bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Direct Cytosolic Delivery of Citraconylated Proteins
Authors: Goswami Ritabrita , Lehot Victor , Çiçek Yağız Anıl , Nagaraj Harini , Jeon Taewon , Nguyen Terry , Fedeli Stefano , Rotello Vincent M.
Published: January 2023

Current intracellular protein delivery strategies face the challenge of endosomal entrapment and consequent degradation of protein cargo. Methods to efficiently deliver proteins directly to the cytosol have the potential to overcome this hurdle. Here, we report the use of a straightforward approach of protein modification using citraconic anhydride to impart an overall negative charge on the proteins, enabling them to assemble with positively charged nano vectors. This strategy uses anhydride-modified proteins to electrostatically form polymer–protein nanocomposites with a cationic guanidinium-functionalized polymer. These supramolecular self-assemblies demonstrated the efficient cytosolic delivery of modified proteins through a membrane fusion-like mechanism. This approach was validated on five cell lines and seven proteins as cargo. Retention of protein function was confirmed through efficient cell killing via the intracellular enzymatic activity of RNase A. This platform provides a versatile, straightforward, and single-step method of protein modification and efficient direct cytosolic protein delivery.
Structural Refinement by Direct Mapping Reveals Assembly Inconsistencies near Hi-C Junctions
Authors: Marcolungo Luca , Vincenzi Leonardo , Ballottari Matteo , Cecchin Michela , Cosentino Emanuela , Mignani Thomas , Limongi Antonina , Ferraris Irene , Orlandi Matteo , Rossato Marzia , Delledonne Massimo
Published: January 2023

High-throughput chromosome conformation capture (Hi-C) is widely used for scaffolding in de novo assembly because it produces highly contiguous genomes, but its indirect statistical approach can introduce connection errors. We employed optical mapping (Bionano Genomics) as an orthogonal scaffolding technology to assess the structural solidity of Hi-C reconstructed scaffolds. Optical maps were used to assess the correctness of five de novo genome assemblies based on long-read sequencing for contig generation and Hi-C for scaffolding. Hundreds of inconsistencies were found between the reconstructions generated using the Hi-C and optical mapping approaches. Manual inspection, exploiting raw long-read sequencing data and optical maps, confirmed that several of these conflicts were derived from Hi-C joining errors. Such misjoins were widespread, involved the connection of both small and large contigs, and even overlapped annotated genes. We conclude that the integration of optical mapping data after, not before, Hi-C-based scaffolding, improves the quality of the assembly and limits reconstruction errors by highlighting misjoins that can then be subjected to further investigation.
Effects of Low Nighttime Temperature on Fatty Acid Content in Developing Seeds from Brassica napus L. Based on RNA-Seq and Metabolome
Authors: Mi Chao , Sun Chao , Yuan Yuting , Li Fei , Wang Qian , Zhu Haiping , Hua Shuijin , Lin Liangbin
Published: January 2023

Brassica napus L. is a vital plant oil resource worldwide. The fatty acid biosynthesis and oil accumulation in its seeds are controlled by several genetic and environmental factors, including daytime and nighttime temperatures. We analyzed changes in oleic and erucic acid content in two double haploid (DH) lines, DH0729, a weakly temperature-sensitive line, and DH0815, a strongly temperature-sensitive line, derived from B. napus plants grown at different altitudes (1600, 1800, 2000, 2200, and 2400 m a.s.l., 28.85° N, 112.35° E) and nighttime temperatures (20/18, 20/16, 20/13 and 20/10 °C, daytime/nighttime temperature). Based on medium- and long-chain fatty acid metabolites, the total oleic acid content 35 and 43 days after flowering was significantly lower in low nighttime temperature (LNT, 20/13 °C) plants than in high nighttime temperature (HNT, 20/18 °C) plants (HNT: 58–62%; LNT: 49–54%; an average decrease of 9%), and the total erucic acid content was significantly lower in HNT than in LNT plants (HNT: 1–2%; LNT: 8–13%; an average increase of 10%). An RNA-seq analysis showed that the expression levels of SAD (LOC106366808), ECR (LOC106396280), KCS (LOC106419344), KAR (LOC106367337), HB1(LOC106430193), and DOF5 (LOC111211868) in STSL seeds increased under LNT conditions. In STSL seeds, a base mutation in the cis-acting element involved in low-temperature responsiveness (LTR), the HB1 and KCS promoter caused loss of sensitivity to low temperatures, whereas that of the KCS promoter caused increased sensitivity to low temperatures.
Chloride Permeability Coefficient Prediction of Rubber Concrete Based on the Improved Machine Learning Technical: Modelling and Performance Evaluation
Authors: Huang Xiaoyu , Wang Shuai , Lu Tong , Li Houmin , Wu Keyang , Deng Weichao
Published: January 2023

