bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Ṣukūk or Bond, Which Is More Sustainable during COVID-19? Global Evidence from the Wavelet Coherence Model
Authors: Khan Shabeer , Bhutto Niaz Ahmed , Khan Uzair Abdullah , Rehman Mohd Ziaur , Alonazi Wadi B. , Ludeen Abdullah
Published: August 2022

Understanding the co-movement and lag–lead relations among indices is integral to financial decision making. These parameters show the reactiveness of the market towards new information. Understanding them helps to minimize risk and facilitates optimal portfolio diversification. By employing the wavelet coherence econometric model, the authors of this study analyzed the intricate relations among the Bond and Ṣukūk indices using global data belonging to the United States (US), the United Kingdom (UK), Middle East and North Africa (MENA), and Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries. The findings indicated the presence of strong but similar implications of the initial shock of COVID-19 deaths on both Islamic and conventional markets’ volatilities, especially in long-term investment bands (64–128 days). The results oppose the general belief that Islamic finance is more sustainable and less volatile to crises than its traditional counterparts. Moreover, the authors of this study report diverse relationships among bond and Ṣukūk indices throughout the sample periods. We consistently found low correlations in short-term investment bands (4–16), leading to optimal diversification opportunities. However, high correlations were reported due to COVID-19 in the long-term investment bands (128–256), leading to low diversification opportunities for long-term investors.
CAP Direct Payments and Economic Resilience of Agriculture: Impact Assessment
Authors: Žičkienė Agnė , Melnikienė Rasa , Morkūnas Mangirdas , Volkov Artiom
Published: August 2022

This study presents an innovative approach to measuring the impact of EU CAP direct payments on the economic resilience of agriculture at a sectoral level. The construct of resilience is approached from the perspective of the resilience of the main functions of the sector. The overall level of direct payments impact on sectoral economic resilience is seen as a weighted sum of the payments’ impact on the resilience of the main economic functions of the sector. Such an approach, allowing for a comprehensive estimate of subsidy impact on the most essential areas of agriculture, is universal and can be adapted to measure economic resilience of other economic sectors. For the empirical application we used panel data from 27 EU countries over the period 2005–2019. The results revealed that the overall impact of direct payments on the economic resilience of agriculture across EU-27 was positive. However, the influence of the payments on different key functions of the sector diverged. The most evident and alarming negative changes in the economic resilience levels were observed in terms of efficiency of farms. Negative impact on separate indicators may pose a risk that the influence of direct payments on economic resilience of agriculture may not be sustainable in the longer run.
Remittance Inflows and Energy Transition of the Residential Sector in Developing Countries
Authors: Shrestha Anil , Kakinaka Makoto
Published: August 2022

The energy transition is crucial for the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal 7 (affordable and clean energy). As remittances account for a significant share of household incomes in developing countries, they may be associated with the energy transition from low-efficiency residential fuels (e.g., coal and wood) to high-efficiency residential fuels (e.g., gas and electricity). This study examines the association between remittances and residential energy transition in developing countries by employing a pooled mean group autoregressive distributed lag (PMG-ARDL) model for 27 developing nations from 1995 to 2018. The results indicate that a 1% increase in remittances (ratio to GDP) is associated with a 0.24% increase in the share of high-efficiency energy sources in residential energy consumption in the long run.
RETRACTED: Song et al. Spatial–Temporal Characteristics and Determinants of Digital Divide in China: A Multivariate Spatial Analysis. Sustainability 2019, 11, 4529
Authors: Song Zhouying , Song Tao , Yang Yu , Wang Zhenbo
Published: August 2022

The journal and authors retract the article (Spatial–Temporal Characteristics and Determinants of Digital Divide in China: A Multivariate Spatial Analysis) [...]
Are ERDFs Devoted to Boosting ICTs in SMEs Inefficient? A Three-Stage SBM Approach
Authors: Henriques Carla , Viseu Clara
Published: August 2022

We assessed the implementation of operational programs (OPs) aimed at boosting the deployment of information and communication technologies (ICTs) in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). We performed a three-stage slack-based measure (SBM) data envelopment analysis (DEA) model combined with the stochastic frontier analysis (SFA), which considered data and contextual factors reported from the European Union (EU) to appraise 51 OPs from 16 countries. Overall, we discovered that by eliminating the contextual factors, almost 27% of the OPs (14) attained efficient procedural results. The OP “Multi-regional Spain—ERDF” is widely perceived as a benchmark, irrespective of its contextual factors, remaining robustly efficient for data perturbations ranging from 5% to 10%. The “Number of Operations Supported” is the indicator that requires attention, both with or without the removal of contextual factors. Our findings suggest that more developed regions, with a greater proportion of ICT professionals, are associated with a poor utilization and allocation of ERDF funds to promote ICT adoption in SMEs. This could be attributed to an inability of SMEs to handle the complex bureaucratic processes of submitting and executing European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) initiatives. Consequently, it is vital to provide additional assistance that streamlines the management formalities and satisfies the needs of SMEs.
Sustainable Agritourism Location Investigation in Vietnam by a Spherical Fuzzy Extension of Integrated Decision-Making Approach
Authors: Wu Chihkang Kenny , Wang Chia-Nan , Le Thi Kim Trang , Nhieu Nhat-Luong
Published: August 2022

