Development Methodologies for Network Softwarization: A Comparison of DevOps, NetOps, and Verification

This white paper explores three popular development methodologies for network softwarization: DevOps, NetOps, and Verification. The paper compares and contrasts the strengths and weaknesses of each approach and provides recommendations for organizations looking to adopt network softwarization.

Review on microbial metabolomics of probiotics and pathogens:Methodologies and applications

In recent years,microbial metabolomics,a new field that has attracted wide attention,provides a map of metabolic pathways and clarifies the interaction mechanism between microorganisms and hosts.Many microorganisms are found in the human intestine,oral cavity,vagina,etc.Probiotics could maintain the good health of the host,while pathogens and an imbalance of bacterial flora lead to a series of diseases of the body and mind.Metabolomics is a science for qualitative and quantitative analysis of all metabolites in an organism or biological system,which could provide key information to understand the related metabolic pathways and associated changes.This approach analyzes the final products of cellular regulatory processes,the level of which can be regarded as the ultimate response of the biological system to genetic or environmental changes.Microbial metabolomics has been widely used in different research fields,such as microbial phenotypic classification,mutant screening,metabolic pathways,microbial metabolic engineering,fermentation engineering monitoring and optimization,microbial environmental pollution,and so on.However,there are only a few reviews on microbial metabolomics of probiotics and pathogens.This review summarizes the main methodologies,including sample preparation,identification of metabolites,data processing,and analysis.Recent applications in microbial metabolomics of probiotics and pathogens are also described.This paper first summarized the research progress and application of microbial metabolomics from two aspects:probiotics and pathogenic bacteria.Probiotics and pathogenic bacteria do not exist independently most of the time;hence,these were reviewed in the research field of coexistence of probiotics and pathogenic bacteria,which was subdivided into important microbial research fields closely related to human health,including the human gut,oral cavity,food,and nutrition-related microorganisms.Then,the main problems and trends associated with microbial metabolomics are discussed.

Research on Active Safety Methodologies for Intelligent Railway Systems

Safety is essential when building a strong transportation system.As a key development direction in the global railway system,the intelligent railway has safety at its core,making safety a top priority while pursuing the goals of efficiency,convenience,economy,and environmental friendliness.This paper describes the state of the art and proposes a system architecture for intelligent railway systems.It also focuses on the development of railway safety technology at home and abroad,and proposes the active safety method and technology system based on advanced theoretical methods such as the in-depth integration of cyber–physical systems(CPS),data-driven models,and intelligent computing.Finally,several typical applications are demonstrated to verify the advancement and feasibility of active safety technology in intelligent railway systems.

Protein Quality Evaluation of Animal Food Proteins by <i>In-Vitro</i>Methodologies

Animal protein foods are undoubtedly among the most concentrated source of essential amino acids (AA) for the human diet. However, their high prices and diseases associated to their excessive consumption have fomented the consumption of other alternative sources of animal proteins such as those from marine or aquatic species. Sonora is a well recognized producer of animal foods in Mexico, both terrestrial and aquatic. In this study, the protein quality evaluation of these animal food sources, highly produced and consumed in Sonora, is proposed, using in-vitro methodologies. Four different species, from each aquatic and terrestrial origin, were selected. Samples of lean muscle were used in all cases. Various in-vitro methodologies for protein quality evaluation were selected, alternatives to the animal bioassays: % digestibility, Total amino acid analyses (HPLC), PDCAAS, computerized PER calculations (C-PER and DC-PER) and total collagen contents. % in-vitro digestibility presented significant differences among samples from terrestrial species, but muscle from aquatic species did not showed significant differences. All sources of proteins, both aquatic and terrestrial proved to be rich sources of essential amino acids. PDCAAS was unable to establish significant differences in protein quality among sources of protein from different origin. Both methods C-PER and DC-PER were more exact in their results and were able to detect significant differences among samples of different origin. An important finding was the great difference in the total collagen content between aquatic and terrestrial sources of proteins, where terrestrial muscle proteins had almost 10-time more collagen than aquatic protein sources. However, these collagen contents did not seem to have a significant influence in the protein quality of these animal proteins. These muscle proteins, from both aquatic and terrestrial species, confirmed to have a high protein quality and some of the in-vitro methodologies used in this study represent a valuable alternative to the animal bioassays.

