Construction of RFLP and AFLP Genetic Linkage Maps For Oil Palm (Elaeis Guineensis Jacq.) Using a Deli Dura X Yangambi Pisifera Cross

Conventional oil palm improvement using traditional breeding is a slow and expensive process. If markers linked to a useful trait, such as yield, shell thickness and embryogenesis rate, can be identified, marker-assisted selection (MAS) can be carried out, which can reduce the time taken for conventional breeding. Generating a linkage map is the first step towards marker-assisted selection. In this study, two oil palm maps were generated based on 87 F1 progeny of a controlled cross (Deli dura x Yangambi pisifera). A total of 106 RFLP markers and 171 AFLP markers were identified and scored. Of the 277 markers scored, 28 markers (10.1%) were deviated from expected Mendelian ratio (p<0.05). Pseudo-testcross strategy was used to generate two parental maps. The dura map consisted of 18 linkage groups and covered a total map distance of 584.1cM. The pisifera map resolved into 19 linkage groups and covered a total map distance of 1099.3cM. Of all the markers analyzed, 16.9% of the dura markers and 25.1% of the pisifera markers remained unlinked. RFLP marker although difficult to develop, proved very useful because only a small fraction is deviated from the expected Mendelian ratio. Furthermore, about 80% of the RFLP markers can be mapped on both parental maps. More markers will be needed to reduce the number of linkage groups of both parental maps to the haploid chromosome number of oil palm (n=16). Five homologous regions between the dura and the pisifera maps were identified by comparing the co-dominant RFLP markers. The orders of the homologous markers were conserved and the overall distances were nearly the same in both varieties, although a small difference was observed in one homologous region on linkage group D3 and P5. This difference might be due to unequal recombinations that occurred at that particular region

Mechanochemistry of Titanium Dioxide

Mechanochemical processing of solids is a relatively new application of using mechanical energy (i.e., impact) to affect a chemical change. The process has been successfully used to alter natural minerals into different crystalline materials. Thermodynamic models can be a good way to predict the probability of two substances forming new compounds through mechanical impacting. A study was initiated to look into the mechanical alloying of titanium dioxide with various reactants and conditions in a dry ball mill. Using free energy models to look at reaction spontaneity, aluminum, bismuth(III) oxide, and barium peroxide were selected as candidates to react with the TiO2. Each was individually added to a ball mill with titanium dioxide and allowed to roll for up to 24-hours to investigate the possibility of recovering metals or spinels from the blend. X-ray diffraction (XRD) was used to evaluate the effectiveness of the reactions by comparing the XRD scans of the feed material with the “reacted” blends to see if new crystalline structures could be made.The resulting XRD scans showed that the peaks for the resulting product had almost identical peaks with the head scans, suggesting no reactions took place. Although thermodynamic models predicted spontaneous reactions, little effect was noted when TiO2 was impacted with Al, Bi2O3 or BaO2. The blends were impacted in air, and in a vacuum to no avail. The absence of a reaction could be due to a number of factors. The most likely is that the mechanical energy was not sufficient to overcome the activation energy required to complete the reaction

Discovering Gender Differences in Facial Emotion Recognition via Implicit Behavioral Cues

We examine the utility of implicit behavioral cues in the form of EEG brain signals and eye movements for gender recognition (GR) and emotion recognition (ER). Specifically, the examined cues are acquired via low-cost, off-the-shelf sensors. We asked 28 viewers (14 female) to recognize emotions from unoccluded (no mask) as well as partially occluded (eye and mouth masked) emotive faces. Obtained experimental results reveal that (a) reliable GR and ER is achievable with EEG and eye features, (b) differential cognitive processing especially for negative emotions is observed for males and females and (c) some of these cognitive differences manifest under partial face occlusion, as typified by the eye and mouth mask conditions.Comment: To be published in the Proceedings of Seventh International Conference on Affective Computing and Intelligent Interaction.201

Robotics Vision-based Heuristic Reasoning for Underwater Target Tracking and Navigation

This paper presents a robotics vision-based heuristic reasoning system for underwater target tracking and navigation. This system is introduced to improve the level of automation of underwater Remote Operated Vehicles (ROVs) operations. A prototype which combines computer vision with an underwater robotics system is successfully designed and developed to perform target tracking and intelligent navigation. This study focuses on developing image processing algorithms and fuzzy inference system for the analysis of the terrain. The vision system developed is capable of interpreting underwater scene by extracting subjective uncertainties of the object of interest. Subjective uncertainties are further processed as multiple inputs of a fuzzy inference system that is capable of making crisp decisions concerning where to navigate. The important part of the image analysis is morphological filtering. The applications focus on binary images with the extension of gray-level concepts. An open-loop fuzzy control system is developed for classifying the traverse of terrain. The great achievement is the system's capability to recognize and perform target tracking of the object of interest (pipeline) in perspective view based on perceived condition. The effectiveness of this approach is demonstrated by computer and prototype simulations. This work is originated from the desire to develop robotics vision system with the ability to mimic the human expert's judgement and reasoning when maneuvering ROV in the traverse of the underwater terrain

The development of the concept of return-on-investment from large-scale quality improvement programmes in healthcare: an integrative systematic literature review

