Diversity analysis of maize inbred lines using DIVA-GIS under temperate ecologies

The vagaries of Climate Change variability need to be addressed and as climatic conditions change at particular experimental sites and maize producing regions, mega-environment assignments will need to be reassessed to guide breeders to appropriate new germplasm and target environments . The development of improved germplasm to meet the needs of future generations in light of climate change and population growth is of the upmost importance . Evaluation of the inbred lines from diverse ecosystems would be effective for production of lines with resilience towards climate variability. Hence, with this objective diverse set of inbred lines sourced from all over India were characterized and were evaluated with DIVA-GIS for diversity analysis of maize inbred lines. Grid maps generated for these maize inbred lines for eleven quantitative traits indicated that these lines can be sourced from North and South India. High Shannon diversity index with maximum range of 2.17-3.0, 2.25-3.0, 2.36-3.0, 2.4-4.0, 2.0-3.0, and 2.2-3.0 were recorded for the traits viz; plant height, ear height, grain weight, grain yield, kernel row and protein content respectively indicating the high response of these traits to ecosystem. However, inbred lines were found to be diverse for all the traits except for ears plant-1 (EPP) and they have been sourced from Northern and Southern parts of India while for EPP recorded less diversity index range of 0.4-1.0 indicating source from South India. Interestingly, less diverse inbred lines for all the eleven quantitative traits have been sourced from Indogangetic plains as indicated in diversity grid maps. Maximum diversity indices were recorded for anthesis silking interval (ASI), days to silking, days to tasseling, which are in the range of 0.97-2.0, 1.528-2.0, 1.516-2.0 and 1.528-2.0 respectively. Hence, DIVA-GIS enabled identification of diverse sources from varied ecosystems which can be used for developing improved lines/ cultivars with greater resilience towards climate change

A study of climate resilience in urban tree species of Peninsular Malaysia

Climate change poses significant challenges to Malaysian cities, including heat stress, which high humidity and the urban heat island effect exacerbate. While trees effectively reduce temperatures and improve microclimates, potential sensitivities to climate change impacts require careful species selection. Experts assessed the resilience of 220 tree species from urban and rural areas of Malaysia using eight criteria, based on a list compiled from four sources. We then categorised the species by sensitivity for four urban landscape types. Saltwater sensitivity had the highest proportion of sensitive species, followed by inundation sensitivity. Considering regional climate projections, planners should prioritise species with low inundation sensitivity. Data availability for saltwater, inundation, and high-temperature sensitivities was limited but adequate for the remaining criteria, with susceptibility to predation, parasitism, or disease, and sensitivity to storm conditions being of concern. Urban planners should integrate these criteria into decision-making to ensure climate-smart urban design. Given that our knowledge about the effects of climate change on tree species will advance and should be documented, we developed an open-collaborative online database that assists stakeholders in selecting suitable species for various sites in Malaysia. Moderators will review submissions to ensure consistent application of criteria and alignment between selected answers and supporting information. Assessors can contribute to quality control by voting for assessments they agree with. Our research emphasises the importance of proactively addressing climate change challenges in urban areas and underscores the value of informed decision-making to enhance the resilience of urban tree populations

Economics and Financial Feasibility of Major Pulpwood Trees Cultivation in Tamil Nadu

The main raw material for manufacture of paper is wood pulp which are mainly obtained from the pulpwood trees like Casuarina, Eucalyptus and Meliadubia. In Tamil Nadu, the cultivation of these pulpwood trees was promoted by two leading paper manufacturing industries viz., Tamil Nadu Newsprint and Paper Limited (TNPL) and Seshasayee Paper and Boards Limited (SPB).This study aims at estimating the cost, returns and financial feasibility of major pulpwood tree species cultivated in Tamil Nadu. The study found that the cost of cultivation of casuarina, eucalyptus and Meliadubia were Rs.1,76,939, Rs.1,60,593 and Rs.1,52,672 and the net income obtained from these trees were Rs.1,58,473, Rs.1,37,028 and Rs.1,33,831 respectively. Among these trees, Casuarina is more profitable and the results of the study concluded that the cultivation of these three major pulpwood trees are profitable and financially viable

Turning around a local automotive company: What type of leadership syles matters?

