bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Biodiversity Protection through Networks of Voluntary Sustainability Standard Organizations?
Authors: Fransen Luc , Schalk Jelmer , Kok Marcel , Voora Vivek , Potts Jason , Joosten Max , Schleifer Philip , Auld Graeme
Published: November 2018

This paper explores the potential for voluntary sustainability standards (VSS) organizations to contribute to policy-making on biodiversity protection by examining their biodiversity policies, total standard compliant area, proximity to biodiversity hotspots, and the networks and partnerships they have in place that can support policy-making on biodiversity protection. The analysis undertaken is based on Social Network Analysis data, in combination with information from the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) Standards and Biodiversity Review and the International Trade Centre (ITC) Standards Map on the focus and operation of VSS organizations. The significance of agriculture-focused private governance for global biodiversity policy and their relationship towards other forms of nongovernmental, governmental, and inter-governmental biodiversity policy are examined and described. We argue that, at present, a number of key agriculture-focused VSS organizations are important policy actors to address biodiversity because of their elaborate biodiversity policies, total compliant areas, and proximity to biodiversity hotspots. However, at present, most of these VSS organizations have relatively few ties with relevant governmental and inter-governmental biodiversity policymakers. The actor composition of their inter-organizational networks currently reflects a focus on nongovernmental rather than governmental organizations while substantively they focus more on development than on environmental protection issues.
From Herding to Farming under Adaptation Interventions in Southern Kenya: A Critical Perspective
Authors: Weesie Ruben , Kronenburg García Angela
Published: November 2018

Improving water supply for irrigable farming and livestock purposes in communities in Africa is an increasingly popular approach for community-based adaptation interventions. A widespread intervention is the construction of agro-pastoral dams and irrigation schemes in traditionally pastoral communities that face a drying climate. Taking the Maji Moto Maasai community in southern Kenya as a case study, this article demonstrates that water access inequality can lead to a breakdown of pre-existing social capital and former pastoral cooperative structures within a community. When such interventions trigger new water uses, such as farming in former pastoral landscapes, there are no traditional customary institutional structures in place to manage the new water resource. The resulting easily corruptible local water management institutions are a main consolidator of water access inequalities for intervention beneficiaries, where socio-economic standing often determines benefits from interventions. Ultimately, technological adaptation interventions such as agro-pastoral dams may result in tensions and a high fragmentation of adaptive capacity within target communities.
A New Class of Hermite-Apostol Type Frobenius-Euler Polynomials and Its Applications
Authors: Araci Serkan , Riyasat Mumtaz , Wani Shahid Ahmad , Khan Subuhi
Published: November 2018

The article is written with the objectives to introduce a multi-variable hybrid class, namely the Hermite–Apostol-type Frobenius–Euler polynomials, and to characterize their properties via different generating function techniques. Several explicit relations involving Hurwitz–Lerch Zeta functions and some summation formulae related to these polynomials are derived. Further, we establish certain symmetry identities involving generalized power sums and Hurwitz–Lerch Zeta functions. An operational view for these polynomials is presented, and corresponding applications are given. The illustrative special cases are also mentioned along with their generating equations.
Design of a New Synthetic Acceptance Sampling Plan
Authors: Dobbah Saeed A. , Aslam Muhammad , Khan Khushnoor
Published: November 2018

In this paper, we propose a new synthetic sampling plan assuming that the quality characteristic follows the normal distribution with known and unknown standard deviation. The proposed plan is given and the operating characteristic (OC) function is derived to measure the performance of the proposed sampling plan for some fixed parameters. The parameters of the proposed sampling plan are determined using non-linear optimization solution. A real example is added to explain the use of the proposed plan by industry.
New Constructions of Quantum Stabilizer Codes Based on Difference Sets
Authors: Nguyen Duc Manh , Kim Sunghwan
Published: November 2018

In this paper, new conditions on parameters in difference sets are derived to satisfy symplectic inner product, and new constructions of quantum stabilizer codes are proposed from the conditions. The conversion of the difference sets into parity-check matrices is first explained. Then, the proposed code construction is composed of three steps, which are to choose the generators of quantum stabilizer code, to determine the quantum stabilizer groups, and to determine subspace codewords with large minimum distance. The quantum stabilizer codes with various length are also presented to explain the practicality of the code construction. The proposed design can be applied to quantum stabilizer code construction based on combinatorial design.
An Integrated Decision Framework for Material Selection Procedure: A Case Study in a Detergent Manufacturer
Authors: Dursun Mehtap , Arslan Özlem
Published: November 2018

