bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Using Social Media to Monitor Conflict-Related Migration: A Review of Implications for A.I. Forecasting
Authors: Unver Hamid Akin
Published: September 2022

Following the large-scale 2015–2016 migration crisis that shook Europe, deploying big data and social media harvesting methods became gradually popular in mass forced migration monitoring. These methods have focused on producing ‘real-time’ inferences and predictions on individual and social behavioral, preferential, and cognitive patterns of human mobility. Although the volume of such data has improved rapidly due to social media and remote sensing technologies, they have also produced biased, flawed, or otherwise invasive results that made migrants’ lives more difficult in transit. This review article explores the recent debate on the use of social media data to train machine learning classifiers and modify thresholds to help algorithmic systems monitor and predict violence and forced migration. Ultimately, it identifies and dissects five prevalent explanations in the literature on limitations for the use of such data for A.I. forecasting, namely ‘policy-engineering mismatch’, ‘accessibility/comprehensibility’, ‘legal/legislative legitimacy’, ‘poor data cleaning’, and ‘difficulty of troubleshooting’. From this review, the article suggests anonymization, distributed responsibility, and ‘right to reasonable inferences’ debates as potential solutions and next research steps to remedy these problems.
The Caregiving Journey: Arts-Based Methods as Tools for Participatory Co-Design of Health Technologies
Authors: Miller Evonne , Zelenko Oksana
Published: September 2022

Being an informal caregiver to a loved one with an illness, disease, or chronic disability is a rewarding but frequently stressful experience. In this design research project, caregivers participated in a half-day workshop to (1) share their caregiving experience, (2) reflect on the potential of a mobile smartphone ‘app’ for carers and (3) co-design this app, as well as in-depth interviews. Our design research process used multiple arts-based methods, including visual experience mapping tools, storytelling, photo-elicitation, documentary photography, cartoons, drawing, and research poetry, to provide rich and empathic insight into daily life as a caregiver and illuminate the potential of technology. Workshop activities included creating a visual collage of lived experience, annotated visual maps illustrating the reality and misconceptions of caregiving, pathways of care, and mapping a day in their life using the visual metaphor of a clock. Carers then trialled and provided feedback on a prototype app, creating a collective map of desired features. This co-design feedback informed the final app design, which was formally launched at a public exhibition showcasing stories collected from our arts and design-led processes. This paper outlines the value of arts and design methods in the design of future health technologies, which provide a critical space for an informed, reflexive, and empathic dialogue about illness and caregiving, resulting in designs that truly met consumer’s needs.
Building Back Better: Fostering Community Resilient Dynamics beyond COVID-19
Authors: Isetti Giulia , Ghirardello Linda , Walder Maximilian
Published: September 2022

In light of the COVID-19 crisis and its deep impacts worldwide, questions arise of how to be prepared against and cope with pandemics in particular and disruptions in general. The coronavirus not only posed a physical health threat but caused detrimental effects on people’s social lives, adding concerns for individual and collective wellbeing. Herein, within a qualitative explorative case study from Merano (Northern Italy) combining two strands of literature, namely post-disaster recovery and community resilience, 14 semi-structured interviews were conducted with key informants. The interviews served as methodological tool to explore six dimensions (cultural, physical, economic, social, institutional, and ecological) of the local community resilience in the wake of the COVID-19 disaster, and the elements that can further strengthen it. Results show that although there are some networks in place for people to rely on and to support each other, there is still much room for improvement, especially for what concerns local institutional policies. The results are expected to be useful for policy making and for long-term, sustainable, and inclusive management of the risks posed by COVID-19 and future crises looming on the horizon, such as climate change.
Potential Application of Alternate Tillage (AT) in a Rice–Wheat Rotation System—Based on Soil Physical Properties, Wheat Growth and Yield
Authors: Li Shengchun , Zhang Yilin , Guo Lihao , Li Xiaofang
Published: September 2022

Alternate tillage (AT) has the potential to reduce inputs and improve soil quality and crop yield, but there has been no research on the effect of AT on soil and wheat in a rice–wheat rotation system. In this study, field experiments were conducted to examine the effects of four tillage management methods (conventional tilling (CT) in each crop (RCT–WCT), no tilling (NT) in rice and conventional tilling in wheat (RNT–WCT, AT1), conventional tilling in rice and no tilling in wheat (RCT–WNT, AT2), and no tilling in each crop (RNT–WNT)) on the physical properties of soil, wheat growth, and yield. At the 0–5 cm soil layer, CT in the wheat season increased bulk density (BD) and decreased total properties, but it decreased BD at the 5–40 cm soil layer, and the effect of RCT–WCT was significantly greater than that of RNT–WCT. CT in the wheat season increased the root activity, root dry weight, net photosynthetic rate, leaf area index, antioxidant enzyme activities, and yield, and there was no significant effect between RCT–WCT and RNT–WCT. RNT-WCT has the potential to reduce inputs and maintain wheat yields.
Linear Permanent Magnet Vernier Generators for Wave Energy Applications: Analysis, Challenges, and Opportunities
Authors: Jafari Reza , Asef Pedram , Ardebili Mohammad , Derakhshani Mohammad Mahdi
Published: September 2022