The addition of rubber to concrete improves resistance to chloride ion attacks. Therefore, rapidly determining the chloride permeability coefficient (DCI) of rubber concrete (RC) can contribute to promotion in coastal areas. Most current methods for determining DCI of RC are traditional, which cannot account for multi-factorial effects and suffer from low prediction accuracy. Machine learning (ML) techniques have good non-linear learning capabilities and can consider the effects of multiple factors compared with traditional methods. However, ML models easily fall into the local optimum due to their parameters’ influence. Therefore, a mixed whale optimization algorithm (MWOA) was developed in this paper to optimize ML models. The main strategies are to introduce Tent mapping to expand the search range of the algorithm, to use an adaptive t-distribution dimension-by-dimensional variation strategy to perturb the optimal fitness individual to thereby improve the algorithm’s ability to jump out of the local optimum, and to introduce adaptive weights and adaptive probability threshold values to enhance the adaptive capacity of the algorithm. For this purpose, data were collected from the published literature. Three machine learning models, Extreme Learning Machine (ELM), Random Forest (RF), and Elman Neural Network (ELMAN), were built to predict the DCI of RC, and the three models were optimized using MWOA. The calculations show that the MWOA is effective with the optimized ELM, RF, and ELMAN models improving the prediction accuracy by 54.4%, 62.9%, and 36.4% compared with the initial model. The MWOA-ELM model was found to be the optimal model after a comparative analysis. The accuracy of the multiple linear regression model (MRL) and the traditional mathematical model is calculated to be 87.15% and 85.03%, which is lower than that of the MWOA-ELM model. This indicates that the ML model that is optimized using the improved whale optimization algorithm has better predictive ability than traditional models, providing a new option for predicting the DCI of RC.
Effects of Electrode Materials and Compositions on the Resistance Behavior of Dielectric Elastomer Transducers
Authors: Willian Tobias Pascal , Fasolt Bettina , Motzki Paul , Rizzello Gianluca , Seelecke Stefan
Published: January 2023

Dielectric elastomer (DE) transducers possess various advantages in comparison to alternative actuator technologies, such as, e.g., electromagnetic drive systems. DE can achieve large deformations, high driving frequencies, and are energy efficient. DEs consist of a dielectric membrane sandwiched between conductive electrodes. Electrodes are especially important for performance, as they must maintain high electrical conductivity while being subjected to large stretches. Low electrical resistances allow faster actuation frequencies. Additionally, a rate-independent, monotonic, and hysteresis-free resistance behavior over large elongations enables DEs to be used as resistive deformation sensors, in contrast to the conventional capacitive ones. This paper presents a systematic study on various electrode compositions consisting of different polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) and nano-scaled carbon blacks (CB). The experiments show that the electrode resistance depends on the weight ratio of CB to PDMS, and the type of CB used. At low ratios, a high electrical resistance accompanied by a bimodal behavior in the resistance time evolution was observed, when stretching the electrodes cyclic in a triangular manner. This phenomenon decreases with increasing CB ratio. The type of PDMS also influences the resistance characteristics during elongation. Finally, a physical model of the observed phenomenon is presented.
Multiwalled Carbon Nanotubes Embedded in a Polymeric Matrix as a New Material for Thin Film Microextraction (TFME) in Organic Pollutant Monitoring
Authors: Quintanilla Ivonne , Perelló Carlos , Merlo Francesca , Profumo Antonella , Fontàs Clàudia , Anticó Enriqueta
Published: January 2023

It is essential to monitor organic pollutants to control contamination levels in environmental water bodies. In this respect, the development of new materials based on functionalised polymeric films for the measurement of toxic compounds is of interest. In this study, we prepare new films based on polymer cellulose triacetate modified with multi-walled carbon nanotubes for the monitoring of selected compounds: a fungicide (chlorpyrifos) and two emerging contaminants, the musk tonalide and the bactericide triclosan, which are used in the formulation of personal care products. The films, upon contact with water samples and following the principles of thin film microextraction, allow the determination of organic pollutants at low concentration levels. The contact time of the film with a predetermined volume of water is fixed at 60 min, and the compounds are eluted with a small volume (1 mL) of organic solvent for GC-MS analysis. Parameters such as repeatability for different films and detection limits are found to be satisfactory. Applying the method to river water demonstrates its suitability and, in the cases of chlorpyrifos and tonalide, the absence of a significant matrix effect.
Complex Impedance and Modulus Analysis on Porous and Non-Porous Scaffold Composites Due to Effect of Hydroxyapatite/Starch Proportion
Authors: Beh Chong You , Cheng Ee Meng , Tan Xiao Jian , Mohd Nasir Nashrul Fazli , Abdul Majid Mohd Shukry , Mohd Jamir Mohd Ridzuan , Khor Shing Fhan , Lee Kim Yee , Mohamad Che Wan Sharifah Robiah
Published: January 2023

This study aims to investigate the electric responses (complex modulus and complex impedance analysis) of hydroxyapatite/starch bone scaffold as a function of hydroxyapatite/starch proportion and the microstructural features. Hence, the non-porous and porous hydroxyapatite/starch composites were fabricated with various hydroxyapatite/starch proportions (70/30, 60/40, 50/50, 40/60, 30/70, 20/80, and 10/90 wt/wt%). Microstructural analysis of the porous hydroxyapatite/starch composites was carried out by using scanning electron microscopy. It shows that the formation of hierarchical porous microstructures with high porosity is more significant at a high starch proportion. The complex modulus and complex impedance analysis were conducted to investigate the electrical conduction mechanism of the hydroxyapatite/starch composites via dielectric spectroscopy within a frequency range from 5 MHz to 12 GHz. The electrical responses of the hydroxyapatite/starch composites are highly dependent on the frequency, material proportion, and microstructures. High starch proportion and highly porous hierarchical microstructures enhance the electrical responses of the hydroxyapatite/starch composite. The material proportion and microstructure features of the hydroxyapatite/starch composites can be indirectly reflected by the simulated electrical parameters of the equivalent electrical circuit models.
Effects of Cavity Thickness and Mold Surface Roughness on the Polymer Flow during Micro Injection Molding
Authors: Li Jiquan , Ma Haowei , Liu Wenyong , Jiang Shaofei , Pan Baisong
Published: January 2023

