Assessing the Environmental Impact of Extensive Beef Production in Grazing Lands of Argentina

Because of environmental constraints,beef cattle was for more than a century the only viable farming option in the extensive semiarid and subhumid lands of Argentina and the main source of nutrients for humans as well.However,a growing concern and criticism have risen today about its possible negative impact on the climate and the environment.These worries tend to affect current public opinions,national policies,and international trade.Based on 40 beef cattle farms scattered across different semiarid and subhumid regions of Argentina,here we evaluated the impact of extensive cattle production on carbon,water,and nutrient pollution.Life-Cycle Assessment(LCA)and Land-Based Assessment(LBA)were the two approaches we used here to compare the environmental impact of beef production.While the environmental footprint(EF)resulting from LCA expresses the impact per unit of food,the environmental balance(EB),derived from LBA,aims at quantifying the impact per unit of land.As such,the EB considers both negative and positive impacts on the farm as an integrated system.Following standardized procedures,we evaluated EF and EB up to the farm gate,leaving aside delocalized post-farm impacts such as those of processing,packaging,and transportation that occur beyond the farm gate.In agreement with previous evidence,our results show that the EF tends to decrease as per-head production increases.Correlation coefficients and statistical significance were the following for carbon(R=−0.574;p<0.01),water(R=−0.561;p<0.01),and N(R=−0.704;p<0.01)and Phosphorus(P)pollution(R=−0.802;p<0.01)footprints.On the contrary,the EB seems to be highly sensitive,and as per-hectare beef production increases.Correlations were the following for carbon emissions(CE:R=0.955;p<0.01),water consumption(WC:R=0.822;p<0.01),nitrogen excretion(NE:R=0.948;p<0.01)and phosphorus excretion(PE:R=0.945;p<0.01).What our results suggest is that the notion of EF is useful to evaluate the environmental impact in intensive beef production systems,and the EB is suitable to assess the impact of the extensive ones.In practice,both approaches provide different perspectives on the environmental-impact problem and they should be complementary used.We concluded that the methodological rigidity of EF does not allow proper discrimination among farms in the extensive systems.On the contrary,the EB approach tended to be highly sensitive to detecting differences between individual farms and farmers,thus allowing the identification of successful options for extensive beef production in terms of public image,policy-making,and commercial opportunities.

Efficacy and outcome of extensive intraoperative peritoneal lavage plus surgery vs surgery alone with advanced gastric cancer patients

BACKGROUND Gastric cancer(GC)is one of the most common malignant tumors.After resection,one of the major problems is its peritoneal dissemination and recurrence.Some free cancer cells may still exist after resection.In addition,the surgery itself may lead to the dissemination of tumor cells.Therefore,it is necessary to remove residual tumor cells.Recently,some researchers found that extensive intraoperative peritoneal lavage(EIPL)plus intraperitoneal chemotherapy can improve the prognosis of patients and eradicate peritoneal free cancer for GC patients.However,few studies explored the safety and long-term outcome of EIPL after curative gastrectomy.AIM To evaluate the efficacy and long-term outcome of advanced GC patients treated with EIPL.METHODS According to the inclusion and exclusion criteria,a total of 150 patients with advanced GC were enrolled in this study.The patients were randomly allocated to two groups.All patients received laparotomy.For the non-EIPL group,peritoneal lavage was washed using no more than 3 L of warm saline.In the EIPL group,patients received 10 L or more of saline(1 L at a time)before the closure of the abdomen.The surviving rate analysis was compared by the Kaplan-Meier method.The prognostic factors were carried out using the Cox appropriate hazard pattern.RESULTS The basic information in the EIPL group and the non-EIPL group had no significant difference.The median follow-up time was 30 mo(range:0-45 mo).The 1-and 3-year overall survival(OS)rates were 71.0%and 26.5%,respectively.The symptoms of ileus and abdominal abscess appeared more frequently in the non-EIPL group(P<0.05).For the OS of patients,the EIPL,Borrmann classification,tumor size,N stage,T stage and vascular invasion were significant indicators.Then multivariate analysis revealed that EIPL,tumor size,vascular invasion,N stage and T stage were independent prognostic factors.The prognosis of the EIPL group was better than the non-EIPL group(P<0.001).The 3-year survival rate of the EIPL group(38.4%)was higher than the non-EIPL group(21.7%).For the recurrence-free survival(RFS)of patients,the risk factor of RFS included EIPL,N stage,vascular invasion,type of surgery,tumor location,Borrmann classification,and tumor size.EIPL and tumor size were independent risk factors.The RFS curve of the EIPL group was better than the non-EIPL group(P=0.004),and the recurrence rate of the EIPL group(24.7%)was lower than the non-EIPL group(46.4%).The overall recurrence rate and peritoneum recurrence rate in the EIPL group was lower than the non-EIPL group(P<0.05).CONCLUSION EIPL can reduce the possibility of perioperative complications including ileus and abdominal abscess.In addition,the overall survival curve and RFS curve were better in the EIPL group.