The new product development process (NPD) is considered to be the key factor of competition among different markets. The identification of a suitable material is an important issue in the conception and improvement of new products. Material selection is seen as an important multi-criteria decision making (MCDM) problem in engineering because of the requirement of considering multiple criteria from different dimensions. Improper material selection may negatively affect the success of a firm. The purpose of this study is to specify the importance of selection attributes, which are considered to evaluate washing liquid that meets the needs of both customers and firms. Then, it objects to choose the most appropriate alternative among various formulations. A fuzzy MCDM methodology based on quality function deployment (QFD), 2-tuple fuzzy linguistic representation, and linguistic hierarchies is presented. QFD is used to incorporate customer requirements into the evaluation process. The 2-tuple fuzzy modeling and linguistic hierarchies are employed to combine multi-granular data given by experts. Finally, the fuzzy COPRAS (Complex Proportional Assessment) method is used to choose the most suitable alternative. The implementation of the developed method is presented by a case study conducted on a detergent manufacturer located in Turkey.
Triangular Cubic Hesitant Fuzzy Einstein Hybrid Weighted Averaging Operator and Its Application to Decision Making
Authors: Fahmi Aliya , Amin Fazli , Smarandache Florentin , Khan Madad , Hassan Nasruddin
Published: November 2018

In this paper, triangular cubic hesitant fuzzy Einstein weighted averaging (TCHFEWA) operator, triangular cubic hesitant fuzzy Einstein ordered weighted averaging (TCHFEOWA) operator and triangular cubic hesitant fuzzy Einstein hybrid weighted averaging (TCHFEHWA) operator are proposed. An approach to multiple attribute group decision making with linguistic information is developed based on the TCHFEWA and the TCHFEHWA operators. Furthermore, we establish various properties of these operators and derive the relationship between the proposed operators and the existing aggregation operators. Finally, a numerical example is provided to demonstrate the application of the established approach.
1, 2, 3, Many—Perceptual Integration of Motif Repetitions
Authors: Katkov Mikhail , Harris Hila , Sagi Dov
Published: November 2018

It is generally assumed that the initial integration of visual information is limited in its spatial extent. Of particular interest is the extent to which image symmetries are detected and integrated. Here we studied the spatial extent of visual integration in textures constructed from wallpaper symmetry groups. Using tools from statistical physics, we obtained images ranging from symmetric ones to completely random ones, whereas the textural elements were of the same quality. Results show that the psychometric curves for 3 × 3 motif repetitions are similar to those of images having more repetitions, whereas an equivalent physical scaling of the images does not alter the performance.
On the Existence of Self-Excited Vibration in Thin Spur Gears: A Theoretical Model for the Estimation of Damping by the Energy Method
Authors: Wang Yanrong , Ye Hang , Yang Long , Tian Aimei
Published: November 2018

The gear is a cyclic symmetric structure, and each tooth is subjected to a periodic mesh force. These mesh forces have the same phase difference tooth by tooth, which can excite gear vibrations. The mechanism of additional axial force caused by gear bending is shown and examined, which can significantly affect the stability of a self-excited thin spur gears vibration. A mechanical model based on energy balance is then developed to predict the contribution of additional axial force, leading to the proposed numerical integration method for vibration stability analysis. By analyzing the change in the system energy, the occurrence of the self-excited vibration is validated. A numerical simulation is carried out to verify the theoretical analysis. The impacts of modal damping, contact ratio, and the number of nodal diameters on the stability boundaries of the self-excited vibration are revealed. The results prove that the backward traveling wave of the driven gear as well as the forward traveling wave of the driving gear encounter self-excited vibration in the absence of sufficient damping. The model can be used to predict the stability of the gear self-excited vibration.
Invariant Solutions of the Wave Equation on Static Spherically Symmetric Spacetimes Admitting G7 Isometry Algebra
Authors: Azad Hassan , Anaya Khaleel , Al-Dweik Ahmad Y. , Mustafa M. T.
Published: November 2018

Algorithms to construct the optimal systems of dimension of at most three of Lie algebras are given. These algorithms are applied to determine the Lie algebra structure and optimal systems of the symmetries of the wave equation on static spherically symmetric spacetimes admitting G7 as an isometry algebra. Joint invariants and invariant solutions corresponding to three-dimensional optimal systems are also determined.
Delayed LY333013 (Oral) and LY315920 (Intravenous) Reverse Severe Neurotoxicity and Rescue Juvenile Pigs from Lethal Doses of Micrurus fulvius (Eastern Coral Snake) Venom
Authors: Lewin Matthew R. , Gilliam Lyndi L. , Gilliam John , Samuel Stephen P. , Bulfone Tommaso C. , Bickler Philip E. , Gutiérrez José María
Published: November 2018

There is a clear, unmet need for effective, lightweight, shelf-stable and economical snakebite envenoming therapies that can be given rapidly after the time of a snake’s bite and as adjuncts to antivenom therapies in the hospital setting. The sPLA2 inhibitor, LY315920, and its orally bioavailable prodrug, LY333013, demonstrate surprising efficacy and have the characteristics of an antidote with potential for both field and hospital use. The efficacy of the active pharmaceutical ingredient (LY315920) and its prodrug (LY333013) to treat experimental, lethal envenoming by Micrurus fulvius (Eastern coral snake) venom was tested using a porcine model. Inhibitors were administered by either intravenous or oral routes at different time intervals after venom injection. In some experiments, antivenom was also administered alone or in conjunction with LY333013. 14 of 14 animals (100%) receiving either LY315920 (intravenous) and/or LY333013 (oral) survived to the 120 h endpoint despite, in some protocols, the presence of severe neurotoxic signs. The study drugs demonstrated the ability to treat, rescue, and re-rescue animals with advanced manifestations of envenoming. Low molecular mass sPLA2 inhibitors were highly effective in preventing lethality following experimental envenoming by M. fulvius. These findings suggest the plausibility of a new therapeutic approach to snakebite envenoming, in this example, for the treatment of a coral snake species for which there are limitations in the availability of effective antivenom.
Modified Palygorskite Improves Immunity, Antioxidant Ability, Intestinal Morphology, and Barrier Function in Broiler Chickens Fed Naturally Contaminated Diet with Permitted Feed Concentrations of Fusarium Mycotoxins
Authors: Cheng Yefei , Xu Qiao , Chen Yueping , Su Yue , Wen Chao , Zhou Yanmin
Published: November 2018