In micro injection molding, the cavity thickness and surface roughness are the main effects factors of polymer flow in the die designing and affect the quality of molded products significantly. In this study, the effects of cavity thickness and roughness of cavity surface were investigated mainly on polymer flow during molding and on the roughness of molded products. The parts were molded in the cavities with the thickness from 0.05 mm to 0.25 mm and surface roughness from Ra = 46.55 nm to Ra = 462.57 nm, respectively. The filling integrities and roughness replication ratio of molded parts were used to evaluate the statements of polymer flow and microstructure replication during micro injection molding, respectively. The results showed that the filling integrity changing trends in the thinner cavities were obviously different or even opposite to those in the thicker cavities with the changing of cavity surface roughness instead of single trend in the conventional studies. For each cavity surface roughness, the filling integrity showed an upward trend with the increasing cavity thickness. In different cavity thickness, the maximum gap of filling integrity was 23.76 mm, reaching 544.94% from 0.05 mm to 0.25 mm. Additionally, the surface roughness ratio was slightly smaller than one before, reaching the polymer surface roughness limit around Ra = 71.27 nm, which was decided by the nature of the polymer itself. This study proposed the references for the design and fabrication of mold cavities and parts, and saved time and cost in the actual product manufacturing.
Ultra-High-Capacity Lithium Metal Batteries Based on Multi-Electron Redox Reaction of Organopolysulfides including Conductive Organic Moieties
Authors: Shimizu Takeshi , Tanifuji Naoki , Nishio Kosuke , Tanaka Yuma , Tsukaguchi Yuta , Tsubouchi Kentaro , Nakamura Fumiya , Shokura Naoko , Noguchi Mariko , Fujimori Hiroki , Kimura-Suda Hiromi , Date Yusuke , Aoki Kaoru , Yoshikawa Hirofumi
Published: January 2023

Recently, organic polysulfides have been synthesized as cathode active materials exceeding the battery performance of sulfur. However, the conventional organic polysulfides have exhibited capacities lower than the theoretical capacity of sulfur because the π-organic moieties do not conjugate with the sulfur chains. In this work, the organopolysulfides, synthesized via inverse vulcanization using disulfide compounds, exhibited higher capacities equal to the theoretical capacity of sulfur because of enhanced electronic conductivity based on the conjugation between organic moieties and sulfur chains. Furthermore, the organopolysulfide including 1,3-dhitiol-2-thione moiety exhibited the highest capacity because of the enhanced electronic conductivity. This finding will pave the way to develop next-generation rechargeable batteries.
Self-Assembled Nanofibrous Membranes by Electrospinning as Efficient Dye Photocatalysts for Wastewater Treatment
Authors: Al-Arjan Wafa Shamsan
Published: January 2023

Water pollution has become a leading problem due to industrial development and the resulting waste, which causes water contamination. Different materials and techniques have been developed to treat wastewater. Due to their self-assembly and photocatalytic behavior, membranes based on graphene oxide (GO) are ideal composite materials for wastewater treatment. We fabricated composite membranes from polylactic acid (PLA) and carboxylic methyl cellulose (CMC)/carboxyl-functionalized graphene oxide (GO-f-COOH) using the electrospinning technique and the thermal method. Then, a nanofibrous membrane (PLA/CMC/GO-f-COOH@Ag) was produced by loading with silver nanoparticles (Ag-NPs) to study its photocatalytic behavior. These membranes were characterized using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) in order to investigate the behavior of the fabricated membranes. The degradation kinetics studies were conducted using mathematical models, such as the pseudo first- and second-order models, by calculating their regression coefficients (R2). These membranes exhibited exceptional dye degradation kinetics. The R2 values for pseudo first order were PCGC = 0.983581, PCGC@Ag = 0.992917, and the R2 values for pseudo second order were PCGC = 0.978329, PCGC@Ag = 0.989839 for methylene blue. The degradation kinetics of Rh-B showed R2 values of PCGC = 0.973594, PCGC@Ag = 0.989832 for pseudo first order and R2 values of PCGC = 0.994392, PCGC@Ag = 0.998738 for pseudo second order. The fabricated nanofibrous membranes exhibited a strong π-π electrostatic interaction, thus providing a large surface area, and demonstrated efficient photocatalytic behavior for treating organic dyes present in wastewater. The fabricated PLA/CMC/GO-f-COOH@Ag membrane presents exceptional photocatalytic properties for the catalytic degradation of methylene blue (MB) dye. Hence, the fabricated nanofibrous membrane would be an eco-friendly system for wastewater treatment under catalytic reaction.
The Impact of Off-Farm Employment on Farmland Production Efficiency: An Empirical Study Based in Jiangsu Province, China
Authors: Hou Yi , Ji Xing , Chen Jia , Zhang Hongxiao
Published: January 2023

