bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effect of the Combined Compound Probiotics with Glycyrrhinic Acid on Alleviating Cytotoxicity of IPEC-J2 Cells Induced by Multi-Mycotoxins
Authors: Wang Lijun , Wang Xiaomin , Chang Juan , Wang Ping , Liu Chaoqi , Yuan Lin , Yin Qingqiang , Zhu Qun , Lu Fushan
Published: September 2022

Aflatoxins B1 (AFB1), deoxynivalenol (DON) and zearalenone (ZEA) are the three most prevalent mycotoxins, whose contamination of food and feed is a severe worldwide problem. In order to alleviate the toxic effects of multi-mycotoxins (AFB1 + DON + ZEA, ADZ) on inflammation and apoptosis in swine jejunal epithelial cells (IPEC-J2), three species of probiotics (Bacillus subtilis, Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Pseudomonas lactis at 1 × 105 CFU/mL, respectively) were mixed together to make compound probiotics (CP), which were further combined with 400 μg/mL of glycyrrhinic acid (GA) to make bioactive materials (CGA). The experiment was divided into four groups, i.e., the control, ADZ, CGA and ADZ + CGA groups. The results showed that ADZ decreased cell viability and induced cytotoxicity, while CGA addition could alleviate ADZ-induced cytotoxicity. Moreover, the mRNA expressions of IL-8, TNF-α, NF-Κb, Bcl-2, Caspase-3, ZO-1, Occludin, Claudin-1 and ASCT2 genes, and protein expressions of TNF-α and Claudin-1 were significantly upregulated in ADZ group; while the mRNA abundances of IL-8, TNF-α, NF-Κb, Caspase-3, ASCT2 genes, and protein expressions of TNF-α and Claudin-1 were significantly downregulated in the ADZ + CGA group. In addition, the protein expressions of COX-2, ZO-1, and ASCT2 were significantly downregulated in the ADZ group, compared with the control group; whereas CGA co-incubation with ADZ could increase these protein expressions to recover to normal levels. This study indicated that CGA could alleviate cytotoxicity, apoptosis and inflammation in ADZ-induced IPEC-J2 cells and protect intestinal cell integrity from ADZ damages.
Assessing the Impact of Relapse, Reinfection and Recrudescence on Malaria Eradication Policy: A Bifurcation and Optimal Control Analysis
Authors: Tasman Hengki , Aldila Dipo , Dumbela Putri A. , Ndii Meksianis Z. , Fatmawati  , Herdicho Faishal F. , Chukwu Chidozie W.
Published: September 2022

In the present study, we propose and analyze an epidemic mathematical model for malaria dynamics, considering multiple recurrent phenomena: relapse, reinfection, and recrudescence. A limitation in hospital bed capacity, which can affect the treatment rate, is modeled using a saturated treatment function. The qualitative behavior of the model, covering the existence and stability criteria of the endemic equilibrium, is investigated rigorously. The concept of the basic reproduction number of the proposed model is obtained using the concept of the next-generation matrix. We find that the malaria-free equilibrium point is locally asymptotically stable if the basic reproduction number is less than one and unstable if it is larger than one. Our observation on the malaria-endemic equilibrium of the proposed model shows possible multiple endemic equilibria when the basic reproduction number is larger or smaller than one. Hence, we conclude that a condition of a basic reproduction number less than one is not sufficient to guarantee the extinction of malaria from the population. To test our model in a real-life situation, we fit our model parameters using the monthly incidence data from districts in Central Sumba, Indonesia called Wee Luri, which were collected from the Wee Luri Health Center. Using the first twenty months’ data from Wee Luri district, we show that our model can fit the data with a confidence interval of 95%. Both analytical and numerical experiments show that a limitation in hospital bed capacity and reinfection can trigger a more substantial possibility of the appearance of backward bifurcation. On the other hand, we find that an increase in relapse can reduce the chance of the appearance of backward bifurcation. A non-trivial result appears in that a higher probability of recrudescence (treatment failure) does not always result in the appearance of backward bifurcation. From the global sensitivity analysis using a combination of Latin hypercube sampling and partial rank correlation coefficient, we found that the initial infection rate in humans and the mosquito infection rate are the most influential parameters in determining the increase in total new human infections. We expand our model as an optimal control problem by including three types of malaria interventions, namely the use of bed net, hospitalization, and fumigation as a time-dependent variable. Using the Pontryagin maximum principle, we characterize our optimal control problem. Results from our cost-effectiveness analysis suggest that hospitalization only is the most cost-effective strategy required to control malaria disease.
Aplastic Anemia and Chagas Disease: T. cruzi Parasitemia Monitoring by Quantitative PCR and Preemptive Antiparasitic Therapy
Authors: Carvalho Noêmia Barbosa , de Freitas Vera Teixeira , Bezerra Rita Cristina , Nakanishi Erika Shimoda , Velloso Elvira Pereira , Higashino Hermes Ryoiti , Batista Marjorie Vieira , Fonseca Guilherme Henrique , Rocha Vanderson , Costa Silvia Figueiredo , Shikanai-Yasuda Maria Aparecida
Published: September 2022

