bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Unique Phenanthrenes from Juncus ensifolius and Their Antiproliferative and Synergistic Effects with the Conventional Anticancer Agent Doxorubicin against Human Cancer Cell Lines
Authors: Stefkó Dóra , Kúsz Norbert , Szemerédi Nikoletta , Barta Anita , Spengler Gabriella , Berkecz Róbert , Hohmann Judit , Vasas Andrea
Published: March 2022

Phenanthrenes are the main special metabolites of Juncaceae species from phytochemical, pharmacological, and chemotaxonomical points of view. The present study focused on the isolation, structure determination, and pharmacological investigation of phenanthrenes from Juncus ensifolius. Nineteen compounds, including 17 phenanthrenes, were identified from the methanol extract of the plant. Thirteen compounds, namely, ensifolins A–M (1–13), were obtained for the first time from natural sources. Four phenanthrenes [2-hydroxy-1,7-dimethyl-5-vinyl-9,10-dihydrophenanthrene (14), juncuenin B (15), juncatrin B (16), and sylvaticin A (17)], 4-hydroxybenzaldehyde (18) and luteolin (19) were isolated for the first time from J. ensifolius. Ensifolins A (1) and B (2) are structurally unique phenanthrenes, considering that they are flavonoid- (1) or benzaldehyde-adducts (2). The antiproliferative activity of all isolated compounds against HeLa, COLO 205, and COLO 320 cancer cells and a non-tumor (MRC-5) cell line was tested using the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl-2H-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) viability assay. The luteolin-substituted phenanthrene ensifolin A (1) proved to be the most active against all three cancer cell lines (IC50 values 3.9–12.7 μM) and showed good selectivity (SI = 4.95) in the case of COLO 205. The best selectivity was recorded for ensifolins D (4, SI > 5.15, HeLa), H (8, SI > 8.13, HeLa), and 17 (SI > 9.43, HeLa). The synergistic activity of the compounds with doxorubicin was also tested on HeLa cells, and ensifolins E (5) and H (8) exhibited very strong synergism (CI < 0.1). In conclusion, these phenanthrenes are worthy of further investigation.
The Advent of a New Era in Digital Healthcare: A Role for 3D Printing Technologies in Drug Manufacturing?
Authors: Andreadis Ioannis I. , Gioumouxouzis Christos I. , Eleftheriadis Georgios K. , Fatouros Dimitrios G.
Published: March 2022

The technological revolution has physically affected all manufacturing domains, at the gateway of the fourth industrial revolution. Three-dimensional (3D) printing has already shown its potential in this new reality, exhibiting remarkable applications in the production of drug delivery systems. As part of this concept, personalization of the dosage form by means of individualized drug dose or improved formulation functionalities has concentrated global research efforts. Beyond the manufacturing level, significant parameters must be considered to promote the real-time manufacturing of pharmaceutical products in distributed areas. The majority of current research activities is focused on formulating 3D-printed drug delivery systems while showcasing different scenarios of installing 3D printers in patients’ houses, hospitals, and community pharmacies, as well as in pharmaceutical industries. Such research presents an array of parameters that must be considered to integrate 3D printing in a future healthcare system, with special focus on regulatory issues, drug shortages, quality assurance of the product, and acceptability of these scenarios by healthcare professionals and public parties. The objective of this review is to critically present the spectrum of possible scenarios of 3D printing implementation in future healthcare and to discuss the inevitable issues that must be addressed.
Combined TPEF and SHG Imaging for the Microstructural Characterization of Different Wood Species Used in Artworks
Authors: Dal Fovo Alice , Mattana Sara , Marchetti Marco , Anichini Monica , Giovannelli Alessio , Baria Enrico , Fontana Raffaella , Cicchi Riccardo
Published: March 2022

The morphological and chemical conformation of wood microstructures is characteristic of individual species and strongly influences the macromechanical properties of the material, as well as its sensitivity to deterioration factors. Noninvasive techniques enabling the visualization of wood microstructures, while simultaneously providing compositional information, can significantly facilitate the analysis of wooden artworks for conservation purposes. In this paper, we present the application of combined two-photon excited fluorescence (TPEF) and second-harmonic generation (SHG) imaging as a versatile diagnostic tool for the microcharacterization of three hardwood species never analyzed by this method. Multimodal mapping of the molecular constituents based on the detected nonlinear signals provides useful information for studying the biological and biochemical deterioration of wood, opening a new field of application for a well-established and widely used imaging technology.
Growth Optimization and Secondary Metabolites Evaluation of Anabaena variabilis for Acetylcholinesterase Inhibition Activity
Authors: Refaay Dina A. , Abdel-Hamid Mohammed I. , Alyamani Amal A. , Abdel Mougib Mamdouh , Ahmed Dalia M. , Negm Amr , Mowafy Amr M. , Ibrahim Amira A. , Mahmoud Rania M.
Published: March 2022

