worse retarding effect of protein retarder on PBG.The liquid phase pH value of PBG slurry can be adjusted higher by sodium silicate,which is beneficial to improvement in the retarding effect of the retarder.By adding 1.0%of sodium silicate,the initial setting time of PBG was efficiently prolonged from 17 to 210 min,but little effect on the absolute dry flexural strength was observed.

Enhancing Private Healthcare Effectiveness in Lagos State, Nigeria: An Overview of the Effect of Quality Improvement Initiatives and Implications for Sustainable Healthcare Delivery

Background: Nigeria, a nation grappling with rapid population growth, economic intricacies, and complex healthcare challenges, particularly in Lagos State, the economic hub and most populous state, faces the challenge of ensuring quality healthcare access. The overview of the effect of quality improvement initiatives in this paper focuses on private healthcare providers in Lagos State, Nigeria. The study assesses the impact of donor-funded quality improvement projects on these private healthcare facilities. It explores the level of participation, perceived support, and tangible effects of the initiatives on healthcare delivery within private healthcare facilities. It also examines how these initiatives influence patient inflow and facility ratings, and bring about additional benefits and improvements, provides insights into the challenges faced by private healthcare providers in implementing quality improvement projects and elicits recommendations for improving the effectiveness of such initiatives. Methods: Qualitative research design was employed for in-depth exploration, utilizing semi-structured interviews. Private healthcare providers in Lagos involved in the SP4FP Quality Improvement Project were purposively sampled for diversity. Face-to-face interviews elicited insights into participation, perceived support, and project effects. Questions covered participation levels, support perception, changes observed, challenges faced, and recommendations. Thematic analysis identified recurring themes from interview transcripts. Adherence to ethical guidelines ensured participant confidentiality and informed consent. Results: Respondents affirmed active involvement in the SP4FP Quality Improvement Project, echoing literature emphasizing private-sector collaboration with the public sector. While acknowledging positive influences on facility ratings, respondents highlighted challenges within the broader Nigerian healthcare landscape affecting patient numbers. Respondents cited tangible improvements, particularly in staff management and patient care processes, validating the positive influence of quality improvement projects. Financial constraints emerged as a significant challenge, aligning with existing literature emphasizing the pragmatic difficulties faced by private healthcare providers. Conclusions: This study illuminates the complex landscape of private healthcare provision in Lagos State, emphasizing the positive impact of donor-funded quality improvement projects. The findings provide nuanced insights, guiding policymakers, healthcare managers, and practitioners toward collaborative, sustainable improvements. As Nigeria progresses, these lessons will be crucial in shaping healthcare policies prioritizing population well-being.

Introduction of Western Medicines into China and Improvement on Decoctions during Modern China

During the late Qing dynasty(1840 A.D.-1912 A.D.),a large quantity of Western medicines entered China,which continuously impacted the traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)market and revealed the shortcomings of Chinese medicines.Some personages in the TCM community followed the trend of learning from the West,and attempted to reform TCM,with the improvement on decoction becoming an important aspect of this effort.Through debates and trials,the improvement on decoction underwent three stages of conceptual evolution:“taking Chinese medicines as the foundation and referring to the dosage forms of Western medicines”,“introducing Western techniques to serve the preparation of decoctions”and“integrating the theories of TCM and Western medicine to improve decoctions”.The study highlights the effective complementarity between modern TCM and Western medicine in the field of pharmacy,and provides valuable experience and support for the reevaluation of the value of TCM in contemporary society.