BACKGROUND: Return on Investment (ROI) is increasingly being used to evaluate financial benefits from healthcare Quality Improvement (QI). ROI is traditionally used to evaluate investment performance in the commercial field. Little is known about ROI in healthcare. The aim of this systematic review was to analyse and develop ROI as a concept and develop a ROI conceptual framework for large-scale healthcare QI programmes. METHODS: We searched Medline, Embase, Global health, PsycInfo, EconLit, NHS EED, Web of Science, Google Scholar using ROI or returns-on-investment concepts (e.g., cost–benefit, cost-effectiveness, value). We combined this terms with healthcare and QI. Included articles discussed at least three organisational QI benefits, including financial or patient benefits. We synthesised the different ways in which ROI or return-on-investment concepts were used and discussed by the QI literature; first the economically focused, then the non-economically focused QI literature. We then integrated these literatures to summarise their combined views. RESULTS: We retrieved 10 428 articles. One hundred and two (102) articles were selected for full text screening. Of these 34 were excluded and 68 included. The included articles were QI economic, effectiveness, process, and impact evaluations as well as reports and conceptual literature. Fifteen of 68 articles were directly focused on QI programme economic outcomes. Of these, only four focused on ROI. ROI related concepts in this group included cost-effectiveness, cost–benefit, ROI, cost-saving, cost-reduction, and cost-avoidance. The remaining articles mainly mentioned efficiency, productivity, value, or benefits. Financial outcomes were not the main goal of QI programmes. We found that the ROI concept in healthcare QI aligned with the concepts of value and benefit, both monetary and non-monetary. CONCLUSION: Our analysis of the reviewed literature indicates that ROI in QI is conceptualised as value or benefit as demonstrated through a combination of significant outcomes for one or more stakeholders in healthcare organisations. As such, organisations at different developmental stages can deduce benefits that are relevant and legitimate as per their contextual needs. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Review registration: PROSPERO; CRD42021236948. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12913-022-08832-3

Development of a healthy ageing index in Latin American countries - a 10/66 dementia research group population-based study.

BACKGROUND: Our population is ageing and in 2050 more than one out of five people will be 60 years or older; 80% of whom will be living in a low-and-middle income country. Living longer does not entail living healthier; however, there is not a widely accepted measure of healthy ageing hampering policy and research. The World Health Organization defines healthy ageing as the process of developing and maintaining functional ability that will enable well-being in older age. We aimed to create a healthy ageing index (HAI) in a subset of six low-and-middle income countries, part of the 10/66 study, by using items of functional ability and intrinsic capacity. METHODS: The study sample included residents 65-years old and over (n = 12,865) from catchment area sites in Cuba, Dominican Republic, Peru, Venezuela, Mexico and Puerto Rico. Items were collected by interviewing participants or key informants between 2003 and 2010. Two-stage factor analysis was employed and we compared one-factor, second-order and bifactor models. The psychometric properties of the index, including reliability, replicability, unidimensionality and concurrent convergent validity as well as measurement invariance per ethnic group and gender were further examined in the best fit model. RESULTS: The bifactor model displayed superior model fit statistics supporting that a general factor underlies the various items but other subdomain factors are also needed. The HAI indicated excellent reliability (ω = 0.96, ωΗ = 0.84), replicability (H = 0.96), some support for unidimensionality (Explained Common Variance = 0.65) and some concurrent convergent validity with self-rated health. Scalar measurement invariance per ethnic group and gender was supported. CONCLUSIONS: A HAI with excellent psychometric properties was created by using items of functional ability and intrinsic capacity in a subset of six low-and-middle income countries. Further research is needed to explore sub-population differences and to validate this index to other cultural settings

Socioeconomic position and use of hospital-based care towards the end of life: a mediation analysis using the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing

© 2021 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an Open Access article under the CC BY 4.0 license Background: Many patients prefer to avoid hospital-based care towards the end of life, yet hospitalisation is common and more likely for people with low socioeconomic position. The reasons underlying this socioeconomic inequality are not well understood. This study investigated health, service access, and social support as potential mediating pathways between socioeconomic position and receipt of hospital-based care towards the end of life. Methods: For this observational cohort study, we included deceased participants from the nationally representative English Longitudinal Study of Ageing of people aged 50 years or older in England. We used a multiple mediation model with age-adjusted and gender-adjusted probit regression to estimate the direct effect of socioeconomic position (measured by wealth and education) on death in hospital and three or more hospital admissions in the last 2 years of life, and the indirect effects of socioeconomic position via three mediators: health and function, access to health-care services, and social support. Findings: 737 participants were included (314 [42·6%] female, 423 [57·4%] male), with a median age at death of 78 years (IQR 71–85). For death in hospital, higher wealth had a direct negative effect (probit coefficient −0·16, 95% CI −0·25 to −0·06), which was not mediated by any of the pathways tested. For frequent hospital admissions, health and function mediated the effect of wealth (−0·04, −0·08 to −0·01), accounting for 34·6% of the total negative effect of higher wealth (−0·13, −0·23 to −0·02). Higher wealth was associated with better health and function (0·25, 0·18 to 0·33). Education was associated with the outcomes only indirectly via wealth. Interpretation: Our findings suggest that worse health and function could partly explain why people with lower wealth have more hospital admissions, highlighting the importance of socioeconomically driven health differences in explaining patterns of hospital use towards the end of life. The findings should raise awareness about the related risk factors of low wealth and worse health for patients approaching the end of life, and strengthen calls for resource allocation to be made on the basis of health need and socioeconomic profile. Funding: Dunhill Medical Trust Fellowship Grant (RTF74/0116)