Cyanobacteria comprise a good natural resource of a potential variety of neuro-chemicals, including acetylcholinesterase inhibitors essential for Alzheimer’s disease treatment. Accordingly, eight different cyanobacterial species were isolated, identified, and evaluated on their growth on different standard nutrient media. It was found that the modified Navicula medium supported the highest growth of the test cyanobacteria. The effects of methylene chloride/methanol crude extracts of the test cyanobacteria on acetylcholinesterase activity were examined and compared. Anabaena variabilis (KU696637.1) crude extract recorded the highest acetylcholinesterase inhibition (62 ± 1.3%). Navicula medium chemical components were optimized through a Plackett–Burman factorial design. The biomass of Anabaena variabilis increased significantly when grown on the optimized medium compared to that of control. The chemical analysis of the fractions derived from Anabaena variabilis showed the presence of two compounds in significant amounts: the flavonoid 5,7-dihydroxy-2-phenyl-4H-chrome-4-one and the alkaloid 4-phenyl-2-(pyridin-3-yl) quinazoline. Molecular docking studies revealed that both compounds interact with the allosteric binding site of acetylcholinesterase at the periphery with π-π stackings with Tyr341 and Trp286 with good, predicted partition coefficient. The compounds obtained from this study open the door for promising drug candidates to treat Alzheimer’s disease for their better pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetic properties.
Inflorescence Transcriptome Sequencing and Development of New EST-SSR Markers in Common Buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum)
Authors: Liu Yang , Fang Xiaomei , Tang Tian , Wang Yudong , Wu Yinhuan , Luo Jinyu , Wu Haotian , Wang Yingqian , Zhang Jian , Ruan Renwu , Zhou Meiliang , Zhang Kaixuan , Yi Zelin
Published: March 2022

Common buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum M.) is known for its adaptability, good nutrition, and medicinal and health care value. However, genetic studies of buckwheat have been hindered by limited genomic resources and genetic markers. In this study, Illumina HiSeq 4000 high-throughput sequencing technology was used to sequence the transcriptome of green-flower common buckwheat (Gr) with coarse pedicels and white-flower Ukrainian daliqiao (UD) with fine pedicels. A total of 118,448 unigenes were obtained, with an average length of 1248 bp and an N50 of 1850 bp. A total of 39,432 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified, and the DEGs of the porphyrins and chlorophyll metabolic pathway had significantly upregulated expression in Gr. Then, a total of 17,579 sequences containing SSR loci were detected, and 20,756 EST-SSR loci were found. The distribution frequency of EST-SSR in the transcriptome was 17.52%, and the average distribution density was 8.21 kb. A total of 224 pairs of primers were randomly selected for synthesis; 35 varieties of common buckwheat and 13 varieties of Tartary buckwheat were verified through these primers. The clustering results well verified the previous conclusion that common buckwheat and Tartary buckwheat had a distant genetic relationship. The EST-SSR markers identified and developed in this study will be helpful to enrich the transcriptome information and marker-assisted selection breeding of buckwheat.
Experimental Study on Effects of Additional Prestressing Using Fiber Reinforced Polymers and Strands on Deterioration of PSC Bridge Structure
Authors: Kim Tae-Kyun , Jung Woo-Tai , Park Jong-Sup , Park Hee-Beom
Published: March 2022

Concrete bridge structures require reinforcement, as their performance deteriorates over time. In this regard, this study evaluated the effect of additional prestressing using fiber-reinforced polymers (FRPs) and strands applied to a demolished, deteriorated bridge. In particular, specimens were prepared for a bridge subjected to non-, near-surface mounted (NSM), and external prestressing (EP) strengthening to evaluate the stiffness and safety of the structure. In the 200–400 kN load range, the EP method exhibited the highest stiffness (15 kN/mm), followed by non-strengthening (8.5 kN/mm) and the NSM method (5.45 kN/mm). The EP method increased the stiffness by approximately two times; however, the NSM method decreased the stiffness by 0.6 times. In the 400–800 kN load range, the EP and NSM methods yielded stiffness values of 2.58 and 0.7 kN/mm, respectively. These results confirm that the EP method reinforces the structure. The results of this study are expected to be used as basic data to reinforce deteriorated bridges in actual operation.
Land Resource Depletion, Regional Disparities, and the Claim for a Renewed ‘Sustainability Thinking’ under Early Desertification Conditions
Authors: Salvia Rosanna , Quaranta Valentina , Sateriano Adele , Quaranta Giovanni
Published: March 2022

The present contribution discusses recent findings in environmental issues dealing with desertification risk and regional disparities in the Mediterranean basin. By focusing on key socioeconomic factors underlying land and soil degradation (population growth, urban sprawl, coastalization, agricultural intensification, and land abandonment), this commentary highlights the intimate linkage between socioeconomic processes, rural poverty, and territorial disparities based on complex dynamics of demographic and economic factors. The increasing complexity in the spatial distribution of land vulnerable to degradation has also been pointed out with special reference to post-war Italy, a Mediterranean country considered as particularly affected in the UNCCD Annex IV, as the results of non-linear biophysical and socioeconomic dynamics. The lack in multi-target and multi-scale policies approaching land degradation and territorial disparities together is finally discussed as an original contribution to the study of Mediterranean desertification.
Inventory and Spatiotemporal Patterns of Glacial Lakes in the HKH-TMHA Region from 1990 to 2020
Authors: Li Wenping , Wang Wei , Gao Xing , Wang Xuecheng , Wang Ruohan
Published: March 2022

