Estimating Power Needed to Fuel Electric Paratransits in Bandung

This is the preliminary finding of a study elaborating the total energy consumption when paratransits in Bandung are altered into electric and the scenario to fulfill it. Therefore, there are lots to be done further concerning result of this initial research, of which will be discussed in another publication. In this paper calculation was done to find out the volume of power needed to fuel electric paratransits in Bandung. Steps carried out include computing total energy consumption for all paratransits, clustering stations from classified routes established by local Department of Transport, and estimating the electricity demand in every clustered station. Data used for this study was acquired from Badan Pusat Statistik Kota Bandung and PT PLN DJA APD Jawa Barat and Banten. A total demand of 61.12 MWh per month will surface to charge the total of 5,521 paratransits from 38 available routes in 15 clustered stations under the assumptions that all paratransits only make 6 return travels per day, operate 30 days per month, and use batteries with 50% State of Charge

Resolving the identification of weak-flying insects during flight: a coupling between rigorous data processing and biology

1. Bioacoustic methods play an increasingly important role for the detection of insects in a range of surveillance and monitoring programs. 2. Weak-flying insects evade detection because they do not yield sufficient audio information to capture wingbeat and harmonic frequencies. These inaudible insects often pose a significant threat to food security as pests of key agricultural crops worldwide. 3. Automatic detection of such insects is crucial to the future of crop protection by providing critical information to assess the risk to a crop and the need for preventative measures. 4. We describe an experimental setup designed to derive audio recordings from a range of weak-flying aphids and beetles using an LED array. 5. A rigorous data processing pipeline was developed to extract meaningful features, linked to morphological characteristics, from the audio and harmonic series for six aphid and two beetle species. 6. An ensemble of over 50 bioacoustic parameters was used to achieve species discrimination with a success rate of 80%. The inclusion of the dominant and fundamental frequencies improved prediction between beetles and aphids due to large differences in wingbeat frequencies. 7. At the species level, error rates were minimised when harmonic features were supplemented by features indicative of differences in species’ flight energies

Beyond the one-way ANOVA for 'omics data

Background: With ever increasing accessibility to high throughput technologies, more complex treatment structures can be assessed in a variety of 'omics applications. This adds an extra layer of complexity to the analysis and interpretation, in particular when inferential univariate methods are applied en masse. It is well-known that mass univariate testing suffers from multiplicity issues and although this has been well documented for simple comparative tests,few approaches have focussed on more complex explanatory structures. Results: Two frameworks are introduced incorporating corrections for multiplicity whilst maintaining appropriate structure in the explanatory variables. Within this paradigm, a choice has to be made as to whether multiplicity corrections should be applied to the saturated model, putting emphasis on controlling the rate of false positives, or to the predictive model, where emphasis is on model selection. This choice has implications for both the ranking and selection of the response variables identified as differentially expressed. The theoretical difference is demonstrated between the two approaches along with an empirical study of lipid composition in Arabidopsis under differing levels of salt stress. Conclusions: Multiplicity corrections have an inherent weakness when the full explanatory structure is not properly incorporated. Although a unifying `single best' recommendation is not provided, two reasonable alternatives are provided and the applicability of these approaches is discussed for different scenarios where the aims of analysis will differ. The key result is that the point at which multiplicity is incorporated into the analysis will fundamentally change the interpretation of the results, and the choice of approach should therefore be driven by the specific aims of the experiment

Informing thresholds for paediatric transfusion in Africa: the need for a trial [version 2; peer review: 2 approved]

Background: Owing to inadequate supplies of donor blood for transfusion in sub-Saharan Africa (sSA) World Health Organization paediatric guidelines recommend restrictive transfusion practices, based on expert opinion. We examined whether survival amongst hospitalised children by admission haemoglobin and whether this was influenced by malaria infection and/or transfusion. Methods: A retrospective analysis of standardised clinical digital records in an unselected population of children admitted to a rural hospital in Kenya over an 8-year period. We describe baseline parameters with respect to categories of anaemia and outcome (in-hospital death) by haemoglobin (Hb), malaria and transfusion status. Results: Among 29,226 children, 1,143 (3.9%) had profound anaemia (Hb <4g/dl) and 3,469 (11.9%) had severe anaemia (Hb 4-6g/d). In-hospital mortality rate was 97/1,143 (8.5%) if Hb<4g/dl or 164/2,326 (7.1%) in those with severe anaemia (Hb ≥4.0-<6g/dl). Admission Hb <3g/dl was associated with higher risk of death versus those with higher Hbs (OR=2.41 (95%CI: 1.8 - 3.24; P<0.001), increasing to OR=6.36, (95%CI: 4.21-9.62; P<0.001) in malaria positive children. Conversely, mortality in non-malaria admissions was unrelated to Hb level. Transfusion was associated with a non-significant improvement in outcome if Hb<3g/dl (malaria-only) OR 0.72 (95%CI 0.29 - 1.78), albeit the number of cases were too few to show a statistical difference. For those with Hb levels above 4g/dl, mortality was significantly higher in those receiving a transfusion compared to the non-transfused group. For non-malarial cases, transfusion did not affect survival-status, irrespective of baseline Hb level compared to children who were not transfused at higher Hb levels. Conclusion: Although severe anaemia is common among children admitted to hospital in sSA (~16%), our data do not indicate that outcome is improved by transfusion irrespective of malaria status. Given the limitations of observational studies, clinical trials investigating the role of transfusion in outcomes in children with severe anaemia are warranted

