bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Partitioning the Extreme Wave Spectrum of Hurricane Wilma to Improve the Design of Wave Energy Converters
Authors: Ulloa Marco , Silva Rodolfo , Mariño-Tapia Ismael
Published: May 2023

Analysis of the omnidirectional energy spectrum from storm wave measurements provides valuable parameters for understanding the specific local conditions that wave energy converters would have to withstand. Partitioning the energy spectrum also helps to identify wave groups with low directional spread propagating in the direction of the dominant waves of the more energetic wave systems. This paper analyzes the partition of the Hurricane Wilma energy spectrum using single-point measurements obtained in shallow water. Hurricane Wilma generated simultaneous crossing wave systems with different significant wave heights and steepnesses. The maximum estimated significant height among the wave groups was 5.5 m. The corresponding height of the partitions and the omnidirectional energy spectrum were 11.0 m (swell) and 12 m, respectively. While linear superposition was the main mechanism responsible for driving the wave groups, at times, modulational instability produced nonlinear wave groups. This is a new finding, since modulational instability is usually considered an open-sea phenomenon. For shorelines with multidirectional wave groups, submerged and semi-submerged devices should be designed to account for changes in wave direction and wave height, although under extreme hurricane conditions, energy harvesting might have to be sacrificed for the benefit of device integrity.
Renewable Energy Sources in Decarbonization: The Case of Foreign and Russian Oil and Gas Companies
Authors: Romasheva Natalya , Cherepovitsyna Alina
Published: May 2023

The necessity of implementing the Sustainable Development Goals and solve the problem of climate change, technological progress and the conscious climate policy of many countries has led to the transformation of the world economy and power industry towards low-carbon development, which should be based on renewable energy sources. Oil and gas companies are actively criticized by the international community for contributing significantly to total anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions, with emissions from hydrocarbon fuel combustion being the largest. In order to meet the tightening environmental requirements and regulations, oil and gas companies implement various initiatives for decarbonization and reducing the carbon footprint, including operating with renewables, whose scale, essence and variety depend on the decarbonization model. This paper attempts to identify, first, how renewable sources of energy have been integrated into the oil and gas companies; second, what decarbonization models are possible; and third, what the major determining factors in the formation of their decarbonization model and the scale of renewable usage are. Based on an extensive literature review, survey, websites and corporate sustainability reports of Russian and foreign oil and gas companies, models of decarbonization and the role of renewables in decarbonization are defined and the classification and interpretation of determining factors are offered, justifying their impact on the decarbonization model and the scale of renewable usage. The authors present an assessment of factors and prove the correlation between the factors under consideration and the scale and diversity of renewable usage by oil and gas companies, confirming the adequacy of the offered approaches.
Evaluation and Source Identification of Heavy Metal Pollution in Black Soils, Central-Eastern Changchun, China
Authors: Sun Yaoyao , Zhao Yuyan , Hao Libo , Zhao Xinyun , Lu Jilong , Wei Qiaoqiao , Shi Yanxiang , Ma Chengyou
Published: May 2023

Black soils are vital agricultural resources, and assessing heavy metal contamination in black soils is of great significance to the sustainable development of agriculture and the environment. In this study, 1246 surface soil samples were collected from the central-eastern part of Changchun, where phaeozems and chernozems are widely distributed, and the As, Hg, Cr, Cd, and Pb concentrations were determined to investigate the pollution status in the black soils by the geoaccumulation index (Igeo). To eliminate the influence of background variation and improve the calculation accuracy of the Igeo values, the local background values of these five elements were estimated after classifying the samples into three clusters with the k-means clustering method. The Igeo calculated with the local background values not only identified the pollution that is difficult to recognize in the low-background areas but also eliminated the easily misidentified pollution in the high-background areas. The Igeo results show that the black soils are mainly contaminated with Hg, followed by Cd and Pb, and are almost free from the pollution of As and Cr. The further the sampling sites are from urban areas, the milder the soil pollution is. A positive matrix factorization (PMF) analysis shows that industrial activities and coal burning contributed the most to the heavy metal pollution in the black soils, followed by agricultural activities, which should be paid more attention to.
The Impact of Entrepreneurship Institutions on Access to Micro-Financing for Sustainable Enterprise in an Emerging Economy
Authors: Onyekwelu Phina Njideka , Ibe Godwin Imo , Monyei Francis Ezieshi , Attamah Joseph Ikechukwu , Ukpere Wilfred Isioma
Published: May 2023

The emergence of entrepreneurship institutions, as a mechanism, is not only for sustainability, but access to micro-financing for entrepreneurs has also become pivotal owing to the heightened spate of economic degradation, growing poverty rates, and an upsurge in rural–urban migration, all currently occurring across the globe. This study adopted a descriptive survey research method, gathering data by using a questionnaire that served as the basis for analysis. Regression analysis techniques from the Statistical Package for Social Science were used to test the hypothesis. The study’s participants and research population, respectively, comprised 711 active National Youth Service Corps members from the Aniocha-North Local Government Area in the Delta State in Nigeria. The results indicate that entrepreneurship institutions impact entrepreneurs’ access to micro-financing and enterprise sustainability in emerging economies. Hence, the study recommends, as a policy implication, that entrepreneurship institutions should be established with capacity to provide for micro-finance enterprises, which will guarantee their sustainability, productivity and viability.
An Improved Partitioning Method via Disassociation towards Environmental Sustainability
Authors: Alshuhail Asma , Bhatia Surbhi
Published: May 2023