The Himalayan, Karakoram, and Hindu Kush (HKH-TMHA) are the three main mountain ranges in the high-mountain Asia region, covering the China–Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). In this study, we identified glacial lakes in the HKH-TMHA region based on multitemporal Landsat images taken from 1990 to 2020. We analyzed the spatial distribution and evolution of glacial lakes in the HKH-TMHA region from the perspective of their elevation, size, and terrain aspect; then, we described their temporal changes. The results showed that approximately 84.56% of the glacial lakes (84.1% of the total lake area) were located at elevations between 4000 m and 5500 m, and glacial lakes with areas ranging from 0.01–0.5 km2 accounted for approximately 95.21% of the number and 63.01% of the total area of glacial lakes. The number (38.64%) and area (58.83%) of south-facing glacial lakes were largest in HKH-TMHA and expanded significantly over time. There were 5835 (664.84 ± 89.72 km2) glacial lakes in 1990; from 1990 to 2020, the number of glacial lakes in the HKH-TMHA region increased by 5974 (408.93 km2) in total; and the annual average increase in the area of glacial lakes reached 13.63 km2 (11.15%). In 2020, the total number of glacial lake reached to 9673 (899.66 ± 120.63 km2). In addition, most glacial lakes were located in the Eastern Himalayan, China, and the Indus Basin. Based on the precipitation and temperature analyses performed in our study area, we found inconsistent climate characteristics and changes in the three mountain ranges. In general, the daily precipitation (temperature) increased by 1.0766 mm (1.0311 °C), 0.8544 mm (0.8346 °C), and 0.8245 mm (−0.1042 °C) on the yearly, summer, and winter scales, respectively. Glacial melting and climate change are common contributors to glacial lake expansion. The investigation of glacial lakes in this region can provide basic supporting data for research on glacial lake-related disasters, land cover, and climate change in the high-mountain Asia region.
Deep-Learning-Based Object Filtering According to Altitude for Improvement of Obstacle Recognition during Autonomous Flight
Authors: Lee Yongwoo , An Junkang , Joe Inwhee
Published: March 2022

The autonomous flight of an unmanned aerial vehicle refers to creating a new flight route after self-recognition and judgment when an unexpected situation occurs during the flight. The unmanned aerial vehicle can fly at a high speed of more than 60 km/h, so obstacle recognition and avoidance must be implemented in real-time. In this paper, we propose to recognize objects quickly and accurately by effectively using the H/W resources of small computers mounted on industrial unmanned air vehicles. Since the number of pixels in the image decreases after the resizing process, filtering and object resizing were performed according to the altitude, so that quick detection and avoidance could be performed. To this end, objects up to 60 m in height were classified by subdividing them at 20 m intervals, and objects unnecessary for object detection were filtered with deep learning methods. In the 40 m to 60 m sections, the average speed of recognition was increased by 38%, without compromising the accuracy of object detection.
Potential of Convolutional Neural Networks for Forest Mapping Using Sentinel-1 Interferometric Short Time Series
Authors: Dal Molin Ricardo , Rizzoli Paola
Published: March 2022

The monitoring of land cover and land use patterns is pivotal in the joint effort to fight deforestation in the Amazon and study its relation to climate change effects with respect to anthropogenic activities. Most of the region, typically monitored with optical sensors, is hidden by a persistent cloud cover for most of the wet season. The necessity for a consistent and reliable deforestation warning system based on cloud-independent radar data is therefore of particular interest. In this paper, we investigated the potential of combining deep learning with Sentinel-1 (S-1) Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) short time series (STS), covering only 24 d of acquisitions, to map endangered areas in the Amazon Basin. To this end, we implemented a U-Net-like convolutional neural network (CNN) for multi-layer semantic segmentation, trained from scratch with different sets of input features to evaluate the viability of the proposed approach for different operating conditions. As input features, we relied on both multi-temporal backscatter and interferometric coherences at different temporal baselines. We provide a detailed performance benchmark of the different configurations, also considering the current state-of-the-art approaches based on S-1 STS and shallow learners. Our findings showed that, by exploiting the powerful learning capabilities of CNNs, we outperformed the STS-based approaches published in the literature and significantly reduced the computational load. Indeed, when considering the entire stack of Sentinel-1 data at a 6 d revisit time, we were able to maintain the overall accuracy and F1-score well above 90% and reduce the computational time by more than 50% with respect to state-of-the-art approaches, by avoiding the generation of handcrafted feature maps. Moreover, we achieved satisfactory results even when only S-1 InSAR acquisitions with a revisit time of 12 d or more were used, setting the groundwork for an effective and fast monitoring of tropical forests at a global scale.
Marriage, Parentage and Child Registration in Iran: Legal Status of Children of Unmarried Parents
Authors: Rahbari Ladan
Published: March 2022