Harvesting energy from waves as a substantial resource of renewable energy has attracted much attention in recent years. Linear permanent magnet vernier generators (LPMVGs) have been widely adopted in wave energy applications to extract clean energy from oceans. Linear PM vernier machines perform based on the magnetic gearing effect, allowing them to offer high power/force density at low speeds. The outstanding feature of providing high power capability makes linear vernier generators more advantageous compared to linear PM synchronous counterparts used in wave energy conversion systems. Nevertheless, they inherently suffer from a poor power factor arising from their considerable leakage flux. Various structures and methods have been introduced to enhance their performance and improve their low power factor. In this work, a comparative study of different structures, distinguishable concepts, and operation principles of linear PM vernier machines is presented. Furthermore, recent advancements and innovative improvements have been investigated. They are categorized and evaluated to provide a comprehensive insight into the exploitation of linear vernier generators in wave energy extracting systems. Finally, some significant structures of linear PM vernier generators are modeled using two-dimensional finite element analysis (2D-FEA) to compare their electromagnetic characteristics and survey their performance.
Designing a Recycling Network for the Circular Economy of Plastics with Different Multi-Criteria Optimization Approaches
Authors: Stallkamp Christoph , Steins Justus , Ruck Manuel , Volk Rebekka , Schultmann Frank
Published: September 2022

A growing plastic production increases the pressure on waste management systems, which have to cope with greater volumes of plastic waste. Increased plastics recycling can reduce environmental impacts by lowering the need for primary plastics production and thus fossil resources demand. Current research is mainly focused on identifying environmentally friendly recycling technologies for different waste streams. However, recycling capacities must also be expanded to handle the waste generated. Therefore, this paper develops multiple exemplary multi-criteria optimization models to design an optimal recycling network. The models are deployed in a case study for plastic packaging waste in Europe for an advanced mechanical recycling process. We compare the different multi-criteria optimization approaches, how they balance environmental and economic aspects differently, and how this affects the recycling network design. Finally, we compare the optimization approaches and find goal programming the most promising approach for recycling network design that ensures a balance between economic and environmental objectives.
Sustainable Food Supply from the Perspective of Paddy Ecosystem Elasticity: Policies and Implications
Authors: Yang Teng , Sun Yanhua , Li Xiaolin
Published: September 2022

Rice is the staple food for 2.5 billion people worldwide and most farmers depend solely on rice for their livelihood. This study estimates how paddy ecosystem elasticity and external human activity affect paddy ecosystem sustainable food supply. In particular, we analyzed how sustainable food supply is affected by three key domains of external factors—ecological factors, including the proportion of paddy Area (Are), per capita cultivated land area (Lan), and annual wastewater discharge per capita (Was); economic factors, including the agricultural economy level (Inv) and urbanization rate (Urb); and social factors, including the education of farmers (Edu) and rural medical level (Med). We use ANEV, or net paddy ecosystem services value per unit area, to assess the sustainable food supply, which not only represents the food supply quantity and quality, but also the sustainability of the food supply. Results from our panel and threshold regressions suggest that Lan and Urb have a threshold effect on paddy ANEV; Are, Was, Inv, and Edu have a linear negative correlation with ANEV; and Med has a positive linear correlation with ANEV. Based on our findings, we lay out a series of recommendations that may guide future formulation of policies on paddy ecosystem protection and sustainable food supply.
Emission of Bisphenol A and Four New Analogs from Industrial Wastewater Treatment Plants in the Production Processes of Polypropylene and Polyethylene Terephthalate in South America
Authors: Hernández-Fernández Joaquín , Cano-Cuadro Heidi , Puello-Polo Esneyder
Published: September 2022

The study of the presence of bisphenol analogs in the environment has been very relevant in recent years because their toxic potential has been discovered, and since they are not regulated like bisphenol A, their use and presence in industry has been excessive. This study identifies and quantifies for the first time the presence of bisphenol A and four uncommon bisphenol analogs in waste from polypropylene (PP) and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) production processes that may originate from the degradation of some compounds used during resin synthesis in Colombia to determine the effectiveness of removal of these components. The data obtained show that the treatments used in these waters are insufficient to eliminate 40% of the bisphenols present in them, and when evaluating the profiles of compounds, it is clear that the compound with the highest removal during the PP process was D-BPA-1, while the compound with the highest removal during the PET process was D-BPA-4, indicating that identification and elimination systems for bisphenols are rudimentary.
Design of a Customizable Test Bench of an Electric Vehicle Powertrain for Learning Purposes Using Model-Based System Engineering
Authors: El Hadraoui Hicham , Zegrari Mourad , Hammouch Fatima-Ezzahra , Guennouni Nasr , Laayati Oussama , Chebak Ahmed
Published: September 2022

