bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Healthy and Environmentally Sustainable Food Procurement and Foodservice in Australian Aged Care and Healthcare Services: A Scoping Review of Current Research and Training
Authors: Stephens Lena D. , Porter Judi , Lawrence Mark
Published: October 2021

Balancing the adoption of environmentally sustainable food systems in Australian healthcare and aged care settings whilst meeting nutritional requirements has never been more critical. This scoping review aimed to identify: the major authoritative reports/guidelines related to healthy and environmentally sustainable food procurement and foodservice in aged care and healthcare services released by international and Australian governments/organizations; and the scope of healthy and environmentally sustainable food procurement and foodservice research and training initiatives in aged care and healthcare services implemented in Australia over the past decade. A systematic search yielded n = 17 authoritative reports/guidelines and n = 20 publications describing Australian research and training initiatives. Implementation of healthy and sustainable food procurement and foodservices were limited by staff knowledge and self-efficacy, and unsupportive management. Further intervention and monitoring of healthy and sustainable food procurement and foodservice practices is needed. Whilst professionals working in and managing these services require upskilling to apply evidence-based approaches, no system-wide training programs are currently available. There is an urgent need to resolve the existing gap between recommendations to adopt environmentally sustainable practices and staff training across these sectors.
The Transformation of Data Marketing: How an Ethical Lens on Consumer Data Collection Shapes the Future of Marketing
Authors: Hemker Sophie , Herrando Carolina , Constantinides Efthymios
Published: October 2021

With a mass of customer data at our fingertips and the ability to use it to individualize promotion strategies, marketing communications, and product offerings, marketing activities are becoming more and more tailored to the individual customer. However, as concerns about online privacy and the handling of personal data take on an ever-increasing significance, marketers must increasingly evaluate and adapt their personalization and data collection methods. As a result, there is an increasing demand to take a critical look at the collection of data for personalization processes from an ethical perspective and to consider implications for further initiatives to maintain consumers’ trust. This research study utilizes a systematic literature review approach to investigate the current state of knowledge on the tradeoff between personalization and customer privacy by synthesizing and integrating extant knowledge. From the results of the present study’s search process, 20 articles were selected and analyzed for this review. Findings emphasize the importance of strengthening consumer relationships by increasing consumer trust, loyalty, confidence, and emotional attachment through specific organizational activities. The adaptation of marketing-related activities can thereby create a competitive advantage for data-collecting companies, as consumer backlash and privacy concerns decrease, and the willingness to disclose data increases. The current research contributes to the field of marketing by reviewing the issue of increasing personalization at the cost of customer privacy and explores how the resulting ethical considerations may affect the future of marketing practices. It thereby serves to help marketeers to implement effective strategies to ensure customer relationships and the resulting willingness to disclose personal data for personalization processes.
The Market Systems Resilience Index: A Multi-Dimensional Tool for Development Practitioners to Assess Resilience at Multiple Levels
Authors: Choptiany John Michael Humphries , Nicoletti Christopher Kevin , Van Beck Lindsay , Seekman Victoria , Henao Lina , Buchholz Natasha , Parker Tejovan , Kothari Rakesh , Ullah Md. Hedyiet , O’Hara Corey
Published: October 2021

In this paper, the authors present an innovative approach to measuring the resilience of a market system—the Market Systems Resilience Index (MSRI). The MSRI has been developed both to guide development practitioners in the process of conducting resilience assessments and to promote the inclusion of all relevant actors within a market system. A narrative review of the evolution of resilience measurement is presented including identifying the gaps and challenges that remain. Some of these include balancing comparability and contextualization of the questions, understanding how often to perform the survey, and determining how many market actors are needed to properly assess the resilience of the market. This is followed by outlining the development of the MSRI and how it fills some of the existing gaps including the addition of households into the market analysis while creating a set of questions that are consistent while allowing for some optional questions to add nuance. Examples from Nepal and Bangladesh are used to highlight the types of findings that come from using the MSRI. Finally, we describe how these results may be used to inform and guide program management and design of projects.
Can Online Education Programs Solve the Cyberbullying Problem? Educating South Korean Elementary Students in the COVID-19 Era
Authors: Choi Eunsun , Park Namje
Published: October 2021

Due to the COVID-19 lockdown, public education has been forced to hold classes online, which increases the time students are on the internet at home. While this situation has significantly reduced the incidence of physical violence between students, cyberbullying has increased sharply, even among younger students. This paper examines a program developed to educate elementary school students on how to best respond to cyberbullying—a social issue that hinders the achievement of sustainable development goals (SDGs). The program was applied to students, and the educational effects were tracked. First, we analyzed education programs in South Korea and the United States that teach students how to cope with cyberbullying, extracted characteristic parts, and developed the online education program in accordance with the current situation in South Korea. Next, we conducted an online education preference survey through an independent sample t-test and one-way ANOVA. As a result, regardless of gender and grade, most study subjects preferred online education. In addition, we conducted a paired sample t-test to determine the prevention and response effects of suggested online education programs. According to the test, the study subjects experienced less cyberbullying and victimization after participating in the online education program. Additional benefits were the students’ increased ability to defend against cyberbullying and a decreased need for defenders and assistants in warding off the cyberbullies.
Effect of Fluid Chemistry on the Consolidation and Hydraulic Conductivity of Sand-Clay Liners
Authors: Dafalla Muawia
Published: October 2021