Paradigms and Methodologies for Knowledge Building

A diversity of methodologies can be utilized for knowledge building in social sciences, particularly in education. Nevertheless, in order to give meaning to the research findings and progressively create theories, an awareness of the epistemological framework appears to be necessary. The aim of this article is to present the main epistemological paradigms and their coherent correspondence with respective ontologies and corresponding methodologies. This article supports and describes four paradigms or epistemological traditions: logic empiricism, constructivism, conceptualism or Aristotelian tradition, and phenomenology. Understanding the diverse possible epistemologies as well as the coherence with methodologies is a necessary step for presenting well-informed research. Knowledge building requires comparison, replication, generalization or integration of results in theories, and all these processes need the critical instance of the epistemological and methodological coherence. Additionally some concrete examples of methodologies have been detailed to illustrate the diversity of available ways of knowledge building in education. The Review of Educational Theory, as a new journal that aims to create a scientific community, will increase the research quality by enhancing the epistemological and methodological awareness of their pieces of research.

Methodologies of Biophysical Wound Healing Therapies

Purpose: To evaluate the effects of methodological variation of biophysical therapies on wound healing outcomes, as a preliminary study to develop a composite wound healing device. Methods: A literature search was focused on the variable devices, sys-tem configurations, input parameters, and treatment durations of negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT), electrical stimulation (ES), and low-level light therapy (LLLT) from 2011 to July 2016. Results: In NPWT, lower vacuum pressures of ?50 and ?80 mmHg achieved similar tissue perfusion outcomes as earlier recommendations of ?125 mmHg, while there is no established regimen with respect to continuous, square wave, or triangular NP waveform due to inconsistent results. Use of wound filler may contribute to improved tissue granulation when compared to topical NP. An ES configuration of high-voltage pulsed current with the stimulation electrode placed in the wound bed best resembles the endogenous skin current, which guides cellular migration. However, no studies have established optimal stimulation parameters. For LLLT, laser and LED proved similarly effective. Although red light has been almost exclusively used in human pressure ulcer treatment, studies comparing blue, green, and red wavelengths more consistently show biological effects using green light. Conclu-sions: Variation in the application of mechanical, electrical, and radiant energies may be used to modulate wound healing pathways. To 2012, no studies have examined use of these biophysical modalities in combination. Further methodological studies with a systems approach would help define optimal treatment protocols for improved wound healing outcomes in clinical practice.

Agile Software Development Methodologies: Survey of Surveys

Agile software design and development methodologies have been gaining rigorous attention in the software engineering research community since their early introduction in the mid-nineties in addition to being highly adopted by the software development industry. In the last 15 years, an excessive number of research studies have been conducted on agile methods, a great number of notable methods have been proposed and various surveys have been presented by many researchers. In this study, the authors intend to conduct a literature survey study of the surveys of the different agile methodologies ranging from January 2000 to December 2015 using an intuitive research methodology called “Compare and Review” (CR). Furthermore, these survey papers were classified into four major categories according to their area of study. Additionally, the newly proposed agile methodologies that have not been addressed yet in any other literature review were reviewed and compared in terms of where the changes that they proposed lay on the SDLC.

Biological Methodologies on SDHI Fungicides to Assess Reductions of Sensitivity and Activity on <i>Venturia inaequalis</i>and Cross-Resistance Tests

Biological methodologies (in vitro and in vivo) were tested on Venturia inaequalis to assay sensitivity of populations treated with the SDHI penthiopyrad, fluxapyroxad and fluopyram that showed a field poor control in an experimental Centre. In comparison, sensible populations were tested. In vitro trials, the poorly controlled populations presented moderate increases of EC50 and RF values in all three years in which tests were carried out. The in vivo trials in glasshouse showed that the activity of SDHI fungicides on field poorly controlled populations was highly reduced. These populations can be defined as “resistant” as the high loss of sensitivity and activity were repeatedly assessed in field and glasshouse. Trials showed that these reductions were manifested by curative applications and not by preventive ones, as already ascertained for V. inaequalis populations resistant to AP and DMI fungicides. The cross-resistance of resistant populations to the three SDHIs was highly positive among them. In bibliography, there are only researches of cross-resistance among SDHIs starting from isolates resistant to boscalid, with results of different sensitivities and cross-resistance. These results with populations of V. inaequalis resistant to the three SDHI offer practical evaluations in cross-resistance.

Emerging Trends in Damage Tolerance Assessment:A Review of Smart Materials and Self-Repairable Structures

The discipline of damage tolerance assessment has experienced significant advancements due to the emergence of smart materials and self-repairable structures.This review offers a comprehensive look into both traditional and innovative methodologies employed in damage tolerance assessment.After a detailed exploration of damage tolerance concepts and their historical progression,the review juxtaposes the proven techniques of damage assessment with the cutting-edge innovations brought about by smart materials and self-repairable structures.The subsequent sections delve into the synergistic integration of smart materials with self-repairable structures,marking a pivotal stride in damage tolerance by establishing an autonomous system for immediate damage identification and self-repair.This holistic approach broadens the applicability of these technologies across diverse sectors yet brings forth unique challenges demanding further innovation and research.Additionally,the review examines future prospects that combine advanced manufacturing processes with data-centric methodologies,amplifying the capabilities of these‘intelligent’structures.The review culminates by highlighting the transformative potential of this union between smart materials and self-repairable structures,promoting a sustainable and efficient engineering paradigm.