Nowadays, electric vehicles attract significant attention because of the increasingly stringent exhaust emission policies all over the world. Moreover, with the fast expansion of the sustainable economy, the demand for electric vehicles is expanding. In the recent age, maintenance has seriously hampered the marketing and use of electric automobiles. As a result, the technique for maintaining electric vehicles is regarded as vital since it directly affects the security and availability for the end user and the passengers. Another key aspect of electric mobility is the integration of artificial intelligence in control, diagnostics, and prognostics. Meanwhile, a lot of research efforts are still devoted to developing and innovating electric traction systems, especially for diagnostic and prognostic purposes. Furthermore, topics covering important, current, and sustainability challenges should contain more than theoretical knowledge in high-quality education, particularly in engineering education. The purpose is to bridge the gap between the new technology and the learner’s circumstances through giving practical technical expertise and training in the sphere of overall engineering competences, to avoid non-standard, unskilled maintenance work. This article presents the first phase towards designing and developing a test bench of an electric vehicle’s powertrain used for research, learning and e-learning purposes, employing model-based systems engineering (MBSE) and systems modeling language (SysML) through the CESAM architecting and modeling framework. The aforementioned approach is used on our case study to build and present an operational viewpoint layout of the control, energy management, diagnostic, and prognostic test bench as part of the system’s initial phase of designing the system; the test bench layout proposed in this paper represents a flexible, low-cost, multidisciplinary downsized laboratory providing basic experiments related to e-mobility and covering numerous branches and study fields.
Emergency Decision Making: A Literature Review and Future Directions
Authors: Su Wenxin , Chen Linyan , Gao Xin
Published: September 2022

In recent decades, various types of emergencies have started to occur more frequently. Their impact and complexity have increased significantly, bringing serious challenges to the sustainable development of the economy, society and the environment. Emergency decision making (EDM) for emergencies is vital for successfully handling crisis events and achieving sustainable development goals. It has attracted widespread academic attention. The purpose of this study is to summarize the progress made so far in research and identify future directions through a literature review. First, a two-stage literature search was conducted to identify a sample of studies. Then, the literature was analyzed econometrically and coded for content. Finally, a theoretical framework based on stakeholder theory was developed to identify current insights and to uncover what needs to be further researched. The article suggests that future in-depth research should be conducted in four areas: analysis of social media information related to emergencies, improvement in computer-aided tools, the influence of decision makers’ characteristics on decision outcomes, and efficient linkage of multiple subjects in the organization and implementation phase of emergency projects. This study hopes to draw the attention of more scholars to conduct research related to EDM to promote theoretical progress and contribute knowledge on the sustainable development of the practice of EDM.
Urban Community Resilience Amidst the Spreading of Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19): A Rapid Scoping Review
Authors: Ningrum Vanda , Chotib  , Subroto Athor
Published: September 2022

This article aims to examine the existing current studies in urban community resilience related to the pandemic (COVID-19 Pandemic) and to raise a sense of urgency in future research for the model building of urban community resilience during the next pandemic if any. Our review is based on 47 articles considered eligible following inclusion and exclusion criteria after identifying, screening, and prioritizing the title and abstract of 703 records. The insights are organized by three indicators that affect community resilience. The first is the urban community’s vulnerabilities during a particular pandemic. Second, the types of community organizations in dealing with the impact of the pandemic. Third, key dimensions to build community resilience. We draw some intriguing takes for future research that needs to focus on community resilience after the pandemic cases have hit the ground, as a need to draw lessons for the new normal and future challenges and to examine the social learning and transformation process to establish community resilience.
Rapid Environmental Assessment of Buildings: Linking Environmental and Cost Estimating Databases
Authors: Nehasilová Marie , Lupíšek Antonín , Coufalová Petra Lupíšková , Kupsa Tomáš , Veselka Jakub , Vlasatá Barbora , Železná Julie , Kunová Pavla , Volf Martin
Published: September 2022

Life cycle assessment (LCA) has become an important part of building design optimization. Design studios need tools that make the LCA of buildings faster and simple, and provide results that allow comparison between variants. The objective of this study was to show the possibility of LCA data integration into the existing building design tool, the DEK Building Library, which is already widely used in the Czech Republic, by connecting it to 1200 items of the largest Czech cost-estimating database, and the application of this connection into building information modeling (BIM) tools. This process also included the large-scale adaptation of 160 relevant LCA data. The main result was obtained using EnviBIM, a freely accessible BIM plugin, as well as a web interface that allows users to receive cradle-to-gate environmental impacts of DEK Building Library elements. Additionally, a semi-automated algorithms system for different groups of building materials and elements named EnviDataGenerator was developed in MS Excel, which enables the consistent linking of LCA data to the cost-estimating database items. This allows EnviBIM extensions and upgrades. The EnviBIM module was validated using case studies of three buildings modeled in ArchiCAD and REVIT. The difference in results compared to the manual calculation was 3.1% to 10.9%, which was considered a success.
Walkability Indicators in the Aftermath of the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Systematic Review
Authors: Jardim Bruno , de Castro Neto Miguel
Published: September 2022