Establishment of extensively drug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa pneumonia model in rat

Objective:To establish extensively drug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa(XDR-PA)infection-induced pneumonia model in rats.Methods:Twenty-four male SD rats were randomly divided into blank group,low bacterial group,medium bacterial group,and high bacterial group.The low,medium and high bacterial groups were given intratracheal instillation of 0.1 mL of bacterial suspension(bacterial concentration in turn is 7.5×10^(9),3×10^(10),6×10^(10)CFU/mL),while the blank group were given the same volume of sterile normal saline.After modeling,the general conditions of rats in each group were observed,including mental state,hair,respiration,activity,eating,weight,and the survival curve was drawn.The pathological characteristics of lung tissue and the infiltration of inflammatory cells were observed.Pathogenic identification of each group was carried out by bacterial culture of lung tissue homogenate.Results:The general state of the blank group was normal,and the rats in other groups showed signs of mental depression,bristling,shortness of breath,even oral and nasal bleeding,decreased food intake and activity,and significant weight loss,and different degrees of death within 48 hours,the difference was statistically significant(P<0.05).Pathological results showed that the alveolar structure of rats in the blank group was complete,and the alveolar space was clear without exudation.The lung tissue of the low and medium bacterial groups showed obvious inflammatory cell infiltration,alveolar structure destruction,alveolar septum thickening,interstitial edema,but the pathological damage of the medium group was more severe,with a mortality rate of up to 50%,and the mortality rate of the low bacterial group was 17%.In the high bacterial group,red blood cells,inflammatory cells and a large amount of fibrin-like exudation can be seen in the alveolar space,which has the pathological characteristics of acute respiratory failure,and the mortality rate is as high as 67%.The results of bacterial culture of lung tissue homogenate showed that the blank group had no bacterial colonies,while PA colony growth can be seen in low,medium and high bacterial groups.Conclusion:9 Intratracheal instillation of low bacterial count(0.1 mL of 7.5×10^(9) CFU/mL)XDR-PA bacterial suspension can successfully construct a rat pneumonia model of XDR-PA infection.

Clinical analysis of colistin sulfate in the treatment of pneumonia caused by carbapenem-resistant Gram-negative bacteria