The secret to ensuring food security and the growth of agricultural development is farmland production efficiency. In the context of urbanization, this means that farmers need to increase their off-farm employment behavior. The research goal of this paper is to explore whether this will have a impact on farmland production. This paper is based on the data of the China Land Economic Survey conducted by Nanjing Agricultural University and uses Tobit and other methods to conduct empirical tests. The main findings of this paper are as follows: (1) When the proportion of the household’s off-farm employment time is less than 73%, an increase in off-farm employment reduces farmland production efficiency. When the proportion of the household’s off-farm employment time exceeds 73%, an increase in off-farm employment increases the farmland production efficiency. (2) This paper eliminates the scale efficiency contribution in farmland production efficiency to obtain pure technical production efficiency. After verification, off-farm employment and farmland pure technical production efficiency show a U-shaped correlation and the inflection points of the two U-shaped curves coincide. (3) The reason for the inflection point is that after the off-farm employment of farmers reaches the inflection point, with a further increase in off-farm employment, the renting-out behavior of farmland increases and there is increased input of labor-saving technology in agricultural land production, because of which the production efficiency and pure technical efficiency of the farmland increase. To sum up, off-farm employment does not necessarily mean reduced farmland production efficiency. Farmland leasing behavior plays a key role in mitigating the impact of off-farm employment on farmland production. Therefore, in the process of urbanization, the improvement of the land transfer market, the development of agricultural socialized services, and the promotion of cooperative operation will help to ensure the productivity of farmland.
Translucent and Highly Toughened Zirconia Suitable for Dental Restorations
Authors: Ban Seiji , Yasuoka Yuta , Sugiyama Tsutomu , Matsuura Yuzo
Published: January 2023

Background: There is a limit to improving the characteristics of zirconia with only one kind of stabilizing element such as yttrium. The purpose of this study is to systematically evaluate the effects of various co-doped elements on mechanical and optical properties and to develop a novel composition of zirconia with enough properties to apply to dental restorations. Methods: Forty-four kinds of zirconia were prepared by combining trivalent cations yttrium (Y) and ytterbium (Yb), and pentavalent cations niobium (Nb) and tantalum (Ta) oxide as stabilizers. The combined contents ranged from 0 to 5.6 mol% for Y2O3, 0 to 4.2 mol% for Yb2O3, 0 to 1.5 mol% for Nb2O5, and 0 and 1.2 mol% for Ta2O5. These specimens were determined for fracture toughness and opacity. X-ray diffraction studies were undertaken to evaluate the microstructural change. Results: The present study revealed that adding of the trivalent cations Y and Yb reduced fracture toughness and opacity, whereas the addition of pentavalent cations Nb and Ta to zirconia stabilized with trivalent cations increased both properties. There was no clear difference in the effects of Y and Yb, Nb, and Ta. Conclusions: Considering many factors, the following composition is optimal: 3–4.2 mol% Y2O3 and/or Yb2O3 stabilized zirconia with up to 1.5 mol% Nb2O5 has sufficiently high fracture toughness values and sufficiently high translucency suitable for dental restorations.
Comparison between the Mechanical Recycling Behaviour of Amorphous and Semicrystalline Polymers: A Case Study
Authors: Costa André A. , Martinho Pedro G. , Barreiros Fátima M.
Published: January 2023

The increase in waste has motivated the adoption of the circular economy concept, which assumes particular relevance in the case of plastic materials. This has led to research of new possibilities for recycling plastics after their end-of-life. To achieve this goal, it is fundamental to understand how the materials’ properties change after recycling. This study aims to evaluate the thermal and mechanical properties of recycled plastics, namely polycarbonate (PC), polystyrene (PS), glass fibre-reinforced polyamide 6 (PA6-GF30), and polyethylene terephthalate (PET). With this purpose, injected samples were mechanically recycled twice and compared through thermal and mechanical tests, such as differential scanning calorimetry, hardness, tensile strength, and the melt flow rate. The results show that the amorphous materials used do not suffer significant changes in their properties but exhibit changes in their optical characteristics. The semicrystalline ones present some modifications. PET is the material that suffers the biggest changes, both in its flowability and mechanical properties. This work demonstrates that the mechanical recycling process may be an interesting possibility for recycling depending on the desired quality of final products, allowing for some materials to maintain comparable thermal and mechanical properties after going through the recycling process.
Design, Construction and Control of a Manipulator Driven by Pneumatic Artificial Muscles
Authors: Šitum Željko , Herceg Srečko , Bolf Nenad , Ujević Andrijić Željka
Published: January 2023

This paper describes the design, construction and experimental testing of a single-joint manipulator arm actuated by pneumatic artificial muscles (PAMs) for the tasks of transporting and sorting work pieces. An antagonistic muscle pair is used in a rotational sense to produce a required torque on a pulley. The concept, operating principle and elementary properties of pneumatic muscle actuators are explained. Different conceptions of the system realizations are analyzed using the morphological-matrix conceptual design framework and top-rated solution was practically realized. A simplified, control-oriented mathematical model of the manipulator arm driven by PAMs and controlled with a proportional control valve is derived. The model is then used for a controller design process. Fluidic muscles have great potential for industrial applications and assembly automation to actuate new types of robots and manipulators. Their characteristics, such as compactness, high strength, high power-to-weight ratio, inherent safety and simplicity, are worthy features for advanced manipulation systems. The experiments were carried out on a practically realized manipulator actuated by a pair of muscle actuators set into an antagonistic configuration. The setup also includes an original solution for the subsystem to add work pieces in the working space of the manipulator.
Separation of Cesium and Rubidium from Solution with High Concentrations of Potassium and Sodium
Authors: Xie Junjie , Li Kang , Shi Zhuonan , Min Changli , Li Shina , Yin Zichen , Ma Ruixin
Published: January 2023

