bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
MG53: A potential therapeutic target for kidney disease
Authors: Ke Ben , Shen Wen , Song Jianling , Fang Xiangdong
Published: December 2022

Ensuring cell survival and tissue regeneration by maintaining cellular integrity is important to the pathophysiology of many human diseases, including kidney disease. Mitsugumin 53 (MG53) is a member of the tripartite motif‐containing (TRIM) protein family that plays an essential role in repairing cell membrane injury and improving tissue regeneration. In recent years, an increasing number of studies have demonstrated that MG53 plays a renoprotective role in kidney diseases. Moreover, with the beneficial effects of the recombinant human MG53 (rhMG53) protein in the treatment of kidney diseases in different animal models, rhMG53 shows significant therapeutic potential in kidney disease. In this review, we elucidate the role of MG53 and its molecular mechanism in kidney disease to provide new approaches to the treatment of kidney disease.
Pathways to food insecurity: Migration, hukou and COVID‐19 in Nanjing, China
Authors: Xu Fei , Crush Jonathan , Zhong Taiyang
Published: December 2022

The COVID‐19 pandemic has issued significant challenges to food systems and the food security of migrants in cities. In China, there have been no studies to date focusing on the food security of migrants during the pandemic. To fill this gap, an online questionnaire survey of food security in Nanjing City, China, was conducted in March 2020. This paper situates the research findings in the general literature on the general migrant experience during the pandemic under COVID and the specifics of the Chinese policy of hukou. Using multiple linear regression and ordered logistic regression, the paper examines the impact of migration status on food security during the pandemic. The paper finds that during the COVID‐19 outbreak in 2020, households without local Nanjing hukou were more food insecure than those with Nanjing hukou. The differences related more to the absolute quantity of food intake, rather than reduction in food quality or in levels of anxiety over food access. Migrants in China and elsewhere during COVID‐19 experienced three pathways to food insecurity—an income gap, an accessibility gap, and a benefits gap. This conceptual framework is used to structure the discussion and interpretation of survey findings and also has wider potential applicability.
Characteristics Analysis of Leakage Current in an Array of InSb Photodetector: The Effect of Compressive and Tensile Stresses
Authors: Heidarzadeh Hamid
Published: December 2022

Herein, the effect of tensile and compressive stress on the performance of a 3 × 3 InSb array as an infrared photodetector is investigated. At first, the effect of mesh sizes on simulated results is evaluated and the results are validated with a good agreement. It is shown that the main effect of stress is related to the Γ (bandgap) point of the band structure. This shift causes the densities of intrinsic and minority carriers to decrease in the case of tensile stress and increase in the case of compressive stress. Using a 3D simulation, it is investigated that tensile stress reduces the dark current while compressive stress induces that. However, it is an interesting result that an increment in applied compressive stress interrupts the InSb photodetector performances and vice versa tensile stress helps the photocurrent to have a lower dark current. So, these results can be used to manage the dark current in the field of the photodetector. Finally, the crosstalk of the simulated structure as one of its main characteristics is calculated.
Aligning sustainable development goals with Industry 4.0 for the design of business model for printing and packaging companies
Authors: Kluczek Aldona , Gladysz Bartlomiej , Buczacki Aleksander , Krystosiak Krzysztof , Ejsmont Krzysztof , Palmer Erika
Published: December 2022

Growing concern for Industry 4.0 (I4.0) motivates to examine I4.0 technologies under the lens of sustainable development goals (SDGs) in the context of digital technologies. The goal of the paper is to align SDGs with selected I4.0 technologies to conceptualize a digital business model for printing and packaging companies. In this perspective, a comprehensive literature review, quantitative survey and qualitative individual in‐depth interviews were conducted as a research approach. Findings revealed that printing and packaging companies achieved SDGs (8, 9 and 12) mostly through their value proposition by supporting I4.0 components (cybersecurity, system integration, cloud computing, big data and Internet of things [IoT]). The business model affirms a digital‐oriented transition towards sustainability, fostering further development of I4.0. It also highlights the importance of redesigning traditional business models to embrace digitalization. Despite the study limitations, the business model can be adapted to other companies of various sectors, improving their ‘profit centres’.
Construction of Nitrogen‐abundant Graphyne Scaffolds via Mechanochemistry‐Promoted Cross‐Linking of Aromatic Nitriles with Carbide Toward Enhanced Energy Storage
Authors: Fan Juntian , Wang Tao , Thapaliya Bishnu P. , Li Meijia , Do‐Thanh Chi‐Linh , Kobayashi Takeshi , Popovs Ilja , Yang Zhenzhen , Dai Sheng
Published: December 2022