In the contemporary legal system in Iran, child registration is closely tied to Islamic marriage. The Civil Registration Law foresees a process for registering a child born to Islamically married parents. This raises the question of what happens to children whose parents are not married. This paper uses literature review and content analysis methods and focuses on the Iranian law, press and media pieces, Shi’i rulings, and academic literature on child ‘legitimacy’ and the unregistered child phenomenon to answer this question. I explore the relationship between Iran’s marriage and parentage law and the child registration process. The paper discusses the consequences of rendering children legally ‘illegitimate’ for children’s rights. The conclusion addresses the potential in the Shi’i school of Islam to improve religious rulings and, consequently, the possibility of changing discriminatory laws regarding the rights of children born to unmarried parents.
Social Innovation Impacts and Their Assessment: An Exploratory Study of a Social Innovation Initiative from a Portuguese Rural Region
Authors: Novikova Marina
Published: March 2022

Over recent decades, various approaches to social innovation (SI) have been developed. At the same time, the question on how SI can contribute to and can impact the development of rural regions still remains only partially answered. One of the research gaps that remains addressed only to a certain extent is associated with the ways in which impacts produced by SI can be assessed. Such research, focusing on SI impacts in rural contexts is even more scarce. In the current paper, an attempt is made to investigate the impacts of an SI initiative operating in the field of integrated rural development. The study takes on a case study design focusing on ADC Moura, a local development association from Baixo Alentejo, Portugal. The results show that the impacts of said SI initiative have a multi-sectoral and multi-durational nature and transcend sectors and address multiple domains (social, economic, institutional, and environmental), with the SI initiative having the most impacts on the local level of the municipality. In addition to this, the paper provides some ideas for further research.
Lessons Learned from Topic Modeling Analysis of COVID-19 News to Enrich Statistics Education in Korea
Authors: Kang Seokmin , Kim Sungyeun
Published: March 2022

This study aimed to investigate how mass media in Korea dealt with various issues arising from COVID-19 and the implications of this on statistics education in South Korea during the recent pandemic. We extracted news articles with the keywords “Corona” and “Statistics” from 18 February to 20 May 2020. We employed word frequency analysis, topic modeling, semantic network analysis, hierarchical clustering, and simple linear regression analysis. The main results of this study are as follows. First, the topic modeling analysis revealed four topics, namely “macroeconomy”, “domestic outbreak”, “international outbreak”, and “real estate and stocks”. Second, a simple linear regression analysis displayed two rising topics, “macroeconomy” and “real estate and stocks” and two falling topics, “domestic outbreak” and “international outbreak” regarding the statistics related to COVID-19 as time passed. Based on these findings, we suggest that the high school mathematics curriculum of Korea should be revised to use real-life context to enable integrated education, social justice for statistics education, and simple linear regression analysis.
RETRACTED: Wu, S. The Temporal-Spatial Distribution and Information-Diffusion-Based Risk Assessment of Forest Fires in China. Sustainability 2021, 13, 13859
Authors: Wu Shu
Published: March 2022

The author and journal retract the article (The Temporal-Spatial Distribution and Information-Diffusion-Based Risk Assessment of Forest Fires in China) [...]
The Influence of Leadership Style in China SMEs on Enterprise Innovation Performance: The Mediating Roles of Organizational Learning
Authors: Cui Fang , Lim Hyunbin , Song Jaehoon
Published: March 2022

This study explores the relationship among leadership styles (transformation and transaction types), organization learning, and enterprise innovation performance in China SMEs. The main purpose of this study is to find out the innovation performance of Chines SMEs, according to leadership styles. Thus, we collected data from 417 Chinese consumers through on/off line. The major empirical findings are as follows. First, the transformation leadership and transactional leadership style have a positive impact on organizational learning. Second, the research results of this study verify the positive impact of leadership style on innovation performance. Third, organizational learning has a forward impact on innovation performance. We conclude that organizational learning has a partial intermediary role on the relationship between leadership styles and enterprise innovation performance. This study enriches and expands research in leadership style and innovative performance, thus rationalizing improvements in corporate innovation performance. This study also contributes to the provision of theoretical support for leadership decisions of enterprises and other types of of organization.
Perceived Social Support, Coping Strategies and Psychological Distress among University Students during the COVID-19 Pandemic: An Exploration Study for Social Sustainability in Sabah, Malaysia
Authors: Rathakrishnan Balan , Bikar Singh Soon Singh , Yahaya Azizi
Published: March 2022