Selection criteria of MPOB-Angola germplasm collection for yield improvement of the oil palm

Oil palm germplasm collected from Angola,Africa in 1991 were subjected to genetic variability potential studies.The collection was planted in the form of open-pollinated families as trials at the Malaysian Palm Oil Board(MPOB)Kluang Research Station,Johor,Malaysia,in 1994.Dura palms from 52 families and tenera palms from 44 families of MPOB-Angola were evaluated for their bunch yield and bunch quality components.The objectives of this study were to determine the genetic variability among the families and performance of MPOB-Angola germplasm for yield improvement.The analysis of variance(ANOVA)revealed highly significant differences between the dura and tenera families for most of the traits,suggesting the presence of high genetic variability,which is essential for breeding programmes.Among the duras,family AGO 02.02 displayed the best yield performance,with a high fresh fruit bunch,oil yield and total economic product at 240.40,29.46 and 37.93 kg palm^(-1)year^(-1),respectively.As for the teneras,family AGO 03.04 recorded the highest FFB yield and oil yield at 249.25 and 45.22 kg palm^(-1)year^(-1),respectively.Besides that,several families with big fruit sizes or producing a mean fruit weight of 14-17 g were also identified.Both dura and tenera from AGO 01.01 recorded the highest oil to bunch(O/B)of 17.76%and 28.65%,respectively.These findings will facilitate the selection of palms from the MPOB-Angola germplasm for future breeding programmes.

Integrating artificial intelligence and high-throughput phenotyping for crop improvement

Crop improvement is crucial for addressing the global challenges of food security and sustainable agriculture.Recent advancements in high-throughput phenotyping(HTP)technologies and artificial intelligence(AI)have revolutionized the field,enabling rapid and accurate assessment of crop traits on a large scale.The integration of AI and machine learning algorithms with HTP data has unlocked new opportunities for crop improvement.AI algorithms can analyze and interpret large datasets,and extract meaningful patterns and correlations between phenotypic traits and genetic factors.These technologies have the potential to revolutionize plant breeding programs by providing breeders with efficient and accurate tools for trait selection,thereby reducing the time and cost required for variety development.However,further research and collaboration are needed to overcome the existing challenges and fully unlock the power of HTP and AI in crop improvement.By leveraging AI algorithms,researchers can efficiently analyze phenotypic data,uncover complex patterns,and establish predictive models that enable precise trait selection and crop breeding.The aim of this review is to explore the transformative potential of integrating HTP and AI in crop improvement.This review will encompass an in-depth analysis of recent advances and applications,highlighting the numerous benefits and challenges associated with HTP and AI.

Research on Soil Conservation and Improvement Technology in Zhaoyang District

The environment of tobacco-growing soil directly affects the yield and quality of tobacco leaves.In order to solve problems of tobacco-growing soil degradation,low organic matter content and unbalanced soil nutrient supply and promote sustainable and healthy development of tobacco production,this paper comprehensively discussed conservation and improvement techniques of tobacco-growing soil based on existing problems in Zhaoyang District,aiming to provide reference for tobacco-growing soil conservation.

In situ digital testing method for quality assessment of soft soil improvement with polyurethane

This study purposes an in situ testing method on quality assessment of soil improvement.Factual drilling data includes the spatial distribution and in situ strength of untreated and treated soil along three different drillholes measured by on-site drilling monitoring method.These factual drilling data can characterize the degree of soil improvement by penetration injection with permeable polyurethane.Result from on-site drilling monitoring shows that the linear zones represent constant drilling speeds shown in the plot of drill bit advancement vs.net drilling time,which indicates the spatial distributions of soil profile.The soil profile at the study site is composed of four layers,which includes fill,untreated silty clay,treated silty clay,and mucky soil.The results of soil profile are verified by the parallel site loggings.The constant drilling speeds profile the coring-resistant strength of drilled soils.By comparing with the untreated silty clay,the constant drilling speeds of the treated silty clay have been decreased by 13.0-62.8%.Two drilling-speed-based indices of 61.2%and 65.6%are proposed to assess the decreased average drilling speed and the increased in situ strength of treated silty clay.Laboratory tests,i.e.uniaxial compressive strength(UCS)test,have been performed with core sample to investigate and characterize in situ strength by comparing that with drilling speeds.Results show that the average predicted strengths of treated silty clay are 2.4-6.9 times higher than the average measured strength of untreated silty clay.The UCS-based indices of 374.5%and 344.2%verified the quality assessment(QA)results by this new in situ method.This method provides a cost-effective tool for quality assessment of soil improvement by utilizing the digital drilling data.