The clay swelling potential of sand-clay liners exposed to saline water or specific chemicals can influence their hydraulic conductivity and other consolidation properties. The effect of saline water or chemicals on the sand-clay liners was thus studied and evaluated. The consolidation characteristics of the sand-clay liner can be different when tested under different fluid media. Bentonite and cement grouts are chemicals that have a significant effect on the sand-clay liners. Cement and bentonite can be used to seal off the openings within the liner to repair a defect or a malfunction. In this study, Al-Qatif clay was used to form a sand-clay liner when mixed with fine-grained sand (clay is 20% by dry weight). Soil samples extracted from this liner were exposed to inorganic chemical solutions. NaCl and CaCl2 solutions with concentration ranges of 0.1%, 0.5%, and 1.5% were used. Acidic water with pH values of 4, 5, and 6 was similarly used as fluid media. The effects of NaCl, CaCl2, and water with different acidity on the consolidation characteristics and hydraulic conductivity were obtained and compared to those of the distilled water. The effects of grout materials containing bentonite (1%, 2%, and 3% by weight) and cement (2.5%, 5%, and 7.5% by weight) were also investigated. The addition of bentonite grout to the liner surface was found to improve its hydraulic conductivity. The cement effect on the compressibility was found to be very significant. The findings of this study can serve as a guide for selecting parameters in the design and assessment of sand-clay liners in semi-arid regions and coastal zones.
Analysis of Asymmetric Cell Division Using Human Neuroblastoma Cell Lines as a Model System
Authors: Izumi Hideki , Kaneko Yasuhiko , Nakagawara Akira
Published: October 2021

Neuroblastoma is one of the most common childhood solid tumors and develops from neural stem cells that normally comprise the embryonic structure termed the neural crest. Human neuroblastoma cell lines have special properties as they exhibit cell growth and are induced to become mature neurons by drugs such as retinoid. Therefore, we examined asymmetric cell division (ACD) using human neuroblastoma cells as an ACD model, and confirmed that ACD in human cancer cells is evolutionally conserved. Furthermore, we demonstrated that MYCN is involved in cell division fate. We introduce the brief history of ACD study using neuroblastoma cell lines and discuss why human neuroblastoma cells are an ideal model system for clarifying the mechanism of ACD.
Rings with Boolean Lattices of One-Sided Annihilators
Authors: Jastrzębska Małgorzata
Published: October 2021

The present paper is part of the research on the description of rings with a given property of the lattice of left (right) annihilators. The anti-isomorphism of lattices of left and right annihilators in any ring gives some kind of symmetry: the lattice of left annihilators is Boolean (complemented, distributive) if and only if the lattice of right annihilators is such. This allows us to restrict our investigations mainly to the left side. For a unital associative ring R, we prove that the lattice of left annihilators in R is Boolean if and only if R is a reduced ring. We also prove that the lattice of left annihilators of R being two-sided ideals is complemented if and only if this lattice is Boolean. The last statement, in turn, is known to be equivalent to the semiprimeness of R. On the other hand, for any complete lattice L, we construct a nilpotent ring whose lattice of left annihilators coincides with its sublattice of left annihilators being two-sided ideals and is isomorphic to L. This construction shows that the assumption of R being unital cannot be dropped in any of the above two results. Some additional results on rings with distributive or complemented lattices of left annihilators are obtained.
PrismatoidPatNet54: An Accurate ECG Signal Classification Model Using Prismatoid Pattern-Based Learning Architecture
Authors: Kobat Mehmet Ali , Karaca Ozkan , Barua Prabal Datta , Dogan Sengul
Published: October 2021

Background and objective: Arrhythmia is a widely seen cardiologic ailment worldwide, and is diagnosed using electrocardiogram (ECG) signals. The ECG signals can be translated manually by human experts, but can also be scheduled to be carried out automatically by some agents. To easily diagnose arrhythmia, an intelligent assistant can be used. Machine learning-based automatic arrhythmia detection models have been proposed to create an intelligent assistant. Materials and Methods: In this work, we have used an ECG dataset. This dataset contains 1000 ECG signals with 17 categories. A new hand-modeled learning network is developed on this dataset, and this model uses a 3D shape (prismatoid) to create textural features. Moreover, a tunable Q wavelet transform with low oscillatory parameters and a statistical feature extractor has been applied to extract features at both low and high levels. The suggested prismatoid pattern and statistical feature extractor create features from 53 sub-bands. A neighborhood component analysis has been used to choose the most discriminative features. Two classifiers, k nearest neighbor (kNN) and support vector machine (SVM), were used to classify the selected top features with 10-fold cross-validation. Results: The calculated best accuracy rate of the proposed model is equal to 97.30% using the SVM classifier. Conclusion: The computed results clearly indicate the success of the proposed prismatoid pattern-based model.
Is It Worth Considering Multicentric High-Grade Glioma a Surgical Disease? Analysis of Our Clinical Experience and Literature Review
Authors: Guerrini Francesco , Mazzeo Lucio Aniello , Rossi Giorgio , Verlotta Mariarosaria , Del Maestro Mattia , Rampini Angela Dele , Pesce Alessandro , Viganò Marco , Luzzi Sabino , Galzio Renato Juan , Salmaggi Andrea , Spena Giannantonio
Published: October 2021