The amount of data created by individuals increases daily. These data may be gathered from various sources, such as social networks, e-commerce websites and healthcare systems, and they are frequently made available to third-party research and commercial organisations to facilitate a wide range of data studies. The protection of sensitive and confidential information included within the datasets to be published must be addressed, even though publishing data can assist organisations in improving their service offerings and developing new solutions that would not otherwise be available. The research community has invested great effort over the past two decades to comprehend how individuals’ privacy may be preserved when their data need to be published. Disassociation is a common approach for anonymising transactional data against re-identification attacks in privacy-preserving data publishing. To address this issue, we proposed three new strategies for horizontal partitioning: suppression, adding and remaining list. Each strategy identifies a different approach for handling small clusters with fewer than k transactions. We used three real datasets for transactional data in our experiments, and our findings showed that our proposed strategies could decrease the percentage of information loss of disassociated transactional data by almost 35%, comparing it with the previous original disassociation algorithm. As a result, the utility of published data will be improved.
Water Dynamics and Hydraulic Functions in Sandy Soils: Limitations to Sugarcane Cultivation in Southern Brazil
Authors: Viana Jessica Lima , de Souza Jorge Luiz Moretti , Auler André Carlos , de Oliveira Ricardo Augusto , Araújo Renã Moreira , Hoshide Aaron Kinyu , de Abreu Daniel Carneiro , da Silva Wininton Mendes
Published: May 2023

Crop cultivation on sandy soils is susceptible to water stress. Therefore, we determined the physical-hydric attributes of a Latossolo Vermelho distrófico (Oxisol) in northwestern Paraná state, Brazil. Soil samples were collected at depth ranges of 0 to 0.2 m, 0.2 to 0.4 m, and 0.4 to 0.6 m. We measured clay, silt, sand, fine and coarse sand contents, soil particle density, soil bulk density, total porosity, microporosity, and macroporosity. We also measured soil characteristics such as saturated and unsaturated soil hydraulic conductivities, pore distribution, water retention, available water capacity, and easily available water. We also estimated soil moisture, matric potential at field capacity, and time at field capacity. Validation of associations among these soil physical-hydric attributes was performed using principal component analysis. For the sandy soils analyzed, the distributions of coarse and fine sand fractions were measured for better evaluation of the soil’s physical and hydric attributes. Higher coarse sand contents increased soil hydraulic conductivities, maximum pore diameter, and macroporosity while reducing microporosity. Fine sand content reduced conductivity and increased soil water retention in subsurface layers. Simulated sugarcane yield increased with soil water storage. These results support improving crop simulation modeling of sugarcane to support sustainable intensification in regions with sandy soils.
Post-Fire Mechanical Degradation of Lightweight Concretes and Maintenance Strategies with Steel Fibers and Nano-Silica
Authors: Mashshay Alaa Fahad , Hashemi S. Komeil , Tavakoli Hamidreza
Published: May 2023

Currently, the growth of building construction and the need for lighter but more sustainable materials are of interest. Additionally, recent fire incidents highlight the insufficient knowledge of the properties of materials after a fire. Common materials such as concrete should, to minimize their adverse environmental effects and expenses, be maintained in such a way as to increase their resistance and preserve their mechanical properties when subjected to high temperatures. Hence, in this research, the post-fire mechanical degradation of lightweight concrete (LWC) has been investigated. Moreover, the addition of steel fiber and nano-silica have been studied in terms of their ability to reduce the mechanical degradation of LWC subjected to high temperatures. For this purpose, different samples were considered in four mixture designs: the LWC samples, samples with steel fibers, samples with nano-silica, and samples with a combination of steel fibers and nano-silica. All samples were subjected to temperatures of 200, 400 and 600 degrees Celsius and compared with the control samples. The results show that, as the temperature increased, the tensile and compressive resistances of LWC decreased. The samples without fibers and nano-silica showed a greater decrease in mechanical properties with increasing temperature. The addition of steel fibers and nano-silica, individually or as a combination, can improve the compressive and tensile strength of the concrete both at room temperature and at higher temperatures.
A Sustainable Approach to Dyed Cotton Fabric Stripping Using Ozone
Authors: Zulfiqar Amna , Arooj Fariha , Aftab Mahwish , Rashid Muhammad , Luqman Muhammad , Kashif Saif ur Rehman , Naseer Rahat
Published: May 2023

Sodium hydrosulfite is conventionally used for the color stripping of reactive dyes in the textile industry. However, research has been focused on eco-friendly processes to reduce wastewater generation in recent years. This study is aimed at estimating the color stripping efficacy of ozone according to reactive dyes’ chromophore groups. The dyed cotton-knitted fabric with three reactive dyes that have phthalocyanine (Reactive blue 21), diazo (Reactive black 5) and monoazo (Reactive yellow 84) chromophores was treated with ozone. The effect of the experimental parameters (pH, ozone dose and treatment time) was examined on the dyed fabric samples in terms of lightness and bursting strength properties. The results show that the decolorization efficiency of ozone varies with the type of chromophore group. The maximum color removal was achieved for the Reactive blue 21 dye of the phthalocyanine group at optimum process conditions (pH 3, Ozone dose 7 g/h, exposure time 40 min) followed by the reactive dyes that have dioazo and monoazo chromophore groups, respectively. The bursting strength of the fabric sample decolorized using ozone remained stable throughout the study. Moreover, the ozone-stripping effluent meets the environmental quality standards and can be reused up to at least four cycles without affecting the stripping efficiency. Hence, it can provide a sustainable alternative to reduce water consumption in the textile sector.
Interest-Aware Message-Passing Layer-Refined Graph Convolutional Network for Recommendation
Authors: Yang Xingyao , Wu Jinchen , Yu Jiong
Published: May 2023