For tourists in the post-COVID era, it is a popular choice to experience nature and idyllic rural life in fields, gardens, and farms instead of crowding into high-level services in modern tourist destinations. This trend has created a focus on sustainable development within tourism. Agritourism is an alternative tourism experience that demonstrates high potential for the tourism industry while positively impacting agricultural production in rural areas. A suitable location selection process is essential to effectively developing agritourism and sustainability. However, the current literature on this issue is still limited. Therefore, this study introduces a combined decision-making model for optimal agritourism destination identification in the context of sustainable development. This research highlights the use of the spherical fuzzy set (SFSs), in which the spherical fuzzy Decision-Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory (DEMATEL) determines the criteria’s importance in combination with their causal relationship, and the spherical fuzzy Evaluation based on Distance from Average Solution (EDAS) finds the alternative destinations’ priority. The model’s efficiency is illustrated through an empirical study of Vietnam and by a sensitivity analysis. The resulting research found that decision-makers should consider the factors of local living conditions (ASC10), and local agriculture products (ASC3) when investigating agritourism locations. Consequently, the optimal destination for sustainable agritourism development was found to be Lam Dong (AD9), which can efficiently promote tourism activities while increasing the value of agriculture in the countryside. These findings can assist decision-makers in selecting tourism sites in other regions and other tourism development projects.
Using Kansei Engineering for the Design Thinking Framework: Bamboo Pen Holder Product Design
Authors: Gong Xue , Guo Zhuen , Xie Zhongqu
Published: August 2022

Recently, as a potential source of stationery products, bamboo has been continuously excavated for its commercial value in sustainable development. The research on the design of the bamboo pen holder, based on the concept of sustainable design, is not only a symbol of Chinese culture but also a reflection of perceptual factors underlying college students’ preferences. This study aims at user-centered product design by integrating Design Thinking (DT) and Kansei Engineering (KE). We proposed the KE–DT framework which allows designers to coordinate the user’s feelings as design elements. With various college student questionnaires, expert interviews, and cluster analysis, 7 Kansei words were selected to describe the sentimental value first. Using statistical analysis, the users’ emotional preference for each Kansei word was determined. Finally, the best shape of the pen holder was obtained by Sequential Quadratic Programming (SQP), and the stereoscopic product was displayed. A new round of questionnaire surveys was conducted with the optimized pen container and the previous group. The results indicated that curvature had a significant effect on the preference for bamboo stationery in terms of user and designer cognitive differences. Furthermore, the bamboo pen holder designed by the KE–DT framework proved widely popular.
How to Incorporate Blue Carbon into the China Certified Emission Reductions Scheme: Legal and Policy Perspectives
Authors: Li Xin-Wei , Miao Hong-Zhi
Published: August 2022

Blue carbon, the carbon sequestered in vegetated coastal ecosystems, is a potential and practical approach to combating climate change. Many countries have committed to integrating blue carbon into the climate change law and policy framework. As a significant carbon-emitting country, China has abundant blue carbon resources but suffers a significant loss of coastal habitats. Therefore, blue carbon should become a primary focus in China’s climate change law and policy. Given the successful experience in terrestrial biosequestration projects, the inclusion of blue carbon into China’s carbon trading market can be an essential move and is the primary purpose of this paper. The China Certified Emission Reductions (CCER) scheme is an effective supplementary mechanism to the national carbon trading market. To incorporate blue carbon into the CCER scheme, this article first analyzes the legislative framework underpinning the CCER scheme and indicates some critical factors, including methodology, project boundaries, legal rights, additionality, project period, and crediting period. Subsequently, the article discusses these critical factors in depth to identify legal issues that may emerge and provides several feasible solutions. (i) Dedicated methodologies need to be developed for blue carbon projects, which include a broader definition for carbon abatement activities. (ii) The new national marine functional zoning should delineate zones for the purpose of developing blue carbon projects. (iii) The current authorization system for the right to use sea areas could be used to secure a legal right to develop blue carbon projects. (iv) Additionality requirements should be appropriately adjusted. (v) Extended project periods and crediting periods would be needed. This article offers novel pathways for including blue carbon in China’s climate change law and policy framework, thus contributing to achieving its 2060 carbon neutrality goal.
A Heuristic for the Two-Echelon Multi-Period Multi-Product Location–Inventory Problem with Partial Facility Closing and Reopening
Authors: Punyim Puntipa , Karoonsoontawong Ampol , Unnikrishnan Avinash , Ratanavaraha Vatanavongs
Published: August 2022