BACKGROUND Multidrug-resistant Gram-negative bacteria,exacerbated by excessive use of antimicrobials and immunosuppressants,are a major health threat.AIM To study the clinical efficacy and safety of colistin sulfate in the treatment of carbapenem-resistant Gram-negative bacilli-induced pneumonia,and to provide theoretical reference for clinical diagnosis and treatment.METHODS This retrospective analysis involved 54 patients with Gram-negative bacilli pneumonia admitted to intensive care unit of The General Hospital of the Northern Theater Command of the People's Liberation Army of China from August 2020 to June 2022.After bacteriological culture,the patients'airway secretions were collected to confirm the presence of Gram-negative bacilli.The patients were divided into the experimental and control groups according to the medication used.The research group consisted of 28 patients who received polymyxin sulfate combined with other drugs through intravenous,nebulization,or intravenous combined with nebulization,with a daily dosage of 1.5–3.0 million units.The control group consisted of 26 patients who received standard dosages of other antibiotics(including sulbactam sodium for injection,cefoperazone sodium sulbactam for injection,tigecycline,meropenem,or vaborbactam).RESULTS Of the 28 patients included in the research group,26 patients showed improvement,treatment was ineffective for two patients,and one patient died,with the treatment efficacy rate of 92.82%.Of the 26 patients in the control group,18 patients improved,treatment was ineffective for eight patients,and two patients died,with the treatment efficacy rate of 54.9%;significant difference was observed between the two groups(P<0.05).The levels of white blood cell(WBC),procalcitonin(PCT),and C-reactive protein(CRP)in both groups were significantly lower after treatment than before treatment(P<0.05),and the levels of WBC,PCT,and CRP in the research group were significantly lower than those in the control group(P<0.05).Compared with before treatment,there were no significant changes in aspartate aminotransferase,creatinine,and glomerular filtration rate in both groups,while total bilirubin and alanine aminotransferase decreased after treatment(P<0.05)with no difference between the groups.In patients with good clinical outcomes,the sequential organ failure assessment(SOFA)score was low when treated with inhaled polymyxin sulfate,and specific antibiotic treatment did not improve the outcome.Sepsis and septic shock as well as a low SOFA score were independent factors associated with good clinical outcomes.CONCLUSION Polymyxin sulfate has a significant effect on the treatment of patients with multiple drug-resistant Gram-negative bacilli pneumonia and other infections in the lungs and is safe and reliable.Moreover,the administration route of low-dose intravenous injection combined with nebulization shows better therapeutic effects and lower adverse reactions,providing new ideas for clinical administration.

The Origin of Mesozoic A-type Granitoids,Fujian Province,Southeast China:Insights from Geochronology,Mineralogy and Geochemistry

The magma sources,origins and precise forming ages of the miarolite from Qishan and Kuiqi intrusions are still uncertain.New results reveal that,miarolites from the Qishan and Kuiqi intrusions yield crystallization ages of~101 and~98 Ma,and they have a high formation temperature(~910℃)and low oxygen fugacity value,indicating crystallization condition at low pressure in the upper crust with temperature of 678℃.The Qishan and Kuiqi miarolites are characterized by enrichment in SiO_(2) and high-K alkali,depletion in Ca and Mg,and belong to the high-K weak peraluminous rock series.The samples are enriched in HFSEs(i.e.,Ta,Zr and Hf)and LILEs(i.e.,Ba,P and Sr),depleted in Ba and Sr with the negative anomaly of Eu.In the primitive mantle normalized trace element spider diagram,the samples show a right-inclined‘seagull-type’pattern,combined the ratios of(La/Yb)_(N),10000×Al/Ga,Rb/Nb and Nb/Ta etc.,they were proved to be alkaline A-type granite.Combined the characterize of the trace elements,they were derived from clay-rich source accompanied pelite melting,and subjected to K-feldspar crystallization fractional.The values of ε_(Hf)(t)and tDM2 are distributed in the range of-2.8 to 3.3 with~1.2 Ga,and-6.0 to 4.0 with~1.2 Ga,revealing that they were generated from the Mesoproterozoic Cathaysia basement rocks.The comprehensive research reveals the Kuiqi and Qishan intrusions derived from crust-mantle mixing and partial melting of the crust,respectively,resulting from lithospheric extension generated by the Paleo-Pacific Plate subducted into the European-Asian Plate.

Phanerozoic Tectonic Evolution,Metallogenesis and Formation of Mineral Systems in China

The continental Asia is mainly composed of three major tectonic regimes,the Tethys,Paleo Asian Ocean,and West Pacific.It underwent multi-stage plate convergences,ocean-continent transformations,and subductions,collisions and/or collages,and post collisional(orogenic)extensions in Phanerozoic.Tectonic evolution of the Asia brings up a unique fault system and tectonic geomorphological features in the China's Mainland.Also,it provides a geodynamic background for the formation and evolution of metallogeneses and mineral systems,resulting in nonuniform distribution of tectono-metallogenic systems and metallogenic belts.The spatiotemporal distribution of mineral deposits in China and adjacent areas exhibits periodic variation under controlling of the full life Wilson cycle and tectonic evolution,forming the plate convergence-related mineral system in East Asia.Porphyry Cu deposits are mainly related to compressional systems in Paleozoic and early Mesozoic,and more closely related to post-collision extensional settings in late Mesozoic and Cenozoic.Orogenic Au deposits mainly formed in post-orogeny extensional setting.Alkaline rock related rare earth element deposits formed mainly at margins of the North China and Yangtze cratons.Granite-pegmatite Li and other rare metal deposits formed mainly in early Mesozoic,related to Indosinian post-orogeny extension.Tectono-metallogenic systems provide important basis for the prospecting of mineral resources.