Walkability indicators are a pivotal method to evaluate the role of the built environment in people’s decisions regarding active mobility, contributing to help promote more sustainable and equitable regions. Currently, there is a lack of literature describing the trends and findings from recent studies, and how research on this topic has responded to COVID-19. In this work, we apply the PRISMA methodology to perform a systematic literature review of studies that employed walkability indicators to uncover associations between walkability and different topics, such as physical activity, health and mobility, in the aftermath of the pandemic. Results show that the growth rate of studies in this period almost doubled compared to the three years prior to the outbreak. We explore the main subjects addressed in recent literature and found that most studies resorted to well-known indicators, predominantly to Walk Score®, while fewer works developed and applied new indicators. General findings point to a positive association between walkability and physical activity, overall health and active mobility. Moreover, in recent works, walkability’s relationship with environmental metrics is not clear and there is a lack of studies linking walkability indicators to COVID-19. More than two years after the worldwide outbreak of the COVID-19 virus, our work provides an effective resource for researchers to understand recent trends in studies employing walkability indicators.
Research Status, Hotspots, and Evolutionary Trends of Intelligent Education from the Perspective of Knowledge Graph
Authors: Shi Dingpu , Zhou Jincheng , Wang Dan , Wu Xiaopeng
Published: September 2022

Intelligent education research has become a research hotspot in recent years. The Citespace software that operates a graph visualization function was used to clarify the current situation, hot spots, and evolutionary trends of intelligent education research development; the authors, institutions, and countries engaged in intelligent education research, as well as the basic knowledge structure, main keywords, citation clustering, dual-map overlay of journals and citation emergence of intelligent education research. The results show that the annual number of publications in the field has shown an upward trend since 2010, with strong communication among research institutions and countries, but weak communication among researchers. Among them, the United States is the center of the global collaborative network of intelligent education research. The basic knowledge structure of intelligence education research is mainly composed of Classroom Management, Evaluation Index, 5G Network, and Big Data Analytics. The dual-map overlay analysis of journals shows that the core areas of intelligence education are increasing, and the analysis of keywords and cited literature shows that Intelligence Tutoring System, AI system, Students and Education, Model, and System are high-frequency words with high-intensity burstness. In addition, research on intelligent education is characterized by multi-country, multi-field, and multi-disciplinary integration, and the adoption of Big Data, Distance Education Technology and Artificial Intelligence Technology to provide scientific support for teaching and learning will become the key research content in this field in the future.
Associated Factors of Pesticide Packaging Waste Recycling Behavior Based on the Theory of Planned Behavior in Chinese Fruit Farmers
Authors: Yan Lina , Zhao Xue , Zhang Dan , Deng Jian , Zhang Yuan
Published: September 2022

Pesticide packaging waste recycling is crucial in promoting the development of agricultural modernization and ensuring the safety of agricultural products, but, currently, studies on pesticide packaging waste recycling behavior at the farmer level are still scarce, especially from the perspective of social psychology and regulation paths. In the current study, we surveyed 198 farmers in Shaanxi Province, China. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to explore the associated factors of farmers’ pesticide waste packaging recycling behavior based on the theory of planned behavior (TPB). The results indicate that a degree of convenience and time spent affected recycling behavior. Attitude toward the behavior (AB) and subject norm (SN) showed significant associations with fruit farmers’ behavior intention (IN) in pesticide packaging waste recycling, while perceived behavior control (PBC) presented insignificant association. However, the direct association between PBC and fruit famers’ behavior in regards to pesticide packaging waste recycling was statistically significant. Our study’s results suggest that measures such as improving the policy system of pesticide packaging recycling and treatment, strengthening science popularization, publicity and guidance, standardizing pesticide packaging tips, carrying out pilot recycling programs, and improving infrastructures could be effective in promoting fruit farmers’ behavior in regards to the recycling of pesticide packaging waste.
COVID-19-Adapted Multi-Functional Corniche Street Design Assessment Model: Applying Global Sensitivity Analysis (GSA) and Adaptability Analysis Methods
Authors: Shafaghat Arezou , Ferwati Salim , Keyvanfar Ali
Published: September 2022

The world-shaking communicable coronavirus disease (i.e., COVID-19) has become a pandemic threat to a healthy built environment. This study aimed to develop the COVID-19-adapted multi-functional corniche street design (Ca-MCSD) assessment model. Accordingly, this study identified variables coordinating the local environmental, physical, social, cultural, and political mediations of multi-functional corniche street design. Secondly, it measured the weight of every single variable through confirmatory analysis, normalization, and standardization techniques, and an expert-input study then developed the MCSD model and Ca-MCSD model. This study validated the models through a case study (i.e., Al Wakrah corniche street in Dubai, Qatar) and conducted ANOVA regression analysis and global sensitivity analysis (GSA). The Ca-MCSD model evaluates the design quality of a corniche street across five criteria—inclusiveness, desirable activities, safety, comfort, and pleasurability—and forty-two sub-criteria. The regression analysis determined that the MCSD model and Ca-MCSD model are linearly and positively correlated (Y = 0.811777X + 0.383401), where the Pearson regression coefficient (r) equaled 0.903729, r2 equaled 0.816727, and the p-value was 0.025 with 95% confidence intervals. The research found that, before the COVID-19 pandemic, microclimate comfort (avWSc.3.4 = 7.880), community gathering places (Sc.2.1), availability of foods (Sc.2.4), appropriate maintenance and physical condition (Sc.3.6), and attractiveness of space (Sc.5.8) (avW = 6.000) played critical roles in designing a multi-functional corniche street. However, after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the key drivers changed to microclimate comfort (favWSc.3.4 = 12.632), appropriate maintenance and physical condition (favWSc.3.6 = 9.618), physical/visual connection or openness to adjacent spaces (favWSc.4.1 = 4.809), and over-securitization (favWSc.4.1 = 4.287).
Does Low-Carbon City Policy Improve Industrial Capacity Utilization? Evidence from a Quasi-Natural Experiment in China
Authors: Han Zhipeng , Wang Liguo , Zhao Feifei , Mao Zijun
Published: September 2022