Social Sustainability among university students, especially how students deal with psychological distress, is important during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study examines the relationship between perceived social support and coping strategies and the psychological distress of depression, anxiety, and stress among the students of the Public University in Sabah during the COVID-19 pandemic, and to determine the level of depression, anxiety, and stress among the students. The inclusion criteria were: (1) currently an active status university student; (2) absent of visual disability; (3) absent of network coverage issues; and (4) absent of clinical symptoms of psychological distress. The total respondents were 385 students from this university who ranged from 20 to 23 years of age and were collected from all the faculties available at the main campus of Public University in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia. The research method applied was a survey method, collecting the data through an online questionnaire platform. Three instruments were used: (1) Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS-21); (2) Brief COPE Scale (Brief COPE); and (3) Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS). The result of the descriptive analysis indicated that the levels of both depression and anxiety in students of the Public University in Sabah were mild. In contrast, the stress level was moderate during the pandemic. The results of the inferential analysis indicated the relationship between perceived social support and psychological distress, which focused on depression, anxiety and stress among the university students, to overall having a significantly negative correlation between its subscales (r = between −0.148 and −0.359; p < 0.05). Based on the findings, it is clear how vulnerable university students are to psychological distress during the COVID-19 pandemic, but it can be overcome with social support and suitable types of coping strategy. Besides, a negative link between depression and problem-focused coping was reported (r = −0.274, p < 0.05). These findings also contribute to social sustainability and the wellbeing of students at the Public University in Sabah, Malaysia.
Potential Benefits of Demand Responsive Transport in Rural Areas: A Simulation Study in Lolland, Denmark
Authors: Dytckov Sergei , Persson Jan A. , Lorig Fabian , Davidsson Paul
Published: March 2022

In rural areas with low demand, demand responsive transport (DRT) can provide an alternative to the regular public transport bus lines, which are expensive to operate in such conditions. With simulation, we explore the potential effects of introducing a DRT service that replaces existing bus lines in Lolland municipality in Denmark, assuming that the existing demand remains unchanged. We set up the DRT service in such a way that its service quality (in terms of waiting time and in-vehicle time) is comparable to the replaced buses. The results show that a DRT service can be more cost efficient than regular buses and can produce significantly less CO2 emissions when the demand level is low. Additionally, we analyse the demand density at which regular buses become more cost efficient and explore how the target service quality of a DRT service can affect operational characteristics. Overall, we argue that DRT could be a more sustainable mode of public transport in low demand areas.
An Approach to Assessing Shopper Acceptance of Beacon Triggered Promotions in Smart Retail
Authors: Đurđević Nataša , Labus Aleksandra , Barać Dušan , Radenković Miloš , Despotović-Zrakić Marijana
Published: March 2022

This paper studies shopper acceptance for using beacons in the purchase process. The main goal is to examine shopper response to beacon-triggered promotions and propose a model that would help retail practitioners plan the implementation of beacons in stores. The model was evaluated via an in-market test to examine the effects of beacon-triggered promotion on shopper attention, technology acceptance, and the decision to purchase. The test was conducted in Belgrade, Serbia in 10 representative stores where beacons were implemented with 10 twin control stores. The SimplyTastly mobile application was used for sending notifications. Furthermore, two more in-market beacon activations were analysed in Croatia and Bulgaria. The results showed that shoppers accepted beacon technology and that beacon-triggered promotion had a positive impact on shopper attention, purchase behaviour, and the decision to purchase. The results show that the proposed model could serve as a sound basis for the implementation of beacon technology in retail.
Data Provision for Science-Based FAD Fishery Management: Spanish FAD Management Plan as a Case Study
Authors: Báez José Carlos , Déniz Santiago , Ramos María Lourdes , Grande Maitane , Ruiz Jon , Murua Hilario , Santiago Josu , Justel-Rubio Ana , Herrera Miguel , Moniz Isadora , Lopez Jon , Pascual-Alayón Pedro José , Muniategi Anertz , Alzorriz Nekane , González-Carballo Marta , Rojo Vanessa , Abascal Francisco
Published: March 2022

The use of fish aggregating devices (FADs) in tropical tuna fisheries has increased significantly during recent decades. Concurrently, concern about juvenile tuna mortality, bycatch, and marine debris associated with FAD fisheries increased, and this led to the implementation of FAD management measures and more sustainable designs (e.g., non-entangling or biodegradable FADs, limits on active FADs, etc.). This document reviews data collection and reporting requirements of tuna-Regional Fisheries Management Organizations (t-RFMOs) on drifting FADs and summarizes the work carried out since 2010 under the Spanish FAD management plan to create an adequate standard data collection aimed at improving science-based decision making. The aim of this study is to assist in the strengthening of data collection systems through: (1) a review of the existing data requirements, (2) a review of the status of FAD data collection worldwide and identification of data gaps, and (3) recommendations aimed at improving FAD management through the strengthening of FAD data requirements. Due to the complexities of data collection, we summarize the difficulties faced when processing the data and propose concrete and practical solutions to improve both the data collection system and information quality.
Improving Local Food Systems through the Coordination of Agriculture Supply Chain Actors
Authors: Anggraeni Efryta Wulan , Handayati Yuanita , Novani Santi
Published: March 2022