Integration of Mathematics History into Junior Middle School Education: A Pedagogical Approach to Enhance Mathematical Literacy

The integration of the history of mathematics into junior middle school mathematics education represents a significant focus of international research in mathematics and education.The mathematics curriculum standards for compulsory education have emphasized the importance of incorporating the history of mathematics,aiming to gradually integrate it into the mathematics classroom.However,in the practical implementation of junior middle school mathematics education,the effective combination of the history of mathematics with teaching methodologies remains largely unexplored.This article explores the integration of junior middle school mathematics education and the history of mathematics,aiming to provide classroom teaching recommendations for teachers and promote the formation of students’mathematical literacy.

Superhydrophobic modification of cellulose and cotton textiles:Methodologies and applications

Superhydrophobic cellulose-based products have immense potential in many industries where plastics and other polymers with hydrophobic properties are used.Superhydrophobic cellulose-based plastic is inherently biodegradable,renewable and non-toxic.Finding a suitable replace-ment of plastics is highly desired since plastics has become an environmental concern.Despite its inherent hydrophilicity,cellulose has unparalleled advantages as a substrate for the produc-tion of superhydrophobic materials which has been widely used in self-cleaning,self-healing,oil and water separation,electromagnetic interference shielding,etc.This review includes a compre-hensive survey of the progress achieved so far in the production of super-hydrophobic materials based on cellulose and fiber networks.The methodologies and applications of superhydrophobic-modified cellulose and fiber networks are emphasized.Overall,presented herein is targeting on summarizing some of the aspects that are critical to advance this evolving field of science which may provide new ideas for the developing and exploring of superhydrophobic and green-based materials.

Unmodified methodologies in target discovery for small molecule drugs:A rising star

Target discovery,involving target identification and validation,is the prerequisite for drug discovery and screening.Novel methodologies and technologies for the precise discovery and confirmation of drug targets are powerful tools in understanding the disease,looking for a drug and elucidating the mechanism of drug treatment.Among the common target identification and confirmation methods,the modified method is time-consuming and laborious,which may reduce or change the activity of natural products.The unmodified methods developed in recent years without chemical modification have gradually become an important means of studying drug targets.A wide range of unmodified approaches have been reported,introducing and analyzing the recent emerging methodologies and technologies.This review highlights the advantages and limitations of these methods for the application of drug target discovery and presents an overview of their contributions to the target discovery of small molecule drugs.The application and future development trends of methodologies in target discovery are also prospected to provide a reference for drug target research.

Review of research methodologies for tigers:Telemetry

Over the past half century,wildlife research has relied on technological advances to gain additional insight into the secretive lives of animals.This revolution started in the 1960s with the development of radio telemetry and continues today with the use of Global Positioning System(GPS)-based research techniques.In the present paper we review the history of radio telemetry from its origins with grizzly bears in Yellowstone to its early applications in tiger research and conservation in Asia.We address the different types of data that are available using radio telemetry as opposed to using other research techniques,such as behavioral observations,camera trapping,DNA analysis and scat analysis.In the late 1990s,the rapid development of GPS collar technology revolutionized wildlife research.This new technology has enabled researchers to dramatically improve their ability to gather data on animal movements and ecology.Despite the ecological and conservation benefits of radio telemetry,there have been few telemetry studies of tigers in the wild,and most have been on the Bengal or Amur subspecies.We close with an assessment of the current tiger conservation efforts using GPS technology and discuss how this new information can help to preserve tigers for future generations.