The 2D graphyne‐related scaffolds linked by carbon–carbon triple bonds have demonstrated promising applications in the field of catalysis and energy storage due to their unique features including high conductivity, permanent porosity, and electron‐rich properties. However, the construction of related scaffolds is still mainly limited to the cross‐linking of CaC2 with multiple substituted aromatic halogens and there is still a lack of efficient methodology capable of introducing high‐concentration heteroatoms within the architectures. The development of alternative and facile synthesis procedures to afford nitrogen‐abundant graphyne materials is highly desirable yet challenging in the field of energy storage, particularly via the facile mechanochemical procedure under neat and ambient conditions. Herein, graphyne materials with abundant nitrogen‐containing species (nitrogen content of 6.9–29.3 wt.%), tunable surface areas (43–865 m2 g−1), and hierarchical porosity are produced via the mechanochemistry‐driven pathway by deploying highly electron‐deficient multiple substituted aromatic nitriles as the precursors, which can undergo cross‐linking reaction with CaC2 to afford the desired nitrogen‐doped graphyne scaffolds efficiently. Unique structural features of the as‐synthesized materials contributed to promising performance in supercapacitor‐related applications, delivering high capacitance of 254.5 F g−1 at 5 mV s−1, attractive rate performance, and good long‐term stability.
Science, Social Responsibility, and Education: The Experience of Singapore During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Tan Oon Seng , Chua Jallene Jia En
Published: December 2022

In this chapter we first outline how the pandemic unfolded United Kingdom before highlighting the key thinking and strategies Singapore adopted in policy responses towards the crisis. The two key principles of Singapore’s approach, science, and social responsibility, contributed greatly to its success in handling the public health crisis. This chapter will elaborate on these principles and examine how these policies were carried out in the educational realm. We look at how Singapore relied on its strengths of proactive rational planning and execution to facilitate the transition to home-based learning (HBL) and the subsequent re-opening of schools. Concomitant with policies to address health and well-being for all students were strategies to ensure continuity of learning, student engagement, and innovation in the new learning environment. The use of online learning portals such as the Student Learning Space enabled all students from primary to pre-university levels to have equal access to quality curriculum resources. Professional development and preparation of teachers pertaining to facilitating new modes of learning were as important as implementation measures. Given the unexpected impact of the pandemic and the need for scalability there were also many challenges to ensure equitable access and holistic well-being for vulnerable groups of students. Looking forward, we discuss the implications of the pandemic on Singapore’s education scene, such as how it elevated core issues related to curriculum, pedagogy, and design of learning environments. We talk about opportunities for some of these issues to be addressed in policy and research, and how doing so can better build an adaptable education system for the twenty-first century.
The Impact of COVID-19 on a Fragile Education System: The Case of South Africa
Authors: Soudien Crain , Reddy Vijay , Harvey Jaqueline
Published: December 2022

This chapter provides a critical look at what COVID-19 meant for the education sector in South Africa. It documents the path of the pandemic in the education space to understand its effects and the short-term responses of the education system. It begins with the premise that the South African educational system is structurally fragile. Its fragility arises out of the injustices of the apartheid system which disadvantaged schools and learners. It argues that the country has made progress in dealing with this legacy but that the drivers of change, such as improved household incomes, improved access to school materials and better nutrition, have come under strain in recent times. Because of COVID-19, the upward social mobility of low-income communities is growing in precarity while inequalities are exacerbated.
Ambitious and Sustainable Post-pandemic Workplace Design for Teachers: A Portrait of the Arizona Teacher Workforce
Authors: Audrain R. Lennon , Weinberg Andrea E. , Bennett Ashley , O’Reilly Joseph , Basile Carole G.
Published: December 2022

The professional lives of teachers are in an incredible upheaval as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has potential implications for the teaching profession and the workforce. The ambiguity of what schools will look like in the future and growing disparities of children have teachers concerned that their jobs are more untenable than ever before. In this chapter, we examine the teaching workforce year into the pandemic. We focus specifically on Arizona and explore whether teachers stayed in the profession or exited during this time of uncertainty. Our analysis suggests that, to date, the pandemic has not had a significant impact on an already dire labor market in Arizona—classroom vacancies and teaching positions filled by under-qualified individuals were no higher in January 2021 than in January 2020. We conclude by arguing that, while focusing teacher recruitment may seem like a viable solution, it alone is insufficient. Rather, in a post-pandemic world, we must build new structures that increase teacher coordination and collaboration that leverage the expertise of all educators, ultimately leading to better working and workplace conditions. This critical examination begins to shed light on teaching, learning, and the preparation for both as we move to a post-pandemic future.
Education in the Time of COVID-19 in France, Ireland, the United Kingdom and the United States: the Nature and Impact of Remote Learning
Authors: Thorn William , Vincent-Lancrin Stéphan
Published: December 2022

This chapter reviews the evidence of the impact on children’s education from the school closures, implemented over the period March-June 2020, as part of the lockdown measures put in place to control the spread of the Covid-19 virus. The sources of information are surveys of the adult population, parents/guardians of school-age children, teachers and students based on representative samples as well as achievement tests that were accessible by early 2021. The lockdowns and associated closures of schools implemented in response to the arrival of the Covid-19 pandemic represented a sudden and unprecedented event for which school authorities, teachers, parents, and students were unprepared. While distance and remote education arrangements were put in place at short notice, they represented an imperfect substitute to in-person schooling. In the short-term, the consequences of school closures and lockdowns appear to have been modest in scale and impact in the reviewed countries. For most (though by no means for all) children, missing 8–18 weeks of face-to-face schooling appears not to have had dramatic consequences for either their academic or broader development, or led to the significant widening of pre-existing inequalities. However, a definitive assessment of the impact of the school closures in the first half of 2020 will not be possible for some time.
Conclusions and Implications
Authors: Reimers Fernando M.
Published: December 2022