From 2000-2005, Proton’s market share began to erode due to the introduction of AFTA and the inability of the organization to meet the expectations of ever increasing and demanding customers. The open market situation left Proton trailing other global automakers such as Toyota and Honda.Toyota, through its subsidiary company, Daihatsu-Perodua began to command market share from 2005-2008. Toyota which is very much associated with product reliability has been able to translate its forte into Perodua’s product and thus was capable of winning the hearts of customers. Proton on the other hand, is still immersed in a status quo and tends to ignore the change within its business environment. An appropriate Business Turnaround Plan is needed to enable Proton to remain competitive and relevant in the open market and to resolve the issues that has been demanded by their customers all this while. Proton’s second phase mission should focus on these issues and must be clearly defined. A comprehensive plan is essential in order to transform Proton from Malaysian based enterprise to a global player. Proton has to sell it products in the global market with significant volumes in order to survive whilst ensuring its product quality of meets these global standards.The inroad into a high passenger car annual growth rate is very crucial to the survivability of the company. Prudent management is mandatory to turnaround the company. As the erosion of market share became apparent in recent years, a set of new leadership styles must be imposed on the organization and its business operation. When the Business Turnaround Plan (BTP) was first introduced in 2006, there were concerns from a variety of interested parties on the ability of this small Malaysia centered company to compete against the other global car manufacturers. After several grand initiatives were exercised, Proton finally was able to post a profit of RM140 million in 2008 after declaring a loss of about RM600 million in 2006. This paper will unveil and relate the leadership style theory that has enabled the company to turnaround into the black in two short years.It will also identify the gaps that should be implemented in the Business Turnaround Plan. The gaps identified could possibly accelerate the turnaround process and become a lead to future study in reference to the leadership transformation topic

Ceramic–Polymer–Carbon Composite Coating on the Truncated Octahedron-Shaped LNMO Cathode for High Capacity and Extended Cycling in High-Voltage Lithium-Ion Batteries

Long-term electrochemical cycle life of the LiNi0.5Mn1.5O4 (LNMO) cathode with liquid electrolytes (LEs) and the inadequate knowledge of the cell failure mechanism are the eloquent Achilles’ heel to practical applications despite their large promise to lower the cost of lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). Herein, a strategy for engineering the cathode–LE interface is presented to enhance the cycle life of LIBs. The direct contact between cathode-active particles and LE is controlled by encasing sol–gel-synthesized truncated octahedron-shaped LNMO particles by an ion–electron-conductive (ambipolar) hybrid ceramic–polymer electrolyte (IECHP) via a simple slot-die coating. The IECHP-coated LNMO cathode demonstrated negligible capacity fading in 250 cycles and a capacity retention of ∼90% after 1000 charge–discharge cycles, significantly exceeding that of the uncoated LNMO cathode (a capacity retention of ∼57% after 980 cycles) in 1 M LiPF6 in EC:DMC at 1 C rate. The difference in stability between the two types of cathodes after cycling is examined by focused ion beam scanning electron microscopy and time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry. These studies revealed that the pristine LNMO produces an inactive layer on the cathode surface, reducing ionic transport between the cathode and the electrolyte and increasing the interface resistance. The IECHP coating successfully overcomes these limitations. Therefore, the present work underlines the adaptability of IECHP-coated LNMO as a high-voltage cathode material in a 1 M LiPF6 electrolyte for prolonged use. The proposed strategy is simple and affordable for commercial applications

Preliminary Evidence of the Association between Time on Buprenorphine and Cognitive Performance among Individuals with Opioid Use Disorder Maintained on Buprenorphine: A Pilot Study