A low-carbon city policy (LCC) is a comprehensive environmental regulation to promote urban green development and resolve the overcapacity contradiction. This study uses China’s low-carbon city pilot policy as a “quasi-natural experiment” based on a panel of 266 Chinese cities, covering three batches of low-carbon pilot cities from 2003 to 2019. We measure industrial capacity utilization at the city level and then construct a time-varying DID (TV-DID) model to investigate the effect of a low-carbon city policy on industrial capacity utilization in Chinese cities, exploring the mechanism, heterogeneity, and spatial effects. It is found that (1) LCC improves industrial capacity utilization by approximately 3.2%, and the above finding still holds after a series of robustness tests, such as the parallel trend test, PSM-DID, DDD, and placebo test. (2) LCC improves industrial capacity utilization through three channels: alleviating resource misallocation, promoting industrial structure upgrading, and stimulating technological innovation. (3) The improvement of LCC on industrial capacity utilization has heterogeneity and positive spatial spillover effect. (4) The heterogeneity analysis shows that the improvement of LCC on industrial capacity utilization is stronger in cities in the high quartile of industrial capacity utilization, cities in old industrial bases, cities along the “Belt and Road” route, and cities in a free-trade zone. The theoretical analysis and empirical results of this study provide empirical support for the promotion of low-carbon city policy globally and provide ideas for solving the overcapacity contradiction in the context of global decarbonization.
A Triple Helix Model of Doctoral Education: A Case Study of an Industrial Doctorate
Authors: Yang Hongqing
Published: September 2022

The knowledge economy requires a revolution in doctoral education. This article generalizes a triple helix model of doctoral education based on the existing literature. Further, it conducts a case study of a Center for Doctoral Training sponsored by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council in the United Kingdom. This research adopts document and observation studies as instruments to examine the roles of university, industry, and government, and their interactions, in doctoral education. Through document and observation analyses, it finds that universities provide disciplinary, interdisciplinary, and professional training to doctoral students; industry offers research and training opportunities, research grants, and placements; and governments stimulate the cooperation between universities and industry through support policies and grants. Universities, industry, and governments benefit from these interactions, and these benefits reinforce their interactions. In the meantime, university autonomy is compromised by the involvement of industry and governments in doctoral education, although the rigor of the doctorates is not compromised because universities dominate the assessment. The curriculum, supervision, matching of research projects from industry with the research interests of doctoral students, and research outcomes, which are in the boundary spaces of the triple helix model of doctoral education, should be further developed for the development of industrial doctorates.
Optimizing the Routing of Urban Logistics by Context-Based Social Network and Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis
Authors: Wu Mei-Yu , Ke Chih-Kun , Lai Szu-Cheng
Published: September 2022

The proper vehicle-route selection is a key challenge affecting the quality of urban logistics since any delay may cause disasters. This study proposes a novel approach of using symmetry/asymmetry traffic context data and multi-criteria decision analysis to optimize vehicle-route selection as part of urban-logistical planning. The traffic context data are collected from official urban transportation databases and metadata of Google Maps route planning to construct a context-based social network. The traffic features and routing criteria have symmetry/asymmetry properties to influence the decision of path selection. Multi-criteria decision analysis can generate a ranking of candidate paths based on an evaluation of traffic data in context-based social networks to recommend to the deliveryman. The deliveryman can select a reasonable path for delivering products according to the ranking of candidate paths. A case study demonstrates the steps of the proposed approach. Experimental results show that the precision is 79.65%, recall is 80.70%, and F1-score is 80.17%, thus proving the vehicle-route recommendation effectiveness. The contribution of this work is to optimize traffic-routing solutions for improved urban logistics in smart cities. It helps deliverymen send products as soon as possible to customers to retain quality, especially in cold-chain logistics.
Design, Synthesis and Cytotoxicity Screening of New Thiazole Derivatives as Potential Anticancer Agents through VEGFR-2 Inhibition
Authors: Al-Warhi Tarfah , Abualnaja Matokah , Abu Ali Ola A. , Alyamani Najiah M. , Elsaid Fahmy G. , Shati Ali A. , Albogami Sarah , Fayad Eman , Abu Almaaty Ali H. , Mohamed Khaled O. , Alamoudi Wael M. , Zaki Islam
Published: September 2022