This study investigated effects of modified palygorskite (MPal) on immunity, antioxidant capacity, and intestinal barrier integrity in broiler chickens challenged with permitted feed Fusarium mycotoxin concentrations. One-day-old chicks were allocated into three treatments with eight replicates. Chickens in three groups were fed a basal diet with normal corn (control), contaminated diet containing moldy corn, with Fusarium mycotoxins contents in the diets lower than permitted feed mycotoxin concentrations, and the contaminated diet supplemented with 1 g/kg MPal for 42 days, respectively. Compared with control, moldy corn decreased bursa of Fabricius weight, jejunal secreted immunoglobulin A concentration, ileal superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, jejunal and ileal villus height (VH) and VH/crypt depth (CD) ratio, and jejunal zonula occludens-1 and mucin 2 mRNA abundances at 42 days as well as ileal VH/CD ratio at 21 days; while they increased jejunal malondialdehyde accumulation at 21 and 42 days, jejunal SOD activity at 21 days, and serum diamine oxidase activity at 42 days, which were almost recovered by MPal. Moreover, dietary MPal upregulated ileal claudin-2 mRNA abundance compared with other two groups. The results indicated that MPal addition exerted protective effects on immunity, oxidative status, and intestinal barrier integrity in chickens challenged with permitted feed Fusarium mycotoxins levels.
Assessing the Aflatoxin B1 Adsorption Capacity between Biosorbents Using an In Vitro Multicompartmental Model Simulating the Dynamic Conditions in the Gastrointestinal Tract of Poultry
Authors: Zavala-Franco Anai , Hernández-Patlán Daniel , Solís-Cruz Bruno , López-Arellano Raquel , Tellez-Isaias Guillermo , Vázquez-Durán Alma , Méndez-Albores Abraham
Published: November 2018

Experiments were carried out to evaluate the effectiveness of three different biosorbents (banana peel, Pyracantha leaves, and Aloe powder) in removing aflatoxin B1 (AFB1). A noncommercial mycotoxin binder (zeolite) was used as a reference material. A laboratory model that simulated the in vivo conditions of the poultry gastrointestinal tract was utilized to prove the removal efficiency of the biosorbents when added to AFB1-contaminated diet (100 µg/kg). The concentration of AFB1 was determined using antibody-based immunoaffinity column and spectrofluorometry methodologies. Z potential (ζ), point of zero charge (pHpzc), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy with attenuated total reflection (FTIR-ATR), and UV-Vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS) techniques were used to further characterize the biosorbents. The addition of the biosorbents (1.5%, w/w) to the diet significantly reduced the bioavailability of AFB1 in the intestinal section. The highest aflatoxin adsorption values were 69% and 70% using Aloe powder and zeolite, respectively. A moderate biosorption uptake of 46% was achieved using Pyracantha leaves. The biomaterial with the lowest removal capacity was banana peel (28%). In conclusion, Aloe powder could be used as an alternative to conventional systems for AFB1 removal.
Eliminating Neglected Tropical Diseases in Urban Areas: A Review of Challenges, Strategies and Research Directions for Successful Mass Drug Administration
Authors: Adams Alayne M. , Vuckovic Myriam , Birch Eleanor , Brant Tara A. , Bialek Stephanie , Yoon Dahye , Koroma Joseph , Direny Abdel , Shott Joseph , Lemoine Jean Frantz , Dembele Massitan , Baker Margaret C.
Published: November 2018

Since 1950, the global urban population grew from 746 million to almost 4 billion and is expected to reach 6.4 billion by mid-century. Almost 90% of this increase will take place in Asia and Africa and disproportionately in urban slums. In this context, concerns about the amplification of several neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) are warranted and efforts towards achieving effective mass drug administration (MDA) coverage become even more important. This narrative review considers the published literature on MDA implementation for specific NTDs and in-country experiences under the ENVISION and END in Africa projects to surface features of urban settings that challenge delivery strategies known to work in rural areas. Discussed under the thematics of governance, population heterogeneity, mobility and community trust in MDA, these features include weak public health infrastructure and programs, challenges related to engaging diverse and dynamic populations and the limited accessibility of certain urban settings such as slums. Although the core components of MDA programs for NTDs in urban settings are similar to those in rural areas, their delivery may need adjustment. Effective coverage of MDA in diverse urban populations can be supported by tailored approaches informed by mapping studies, research that identifies context-specific methods to increase MDA coverage and rigorous monitoring and evaluation.
Pre-Big-Bang Black-Hole Remnants and Past Low Entropy
Authors: Rovelli Carlo , Vidotto Francesca
Published: November 2018