In this paper, the two-echelon multi-period multi-product location–inventory problem with partial facility closing and reopening is studied. For each product and period, plants serve warehouses, which serve consolidation hubs, which service customers with independent, normally distributed demands. The schedule of construction, temporary partial closing, and reopening of modular capacities of facilities, the continuous-review inventory control policies at warehouses, the allocation of customer demands to hubs, and the allocation of hubs to warehouses are determined. The service levels for stockout at warehouses during lead time and the violation of warehouse and hub capacities are explicitly considered. The proposed mixed-integer non-linear program minimizes the weighted summation of the number of different facilities and logistical costs, so that the number of different facilities can be controlled. Since the proposed model is np-hard, the multi-start construction and tabu search improvement heuristic (MS-CTSIH) with two improvement strategies and the modified MS-CTSIH incorporating both strategies are proposed. The experiment shows that the two improvement strategies appear non-dominated, and the modified MS-CTSIH yields the best results. The comparison of the modified MS-CTSIH and a commercial solver on a small instance shows the efficiency and effectiveness of the modified MS-CTSIH. The sensitivity analyses of problem parameters are performed on a large instance.
Methods and Potential in Valorization of Banana Peels Waste by Various Extraction Processes: In Review
Authors: Putra Nicky Rahmana , Aziz Ahmad Hazim Abdul , Faizal Azrul Nurfaiz Mohd , Che Yunus Mohd Azizi
Published: August 2022

Over 114 million metric tons of bananas are produced each year. The peel, which accounts for roughly one-third of the fruit’s weight, is commonly discarded as waste in the food industry. For centuries, the peel has been prized for its potential to heal a host of ailments. This by-product contains a large concentration of compounds with potent antioxidants linked to several health benefits. Consequently, the extracted valuable components, such as pectin, from this by-product could be applied to the pharmaceutical and food industries. More than 13% of pectin recovery is extracted by current extraction methods, such as ultrasound-assisted extraction. Subcritical water extraction also successfully extracts the pectin with high quality of extract. This review focuses on banana production and the role of pectin. Significant factors affecting its presence within the banana peel, the extraction methods, and current extraction applications are also presented and discussed, highlighting future research into its potential uses.
The Influence of Seasonality on the Sustainability of Livelihoods of Households in Rural Tourism Destinations
Authors: Su Zhen , Wen Ruyi , Zeng Yanyu , Ye Kai , Khotphat Tanaporn
Published: August 2022

Even though seasonality is an important concern in tourism research, only a few scholars have focused on the seasonality of rural tourism. Therefore, this study examines seasonality in rural tourism destinations. We adopt a mixed research approach to explore the sustainable livelihoods of households in rural tourism destinations from a seasonality perspective, using the case of rural tourism destinations in Yulong River basin, Guangxi, China. First, in-depth interviews and grounded theory are used to construct a sustainable livelihood model for households in rural tourism destinations under the influence of seasonality. Second, the model is tested using the data envelopment analysis model and statistical analysis. We find that (1) psychological capital, a previously neglected livelihood capital, is an important component of rural households’ livelihood capital in rural tourism destinations under the influence of seasonality; (2) rural tourism does not significantly improve rural livelihoods due to seasonal influences; and (3) participating in tourism work in the off-season and combining it with other work practices are the main livelihood strategies of rural households to cope with seasonality; however, over-dispersing resources reduces the livelihood efficiency. This study’s findings will prove useful for policy formation by governments to deal with seasonality in rural tourism.
Green Areas: The Secret of the Happiness of the People of Madrid
Authors: de Vega Diego , Araque Óscar , Iglesias Carlos Á.
Published: August 2022

Green areas play an important role in people’s well-being in urban areas. However, traditional survey methods hinder understanding their actual impact. Fortunately, social networking analysis provides valuable information that city planners can use to transform cities and improve city life. This research studies geolocated tweets published in parks, both urban and natural, in Madrid, for their subsequent analysis and classification with machine-learning techniques, and determines the emotional impact of green areas on citizens. The main conclusions of this study are that people express more positive sentiments and emotions (i.e., joy and trust) in urban parks in Madrid compared to the sentiments expressed in other areas of the city and a national park in the Madrid region. This positive sentiment is higher in the city’s southern districts and the historical parks. People also tweeted photos more frequently in parks and differences in the topics expressed in the tweets. This analysis can provide additional information to policymakers in urban planning.
On the Simulation of Ultra-Sparse-View and Ultra-Low-Dose Computed Tomography with Maximum a Posteriori Reconstruction Using a Progressive Flow-Based Deep Generative Model
Authors: Shibata Hisaichi , Hanaoka Shouhei , Nomura Yukihiro , Nakao Takahiro , Takenaga Tomomi , Hayashi Naoto , Abe Osamu
Published: August 2022

Ultra-sparse-view computed tomography (CT) algorithms can reduce radiation exposure for patients, but these algorithms lack an explicit cycle consistency loss minimization and an explicit log-likelihood maximization in testing. Here, we propose X2CT-FLOW for the maximum a posteriori (MAP) reconstruction of a three-dimensional (3D) chest CT image from a single or a few two-dimensional (2D) projection images using a progressive flow-based deep generative model, especially for ultra-low-dose protocols. The MAP reconstruction can simultaneously optimize the cycle consistency loss and the log-likelihood. We applied X2CT-FLOW for the reconstruction of 3D chest CT images from biplanar projection images without noise contamination (assuming a standard-dose protocol) and with strong noise contamination (assuming an ultra-low-dose protocol). We simulated an ultra-low-dose protocol. With the standard-dose protocol, our images reconstructed from 2D projected images and 3D ground-truth CT images showed good agreement in terms of structural similarity (SSIM, 0.7675 on average), peak signal-to-noise ratio (PSNR, 25.89 dB on average), mean absolute error (MAE, 0.02364 on average), and normalized root mean square error (NRMSE, 0.05731 on average). Moreover, with the ultra-low-dose protocol, our images reconstructed from 2D projected images and the 3D ground-truth CT images also showed good agreement in terms of SSIM (0.7008 on average), PSNR (23.58 dB on average), MAE (0.02991 on average), and NRMSE (0.07349 on average).
Ecofriendly Composite as a Promising Material for Highly-Performance Uranium Recovery from Different Solutions
Authors: Hamza Mohammed F. , Abu Khoziem Hanaa A. , Khalafalla Mahmoud S. , Abdellah Walid M. , Zaki Doaa I. , Althumayri Khalid , Wei Yuezhou
Published: August 2022