Introduction. The simultaneous presence of multiple foci of high-grade glioma is a rare condition with a poor prognosis. By definition, if an anatomical connection through white matter bundles cannot be hypothesized, multiple lesions are defined as multicentric glioma (MC); on the other hand, when this connection exists, it is better defined as multifocal glioma (MF). Whether surgery can be advantageous for these patients has not been established yet. The aim of our study was to critically review our experience and to compare it to the existing literature. Materials and Methods. Retrospective analysis of patients operated on for MC HGG in two Italian institutions was performed. Distinction between MC and MF was achieved through revision of MR FLAIR images. Clinical and radiological preoperative and postoperative data were analyzed through chart revision and phone interviews. The same data were extracted from literature review. Univariate and multivariate analyses were conducted for the literature review only, and the null hypothesis was rejected for a p-value ≥ 0.05. Results. Sixteen patients met the inclusion criteria; male predominance and an average age of 66.5 years were detected. Sensory/motor deficit was the main onset symptom both in clinical study and literature review. A tendency to operate on the largest symptomatic lesion was reported and GTR was reached in the majority of cases. GBM was the histological diagnosis in most part of the patients. OS was 8.7 months in our series compared to 7.5 months from the literature review. Age ≤ 70 years, a postoperative KPS ≥ 70, a GTR/STR, a second surgery and adjuvant treatment were shown to be significantly associated with a better prognosis. Pathological examination revealed that MC HGG did not originate by LGG. Conclusions. MC gliomas are rare conditions with high malignancy and a poor prognosis. A maximal safe resection should be attempted whenever possible, especially in younger patients with life-threatening large mass.
Simultaneous Multislice Brain MRI T1 Mapping with Improved Low-Rank Modeling
Authors: Kim Sugil , Park Suhyung
Published: October 2021

To accelerate data acquisition speed in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), multiple slices are simultaneously acquired using multiband pulses. Simultaneous multislice (SMS) imaging typically unfolds slice aliasing from the acquired collapsed slices. In this study, we extended the SMS framework to accelerated MR parameter quantification such as T1 mapping. Assuming that the slice-specific null space and signal subspace are invariant along the parameter dimension, we formulated the SMS framework as a constrained optimization problem under a joint reconstruction framework such that the noise and signal subspaces are used for slice separation and recovery, respectively. The proposed method was validated on 3T MR human brain scans. We successfully demonstrated that the proposed method outperforms competing methods in suppressing aliasing artifacts and noise at high SMS accelerations, thus leading to accurate T1 maps.
SPECT/CT in the Evaluation of Suspected Skeletal Pathology
Authors: Koppula Bhasker Rao , Morton Kathryn A. , Al-Dulaimi Ragheed , Fine Gabriel C. , Damme Nikolas M. , Brown Richard K. J.
Published: October 2021

Dedicated multi-slice single-photon emission computed tomography/computed tomography (SPECT/CT) cameras have become widely available and are becoming a mainstay of clinical practice. The integration of SPECT and CT allow for precise anatomic location of scintigraphic findings. Fusion imaging with SPECT/CT can improve both sensitivity and specificity by reducing equivocal interpretation in comparison to planar scintigraphy or SPECT alone. This review article addresses the technique, basic science principles, and applications of integrated SPECT/CT in the evaluation of musculoskeletal pathology.
Influence of Dietary Compounds on Arsenic Metabolism and Toxicity. Part I—Animal Model Studies
Authors: Sijko Monika , Kozłowska Lucyna
Published: October 2021

Population and laboratory studies indicate that exposure to various forms of arsenic (As) is associated with many adverse health effects; therefore, methods are being sought out to reduce them. Numerous studies focus on the effects of nutrients on inorganic As (iAs) metabolism and toxicity, mainly in animal models. Therefore, the aim of this review was to analyze the influence of methionine, betaine, choline, folic acid, vitamin B2, B6, B12 and zinc on the efficiency of iAs metabolism and the reduction of the severity of the whole spectrum of disorders related to iAs exposure. In this review, which includes 58 (in vivo and in vitro studies) original papers, we present the current knowledge in the area. In vitro and in vivo animal studies showed that methionine, choline, folic acid, vitamin B2, B12 and zinc reduced the adverse effects of exposure to iAs in the gastrointestinal, urinary, lymphatic, circulatory, nervous, and reproductive systems. On the other hand, it was observed that these compounds (methionine, choline, folic acid, vitamin B2, B12 and zinc) may increase iAs metabolism and reduce toxicity, whereas their deficiency or excess may impair iAs metabolism and increase iAs toxicity. Promising results of in vivo and in vitro on animal model studies show the possibility of using these nutrients in populations particularly exposed to As.
Glycosyltransferase FvCpsA Regulates Fumonisin Biosynthesis and Virulence in Fusarium verticillioides
Authors: Deng Qi , Wu Hanxiang , Gu Qin , Tang Guangfei , Liu Wende
Published: October 2021