Graph convolutional networks (GCNs) show great potential in recommendation applications, as they have excellent performance in propagation node information propagation and capturing high-order connectivity in user-item interaction graphs. However, in the current recommendation model based on GCN, incoming information from neighbors is aggregated during information propagation, and some of this information may be noisy due to negative information. Additionally, the over-smoothing problem occurs when the model layers are stacked too high. During the embedding learning of users in the graph convolution operation, an important factor is that high-order neighbor users with no interest are involved, leading to similar embedding for users with no interest. These issues can degrade the recommendation performance. To address these problems, this paper proposes a method called IMPLayerGCN. In this method, high-order graph convolution is performed within subgraphs, which are composed of users with similar interests and their interaction items. The higher-order graph convolution is carried out in the subgraph and the layer representation in the process of GCN re-information propagation and node update is refined. The convolution process uses a symmetrical matrix. This approach avoids the spread of negative information from higher-order neighbors to embedded learning.
Practical Application of a Urinary Zearalenone Monitoring System for Feed Hygiene Management of a Japanese Black Cattle Breeding Herd—Relevance to Anti-Müllerian Hormone and Serum Amyloid A Clarified from a Two-Year Survey
Authors: Widodo Oky Setyo , Pambudi Dhidhi , Etoh Makoto , Kokushi Emiko , Uno Seiichi , Yamato Osamu , Taniguchi Masayasu , Lamid Mirni , Takagi Mitsuhiro
Published: May 2023

In this study, a herd of Japanese Black (JB) breeding cattle with sporadic reproductive disorders was continuously monitored for an additional year to assess the effects of the urinary zearalenone (ZEN) concentration and changes in parameters (AMH and SAA) with time-lag variables and herd fertility (reproductive performance). This herd had high (exceeded the Japanese dietary feed regulations) urinary ZEN and rice straw ZEN concentrations (1.34 mg/kg). Long-term data of the herd with positive ZEN exposure revealed a decreasing ZEN concentration in urine and a gradual decrease in the AMH level with age. The AMH level was significantly affected by the ZEN value 2 months earlier and the AMH level in the previous month. The changes in ZEN and SAA values were significantly affected by the ZEN and SAA values in the previous month. Additionally, calving interval data between pre-monitoring and post-monitoring showed a significantly different pattern. Furthermore, the calving interval became significantly shorter between the time of contamination (2019) and the end of the monitoring period (2022). In conclusion, the urinary ZEN monitoring system may be a valuable practical tool for screening and detecting herd contamination in the field, and acute and/or chronic ZEN contamination in dietary feeds may affect herd productivity and the fertility of breeding cows.
Three-Dimensional Chromatin Structure of the EBV Genome: A Crucial Factor in Viral Infection
Authors: Caruso Lisa Beatrice , Maestri Davide , Tempera Italo
Published: May 2023

Epstein–Barr Virus (EBV) is a human gamma-herpesvirus that is widespread worldwide. To this day, about 200,000 cancer cases per year are attributed to EBV infection. EBV is capable of infecting both B cells and epithelial cells. Upon entry, viral DNA reaches the nucleus and undergoes a process of circularization and chromatinization and establishes a latent lifelong infection in host cells. There are different types of latency all characterized by different expressions of latent viral genes correlated with a different three-dimensional architecture of the viral genome. There are multiple factors involved in the regulation and maintenance of this three-dimensional organization, such as CTCF, PARP1, MYC and Nuclear Lamina, emphasizing its central role in latency maintenance.
Determinants of Vaccination and Willingness to Vaccinate against COVID-19 among Pregnant and Postpartum Women during the Third Wave of the Pandemic: A European Multinational Cross-Sectional Survey
Authors: Maisonneuve Emeline , Gerbier Eva , Tauqeer Fatima , Pomar Léo , Favre Guillaume , Winterfeld Ursula , Passier Anneke , Oliver Alison , Baud David , Nordeng Hedvig , Ceulemans Michael , Panchaud Alice
Published: May 2023

With COVID-19 vaccination hesitancy at around 50% in the obstetric population, it is critical to identify which women should be addressed and how. Our study aimed to assess COVID-19 vaccination willingness among pregnant and postpartum women in Europe and to investigate associated determinants. This study was a cross-sectional, web-based survey conducted in Belgium, Norway, Switzerland, The Netherlands, and United Kingdom (UK) in June–August 2021. Among 3194 pregnant women, the proportions of women vaccinated or willing to be vaccinated ranged from 80.5% in Belgium to 21.5% in Norway. The associated characteristics were country of residence, chronic illness, history of flu vaccine, trimester of pregnancy, belief that COVID-19 is more severe during pregnancy, and belief that the COVID-19 vaccine is effective and safe during pregnancy. Among 1659 postpartum women, the proportions of women vaccinated or willing to be vaccinated ranged from 86.0% in the UK to 58.6% in Switzerland. The associated determinants were country of residence, chronic illness, history of flu vaccine, breastfeeding, and belief that the COVID-19 vaccine is safe during breastfeeding. Vaccine hesitancy in the obstetric population depends on medical history and especially on the opinion that the vaccine is safe and on the country of residence.
Evaluation of NS4A, NS4B, NS5 and 3′UTR Genetic Determinants of WNV Lineage 1 Virulence in Birds and Mammals
Authors: Fiacre Lise , Lowenski Steeve , Bahuon Céline , Dumarest Marine , Lambrecht Bénédicte , Dridi Maha , Albina Emmanuel , Richardson Jennifer , Zientara Stéphan , Jiménez-Clavero Miguel-Ángel , Pardigon Nathalie , Gonzalez Gaëlle , Lecollinet Sylvie
Published: May 2023