This chapter concludes the book, drawing on the preceding chapters to identify overarching themes that summarize the nature of the educational impact of COVID-19. It describes the educational loss that was created by the pandemic, particularly for disadvantaged students and more so in countries with lower levels of per capita income. Those losses were the result of impacts of the pandemic on poverty and household conditions, as well as the result of insufficient capacity of remote instruction to adequately sustain opportunity to learn. The efforts to maintain educational opportunity and to close equity gaps during the pandemic in some countries are also discussed, in the context of the role of educational inequality before the pandemic and of initial conditions to support remote instruction. The chapter examines also some of the silver linings resulting from the pandemic in the education sector, such as the greater recognition of the importance of schools, and of in person schooling, and the necessity to support the emotional and social development of students, in addition to their cognitive development. The chapter concludes discussing the challenges ahead created by the pandemic and underscores the urgency of maintaining the priority of education and remediating those learning losses during the remaining period of the pandemic and in the immediate aftermath, to mitigate the likely increase in poverty and social inequality that would result from the educational losses during COVID-19.
Experiences with Risk-Management and Remote Learning During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Brazil: Crises, Destitutions, and (Possible) Resolutions
Authors: Costin Claudia , Coutinho Allan
Published: December 2022

The chapter examines the difficult conditions under which states, and municipalities had to struggle to ensure learning continued during the social isolation demanded by the COVID-19 crisis in the country. Although it seemed reasonable to expect that the Federal government would respect the constitution and coordinate the educational response to the pandemic, that simply did not happen. The Minister of Education did not consider that such a responsibility should be carried out at the federal level. In the absence of leadership from the central government, the two organizations that congregate subnational secretaries decided to support their members and promote the exchange of practices, with some support from civil society organizations. Through the think tank established by the senior author of this chapter at a private university, CEIPE- Center for Excellence and Innovation in Education Policies, at the Getúlio Vargas Foundation, she participated in this effort, mentoring state and municipal level secretaries in their efforts to provide distance learning through a combination of media, such as TV, radio, and digital platforms. The chapter includes her own anecdotal observations of this national effort, drawing on interviews with secretaries and their teams as well as documents related to the experience as the evidence basis of the chapter. Unfortunately, this is not a story of triumph, since Brazil has been one of the countries with more months of schools being completely or partially closed. In addition to the ineffective approach to fighting the disease, which made Brazil’s rate of infection and deaths much worse than many countries in Latin America, the fact that mayoral elections coincided with COVID-19, introduced political reasons for schools to remain closed. The final part of the chapter draws lessons learned and discusses future possibilities for the future of education in Brazil.
COVID-19 and Post-pandemic Educational Policies in Mexico. What is at Stake?
Authors: Cárdenas Sergio , Lomelí Dulce , Ruelas Ignacio
Published: December 2022

The Latin American region is experiencing an educational crisis due to the COVID-19 pandemic since efforts to contain the outbreak will grow the deep educational and economic gaps characterizing this region. During the pandemic, Mexico’s central intervention to continue instructional activities in the basic education system was implementing distance education based on educational television. As expected, this intervention raised different concerns on its effectiveness and how different student populations will be affected. This chapter has four main goals: (a) to describe and analyze educational gaps before the pandemic, identifying the central educational policies implemented in previous decades; (b) to describe and analyze educational policies implemented during the pandemic and how these may affect students at risk; (c) to conduct a prospective analysis to identify potential effects of the sanitary crisis in the administration of the education system in Mexico, and (d) to identify the main policy lessons resulting from the Mexican government initial response to the COVID-19 sanitary crisis.
Homeschooling in Norway During the Pandemic-Digital Learning with Unequal Access to Qualified Help at Home and Unequal Learning Opportunities Provided by the School
Authors: Blikstad-Balas Marte , Roe Astrid , Dalland Cecilie Pedersen , Klette Kirsti
Published: December 2022

The COVID-19 pandemic has forced an unprecedented global shutdown that has greatly changed what it means to be a teacher, a student, and even a parent in the months that schools have been closed. While most school systems normally require daily physical attendance and bring students together in large groups to learn in a collective endeavor, the closing of schools and the months of social distancing have shifted the site of learning to the home, where learning happens primarily alone or with the help of family members through the technologies available. In this chapter, we report on how school shutdown has affected the students in Grades 1–10 across Norway, where teachers in March 2020 were asked to perform all their teaching from home, through digital devices and remote teaching. As in other countries, Norwegian teachers and school leaders were not prepared to go digital overnight, despite good technological infrastructure and a curriculum that explicitly emphasizes the importance of digital competence across subjects. Drawing on a national survey administered to parents (N = 4,642) about how digital homeschooling was organized, we have investigated what kind of educational opportunities students were offered during the period of remote teaching. Our key findings are that digital home schooling to a large degree consisted of students doing individual tasks, with limited support from their teachers, especially in the lowest grades. We discuss how the unequal access to qualified help at home challenges some of the core ideals of the Nordic model of education—where equal opportunities to learn is a key ambition.
Nasal Microbiome in COVID-19: A Potential Role of Corynebacterium in Anosmia
Authors: Nardelli Carmela , Scaglione Giovanni Luca , Testa Domenico , Setaro Mario , Russo Filippo , Di Domenico Carmela , Atripaldi Lidia , Zollo Massimo , Corrado Federica , Salvatore Paola , Pinchera Biagio , Gentile Ivan , Capoluongo Ettore
Published: December 2022