Fusarium verticillioides is the major maize pathogen associated with ear rot and stalk rot worldwide. Fumonisin B1 (FB1) produced by F. verticillioides, poses a serious threat to human and animal health. However, our understanding of FB1 synthesis and virulence mechanism in this fungus is still very limited. Glycosylation catalyzed by glycosyltransferases (GTs) has been identified as contributing to fungal infection and secondary metabolism synthesis. In this study, a family 2 glycosyltransferase, FvCpsA, was identified and characterized in F. verticillioides. ΔFvcpsA exhibited significant defects in vegetative growth. Moreover, ΔFvcpsA also increased resistance to osmotic and cell wall stress agents. In addition, expression levels of FUM genes involved in FB1 production were greatly up-regulated in ΔFvcpsA. HPLC (high performance liquid chromatography) analysis revealed that ΔFvcpsA significantly increased FB1 production. Interestingly, we found that the deletion of FvCPSA showed penetration defects on cellophane membrane, and thus led to obvious defects in pathogenicity. Characterization of FvCpsA domain experiments showed that conserved DXD and QXXRW domains were vital for the biological functions of FvCpsA. Taken together, our results indicate that FvCpsA is critical for fungal growth, FB1 biosynthesis and virulence in F. verticillioides.
Immunotoxins Immunotherapy against Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Promising Prospect
Authors: Heiat Mohammad , Hashemi Yeganeh Hamid , Alavian Seyed Moayed , Rezaie Ehsan
Published: October 2021

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common cancers in the world. Therefore, fighting against such cancer is reasonable. Chemotherapy drugs are sometimes inefficient and often accompanied by undesirable side effects for patients. On the other hand, the emergence of chemoresistant HCC emphasizes the need for a new high-efficiency treatment strategy. Immunotoxins are armed and rigorous targeting agents that can purposefully kill cancer cells. Unlike traditional chemotherapeutics, immunotoxins because of targeted toxicity, insignificant cross-resistance, easy production, and other favorable properties can be ideal candidates against HCC. In this review, the characteristics of proper HCC-specific biomarkers for immunotoxin targeting were dissected. After that, the first to last immunotoxins developed for the treatment of liver cancer were discussed. So, by reviewing the strengths and weaknesses of these immunotoxins, we attempted to provide keynotes for designing an optimal immunotoxin against HCC.
The Early Evolution of Solar Flaring Plasma Loops
Authors: Tan Baolin
Published: October 2021

Plasma loops are the elementary structures of solar flaring active regions and dominate the whole process of flaring eruptions. Standard flare models explain evolution and eruption after magnetic reconnection around the hot cusp-structure above the top of plasma loops very well; however, the early evolution of plasma loops before the onset of magnetic reconnection is poorly understood. Considering that magnetic gradients are ubiquitous in solar plasma loops, this work applies the magnetic-gradient pumping (MGP) mechanism to study the early evolution of flaring plasma loops. The results indicate that early evolution depends on the magnetic field distribution and the geometry of the plasma loops, which dominate the balance between the accumulation and dissipation of the energy around loop tops. Driven by MGP process, both of the density and temperature as well as the plasma β value around the looptop will increase in the early phase of the plasma loop’s evolution. In fact, the solar plasma loops will have two distinct evolutionary results: low, initially dense plasma loops with relatively strong magnetic fields tend to be stable for their maximum β value, which is always smaller than the critical value β<βc, while the higher, initially diluted solar plasma loops with relatively weak magnetic fields tend to be unstable for their β values, exceeding the critical value β>βc at a time of about one hour after the formation of the solar-magnetized plasma loop. The latter may produce ballooning instability and may finally trigger the following magnetic reconnection and eruptions. These physical scenarios may provide us with a new viewpoint to understand the nature and origin of solar flares.
Genomic Characterization of a Novel Alphacoronavirus Isolated from Bats, Korea, 2020
Authors: Do Hai-Quynh , Nguyen Van-Giap , Chung Chul-Un , Jeon Yong-Shin , Shin Sook , Jang Kuem-Chan , Pham Le Bich Hang , Kong Aeri , Kim Cheong-Ung , Park Yong-Ho , Park Bong-Kyun , Chung Hee-Chun
Published: October 2021

Coronavirus, an important zoonotic disease, raises concerns of future pandemics. The bat is considered a source of noticeable viruses resulting in human and livestock infections, especially the coronavirus. Therefore, surveillance and genetic analysis of coronaviruses in bats are essential in order to prevent the risk of future diseases. In this study, the genome of HCQD-2020, a novel alphacoronavirus detected in a bat (Eptesicus serotinus), was assembled and described using next-generation sequencing and bioinformatics analysis. The comparison of the whole-genome sequence and the conserved amino acid sequence of replicated proteins revealed that the new strain was distantly related with other known species in the Alphacoronavirus genus. Phylogenetic construction indicated that this strain formed a separated branch with other species, suggesting a new species of Alphacoronavirus. Additionally, in silico prediction also revealed the risk of cross-species infection of this strain, especially in the order Artiodactyla. In summary, this study provided the genetic characteristics of a possible new species belonging to Alphacoronavirus.
Altered Moesin and Actin Cytoskeleton Protein Rearrangements Affect Transendothelial Permeability in Human Endothelial Cells upon Dengue Virus Infection and TNF-α Treatment
Authors: Suttitheptumrong Aroonroong , Mahutchariyakul Thanaporn , Rawarak Nantapon , Reamtong Onrapak , Boonnak Kobporn , Pattanakitsakul Sa-nga
Published: October 2021