West Nile virus (WNV) is amplified in an enzootic cycle involving birds as amplifying hosts. Because they do not develop high levels of viremia, humans and horses are considered to be dead-end hosts. Mosquitoes, especially from the Culex genus, are vectors responsible for transmission between hosts. Consequently, understanding WNV epidemiology and infection requires comparative and integrated analyses in bird, mammalian, and insect hosts. So far, markers of WNV virulence have mainly been determined in mammalian model organisms (essentially mice), while data in avian models are still missing. WNV Israel 1998 (IS98) is a highly virulent strain that is closely genetically related to the strain introduced into North America in 1999, NY99 (genomic sequence homology > 99%). The latter probably entered the continent at New York City, generating the most impactful WNV outbreak ever documented in wild birds, horses, and humans. In contrast, the WNV Italy 2008 strain (IT08) induced only limited mortality in birds and mammals in Europe during the summer of 2008. To test whether genetic polymorphism between IS98 and IT08 could account for differences in disease spread and burden, we generated chimeric viruses between IS98 and IT08, focusing on the 3′ end of the genome (NS4A, NS4B, NS5, and 3′UTR regions) where most of the non-synonymous mutations were detected. In vitro and in vivo comparative analyses of parental and chimeric viruses demonstrated a role for NS4A/NS4B/5′NS5 in the decreased virulence of IT08 in SPF chickens, possibly due to the NS4B-E249D mutation. Additionally, significant differences between the highly virulent strain IS98 and the other three viruses were observed in mice, implying the existence of additional molecular determinants of virulence in mammals, such as the amino acid changes NS5-V258A, NS5-N280K, NS5-A372V, and NS5-R422K. As previously shown, our work also suggests that genetic determinants of WNV virulence can be host-dependent.
Porcine Deltacoronavirus-like Particles Produced by a Single Recombinant Baculovirus Elicit Virus-Specific Immune Responses in Mice
Authors: Liu Yangkun , Han Xueying , Qiao Yaqi , Wang Tiejun , Yao Lunguang
Published: May 2023

Porcine deltacoronavirus (PDCoV) causes diarrhea and vomiting in neonatal piglets worldwide and has the potential for cross-species transmission. Therefore, virus-like particles (VLPs) are promising vaccine candidates because of their safety and strong immunogenicity. To the best of our knowledge, the present study reported for the first time the generation of PDCoV VLPs using a baculovirus expression vector system, and electron micrograph analyses revealed that PDCoV VLPs appeared as spherical particles with a diameter similar to that of the native virions. Furthermore, PDCoV VLPs effectively induced mice to produce PDCoV-specific IgG and neutralizing antibodies. In addition, VLPs could stimulate mouse splenocytes to produce high levels of cytokines IL-4 and IFN-γ. Moreover, the combination of PDCoV VLPs and Freund’s adjuvant could improve the level of the immune response. Together, these data showed that PDCoV VLPs could effectively elicit humoral and cellular immunity in mice, laying a solid foundation for developing VLP-based vaccines to prevent PDCoV infections.
A Novel Targeted RIG-I Receptor 5′Triphosphate Double Strain RNA-Based Adjuvant Significantly Improves the Immunogenicity of the SARS-CoV-2 Delta-Omicron Chimeric RBD-Dimer Recombinant Protein Vaccine
Authors: Bai Yu , An Chaoqiang , Zhang Xuanxuan , Li Kelei , Cheng Feiran , Cui Bopei , Song Ziyang , Liu Dong , Zhang Jialu , He Qian , Liu Jianyang , Mao Qunying , Liang Zhenglun
Published: May 2023