Z-configurated isomers are kinetically preferred molecules. Compounds with Z-configuration are contained in many natural products, biologically active compounds and as synthons for organic synthesis. Two series of new thiazole-based analogs were synthesized from appropriate starting materials hydrazinecarbothioamide derivatives (Z)-2a,b to be evaluated for their inhibitory activity towards VEGFR-2. The prepared thiazole compounds 3a-5b were screened for their cytotoxic potency against the MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cell line and their percentage inhibition against VEGFR-2. Compound 4d exhibited good VEGFR-2 inhibitory activity. A DNA flow cytometry analysis was conducted, and compound 4d demonstrated cell cycle arrest at the G1 and G2/M phases of the cell cycle profile and an apoptosis-inducing effect by increasing the percentage of pre-G1 phase. Compound 4d was further evaluated for its apoptosis-inducing effect by studying the effect on mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) and p53 activation. It was found to boost the level of p53 and reduce the level of MMP compared with the untreated control cells.
Comparing Hermitian and Non-Hermitian Quantum Electrodynamics
Authors: Southall Jake , Hodgson Daniel , Purdy Robert , Beige Almut
Published: September 2022

In recent years, non-Hermitian quantum physics has gained a great deal of popularity in the quantum optics and condensed matter communities in order to model quantum systems with varying symmetries. In this paper, we identify a non-standard inner product that implies bosonic commutator relations for local electric and magnetic field observables and leads to a natural local biorthogonal description of the quantised electromagnetic field. When comparing this description with an alternative local Hermitian description, in which the states of local photonic particles, i.e., of so-called bosons localised in position (blips), are orthogonal under the conventional Hermitian inner product, we find that there is an equivalence between the two approaches. Careful consideration needs to be given to the physical interpretation of the different descriptions. Whether a Hermitian or a non-Hermitian approach is more suitable depends on the circumstances that we want to model.
Metal Ions and Chemical Modification Reagents Inhibit the Enzymatic Activity of Lecithin-Dependent Hemolysin from Vibrio parahaemolyticus
Authors: Vazquez-Armenta Francisco Javier , Valdez-Olmos Uriel Felipe , Arvizu-Flores Aldo Alejandro , Ayala-Zavala Jesus Fernando , Ochoa-Leyva Adrian , Lopez-Zavala Alonso Alexis
Published: September 2022

Lecithin-dependent thermolabile hemolysin (LDH) is a virulence factor excreted by Vibrio parahaemolyticus, a marine bacterium that causes important losses in shrimp farming. In this study, the function of LDH was investigated through its inhibition by metal ions (Mg2+, Ca2+, Mn2+, Co2+, Ni2+ and Cu2+) and chemical modification reagents: β-mercaptoethanol (βME), phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride (PMSF) and diethyl pyrocarbonate (DEPC). LDH was expressed in the Escherichia coli strain BL-21, purified under denaturing conditions, and the enzymatic activity was evaluated. Cu2+, Ni2+, Co2+ and Ca2+ at 1 mmol/L inhibited the LDH esterase activity by 20–95%, while Mg2+ and Mn2+ slightly increased its activity. Additionally, PMSF and DEPC at 1 mmol/L inhibited the enzymatic activity by 40% and 80%, respectively. Dose-response analysis showed that DEPC was the best-evaluated inhibitor (IC50 = 0.082 mmol/L), followed by Cu2+ > Co2+ > Ni2+ and PMSF (IC50 = 0.146–1.5 mmol/L). Multiple sequence alignment of LDH of V. parahaemolyticus against other Vibrio species showed that LDH has well-conserved GDSL and SGNH motifs, characteristic of the hydrolase/esterase superfamily. Additionally, the homology model showed that the conserved catalytic triad His-Ser-Asp was in the LDH active site. Our results showed that the enzymatic activity of LDH from V. parahaemolyticus was modulated by metal ions and chemical modification, which could be related to the interaction with catalytic amino acid residues such as Ser153 and/or His 393.
Treatment with Paracetamol Can Interfere with the Intradialytic Optical Estimation in Spent Dialysate of Uric Acid but Not of Indoxyl Sulfate
Authors: Adoberg Annika , Paats Joosep , Arund Jürgen , Dhondt Annemieke , Fridolin Ivo , Glorieux Griet , Holmar Jana , Lauri Kai , Leis Liisi , Luman Merike , Pilt Kristjan , Uhlin Fredrik , Tanner Risto
Published: September 2022

Optical online methods are used to monitor the haemodialysis treatment efficiency of end stage kidney disease (ESKD) patients. The aim of this study was to analyse the effect of the administration of UV-absorbing drugs, such as paracetamol (Par), on the accuracy of optical monitoring the removal of uremic toxins uric acid (UA) and indoxyl sulfate (IS) during standard haemodialysis (HD) and haemodiafiltration (HDF) treatments. Nine patients received Par in daily dosages 1–4 g for 30 sessions. For 137 sessions, in 36 patients the total daily dosage of UV-absorbing drugs was less than 500 mg, and for 6 sessions 3 patients received additional UV-absorbing drugs. Par administration slightly affected the accuracy of optically assessed removal of UA expressed as bias between optically and laboratory-assessed reduction ratios (RR) during HD but not HDF employing UV absorbance of spent dialysate (p < 0.05) at 295 nm wavelength with the strongest correlation between the concentration of UA and absorbance. Corresponding removal of IS based on fluorescence at Ex280/Em400 nm during HD and HDF was not affected. Administration of UV-absorbing drugs may in some settings influence the accuracy of optical assessments in spent dialysate of the removal of uremic solutes during haemodialysis treatment of ESKD patients.
Structure and Biological Properties of Ribosome-Inactivating Proteins and Lectins from Elder (Sambucus nigra L.) Leaves
Authors: Iglesias Rosario , Russo Rosita , Landi Nicola , Valletta Mariangela , Chambery Angela , Di Maro Antimo , Bolognesi Andrea , Ferreras José M. , Citores Lucía
Published: September 2022