GUIDE FOR AUTHORS

Article Article types Articles commonly fall into one of three main categories:Fulllength articles,Review articles and Short communications.Full-length articles are original,unpublished primary research.Extensions of work that has been published previously in short form such as a Communication are usually acceptable.Short communications must contain original and highly significant work whose high novelty warrants rapid publication.Review articles may be an authoritative overview of a field,a comprehensive literature reviews,or tutorial-style reference materials.Reviews are usually invited by the editor,but a topic may be proposed by an author via the editorial office.

GUIDE FOR AUTHORS

Article Article types Articles commonly fall into one of three main categories:Full-length articles,Review articles and Short communications.Full-length articles are original,unpublished primary research.Extensions of work that has been published previously in short form such as a Communication are usually acceptable.

Unveiling the rolling texture variations ofα-Mg phases in a dual-phase Mg-Li alloy

LZ91 Mg-Li alloy plates with three types of initial texture were rolled by 70%reduction at both room temperature and 200℃to explore the rolling texture formation ofα-Mg phase.The results showed that the rolling texture is largely affected by the initial texture.All the samples exhibited two main texture components as RD-split double peaks texture and TD-split double peaks texture after large strain rolling.The intensity of the two texture components was strongly influenced by the initial orientation and rolling temperature.Extension twinning altered the large-split non-basal orientation to a near basal one at low rolling strain.The basal orientation induced by twinning is unstable,which finally transmitted to the RD-split texture.The strong TD-split texture formed due to slip-induced orientation transition from its initial orientation.The competition between prismatic and basal slip determined the intensity and tilt angle of the TD-split texture.By increasing the rolling temperature,the TD-split texture component was enhanced in all three samples.Limitation of extension twinning behavior and the promotion of prismatic slip at elevated temperature are the main reasons for the difference in hot and cold rolling texture.

Origin of nucleation and growth of extension twins in grains unsuitably oriented for twinning during deformation of Mg-1%Al

A large number of anomalous extension twins,with low or even negative twinning Schmid factors,were found to nucleate and grow in a strongly textured Mg-1Al alloy during tensile deformation along the extruded direction.The deformation mechanisms responsible for this behaviour were investigated through in-situ electron back-scattered diffraction,grain reference orientation deviation,and slip trace-modified lattice rotation.It was found that anomalous extension twins nucleated mainly at the onset of plastic deformation at or near grain boundary triple junctions.They were associated with the severe strain incompatibility between neighbour grains as a result from the differentbasal slip-induced lattice rotations.Moreover,the anomalous twins were able to grow with the applied strain due to the continuous activation ofbasal slip in different neighbour grains,which enhanced the strain incompatibility.These results reveal the complexity of the deformation mechanisms in Mg alloys at the local level when deformed along hard orientations.

Diagnostic Study of an Extreme Explosive Cyclone over the Kuroshio/Kuroshio Extension Region

Explosive cyclones(ECs)occur frequently over the Kuroshio/Kuroshio Extension region.The most rapidly intensified EC over the Kuroshio/Kuroshio Extension region during the 42 years(1979-2020)of cold seasons(October-April)was studied to reveal the variations of the key factors at different explosive-developing stages.This EC had weak low-level baroclinicity,mid-level cyclonic-vorticity advection,and strong low-level water vapor convergence at the initial explosive-developing stage.The low-level baroclinicity and mid-level cyclonic-vorticity advection increased substantially during the maximum-deepening-rate stage.The diagnostic analyses using the Zwack-Okossi equation showed that diabatic heating was the main contributor to the initial rapid intensification of this EC.The cyclonic-vorticity advection and warm-air advection enhanced rapidly in the middle and upper troposphere and contributed to the maximum rapid intensification,whereas the diabatic heating weakened slightly in the mid-low troposphere.The relative contribution of the diabatic heating decreased from the initial explosive-developing stage to the maximum-deepening-rate stage due to the enhancement of other factors(the cyclonic-vorticity advection and warm-air advection).Furthermore,the physical factors contributing to this EC varied with the explosive-developing stage.The non-key factors at the initial explosive-developing stage need attention to forecast the rapid intensification.