The rapid mutation and spread of SARS-CoV-2 variants recently, especially through the emerging variants Omicron BA5, BF7, XBB and BQ1, necessitate the development of universal vaccines to provide broad spectrum protection against variants. For the SARS-CoV-2 universal recombinant protein vaccines, an effective approach is necessary to design broad-spectrum antigens and combine them with novel adjuvants that can induce high immunogenicity. In this study, we designed a novel targeted retinoic acid-inducible gene-I (RIG-I) receptor 5′triphosphate double strain RNA (5′PPP dsRNA)-based vaccine adjuvant (named AT149) and combined it with the SARS-CoV-2 Delta and Omicron chimeric RBD-dimer recombinant protein (D-O RBD) to immunize mice. The results showed that AT149 activated the P65 NF-κB signaling pathway, which subsequently activated the interferon signal pathway by targeting the RIG-I receptor. The D-O RBD + AT149 and D-O RBD + aluminum hydroxide adjuvant (Al) + AT149 groups showed elevated levels of neutralizing antibodies against the authentic Delta variant, and Omicron subvariants, BA1, BA5, and BF7, pseudovirus BQ1.1, and XBB compared with D-O RBD + Al and D-O RBD + Al + CpG7909/Poly (I:C) groups at 14 d after the second immunization, respectively. In addition, D-O RBD + AT149 and D-O RBD + Al + AT149 groups presented higher levels of the T-cell-secreted IFN-γ immune response. Overall, we designed a novel targeted RIG-I receptor 5′PPP dsRNA-based vaccine adjuvant to significantly improve the immunogenicity and broad spectrum of the SARS-CoV-2 recombinant protein vaccine.
An Opinion on the Removal of Disinfection Byproducts from Drinking Water
Authors: Roque Maria Inês , Gomes João , Reva Igor , Valente Artur J. M. , Simões Nuno E. , Morais Paula V. , Durães Luisa , Martins Rui C.
Published: May 2023

Ensuring drinking water quality is a key factor for public health and it is especially important given the increase in industrialization. Its quality is ensured by a water treatment process that includes a disinfection stage, mainly involving chlorination. However, by applying this disinfection method, unwanted disinfection byproducts (DBPs) are formed. These compounds have, in general, a negative impact on human health. Following this, the development of stricter regulations for drinking water quality standards has been conducted worldwide. Several techniques for the removal of DBPs have already been developed to prevent DBP formation or to reduce DBPs formed during disinfection. Nevertheless, controlling the water distribution systems after drinking water treatment is still important, since DBPs can reoccur along the distribution network. To achieve this, further research should be developed to efficiently monitor and allow the performance of the necessary actions to detect and control these contaminants throughout the water distribution system. Additionally, the most suitable places for sensing along the distribution system must be further assessed.
Water Density Variations of the Aral Sea from GRACE and GRACE-FO Monthly Solutions
Authors: Földváry Lóránt , Abdelmohsen Karem , Ambrus Bence
Published: May 2023

The Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) and its successor, the GRACE Follow-On (GRACE-FO) gravity satellite missions, have been providing monthly gravity field solutions for almost 20 years, enabling a unique opportunity to monitor large-scale mass variation processes. The gravity anomaly time series for the Aral Sea region has been obtained for the period of April 2002 to January 2022. The method of determining the gravity anomaly time series from GRACE and GRACE-FO monthly solutions has been improved by considering the mass variations of the Caspian Sea. The gravity anomaly time series was then compared to water mass changes determined by considering variations in the salinity and temperature of seawater. Nevertheless, the tests suggest that improvements in correlation with such information might occur, although the relevance of the improvement should not be overestimated. All in all, it can be demonstrated that salinity changes relevantly influence the gravity field; however, the signal is too weak to inversely obtain information from satellite-borne gravity observations on salinity variations.
Monitoring Surface Water Area Changes in the Aral Sea Basin Using the Google Earth Engine Cloud Platform
Authors: Huang Shuangyan , Chen Xi , Ma Xiaoting , Fang Hui , Liu Tie , Kurban Alishir , Guo Jianan , De Maeyer Philippe , Van de Voorde Tim
Published: May 2023

The surface water area and types in the Aral Sea Basin (ASB) have undergone extensive changes due to the impacts of climate change and anthropogenic activities. This study explores the changes in the surface water area in the ASB based on the Google Earth Engine cloud platform. Then, we integrate multi-source data to identify 1559 lakes and 196 reservoirs from the Joint Research Centre Global Surface Water (JRC GSW) dataset. Our results indicate that the lake area (34,999.61 km2) is about 10 times that of the reservoir area (3879.08 km2) in the ASB. The total area of surface water in the ASB decreased by 23,194.35 km2 or 34.58% from 1992 to 2020. Specifically, the areas of permanent water shrunk at a rate of 1278.6 km2/year, while the areas of seasonal water increased at a rate of 522.5 km2/year. The proportion of lakes and reservoirs in the total surface water has decreased from 79.33% (during 1992–2000) to 75.21% (during 2000–2010) to 63.94% (during 2010–2020). The water that should have flowed into the Aral Sea to maintain its permanent water may have been converted into two parts. Part of it might continue to be permanent water but show up in other regions, while part of it might convert to seasonal water (especially in the Aral Sea itself and the ASB plain area). Our study bridges the limitations of previous studies that have ignored seasonal water change and builds a water area list for 1755 lakes/reservoirs (≥0.1 km2) for the first time. The results can serve as important knowledge for water resource management and sustainable river basin development in ASB.
CO2 Viscosification for Mobility Alteration in Improved Oil Recovery and CO2 Sequestration
Authors: Zidane Ali
Published: May 2023