Background: Aplastic anemia is a rare and life-threatening condition, seldomly witnessed concomitantly with Chagas disease. We aim to discuss the management of these patients under risk of chronic Chagas disease reactivation (CDR), a severe condition with a high morbimortality that occurs in chronic Chagas disease patients under immunosuppression. Case reports: Trypanosoma cruzi (T. cruzi) parasitemia was monitored in three patients for 4–58 months by conventional PCR (cPCR), quantitative PCR (qPCR), microhematocrit/buffy coat, blood culture, and/or xenodiagnosis. One patient received antiparasitic treatment (benznidazole) and the other received allopurinol. Although parasitemia was controlled during and after benznidazole treatment at 300 mg/d for 51 days, in one patient, hematologic parameters worsened continuously before, during, and after treatment. Allopurinol led only to the temporary suppression of T. cruzi parasitemia in the second patient, but after danazol and hematological improvement, parasitemia became undetectable until the end of monitoring. Discussion and Conclusion: Unexpected undetectable or low parasitemia by cPCR/qPCR was reported. We show that the monitoring of parasitemia by qPCR and the use of preemptive therapy when the parasitemia was positive proved to be beneficial to our patients. As a result of the toxicity of more effective antiparasitics, shorter regimens of benznidazole or less toxic drugs in preemptive therapy are options that deserve future studies.
The 24.5-kb Left Variable Region Is Not a Determinant for African Swine Fever Virus to Replicate in Primary Porcine Alveolar Macrophages
Authors: Luo Rui , Wang Tao , Sun Maowen , Pan Li , Huang Shujian , Sun Yun , Qiu Hua-Ji
Published: September 2022

African swine fever (ASF) is a widespread hemorrhagic and highly contagious infectious disease caused by African swine fever virus (ASFV), currently threatening the pig industry worldwide. Here, we demonstrated that the cell-adapted strain ASFV-P121 with a 24.5-kb deletion in the left variable region (LVR) lost the ability to replicate in primary porcine alveolar macrophages (PAMs). To explore whether this deletion determines the inability of ASFV-P121 replication in PAMs, a mutant virus (ASFV-ΔLVR) with the same LVR deletion as ASFV-P121 was constructed based on the wild-type ASFV HLJ/18 (ASFV-WT). However, the growth titer of ASFV-ΔLVR only reduced 10-fold compared with ASFV-WT in PAMs. Furthermore, we found that the large deletion of the LVR does not affect the formation of virus factories and virion morphogenesis. These findings reveal important implications for analyzing the molecular mechanism of ASFV cell tropism change.
Recent Emergence of Bovine Coronavirus Variants with Mutations in the Hemagglutinin-Esterase Receptor Binding Domain in U.S. Cattle
Authors: Workman Aspen M. , McDaneld Tara G. , Harhay Gregory P. , Das Subha , Loy John Dustin , Hause Benjamin M.
Published: September 2022

Bovine coronavirus (BCoV) has spilled over to many species, including humans, where the host range variant coronavirus OC43 is endemic. The balance of the opposing activities of the surface spike (S) and hemagglutinin-esterase (HE) glycoproteins controls BCoV avidity, which is critical for interspecies transmission and host adaptation. Here, 78 genomes were sequenced directly from clinical samples collected between 2013 and 2022 from cattle in 12 states, primarily in the Midwestern U.S. Relatively little genetic diversity was observed, with genomes having >98% nucleotide identity. Eleven isolates collected between 2020 and 2022 from four states (Nebraska, Colorado, California, and Wisconsin) contained a 12 nucleotide insertion in the receptor-binding domain (RBD) of the HE gene similar to one recently reported in China, and a single genome from Nebraska collected in 2020 contained a novel 12 nucleotide deletion in the HE gene RBD. Isogenic HE proteins containing either the insertion or deletion in the HE RBD maintained esterase activity and could bind bovine submaxillary mucin, a substrate enriched in the receptor 9-O-acetylated-sialic acid, despite modeling that predicted structural changes in the HE R3 loop critical for receptor binding. The emergence of BCoV with structural variants in the RBD raises the possibility of further interspecies transmission.
Assessment of Dengue and Chikungunya Infections among Febrile Patients Visiting Four Healthcare Centres in Yaoundé and Dizangué, Cameroon
Authors: Nana-Ndjangwo Stella Mariette , Djiappi-Tchamen Borel , Mony Ruth , Demanou Maurice , Keumezeu-Tsafack Joyce , Bamou Roland , Awono-Ambene Parfait , Bilong Bilong Charles Félix , Antonio-Nkondjio Christophe
Published: September 2022