Dark matter could be composed by black-hole remnants formed before the big-bang era in a bouncing cosmology. This hypothetical scenario has implications on the issue of the arrow of time: it upsets a common attribution of past low entropy to the state of the geometry and suggests a possible realisation of the perspectival interpretation of past low entropy.
Collider Searches for Dark Matter (ATLAS + CMS)
Authors: Trevisani Nicolò
Published: November 2018

Several searches for dark matter have been performed by the CMS and ATLAS collaborations, using proton-proton collisions with a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV produced by the Large Hadron Collider. Different signatures may highlight the presence of dark matter: the imbalance in the transverse momentum in an event due to the presence of undetectable dark matter particles, produced together with one Standard Model particle, a bump in the di-jet or di-lepton invariant mass distributions, or an excess of events in the di-jet angular distribution, produced by a dark matter mediator. No significant discrepancies with respect to the Standard Model predictions have been found in data, so that limits on the dark matter couplings to ordinary matter, or limits on the dark matter particles and mediators masses have been set. The results are also re-interpreted as limits on the dark matter interaction cross-section with baryonic matter, so that a comparison with direct detection experiments is allowed.
Quantum Dynamics of Charged Fermions in the Wigner Formulation of Quantum Mechanics
Authors: Filinov Vladimir , Larkin Alexander
Published: November 2018

To study the kinetic properties of dense quantum plasma, a new quantum dynamics method in the Wigner representation of quantum mechanics has been developed for extreme conditions, when analytical approximations based on different kinds of perturbation theories cannot be applied. This method combines the Feynman and Wigner formulation of quantum mechanics and uses for calculation the path integral Monte-Carlo (WPIMC) in phase space and quantum generalization of the classical molecular dynamics methods (WMD) allowing to solve the quantum Wigner–Liouville-like equation. The Fermi–Dirac statistical effects are accounted for by the effective pair pseudopotential depending on coordinates and momenta and allowing to avoid the famous “sign problem” due to realization of the Pauli blocking of fermions. Significant influence of the interparticle interaction on the high energy asymptotics of the momentum distribution functions have been observed. According to the quantum Kubo formula, we also study the electron conductivity of dense plasma media.
Urban Land-Use Dynamics in the Niger Delta: The Case of Greater Port Harcourt Watershed
Authors: Dan-Jumbo Nimi G. , Metzger Marc J. , Clark Andrew P.
Published: November 2018

Cities in developing countries are urbanising at a rapid rate, resulting in substantial pressures on environmental systems. Among the main factors that lead to flooding, controlling land-use change offers the greatest scope for the management of risk. However, traditional analysis of a “from–to” change matrix is not adequate to provide information of all the land-use changes that occur in a watershed. In this study, an in-depth analysis of land-use change enabled us to quantify the bulk of the changes accumulating from swap changes in a tropical watershed. This study assessed the historical and future land-use/land-cover (LULC) dynamics in the River State region of the Niger Delta. Land-use classification and change detection analysis was conducted using multi-source (Landsat TM, ETM, polygon map, and hard copy) data of the study area for 1986, 1995, and 2003, and projected conditions in 2060. The key findings indicate that historical urbanisation was rapid; urban expansion could increase by 80% in 2060 due to planned urban development; and 95% of the conversions to urban land occurred chiefly at the expense of agricultural land. Urban land was dominated by net changes rather than swap changes, which in the future could amplify flood risk and have other severe implications for the watershed.
Willingness to Participate and Associated Factors in a Zika Vaccine Trial in Indonesia: A Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Harapan Harapan , Mudatsir Mudatsir , Yufika Amanda , Nawawi Yusuf , Wahyuniati Nur , Anwar Samsul , Yusri Fitria , Haryanti Novi , Wijayanti Nanda Putri , Rizal Rizal , Fitriani Devi , Maulida Nurul Fadhliati , Syahriza Muhammad , Ikram Ikram , Fandoko Try Purwo , Syahadah Muniati , Asrizal Febrivan Wahyu , Jamil Kurnia F. , Rajamoorthy Yogambigai , Wagner Abram Luther , Groneberg David Alexander , Kuch Ulrich , Müller Ruth , Sasmono R. Tedjo , Imrie Allison
Published: November 2018