Recently there have been significant advances in the viscosification of CO2 using a low concentration of oligomers. The new engineered molecules do not adsorb onto rock. This paper studies the effects of different CO2-enhanced viscosity levels in subsurface aquifers and reservoirs. The study was conducted using numerical modeling and simulation tools in homogeneous, heterogenous, fractured, and unfractured media. The viscosity enhancement of CO2 varied from 2- to 20-fold. The simulations included homogeneous, layered, and fractured domains in 2D and in 3D for improved oil recovery. The results showed that in unfractured, homogenous, and layered media, a 10-fold viscosity increase leads to significant increases in oil recovery. In a fractured medium with a highly connected fracture network, a 20-fold viscosity enhancement may have a considerable effect in delaying breakthrough and improving oil recovery. Simulations were performed in a compositional three-phase flow based on higher-order discretization. The algorithm included Fickian diffusion, which may add to oil recovery performance when there is a sufficient surface area between the CO2-rich phase and the oil phase. In CO2 sequestration, an increase in the viscosity of CO2 and consequent mobility control promotes CO2 dissolution in the aqueous phase. Due to the increase in the density of the aqueous phase from CO2 dissolution, the CO2 is carried away from the cap rock to the bottom of the formation. This work is of particular importance in improved oil recovery and in safe CO2 sequestration due to solubility trapping and mitigation of pressure increase. The higher-order numerical scheme used in this simulation guarantees a level of accuracy not obtained in traditional simulators.
Impact of Explicitly Parameterized Mid-to-Low Level Latent Heating on the Simulation of a Squall Line in South China
Authors: Chu Hai , Liu Mengjuan , Ma Leiming , Bao Xuwei , Zou Lanjun , Zhu Jiakai
Published: May 2023

Organized mesoscale convective systems (MCSs), such as squall lines, are often poorly forecasted in numerical weather prediction models. In this study, experiments are performed to show that the vertical distribution of latent heating (LH) plays an important role in organizing a trailing-stratiform (TS) squall line over South China. We investigated the impact of modifying the altitude of LH peaking around 2–5 km on the squall line. It is found that increasing LH peaking at a lower vertical level (around 2–3 km) is crucial for the simulation of the TS squall line by influencing the evolution of the front-to-rear tilted upward flow and its associated mesoscale rear-to-front flow below. The influence of different LH profiles on the structure of the simulated squall line is explained using the Rotunno–Klemp–Weisman (RKW) theory considering the effects of different heights of the vertical wind center. Stronger LH at lower heights results in a vertical wind core centered lower in the convection region. Behind the core, at the mid-to-low level, is a region of descending negative horizontal vorticity. Such negative vorticity region favors a descending flow below it. When this mesoscale flow with low equivalent potential temperature (θe) descends and catches up with the convection at near-surface, it enhances both the strength and moving speed of the convection system. Results of this study highlight the sensitivities of the MCS structure to the vertical distribution of the thermodynamical field besides traditional cold pool aspects and provide insights for the study of squall line through shear convection interaction.
Long-Term Care Healthcare-Associated Infections in 2022: An Analysis of 20,216 Reports
Authors: Kepner Shawn , Bingman Christine , Jones Rebecca
Published: May 2023

Background

The Pennsylvania Patient Safety Reporting System (PA-PSRS) is the largest database of patient safety event reports in the United States. In addition to over 4.5 million acute care reports, the PA-PSRS database contains more than 396,000 long-term care (LTC) healthcare-associated infection (HAI) reports.

Methods

LTC HAI data from PA-PSRS were extracted on March 1, 2023. Reports submitted by LTC facilities and specific care areas were included for infection rates each month if resident and device days were also entered in PA-PSRS for the facility and care area.

Results

A total of 20,216 infections were reported in 2022, representing a 12.5% increase from 2021. Overall, the reporting rate from LTC facilities increased from 0.77 in 2021 to 0.87 in 2022. Over half (56%) of the increase in overall rate is due to an increase in the respiratory tract infection rate, with another 27% due to an increase in the gastrointestinal infection rate. All six regions of the state had an increase in overall infection rate from 2021 to 2022. The North Central region of the state had the highest overall rate, as well as the largest increase in rate, with 1.14 reports per 1,000 resident days in 2022, which is an increase of 21.3% over the 2021 rate of 0.94. The Southeast region had the lowest overall rate, at 0.67, which is an 8.1% increase from 2021. The number of reports increased for all five infection types from 2021 to 2022, with gastrointestinal infections increasing the most percentagewise, by 67.7%. Of the 14 infection subtypes, 11 had an increase in number of reports from 2021 to 2022, with influenza showing the largest increase of 857 reports. Norovirus had a larger percentage increase of 942.9%, going from 70 reported infections in 2021 to 730 in 2022. The three subtypes that decreased in number had relatively smaller changes than the increases, with the largest of the decreases occurring with C. diff, which dropped by 29 reports from 2021 to 2022.

Conclusions

There was an increase in the total number and rate of infections reported to PA-PSRS in 2022. Patient Safety Authority infection preventionists continue to note operational challenges in LTC facilities and are providing ongoing education and guidance to enhance infection prevention and surveillance strategies and improve reporting of HAIs.
Enzima Conversora de Angiotensina 2 (ECA2) e sua susceptibilidade ao Sars-Cov-2
Authors: Silva Elizama de Souza , Ramos Júlia , De Barros Neuza Biguinati , Barros Rogelio Rocha
Published: May 2023