Ribosome-inactivating proteins (RIPs) are a group of proteins with rRNA N-glycosylase activity that catalyze the removal of a specific adenine located in the sarcin–ricin loop of the large ribosomal RNA, which leads to the irreversible inhibition of protein synthesis and, consequently, cell death. The case of elderberry (Sambucus nigra L.) is unique, since more than 20 RIPs and related lectins have been isolated and characterized from the flowers, seeds, fruits, and bark of this plant. However, these kinds of proteins have never been isolated from elderberry leaves. In this work, we have purified RIPs and lectins from the leaves of this shrub, studying their main physicochemical characteristics, sequences, and biological properties. In elderberry leaves, we found one type 2 RIP and two related lectins that are specific for galactose, four type 2 RIPs that fail to agglutinate erythrocytes, and one type 1 RIP. Several of these proteins are homologous to others found elsewhere in the plant. The diversity of RIPs and lectins in the different elderberry tissues, and the different biological activities of these proteins, which have a high degree of homology with each other, constitute an excellent source of proteins that are of great interest in diagnostics, experimental therapy, and agriculture.
Assessing the Impacts of Preanalytical Field Sampling Challenges on the Reliability of Serum Aflatoxin B1-Lysine Measurements by Use of LC-MS/MS
Authors: Zitomer Nicholas C. , Rybak Michael E. , Sternberg Maya R.
Published: September 2022

Aflatoxin exposure is endemic in developing countries with warm, humid climates that promote toxigenic mold growth on crops and foodstuffs. Estimating human aflatoxin exposure is key to identifying and abating contamination sources. Serum aflatoxin B1 bound to albumin lysine (AFB1-lys) is a preferred exposure biomarker, but field sample collection, processing, transportation, and storage logistics are challenging. We validated an improved LC-MS/MS method for serum AFB1-lys and applied it to three field sampling challenges: transportation/storage (elevated temperature); collection/processing (hemolysis); and sample type substitution (heparinized plasma). Our new LC-MS/MS method had a LOD of 0.03 ng/mL, accuracy (mean spike recovery) of 112%, total imprecision (replicate pool measurements) ≤5% at ≥0.2 ng/mL, and results that were 95.1% similar (mean percentage similarity) to an established method. AFB1-lys in human serum spiked with serum from aflatoxin-dosed rats was stable for 14 days at both ambient (22.5 °C) and elevated (38 °C) temperatures. Simulated hemolysis (adding 0.25–3 mg hemoglobin) did not affect AFB1-lys accuracy at ≥0.5 ng/mL but caused 10–25% signal suppression. Heparinized plasma AFB1-lys was 99.0% similar to serum but interfered with albumin measurements (bromocresol green) causing spurious low bias. Further investigation is warranted, but our findings suggest that AFB1-lys is pre-analytically robust.
Experimental Bothrops atrox Envenomation: Blood Plasma Proteome Effects after Local Tissue Damage and Perspectives on Thromboinflammation
Authors: Cavalcante Joeliton S. , Brito Ingrid Mayara da Cunha , De Oliveira Laudicéia Alves , De Barros Luciana Curtolo , Almeida Cayo , Rossini Bruno Cesar , Sousa Duaran Lopes , Alves Renata Sousa , Jorge Roberta Jeane Bezerra , Santos Lucilene Delazari dos
Published: September 2022

The clinical manifestations of Bothrops atrox envenoming involve local and systemic changes, among which edema requires substantial attention due to its ability to progress to compartmental syndromes and sometimes cause tissue loss and amputations. However, the impact of edema on the poisoned body’s system has not been explored. Thus, the present study aimed to explore the systemic pathological and inflammatory events that are altered by intraplantar injection of B. atrox venom in a mouse model through hematologic, lipidic, and shotgun proteomics analysis. Plasma samples collected showed a greater abundance of proteins related to complement, coagulation, lipid system, platelet and neutrophil degranulation, and pathways related to cell death and ischemic tolerance. Interestingly, some proteins, in particular, Prdx2 (peroxiredoxin 2), Hba (hemoglobin subunit alpha), and F9 (Factor IX), increased according to the amount of venom injected. Our findings support that B. atrox venom activates multiple blood systems that are involved in thromboinflammation, an observation that may have implications for the pathophysiological progression of envenomations. Furthermore, we report for the first time a potential role of Prdx2, Hba, and F9 as potential markers of the severity of edema/inflammation in mice caused by B. atrox.
Fever and Ulcerative Skin Lesions in a Patient Referred for Altered Mental Status: Clinical and Microbiological Diagnosis of Ulceroglandular Tularemia
Authors: Kakoullis Loukas , Pitman Justin , Flier Lydia , Colgrove Robert
Published: September 2022