Dengue and chikungunya are now widely distributed in Cameroon, but there is still not enough information on their prevalence in different epidemiological settings. This study was undertaken to assess the prevalence of dengue and chikungunya in both urban and rural settings in Cameroon using three diagnostic tools. From December 2019 to September 2021, willing febrile (temperature >38 °C) outpatients visiting four healthcare facilities in the cities of Yaoundé and Dizangué were screened for dengue, and chikungunya. Clinical features of patient were recorded in a form, and their blood samples were analysed using real-time reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (rtRT-PCR), rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) and enzyme-linked immuno-sorbent assays (ELISA). Odds ratios were used to determine the level of association between socio-demographic factors, clinical features, and infection status. The Kappa coefficient permitted to assess the level of agreement between RDTs and ELISA. Overall, 301 febrile patients were recruited in the study: 198 in Yaoundé and 103 in Dizangué. The prevalence of infection varied with the diagnostic tool used. For dengue diagnostics, 110 patients were positive to rtRT-PCR: 90 (45.45%) in Yaoundé, and 20 (19.42%) in Dizangué. The prevalence of dengue IgM using ELISA varied from 22.3% in Dizangué to 30.8% in Yaoundé. Dengue IgM rate using RDTs was 7.6% in Yaoundé and 3.9% in Dizangué. For chikungunya, one (0.5%) patient (Yaoundé, suburb) was positive to rtRT-PCR. The prevalence of chikungunya IgM according to ELISA varied from 18.4% in Dizangué to 21.7% in Yaoundé, while it was 4.5% in Yaoundé and 12.6% in Dizangué with RDTs. Only abdominal and retro-orbital pains were significantly associated with acute dengue infection. All four dengue serotypes were recorded, with a predominance of DENV-3 (35.45%) and DENV-4 (25.45%). Rapid Diagnostic Tests for either chikungunya or dengue displayed very poor sensitivity. This study further confirms the high endemicity of both dengue and chikungunya in Yaoundé and Dizangué. These data stress the need for active surveillance and the implementation of vector control measures to prevent the occurrence of outbreaks across the country.
An Unusual Resurgence of Human Metapneumovirus in Western Australia Following the Reduction of Non-Pharmaceutical Interventions to Prevent SARS-CoV-2 Transmission
Authors: Foley David Anthony , Sikazwe Chisha T. , Minney-Smith Cara A. , Ernst Timo , Moore Hannah C. , Nicol Mark P. , Smith David W. , Levy Avram , Blyth Christopher C.
Published: September 2022

Non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) to reduce SARS-CoV-2 transmission disrupted respiratory virus seasonality. We examined the unusual return of human metapneumovirus (hMPV) in Western Australia following a period of absence in 2020. We analysed hMPV laboratory testing data from 1 January 2017 to 31 December 2021. Whole-genome sequencing of selected hMPV-positive samples was performed using a tiled-amplicon approach. Following an absence in spring 2020, an unusual hMPV surge was observed during the wet summer season in the tropical Northern region in late 2020. Following a six-month delay, an intense winter season occurred in the subtropical/temperate Southern and Metropolitan regions. Compared to 2017–2019, hMPV incidence in 2021 increased by 3-fold, with a greater than 4-fold increase in children aged 1–4 years. There was a collapse in hMPV diversity in 2020, with the emergence of a single subtype. NPIs contributed to an absent 2020 season and a clonal hMPV resurgence. The summer surge and delayed winter season suggest that prevailing temperature and humidity are keys determinant of hMPV transmission. The increased incidence in 2021 was linked to an expanded cohort of hMPV-naïve 1–4-year-old children and waning population immunity. Further intense and unusual respiratory virus seasons are expected as COVID-19 associated NPIs are removed.
Contribution of Serum Cytomegalovirus PCR to Diagnosis of Early CMV Primary Infection in Pregnant Women
Authors: Périllaud-Dubois Claire , Bouthry Elise , Mouna Lina , Pirin Christine , Vieux-Combe Corinne , Picone Olivier , Roque-Afonso Anne-Marie , Vivanti Alexandre J. , Vauloup-Fellous Christelle
Published: September 2022

(1) Background: What is the role of serum CMV PCR in the diagnosis of recent primary infection (PI) in pregnant women when IgG avidity is uninformative? (2) Methods: Retrospective cohort study to compare serum versus whole blood CMV PCR. (a) Qualitative assessment: CMV PCR was performed on 123 serum samples and 74 whole blood samples collected from 132 pregnant women with recent CMV PI. PCR positivity rate was used to calculate sensitivity in serum and whole blood. (b) Quantitative assessment: CMV PCR was performed on 72 paired samples of serum and whole blood collected on the same day from 57 patients. (3) Results: In pregnant women, PCR positivity rate was 89% for serum samples versus 100% in whole blood in the case of very recent PI (<15 days), but only 27% in serum versus 68% in whole blood for PI occurring from 6 weeks to 3 months before. Comparing CMV viral loads between serum and whole blood, we determined the limit of CMV DNA detection in serum as 3 log copies/mL (whole blood equivalent). (4) Conclusions: Serum CMV PCR is reliable in confirming PI in cases when only IgM is detected. It is therefore a valuable tool in introducing valaciclovir treatment as early as possible to prevent mother-to-child CMV transmission.
New-Onset and Relapsed Membranous Nephropathy post SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19 Vaccination
Authors: Ma Qiqi , Li Xiang , Xu Gaosi
Published: September 2022

Since the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) outbreak and COVID-19 vaccination, new-onset and relapsed clinical cases of membranous nephropathy (MN) have been reported. However, their clinical characteristics and pathogenesis remained unclear. In this article, we collected five cases of MN associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection and 37 related to COVID-19 vaccination. Of these five cases, four (4/5, 80%) had acute kidney injury (AKI) at disease onset. Phospholipase A2 receptor (PLA2R) in kidney tissue was negative in three (3/5, 60%) patients, and no deposition of virus particles was measured among all patients. Conventional immunosuppressive drugs could induce disease remission. The underlying pathogenesis included the subepithelial deposition of viral antigens and aberrant immune response. New-onset and relapsed MN after COVID-19 vaccination generally occurred within two weeks after the second dose of vaccine. Almost 27% of patients (10/37) suffered from AKI. In total, 11 of 14 cases showed positive for PLA2R, and 20 of 26 (76.9%) presented with an elevated serum phospholipase A2 receptor antibody (PLA2R-Ab), in which 8 cases exceeded 50 RU/mL. Conventional immunosuppressive medications combined with rituximab were found more beneficial to disease remission for relapsed patients. In contrast, new-onset patients responded to conservative treatment. Overall, most patients (24/37, 64.9%) had a favorable prognosis. Cross immunity and enhanced immune response might contribute to explaining the mechanisms of MN post COVID-19 vaccination.
“Vision Loss” and COVID-19 Infection: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Ripa Matteo , Motta Lorenzo , Schipa Chiara , Rizzo Stanislao , Sollazzi Liliana , Aceto Paola
Published: September 2022