One of the crucial steps during trials for Zika and other vaccines is to recruit participants and to understand how participants’ attitudes and sociodemographic characteristics affect willingness to participate (WTP). This study was conducted to assess WTP, its explanatory variables, and the impact of financial compensation on WTP in Indonesia. A health facility-based cross-sectional study was conducted in eleven regencies in the Aceh and West Sumatra provinces of Indonesia. Participants were recruited via a convenience sampling method and were interviewed. The associations between explanatory variables and WTP were assessed using a two-step logistic regression analysis. A total of 1,102 parents were approached, and of these 956 (86.8%) completed the interview and were included in analysis. Of those, 144 (15.1%) were willing to participate in a Zika vaccine trial without a financial compensation. In the multivariate analysis, WTP was tied to an age of more than 50 years old, compared to 20–29 years (odds ratio (OR): 5.0; 95% confidence interval (CI): 2.37–10.53), to being female (OR: 2.20; 95% CI: 1.11–4.37), and to having heard about Zika (OR: 2.41; 95% CI: 1.59–3.65). Participants’ WTP increased gradually with higher financial compensation. The rate of WTP increased to 62.3% at the highest offer (US$ 350.4), and those who were still unwilling to participate (37.7%) had a poorer attitude towards childhood vaccination. This study highlights that pre-existing knowledge about Zika and attitudes towards childhood vaccination are important in determining community members being willing to participate in a vaccine trial. Financial incentives are still an important factor to enhance participant recruitment during a vaccine trial.
Pathobiological and Genomic Characterization of a Cold-Adapted Infectious Bronchitis Virus (BP-caKII)
Authors: Hong Seung-Min , An Se-Hee , Lee Chung-Young , Song Chang-Seon , Choi Kang-Seuk , Kim Jae-Hong , Kwon Hyuk-Joon
Published: November 2018

We established a cold-adapted infectious bronchitis virus (BP-caKII) by passaging a field virus through specific pathogen-free embryonated eggs 20 times at 32 °C. We characterized its growth kinetics and pathogenicity in embryonated eggs, and its tropism and persistence in different tissues from chickens; then, we evaluated pathogenicity by using a new premature reproductive tract pathogenicity model. Furthermore, we determined the complete genomic sequence of BP-caKII to understand the genetic changes related to cold adaptation. According to our results, BP-caKII clustered with the KII genotype viruses K2 and KM91, and showed less pathogenicity than K2, a live attenuated vaccine strain. BP-caKII showed delayed viremia, resulting in its delayed dissemination to the kidneys and cecal tonsils compared to K2 and KM91, the latter of which is a pathogenic field strain. A comparative genomics study revealed similar nucleotide sequences between BP-caKII, K2 and KM91 but clearly showed different mutations among them. BP-caKII shared several mutations with K2 (nsp13, 14, 15 and 16) following embryo adaptation but acquired multiple additional mutations in nonstructural proteins (nsp3, 4 and 12), spike proteins and nucleocapsid proteins following cold adaptation. Thus, the establishment of BP-caKII and the identified mutations in this study may provide insight into the genetic background of embryo and cold adaptations, and the attenuation of coronaviruses.
Recombinant Lassa Virus Expressing Green Fluorescent Protein as a Tool for High-Throughput Drug Screens and Neutralizing Antibody Assays
Authors: Caì Yíngyún , Iwasaki Masaharu , Beitzel Brett F. , Yú Shuīqìng , Postnikova Elena N. , Cubitt Beatrice , DeWald Lisa Evans , Radoshitzky Sheli R. , Bollinger Laura , Jahrling Peter B. , Palacios Gustavo F. , De la Torre Juan C. , Kuhn Jens H.
Published: November 2018

Lassa virus (LASV), a mammarenavirus, infects an estimated 100,000–300,000 individuals yearly in western Africa and frequently causes lethal disease. Currently, no LASV-specific antivirals or vaccines are commercially available for prevention or treatment of Lassa fever, the disease caused by LASV. The development of medical countermeasure screening platforms is a crucial step to yield licensable products. Using reverse genetics, we generated a recombinant wild-type LASV (rLASV-WT) and a modified version thereof encoding a cleavable green fluorescent protein (GFP) as a reporter for rapid and quantitative detection of infection (rLASV-GFP). Both rLASV-WT and wild-type LASV exhibited similar growth kinetics in cultured cells, whereas growth of rLASV-GFP was slightly impaired. GFP reporter expression by rLASV-GFP remained stable over several serial passages in Vero cells. Using two well-characterized broad-spectrum antivirals known to inhibit LASV infection, favipiravir and ribavirin, we demonstrate that rLASV-GFP is a suitable screening tool for the identification of LASV infection inhibitors. Building on these findings, we established a rLASV-GFP-based high-throughput drug discovery screen and an rLASV-GFP-based antibody neutralization assay. Both platforms, now available as a standard tool at the IRF-Frederick (an international resource), will accelerate anti-LASV medical countermeasure discovery and reduce costs of antiviral screens in maximum containment laboratories.
ZIKV Demonstrates Minimal Pathologic Effects and Mosquito Infectivity in Viremic Cynomolgus Macaques
Authors: Azar Sasha R. , Rossi Shannan L. , Haller Sherry H. , Yun Ruimei , Huang Jing H. , Plante Jessica A. , Zhou Jiehua , Olano Juan P. , Roundy Christopher M. , Hanley Kathryn A. , Weaver Scott C. , Vasilakis Nikos
Published: November 2018