Solvent extraction with 4-tert-butyl-2-(α-methylbenzyl) phenol (t-BAMBP) is an effective method for the separation and purification of rubidium and cesium. A solution containing a high K+ concentration (exceeding 80 g/L), which was ultra-salty, with about 200 g/L alkali metal ions, was used to extract Rb+ and Cs+. The effects of the process parameters on the separation of cesium and rubidium were systematically studied. The optimum conditions were as follows: NaOH concentration of 0.5 mol/L, t-BAMBP concentration of 1 mol/L (in sulfonated kerosene), organic/aqueous volume ratio (O/A ratio) of 3:1, and contact time of 1 min. The extraction rates of cesium and rubidium were 99.81 and 98.09%, respectively, and 19.31% of potassium was co-extracted in the organic phase after five-stage countercurrent extraction. About 99.32% of K+ in the organic phase could be removed after five-stage countercurrent scrubbing with deionized water at an O/A ratio of 2:1 for 2 min. When 0.5 mol/L hydrochloric acid solution was used as detergent, almost all of the cesium and rubidium (>99%) could be recovered by two-stage countercurrent stripping at an O/A ratio of 3:1 for 2 min. A solid compound was found and collected from the organic phase during multi-stage solvent extraction. Its composition and structure were determined by XRD, infrared Fourier-transform, and ICP-MS.
Cultural Tourism in a Post-COVID-19 Scenario: The French Way of Saint James in Spain from the Perspective of Promotional Communication
Authors: Rodríguez-Vázquez Clide , Castellanos-García Pablo , Martínez-Fernández Valentín Alejandro
Published: January 2023

Tourism has been one of the sectors most affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. One of the side effects of the pandemic is the demand for safe and quiet spaces, giving rise to the search for a new lifestyle, “slow living”, which could represent an opportunity for cultural tourism. In this context, the main objective of this article is twofold: (i) to establish the relevance of cultural tourism for residents in Spain for the autonomous communities along the French Way of Saint James and (ii) to determine their behaviour on their institutional tourism promotion websites. For our analysis, we use equality of means tests and ANOVA (for data from 2002–2020), as well as measures of positioning, engagement, origin of the audience and access devices (for data from 2020–2021). The main conclusion is that the Way of St. James does not act as a driving force for cultural tourism, even though the websites of tourism promotion organisations have experienced a remarkable growth in their use. This article develops an original relation of cultural tourism through an analysis of the French Way of St. James in Spain and the web positioning of official tourism promotion organisations before and during COVID-19.
The Numerical Solution of Large-Scale Generalized Eigenvalue Problems Arising from Finite-Element Modeling of Electroelastic Materials
Authors: Martynova Tatiana , Muratova Galina , Oganesyan Pavel , Shtein Olga
Published: January 2023

The generalized eigenvalue problem for a symmetric definite matrix pencil obtained from finite-element modeling of electroelastic materials is solved numerically by the Lanczos algorithm. The mass matrix is singular in the considered problem, and therefore the process proceeds with the semi-inner product defined by this matrix. The shift-and-invert Lanczos algorithm is used to find multiple eigenvalues closest to some shift and the corresponding eigenvectors. The results of the numerical experiments are presented.
Effects of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens XJ-BV2007 on Growth of Alternaria alternata and Production of Tenuazonic Acid
Authors: Jia Qinlan , Fan Yingying , Duan Shuaishuai , Qin Qiaomei , Ding Yu , Yang Min , Wang Yan , Liu Fengjuan , Wang Cheng
Published: January 2023

Large amounts of processing tomato are grown in Xinjiang, China. Tomato black spot disease, caused by Alternaria spp., and the produced alternaria toxins in tomato products are posing risks to human health. In this study, we isolated a rhizospheric bacterium, XJ-BV2007, from tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) fields, which we identified as Bacillus amyloliquefaciens. We found that this bacterium has a strong antagonistic effect against Alternaria alternata and reduces the accumulation of alternaria toxins in tomatoes. According to the antifungal activity of the bacteria-free filtrate, we revealed that B. amyloliquefaciens XJ-BV2007 suppresses A. alternata by the production of antifungal metabolites. Combining semi-preparative high-performance liquid chromatography, we employed UPLC-QTOF-MS analysis and the Oxford cup experiment to find that fengycin plays an important role in inhibiting A. alternata. This paper firstly reported that B. amyloliquefaciens efficiently controls tomato black spot disease and mycotoxins caused by A. alternata. B. amyloliquefaciens XJ-BV2007 may provide an alternative biocontrol strain for the prevention of tomato black spot disease.
Risk Factors of Severe COVID-19: A Review of Host, Viral and Environmental Factors
Authors: Zsichla Levente , Müller Viktor
Published: January 2023