The potential for soybean to diversify the production of plant-based protein in the UK

Soybean (Glycine max) offers an important source of plant-based protein. Currently much of Europe’s soybean is imported, but there are strong economic and agronomic arguments for boosting local production. Soybean is grown in central and eastern Europe but is less favoured in the North due to climate. We conducted field trials across three seasons and two sites in the UK to test the viability of early-maturing soybean varieties and used the data from these trials to calibrate and validate the Rothamsted Landscape Model. Once validated, the model was used to predict the probability soybean would mature and the associated yield for 26 sites across the UK based on weather data under current, near-future (2041-60) and far-future (2081-2100) climate. Two representative concentration pathways, a midrange mitigation scenario (RCP4.5) and a high emission scenario (RCP8.5) were also explored. Our analysis revealed that under current climate early maturing varieties will mature in the south of the UK, but the probability of failure increases with latitude. Of the 26 sites considered, only at one did soybean mature for every realisation. Predicted expected yields ranged between 1.39 t ha-1 and 1.95 t ha-1 across sites. Under climate change these varieties are likely to mature as far north as southern Scotland. With greater levels of CO2, yield is predicted to increase by as much as 0.5 t ha-1 at some sites in the far future, but this is tempered by other effects of climate change meaning that for most sites no meaningful increase in yield is expected. We conclude that soybean is likely to be a viable crop in the UK and for similar climates at similar latitudes in Northern Europe in the future but that for yields to be economically attractive for local markets, varieties must be chosen to align with the growing season

Accounting for data sparsity when forming spatially coherent zones

Efficient farm management can be aided by the identification of zones in the landscape. These zones can be informed from different measured variables by ensuring a sense of spatial coherence. Forming spatially coherent zones is an established method in the literature, but has been found to perform poorly when data are sparse. In this paper, we describe the different types of data sparsity and investigate how this impacts the performance of established methods. We introduce a set of methodological advances that address these shortcomings to provide a method for forming spatially coherent zones under data sparsity

Historical changes in the contents and compositions of fibre components and polar metabolites in white wheat flour

Thirty-nine UK adapted wheat cultivars dating from between 1790 and 2012 were grown in replicated randomised field trials for three years, milled, and white flour analysed for the contents of dietary fibre components (arabinoxylan and β-glucan) and polar metabolites (sugars, amino acids, organic acids, choline and betaine) to determine whether the composition had changed due to the effects of intensive breeding. The concentrations of components varied between study years, indicating strong effects of environment. Nevertheless, some trends were observed, with the concentrations of arabinoxylan fibre and soluble sugars (notably sucrose, maltose and fructose) increasing and most amino acids (including asparagine which is the precursor of acrylamide formed during processing) decreasing between the older and newer types. The concentration of betaine, which is beneficial for cardio-vascular health, also increased. The study therefore provided no evidence for adverse effects of intensive breeding on the contents of beneficial components in wheat flour

Genetic diversity in nitrogen fertilizer responses and N gas emission in modern wheat

Crops assimilate nitrogen (N) as ammonium via the glutamine synthetase/glutamate synthase (GS/GOGAT) pathway which is of central importance for N uptake and potentially represents a bottle neck for N fertilizer-use efficiency. The aim of this study was to assess whether genetic diversity for N-assimilation capacity exists in wheat and could be exploited for breeding. Wheat plants rapidly, within 6h, responded to N application with an increase in GS activity. This was not accompanied by an increase in GS gene transcript abundance and a comparison of GS1 and GS2 protein models revealed a high degree of sequence conservation. N responsiveness amongst ten wheat varieties was assessed by measuring GS enzyme activity, leaf tissue ammonium, and by a leaf-disc assay as a proxy for apoplastic ammonia. Based on these data, a high-GS group showing an overall positive response to N could be distinguished from an inefficient, low-GS group. Subsequent gas emission measurements confirmed plant ammonia emission in response to N application and also revealed emission of N2O when N was provided as nitrate, which is in agreement with our current understanding that N2O is a by-product of nitrate reduction. Taken together, the data suggest that there is scope for improving N assimilation capacity in wheat and that further investigations into the regulation and role of GS-GOGAT in NH3 emission is justified. Likewise, emission of the climate gas N2O needs to be reduced, and future research should focus on assessing the nitrate reductase pathway in wheat and explore fertilizer management options

Feeling the Heat: Investigating the dual assault of Zymoseptoria tritici and Heat Stress on Wheat (Triticum aestivum)