Post-operative morbidity after neoadjuvant chemotherapy and resection for gallbladder cancer: A national surgical quality improvement program analysis

BACKGROUND Gallbladder cancer is the most common malignancy of the biliary tract.Neo-adjuvant chemotherapy(NACT)has improved overall survival by enabling R0 resection.Currently,there is no consensus of guidelines for neoadjuvant therapy in gallbladder cancer.As investigations continue to analyze the regimen and benefit of NACT for ongoing care of gallbladder cancer patients,we examined American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program(NSQIP)database to determine if there was higher morbidity among the neo-adjuvant group within the 30-day post-operative period.We hypothesized patients who underwent NACT were more likely to have higher post-operative morbidity.AIM To investigate the 30-day post-operative morbidity outcomes between patients who received NACT and underwent surgery and patients who only had surgery.METHODS A retrospective analysis of the targeted hepatectomy NSQIP data between 2015 and 2019 was performed to determine if NACT in gallbladder cancer increased the risk for post-operative morbidity(bile leak,infection rate,rate of converting to open surgery,etc.)compared to the group who only had surgery.To calculate the odds ratio for the primary and secondary outcomes,a crude logistic regression was performed.RESULTS Of the 452 patients,52 patients received NACT prior to surgery.There were no statistically significant differences in the odds of morbidity between the two groups,including bile leak[odds ratio(OR),0.69;95%confidence interval(95%CI):0.16-2.10;P=0.55],superficial wound infection(OR,0.58;95%CI:0.03-3.02;P=0.61),and organ space wound infection(OR,0.63;95%CI:0.18-1.63;P=0.61).CONCLUSION There was no significant difference in the risk of 30-day post-operative morbidity between the NACT and surgery group and the surgery only group.

High rate of clinically relevant improvement following anatomical total shoulder arthroplasty for glenohumeral osteoarthritis

BACKGROUND The minimal clinically important difference(MCID)is defined as the smallest meaningful change in a health domain that a patient would identify as important.Thus,an improvement that exceeds the MCID can be used to define a successful treatment for the individual patient.AIM To quantify the rate of clinical improvement following anatomical total shoulder arthroplasty for glenohumeral osteoarthritis.METHODS Patients were treated with the Global Unite total shoulder platform arthroplasty between March 2017 and February 2019 at Herlev and Gentofte Hospital,Denmark.The patients were evaluated preoperatively and 3 months,6 months,12 months,and 24 months postoperatively using the Western Ontario Osteoarthritis of the Shoulder index(WOOS),Oxford Shoulder Score(OSS)and Constant-Murley Score(CMS).The rate of clinically relevant improvement was defined as the proportion of patients who had an improvement 24 months postoperatively that exceeded the MCID.Based on previous literature,MCID for WOOS,OSS,and CMS were defined as 12.3,4.3,and 12.8 respectively.RESULTS Forty-nine patients with a Global Unite total shoulder platform arthroplasty were included for the final analysis.Mean age at the time of surgery was 66 years(range 49.0-79.0,SD:8.3)and 65%were women.One patient was revised within the two years follow-up.The mean improvement from the preoperative assessment to the two-year follow-up was 46.1 points[95%confidence interval(95%CI):39.7-53.3,P<0.005]for WOOS,18.2 points(95%CI:15.5-21.0,P<0.005)for OSS and 37.8 points(95%CI:31.5-44.0,P<0.005)for CMS.Two years postoperatively,41 patients(87%)had an improvement in WOOS that exceeded the MCID,45 patients(94%)had an improvement in OSS that exceeded the MCID,and 42 patients(88%)had an improvement in CMS that exceeded the MCID.CONCLUSION Based on three shoulder-specific outcome measures we find that approximately 90%of patients has a clinically relevant improvement.This is a clear message when informing patients about their prognosis.