Background: Visual impairment in terms of reduced visual acuity and “visual loss” has been reported as an atypical symptom in patients with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. This systematic review and meta-analysis aims to assess the cumulative incidence of “visual loss” during coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and review the current evidence regarding “visual loss” caused by SARS-CoV-2 infection. Methods: We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. We systematically searched the PubMed, Embase, and Scopus databases for relevant studies published that clearly described “vision loss” and SARS-CoV-2 infection. All studies reporting concomitant “vision loss” and laboratory-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection were included. Meta-analyses were conducted using the measurement of risk and a 95% confidence interval for each study. Results: Our search identified 1143 manuscripts published in the English language. After study screening, twenty-nine articles were selected: two cross-sectional studies, twenty-four case reports, and three case series. A random-effect meta-analysis demonstrated that the pooled “visual loss” cumulative incidence in COVID-19 patients was 0.16 (95% CI 0.12–0.21). The quality rating of the cross-sectional studies averaged four out of the maximum score on the Newcastle–Ottawa scale. Conclusions: COVID-19 infection might cause “visual loss”. Even if the current evidence is limited, ophthalmological assessment should be promptly provided to all patients experiencing visual impairment symptoms during SARS-CoV-2 infection.
Enhanced Adsorption of Rhodamine B on Biomass of Cypress/False Cypress (Chamaecyparis lawsoniana) Fruit: Optimization and Kinetic Study
Authors: Gul Salma , Gul Hajera , Gul Maria , Khattak Rozina , Rukh Gul , Khan Muhammad Sufaid , Aouissi Hani Amir
Published: September 2022

Many industries use various dyes to beautify their products and discharge the waste into the water without proper treatment. Such wastewater is not only dangerous for aquatic life but it is also toxic to human life and can cause numerous problems, such as skin diseases, and some dyes are carcinogenic or even mutagenic as well. Rhodamine-B (RhB) is one of those synthetic organic dyes which is widely used in textile, paper making, leather manufacturing, stained glass work, cosmetics, and many other industries owing to its high tinting strength, high stability, and bright colour. Therefore, it is essential to either remove or reduce its concentration before releasing it into aquatic streams, as well as to minimize or control the cause of several diseases. Several physical and chemical methods have been used for the removal of different dyes from wastewater; nevertheless, adsorption is one of the best techniques used for the removal of dyes due to its high efficiency and low cost. In this regard, we used Chamaecyparis lawsoniana (C. lawsoniana) fruit as a bio-adsorbent for the removal of RhB from an aqueous solution. An 85.42% dye adsorption was achieved at optimized conditions (pH 2, 40 ppm initial dye concentration, 105 min, and 50 mg adsorbent). Adsorption occurs by pseudo-second-order kinetics, according to kinetic studies. Several samples from various sources, including tap water, distilled water, river water, and filtered river water, were tested for RhB removal, and the study revealed good results even in river water. Thus, C. lawsoniana fruit can be used for its real-world application.
First Application of the AMBI Index to the Macrobenthic Soft-Bottom Community of Terra Nova Bay (Ross Sea, Southern Ocean)
Authors: Munari Cristina , Borja Angel , Corinaldesi Cinzia , Rastelli Eugenio , Lo Martire Marco , Pitacco Valentina , Mistri Michele
Published: September 2022

The assemblages of marine benthic organisms and sediment characteristics were investigated in the coastal area between the Mario Zucchelli Antarctic Research Station and Adelie Cove in Terra Nova Bay (Ross Sea, Southern Ocean) during the 2015 summer season. Sediment samples were taken from 11 stations at depths between 25 and 140 m. The dominance of sand characterised sites, and the biochemical composition of the sedimentary organic matter resulted in very variable between the different sites. A total of 142 taxa were identified, with Annelida (68 taxa) and Arthropoda (35 taxa) constituting the main macrobenthic groups. The benthic community at deeper stations showed higher species richness and lower dominance compared to the shallower stations. For the first time in Antarctica, we also investigated the response of the AZTI’s Marine Biotic Index (AMBI) to the organic gradient. Of the 142 taxa found, 97 were not listed in the AMBI library, and we were able to assign as many as 88 taxa to an ecological group. All of these new species were added to the new AMBI species list. AMBI showed a good response to the organic gradient.
The Premise of Interdisciplinarity and Its Actual Absence—A Bibliometric Analysis of Publications on Heavy Rainfall
Authors: Sieber Guido , Freudenberg Benjamin , Netzel Leon , Schmidt Torsten Claus , Brandenstein Frederik
Published: September 2022