To evaluate the effects of ZIKV infection on non-human primates (NHPs), as well as to investigate whether these NHPs develop sufficient viremia to infect the major urban vector mosquito, Aedes aegypti, four cynomolgus macaques (Macaca fascicularis) were subcutaneously infected with 5.0 log10 focus-forming units (FFU) of DNA clone-derived ZIKV strain FSS13025 (Asian lineage, Cambodia, 2010). Following infection, the animals were sampled (blood, urine, tears, and saliva), underwent daily health monitoring, and were exposed to Ae. aegypti at specified time points. All four animals developed viremia, which peaked 3–4 days post-infection at a maximum value of 6.9 log10 genome copies/mL. No virus was detected in urine, tears, or saliva. Infection by ZIKV caused minimal overt disease: serum biochemistry and CBC values largely fell within the normal ranges, and cytokine elevations were minimal. Strikingly, the minimally colonized population of Ae. aegypti exposed to viremic animals demonstrated a maximum infection rate of 26% during peak viremia, with two of the four macaques failing to infect a single mosquito at any time point. These data indicate that cynomolgus macaques may be an effective model for ZIKV infection of humans and highlights the relative refractoriness of Ae. aegypti for ZIKV infection at the levels of viremia observed.
The Transcriptional Repressor BS69 is a Conserved Target of the E1A Proteins from Several Human Adenovirus Species
Authors: Zhang Ali , Tessier Tanner M. , Galpin Kristianne J. C. , King Cason R. , Gameiro Steven F. , Anderson Wyatt W. , Yousef Ahmed F. , Qin Wen T. , Li Shawn S. C. , Mymryk Joe S.
Published: November 2018

Early region 1A (E1A) is the first viral protein produced upon human adenovirus (HAdV) infection. This multifunctional protein transcriptionally activates other HAdV early genes and reprograms gene expression in host cells to support productive infection. E1A functions by interacting with key cellular regulatory proteins through short linear motifs (SLiMs). In this study, the molecular determinants of interaction between E1A and BS69, a cellular repressor that negatively regulates E1A transactivation, were systematically defined by mutagenesis experiments. We found that a minimal sequence comprised of MPNLVPEV, which contains a conserved PXLXP motif and spans residues 112–119 in HAdV-C5 E1A, was necessary and sufficient in binding to the myeloid, Nervy, and DEAF-1 (MYND) domain of BS69. Our study also identified residues P113 and L115 as critical for this interaction. Furthermore, the HAdV-C5 and -A12 E1A proteins from species C and A bound BS69, but those of HAdV-B3, -E4, -D9, -F40, and -G52 from species B, E, D, F, and G, respectively, did not. In addition, BS69 functioned as a repressor of E1A-mediated transactivation, but only for HAdV-C5 and HAdV-A12 E1A. Thus, the PXLXP motif present in a subset of HAdV E1A proteins confers interaction with BS69, which serves as a negative regulator of E1A mediated transcriptional activation.
Assessment of Machine Learning Techniques for Monthly Flow Prediction
Authors: Alizadeh Zahra , Yazdi Jafar , Kim Joong Hoon , Al-Shamiri Abobakr Khalil
Published: November 2018

Monthly flow predictions provide an essential basis for efficient decision-making regarding water resource allocation. In this paper, the performance of different popular data-driven models for monthly flow prediction is assessed to detect the appropriate model. The considered methods include feedforward neural networks (FFNNs), time delay neural networks (TDNNs), radial basis neural networks (RBFNNs), recurrent neural network (RNN), a grasshopper optimization algorithm (GOA)-based support vector machine (SVM) and K-nearest neighbors (KNN) model. For this purpose, the performance of each model is evaluated in terms of several residual metrics using a monthly flow time series for two real case studies with different flow regimes. The results show that the KNN outperforms the different neural network configurations for the first case study, whereas RBFNN model has better performance for the second case study in terms of the correlation coefficient. According to the accuracy of the results, in the first case study with more input features, the KNN model is recommended for short-term predictions and for the second case with a smaller number of input features, but more training observations, the RBFNN model is suitable.
Sensing the Submerged Landscape of Nisida Roman Harbour in the Gulf of Naples from Integrated Measurements on a USV
Authors: Mattei Gaia , Troisi Salvatore , Aucelli Pietro P. C. , Pappone Gerardo , Peluso Francesco , Stefanile Michele
Published: November 2018

This paper shows an interesting case of coastal landscape reconstruction by using innovative marine robotic instrumentation, applied to an archaeological key-site in the Campi Flegrei (Italy), one of the more inhabited areas in the Mediterranean during the Roman period. This active volcanic area is world famous for the ancient coastal cities of Baiae, Puteoli, and Misenum, places of military and commercial excellence. The multidisciplinary study of the submerged Roman harbour at Nisida Island was aimed at reconstructing the natural and anthropogenic underwater landscape by elaborating a multiscale dataset. The integrated marine surveys were carried out by an Unmanned Surface Vehicle (USV) foreseeing the simultaneous use of geophysical and photogrammetric sensors according to the modern philosophy of multi-modal mapping. All instrumental measurements were validated by on-site measurements performed by specialised scuba divers. The multiscale analysis of the sensing data allowed a precise reconstruction of the coastal morpho-evolutive trend and the relative sea level variation in the last 2000 years by means of a new type of archaeological sea-level marker here proposed for the first time. Furthermore, it provided a detailed multidimensional documentation of the underwater cultural heritage and a useful tool for evaluating the conservation state of archaeological submerged structures.
Agroindustrial Wastewater Treatment with Simultaneous Biodiesel Production in Attached Growth Systems Using a Mixed Microbial Culture
Authors: Tsolcha Olga N. , Tekerlekopoulou Athanasia G. , Akratos Christos S. , Aggelis George , Genitsaris Savvas , Moustaka-Gouni Maria , Vayenas Dimitrios V.
Published: November 2018