The clinical course and outcome of COVID-19 are highly variable, ranging from asymptomatic infections to severe disease and death. Understanding the risk factors of severe COVID-19 is relevant both in the clinical setting and at the epidemiological level. Here, we provide an overview of host, viral and environmental factors that have been shown or (in some cases) hypothesized to be associated with severe clinical outcomes. The factors considered in detail include the age and frailty, genetic polymorphisms, biological sex (and pregnancy), co- and superinfections, non-communicable comorbidities, immunological history, microbiota, and lifestyle of the patient; viral genetic variation and infecting dose; socioeconomic factors; and air pollution. For each category, we compile (sometimes conflicting) evidence for the association of the factor with COVID-19 outcomes (including the strength of the effect) and outline possible action mechanisms. We also discuss the complex interactions between the various risk factors.
Chronic Hepatitis C: Acute Exacerbation and Alanine Aminotransferase Flare
Authors: Kanda Tatsuo , Matsumoto Naoki , Ishii Tomotaka , Arima Shuhei , Shibuya Shinji , Honda Masayuki , Sasaki-Tanaka Reina , Masuzaki Ryota , Kanezawa Shini , Nishizawa Tsukasa , Gon Yasuhiro , Ogawa Masahiro , Kogure Hirofumi
Published: January 2023

The hepatitis C virus (HCV) causes acute and chronic hepatitis, cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma, as well as extrahepatic manifestations such as malignant lymphoma. Currently, direct-acting antiviral agents (DAAs) against HCV infection can lead to a sustained virological response (SVR) in almost all HCV-infected patients. In this review article, we discuss acute exacerbation and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) flare in patients with chronic HCV infection. Although acute liver failure caused by HCV infection is rare, careful attention should be paid to the cases with ALT elevation during the natural course of chronic HCV infection. HCV genotype 2 infection, the use of rituximab, and a higher dose of corticosteroid are factors associated with HCV acute exacerbation and ALT flare. Treatment regimens for cancer have been interrupted or changed due to ALT flare due to HCV infection in some patients undergoing chemotherapy for cancer. The pathogenesis of HCV acute exacerbation and ALT flare could involve cellular as well as humoral immune responses. In the DAA era, the earlier introduction of DAAs may prevent chronic HCV-infected patients with acute exacerbation and ALT flare from developing into a more severe form, although DAAs may not be effective for all of them.
Influence of Environmental Variables on Biochemical Biomarkers in the Amphipod Monoporeia affinis from the Gulf of Riga (Baltic Sea)
Authors: Strode Evita , Barda Ieva , Suhareva Natalija , Kolesova Natalja , Turja Raisa , Lehtonen Kari K.
Published: January 2023

The complexity of the marine environment and the increasing anthropogenic pressure create a necessity to expand existing monitoring approaches. The main goal of this study was to depict the effects of selected, seasonally varying environmental factors on a battery of biomarkers in the benthic amphipod Monoporeia affinis from the Gulf of Riga (GoR). Seasonal variability in acetylcholinesterase (AChE), catalase (CAT), glutathione reductase (GR), and glutathione S-transferase (GST) activities was investigated at six coastal stations (20–30 m) in August and November in 2020 and 2021. In addition, the biomarkers were measured at seven deep-water stations (>30 m) in November 2021. In general, the results indicated no significant influence of the measured environmental variables on the biomarker activities, except for deep-water stations, where chlorophyll a significantly affected enzymatic activity. The current study indicated that M. affinis has a higher GST, CAT and GR activity in summer compared to autumn in coastal stations, showing seasonal variability of these biomarkers. However, summarizing the biomarker levels recorded at each station and season, the integrated biomarker response (IBR) index showed the most stressed health status of the M. affinis populations in the deep-water stations 135 and 107 and coastal regions in the north-eastern part of the GoR (station 160B). This suggests that the impact on enzymatic responses of benthic organisms could be due to port activities leading to the accumulation of pollutants in muddy sediments regionally. Moreover, for the monitoring of biological effects of contaminants there is a need to establish the background levels of biomarkers, i.e., responses to the different natural environmental factors in the GoR region.
Effects of Planting and Nitrogen Application Patterns on Alfalfa Yield, Quality, Water–Nitrogen Use Efficiency, and Economic Benefits in the Yellow River Irrigation Region of Gansu Province, China
Authors: Lv Yaru , Wang Jinghai , Yin Minhua , Kang Yanxia , Ma Yanlin , Jia Qiong , Qi Guangping , Jiang Yuanbo , Lu Qiang , Chen Xiaolong
Published: January 2023