Working together across disciplinary boundaries is considered to be the gold standard for conducting meaningful research tackling complex problems. As this is the nature of many issues concerning water, one would assume interdisciplinarity as being a widespread trait of water research. To review this assumption, we chose to conduct an analysis of research output considering issues of stormwater management and heavy precipitation, as reflected in the meta-information for more than 300,000 documents supplied by Elsevier’s Scopus literature database. For this purpose, we applied a bibliometric measure based on Jaccard similarity determining the level of interdisciplinary cooperation between different fields of research on the topic above. Contrary to interdisciplinarity being depicted as highly desirable, it turns out to be a relatively marginal phenomenon, only growing slowly over the last 50 years.
Discrimination of Chemical Oxygen Demand Pollution in Surface Water Based on Visible Near-Infrared Spectroscopy
Authors: Han Xueqin , Chen Xiaoyan , Ma Jinfang , Chen Jiaze , Xie Baiheng , Yin Wenhua , Yang Yanyan , Jia Wenchao , Xie Danping , Huang Furong
Published: September 2022

Chemical oxygen demand (COD) is one of the indicators used to monitor the level of pollution in surface water. To recycle agricultural water resources, it is crucial to monitor, in a timely manner, whether COD in surface water exceeds the agricultural water control standard. A diagnostic model of surface water pollution was developed using visible near-infrared spectroscopy (Vis-NIR) combined with partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS–DA). A total of 127 surface water samples were collected from Guangzhou, Guangdong, China. The COD content was measured using the potassium dichromate method. The spectra of the surface water samples were recorded using a Vis-NIR spectrometer, and the spectral data were pre-processed using four different methods. To improve the accuracy and simplicity of the model, the synthetic minority oversampling technique (SMOTE) and the competitive adaptive reweighted sampling (CARS) algorithm were used to enhance model performance. The best PLS–DA model achieved an accuracy of 88%, and the SMOTE–PLS–DA model had an accuracy of 94%. The SMOTE algorithm could improve the accuracy of the model despite the sampling imbalance. The CARS–SMOTE–PLS–DA model achieved 97% accuracy, and the CARS band selection technique improved the simplicity and accuracy of the discrimination model. The CARS–SMOTE–PLS–DA model improved the discrimination accuracy by 9% over that of the PLS–DA model. This method can not only save human and material resources but is also a new way for real-time online discrimination of COD in surface water.
Geochemical Composition, Source and Geothermometry of Thermal Water in the Bugok Area, South Korea
Authors: Jeong Chanho , Lee Yujin , Lee Yongcheon , Ahn Sangwon , Nagao Keisuke
Published: September 2022

Thermal water from the hot springs around Bugok, South Korea, has the highest discharge temperature (78 °C), and the source of that heat is of primary interest. The key 3He/4He ratio runs along a single air-mixing line between the mantle and the crust, with the latter accounting for 97.0–97.3%. This suggests that the thermal source is radioactive decay in granodiorite, rock that intruded beneath the Cetaceous era sedimentary rock. Thermal water containing Na–HCO3 (SO4) evolved geochemically from stream water and groundwater containing Ca–HCO3. With respect to δ34S, there are two types of thermal water: low temperature with low δ34S (−3.00~+1.00‰), and high temperature with high δ34S (+4.60~+15.0‰), which is enriched by the kinetic fractionation of H2S. The thermal water samples, except for a few, reached partial chemical equilibrium. The thermal reservoir temperatures were estimated as in the range of 90–126 °C by the K–Mg geothermometer of Giggenbach and the thermodynamic equilibrium of quartz and muscovite. This study suggests a conceptual model for the formation of geothermal water, including the thermal reservoir in the Bugok area.
Identifying Cost-Effective Low-Impact Development (LID) under Climate Change: A Multi-Objective Optimization Approach
Authors: Abduljaleel Yasir , Demissie Yonas
Published: September 2022

Low-impact development (LID) is increasingly used to reduce stormwater’s quality and quantity impacts associated with climate change and increased urbanization. However, due to the significant variations in their efficiencies and site-specific requirements, an optimal combination of different LIDs is required to benefit from their full potential. In this article, the multi-objective genetic algorithm (MOGA) was coupled with the stormwater management model (SWMM) to identify both hydrological and cost-effective LIDs combinations within a large urban watershed. MOGA iteratively optimizes the types, sizes, and locations of different LIDs using a combined cost- and runoff-related objective function under both past and future stormwater conditions. The infiltration trench (IT), rain barrel (RB), rain gardens (RG), bioretention (BR), and permeable pavement were used as potential LIDs since they are common in our study area—the city of Renton, WA, USA. The city is currently adapting different LIDs to mitigate the recent increase in stormwater system failures and flooding. The results from our study showed that the optimum combination of LIDs in the city could reduce the peak flow and total runoff volume by up to 62.25% and 80% for past storms and by13% and 29% for future storms, respectively. The findings and methodologies presented in this study are expected to contribute to the ongoing efforts to improve the performance of large-scale implementations of LIDs.
Research on Hydraulics and River Dynamics
Authors: Hrissanthou Vlassios
Published: September 2022

River engineering is one of the most important subjects in hydraulic engineering [...]
How Complex Groundwater Flow Systems Respond to Climate Change Induced Recharge Reduction?
Authors: Trásy-Havril Timea , Szkolnikovics-Simon Szilvia , Mádl-Szőnyi Judit
Published: September 2022