An Overview of Soil Improvement through Ground Grouting

Soil is an essential component of what surrounds us in nature, providing as the basis for our infrastructure and construction. However, soil is not always suitable for construction due to a variety of geotechnical issues such as inadequate bearing capacity, excessive settlement, and liquefaction susceptibility. Through improving the engineering qualities of soil, such as strength, permeability, and stability, ground grouting is a specific geotechnical method used. Using a fluid grout mixture injected into the subsurface, holes are filled and weak or loose strata are solidified as the material seeps into the soil matrix. The approach’s adaptability in addressing soil-related issues has made it more well-known in the fields of civil engineering and construction. In the end, this has improved groundwater management, foundation support, and overall geotechnical performance.

Discussion on the Status Quo of Vocational College Students’Self-Image and its Improvement Strategies

An individual’s self-image is a multi-dimensional and multi-structural concept.Its internal dimensions include ability,knowledge,values,personality,and temperament,and its external dimensions are physical appearance,behavior,and clothing.A good image will have a positive impact both in life and at work.We will choose appropriate clothing and makeup to modify the external image and cultivate positive qualities such as correct values and an optimistic attitude towards life to enhance internal dimensions.Among them,“personality”and“ability”mostly belong to the research category of mental health education,and“values”fit in the research field of ideological and political education.Ideological and political education and mental health education are both important components of higher education,which show similarities between them.Ideological and political education and mental health education can complement each other in many ways to enhance students’self-image.

Analysis of the Ideological and Political Concepts and Teaching Strategies for Quality Improvement in Physical Education Courses in Colleges and Universities

In today’s higher education system,the physical education program is not only for teaching sports skills and exercising physical fitness but also an important position for cultivating students’character,emotions,and values.With the in-depth development of the concept of ideological education,the ideology of college physical education courses has become an important direction of educational reform.In this paper,we will discuss the connotation of the concept of ideology and politics in college physical education courses,analyze the methods to effectively integrate the ideology and politics elements while guaranteeing the quality of teaching,and put forward the corresponding strategies to improve the quality,with a view to providing new ideas and methods for the construction of ideology and politics in college physical education courses.

Research on the Status Quo and Improvement Needs of Foreign Language Teachers’ Teaching Competence in Curriculum-Based Ideological Education in Xinjiang Colleges and Universities

This study investigated the status quo and further improvement needs of foreign language teachers’teaching competence in curriculum-based ideological education(CIE)in Xinjiang colleges and universities.The results show that the teachers’teaching competence in CIE is generally good,with the“cultivating quality”being the highest and the“scientific research quality”the lowest;there still exist several problems,such as teachers’lack of theoretical knowledge in CIE,lack of teaching resources,and insufficient abilities in teaching design and research.It is hoped that with the support and efforts from university administrations,teachers can improve their teaching competence in CIE through various approaches adopted and multiple measures taken,thus optimizing their teaching effectiveness,promoting the construction of CIE in Xinjiang colleges and universities in the new era,and contributing to Xinjiang’s high-quality development.

Biological improvement of saline alkali soil reference system:A review

This work presents a reference system overview to improve the efficiency of biological improvement of saline-alkali soil developed during the last thirty years, ranging from connotation, general methods and species, soil desalination, soil structure, soil organic content, microbial flora, enzyme activity, yield and economic benefits. The reference system presented is divided into three main groups: suitable varieties, suitable cultivation measures, and a comprehensive evaluation system.There has been a lot of research on biological improvement of saline alkali soil, but these studies are very fragmented and lack a comprehensive standard system. Also, there is a lack of practical significance, particularly with regard to optimal species, densities and times of sowing for particular regions. On the other hand, the corresponding cultivation measure is very important. Therefore, a reference system plays an important role to the effect of biological improvement of saline alkali soil.

Targeted mutagenesis of amino acid transporter genes for rice quality improvement using the CRISPR/Cas9 system

High grain protein content(GPC) reduces rice eating and cooking quality(ECQ). We generated OsAAP6 and OsAAP10 knockout mutants in three high-yielding japonica varieties and one japonica line using the CRISPR/Cas9 system. Mutation efficiency varied with genetic background in the T_0 generation, and GPC in the T_1 generation decreased significantly,owing mainly to a reduction in glutelin content. Amylose content was down-regulated significantly in some Osaap6 and all Osaap10 mutants. The increased taste value of these mutants was supported by Rapid Visco Analysis(RVA) profiles, which showed higher peak viscosity and breakdown viscosity and lower setback viscosity than the wild type. There were no significant deficiencies in agronomic traits of the mutants. Targeted mutagenesis of OsAAP6 and OsAAP10, especially OsAAP10, using the CRISPR/Cas9 system can rapidly reduce GPC and improve ECQ of rice, providing a new strategy for the breeding cultivars with desired ECQ.