The use of cyanobacteria in biological wastewater treatment technologies can greatly reduce operation costs by combining wastewater bioremediation and production of lipid suitable as biodiesel feedstock. In this work, an attached growth system was employed to achieve the above-mentioned dual objective using a mixed microbial culture dominated by Leptolyngbya and Limnothrix species in diverse heterotrophic consortia. Kinetic experiments on different initial pollutant concentrations were carried out to determine the ability of the established culture to remove organic load (expressed by d-COD, dissolved-Chemical Oxygen Demand), N and P from agroindustrial wastewaters (dairy, winery and raisin). Biomass and oil productivity were determined. It was found that significant removal rates of nutrients were achieved in all the wastewaters examined, especially in that originated from winery in which the highest d-COD removal rate (up to 97.4%) was observed. The attached microbial biomass produced in winery wastewater contained 23.2% lipid/biomass, wt/wt, which was satisfying. The growth in the dairy wastewater yielded the highest attached biomass productivity (5.03 g m−2 day−1) followed by the mixed effluent of winery-raisin (4.12 g m−2 day−1) and the winery wastewater (3.08 g m−2 day−1). The produced microbial lipids contained high percentages of saturated and mono-unsaturated fatty acids (over 89% in total lipids) in all substrates examined. We conclude that the proposed attached growth photobioreactor system can be considered an effective wastewater treatment system that simultaneously produces microbial lipids suitable as biodiesel feedstock.
Modeling Summer Hypoxia Spatial Distribution and Fish Habitat Volume in Artificial Estuarine Waterway
Authors: Chong Suna , Park Chunhong , Lee Ka Ram , An Kwang-Guk
Published: November 2018

This study analyzes the dissolved oxygen (DO) depletion or hypoxia formation affecting the ecological vulnerability of Gyeongin-Ara Waterway (GAW), an artificial estuarine waterway. The physical, chemical, and biochemical factors affecting the summer hypoxia dynamics and distribution are simulated and the habitat volumes of major fish species are calculated. CE-QUAL-W2, a two-dimensional hydrodynamic and water quality model, is applied for the simulation. Comparison with observation reveals that the salinity stratification, vertical DO gradient, and summer hypoxia characteristics are realistically reproduced by the model. Comprehensive analysis of the spatial distributions of the residence time, salinity, and DO concentration reveal that the residence time is longest at the bottom of a freshwater inflow zone. Accordingly, residence time is identified as the physical factor having the greatest influence on hypoxia. It is also clear that a hypoxic water mass diffuses towards the entire waterway during neap tides and summer, when the seawater inflow decreases. Based on the modeling results, the DO depletion drivers are identified and the hypoxic zone formation and distribution are sufficiently explained. Finally, fish habitat volumes are calculated. In particular, the survival habitat volume of Mugil cephalus is found to decrease by 32–34% as a result of hypoxia from July to August. The model employed in this study could be utilized to establish an operational plan for the waterway, which would increase fish habitat volumes.
Optimizing the Positioning of Soil Moisture Monitoring Sensors in Winter Wheat Fields
Authors: Shen Xiaojun , Liang Jing , Zeleke Ketema Tilahun , Liang Yueping , Wang Guangshuai , Duan Aiwang , Mi Zhaorong , Ning Huifeng , Gao Yang , Zhang Jiyang
Published: November 2018

Collecting accurate real-time soil moisture data in crop root zones is the foundation of automated precision irrigation systems. Soil moisture sensors (SMSs) have been used to monitor soil water content (SWC) in crop fields for a long time; however, there is no generally accepted guideline for determining optimal number and placement of soil moisture sensors in the soil profile. In order to study adequate positioning for the installation of soil moisture sensors in the soil profile, six years of field experiments were carried out in North China Plain (NCP). Soil water content was measured using the gravimetric method every 7 to 10 days during six growing seasons of winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L), and root distribution was measured using a soil core method during the key periods of winter wheat growth. The results from the experimental data analysis show that SWC at different depths had a high linear correlation. In addition, the values of correlation coefficients decreased with increasing soil depth; the coefficient of variation (CV) of SWC was higher in the surface layers than in the deeper layers (depths were 0–40 cm, 0–60 cm, and 0–100 cm during the early, middle, and last stages of winter wheat, respectively); wheat roots were mainly distributed in the surface layer. According to an analysis of CV for SWC and root distribution, the depths of planned wetted layers were determined to be 0–40 cm, 0–60 cm, and 0–100 cm during the sowing to reviving stages (the early stage of winter wheat), returning green and jointing stages (the middle stage of winter wheat), and heading to maturity stage (the last stage of winter wheat), respectively. The correlation and R-cluster analyses of SWC at different layers in the soil profile showed that SMSs should be installed 10 and 30 cm below the soil surface during the winter wheat growing season. The linear regression model can be built using SWC at depths of 10 and 30 cm to predict total average SWC in the soil profile. The results of validation showed that the developed model provided reliable estimates of total average SWC in the planned wetted layer. In brief, this study suggests that suitable positioning of soil moisture sensors is at depths of 10 and 30 cm below the soil surface.
Groundwater Contamination, Subsurface Processes, and Remediation Methods: Overview of the Special Issue of Water on Groundwater Contamination and Remediation
Authors: Mays David , Scheibe Timothy
Published: November 2018