Our recent knowledge about the role of different fluid driving forces in the response of groundwater flow systems to climate change is still limited. This current study aimed to evaluate possible spatial and temporal changes in complex, gravity- and overpressure-driven groundwater flow systems induced by climate change and look for general trends and characteristics of the flow field using 2D transient groundwater flow simulations. Results showed significant large-scale changes in the transient subsurface flow field and flow dynamics due to recharge reduction. Local gravity-driven flow systems are the most vulnerable to atmospheric processes, while overpressured regimes are expected to be independent of direct climatic variability. By the involvement of different degrees of overpressure, it was revealed that, as the degree of overpressure increases, the penetration depth of the topography-driven local flow systems decreases. The higher the overpressure, the lower the climate change-induced groundwater level decrease over time, suggesting the buffering effect of overpressure as a fluid driving force in the flow systems’ response to the changes in hydrologic parameters. The main novelty of the study is the involvement of different fluid driving forces in the evaluation with the combination of a regional scale investigation, which is unique in the context of climate change effects on groundwater systems.
Testing Groundwater Quality in Jouamaa Hakama Region (North of Morocco) Using Water Quality Indices (WQIs) and Fuzzy Logic Method: An Exploratory Study
Authors: Azzirgue El Mustapha , Cherif El Khalil , Tchakoucht Taha Ait , Azhari Hamza El , Salmoun Farida
Published: September 2022

Groundwater is one of the important determinants of human health in many regions of Morocco. Indeed, it is one of the government’s top concerns. However, slow and wrong decisions are hindering the advancement of the quality of groundwater in Morocco. The traditional monitoring methods are costly, time-consuming, and human-resource-intensive, especially in such a developing country. An exploratory study was conducted in the Jouamaa Hakama region in Morocco to test and compare groundwater quality using in situ measurements, water quality indices (WQIs), and a fuzzy logic (FL) method. The methodology followed in this study involves using and comparing four WQIs and FL based on in situ measurements at nine different wells along the Ouljat Echatt River downstream of the Chrafate wastewater treatment station. Twelve physical–chemical and bacteriological parameters: potential of hydrogen (pH), temperature (T°), turbidity (TURB), chemical oxygen demand (COD), biochemical oxygen demand in five days (BOD5), suspended matter (SM), phosphate (PO43−), nitrite (NO2−), nitrate (NO3−), ammonium (NH4+), dissolved oxygen (DO), electrical conductivity (EC), and fecal coliforms (FC) were measured in 2016 and 2017. The results show that all wells are of poor quality according to FL and WQIs; the Weighted Geometric WQI and Oregon WQI indicate that the groundwater is below the acceptable standard for human consumption, while the Weighted Arithmetic WQI and Logarithmic WQI indicate that the majority of wells are of good quality. These tested indices represent an excellent tool to support decision making and can be highly helpful in monitoring groundwater quality in vulnerable areas such as the Jouamaa Hakama region in the north of Morocco.
Quickly Assess the Direct Loss of Houses Caused by a Typhoon-Rainstorm-Storm Surge–Flood Chain: Case of Haikou City
Authors: Wan Jinhong , Wang Lisha , Yue Yaojie , Wang Zhiyuan
Published: September 2022

With changing climate, coastal areas are facing increasingly threats from the typhoon–rainstorm–storm surge-flood (TRSSF) chain. However, among various exposures of the TRSSF chain, it is still a great challenge to quickly assess the direct losses of houses, due to the complex mechanisms underlying building damage. The objective of this article is therefore to explore a simple method of quickly assessing the house losses caused by the TRSSF chain, based on a small amount of data. To achieve this goal, a method of multi factors regression and a spatial information network were proposed. The results in Haikou City show that the loss rate of house assets is significantly lower than that of indoor property. Spatially, the areas with higher loss rates are generally distributed along the Nandu River. The direct economic losses associated with houses in the return periods of 10, 20, 50, and 100 years range from 1.3 to 2 billion RMB. Our findings highlight the significance and possibility of quickly assessing the direct house losses caused by TRSSF chain using a small amount of data. It indicates that the house losses are not only determined by TRSSF intensity, but also closely related to socio-economic, topography and house location.
Experimental and Theoretical Explanations for the Initial Difference in the Hydraulic Head in Aquitards
Authors: Xu Yongliang , Du Chaoyang , Ma Haizhi , Pang Wei , Huang Suhang , Li Shimin
Published: September 2022

Accurate estimation of the buoyancy forces exerted on underground structures is a problem in geotechnical engineering that directly impacts the construction safety and cost of these structures. Therefore, studying the buoyancy resistance of underground structures has great scientific and practical value. In this study, an initial difference in the hydraulic head, Δh0, was discovered to be present in aquitards through analysis of water-level data collected from the observation of real-world structures and in laboratory control tests. That is, seepage occurs beyond a threshold Δh0. Analysis of test data reveals that a deviation from Darcy’s law is the theoretical basis for Δh0 and that Δh0 equals the initial hydraulic gradient multiplied by the length of the seepage path. The general consistency between the experimentally measured and theoretically calculated values of Δh0 validates the theoretical explanation for Δh0. The results of this study provide a basis for scientifically calculating the buoyancy resistance required for the construction of underground structures.
Soil Salinity Patterns in an Olive Grove Irrigated with Reclaimed Table Olive Processing Wastewater
Authors: Vanderlinden Karl , Martínez Gonzalo , Ramos Mario , Laguna Ana , Vanwalleghem Tom , Peña Adolfo , Carbonell Rosa , Ordóñez Rafaela , Giráldez Juan Vicente
Published: September 2022