Rice Storage Proteins:Focus on Composition,Distribution,Genetic Improvement and Effects on Rice Quality

Rice storage proteins(RSPs)are plant proteins with high nutritional quality.As the second largest type of storage substance in rice,it is the main source of protein intake for people who consume rice as a staple food.The content and type of RSPs affect the appearance,processing quality and eating quality of rice.These effects involve the distribution of RSPs in rice grains as well as the interactions of RSPs with other components such as starch in rice grains.In the past two decades,some progress has been made in the genetic improvement of RSPs.However,the determination mechanism of protein content and composition in rice is still unclear,and the mechanism of the effect of RSPs on rice quality has not been elucidated.In this review,the composition,biosynthesis and distribution of RSPs,and quantitative trait loci mapping and cloning of RSP genes are summarized,the research progress of the influence of RSPs and their components on rice quality are reviewed,and the research directions in the future are proposed.

Reliability Improvement of Large Multi-state Series-parallel Systems

In the paper, excess methods for improving the reliability of multi-state series-parallel systems are presented： for the hot reserve of single components, the cold reserve of single components, and the mixed （hot and cold） reserve of single components. A process is also introduced to improve the reliability of these methods by replacing their components with more reliable ones. New theorems for multi-state limit reliability functions in homogeneous and non-homogeneous series-parallel large systems composed of components with improved reliability are presented, and applied to compare the effects of these systems in different reliability improving methods.

Harnessing male germline epigenomics for the genetic improvement in cattle

Sperm is essential for successful artificial insemination in dairy cattle,and its quality can be influenced by both epi-genetic modification and epigenetic inheritance.The bovine germline differentiation is characterized by epigenetic reprogramming,while intergenerational and transgenerational epigenetic inheritance can influence the offspring’s development through the transmission of epigenetic features to the offspring via the germline.Therefore,the selec-tion of bulls with superior sperm quality for the production and fertility traits requires a better understanding of the epigenetic mechanism and more accurate identifications of epigenetic biomarkers.We have comprehensively reviewed the current progress in the studies of bovine sperm epigenome in terms of both resources and biological discovery in order to provide perspectives on how to harness this valuable information for genetic improvement in the cattle breeding industry.

Phenotypic Characterization and Strategies for Genetic Improvement of WAD Goats under Backyard Systems

West African Dwarf (WAD) goats represent one of the predominant small ruminant breeds raised by resource-limited households in southern Nigeria as well as in the humid west and central Africa. This breed of goats is renowned for its adaptation to hot and humid environments, high fertility and prolificacy under backyard systems where they are raised almost with zero investment. On account of its contributions to household income and food security in southern Nigeria, there is the need for a detailed phenotypic and genetic characterization as well as the design of breeding strategies for its conservation through sustainable utilization. A critical challenge, however, is that there are no national breeding policies in most of the countries where WAD goats are raised. The objectives of this paper are: to review literature reports on trait-level information and estimates of genetic parameters for some economic characters of WAD goats;and to discuss a communal breeding scheme for its conservation through sustainable utilization. The presentation shows that WAD goats represent a highly diverse population, with particular reference to qualitative and performance-related traits, reflecting the role of traditional institutions in the maintenance of animal diversity in local populations. A genetic improvement programme involving dispersed open nucleus breeding scheme was discussed. The scheme involves backyard WAD goat units in villages as base population and dispersed communally managed schemes that maintain a population of bucks only, as nucleus units. Critical issues such as the definition of breeding goals by farmers, as well as communal project ownership, are emphasized. The ultimate goal of the breeding programme is to create opportunities for community-based management of WAD goat genetic resources for the benefit of backyard goat farmers in the region.