The evolution and the development of the symptoms of Coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) are due to different factors, where the microbiome plays a relevant role. The possible relationships between the gut, lung, nasopharyngeal, and oral microbiome with COVID-19 have been investigated. We analyzed the nasal microbiome of both positive and negative SARS-CoV-2 individuals, showing differences in terms of bacterial composition in this niche of respiratory tract. The microbiota solution A (Arrow Diagnostics) was used to cover the hypervariable V1–V3 regions of the bacterial 16S rRNA gene. MicrobAT Suite and MicrobiomeAnalyst program were used to identify the operational taxonomic units (OTUs) and to perform the statistical analysis, respectively. The main taxa identified in nasal microbiome of COVID-19 patients and in Healthy Control subjects belonged to three distinct phyla: Proteobacteria (HC = 14%, Cov19 = 35.8%), Firmicutes (HC = 28.8%, Cov19 = 30.6%), and Actinobacteria (HC = 56.7%, Cov19 = 14.4%) with a relative abundance > 1% in all groups. A significant reduction of Actinobacteria in Cov19 group compared to controls (P < 0.001, FDR = 0.01) was found. The significant reduction of Actinobacteria was identified in all taxonomic levels down to the genus (P < 0.01) using the ANOVA test. Indeed, a significantly reduced relative abundance of Corynebacterium was found in the patients compared to healthy controls (P = 0.001). Reduced abundance of Corynebacterium has been widely associated with anosmia, a common symptom of COVID-19 as suffered from our patients. Contrastingly, the Corynebacterium genus was highly represented in the nasal mucosa of healthy subjects. Further investigations on larger cohorts are necessary to establish functional relationships between nasal microbiota content and clinical features of COVID-19.
New directions for applied knowledge-based AI and machine learning
Authors: Humm Bernhard G. , Archer Phil , Bense Hermann , Bernier Carolynn , Goetz Christian , Hoppe Thomas , Schumann Fabienne , Siegel Melanie , Wenning Rigo , Zender Alexander
Published: December 2022

In this article, selected new directions in knowledge-based artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) are presented: ontology development methodologies and tools, automated engineering of WordNets, innovations in semantic search, and automated machine learning (AutoML). Knowledge-based AI and ML complement each other ideally, as their strengths compensate for the weaknesses of the other discipline. This is demonstrated via selected corporate use cases: anomaly detection, efficient modeling of supply networks, circular economy, and semantic enrichment of technical information.
Electrostatic Partners and Zeros of Orthogonal and Multiple Orthogonal Polynomials
Authors: Martínez-Finkelshtein Andrei , Orive Ramón , Sánchez-Lara Joaquín
Published: December 2022

For a given polynomial P with simple zeros, and a given semiclassical weight w, we present a construction that yields a linear second-order differential equation (ODE), and in consequence, an electrostatic model for zeros of P. The coefficients of this ODE are written in terms of a dual polynomial that we call the electrostatic partner of P. This construction is absolutely general and can be carried out for any polynomial with simple zeros and any semiclassical weight on the complex plane. An additional assumption of quasi-orthogonality of P with respect to w allows us to give more precise bounds on the degree of the electrostatic partner. In the case of orthogonal and quasi-orthogonal polynomials, we recover some of the known results and generalize others. Additionally, for the Hermite–Padé or multiple orthogonal polynomials of type II, this approach yields a system of linear second-order differential equations, from which we derive an electrostatic interpretation of their zeros in terms of a vector equilibrium. More detailed results are obtained in the special cases of Angelesco, Nikishin, and generalized Nikishin systems. We also discuss the discrete-to-continuous transition of these models in the asymptotic regime, as the number of zeros tends to infinity, into the known vector equilibrium problems. Finally, we discuss how the system of obtained second-order ODEs yields a third-order differential equation for these polynomials, well described in the literature. We finish the paper by presenting several illustrative examples.
Symbiotisches Wirtschaften als Ansatz zur Weiterentwicklung von Bestandsgewerbegebieten
Authors: Angstmann Marius , Wolf Roman , Wolf Veronika , Wolf Thiemo
Published: December 2022