This special issue of Water brings together ten studies on groundwater contamination and remediation. Common themes include practical techniques for plume identification and delineation, the central role of subsurface processes, the pervasiveness of non-Fickian transport, and the importance of bacterial communities in the broader context of biogeochemistry.
Research on the Data-Driven Quality Control Method of Hydrological Time Series Data
Authors: Zhao Qun , Zhu Yuelong , Wan Dingsheng , Yu Yufeng , Cheng Xifeng
Published: November 2018

Ensuring the quality of hydrological data has become a key issue in the field of hydrology. Based on the characteristics of hydrological data, this paper proposes a data-driven quality control method for hydrological data. For continuous hydrological time series data, two combined forecasting models and one statistical control model are constructed from horizontal, vertical, and statistical perspectives and the three models provide three confidence intervals. Set the suspicious level based on the number of confidence intervals for data violations, control the data, and provide suggested values for suspicious and missing data. For the discrete hydrological data with large time-space difference, the similar weight topological map between the neighboring stations is established centering on the hydrological station under the test and it is adjusted continuously with the seasonal changes. Lastly, a spatial interpolation model is established to detect the data. The experimental results show that the quality control method proposed in this paper can effectively detect and control the data, find suspicious and erroneous data, and provide suggested values.
Evolution of Velocity Field and Vortex Structure during Run-Down of Solitary Wave over Very Steep Beach
Authors: Lin Chang , Wong Wei-Ying , Kao Ming-Jer , Tsai Ching-Piao , Hwung Hwung-Hweng , Wu Yun-Ta , Raikar Rajkumar V.
Published: November 2018

An experimental results on the spatio-temporal variation of velocity field and vortex structure, generated from the separated boundary layers on the offshore side of the still-water shoreline, during the run-down process of non-breaking solitary waves over a 1:3 sloping beach are presented. Three waves having the incident wave-height to water-depth ratios (H0/h0) of 0.363, 0.263, and 0.171 were generated in a wave flume. Two flow visualization techniques and high-speed particle image velocimetry were employed. The primary topics and new findings are: (1) Mechanism of the incipient flow separation, accompanied by formation of the separated shear layer from the beach surface, is elucidated under the adverse pressure gradient, using the fine data of velocity measurements very close to the sloping boundary. (2) Occurrence of hydraulic jump subsequently followed by development of the tongue-shaped free surface and projecting jet is demonstrated through spatio-temporal variation in the Froude number. It is confirmed by a change in the Froude number from supercritical to subcritical range as the free surface rapidly rises from the onshore to offshore side. (3) A complete evolution of the primary vortex structure (including the core position, vortex size, and velocity distribution passing through the vortex core) is first introduced systematically, together with the illustration of temporal variation in the topological structure. The non-dimensional shoreward distance of the vortex core section decreases with the increase in the non-dimensional time. However, the non-dimensional size height of the primary vortex increases with increasing non-dimensional time. (4) Two universal similarity profiles for both the wall jet flow and the shear layer flow demonstrate independency of the two similarity profiles of the wave-height to water-depth ratio and the beach slope. The similarity profiles indicate the promising collapse of the data from three previous studies for 1:20, 1:10, and 1:5 sloping beaches.
Observations morphologiques dans l'abîme de Maramoye (Var)
Authors: Bigot Jean-Yves
Published: November 2018

Morphological observations in the Maramoye pit (Le Beausset, Var).

Maramoye pit is a two levels cave around the Beausset Clay, and near to a 6 My old lava flow. On one hand, the description of the deposit's cuts, and of galeries features, on the other hand, show a run of events whose relative chronology can be recreated. The siliceous toping, developped by the crypto-corrosion, then the volcanic event and at last, the " red event " showing limestones out of their siliceous toping , stand for the great phase infered from observations in the cave. The upper level galeries morphology shows a connection between lower and upper levels linked by a "puits-cheminée" (running on per ascensum). The corroded speleothems and half evacuated fillings point out a water-flooding of the upper level. It has not been possible to show obviously that one or other levels of Maramoye is formed before the other. In compensation, the observations suggest that the lower level after the basaltic event has been picked up, so that the paleogeographic precing back get complicated.
Traçage entre le lac de Salanfe et les sources de Val d'Illiez (Valais, Suisse) : tectonique, lithologie et géothermie
Authors: Sesiano Jean
Published: November 2018

Une investigation détaillée sur le terrain nous a permis de découvrir une zone de pertes sur la rive sud du lac de barrage de Salanfe, en Valais (Suisse). Deux traçages montrent la relation avec les sources thermales de Val d'Dliez. L'augmentation de température des eaux infiltrées est due à la profondeur à laquelle elles descendent avant de remonter vers la surface en suivant une faille alpine inverse.