It has been hypothesized that the host, viral factors, and secreted cytokines (especially TNF-α) play roles in the pathogenesis of secondary dengue infections. Mass spectrometry-based proteomic screening of cytoskeleton fractions isolated from human endothelial (EA.hy926) cells upon dengue virus (DENV) infection and TNF-α treatment identified 450 differentially altered proteins. Among them, decreased levels of moesin, actin stress fiber rearrangements, and dot-like formations of vinculin were observed with western blot analyses and/or immunofluorescence staining (IFA). In vitro vascular permeability assays using EA.hy926 cells, seeded on collagen-coated transwell inserts, showed low levels of transendothelial electrical resistance in treated cells. The synergistic effects of DENV infection and TNF-α treatment caused cellular permeability changes in EA.hy926 cells, which coincided with decreasing moesin levels and the production of abnormal organizations of actin stress fibers and vinculin. Functional studies demonstrated moesin overexpression restored transendothelial permeability in DENV/TNF-α-treated EA.hy926 cells. The present study improves the understanding of the disruption mechanisms of cytoskeleton proteins in enhancing vascular permeability during DENV infection and TNF-α treatment. The study also suggests that these disruption mechanisms are major factors contributing to vascular leakage in severe dengue patients.
Inactivation of HIV-1 in Polarized Infant Tonsil Epithelial Cells by Human Beta-Defensins 2 and 3 Tagged with the Protein Transduction Domain of HIV-1 Tat
Authors: Herrera Rossana , Rosbe Kristina , Tugizov Sharof M.
Published: October 2021

Mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) of HIV-1 may occur during pregnancy, labor, and breastfeeding; however, the molecular mechanism of MTCT of virus remains poorly understood. Infant tonsil mucosal epithelium may sequester HIV-1, serving as a transient reservoir, and may play a critical role in MTCT. Innate immune proteins human beta-defensins 2 (hBD-2) and -3 may inactivate intravesicular virions. To establish delivery of hBD-2 and -3 into vesicles containing HIV-1, we tagged hBDs with the protein transduction domain (PTD) of HIV-1 Tat, which facilitates an efficient translocation of proteins across cell membranes. Our new findings showed that hBD-2 and -3 proteins tagged with PTD efficiently penetrated polarized tonsil epithelial cells by endocytosis and direct penetration. PTD-initiated internalization of hBD-2 and -3 proteins into epithelial cells led to their subsequent penetration of multivesicular bodies (MVB) and vacuoles containing HIV-1. Furthermore, PTD played a role in the fusion of vesicles containing HIV-1 with lysosomes, where virus was inactivated. PTD-initiated internalization of hBD-2 and -3 proteins into ex vivo tonsil tissue explants reduced the spread of virus from epithelial cells to CD4+ T lymphocytes, CD68+ macrophages, and CD1c+ dendritic cells, suggesting that this approach may serve as an antiviral strategy for inactivating intraepithelial HIV-1 and reducing viral MTCT.
In Vitro Evaluation of the Therapeutic Potential of Phage VA7 against Enterotoxigenic Bacteroides fragilis Infection
Authors: Bakuradze Nata , Merabishvili Maya , Makalatia Khatuna , Kakabadze Elene , Grdzelishvili Nino , Wagemans Jeroen , Lood Cedric , Chachua Irakli , Vaneechoutte Mario , Lavigne Rob , Pirnay Jean-Paul , Abiatari Ivane , Chanishvili Nina
Published: October 2021

Since the beginning of the 20th century, bacteriophages (phages), i.e., viruses that infect bacteria, have been used as antimicrobial agents for treating various infections. Phage preparations targeting a number of bacterial pathogens are still in use in the post-Soviet states and are experiencing a revival in the Western world. However, phages have never been used to treat diseases caused by Bacteroides fragilis, the leading agent cultured in anaerobic abscesses and postoperative peritonitis. Enterotoxin-producing strains of B. fragilis have been associated with the development of inflammatory diarrhea and colorectal carcinoma. In this study, we evaluated the molecular biosafety and antimicrobial properties of novel phage species vB_BfrS_VA7 (VA7) lysate, as well as its impact on cytokine IL-8 production in an enterotoxigenic B. fragilis (ETBF)-infected colonic epithelial cell (CEC) culture model. Compared to untreated infected cells, the addition of phage VA7 to ETBF-infected CECs led to significantly reduced bacterial counts and IL-8 levels. This in vitro study confirms the potential of phage VA7 as an antibacterial agent for use in prophylaxis or in the treatment of B. fragilis infections and associated colorectal carcinoma.
The Impact of Bioaugmentation on the Performance and Microbial Community Dynamics of an Industrial-Scale Activated Sludge Sequencing Batch Reactor under Various Loading Shocks of Heavy Oil Refinery Wastewater
Authors: Cui Kai , Xu Quanshu , Sheng Xiaoying , Meng Qingfan , Shang Gaoyuan , Ma Yingqun , Zhang Zhongzhi , Guo Kun
Published: October 2021