Die Weiterentwicklung von Bestandsgewerbegebieten spielte in den letzten Jahrzehnten eine untergeordnete Rolle in Planung und Wirtschaftsförderung. Vor dem Hintergrund der Transformation hin zu einem ressourcenschonenderen Wirtschaftssystem gilt es, diesen Räumen neue Aufmerksamkeit zu schenken und neue Ansätze zu erproben. Das Konzept der industriellen Symbiose zielt auf das Herstellen von Energie- und Stoffströmen, in Form einer komplementären Nutzung von Nebenprodukten durch benachbarte Industrien, ab. Kooperationen benachbarter Unternehmen, die auf eine betriebsübergreifende Erhöhung von Energie- und Ressourceneffizienz abzielen, existieren auch in Deutschland. Während diese nicht unbedingt Netzwerke umfassen, zeigen die existierenden Querverbindungen zwischen Unternehmen dennoch Möglichkeiten auf, durch die Vernetzung von Akteuren in Industrie- und Gewerbegebiete neue Potenziale zu erschließen. Der Artikel untersucht, inwiefern das Konzept der Symbiose zur Implementation in heterogenen Bestandsgewerbegebieten geeignet ist. Hierzu wurden leitfadengestützte Interviews mit Akteuren aus Wirtschaftsförderung, Gebietsmanagement und Planung geführt.
Are respiratory disorders risk factors for troublesome neck/shoulder pain? A study of a general population cohort in Sweden
Authors: Rasmussen-Barr E. , Nordin M. , Skillgate E.
Published: December 2022

Purpose

The etiology of neck/shoulder pain is complex. Our purpose was to investigate if respiratory disorders are risk factors for troublesome neck/shoulder pain in people with no or occasional neck/shoulder pain.

Methods

This prospective cohort study was based on the Stockholm Public Health Cohorts (SPHC) 2006/2010 and the SPHC 2010/2014. We included adults who at baseline reported no or occasional neck/shoulder pain in the last six months, from the two subsamples (SPHC 06/10 n = 15 155: and SPHC 2010/14 n = 25 273). Exposures were self-reported asthma at baseline in SPHC 06/10 and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) at baseline in SPHC 10/14. The outcome was having experienced at least one period of troublesome neck/shoulder pain which restricted work capacity or hindered daily activities to some or to a high degree during the past six months, asked for four years later. Binomial regression analyses were used to calculate risk ratios (RR) with 95% confidence intervals (95% CI).

Results

Adjusted results indicate that those reporting to suffer from asthma at baseline had a higher risk of troublesome neck/shoulder pain at follow-up four years later (RR 1.48, 95% CI 1.10–2.01) as did those reporting to suffer from COPD (RR 2.12 95%CI 1.54–2.93).

Conclusion

Our findings indicate that those with no or occasional neck/shoulder pain and reporting to suffer from asthma or COPD increase the risk for troublesome neck/shoulder pain over time. This highlights the importance of taking a multi-morbidity perspective into consideration in health care. Future longitudinal studies are needed to confirm our findings.
Paper-based laser-induced graphene for sustainable and flexible microsupercapacitor applications
Authors: Coelho João , Correia Ricardo F. , Silvestre Sara , Pinheiro Tomás , Marques Ana C. , Correia M. Rosário P. , Pinto Joana Vaz , Fortunato Elvira , Martins Rodrigo
Published: December 2022

Laser-induced graphene (LIG) is as a promising material for flexible microsupercapacitors (MSCs) due to its simple and cost-effective processing. However, LIG-MSC research and production has been centered on non-sustainable polymeric substrates, such as polyimide. In this work, it is presented a cost-effective, reproducible, and robust approach for the preparation of LIG structures via a one-step laser direct writing on chromatography paper. The developed strategy relies on soaking the paper in a 0.1 M sodium tetraborate solution (borax) prior to the laser processing. Borax acts as a fire-retardant agent, thus allowing the laser processing of sensitive substrates that other way would be easily destroyed under the high-energy beam. LIG on paper exhibiting low sheet resistance (30 Ω sq−1) and improved electrode/electrolyte interface was obtained by the proposed method. When used as microsupercapacitor electrodes, this laser-induced graphene resulted in specific capacitances of 4.6 mF cm−2 (0.015 mA cm−2). Furthermore, the devices exhibit excellent cycling stability (> 10,000 cycles at 0.5 mA cm−2) and good mechanical properties. By connecting the devices in series and parallel, it was also possible to control the voltage and energy delivered by the system. Thus, paper-based LIG-MSC can be used as energy storage devices for flexible, low-cost, and portable electronics. Additionally, due to their flexible design and architecture, they can be easily adapted to other circuits and applications with different power requirements.

Graphical Abstract
Mechanical and Structural Artefacts Used in “The Mystery of Elche”
Authors: Navarro-Arcas A. , Lozano S. M. Marco , Velasco-Sánchez Emilio
Published: December 2022

In the city of Elche, every year, on the 14th and 15th of August, a sacred musical play about the death, the Assumption and the Coronation of the Virgin Mary is held. This event, known as the “Misterio de Elche”, is unique in the world. Since the middle of the 15th century it has been performed in the Basilica of Santa Maria and in the streets of the ancient city of Elche, located in the Valencian Community. In this work, classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the interior of the temple is transformed into 2 main stages, the scaffold, located in the lower part, and the aerial stage, located in the dome at a height of 27 m. The structure and the traction mechanisms located on the aerial stage allow the aerial devices that take part in the play, “El Araceli”, “La Mangrana” and “La Santísima Trinidad”, to be raised and lowered. It should be noted that between 2 and 5 singing actors are embarked on these devices. This article describes the main characteristics of the aerial stage structure, the 3 apparatus and the mechanical systems used. In addition, the age and modifications of “El Araceli” are analysed, as well as the results of a non-destructive test carried out on this device.
Linoleic Acid Promotes Emission of Bark Beetle Semiochemicals by Fungal Symbionts
Authors: Unelius C. Rikard , Ganji Suresh , Krokene Paal
Published: December 2022