As a result of climate change, field conditions are increasingly challenging for crops. Research has shown how elevated temperatures affect crop performance, yet the impact of temperature on host-pathogen relationships remains unknown. Understanding the effects of combined abiotic and biotic stresses on crop plants and the plant-microbial interaction is crucial in developing strategies to improve crop stress tolerance and manage diseases effectively. Lipids sense, signal, and mitigate temperature elevation effects, and lipid remodelling plays a key role in the plant and fungal response to heat stress. Our study uses a systems approach to examine the Z. tritici wheat model system, combining transcriptomics, lipidomics, and phenotyping to decipher the impact of high-temperature stress on the plant-pathogen interaction. Microscopy in vivo and RNA-Seq analyses confirmed that Z. tritici responds to high-temperature treatments with morphological and transcriptomic changes. Temperature-related configuration of the transcriptome was associated with the accessory chromosomes and expression of ‘accessory’ pan-genome-derived genes. Metabolism-related gene expression predominated, indicated by GO enrichment and analysis of KOG classes, and large-scale lipid remodelling was likely given the proportion of lipid transport and metabolism-related expression changes in response to temperature. Changes in lipid content and composition were then validated by LC-MS analysis. Heat-responsive fungal genes and pathways, including scramblase family genes, are being tested by reverse genetics to ascertain their importance for fungal adaption to elevated temperatures. Elevated temperature schemes were applied to wheat to study the impact of combined stress on the plant-pathogen interaction, based on long-term climate data from Rothamsted Research, using transcriptomic, lipidomic and phenotypic analyses. Comparing non-infected and infected wheat plants under typical and elevated temperatures. Our initial analysis of the transcriptomic data indicates a delay in the development of Z. tritici, followed by its adaptation to the warmer environment. Once the infection was established, the fungus exhibited resilience to the impact of higher external temperatures. Our results indicate that temperature elevations associated with climate change directly impact plant-pathogen interactions. Furthermore, the study demonstrates a need for further detailed understanding to sustain crop resilience

Low protein wheat for bread making

Nitrogen (N) is the major mineral that determines crop yield, but it is also an important determinant of grain quality, particularly in wheat. It is required for the synthesis of grain proteins, with gluten forming the major protein fraction in wheat grain. Because of the high protein content required for bread making, the requirement for N applied to bread-making wheats may be above the optimum required for yield, by up to 50 kg N/ha. For example, Dampney et al. (1995) reported that to produce grain containing 13% protein, about 60 kgN/ha above the yield optimum was required. N fertiliser is a major cost for farmers, with a high-energy requirement for manufacture and potentially harmful environmental footprint. Therefore, it is important to reduce the requirement for producing breadmaking wheat, either by improving the efficiency of N use within the plant or by developing new types of wheat that allow the use of lower protein contents for bread making. This project focused on the latter strategy. It aimed to identify and characterise types of wheat with good bread-making quality at low grain protein content. Forty wheat genotypes were grown on 6 sites for 2 years, with a sub-set of 30 grown on the same sites for a third year. All were grown in 3 randomised replicate plots and at 2 levels of N fertilisation: 150 kgN/ha (low) and 250 kgN/ha (conventional). This generated over 4000 grain samples that were analysed for protein content. Samples from 4 sites were bulked for detailed analysis, excluding sites associated with technical problems or unusually high or low contents of protein or responses to fertilisation. Whereas all 40 genotypes were studied in the first year, the number was reduced to 30 in year 2 and to 20 in year 3, based on the analysis of the samples from years 1 and 2, respectively. Campden BRI milled the samples and carried out Extensograph and Farinograph analyses of all flours. The mixing and bread-making performances were subsequently determined by 6 commercial partners, who used three different bread-making processes. SE-HPLC analyses of gluten polymer size distribution was determined on all samples from year 1 and the low N samples from years 2 and 3. This comparison showed that five cultivars (called Group 1) performed well at both high and low N and over all three years: Crusoe and Gallant (current UK nabim Group 1), Rumor and Nelson (German varieties bred to show high quality at low grain protein) and Genius (Danish bread-making cultivar). In addition, two cultivars (called Group 2) performed better when grown at low N than at high N: Skyfall (current UK nabim Group 1 cultivar) and Mv Lucilla (Hungarian high protein breadmaking cultivar). A comparison between these two groups of cultivars and the whole set of cultivars was carried out focusing on four parameters: grain N, grain protein deviation (GPD), gluten protein profiles by SE-HPLC and dough rheology (R/E) measured by Extensograph. This showed that: 1. The selected (Groups 1 and 2) wheats had higher %N, GPD, dough elasticity and proportions of glutenin polymers ((%F1+%F2)/(%F3+%F4)) than the non-selected cultivars. 2. In addition, the Group 2 wheats (which performed better at low N) had higher proportions of high molecular weight glutenin polymers (%F1, (%F3+%F4)/%F1). Although these cultivars include two German lines bred to perform well at low N, they also include three highly successful recent UK cultivars: Crusoe, Gallant and Skyfall. Hence, modern cultivars, which have been selected for performance in high-input systems, may also perform well under low N inputs. We conclude that good bread-making performance at low N fertiliser resulted from two factors: efficient translocation of N into the grain and increased proportions of glutenin in gluten, which resulted in greater dough elasticity. Breeding should, therefore, focus on increasing the efficiency of N use combined with high gluten protein elasticity