People on buprenorphine maintenance treatment (BMT) commonly present cognitive deficits that have been associated with illicit drug use and dropout from buprenorphine treatment. This study has compared cognitive responses to the Stroop Task and the Continuous Performance Task (CPT) among individuals on BMT, with recent drug use, and healthy controls and explored the associations between cognitive responses and drug use, craving, and buprenorphine use among participants on BMT. The participants were 16 individuals on BMT and 23 healthy controls. All participants completed a 60 min laboratory session in which they completed the Stroop Task and the CPT, a saliva drug test, a brief clinical history that collected substance-use- and treatment-related information, and the Opioid Craving Scale. The results showed that the BMT participants presented more commission errors (MBMT participants = 2.49; Mhealthy controls = 1.38; p = 0.048) and longer reaction times (MBMT participants = 798.09; Mhealthy controls = 699.09; p = 0.047) in the Stroop Task than did the healthy controls. More days on buprenorphine were negatively associated with reaction time in the CPT (−0.52) and the number of commission errors (−0.53), simple reaction time (−0.54), and reaction time correct (−0.57) in the Stroop Task. Neither drug use nor craving was significantly associated with the results for the cognitive tasks. Relative to the control participants, the BMT individuals performed worse in terms of longer reaction times and more commission errors in the Stroop Task. Within the BMT participants, longer times on buprenorphine were associated with better cognitive results in terms of faster reaction times for both tasks and lower commission errors for the Stroop Task

Ceramic-polymer-carbon composite coating on the truncated octahedron-shaped LNMO cathode for high capacity and extended cycling in high-voltage lithium-ion batteries

Long-term electrochemical cycle life of the LiNi0.5Mn1.5O4 (LNMO) cathode with liquid electrolytes (LEs) and the inadequate knowledge of the cell failure mechanism are the eloquent Achilles’ heel to practical applications despite their large promise to lower the cost of lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). Herein, a strategy for engineering the cathode–LE interface is presented to enhance the cycle life of LIBs. The direct contact between cathode-active particles and LE is controlled by encasing sol–gel-synthesized truncated octahedron-shaped LNMO particles by an ion–electron-conductive (ambipolar) hybrid ceramic–polymer electrolyte (IECHP) via a simple slot-die coating. The IECHP-coated LNMO cathode demonstrated negligible capacity fading in 250 cycles and a capacity retention of ∼90% after 1000 charge–discharge cycles, significantly exceeding that of the uncoated LNMO cathode (a capacity retention of ∼57% after 980 cycles) in 1 M LiPF6 in EC:DMC at 1 C rate. The difference in stability between the two types of cathodes after cycling is examined by focused ion beam scanning electron microscopy and time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry. These studies revealed that the pristine LNMO produces an inactive layer on the cathode surface, reducing ionic transport between the cathode and the electrolyte and increasing the interface resistance. The IECHP coating successfully overcomes these limitations. Therefore, the present work underlines the adaptability of IECHP-coated LNMO as a high-voltage cathode material in a 1 M LiPF6 electrolyte for prolonged use. The proposed strategy is simple and affordable for commercial applications

Prevalence and Prognostic Significance of Mitral Regurgitation in Acute Decompensated Heart Failure: The ARIC Study

Objectives: This study investigates the prevalence and prognostic significance of mitral regurgitation (MR) in acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF) patients. Background: Few studies characterize the burden of MR in heart failure. Methods: The ARIC (Atherosclerosis Risk In Communities) study surveilled ADHF hospitalizations for residents ≥55 years of age in 4 U.S. communities. ADHF cases were stratified by left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF): <50% and ≥50%. Odds of moderate or severe MR in patients with varying sex and race, and odds of 1-year mortality in those with higher MR severity were estimated using multivariable logistic regression. Results: From 2005 to 2014, there were 17,931 weighted ADHF hospitalizations of which 49.2% had an LVEF <50% and 50.8% an LVEF ≥50%. Moderate or severe MR prevalence was 44.5% in those with an LVEF <50% and 27.5% in those with an LVEF ≥50%. Moderate or severe MR was more likely in females than males regardless of LVEF; LVEF <50% (odds ratio [OR]: 1.21 [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.11 to 1.33]), LVEF ≥50% (OR: 1.52 [95% CI: 1.36 to 1.69]). Among hospitalizations with an LVEF ≥50%, moderate or severe MR was less likely in blacks than whites (OR: 0.72 [95% CI: 0.64 to 0.82]). Higher MR severity was independently associated with increased 1-year mortality in those with an LVEF <50% (OR: 1.30 [95% CI: 1.16 to 1.45]). Conclusions: Patients with ADHF have a significant MR burden that varies with sex and race. In ADHF patients with an LVEF <50%, higher MR severity is associated with excess 1-year mortality