Appropriate planting and nitrogen application patterns to support high-quality production of cultivated forage in light of issues of water scarcity, extensive field husbandry, and low productivity in cultivated grassland planting areas were investigated in this study. Using Medicago sativa L. (alfalfa) as the research object, this study analyzed the effects of planting patterns (conventional flat planting (FP) and ridge culture with film mulching (RM)) and nitrogen level (N0: 0 kg·ha−1, N1: 80 kg·ha−1, N2: 160 kg·ha−1, N3: 240 kg·ha−1) on the growth, yield, quality (crude protein content (CP), acid detergent fiber content (ADF), neutral detergent fiber content (NDF), and relative feeding value (RFV)), the water–nitrogen use efficiency, and economic benefits (EB) of alfalfa in the year of establishment. Results demonstrated that (1) RM might greatly increase the growth of alfalfa when compared to FP. The plant height, stem diameter, and leaf:stem ratio of alfalfa all increased under the same planting patterns before decreasing as the nitrogen application rate (NAR) increased. (2) Appropriate NAR combined with RM could improve the yield and quality of alfalfa. Compared with other treatments, the yield, CP, and RFV under RMN2 treatment increased by 5.9~84.9%, 4.9~28.6%, and 19.6~49.3%, respectively, and the ADF and NDF decreased by 14.0~27.6% and 13.0~26.1%, respectively. (3) Under the same nitrogen level, RM showed better performance than FP in terms of water use efficiency (WUE), irrigation water use efficiency (IWUE), precipitation use efficiency (PUE), partial factor productivity of nitrogen (PFPN), agronomic nitrogen use efficiency (ANUE), and EB of alfalfa. Under the same planting pattern, PFPN decreased as the NAR increased, while WUE, IWUE, PUE, ANUE, and EB first increased and then decreased as the NAR increased and reached a maximum value under the N2 condition. In conclusion, the RM planting pattern combined with a nitrogen level of 160 kg·ha−1 can significantly promote alfalfa growth as well as the yield, quality, water–nitrogen use efficiency, and EB of alfalfa, making it a suitable planting management mode for alfalfa production in the Yellow River irrigation region in Gansu Province, China and areas with similar climate.
Microplastics in Landfill Leachate: A Comprehensive Review on Characteristics, Detection, and Their Fates during Advanced Oxidation Processes
Authors: Wang Lan , Wang Hui , Huang Qiujie , Yang Changfu , Wang Luochun , Lou Ziyang , Zhou Qian , Wang Tiantian , Ning Chengqi
Published: January 2023

Microplastics are generated from plastic waste in landfills due to physical, chemical, and biological effects, and eventually enter into the leachate. Leachate is a potential source of environmental microplastics which has not been emphasized. Here, we summarized the investigation of microplastics in leachate in 9 countries from 28 papers, provided a comprehensive review of the sampling, detection, and separation of microplastics in leachate, and elaborated on the quality control in each process. There are more than forty types of microplastics in leachate, with diverse shapes, wide size distribution, and concentrations of 0–25 items/L. Commonly used techniques are FTIR, Raman, SEM, and py-GC–MS for characterizing microplastics, while standardization of micro- or nanoplastics for leachate with a complex composition should be further studied. We also discussed in depth the degradation mechanism of microplastics in advanced oxidation processes (AOPs). Microplastics can be decomposed into small molecules such as aldehydes and ketones, and some can even eventually be degraded into CO2 and H2O in AOPs, which may be further implemented in leachate treatment plants. This review provides the scientific fundamentals for understanding the microplastics in landfill leachate and proposes removal strategies for future research.
A GIS-Based Probabilistic Spatial Multicriteria Roof Water Inrush Risk Evaluation Method Considering Decision Makers’ Risk-Coping Attitude
Authors: Wang Dangliang , Gao Chengyue , Liu Kerui , Gong Junling , Fang Yafei , Xiong Shijie
Published: January 2023

A combination of geographic information system (GIS) and spatial multicriteria decision making (MCDA) in mine water inrush risk evaluation is widely used, but the randomness in the process of index weight determination and the risk-coping attitude of decision makers are not considered in the decision making process. Therefore, this paper proposes a probability-based roof water inrush risk evaluation method (GIS-MCDA) by combining the Monte Carlo analytic hierarchy process (MAHP) and ordered weighted averaging (OWA) operator. This method uses MAHP to determine the weight of the evaluation indicators, reducing the randomness of the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) to determine the weight of the evaluation indicators using the OWA operator to quantify the five risk-coping attitudes of decision makers and incorporate the risk attitude of decision makers into the evaluation process. Taking the Liangshuijing Coal Mine in northern Shaanxi as an example, the application of the GIS-MCDA method showed that the method makes the risk results of roof water inrush more objective and comprehensive and reduces or avoids the risk of decision making due to human subjective tendency change.
Water Scarcity Risk Index: A Tool for Strategic Drought Risk Management
Authors: Thomaz Fernanda Rocha , Miguez Marcelo Gomes , de Souza Ribeiro de Sá João Gabriel , de Moura Alberto Gabriel Windsor , Fontes João Pedro Moreira
Published: January 2023

Drought events have affected many regions of the world, having negative economic, environmental and social impacts. When accompanied by increasing water demands, these events can lead to water scarcity. Since droughts can significantly vary in each geographic area, several indices have been developed around the world. Hazard indexes are commonly used to predict meteorological, agricultural and hydrological droughts. These indexes intend to predict hazards, but they do not provide information on when and where deficits can have negative consequences. This study presents a new planning and decision-support tool for monitoring water scarcity situations in a given region. This tool, called the Water Scarcity Risk Index (W-ScaRI), is formed by two subindices, which are proposed to describe a hazard and its consequences. Each subindex was constructed using a group of indicators and indices selected from the technical literature or originally proposed in this work. The W-ScaRI was applied to the Rio de Janeiro Metropolitan Region (RJMR), supplied with water by the Guandu/Lajes/Acari system. The RJMR is one of the most densely populated regions in Brazil, located in an area that has no natural water bodies capable of meeting its supply needs. Therefore, the Guandu River, which, in fact, is formed by two discharge transpositions from the Paraíba do Sul River, is the main drinking water supply source for this region. The RJMR suffered the consequences of unexpected, prolonged droughts in the Southeast region in 2003 and 2014–2015, leading the local authorities to implement temporary emergency measures in the management system of Paraíba do Sul and Guandu Basins, avoiding water shortage but showing the urgent need for planning and management support tools to anticipate possible future problems. The results of the study show that the formulation of the W-ScaRI can represent the water scarcity risk in a relatively simple way and, at the same time, with adequate conceptual and methodological consistency.
The Large Rivers of the Past in West Siberia: Unknown Hydrological Regimen
Authors: Sidorchuk Aleksey
Published: January 2023