A Síndrome Respiratória Aguda Grave do Coronavírus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), o agente causador da Covid-19, é um vírus de RNA de fita simples de sentido positivo, cujo processo infeccioso viral inicia a partir da interação com a célula hospedeira através da Enzima Conversora de Angiotensina 2 (ECA2) com a proteína Spike (S) do SARS-CoV-2. Mais especificamente, na subunidade S2, por meio do domínio RBD. O presente artigo foi elaborado com base em avaliações teóricas com relação a ECA2, através de registros bibliográficos que podem indicar o perfil de suscetibilidade da célula hospedeira quanto à infecção viral. Já a revisão dos artigos foi realizada com o apoio de banco de dados como o Centro Nacional de Informações sobre Biotecnologia (NCBI), avaliando através de alguns dos descritores: SARS-CoV-2, ECA2, Mutação e Variante.
Fatores genéticos e epigenéticos do Transtorno De déficit de Atenção e Hiperatividade: uma revisão integrativa de literatura
Authors: De Modesti Gabriel Milton , De Medeiros Rafael Leite , Catelan-Mainardes Sandra Cristina
Published: May 2023

O transtorno de déficit de atenção e hiperatividade (TDAH) acomete cerca de 5 a 7.5% das crianças e adolescentes e 2.5% dos adultos no mundo todo, gerando prejuízos em diversos âmbitos da vida destes indivíduos quando não diagnosticado precocemente e acompanhado. Apesar de nomenclaturas diversas conforme a época, esse transtorno vem sendo estudado e decifrado pelo meio científico há mais de cem anos e sabe-se hoje que sua etiologia neurobiológica e ambiental é muito complexa e heterogênea. Assim, essa pesquisa teve como objetivo reunir as principais descobertas recentes acerca dos fatores genéticos e epigenéticos que estão presentes no TDAH. O presente estudo utilizou como método a revisão integrativa de literatura, com finalidade de reunir e resumir o conhecimento científico produzido sobre este tema. A busca ocorreu na base de dados PUBMED, usando os seguintes descritores de saúde: TDAH, genética; genoma; epigenética; ambiente. O recorte temporal utilizado foi dos últimos 5 anos, a partir de 2017. Espera-se que seja um incentivo à produção científica brasileira no nicho do TDAH, agregando informações relevantes acerca deste tema ainda mitificado em nosso país. O conhecimento gera mudanças e almeja-se que as informações que foram aqui obtidas aumentem o reconhecimento deste transtorno nos meios sociais e profissionais, facilitando o diagnóstico e consequente tratamento precoce, visando a qualidade de vida destes indivíduos.
Atendimento odontológico: ansiedade durante a cirurgia odontológica
Authors: De Menezes Vinicius Cesar Barbosa , Figueiredo Paloma Faria , Figueiredo Laura Gomes Batista , Carvalho Thamiris Pimenta , Silva Isadora Oliveira Pinto Alves , Bomfim Evely Matos
Published: May 2023

Introdução: A ansiedade é um grande desafio durante o tratamento odontológico. Para alguns pacientes, cirurgias em odontologia podem gerar alterações emocionais, tais como medo e ansiedade, impactando assim no tratamento, na qual pode ocorrer susceptíveis urgências ou emergências odontológicas. Objetivo: Apresentar situações que geram ansiedade durante o tratamento odontológico, além de métodos farmacológicos e não farmacológicos para controle da ansiedade. Revisão de literatura: Utilizou-se artigos encontrados nas bases de dados como Pubmed/Medline, Scielo e google acadêmico. Artigos publicados de acordo com critérios de inclusão, texto completo, período de publicação e detalhamento metodológico. Conclusão: Conclui-se que o controle da ansiedade é importante para o bem-estar do paciente durante e após o tratamento odontológico, e o cirurgião dentista deve buscar auxílio para tratar essa condição através de métodos farmacológicos e não farmacológicos.
Aspectos nutricionais e cuidados com a saúde do idoso na doença de Alzheimer: uma revisão narrativa
Authors: De Souza João Luis Dias , Ferreira Daniela Cunha , Pfaffenbach Grace , Miranda Neto Manoel , De Souza Ester Vinhote , Suarez Tayna Ofelia Freitas , Albuquerque Ana Luiza das Chagas , Santana André Bento Chaves
Published: May 2023

A doença de Alzheimer é uma patologia associada ao envelhecimento, de natureza degenerativa e progressiva que afeta o cérebro, resultando no quadro de demência de grande impacto para a saúde pública global. Neste contexto, o objetivo deste estudo foi elaborar a revisão narrativa sobre os aspectos nutricionais e do cuidado da saúde do idoso no desenvolvimento e progressão da doença de Alzheimer. A partir do conjunto de informações de maior relevância resultantes da etapa de busca e seleção foi elaborada a discussão dos principais conceitos e teorias, com fundamentações baseadas em evidências que explicam a influência da nutrição e do cuidado em saúde nos processos degenerativos, sob o ponto de vista biológico, clínico, cognitivo e social atrelados à doença de Alzheimer. As evidências descritas na literatura científica alegam que a doença de Alzheimer está atrelada à perda de peso e à desnutrição, com déficits progressivos da cognição e habilidades de convívio social. As deficiências de selênio, ácido fólico e vitamina B12, somadas aos altos níveis de homocisteína são descritos como possíveis marcadores bioquímicos na doença de Alzheimer. A ação de nutrientes antioxidantes, tais como vitaminas C e E, flavonoides e polifenóis, é fundamental no controle do estresse oxidativo mediado por espécies reativas de oxigênio e nitrogênio que agravam o processo neurodegenerativo. A dificuldade na deglutição e a má alimentação indicam a necessidade de cuidadores para a assistência do idoso acometido pelo quadro de demência. Entretanto, a tarefa de cuidado acaba sendo em grande parte realizada por familiares sem formação e preparo emocional para a assistência ao idoso. Ressalta-se que a alimentação adequada e equilibrada é fundamental para a manutenção do estado nutricional e redução do estresse oxidativo deflagrado na doença de Alzheimer.
Opinión de los estudiantes universitarios acerca de la donación de órganos
Authors: Fernanda González Martínez Madeline , Elizabeth Chipantiza Córdova Tannia
Published: May 2023