The development of new materials based on biopolymers (as renewable resources) is substantial for environmental challenges in the heavy metal and radionuclide ions removal contaminations. Functionalization of chitosan with sulfonic groups was achieved for improving the uranium sorption, not only from slightly acidic leachate, but also for the underground water. The prepared hydrogel based on chitosan was characterized by series of analysis tools for structure elucidation as FTIR spectroscopy, textural properties using nitrogen adsorption method, pHPZC (by pH-drift method), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), SEM, and SEM-EDX analyses. The sorption was performed toward uranium (VI) ions for adjustment of sorption performances. The optimum sorption was performed at pH 4 (prior to the precipitation pH). The total sorption was achieved within 25 min (relatively fast kinetics) and was fitted by pseudo-first order rate equation (PFORE) and resistance to intraparticle diffusion equation (RIDE). The maximum sorption capacity was around 1.5 mmol U g−1. The sorption isotherms were fitted by Langmuir and Sips equations. Desorption was achieved using 0.3 M HCl solution and the complete desorption was performed in around 15 min of contact. The sorption desorption cycles are relatively stable during 5 cycles with limit decreasing in sorption and desorption properties (around 3 ± 0.2% and 99.8 ± 0.1%, respectively). The sorbent was used for removal of U from acid leachate solution in mining area. The sorbent showed a highly performance for U(VI) removal, which was considered as a tool material for radionuclides removing from aquatic medium.
Methodological Approaches for Risk Assessment of Tobacco and Related Products
Authors: Staal Yvonne C. M. , Bos Peter M. J. , Talhout Reinskje
Published: August 2022

Health risk assessment of tobacco and related products (TRPs) is highly challenging due to the variety in products, even within the product class, the complex mixture of components in the emission and the variety of user behaviour. In this paper, we summarize methods that can be used to assess the health risks associated with the use of TRPs. The choice of methods to be used and the data needed are dependent on the aim. Risk assessment can be used to identify the emission components of highest health concern. Alternatively, risk assessment methods can be used to determine the absolute risk of a TRP, which is the health risk of a product, not related to other products, or to determine the relative risk of a TRP, which is the health risk of a TRP compared to, for example, a cigarette. Generally, health risk assessment can be based on the effects of the complete mixture (whole smoke) or based on the (added) effects of individual components. Data requirements are dependent on the method used, but most methods require substantial data on identity and quantity of components in emissions and on the hazards of these components. Especially for hazards, only limited data are available. Currently, due to a lack of suitable data, quantitative risk assessment methods cannot be used to inform regulation.
GTPase Rac Regulates Conidiation, AFB1 Production and Stress Response in Pathogenic Fungus Aspergillus flavus
Authors: Qin Ling , Yang Lan , Zhao Jiaru , Zeng Wanlin , Su Minxuan , Wang Shihua , Yuan Jun
Published: August 2022

As a member of the Rho family, Rac plays important roles in many species, including proliferation, differentiation, apoptosis, DNA damage responses, metabolism, angiogenesis, and immunosuppression. In this study, by constructing Rac-deleted mutants in Aspergillus flavus, it was found that the deletion of Rac gene led to the decline of growth and development, conidia production, AFB1 toxin synthesis, and seed infection ability of A. flavus. The deletion of Rac gene also caused the disappearance of A. flavus sclerotium, indicating that Rac is required for sclerotium formation in A. flavus. The sensitivity of Rac-deficient strains responding to cell wall stress and osmotic pressure stress increased when compared to A.flavus WT. The Western blot result showed that mitogen-activated serine/threonine-protein kinase Slt2 and mitogen-activated protein kinase Hog1 proteins were no longer phosphorylated in Rac-deficient strains of A. flavus, showing that Rac may be used as a molecular switch to control the Slt2-MAPK cascade pathway and regulate the osmotic Hog-MAPK cascade pathway in A. flavus in response to external stress. Altogether, these results indicated that Rac was involved in regulating the growth and development, conidia formation and AFB1 synthesis, and response to cell wall stress and osmotic pressure stress in A. flavus.
Consequences of the Improved Limits on the Tensor-to-Scalar Ratio from BICEP/Planck, and of Future CMB-S4 Measurements, for Inflationary Models
Authors: Grøn Øyvind G.
Published: August 2022