The agricultural use of saline table olive processing wastewater enables the implementation of closed water cycles in this socioeconomically important industry for rural southern Spain and relieves environmental, economic, and legal burdens. To allow growers to evaluate and guarantee adequate long-term soil and plant conditions when irrigating with such regenerated wastewaters, efficient soil monitoring strategies are needed. Field-scale monitoring with electromagnetic induction sensing, after one (2013) and five years (2017) of irrigation with regenerated wastewater with average electrical conductivity (EC) near 6 dS m−1 in an olive orchard in southern Spain, showed accumulation of highly conductive material in the subsoil in relation to local topography and soil characteristics. Laboratory analysis of the soil water revealed strongly varying patterns of EC during the growing season and across the olive grove, which were attributed to dilution and concentration effects due to rainfall and evaporation, respectively. Visual inspection and leaf analyses revealed no negative effects on the olive trees. Apparent electrical conductivity (ECa), measured in between the tree rows in 2013, showed a linear relationship with surface soil EC1:5 under the drippers and allowed identification of areas with high ECa in the low elevation zones of the farm, due to the presence of shallow perched saline water tables. A second ECa measurement in 2017 showed similar spatial ECa patterns and was used to estimate the distribution of soil EC across the soil profile using inversion software, although no unique field-wide relationships with soil properties could be inferred, possibly as a consequence of spatially variable soil clay and water contents, due to the influence of the topography. Despite the implementation of a more conservative irrigation strategy since 2015, results showed that the salinity has increased since 2013 in about 15% of the study area, with the largest increments in the deepest horizons.
Country-Level Variations in Overweight and Obesity among Reproductive-Aged Women in Sub-Saharan Countries
Authors: Owobi Olah , Okonji Osaretin , Nzoputam Chimezie , Ekholuenetale Michael
Published: September 2022

Background: Overweight and obesity in adults are on the rise around the world, contributing significantly to noncommunicable disease deaths and disability. Women bear a disproportionate burden of obesity when compared with men, which has a negative impact on their health and the health of their children. The objective of this study was to examine the country-level prevalence of overweight and obesity among women of reproductive age in sub-Saharan countries. Methods: A total of 504,264 women from 2006 to 2021 were examined using cross-sectional Demographic and Health Surveys data. The outcome variables for this study include: (a) women who are overweight according to body mass index (BMI) (25.0–29.9kg/m2); (b) women who are obese according to BMI (≥30.0 kg/m2). Results: Eswatini (28%), Mauritania (27%), South Africa (26%), Gabon, Lesotho and Ghana (25% each) had the highest prevalences of overweight. In addition, obesity prevalence was highest in South Africa (36%), Mauritania (27%), Eswatini (23%), Lesotho (20%), Gabon (19%) and Ghana (15%), respectively. Overweight and obesity were more prevalent among older women, those living in urban areas, women with secondary/higher education and those in the richest household wealth quintiles. Conclusion: The risk factors for overweight and obesity, as well as the role that lifestyle changes play in preventing obesity and the associated health risks, must be made more widely known. In order to identify those who are at risk of obesity, we also recommend that African countries regularly measure their citizens’ biometric characteristics.
STRATEGIC PLANNING OF THE SPATIAL DEVELOPMENT OF RUSSIA AND ITS MACRO-REGIONS: CAPTURED TO OLD ILLUSIONS
Authors: Kryukov Valeriy A. , Seliverstov Viacheslav E.
Published: September 2022

The article considers the genesis and effectiveness of the development of a multilevel system of strategic planning in the Russian Federation at the national, interregional and regional levels. It is shown that at the regional and municipal levels of strategizing the situation in the new millennium was much more positive than at the national and interregional levels. As an example, the Spatial Development Strategy of the Russian Federation for the period up to 2025 is considered, and the text of the expert opinion of the Institute of Economics and Industrial Engineering, Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences on the draft Strategy for the socio-economic development of the Siberian Federal District (SFD) until 2035 is given. It is concluded that that this document has numerous shortcomings and cannot be accepted even as the basis of the SFD strategy. Taking into account the special importance of the development of Asian Russia as a priority area of national and interregional strategizing in the current geopolitical and economic conditions of global instability and turbulence, directions for its modernization are formulated.
”RUSSIAN DISEASE” AS A STAGE OF THE EVOLUTION OF THE GRONINGEN EFFECT
Authors: Kapkanshchikov Sergey G.
Published: September 2022

The article describes the “symptoms” and the methods of unfolding of the “Dutch disease”. Transitioning of Russia’s “Dutch disease” to a more acute form is viewed as a cyclical process predetermined by both an excessive strengthening of Rouble and by wide gaps in profitability between natural resource complex and other industries. The article also explains the meaning of the so-called “Russian disease” as well as the drivers of its spreading through Russia’s economy. The author argues that an acceleration of Russia’s GDP growth is not possible under the narrow framework of the natural resource extraction economic model which justifies in author’s view a need for transition from the resource economy to an economy based on science and technology development.
EFFICIENT FUNCTIONING OF DIGITAL INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGICAL PLATFORMS: INSTITUTIONAL DIMENSION
Authors: Volkova Tatyana I.
Published: September 2022