La donación de órganos es reconocida como un acto basado en la solidaridad y bondad que consiste en extraer un órgano total o parcialmente en vida o después de la muerte para que mediante un trasplante le permita a la persona que lo requiere el restablecimiento de su salud. El objetivo de esta investigación radica en analizar la opinión de los estudiantes universitarios acerca de la donación de órganos basados en la descripción de datos sociodemográficos para posteriormente relacionarlos. El estudio tiene un diseño cuantitativo, observacional de alcance descriptivo y cohorte transversal. La muestra fue de 177 estudiantes a quienes se aplicó el cuestionario “Actitud hacia la donación de órganos” con una confiabilidad de 0.75 según el coeficiente alfa de Cronbach. De los cuales el 84% son de sexo femenino y la religión sobresaliente con el 80% es la católica, también el 21% exponen estar totalmente de acuerdo con la donación de órganos. Además, las características sociodemográficas no tienen influencia directa con la opinión y actitud que muestran los participantes. En conclusión, existe una opinión positiva frente a la donación de órganos, especialmente a un familiar cercano y la necesidad de información donación que brinde seguridad a potenciales donadores y fomento de la cultura acerca de este proceso.
Enfrentamento da Obesidade Infantil: ações familiares, condutas médicas e multidisciplinares de educação em saúde
Authors: De Oliveira Igor Luiz Onofre , Da Silva Bruna Rodrigues Onofre , Campbell Carmen Silvia Grubert
Published: May 2023

A obesidade infantil é um problema de Saúde Pública em ascensão no mundo que traz muitos prejuízos ao indivíduo, à família, à sociedade e ao Governo. Por esse motivo, é necessário que haja uma atenção especial para a prevenção e o controle dessa doença de origem multifatorial com causas endógenas ou exógenas. Nesse sentido, a multidisciplinaridade de ações, como condutas e manuseios intervencionistas, voltados para a criança com obesidade e para a família, conduzidos por médicos, nutricionistas, psicólogos, professores e professores de educação física torna-se a base da prevenção e tratamento dessa doença. Os principais fatores desencadeantes da obesidade infantil são: emocionais, inadequação alimentar, inatividade física, desconhecimento familiar sobre a doença, sedentarismo e tempo excessivo de uso de aparelhos tecnológicos. Assim, o seguinte estudo tem o objetivo de fazer um levantamento bibliográfico sobre diferentes conhecimentos e condutas de profissionais da saúde na prevenção e tratamento de crianças com excesso de peso.
Avanços da cirurgia robotica no tratamento do Câncer
Authors: De Almeida Nathalia Bandeira , De Araújo Samara Mesquita , Gonçalves Constanza Baccarin , De Oliveira Giovana Jennifer Santana , Ciraulo Luiza Corrêa , Araujo Rafael dos Santos , Gontijo Renata Cristina , Schwerz Junior Pedro , Rabelo Heloisa Faria Gachet , Alecrim Jonatan Santos , Gomes Pietro Rogerio Campos , De Souza Romerito José Vieira , Maio Giulia Vitalo , De Oliveira Giovanna Barbosa , De Freitas Giovanna Ferreira , Da Silva Júnior Eduardo Alves , Rodrigues Jean Carlos , Moraes Kleber Silva , Lafayette Mariana de Siqueira Araújo , Nascimento Darlysson Pereira de Souza , De Oliveira Rafael Gonçalves , Bendia Heuller Alexandre Marteline , Duarte Daniel Nascimento , Amazonas Ana Lídia Bentes , Gonçalves Caroline Ruas , Veloso Fernanda Moreira Fagundes , Dias Fellipe Luiz da Silva
Published: May 2023

A cirurgia robótica tem sido almejada por profissionais cirurgiões, visto que, é um procedimento considerado de alta eficácia, assim como, apresenta reduzidos níveis de riscos ao paciente, o que configura significativamente a qualidade elevada do procedimento médico. Logo, tem sido utilizada no tratamento cirúrgico de diversos tipos de câncer, o qual tem demonstrado melhores resultados quando comparados com procedimentos mais invasivas ou tradicionais O principal objetivo do é discutir por meio de uma revisão sistematizada da literatura acerca dos avanços da cirurgia robótica no tratamento dos demais tipos de cânceres. O presente estudo trata-se de uma revisão sistemática da literatura, de modo que, realizou-se buscas de na Scielo, Periódico Capes e na Biblioteca Virtual em Saúde (BVS), através de termos específicos do Decs, o qual resultou-se em: “Neoplasias” AND “Procedimentos Cirúrgicos Robóticos” AND “Terapêutica”. Foram elegíveis um total de 8 estudos na presente revisão sistemática. Este procedimento é devidamente realizado com menores danos de incisão possível no paciente, de modo que, possibilitou a diminuição de dores pós-operatórios, além da redução de sangramentos, traumas, respostas inflamatórias, tempo de internação e até mesmo melhores resultados estéticos nos pacientes, quando comparados com os métodos mais tradicionais e invasivos.