The stable and efficient operation of the activated sludge sequencing batch reactor (ASSBR) in heavy oil refineries has become an urgent necessity in wastewater biotreatment. Hence, we constructed a green and efficient solid bioaugmentation agent (SBA) to enhance the resistance of the reactor to loading shock. The impact of bioaugmentation on the performance and microbial community dynamics under three patterns of heavy oil refinery wastewater (HORW) loading shock (higher COD, higher toxicity, and higher flow rate) was investigated on an industrial-scale ASSBR. Results showed that the optimal SBA formulation was a ratio and addition of mixed bacteria Bacillus subtillis and Brucella sp., of 3:1 and 3.0%, respectively, and a glucose concentration of 5.0 mg/L. The shock resistance of ASSBR was gradually enhanced and normal performance was restored within 6–7 days by the addition of 0.2% SBA. Additionally, the removal efficiency of chemical oxygen demand and total nitrogen reached 86% and 55%, respectively. Furthermore, we found that Burkholderiaceae (12.9%) was replaced by Pseudomonadaceae (17.1%) in wastewater, and Lachnospiraceae (25.4%) in activated sludge was replaced by Prevotellaceae (35.3%), indicating that the impact of different shocks effectively accelerated the evolution of microbial communities and formed their own unique dominant bacterial families.
Upper Limit and Power Generation Loss of Water Supplement from Cascade Hydropower Stations to Downstream under Lancang-Mekong Cooperation
Authors: Deng Jiahui , Li Yu , Ding Wei , Zhang Bingyao , Xu Bo , Zhou Huicheng
Published: October 2021

In cross-border water supplement cooperation, the supplement water discharged from upstream hydropower stations is the key to improving downstream benefits, but will lead to upstream power generation loss, so the upstream hydropower stations have to be aware of how much water they can offer and how much power they will lose to make the water supplement cooperation more reasonable. Therefore, this study puts forward a model to calculate the upper limit flow of water supplement of cascade hydropower stations under firm power constraints and water level constraints and proposes a new optimization method called the “collaborative-independent” joint optimization method to calculate the power generation loss under water supplement constraints. The results show that the upper limit flow will increase with the increase of annual inflow, and the uncertainty of the distribution of inflow in the year will also affect the upper limit flow: the larger the proportion of non-flood season inflow, the higher the upper limit flow. In normal and wet years, delaying water supplement time can significantly increase the upper limit flow by about 5% per month. Additionally, the “collaborative-independent” joint optimization method newly proposed in this paper can significantly improve the local optimization problem compared to the traditional optimization method. The power generation loss increases with the increase of water supplement flow, and delaying water supplement time can significantly reduce the power generation loss. The results of this paper can provide essential data support for future water resources cooperation negotiations in the Lancang-Mekong river basin to promote efficient and orderly water resources cooperation in the basin.
Sensorless Fault-Tolerant Control of Dual Three-Phase Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motor
Authors: Cao Fan , Lu Haifeng , Meng Yonggang , Gao Dawei
Published: October 2021

Dual three-phase permanent magnet synchronous motors (DTPMSM) are used in the steer-by-wire system of electric vehicles that require high reliability. Multiple faults should be considered for the steering system, such as open-circuit faults and speed sensor faults. However, the current speed sensorless control methods of the dual three-phase motor are mainly derived from the promotion of the three-phase motor. They fail when an open-circuit fault occurs, leading to the failure of fault-tolerant control. Researchers have noticed this problem and proposed many methods, but they are very complicated and computationally intensive. This paper proposes one type of improved model reference adaptive system (MRAS). By adding certain fault-related restraints to the output of the adjustable model, speed sensorless control can automatically fit the open-circuit fault and estimate accurately even if an open-circuit fault occurs, which makes sure the whole system continues to operate. Simulation results are presented that contain normal operation, open-circuit fault operation, fault-tolerant control operation, and the whole process from start to fault-tolerant operation. The results show that no matter what period the motor is in, the improved speed sensor can accurately estimate the motor speed and position. The improved model reference adaptive system is significant for improving the reliability of the motor steering system and ensuring the safety of people and property.
Cultural and communicative formulae as a reflection of the concepts of culture as an expression of the spiritual content of civilizations
Authors: Zavyalova Nataliya Alekseevna
Published: October 2021