More than 30 inflationary models are confronted with the recently improved limit on the tensor-to-scalar ratio presented by the Planck team. I show that a few more models are falsified due to this sharper restriction. Additionally, I discuss possible consequences of CMB-S4 observations for these inflationary models. The results are summarized in a table.
Mucin Transiently Sustains Coronavirus Infectivity through Heterogenous Changes in Phase Morphology of Evaporating Aerosol
Authors: Alexander Robert W. , Tian Jianghan , Haddrell Allen E. , Oswin Henry P. , Neal Edward , Hardy Daniel A. , Otero-Fernandez Mara , Mann Jamie F. S. , Cogan Tristan A. , Finn Adam , Davidson Andrew D. , Hill Darryl J. , Reid Jonathan P.
Published: August 2022

Respiratory pathogens can be spread though the transmission of aerosolised expiratory secretions in the form of droplets or particulates. Understanding the fundamental aerosol parameters that govern how such pathogens survive whilst airborne is essential to understanding and developing methods of restricting their dissemination. Pathogen viability measurements made using Controlled Electrodynamic Levitation and Extraction of Bioaerosol onto Substrate (CELEBS) in tandem with a comparative kinetics electrodynamic balance (CKEDB) measurements allow for a direct comparison between viral viability and evaporation kinetics of the aerosol with a time resolution of seconds. Here, we report the airborne survival of mouse hepatitis virus (MHV) and determine a comparable loss of infectivity in the aerosol phase to our previous observations of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Through the addition of clinically relevant concentrations of mucin to the bioaerosol, there is a transient mitigation of the loss of viral infectivity at 40% RH. Increased concentrations of mucin promoted heterogenous phase change during aerosol evaporation, characterised as the formation of inclusions within the host droplet. This research demonstrates the role of mucus in the aerosol phase and its influence on short-term airborne viral stability.
Microarray-Based Analyses of Rhinovirus Species-Specific Antibody Responses in Exacerbated Pediatric Asthma in a German Pediatric Cohort
Authors: Sallard Erwan , Niespodziana Katarzyna , Bajic Maja , Schlederer Thomas , Errhalt Peter , Behrendt Ann-Kathrin , Wirth Stefan , Meyer-Bahlburg Almut , Ehrhardt Anja , Valenta Rudolf , Aydin Malik
Published: August 2022

Rhinoviruses (RV) account for a significant number of asthma exacerbations, and RV species C may be associated with a severe course in vulnerable patient groups. Despite important evidence on the role of RV reported by clinicians and life scientists, there are still unanswered questions regarding their influence on asthma exacerbation in young patients. Thus, we measured the RVspecies-specific IgG titers in our German pediatric exacerbation cohort using a microarray-based technology. For this approach, human sera of patients with exacerbated asthma and wheeze, as well as healthy control subjects (n = 136) were included, and correlation analyses were performed. Concordantly with previously published results, we observed significantly higher cumulative levels of RV species A-specific IgG (p = 0.011) and RV-C-specific IgG (p = 0.051) in exacerbated asthma group compared to age-matched controls. Moreover, atopic wheezers had increased RV-specific IgG levels for species A (p = 0.0011) and species C (p = 0.0009) compared to non-atopic wheezers. Hypothesizing that bacterial infection positively correlates with immune memory against RV, we included nasopharyngeal swab results in our analyses and detected limited correlations. Interestingly, the eosinophil blood titer positively correlated with RV-specific IgG levels. With these observations, we add important observations to the existing data regarding exacerbation in pediatric and adolescent medicine. We propose that scientists and clinicians should pay more attention to the relevance of RV species in susceptible pediatric patients.
Can the COVID-19 Pandemic Improve the Management of Solid Organ Transplant Recipients?
Authors: Del Bello Arnaud , Marion Olivier , Izopet Jacques , Kamar Nassim
Published: August 2022

Increased mortality due to SARS-CoV-2 infection was observed among solid organ transplant patients. During the pandemic, in order to prevent and treat COVID-19 infections in this context, several innovative procedures and therapies were initiated within a short period of time. A large number of these innovations can be applied and expanded to improve the management of non-COVID-19 infectious diseases in solid organ transplant patients and in the case of a future pandemic. In this vein, the present paper reviews and discusses medical care system adaptation, modification of immunosuppression, adjuvant innovative therapies, the role of laboratory expertise, and the prevention of infections as examples of such innovations.
SARS-CoV-2 RBD-Specific Antibodies Induced Early in the Pandemic by Natural Infection and Vaccination Display Cross-Variant Binding and Inhibition
Authors: Walker Melanie R. , Podlekareva Daria , Johnsen Stine , Leerhøy Bonna , Fougeroux Cyrielle , Søgaard Max , Salanti Ali , Ditlev Sisse Bolm , Barfod Lea
Published: August 2022