Wellbore Cleaning Degree and Hydraulic Extension in Shale Oil Horizontal Wells

The efficient development and exploitation of shale oil depends on long-distance horizontal wells. As the degreeof cleaning of the wellbore plays a key role in these processes, in this study, this problem is investigated experimentallyby focusing on the dimensionless cuttings bed height. A method is proposed to calculate the horizontalwellhydraulic extension taking into account the influence of the wellbore cleaning degree on the wellborepressure distribution and assess the effect of a variety of factors such as the bottom hole pressure, the circulatingpressure drop, the drilling pump performance and the formation properties. The analysis shows that the hydraulicextension of horizontal wells decreases with an increase in the cuttings bed height, and the higher the displacementof drilling fluid, the faster the hydraulic extension declines. The annular pressure drop of the horizontalsection increases with the increase of the cuttings bed height, resulting in a higher bottom-hole pressure. Severalarguments are provided to guide the safe drilling of shale oil horizontal wells and overcome the limits of currenttechnological approaches.

Fish Gelatin-Based Film Containing Maillard Reaction Products:Properties and Its Use as Bag for Packing Chicken Skin Oil

Maillard reaction is a non-enzymatic browning reaction and its products(MRPs)have been proven to possess antioxidant properties.This research aimed to produce a fish gelatin-based packaging incorporated with MRPs to retard lipid oxidation in chicken skin oil(CSO)during storage at ambient temperature(28℃–30℃).MRPs produced from fish gelatin and fructose(1:1,90℃,pH 11)showed the highest antioxidant properties compared to those prepared under other conditions.Different glycerol/MRPs ratios(30:0,25:5,20:10,15:15,10:20,5:25,0:30)were incorporated into the film and resulting films were characterized.Glycerol/MRPs at 10:20 ratio was chosen to add into the film prior to bag preparation via heat sealing method.CSO packed in the bag was monitored for lipid hydrolysis and oxidation during 15 days of storage(30℃±0.5℃,RH 52%±5%).After 15 days,quality deterioration was lower in CSO packed in the prepared gelatin bag as evidenced by lower FFA,TBARS,and volatile compounds in comparison with CSO packed in LDPE bag.Fish gelatin film added with MRPs possessed an excellent water vapor barrier property(WV-BP).This finding indicated that MRPs could be used to substitute glycerol and simultaneously could serve as antioxidants for the developed active bag.The novel packaging can be a potential alternative packaging for retarding lipid oxidation of lipid or fatty foods.

Integrated design and control technology of liner completion and drilling for horizontal wells

Aiming at the problems of large load of rotation drive system,low efficiency of torque transmission and high cost for operation and maintenance of liner steering drilling system for the horizontal well,a new method of liner differential rotary drilling with double tubular strings in the horizontal well is proposed.The technical principle of this method is revealed,supporting tools such as the differential rotation transducer,composite rotary steering system and the hanger are designed,and technological process is optimized.A tool face control technique of steering drilling assembly is proposed and the calculation model of extension limit of liner differential rotary drilling with double tubular strings in horizontal well is established.These results show that the liner differential rotary drilling with double tubular strings is equipped with measurement while drilling(MWD)and positive displacement motor(PDM),and directional drilling of horizontal well is realized by adjusting rotary speed of drill pipe to control the tool face of PDM.Based on the engineering case of deep coalbed methane horizontal well in the eastern margin of Ordos Basin,the extension limit of horizontal drilling with double tubular strings is calculated.Compared with the conventional liner drilling method,the liner differential rotary drilling with double tubular strings increases the extension limit value of horizontal well significantly.The research findings provide useful reference for the integrated design and control of liner completion and drilling of horizontal wells.