Background: Tularemia is a devastating disease that affects multiple organ systems and can have several different presentations. In its most frequent form—that of ulceroglandular tularemia—a detailed history and physical examination can enable a physician to make the diagnosis clinically, leading to the prompt initiation of the appropriate antibiotic treatment. Detailed Case Description: A 63-year-old man was brought by ambulance to the emergency department for an evaluation of an altered mental status noted by his psychiatrist at a telehealth appointment. A physical examination revealed a fever and two ulcerative lesions with a central eschar on his left leg (of which the patient was unaware) with ipsilateral tender inguinal lymphadenopathy. When asked, the patient recalled visiting Martha’s Vineyard and having removed ticks from his legs. Gentamicin was administered on the clinical suspicion of ulceroglandular tularemia. Blood and skin lesion cultures grew Gram-negative rods, which were confirmed to be Francisella tularensis on hospital day eight, and the patient fully recovered. Conclusion: This case highlights the importance of clinician perception of altered mental status as a key alarm sign, the necessity of a thorough physical exam independent of the chief compliant in the emergency department, and the essential role of pattern recognition by front-line providers for the appropriate management of uncommon but serious infections such as tularemia.
Influenza B Virus (IBV) Immune-Mediated Disease in C57BL/6 Mice
Authors: Bergeron Harrison C. , Reneer Zachary Beau , Arora Aakash , Reynolds Stephen , Nagy Tamas , Tripp Ralph A.
Published: September 2022

Influenza B viruses (IBV) primarily infect humans, causing seasonal epidemics. The absence of an animal reservoir limits pandemic concern, but IBV infections may cause severe respiratory disease, predominantly in young children and the elderly. The IBV disease burden is largely controlled by seasonal influenza vaccination; however, immunity due to vaccination is sometimes incomplete, a feature linked to antigenic mismatches. Thus, understanding the features that contribute to disease pathogenesis is important, particularly immune-mediated versus virus-mediated outcomes. Unexpectedly, C57BL/6 (B6) mice intranasally infected with a low multiplicity of infection of B/Florida/04/2006 developed substantial morbidity and mortality. To address the cause, B6 mice were treated daily with dexamethasone to dampen the immune and pro-inflammatory response to IBV infection, allowing the determination of whether the responses were immune- and/or virus-associated. As expected, dexamethasone (DEX)-treated mice had a lower pro-inflammatory response and reduced lung pathology despite the presence of high viral lung titers, but mortality was comparable to PBS-treated mice, indicating that mortality may be linked to lung virus replication. The results showed that the immune response to IBV is the major cause of morbidity, mortality, lung pathology, and viral clearance. Importantly, the results suggest that a robust lung CTL response and associated leukocyte influx contribute to disease.
Analyzing the features and issues of the leasing market in Russia
Authors: Varkulevich Tatyana V , Broder Svetlana E , Titova Natalya Y
Published: September 2022

The Russian leasing market is increasingly growing and getting a profitable and common tool for funding the renewal of enterprises’ non-current assets. The competition level is getting particularly high, permitting the growth of that market and generating a heightened economic focus. Numerous issues and distinctions related to the appearance of a leasing tool in the Russian federation are made.  Asa consequence, this study mainly seeks to analyze and discover the characteristics and issues of the Russian leasing market. To attain that aim, the study utilizes the approaches of bibliographic analysis and materials’ generalization on the research subject; classifications of factological material demonstrating the main elements of leasing expansion; the tools of economic, institutional, statistical, and structural analysis to set up the relations between the fundamental features of leasing. Given the results, leasing in the Russian federation attempts to cover a vast set of market segments, implying that companies are able to lease nearly every piece of equipment. In the leasing market in the Russian Federation, companies encounter several issues and dilemmas, the dominant of which are intense competition and heightened market concentration. However, the market persists in operating, and competition, to an extent, gets a major element in the market development.
THE PREVALENCE OF SEN VIRUS GENOTYPES IN BAGHDAD CITY
Authors: Quasim Tariq M. , Alshaikhly Abdelwahab A R.
Published: September 2022

SEN virus (SEN V) is one of worldwide incidence of blood borne pathogen. The most dominant genotypes among the nine genotypes of the SEN virus are SENV-D and H. The objective of this research was to determine the frequency of SENV genotypes particularly SENV- D and H genotypes in healthy Iraqi participant’s sera. Totally, 200 serum samples from healthy voluntaries were collected from both gender as well as subjected to nested PCR. SENV-D was detected in 30% healthy individuals and more frequent in tested male 51.25 than in female individuals 48.75%. The frequency of SENV-H was found in 5% of participants. SENV-D is the dominant strain in the Iraqi studied group followed by genotypes H. phylogenetic tree analysis of virus near-complete open-reading frame 1(ORF1), was performed, and the evolutionary relationship indicated that local isolates were very close to the group that included the Asian isolates.