The hydrological regime of large meandering rivers of the West Siberian Plain in the Late Pleniglacial/Late Glacial was reconstructed from the hydraulic geometry of palaeochannels. The main tools for the reconstruction were the power law relationship between channel bankfull width and mean maximum discharge, taken in the downstream direction, and relationships between peak flood discharge and the contributing basin area. Reconstructed values of daily maximum surface runoff depth during the snow thaw period in the Late Pleniglacial/Late Glacial were 60–75 mm/day in the north of the plain with tundra and sparse forest and 20–40 mm/day in the south with periglacial steppe. The mean daily maximum surface runoff depth for the entirety of West Siberia was about 46 mm, which is more than five times greater than the modern value. Annual river runoff was calculated with the ratio between mean annual and mean maximum runoff depths, estimated for the modern region’s analogues of ancient periglacial landscapes and climates. Total annual flow of the Ob into the ocean was about 1000 km3. This is three times the current flow from the same basin, so the river was a significant source of fresh water to the Arctic Ocean during the last deglaciation.
Simulation Study on the Environmental Impact of Rare Earth Ore Development on Groundwater in Hilly Areas: A Case Study in Nuodong, China
Authors: He Hongqiu , Shan Huimei , Mo Deke , Liu Yunquan , Peng Sanxi , Cheng Yaping , Chen Meng , Yan Zhiwei
Published: January 2023

Mineral extraction can significantly affect the groundwater flow and hydrochemical environment. However, for hilly areas, significant ground elevation changes and complex geological conditions make it difficult to accurately analyze and predict the impact of mineral mining. This study takes the Nuodong rare earth mining area as an example. Based on field investigations and experiments, GOCAD software (version 2022) was used to establish a geological model in combination with GMS numerical simulation software, which was used to build a groundwater flow model and a solute transport model. The flow model in the hilly area indicated that the absolute error between the simulated and measured water levels of each observation well is 0.554 m. The solute-transport model showed that the maximum pollutant concentration of ammonia-nitrogen (NH3-N) in the liquid injection area, stream area, and village area monitoring wells reaches 139.15, 27.9, and <0.5 mg/L, respectively. During the mining period, streams in the area are affected by NH3-N, which threatens the safety of the water for mine area residents. To control pollutant transport, two stages of pumping were adopted to reduce NH3-N concentrations in groundwater. After adopting the first stage, the peak concentration of the stream area monitoring wells decreased significantly, with the maximum peak concentration decreasing from 27.9 mg/L to 5.51 mg/L. Based on the results of the first stage of the pump-out treatment, a second stage was adopted. The model results showed that the peak concentration of NH3-N pollutants discharged into the stream is less than 0.5 mg/L. The results provide a theoretical basis and reference for groundwater monitoring and pollution control after mining in this area.
Modelling Transport and Fate of Copper and Nickel across the South Saskatchewan River Using WASP—TOXI
Authors: Prajapati Saurabh , Sabokruhie Pouya , Brinkmann Markus , Lindenschmidt Karl-Erich
Published: January 2023

The South Saskatchewan River (SSR) is one of the most important river systems in Saskatchewan and, arguably, in Canada. Most of the Saskatchewan residents, industries, and powerplants depend on the SSR for their water requirements. An established 1D modelling approach was chosen and coupled with the Hydrologic Engineering Center’s River Analysis System (HEC-RAS). The WASP (Water Quality Analysis Simulation Program) stream transport module, TOXI, is coupled with flow routing for free-flow streams, ponded segments, and backwater reaches and is capable of calculating the flow of water, sediment, and dissolved constituents across branched and ponded segments. Copper and nickel were chosen as two metals with predominantly anthropogenic (agriculture, mining, and municipal and industrial waste management) and geogenic (natural weathering and erosion) sources, respectively. Analysis was carried out at ten different sites along the South Saskatchewan River, both upstream and downstream of the City of Saskatoon, in the years 2020 and 2021. Model performance was evaluated by comparing model predictions with concentrations of copper and nickel measured in a previously published study. The model performed well in estimating the concentrations of copper and nickel in water samples and worked reasonably well for sediment samples. The model underestimated the concentration values at certain segments in both water and sediment samples. In order to calibrate the model more accurately, extra diffusive contaminant loads were added. While several default parameter values had to be used due to the unavailability of primary historical data, our study demonstrates the predictive power of combining WASP—TOXI and HEC-RAS models for the prediction of contaminant loading. Future studies, including those on the impacts of global climate change on water quality on the Canadian prairies, will benefit from this proof-of-concept study.