The development of vaccine candidates for COVID-19 has been rapid, and those that are currently approved display high efficacy against the original circulating strains. However, recently, new variants of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) have emerged with increased transmission rates and less susceptibility to vaccine induced immunity. A greater understanding of protection mechanisms, including antibody longevity and cross-reactivity towards the variants of concern (VoCs), is needed. In this study, samples collected in Denmark early in the pandemic from paucisymptomatic subjects (n = 165) and symptomatic subjects (n = 57) infected with SARS-CoV-2 were used to assess IgG binding and inhibition in the form of angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 receptor (ACE2) competition against the wild-type and four SARS-CoV-2 VoCs (Alpha, Beta, Gamma, and Omicron). Antibodies induced early in the pandemic via natural infection were cross-reactive and inhibited ACE2 binding of the VoC, with reduced inhibition observed for the Omicron variant. When examined longitudinally, sustained cross-reactive inhibitory responses were found to exist in naturally infected paucisymptomatic subjects. After vaccination, receptor binding domain (RBD)-specific IgG binding increased by at least 3.5-fold and inhibition of ACE2 increased by at least 2-fold. When vaccination regimens were compared (two doses of Pfizer-BioNTech BNT162b2 (n = 50), or one dose of Oxford-AstraZeneca ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 followed by Pfizer-BioNTech BNT162b2 (ChAd/BNT) (n = 15)), higher levels of IgG binding and inhibition were associated with mix and match (ChAd/BNT) prime-boosting and time since vaccination. These results are particularly relevant for countries where vaccination levels are low.
Interferon-Stimulated Gene 15 Knockout in Mice Impairs IFNα-Mediated Antiviral Activity
Authors: Li Chen , He Wen-Feng , Li Long-Xi , Chen Jing , Yang Guo-Qing , Chang Hong-Tao , Liu Hui-Min
Published: August 2022

Type I interferon (IFN) plays an important role in the host defense against viral infection by inducing expression of interferon-stimulated genes (ISGs). In a previous study, we found that porcine interferon-stimulated gene 15 (ISG15) exhibited antiviral activity against PRV in vitro. To further investigate the antiviral function of ISG15 in vivo, we utilized ISG15 knockout (ISG15-/-) mice in this study. Here, we demonstrate that ISG15-/- mice were highly susceptible to PRV infection in vivo, as evidenced by a considerably reduced survival rate, enhanced viral replication and severe pathological lesions. However, we observed no significant difference between female and male infected WT and ISG15-/- mice. Moreover, ISG15-/- mice displayed attenuated antiviral protection as a result of considerably reduced expression of IFNβ and relevant ISGs during PRV replication. Furthermore, excessive production of proinflammatory cytokines may be closely related to encephalitis and pneumonia. In further studies, we found that the enhanced sensitivity to PRV infection in ISG15-/- mice might be caused by reduced phosphorylation of STAT1 and STAT2, thereby inhibiting type I IFN-mediated antiviral activity. Based on these findings, we conclude that ISG15 is essential for host type I IFN-mediated antiviral response.
Interventions for Improving Long COVID-19 Symptomatology: A Systematic Review
Authors: Veronese Nicola , Bonica Roberta , Cotugno Sergio , Tulone Ottavia , Camporeale Michele , Smith Lee , Trott Mike , Bruyere Olivier , Mirarchi Luigi , Rizzo Giuseppina , Bavaro Davide Fiore , Barbagallo Mario , Dominguez Ligia J. , Marotta Claudia , Silenzi Andrea , Nicastri Emanuele , Saracino Annalisa , Di Gennaro Francesco
Published: August 2022

Introduction: Although the understanding of several aspects of long COVID-19 syndrome is increasing, there is limited literature regarding the treatment of these signs and symptoms. The aim of our systematic review was to understand which therapies have proved effective against the symptoms of long COVID-19. Methods: A systematic search for randomized controlled or clinical trials in several databases was conducted through 15 May 2022. Specific inclusion criteria included: (1) intervention studies, either randomized controlled (RCTs) or clinical trials; (2) diagnosis of long COVID-19, according to the World Health Organization criteria; (3) presence of long COVID-19 for at least 12 weeks after SARS-CoV-2 infection. Results: We initially found 1638 articles to screen. After removing 1602 works based on their title/abstract, we considered 35 full texts, and among them, two intervention studies were finally included. The first RCT focused on the greater improvement of treatment combining olfactory rehabilitation with oral supplementation with Palmitoylethanolamide and Luteolin in patients with olfactory dysfunction after COVID-19. The second study evaluated the positive impact of aromatherapy vs. standard care in adult females affected by fatigue. Conclusion: Our systematic review found only two intervention studies focused on patients affected by long COVID-19. More intervention studies are needed to investigate potentially positive interventions for long COVID-19 symptoms.
Novel Synergistic Anti-Enteroviral Drug Combinations
Authors: Ianevski Aleksandr , Zusinaite Eva , Tenson Tanel , Oksenych Valentyn , Wang Wei , Afset Jan Egil , Bjørås Magnar , Kainov Denis E.
Published: August 2022

Background: Enterovirus infections affect people around the world, causing a range of illnesses, from mild fevers to severe, potentially fatal conditions. There are no approved treatments for enterovirus infections. Methods: We have tested our library of broad-spectrum antiviral agents (BSAs) against echovirus 1 (EV1) in human adenocarcinoma alveolar basal epithelial A549 cells. We also tested combinations of the most active compounds against EV1 in A549 and human immortalized retinal pigment epithelium RPE cells. Results: We confirmed anti-enteroviral activities of pleconaril, rupintrivir, cycloheximide, vemurafenib, remdesivir, emetine, and anisomycin and identified novel synergistic rupintrivir–vemurafenib, vemurafenib–pleconaril and rupintrivir–pleconaril combinations against EV1 infection. Conclusions: Because rupintrivir, vemurafenib, and pleconaril require lower concentrations to inhibit enterovirus replication in vitro when combined, their cocktails may have fewer side effects in vivo and, therefore, should be further explored in preclinical and clinical trials against EV1 and other enterovirus infections.
COVID-19 Vaccination Rollout: Aspects of Acceptability in South Africa
Authors: Steenberg Bent , Myburgh Nellie , Sokani Andile , Ngwenya Nonhlanhla , Mutevedzi Portia , Madhi Shabir A.
Published: August 2022