Tree-killing bark beetles in conifer forests vector symbiotic fungi that are thought to help the beetles kill trees. Fungal symbionts emit diverse volatile blends that include bark beetle semiochemicals involved in mating and host localization. In this study, all 12 tested fungal isolates emitted beetle semiochemicals when growing in medium amended with linoleic acid. These semiochemicals included the spiroacetals chalcogran, trans-conophthorin and exo-brevicomin, as well as 2-methyl-3-buten-1-ol, the main aggregation pheromone component of the spruce bark beetle Ips typographus. The emission of these compounds was affected by the type of fatty acid present (linoleic vs. oleic acid). Accumulating evidence shows that the fatty acid composition in conifer bark can facilitate colonization by bark beetles and symbiotic fungi, whereas the fatty acid composition of non-host trees can be detrimental for beetle larvae or fungi. We hypothesize that beetles probe the fatty acid composition of potential host trees to test their suitability for beetle development and release of semiochemicals by symbiotic fungi.
Candida auris Infection in a Meningococcal Septicemia Survivor, Poland
Authors: Prażyńska Małgorzata , Zalas-Więcek Patrycja , Bogiel Tomasz , Włodarczyk Zbigniew , Deptuła Aleksander , Woźniak Marcin , Gospodarek-Komkowska Eugenia
Published: December 2022

Background

Candida auris is an emerging pathogen that constitutes a serious global health threat. It is difficult to identify without specific approaches, and it can be misidentified with standard laboratory methods, what may lead to inappropriate management.

Case Presentation

We report, probably the first in Poland, C. auris isolation from blood cultures and wound swabs of a young male following meningococcal septicaemia, in February 2019. The patient had been previously hospitalized in the United Arab Emirates. The isolate was rapidly identified by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry and therefore clinicians were promptly informed on the alert pathogen isolation. The targeted antifungal treatment was successful and infection control measures seemed effective. ITS-based identification and subsequent whole genome sequencing showed that the C. auris isolate belongs to South Asian lineage (clade I).

Conclusions

C. auris is able to cause outbreaks in healthcare settings. Therefore, it is important to quickly identify C. auris isolates in hospital settings so that healthcare facilities can take proper precautions to limit its spread.
Effect of COVID-19 pandemic restrictions on air pollution at a local scale in urban areas affected by high-intensity vehicle traffic in Poland
Authors: Górka-Kostrubiec Beata , Dudzisz Katarzyna
Published: December 2022

The lockdown in 2020 implemented due to the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has resulted in a significant improvement in air quality at a global scale. Nationwide lockdown also considerably improved air quality at a local scale, especially in cities which were almost completely shut down during the first coronavirus wave, with nearly no activity. We tested the hypothesis that a reduction in the intensity of vehicle traffic causes a drastic decrease in urban air pollution at a local scale. We focused on two urban agglomerations, Warsaw and Cracow, in Poland. Data of the concentrations of traffic-related sources, namely NOx, PM10, and PM2.5, obtained from two air pollution monitoring stations were analyzed for the years 2020 and 2021, during which lockdown and pandemic restrictions were in effect, and for 2019, as a reference. In the years 2020–2021, the average annual concentration of NOx was decreased by ~ 19%, PM2.5 by ~ 19%, and PM10 by ~ 18% in Warsaw, while in Cracow the average annual concentration of NOx was decreased by ~ 16%, PM2.5 by ~ 22%, and PM10 by ~ 2%, compared to 2019. The contribution from traffic-related sources to the overall level of air pollution was estimated. The results indicated that ~ 30 µg/m3 of PM10, ~ 15 µg/m3 of PM2.5, and ~ 120 µg/m3 of NOx in Cracow, and ~ 20 µg/m3 of PM2.5 in Warsaw originate from moving vehicles. The nationwide lockdown allowed us to conduct this study to understand how a reduction in local traffic emissions can decrease ambient air pollution levels.
The spatiotemporal variations characteristic and pollution evaluation of water quality in Qujiang River, China
Authors: Yang Yan , Huang Xing , Wu Xi-qiao , Liu Chao-rong , Zhao Shi-yong , Zhu Xiao-hua
Published: December 2022