The analysis of civilizational pictures of the world through the prism of linguistic universals allows one to reveal the general and the particular in the «human — world» system, which contributes to a more complete understanding of their cultural semantics. Cultural standards vary across civilizations. Their description on the material of multi-structural, genetically heterogeneous languages, civilizations and cultures makes it possible to reveal the common foundations of people's social life despite the fact that their cultural codes are different, often creating the impression of a complete incompatibility of the thinking and behavior of their representatives. Therefore, studies based on the description of fundamentally dissimilar civilizations and cultures, demonstrating the groundlessness of such impressions, are relevant. The article examines cultural and communicative formulae as a reflection of the civilizational pictures of the world. Cultural and communicative formulae (CCF) are defined by the author as the simplest, stable, high-frequency units of culture used at all levels of social and cultural life, which, being a combination of signs, compactly represent the culture in its similarity and difference with other cultures and make it possible to establish a dialogue of cultures in minimum of data involved. CCF provide communication through verbal forms of language, gestures, styles, etc., i.e. through all cultural forms that can be translated into signs of a given culture and are sufficient to have a minimal idea of it. The article examines the CCF using the example of concise verbal forms belonging to folk speech, which include proverbs and sayings, «winged words», precedent phrases that are a component of the civilizational picture of the world. The materials of the article may be of interest for preparation at the higher educational institution in the framework of the fields of «Linguistics», «International relations» and «Culturology».
Online education during the pandemic: new format — new opportunities
Authors: Koroteeva Svetlana Viktorovna
Published: October 2021

The article shows that the year 2020 taught us a lot and opened our eyes to a number of issues. However, it was precisely the Covid situation and the then announced pandemic that allowed many of us to slow down our pace of life a little and take a broader look at the world around us. The author, a well-known variety vocal teacher, reflects on the possibility of training vocal in an online format, while realizing such an essential component of the educational process as mentoring, and shows that the mentoring function is a necessary part of vocal lessons. It can be realized both through the choice of the repertoire and through communication between the teacher and the student. Vocal classes provide such an opportunity in the best possible way, since individual communication involves the transfer of one’s own worldview to the students, who perceive both the idea of the beautiful, and form their own technical singing skills, as well as build their own picture of the world following the teacher.
"Russian action" and the Russian Foreign Archives in Prague and their contribution to Russian history and Russian thought
Authors: Makarevich Eduard Fedorovich
Published: October 2021

The article examines the role and significance of the "Russian action", the educational program and scientific activities of the Russian emigration in Czechoslovakia, and the Prague White Emigrant Archive in the fate and literary work of Nikolay Raevsky - a white officer, an emigrant, and the author of such literary works as "Volunteers", "Knights of the White Dream" ("Youth at War"), "1918", "Diary of a Gallipoli", "Russian Garrison in Bulgaria". The materials of the article can be used in the framework of training fields related to linguistics, cultural studies, history, and international relations.
Health sector’s flood response plan: A comprehensive review
Authors: Mohajervatan Ali , Tavakoli Nahid , Khankeh Hamidreza , Raeisi Ahmad Reza , Atighechian Golrokh
Published: October 2021

Background: Floods are the most common natural disaster which may have substantial impacts on the human health and life and the environment. In recent years, Iran have faced many floods and it seems that increasing impacts of floods in Iran are attributed to inadequate preparation and no well-established strategies and guidelines for response by health sector and other related response organizations. So, this study was conducted to review the current plans in the world to identify the required elements of the flood emergency response plan to prevent its consequences on the health sector in Iran. Methods: A comprehensive review was performed through search on electronic data bases, including, Medline, Scopus, ProQuest, and e-journals which were accessible during 2010-2020. The keywords were response plan, flood, requirements, guidelines, and health sector. Data were collected using data extraction form and analyzed through content analysis. Results: In the initial search, 960 possible sources of flood response were identified. After excluding duplicate papers and the documents that did not contribute to the flood response plan, 64 articles and programs or guidelines that all them has been reviewed, were obtained. The findings were divided into two groups, response prerequisites and response activities. Conclusion: This review provided a complete view of the flood consequences for the health sector and allows professionals to incorporate facets of the health effect of floods into a flood response plan. The flood response plan was divided into two general categories: Initial and specific, each of which plays an important role in preventing the negative effects of the floods.
Assessment of toxicity and kinetic effects of erythromycin on activated sludge consortium by fast respirometry method
Authors: Aghili Dehnavi Hajar , Amin Mohammad Mahdi , Fatehizadeh Ali , Movahedian Attar Hossein , Ebrahimpour Karim , Bina Bijan
Published: October 2021

Background: The present study aimed to assess the acute impact of erythromycin (ERY) as an inhibitor on peptone mixture utilization of activated sludge (AS) consortium. Methods: For this purpose, the inhibition of oxygen consumption was used based on the ISO 8192:2007 procedure. In this method, the AS consortium (10-day age) was extracted from lab-scale membrane bioreactor, then, percentage inhibition for total, heterotrophic, and nitrifying microorganisms, in separate batch respirometric tests were calculated in the absence and presence of N-allylthiourea (ATU) as a specific Nitrification inhibitor. Results: The obtained data showed that the height of oxygen uptake rate (OUR) profiles and amount of oxygen consumption reduced with increasing ERY dose. The half-maximal effective concentration (EC50) of ERY for heterotrophic and nitrifier microorganisms were 269.4 and 1243.1 mg/L, respectively. In Run 1, the kinetic coefficients bH, fA,H, YH, and µH were calculated as 2.61 d-1, 0.44, 0.4945 mg VSS/mg COD, and 0.047 d-1, respectively. Also, for maximum ERY concentration (1000 mg/L), the kinetic coefficients bH., fA,H, YH, and µH were calculated as 2.27 d-1, 0.3, 0.4983 mg VSS/mg COD, and 0.0049 d-1, respectively. Conclusion: The findings showed that the inhibitory impact of ERY was observed as a decrease in the amount of oxygen consumption by OUR profiles in rapid respirometric method (ISO 8192), which offered a novel insight for the acute inhibitory impact of this antibiotic. Also, chemical oxygen demand (COD) as an overall substrate parameter is most helpful in interpreting the behavior and the metabolic functions of AS systems.
Management of Conflicts of Interest in WHO’s Consultative Processes on Global Alcohol Policy
Authors: Leung June YY , Casswell Sally
Published: October 2021