Estimation of Displacement and Extension due to Reverse Drag of Normal Faults: Forward Method

In the case of reverse drag of normal faulting, the displacement and horizontal extension are determined based on the established equations for the three mechanisms: rigid body, vertical shear and inclined shear. There are three sub-cases of basal detachment for the rigid body model: horizontal detachment, antithetic detachment and synthetic detachment. For the rigid body model, the established equations indicate that the total displacement on the synthetic base (Dt2) is the largest, that on the horizontal base (Dt1) is moderate, and that on the antithetic base (Dt3) is the smallest. On the other hand, the value of (Dt1) is larger than the displacement for the vertical shear (Dt4). The value of (Dt1) is larger than or less than the displacement for the inclined shear (Dt5) depending on the original fault dip δ0, bedding angle θ, and the angle of shear direction β. For all original parameters, the value of Dt5 is less than the value of Dt4. Also, by comparing three rotation mechanisms, we find that the inclined shear produces largest extension, the rigid body model with horizontal detachment produces the smallest extension, and the vertical shear model produces moderate extension.

Analysis of the Digital Skill Gap of Agricultural Extension Personnel in South-East, Nigeria

The study analysed the digital skill gap of agricultural extension personnel on the use of digital technologies for extension services delivery in South-East, Nigeria. The specific objectives were to describe the socioeconomic characteristics of agricultural extension personnel in South-East Nigeria and identify the digital skill gaps among agricultural extension personnel in the area of study. Purposive sampling technique was used to select 364 Agricultural Extension personnel for the study. Data were collected through the use of structured questionnaire and were analysed using simple descriptive statistical tools such as percentages, mean score, and standard deviation. Findings indicated that most of the personnel were male (57.8%), within the age bracket of 38 - 47 years (62.9%), had B.Sc./HND as their highest educational qualification (74.7%), married (86.3%), and had a household size of 6 - 10 Persons (57.7%). It was further revealed that the majority (70.1%) were members of professional organization, earned a monthly income of N50,001.00 - N100,000.00 (65.7%), had a work experience of 11 - 15 years (51.1%), and owned a smartphone/ iPad/laptop (91.5%). Findings further indicated that they had moderate skill gap in Basic Computer skills (Mean = 4.32), and digital communication and collaboration skills (Mean = 4.26). Findings also showed that they had a high skill gap in digital technical skills (Mean = 2.46), digital data analysis skills (Mean = 2.09), digital content creation skills (Mean = 2.43), digital ethical skills (Mean = 2.79), multimedia production skills (Mean = 2.81), and video library management skills (Mean = 2.39). The study concluded that though there exists a high digital skill gap among agricultural extension personnel in South-East, Nigeria, their socioeconomic characteristics are capable of supporting the implementation of digital extension services in the area. The study recommended that the management of Agricultural Development Programs in South-East, Nigeria, should provide digital training for extension personnel to close the digital skill gap that currently exists among the personnel.

Comparative Study of the Socioeconomic Characteristics and Digital Literacy Level of Agricultural Extension Personnel in Imo and Ebonyi States, South-East, Nigeria

The study comparatively analysed the socioeconomic characteristics and digital literacy level of Agricultural Extension personnel (AEP) in Ebonyi and Imo States, South-East, Nigeria. The specific objectives were to describe the socioeconomic characteristics of agricultural extension personnel in Ebonyi and Imo States, and to ascertain the digital literacy level of AEP in the studied states. Purposive sampling technique was used to select 312 Agricultural Extension personnel (132 from Ebonyi State Agricultural Development Program and 180 from Imo State Agricultural Development Program) for the study. Data were collected through the use of validated and structured questionnaire, and administered through the help of well-trained enumerators. Data were analysed using simple descriptive statistical tools such as percentages mean score, standard deviation and weighted mean. Findings indicated that they were more male in the both States (55.3% and 57.8%) for Ebonyi and Imo State respectively and that the average age of AEP in Ebonyi and Imo States were 44.7 years and 49.2 years respectively. It was further revealed that the majority (77.3% and 82.8%) had B.Sc./HND as their highest academic qualifications, belonged to professional organisations (62.1% and 75%), and were earning an average monthly income of N58,798 and N62,648 for Ebonyi and Imo State respectively. Also, it was revealed that their mean years of service were 12.4 years and 13.4 years for Ebonyi and Imo State respectively. Almost all of them (87.9% and 95.0%) own a smartphone, had access to the internet (80.3% and 90.0%), but do not own a laptop/ipad (82.6% and 72.8%) for Ebon-yi and Imo State respectively. Results further revealed that Agricultural extension personnel in both Ebonyi and Imo State respectively had low digital literacy level ( = 2.41 and 2.32). The study concluded that AEP in Ebonyi and Imo State respectively had similar socioeconomic characteristics and low level of digital literacy. The study recommended that the management of ADPs in both Ebonyi and Imo State should ensure the training of AEP in digital skills to enhance their digital literacy level to enable them use digital technologies in their work.