In order to study the spatiotemporal variations characteristic of water quality and potential pollution sources of Qujiang River, the water quality data of twelve water quality parameters at three monitoring sections (Tuanbaoling, Baita, and Sailong) from 2015 to 2019 were analyzed by using comprehensive pollution index (CPI) and multivariate statistical techniques (MST). The water quality parameters of Qujiang River basically meet the class 3 value of environmental quality standards for surface water (GB3838-2002, China). CPI varies from 0.62 to 1.06 and the water quality is characterized by slight pollution at the three monitoring sections. Cluster analysis (CA) results show that the months can be divided into three groups on the basis of similarities of the water quality characteristics: Group 1 (dry season), which includes January-April and November–December; Group 2 (flood season), that is, July; Group 3 (flat season), which consists of May–June and August–October. Principal component analysis (PCA) results identify four principal components (PCs) for the dry season and flood season, and five PCs for the flat season, thus explaining 58.23%, 82.94%, and 73.23% of the total variance, respectively. The results of the independent sample t-test show significant differences among the pH, Permanganate index (CODMn), Ammonia nitrogen (NH3–N), Total nitrogen (TN), Fecal coliform (F.coli), and (Flow) Q in the three monitoring sections. Moreover, the pollution is more serious in Baita than Tuanbaoling and Sailong Section and the main problem in the Qujiang River is the high water organic and nitrogen nutrient pollutant content. Hence, monitoring and protection need to be strengthened in the Baita section of Qujiang River.
Elevation-distributed multistage reverse osmosis desalination with seawater pumped storage
Authors: Elsayed-Ali Hani E.
Published: December 2022

A seawater reverse osmosis (RO) plant layout based on multistage RO with stages located at different elevations above sea level is described. The plant uses the weight of a seawater column from pumped storage as head pressure for RO (gravity-driven multistage RO) or to supplement high-pressure pumps used in RO (gravity-assisted multistage RO). The use of gravitational force reduces the specific energy for RO compared to using high-pressure pumps. By locating the RO stages at different elevations based on demand sites, the total specific energy consumption for RO and permeate transport to different elevations above sea level is reduced from that for locating the RO process entirely at sea level followed by lifting the desalinated water. A final RO stage at sea level uses seawater pressurized by energy recovery from the residual energy of the brine generated from the preceding RO stage. Examples of the plant layout that do not include pump inefficiency and head losses in pipes are described for South Sinai, Egypt, which is a mountainous region that suffers from water scarcity. A gravity-driven multistage RO with a storage tank at 660 m above sea level is considered. For five RO stages located 316–57 m above sea level with 10% recovery at each stage, the specific energy is ~ 32% lower than that for a plant located at sea level operating at the minimum specific energy followed by lifting the same quantity of desalinated water to the elevations of the distributed RO stages. For two stages located at 222 and 57 m above sea level with 30 and 20% recovery, respectively, the reduction in specific energy is ~ 27%. For gravity-assisted five-stage RO with the first stage at 260 m above sea level, while the last stage is at sea level with 10% recovery at each stage the reduction in specific energy is ~ 32%. The proposed RO plant layouts can be adapted to other regions with comparable topography.
Applying the enhanced Water Poverty Index (eWPI) to analyze water scarcity and income poverty relation in Beheshtabad Basin, Iran
Authors: Zare-Bidaki Rafat , Pouyandeh Meysam , Zamani-Ahmadmahmoodi Rasool
Published: December 2022

The close relationship between water and poverty has been proven in several types of research. The Water Poverty Index is an interdisciplinary approach for quantifying the socioeconomic aspects of water scarcity. The enhanced Water Poverty Index (eWPI) is aggregated in five components: Resources, Access, Capacity, Use, and Environment in a Pressure-State-Response framework. In this research, eWPI is computed on two scales: for four community centers and for the Beheshtabad Basin. Because this index is weightless, and undoubtedly the importance of each parameter is different, the preference of different variables is included in the calculation. The importance of the parameters is based on the opinion of experts, and for this reason, Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) and Analytical Network Process (ANP) are used for weighting eWPI components in Beheshtabad Basin. According to the results, Use (U) and Capacity (C) have the lowest score among the main criteria. The average value of weightless eWPI for the watershed is 0.605 and Kiar and Farsan counties have gained less than this average. The results show the priority of the main criteria is as follows: R, A, U, E, and C, for AHP and R, E, C, A, and U for ANP. The weights obtained through ANP are more homogeneous and there is less difference between the main criteria, while in AHP, the Resources criterion (R) has gained relatively large weight compared to the other factors. The score of eWPI for AHP-weighted and ANP-weighted indices are 0.5944 and 0.626, respectively.
An overview of agro-food industry wastewater treatment: a bibliometric analysis and literature review
Authors: Abdulla Hesham , Zamorano Montserrat , Rodríguez Miguel L. , El Shahawy Abeer , Hosny Sally , Martín-Pascual Jaime , El-Shatoury Sahar
Published: December 2022

Agro-food (AF) industry provides great investment opportunities in its treated water and solid wastes, by conversion into value-added products. Our study accumulated extensive bibliometric data on this field from the Scopus database, between 1974 and 2021, and conducted a scientometric analysis using Science Mapping Analysis Software Tool (SciMAT) and VOSviewer for analyzing the retrieved data. The leading journals, highly used keywords in the published articles, authors and papers with the highest citations, and relevant regions were all identified in the scientometric analysis. Goal 6 of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) pledge to “ensure the availability and sustainable access to water and sanitation for all.” To fulfill this demand, decentralized technologies are being developed. The scientometric analysis found significant flaws in previous studies on the adoption and use of decentralized treated AF wastewater, as well as its potential benefits for a sustainable future, particularly in the developing countries. Coagulation/electrocoagulation/ultrasonic processes, hybrid constructed wetlands and microbial inoculation are emerging efforts to achieve SDG6, particularly, in the emerging economy nations. Our scientometric findings can help academics collaborate on research, form joint ventures, and implement sophisticated technologies for treating AF wastewater and producing beneficial byproducts.
The impacts of a global pandemic on the efficacy and stability of contemporary wildlife conservation: South Africa as a case study
Authors: Ehlers Smith David A. , Ehlers Smith Yvette C. , Davies-Mostert Harriet T. , Thompson Lindy J. , Parker Daniel M. , de Villiers Deon , Ricketts Dean , Coverdale Brent , Roberts Peter J. , Kelly Christopher , Macfadyen Duncan N. , Manqele Nomthandazo S. , Power R. John , Downs Colleen T.
Published: December 2022