Efficient Visual Recognition:A Survey on Recent Advances and Brain-inspired Methodologies

Visual recognition is currently one of the most important and active research areas in computer vision,pattern recognition,and even the general field of artificial intelligence.It has great fundamental importance and strong industrial needs,particularly the modern deep neural networks(DNNs)and some brain-inspired methodologies,have largely boosted the recognition performance on many concrete tasks,with the help of large amounts of training data and new powerful computation resources.Although recognition accuracy is usually the first concern for new progresses,efficiency is actually rather important and sometimes critical for both academic research and industrial applications.Moreover,insightful views on the opportunities and challenges of efficiency are also highly required for the entire community.While general surveys on the efficiency issue have been done from various perspectives,as far as we are aware,scarcely any of them focused on visual recognition systematically,and thus it is unclear which progresses are applicable to it and what else should be concerned.In this survey,we present the review of recent advances with our suggestions on the new possible directions towards improving the efficiency of DNN-related and brain-inspired visual recognition approaches,including efficient network compression and dynamic brain-inspired networks.We investigate not only from the model but also from the data point of view(which is not the case in existing surveys)and focus on four typical data types(images,video,points,and events).This survey attempts to provide a systematic summary via a comprehensive survey that can serve as a valuable reference and inspire both researchers and practitioners working on visual recognition problems.

Optimizing hemicelluloses pre-extraction in eucalyptus kraft pulping:A pathway towards enhancing pulp mill biorefineries

A critical pathway towards enhancing pulp mill biorefineries is to integrate the extraction and utilization of hemicelluloses into the pulping processes.Hence,an industrial pre-extraction strategy for hemicelluloses targeting eucalyptus kraft pulping process was developed.Alkaline solution or pulping white liquor was used to pre-extract hemicelluloses before the actual pulping process.The response surface methodology(RSM)technique was applied to investigate the most suitable conditions to maximize the yield of these hemicelluloses while simultaneously minimizing the damage to pulp yields and properties.Temperature(105 to 155℃),alkali concentration(3%to 8%),sulfidity(20%to 30%)and retention time(19 to 221 min)were combined to evaluate their effects on hemicellulose yields and chemical structures.The optimal pre-extraction conditions identified in this work(5.75%NaOH concentration,25%sulfidity at 135℃for 60 min)successfully allowed recovering 4.8%of hemicelluloses(based on the wood dry mass)and limited damages to pulp yields and properties.The cellulose content in pulp can even be increased by about 10%.Hemicellulose emulsification properties were also evaluated,which were comparable to synthetic emulsifiers.This study provides an industrial pathway to effectively separate and utilize wood hemicelluloses from the pulping process,which has the potential to improve the economy and material utilization of pulp and paper mills.

Emerging perovskite materials for supercapacitors:Structure,synthesis,modification,advanced characterization,theoretical calculation and electrochemical performance

As a new generation electrode materials for energy storage,perovskites have attracted wide attention because of their unique crystal structure,reversible active sites,rich oxygen vacancies,and good stability.In this review,the design and engineering progress of perovskite materials for supercapacitors(SCs)in recent years is summarized.Specifically,the review will focus on four types of perovskites,perovskite oxides,halide perovskites,fluoride perovskites,and multi-perovskites,within the context of their intrinsic structure and corresponding electrochemical performance.A series of experimental variables,such as synthesis,crystal structure,and electrochemical reaction mechanism,will be carefully analyzed by combining various advanced characterization techniques and theoretical calculations.The applications of these materials as electrodes are then featured for various SCs.Finally,we look forward to the prospects and challenges of perovskite-type SCs electrodes,as well as the future research direction.

A systematic scoping review of study methodology for randomized controlled trials investigating probiotics in athletic and physically active populations

Background:The purported ergogenic and health effects of probiotics have been a topic of great intrigue among researchers,practitioners,and the lay public alike.There has also been an increased research focus within the realm of sports science and exercise medicine on the athletic gut microbiota.However,compared to other ergogenic aids and dietary supplements,probiotics present unique study challenges.The objectives of this systematic scoping review were to identify and characterize study methodologies of randomized controlled trials investigating supplementation with probiotics in athletes and physically active individuals.Methods:Four databases(MEDLINE,CINAHL,Cochrane CENTRAL,and Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews)were searched for randomized controlled studies involving healthy athletes or physically active individuals.An intervention with probiotics and inclusion of a control and/or placebo group were essential.Only peer-reviewed articles in English were considered,and there were no date restrictions.Results were extracted and presented in tabular form to detail study protocols,characteristics,and outcomes.Bias in randomized controlled trials was determined with the RoB 2.0 tool.Results:A total of 45 studies were included in the review,with 35 using a parallel group design and 10 using a cross-over design.Approximately half the studies used a single probiotic and the other half a multi-strain preparation.The probiotic dose ranged from 2×10^(8)to 1×10^(11)colony forming units daily,and the length of intervention was between 7 and 150 days.Fewer than half the studies directly assessed gastrointestinal symptoms,gut permeability,or the gut microbiota.The sex ratio of participants was heavily weighted toward males,and only 3 studies exclusively investigated females.Low-level adverse events were reported in only 2 studies,although the methodology of reporting varied widely.The risk of bias was generally low,although details on randomization were lacking in some studies.Conclusion:There is a substantial body of research on the effects of prob iotic supplementation in healthy athletes and physically active individuals.Considerable heterogeneity in probiotic selection and dosage as well as outcome measures has made clinical and mechanistic interpretation challenging for both health care practitioners and researchers.Attention to issues of randomization of participants,treatments and interventions,selection of outcomes,demographics,and reporting of adverse events will facilitate more trustworthy interpretation of probiotic study results and inform evidence-based guidelines.