Empowering Rice Farmers in Nueva Ecija, Philippines: A Strategic Approach to Boosting Income through Special Purpose Rice Production

Low income is the main problem of millions of farmers who are cultivating 4.81 million hectares in the Philippines. This problem is attributed to challenges specifically low yield, low quality of produce, and significant post-harvest losses, particularly in a resource-scarce setting. This study aimed to help increase the farmers’ income in selected towns of Nueva Ecija through the promotion and use of special purpose rice production technology. Twenty (20) farmer-cooperators in three towns of Nueva Ecija were selected to demonstrate the production technology covering a total area of 4.75 hectares during the dry season, and 3.3 hectares during the wet season, both in 2023. Extension modalities such as training, techno-demo establishment, information material and technical assistance provision, and market linkage were undertaken to enhance their knowledge, attitude, and skills on special rice production and enterprise. The study utilized the descriptive quantitative method wherein the data were gathered through surveys, specifically personal interviews. Results showed that 70% of the farmer-cooperators were male and 60% were living below the poverty threshold. The farmers were 53 years old on average and engaged in farming as their primary source of income. The average yield of special purpose rice particularly the CLS-2 variety was higher (6.46 MT/ha and 6.22 MT/ha during dry and wet seasons, respectively) than that of inbred or non-special rice. The income per hectare from special purpose rice production per hectare was Php 75,420.00, which is higher than that of regular rice at Php 29,389.00, giving a higher benefit of Php 46,031.00. The technology adopters and area planted increased (from 6 to 9 and from 1.4 hectares to 2.75 hectares, respectively) in Licab, Nueva Ecija. The opposite was true in Sto. Domingo and Guimba, Nueva Ecija where farmers were discouraged by the marketing issues that arose.

Review on the Usage of Synchronous and Asynchronous FIFOs in Digital Systems Design

First-Input-First-Output (FIFO) buffers are extensively used in contemporary digital processors and System-on-Chips (SoC). There are synchronous FIFOs and asycnrhonous FIFOs. And different sized FIFOs should be implemented in different ways. FIFOs are used not only for the pipeline design within a processor, for the inter-processor communication networks, for example Network-on-Chips (NoCs), but also for the peripherals and the clock domain crossing at the whole SoC level. In this paper, we review the interface, the circuit implementation, and the various usages of FIFOs in various levels of the digital design. We can find that the usage of FIFOs could greatly facilitate the signal storage, signal decoupling, signal transfer, power domain separation and power domain crossing in digital systems. We hope that more attentions are paid to the usages of synchronous and asynchronous FIFOs and more sophististicated usages are discovered by the digital design communities.

The Effects of Infrastructure Projects on House Prices and Rents:Evidence from the HS2 Extension Cancellation in the UK

This paper uses the HS2 extension cancellation in November 2021 as a quasi-experiment to study its impact on house prices and rents in Leeds.Using a DiD approach on repeat sales and monthly rents,I compare property values near the HS2 station and proposed construction site before and after the announcement.Results show a 3.6%decrease in house prices and a 3.9%decline in rents near the station,while properties near the construction site experienced a 2.4%increase in prices and a 2.1%rise in rents.This is the first paper to analyse the HS2 cancellation effect using panel data methods.