Unprecedented in scale, immense COVID-19 immunization programs have been rolled out globally. This article explores aspects of hypothetical vaccine acceptability in Soweto, South Africa, shortly before such vaccines became available. Whereas hypothetical acceptance was normative, this has not translated into uptake today, which remains concerningly low in South Africa, especially in Soweto. For that reason, we mobilize anthropological concepts to analyze acceptance, hesitancy, and denial to gauge public proclivity to inoculate. We found that COVID-19′s haphazard mediatization generated a ‘field of suspicion’ towards authorities and vaccination, which, amplified by dis- and misinformation, fostered othering, hesitancy, and denialism considerably. Further, we demonstrate that stated intent to immunize cannot be used to predict outcome. It remains paramount during vaccination rollouts to unveil and address aspects detrimental to vaccine confidence and selectivity, especially in lower-income groups for underlying context-specific cultural, spiritual, historical, and socioeconomic reasons. Appropriate mediazation alongside a debunking of counterfactual claims is crucial in driving forward immunization.
Bridging Animal and Human Data in Pursuit of Vaccine Licensure
Authors: Finch Courtney L. , Dowling William E. , King Thomas H. , Martinez Christian , Nguyen Bai V. , Roozendaal Ramon , Rustomjee Roxana , Skiadopoulos Mario H. , Vert-Wong Ekaterina , Yellowlees Ann , Sullivan Nancy J.
Published: August 2022

The FDA Animal Rule was devised to facilitate approval of candidate vaccines and therapeutics using animal survival data when human efficacy studies are not practical or ethical. This regulatory pathway is critical for candidates against pathogens with high case fatality rates that prohibit human challenge trials, as well as candidates with low and sporadic incidences of outbreaks that make human field trials difficult. Important components of a vaccine development plan for Animal Rule licensure are the identification of an immune correlate of protection and immunobridging to humans. The relationship of vaccine-induced immune responses to survival after vaccination and challenge must be established in validated animal models and then used to infer predictive vaccine efficacy in humans via immunobridging. The Sabin Vaccine Institute is pursuing licensure for candidate filovirus vaccines via the Animal Rule and has convened meetings of key opinion leaders and subject matter experts to define fundamental components for vaccine licensure in the absence of human efficacy data. Here, filoviruses are used as examples to review immune correlates of protection and immunobridging. The points presented herein reflect the presentations and discussions during the second meeting held in October 2021 and are intended to address important considerations for developing immunobridging strategies.
Relationship between Serum Protein Electrophoresis, Endoscopic and Histopathological Scores in 99 Cats with Chronic Enteropathy
Authors: Pierini Alessio , Gori Eleonora , Tulone Fiorenza , Benvenuti Elena , Bottero Enrico , Ruggiero Pietro , Marchetti Veronica
Published: August 2022

Few studies have investigated total protein (TP) and serum protein electrophoresis (SPE) in cats with chronic enteropathy (CE). Cats diagnosed with CE were evaluated to investigate the relationships between TP, SPE and endoscopy, histopathology, and extraintestinal involvement. Medical records were searched for cats with a history of chronic gastrointestinal signs and a final diagnosis of CE. Information on signalment, TP, SPE, endoscopic score, histopathological diagnosis and score, and concurrent hepatic or pancreatic ultrasonographic alterations was collected. Relationships between protein profiles and other variables were investigated. Ninety-nine cats were included in the study, 63 diagnosed with various degrees of bowel inflammation and 36 with small-cell alimentary lymphoma. The most common TP alteration was hypoproteinemia (24%). No significant differences were observed between protein profiles and endoscopic and histopathological severity scores. Forty-five cats showing concurrent pancreatic and/or hepatic ultrasonographic alterations, had significantly lower albumin, lower α-globulin, and higher γ-globulin levels than cats not showing concurrent alterations. Disease severity scores did not seem to influence the protein profile in cats with CE. Extraintestinal involvement may be suspected in cats with lower albumin and α-globulins and higher γ-globulins.
Recognition of Studied Words in Perceptual Disfluent Sans Forgetica Font
Authors: Cui Lucy , Liu Jereth
Published: August 2022