A local food system is an alternative food network that shortens and more effectively structures the supply chain system. An intermediary actor functioning as an aggregator is needed in the local food system. The food hub is one such intermediary actor with an essential role in strengthening the local food system and increasing the competence of small farmers to compete with large-scale food distribution. Many studies have been conducted on the effectiveness and efficiency of food hubs; however, changing the supply chain system to one that is based on a local food system is challenging. This study aims to build a conceptual model that describes the activities and coordination of the actors involved in a food hub to achieve a local food system. In this study, a soft system methodology and case study approach are used to answer the research question. The results show that two transformations are needed to achieve a local food system: changing the supply chain system to one that is shorter and more structured and increasing quality consistency. Recommendations are presented in the form of a series of human activity systems to achieve transformations. Human activities to achieve a shorter and structured supply chain involve building cooperation, operating operational activities to add value, product identification, promotion, and developing fair-trade contracts. Human activities required to achieve transformation of increasing quality consistency include identifying high-demand customer requirements, forecasting, scheduling planting, and harvesting, improving training, cooperating with research institutions, farmer assistance, and quality inspection.
Mean Remaining Strength Estimation of Multi-State System Based on Nonparametric Bayesian Method
Authors: Liu Bin , Huo Meiling , Xu Jing , Cui Xueying , Xie Xiufeng
Published: March 2022

In a stress-strength system, the mean remaining strength is the key to deciding the safety threshold for the system continuing to operate. In this study, a multi-state stress-strength system composed of two-state components is discussed, and the mean remaining strength of the system is studied. Applying a multidimensional signature, the dynamic signature form is established, and the mean remaining strength of the system in different states is deduced. Moreover, the nonparametric Bayesian method is used to estimate the mean remaining strength of the system. The results of Monte Carlo simulation show that the nonparametric Bayesian method can reasonably estimate the mean remaining strength of a multi-state system, and its estimation effect is better than that of the nonparametric estimation method. A practical case based on a fiber strength dataset is presented as an application of the proposed methodology.
The Spectrum of Second Order Quantum Difference Operator
Authors: Yaying Taja , Hazarika Bipan , Chandra Tripathy Binod , Mursaleen Mohammad
Published: March 2022

In this study, we give another generalization of second order backward difference operator ∇2 by introducing its quantum analog ∇q2. The operator ∇q2 represents the third band infinite matrix. We construct its domains c0(∇q2) and c(∇q2) in the spaces c0 and c of null and convergent sequences, respectively, and establish that the domains c0(∇q2) and c(∇q2) are Banach spaces linearly isomorphic to c0 and c, respectively, and obtain their Schauder bases and α-, β- and γ-duals. We devote the last section to determine the spectrum, the point spectrum, the continuous spectrum and the residual spectrum of the operator ∇q2 over the Banach space c0 of null sequences.
Enhanced Uptake of Arsenic Induces Increased Toxicity with Cadmium at Non-Toxic Concentrations on Caenorhabditis elegans
Authors: Pei Chengcheng , Sun Lingyan , Zhao Yanan , Ni Shenyao , Nie Yaguang , Wu Lijun , Xu An
Published: March 2022

Cadmium (Cd) and arsenic (As) are widely distributed pollutants that co-exist in the environment; however, their joint toxicity on living organisms is still largely unknown. In this study, we explored the joint toxicity of concurrent exposure to Cd and different As species at low concentrations on Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) in comparison to single exposures. Endpoints such as germ cell apoptosis, the number of oocytes, brood size, and the life span were employed to evaluate the combined effects of Cd and As on exposed C. elegans from L3 or L4 stages. Our results showed that concurrent exposure to non-toxic concentrations of Cd and As caused the synergy of reproductive and developmental toxicity. The presence of Cd promoted the accumulation of As in both germline and intestine detected by laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS). Although a conversion of As(III) to As(V) was detected as dependent on pH according to the microenvironment of the intestine in the worm, there was no significant difference of toxicity in C. elegans concurrently exposed to Cd and different As species. Using loss-of-function mutant strains, As was deemed responsible for the enhanced joint toxicity, and in which gcs-1 played a key protective role. These data help to better evaluate the comprehensive adverse effects of concurrent exposure of heavy metals at low concentrations on living organisms in the environment.
Two Sides of the Same Coin: Sterile Neutrinos and Dark Radiation, Status and Perspectives
Authors: Archidiacono Maria , Gariazzo Stefano
Published: March 2022

The presence of light sterile neutrinos is one of the unanswered questions of particle physics. The cosmological counterpart is represented by dark radiation, i.e., any form of radiation present in the early Universe besides photons and standard (active) neutrinos. This short review provides a comprehensive overview of the two problems and of their connection. We review the status of neutrino oscillation anomalies, commenting on the most recent oscillation data and their mutual tensions, and we discuss the constraints from other terrestrial probes. We show the shortcomings of translating light sterile neutrinos in cosmology as additional thermalised relativistic species, produced by neutrino oscillations, and we detail alternative solutions, specifically focusing on neutrino nonstandard interactions, and on their link to the Hubble constant problem. The impact of a new force leading to dark radiation–dark matter interactions is also discussed in the realm of new physics in the dark sector.
Roles of the Tol/Pal System in Bacterial Pathogenesis and Its Application to Antibacterial Therapy
Authors: Hirakawa Hidetada , Suzue Kazutomo , Tomita Haruyoshi
Published: March 2022