The rapid development of complex digitalization processes, the formation and development of digital platforms is significantly ahead of the possibilities of their full-fledged, comprehensive, interdisciplinary understanding, both in theoretical and methodological, and organizational, managerial, and methodological aspects. The author of the article implements the target setting to fill the existing gaps in the study of platform-network interaction of agents of digital innovative technological platforms with an emphasis on its possible measurements and assessment. There is a certain difficulty in solving this popular problem, given the predominance of a formal-organizational approach in the corresponding evaluation system (moreover, for certain types of platforms). We have carried out a certain localization of the subject of study — the measurement of key parameters of platform-network interaction in the institutional aspect. A conceptual and institutional model for measuring the key qualitative parameters of the effective functioning of digital innovative technological platforms is proposed based on the synthesis of the provisions of the institutional theory and the theory of complex systems management, as well as the development and use of a system of organizational and economic criteria. Within the framework of the proposed conceptual and institutional model, an organizational and managerial development of measuring key parameters (organizational, informational, intellectual-technological, socio-economic) was carried out on the basis of tools: theoretical (information-network theory) and practical (the demanded model "structure-behavior-result", in the author’s interpretation). The system-forming factor of ensuring the fine tuning of a complex, often contradictory, multi-agent process of the effective functioning of innovative technological platforms is singled out. This is an intellectual and competence factor represented by highly qualified developers, managers, and experts with specialized interdisciplinary training. These author’s developments can find practical application as theoretical and methodological foundations for ensuring the productivity of business strategies and business models of Russian high-tech innovative companies — agents of digital platforms, including international ones. The developments are designed to reduce the level of uncertainty and risks that impede, as evidenced by foreign experience, the effective functioning of platforms and often lead to their destruction.
Ayaktan Kemoterapi Alan Hastaların Sosyal Destek ve Anksiyete Düzeylerinin Belirlenmesi
Authors: KAYKUNOĞLU Metin , TAMBAĞ Hatice
Published: September 2022

Giriş ve Amaç: Ayaktan kemoterapi alan hastaların sosyal destek ve anksiyete düzeylerinin belirlenmesi amacıyla kesitsel bir çalışma olarak yapılmıştır.

Gereç ve Yöntemler: Araştırma, Sağlık Bakanlığı İl Sağlık Müdürlüğü X Devlet Hastanesi günübirlik kemoterapi ünitesinde 104 hasta ile yapılmıştır. Veri toplama araçları olarak Kanser Hastası Sosyal Destek Ölçeği (KHSDÖ), Durumluluk ve Sürekli Kaygı Ölçeği (STAI) ile Kişisel Bilgi Formu kullanılmıştır. Verilerin değerlendirilmesinde sayı, yüzdelik, Mann Whitney U, Kruskal Wallis, All Pairwise testi ve Spearman korelasyon katsayısı kullanılmıştır.

Bulgular: Hastaların %30.8’inin 40-49 yaş grubunda, %54.8'inin kadın,%64.4'ünün ilköğretim mezunu olduğu saptanmıştır. Araştırmaya katılan hastaların KHSDÖ toplam puan ortalaması 141.38±20.82, KHSDÖ alt ölçeklerinden; güven desteği puan ortalaması 56.50±8.16, duygusal destek puan ortalaması 48.59±7.66 ve bilgi destek puan ortalaması 36.28±7.28 olarak saptanmıştır. Araştırmaya katılan hastaların STAI ölçeklerinden; durumluk kaygı puan ortalaması 40.40±3.89 ve sürekli kaygı puan ortalaması 46.67±6.33 olarak saptanmıştır. Hastaların gereksinim duyduğu anda yardım talep edebilmeleri, tedavinin aile ile olan ilişkileri etkileme durumları ile KHSDÖ toplam ve alt ölçekleri arasında, kronik hastalığı olma durumları ile durumluk kaygı arasında anlamlı ilişki bulunmuştur (p
INFLUENCE OF MOTOR ACTIVITY ON THE PSYCHOLOGICAL AND FUNCTIONAL STATE OF THE ORGANISM
Authors: Grigoreva I. , Volkova E. , Zelikova N. , Kuznetsov I.
Published: September 2022

The article discusses motor activity, which contains certain patterns of exercises that can influence the development and improvement of all body systems in the right direction, influencing them in a positive, health-improving and strengthening way. A reasonable combination of physical activity, rest and mental work is a necessary condition for the preservation and restoration of the psychophysical health of each individual.
Challenges Smart Grid in Blockchain Applications
Authors: Immaniar Dewi , Aryani Anna Ayu , Ula Shinta Zahrotul
Published: September 2022

Globally, interest in renewable energy has grown recently. The microgrid integrates traditional dispersed energy resources utilizing technological tools and information technology, making it more effective and flexible to enhance the economic and environmental situations (IT). One of these technologies that has drawn interest in microgrid applications to create a sustainable society is blockchain. The blockchain idea can offer immutability for microgrid transactions such as recording power generation levels and confirming transactions between generators and end consumers. By eliminating the need to connect with third parties, blockchain-based smart contracts can be utilized for auditing or resolving a transaction dispute between the producers and the users. In this paper, we highlight many recent research projects on blockchain applications in microgrids and the use of smart contracts to enhance the transactive resilience in microgrids.