The new Sans Forgetica (SF) typeface creates perceptual disfluency by breaking up parts of letters vertically, horizontally, or diagonally, thereby fragmentizing them. While patterns of fragmentization are consistent for each unique letter, they are not uniform across letters. With Gestalt principles such as good continuation and perceptual completion being more difficult to implement in these settings, viewers may need to depend on context clues to identify words. This may be a desirable difficulty and improve memory for those words. Here, we investigate whether SF improves recognition of studied words. In Experiment 1, participants studied words in Arial and SF and completed old-new recognition tests where words retained their study fonts. In Experiment 2, we investigated the potential for context reinstatement—testing studied words in their studied fonts or the other font. Hit rate and discrimination sensitivities (d’) were analyzed for both experiments. Participants had significantly better recognition (hit rate) in SF than in Arial (Exp 1) and significantly higher discrimination sensitivities (d’) when words were tested in SF than in Arial (Exp 2). However, further examination of these results (e.g., marginally more response bias with SF than with Arial in Exp 1) lead us to hold reservations for the benefit of SF on word memory and conjecture that SF, at best, plays a limited role in improving recognition of studied words.
Enhancing Functionalities in Nanocomposites for Effective Dye Removal from Wastewater: Isothermal, Kinetic and Thermodynamic Aspects
Authors: Javed Ifrah , Hanif Muhammad Asif , Rashid Umer , Nadeem Farwa , Alharthi Fahad A. , Kazerooni Elham Ahmed
Published: August 2022

The adsorption process combined with electrocoagulation is a highly effective technique for dye removal. Calcinized and non-calcinized composites based on bentonite and sodium zeolite were prepared for adsorptive removal of Foron EBL blue, Terasil brown 2RFL, Torque blue PG, and Orange P3R dyes. Factors affecting the adsorption process, such as contact time, initial dye concentration, and temperature, were also explored in this study. Equilibrium data of natural clay composites was explained by Freundlich, Langmuir, Dubinin Radushkevich isotherm, Harkin Jura, and Temkin isothermal models. Harkin Jura isotherm model best fitted on the adsorption mechanism compared to Langmuir and Temkin isotherm model. Morphology of clay-based adsorbents and functional group arrangement were investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The calcinized nano-composite material exhibited better adsorption capacity than non-calcinized nano-composite and could be employed as a low-cost alternative for dye removal.
Case Study of Collaborative Modeling in an Indigenous Community
Authors: McDonald Gavin Wade , Bradford Lori , Neapetung Myron , Osgood Nathaniel D. , Strickert Graham , Waldner Cheryl L. , Belcher Kurt , McLeod Lianne , Bharadwaj Lalita
Published: August 2022

To support Indigenous communities in preparing for uncertainties such as climate change impacts and unexpected threats to health, there are calls by researchers and community members for decision support tools that meaningfully and sensitively bring together Indigenous contextualized factors such as social dynamics, local- and culture-specific knowledge, and data with academic tools and practices including predictive modeling. This project used a community engaged approach to co-create an agent-based model geographically bounded to a reserve community to examine three community-requested simulations. Community members and researchers co-designed, built, and verified the model simulations: a contaminated water delivery truck; a Pow Wow where a waterborne infectious disease spreads; and a flood which restricts typical movement around the reserve for daily tasks and health care. The simulations’ findings, displayed as both conventional and narrative outputs, revealed management areas where community adaptation and mitigation are needed, including enhancing health service provision in times of disease outbreaks or large community events, and creating back-up plans for overcoming flood impacts to ensure services are accessible for vulnerable members of the community. Recommendations for communities, researchers, and modelers are discussed.
Habitat Quality Assessment and Ecological Risks Prediction: An Analysis in the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal (Suzhou Section)
Authors: Zhang Yixin , Zhang Chenyue , Zhang Xindi , Wang Xinge , Liu Ting , Li Zhe , Lin Qiaoyan , Jing Zehui , Wang Xinyue , Huang Qiuyue , Sun Wenxin , Zhai Jun , Tan Li , Wang Jieqing , Zhou Guoyan , Tian Yasi , Hao Jianli , Song Yu , Ma Fei
Published: August 2022

With the fast pace of global urbanization, anthropogenic disturbances not only lead to frequent disasters, but also cause direct and indirect ecological and economic losses. To reduce the adverse effects of anthropogenic disturbances as part of sustainable ecosystem management, assessments of habitat quality and ecological risk are necessary. The objectives of this study are to analyze environmental conditions of the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal (Suzhou section) for evaluating habitat quality and habitat degradation, and to conduct ecological-risk early warning assessment in this section. The Grand Canal is the longest and first canal in the world to be artificially excavated from natural rivers and lakes. By evaluating habitat quality using the InVEST suite of open-source software models for mapping and valuing the ecosystem, it was found that the natural lands with high habitat quality such as wetlands, forests and lakes along the Suzhou section of the Grand Canal have gradually decreased, while construction lands such as roads and buildings have gradually increased; there is a clear trend of decreasing areas with high habitat quality and increasing areas with low habitat quality, which is likely the result of urbanization. It was also found that the region has a high habitat degradation index, meaning that areas located at the junction of different land types are vulnerable to the surrounding environment due to narrow buffer zones that allow areas with high habitat quality to be easily affected by areas with low habitat quality. In terms of ecological risks, it was found that the natural land area with high habitat quality in the downstream locations was declining, thereby increasing the risks of pollution and flooding events while reducing the ecosystem’s resilience. The valuation model used in this study can be used as an effective decision-support tool to prioritize important ecological areas for conservation in the Grand Canal, and can also be adapted for use in the ecosystem management of other regions.