The Tol/Pal system (also written as “The Tol-Pal system”) is a set of protein complexes produced by most Gram-negative bacteria. It comprises the inner membrane-associated and the outer membrane-anchored subunits composed of the TolA, TolQ, and TolR proteins and the TolB and Pal proteins, respectively. Although the Tol/Pal system was first defined as bacterial proteins involved in colicin uptake of Escherichia coli, its global roles have been characterized in several studies as mentioned in this article. Pathogenesis of many Gram-negative pathogens is sustained by the Tol/Pal system. It is also essential for cell growth and fitness in some pathogens. Therefore, the Tol/Pal system is proposed as a potential target for antimicrobial chemotherapy. Although the tol/pal mutants are low in virulence, they still have the ability to stimulate the immune system. The Pal protein is highly immunogenic and induces both adaptive and innate immune responses. Therefore, the tol/pal mutant strains and Pal proteins also have potential vaccine properties. For these reasons, the Tol/Pal system represents a promising research target in the development of antibacterial therapeutic strategies for refractory infections caused by multi-drug-resistant (MDR), Gram-negative pathogens. In this paper, we summarize studies on the Tol/Pal system associated with bacterial pathogenesis and vaccine development.
Estimation of Threshold Rainfall in Ungauged Areas Using Machine Learning
Authors: Chu Kyung-Su , Oh Cheong-Hyeon , Choi Jung-Ryel , Kim Byung-Sik
Published: March 2022

In recent years, Korea has seen abnormal changes in precipitation and temperature driven by climate change. These changes highlight the increased risks of climate disasters and rainfall damage. Even with weather forecasts providing quantitative rainfall estimates, it is still difficult to estimate the damage caused by rainfall. Damaged by rainfalls differently for inch watershed, but there is a limit to the analysis coherent to the characteristic factors of the inch watershed. It is time-consuming to analyze rainfall and runoff using hydrological models every time it rains. Therefore, in fact, many analyses rely on simple rainfall data, and in coastal basins, hydrological analysis and physical model analysis are often difficult. To address the issue in this study, watershed characteristic factors such as drainage area (A), mean drainage elevation (H), mean drainage slope (S), drainage density (D), runoff curve number (CN), watershed parameter (Lp), and form factor (Rs) etc. and hydrologic factors were collected and calculated as independent variables, and the threshold rainfall calculated by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport (MOLIT) was calculated as a dependent variable and used in the machine learning technique. As for machine learning techniques, this study uses the support vector machine method (SVM), the random forest method, and eXtreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost). As a result, XGBoost showed good results in performance evaluation with RMSE 20, MAE 14, and RMSLE 0.28, and the threshold rainfall of the ungauged watersheds was calculated using the XGBoost technique and verified through past rainfall events and damage cases. As a result of the verification, it was confirmed that there were cases of damage in the basin where the threshold rainfall was low. If the application results of this study are used, it is judged that it is possible to accurately predict flooding-induced rainfall by calculating the threshold rainfall in the ungauged watersheds where rainfall-outflow analysis is difficult, and through this result, it is possible to prepare for areas vulnerable to flooding.
Monitoring Recent Changes in Drought and Wetness in the Source Region of the Yellow River Basin, China
Authors: Ren Yanqun , Liu Jinping , Shalamzari Masoud Jafari , Arshad Arfan , Liu Suxia , Liu Tie , Tao Hui
Published: March 2022

The source region of the Yellow River Basin (SRYRB) is not only sensitive to climate change and the vulnerable region of the ecological environment but also the primary runoff generating region of the Yellow River Basin (YRB). Its changes of drought and wetness profoundly impact water resources security, food production and ecological environment in the middle and downward reaches of YRB. In the context of global warming, based on daily precipitation, maximum and minimum temperature of 12 national meteorological stations around and within SRYRB during 1960–2015, this study obtained standardized precipitation index (SPI) and reconnaissance drought index (RDI) on 1-, 3-, 6- and 12-month scales, and then compared the consistency of SPI and RDI in many aspects. Finally, the temporal and spatial variation characteristics of drought and wetness in the SRYRB during 1960–2015 were analyzed in this study. The results showed that SPI and RDI have high consistency on different time scales (correlation coefficient above 0.92). According to the average distribution and change trend of the RDI, SRYRB presented an overall wetness state on different time scales. We found an increasing trend in wetness since the early 1980s. In terms of wetness events of different magnitudes, the highest frequency for moderate and severe ones was in June (12.7%) and February (5.5%), respectively, and for extreme wetness events, both September and January had the highest frequency (1.8%). Among the four seasons, the change rate of RDI in spring was the largest with a value of 0.38 decade−1, followed by winter (0.36 decade−1) and autumn (0.2 decade−1) and the smallest in summer (0.1 decade−1). There was a greater consistency between RDI values of larger time scales such as annual and vegetation growing seasonal (VGS) scales in SRYRB. There was generally a growing trend in wetness in the VGS time scale. These findings presented in this study can provide data support for drought and wetness management in SRYRB.
Inhibition of Xenobiotics Transporters’ Efflux Ability after Nanoplastics Exposure in Larval Japanese Medaka
Authors: Yu Hairui , Gao Zhuo , Yang Yan , Li Mingyuan , Chen Qiqing
Published: March 2022