Enhancing wood efficiency through comprehensive wood flow analysis:Methodology and strategic insights

Wood,an essential natural resource in human civilization,remains widely used despite advances in technology and material substitution.The surge in greenhouse gas emissions and environmental concerns accentuates the need for optimizing wood utilization.Material flow analysis is a powerful tool for tracking material flows and stocks,aiding resource management and environmental decision-making.However,the full extent of its methodological dimensions,particularly within the context of the wood supply chain,remains relatively unexplored.In this study,we delve into the existing literature on wood flow analysis,discussing its primary objectives,materials involved,temporal and spatial scales,data sources,units,and conversion factors.Additionally,data uncertainty,data reconciliation and crucial assumptions in material flow analysis are highlighted in this paper.Key findings reveal the significance of wood cascading and substitution effects by replacing non-wood materials,where they can reduce greenhouse gas emissions more than the natural carbon sink of forests and wood products.The immediate impact of short-term wood cascading might not be as robust as the substitution effect,with energy substitution showcasing better results than material substitution.However,it's crucial to note that these conclusions could experience significant reversal from a long-term and global perspective.Strategies for improving wood efficiency involve maximizing material use,advancing construction technologies,extending product lifespans,promoting cascade use,and optimizing energy recovery processes.The study underscores the need for standardized approaches in wood flow analysis and emphasizes the potential of wood efficiency strategies in addressing environmental challenges.

Recovery of Li, Ni, Co and Mn from spent lithium-ion batteries assisted by organic acids: Process optimization and leaching mechanism

The proper recycling of spent lithium-ion batteries(LIBs)can promote the recovery and utilization of valuable resources,while also negative environmental effects resulting from the presence of toxic and hazardous substances.In this study,a new environmentally friendly hydro-metallurgical process was proposed for leaching lithium(Li),nickel(Ni),cobalt(Co),and manganese(Mn)from spent LIBs using sulfuric acid with citric acid as a reductant.The effects of the concentration of sulfuric acid,the leaching temperature,the leaching time,the solid-liquid ratio,and the reducing agent dosage on the leaching behavior of the above elements were investigated.Key parameters were optimized using response surface methodology(RSM)to maximize the recovery of metals from spent LIBs.The maxim-um recovery efficiencies of Li,Ni,Co,and Mn can reach 99.08%,98.76%,98.33%,and 97.63%.under the optimized conditions(the sulfuric acid concentration was 1.16 mol/L,the citric acid dosage was 15wt%,the solid-liquid ratio was 40 g/L,and the temperature was 83℃ for 120 min),respectively.It was found that in the collaborative leaching process of sulfuric acid and citric acid,the citric acid initially provided strong reducing CO_(2)^(-),and the transition metal ions in the high state underwent a reduction reaction to produce transition metal ions in the low state.Additionally,citric acid can also act as a proton donor and chelate with lower-priced transition metal ions,thus speeding up the dissolution process.

3D genome organization and its study in livestock breeding

Eukaryotic genomes are hierarchically packaged into cell nucleus,affecting gene regulation.The genome is organized into multiscale structural units,including chromosome territories,compartments,topologically associating domains(TADs),and DNA loops.The identification of these hierarchical structures has benefited from the development of experimental approaches,such as 3C-based methods(Hi-C,ChIA-PET,etc.),imaging tools(2D-FISH,3D-FISH,Cryo-FISH,etc.)and ligation-free methods(GAM,SPRITE,etc.).In recent two decades,numerous studies have shown that the 3D organization of genome plays essential roles in multiple cellular processes via various mechanisms,such as regulating enhancer activity and promoter-enhancer interactions.However,there are relatively few studies about the 3D genome in livestock species.Therefore,studies for exploring the function of 3D genomes in livestock are urgently needed to provide a more comprehensive understanding of potential relationships between the genome and production traits.In this review,we summarize the recent advances of 3D genomics and its biological functions in human and mouse studies,drawing inspiration to explore the 3D genomics of livestock species.We then mainly focus on the biological functions of 3D genome organization in muscle development and its implications in animal breeding.