Background: The World Health Organization (WHO) has engaged in consultations with the alcohol industry in global alcohol policy development, including currently a draft action plan to strengthen implementation of the Global strategy to reduce the harmful use of alcohol. WHO’s Framework for Engagement with Non-State Actors (FENSA) is an organization-wide policy that aims to manage potential conflicts of interest in WHO’s interactions with private sector entities, non-governmental institutions, philanthropic foundations and academic institutions. Methods: We analysed the alignment of WHO’s consultative processes with non-state actors on "the way forward" for alcohol policy and a global alcohol action plan with FENSA. We referred to publicly accessible WHO documents, including the Alcohol, Drugs and Addictive Behaviours Unit website, records of relevant meetings, and other documents relevant to FENSA. We documented submissions to two web-based consultations held in 2019 and 2020 by type of organization and links to the alcohol industry. Results: WHO’s processes to conduct due diligence, risk assessment and risk management as required by FENSA appeared to be inadequate. Limited information was published on non-state actors, primarily the alcohol industry, that participated in the consultations, including their potential conflicts of interest. No minutes were published for WHO’s virtual meeting with the alcohol industry, suggesting a lack of transparency. Organizations with known links to the tobacco industry participated in both web-based consultations, despite FENSA’s principle of non-engagement with tobacco industry actors. Conclusion: WHO’s consultative processes have not been adequate to address conflicts of interest in relation to the alcohol industry, violating the principles of FENSA. Member states must ensure that WHO has the resources to implement and is held accountable for appropriate and consistent safeguards against industry interference in the development of global alcohol policy.
"A Promise Unfulfilled": Stakeholder Influence and the 2018 UN High-Level Meeting on NCDs Comment on "Competing Frames in Global Health Governance: An Analysis of Stakeholder Influence on the Political Declaration on Non-communicable Diseases"
Authors: Ralston Johanna
Published: October 2021

In recognition of the global burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), the past decade has seen three United Nations High-Level Meetings (UN HLMs) on NCDs. Yet progress in terms of political or financial commitments has been very slow. At the 2018 meeting, a political declaration was approved but featured language that had been watered down in terms of commitments. In "Competing Frames of Global Health Governance: An Analysis of Stakeholder Influence on the Political Declaration on Non-communicable Diseases," Suzuki et al analyze the documents that were submitted by Member States, non-governmental organizations and the private sector during the consultation period and conclude that the private sector and several high-income countries (HICs) appeared to oppose regulatory frameworks for products associated with NCDs, that wealthier countries resisted financing commitments, and that general power asymmetries affected the final document. This comment supports their findings and provides additional considerations for why the NCD response has yet to produce significant commitments.
ASSESSMENT OF THE RELEVANCE OF A PROMISING DESIGN OF A REMOTELY CONTROLLED LOGGING VEHICLE WITH A SLIDING FRAME AND CONTROLLED WHEEL MODULES
Authors: Posmetev Valeriy , Nikonov Vadim , Posmetev Viktor
Published: October 2021

The tendency of development of timber trucks in the world is considered. Possible ways of increasing their efficiency at the present time are described. The results of the analysis of scientific works of foreign scientists in the field of increasing the productivity of timber trucks are presented. It was revealed that the duration of the process of loading and unloading timber has a significant effect on the productivity of timber trucks and on the final cost of the timber they export. The importance of reducing the labor intensity of unloading timber by improving the means for self-unloading of timber trucks has been substantiated. The goal of the research is formulated, which consists in the development of a promising design of a remotely controlled logging vehicle with a sliding frame and controlled wheel modules. Two groups of loading and unloading mechanisms used for loading and unloading timber on timber trucks are considered. The classification of devices for loading and unloading timber trucks by individual cranes, rope installations and self-propelled unloaders is presented. The dependences of the change in the residence time of timber trucks at the points of loading and unloading and their movement in an empty state on the number of timber trucks used in the link without self-loading and self-unloading means are described. The analysis of existing devices used for self-loading and self-unloading of timber trucks is presented. On the basis of the identified shortcomings, in order to eliminate them, a schematic diagram of a remotely controlled logging vehicle with a sliding frame and controlled wheel modules is proposed. A technological map of unloading a remotely controlled timber truck with a sliding frame and controlled wheel modules and an updated classification of means for self-unloading timber trucks are presented