Nanoplastics can enter into the aquatic environment as primary nano-sized or fragmented from larger-sized plastic particles, and their ecological effects and environmental fate have aroused increasing public concerns. Here, we identified the disruption of ATP-binding cassette (ABC) efflux after polystyrene (PS) nanoplastics (76 ± 7 nm) exposure in larval Japanese medaka (Oryzias latipes). Nanoplastics (0.001–10 μg/mL) caused 3–6-fold higher lipid peroxidation in fish larvae than the control, with concomitant downregulated expression of efflux transporter-related genes (abcb6a, abcc2, abcg2). Two probes of rhodamine (indicative of p-glycoprotein function for parent compounds’ efflux, P-gp) and fluorescein (indicative of multidrug resistance-associated protein function for metabolites’ efflux, MRP) were further used to verify the inhibited ABC efflux ability, via rhodamine and fluorescein bioaccumulation results. Three-fold higher accumulation of rhodamine was observed following treatment with 10 μg/mL of nanoplastics. Excessive accumulation also occurred for fluorescein, with 1.7–1.8-fold higher concentrations than controls in larvae treated with 0.01–0.1 μg/mL of nanoplastics. Although the inhibition of ABC transporters diminished after two hours of depuration, the co-existence of nanoplastics and other contaminants still raises concerns. Collectively, this study suggests that nanoplastics can negatively impact ABC transporters’ efflux ability and could cause unanticipated accumulation of co-existing organic pollutants in aquatic organisms.
Understanding the Combined Effects of Land Cover, Precipitation and Catchment Size on Nitrogen and Discharge—A Case Study of the Mississippi River Basin
Authors: Allafta Hadi , Opp Christian
Published: March 2022

Biological processes of rivers are strongly influenced by concentration and fluxes of nitrogen (N) levels. In order to restrain eutrophication, which is typically caused by urbanisation and agricultural expansion, nitrogen levels must be carefully controlled. Data from 2013 to 2017 were gathered from 26 sub-catchments in the Mississippi River basin to assess the effects that catchment size, land cover, and precipitation can have on the discharge and total nitrogen (TN) and how TN yields deviate from a generalised local trend. The findings indicated that land cover and precipitation had a determinative effect on area-weighted discharge (Qarea). More specifically, Qarea had significant positive (directly proportional) relationships with precipitation, forest, and urbanised land cover, and significant negative (inversely proportional) relationships with grassland/pasture and scrub/shrub land covers. Concurrently, the TN concentration significantly increased in the presence of agricultural land cover, but significantly decreased in forest land cover. The TN yield (TN concentration × Qarea) was largely determined by Qarea because the latter was observed to fluctuate more dramatically than concentration levels. Consequently, the TN yield exhibited the same relationships that Qarea had with precipitation and land covers. The TN yield changed significantly (p < 0.05) and positively with instantaneous discharge across all sites. Nevertheless, the rate of TN yield variations with discharge displayed a significant (p < 0.0001) negative (r2 = 0.80) relation with the catchment size. Ultimately, this study used discharge readings to facilitate the prediction of TN concentrations and yields across various catchment areas in the Mississippi River basin and provided a robust model for future research in this area.
Spatio-Temporal Characteristics of Drought and Its Relationship with El Niño-Southern Oscillation in the Songhua River Basin from 1960 to 2019
Authors: Ren Lv , Dong Xiaohua
Published: March 2022

Drought is a severe natural hazard all over the world, resulting in enormous losses in many aspects, especially in agriculture. It is essential to analyze the spatio-temporal variation of drought and its relationships with the El Niño-Southern Oscillation under a background of global climate change for better drought prevention. The Songhua River Basin (SHRB), which is an important food base in northeastern China that suffered a severe drought in 2020, was chosen as the research site. The standardized precipitation evapotranspiration index (SPEI) was chosen as the drought index to analyze the spatio-temporal variation of droughts in the SHRB by linear regression analysis and T-test using the meteorological data from 1960 to 2019. The cross-wavelet analysis was adopted to reveal the relationship between the SPEI and El Niño-Southern Oscillation indexes (the Niño 1+2 SST Index (SST1), Niño 3 SST Index (SST2), Niño 3.4 SST Index (SST3), Niño 4 SST Index (SST4), and Southern Oscillation Index (SOI)). The results reveal that the changing trends of yearly, spring, summer, autumn, and winter precipitation were 0.56, 1.47 (p < 0.05), 0.13, 0.04, and 0.16 (p < 0.05) mm/a, respectively; the precipitations were higher in the southeastern regions and lower in the western regions, with extreme values of 831.62 mm and 381.69 mm, respectively. The SPEI was significantly increased (p < 0.05) with a gradient of 0.01/a on a yearly scale and were increased in all seasons (significant in winter (p < 0.05)). The drought probability on a yearly scale was dominated by summer and autumn. The SPEI was positively correlated with SST1, SST2, SST3, and SST4 in a different period with a different resonant period and was negatively correlated with the SOI with a short-term period for 3–4 years from 1986 to 1990 and a long-term period for 9–12 years from 1992 to 2010. These results could provide a scientific guide for drought prevention in the SHRB.