Conservationists speculated on potential benefits to wildlife of lockdown restrictions because of the COVID-19 pandemic but voiced concern that restrictions impeded nature conservation. We assessed the effects of lockdown restrictions on biodiversity conservation in South Africa, a biodiverse country with economic inequality and reliance on wildlife resources. We solicited expert opinion using the IUCN’s Threats Classification Scheme to structure a questionnaire and illustrated responses with individual case studies from government parastatal and non-governmental conservation organisations. The most highly reported threats were biological resource use, residential/commercial developments, invasive species, and human intrusions. The trends reported by 90 survey respondents were supported by case studies using environmental compliance data from parastatal conservation organisations. Lack of tourism revenue and funding were cited as hindrances to conservation. Mechanisms to prevent environmental degradation in the face of global emergencies must be implemented and ‘ring-fenced’ to ensure conservation is not a casualty during future global crises.
Comprehensive Control Strategy and Verification for PEM Fuel Cell/Battery/Supercapacitor Hybrid Power Source
Authors: Trinh Hoai-An , Truong Hoai Vu Anh , Pham Minh Duc , Do Tri Cuong , Lee Hong-Hee , Ahn Kyoung Kwan
Published: December 2022

Using renewable energy is becoming a new tendency for vehicular applications to reduce fossil fuel consumption and minimize greenhouse gas emissions. Well-known as an eco-friendly energy source, the proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) is extensively used in hybrid power systems to achieve the objective of zero-emission and air protection. However, this type of fuel cell offers slow dynamics and cannot adapt to abrupt load variations when used as a primary energy source. To overcome this shortcoming, battery (BAT) and/or supercapacitor (SC) are supplemented as auxiliary sources. In this paper, an innovative energy management strategy (EMS) for a PEMFC/BAT/SC hybrid power source (HPS) is proposed to improve the accuracy of power distribution from energy sources to the load. In detail, according to different characteristics of energy sources, a frequency decoupling (FD) method is designed to determine the required currents for PEMFC, BAT, and SC based on the load power demand. Besides, an adaptive DC bus control loop is utilized to guarantee a stable DC output voltage by using the BAT. The proposed EMS is simulated in a MATLAB/Simulink environment and experimentally implemented with a real-time DSP TMS320F28379D controller board. Subsequently, a test bench of a 200 W PEMFC, 24 V–12 Ah battery, and 25 V–60 F supercapacitor is conducted for experimental validation. The obtained results show that the proposed EMS is effective to coordinate energy flows between the three used sources and enhance the fuel cell performance in a hybrid power system.
An Amorphous Anode for Proton Battery
Authors: Liu Huan , Cai Xiang , Zhi Xiaojuan , Di Shuanlong , Zhai Boyin , Li Hongguan , Wang Shulan , Li Li
Published: December 2022

Developing advanced electrode materials is crucial for improving the electrochemical performances of proton batteries. Currently, the anodes are primarily crystalline materials which suffer from inferior cyclic stability and high electrode potential. Herein, we propose amorphous electrode materials for proton batteries by using a general ion-exchange protocol to introduce multivalent metal cations for activating the host material. Taking Al3+ as an example, theoretical and experimental analysis demonstrates electrostatic interaction between metal cations and lattice oxygen, which is the primary barrier for direct introduction of the multivalent cations, is effectively weakened through ion exchange between Al3+ and pre-intercalated K+. The as-prepared Al-MoOx anode therefore delivered a remarkable capacity and outstanding cycling stability that outperforms most of the state-of-the-art counterparts. The assembled full cell also achieved a high voltage of 1.37 V. This work opens up new opportunities for developing high-performance electrodes of proton batteries by introducing amorphous materials.
Resetting the Origins of Christianity
Authors: Vinzent Markus
Published: December 2022

How do we know what we know about the origins of the Christian religion? Neither its founder, nor the Apostles, nor Paul left any written accounts of their movement. The witnesses' testimonies were transmitted via successive generations of copyists and historians, with the oldest surviving fragments dating to the second and third centuries - that is, to well after Jesus' death. In this innovative and important book, Markus Vinzent interrogates standard interpretations of Christian origins handed down over the centuries. He scrutinizes - in reverse order - the earliest recorded sources from the sixth to the second century, showing how the works of Greek and Latin writers reveal a good deal more about their own times and preoccupations than they do about early Christianity. In so doing, the author boldly challenges understandings of one of the most momentous social and religious movements in history, as well as its reception over time and place.