bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Exhausted Grape Marc Derived Biochars: Effect of Pyrolysis Temperature on the Yield and Quality of Biochar for Soil Amendment
Authors: Frikha Kawthar , Limousy Lionel , Arif Muhammad Bilal , Thevenin Nicolas , Ruidavets Lionel , Zbair Mohamed , Bennici Simona
Published: October 2021

The present study focuses on the valorisation of winery industry wastes through slow pyrolysis of exhausted grape marc (EGM). The optimal pyrolysis parameters were firstly identified by small scale experiments carried out using thermogravimetric analysis. Nine pyrolysis temperatures were tested and their influence on the decomposition of the EGM residue and biochar yield was evaluated. Then, biochar production was conducted in a pilot plant at three chosen temperatures (450, 500 and 550 °C) at which the biochar was shown to be stable. The effects of biochar application to soil with respect to plant (ryegrass) growth was also evaluated. Pyrolysis of EGM at the 450–550 °C temperature range has been shown to generate thermally stable and nutrient-rich biochars, but only the biochar produced at 450 °C showed a marked benefit effect of ryegrass growth.
Assessment on the Use of Meteorological and Social Media Information for Forest Fire Detection and Prediction in Riau, Indonesia
Authors: Fitriany Anni Arumsari , Flatau Piotr J. , Khoirunurrofik Khoirunurrofik , Riama Nelly Florida
Published: October 2021

In this study, tweets related to fires in Riau, Sumatra, were identified using carefully selected keywords for the 2014–2019 timeframe. The TAGGS algorithm was applied, which allows for geoparsing based on the user’s nationality and hometown and on direct referrals to specific locations such as name of province or name of city in the message itself. Online newspapers covering Riau were analyzed for the year 2019 to provide additional information about the reasons why fires occurred and other factors, such as impact on people’s health, animal mortality related to ecosystem disruption, visibility, decrease in air quality and limitations in the government firefighting response. Correlation analysis between meteorological information, Twitter activity and satellite-derived hotspots was conducted. The existing approaches that BMKG and other Indonesian agencies use to detect fire activity are reviewed and a novel approach for early fire detection is proposed based on the crowdsourcing of tweets. The policy implications of these results suggest that crowdsourced data can be included in the fire management system in Indonesia to support early fire detection and fire disaster mitigation efforts.
Pathfinders for the Future? Indigenous Rights and Traditional Knowledge in Sweden
Authors: Nilsson Dahlström Åsa , Dahlin Johanna , Tunón Håkan
Published: October 2021

Indigenous peoples have for the past decades increasingly argued that not only is their traditional knowledge to be recognized in the management of their traditional territories, but that Indigenous control and self-governance over territories and natural resources are crucial for long-term sustainability of the land and cultural revitalisation of its people. In recent years, the Saami in Sweden have also presented themselves as pathfinders, offering advice and solutions for a more sustainable future not only for the Saami society, but for all of Sweden. This paper investigates how Saami claims for rights and stewardship in environmental management are related to Saami cultural revitalisation, within a Swedish colonial framework. It is based on an investigation of the Saami policy positions expressed in policy documents and opinion pieces produced by organisations representing the Saami, linking claims for rights and environmental stewardship with cultural revitalisation and a more sustainable development for all.
Eco-Efficiency for the G18: Trends and Future Outlook
Authors: Sadorsky Perry
Published: October 2021

Eco-efficiency is an important ecological indicator for tracking the progress of how countries’ environmental-adjusted economic activity changes over time. The objective of this research is to calculate country-level eco-efficiency for a group of 18 major countries (G18) that are part of the G20. First, the data envelope analysis (DEA) method is used to calculate eco-efficiency scores. Second, the Malmquist productivity index (MPI) is used to examine how eco-efficiency changes over time. Eco-efficiency is forecast to the year 2040 using automated forecasting methods under a business-as-usual (BAU) scenario. Over the period 1997 to 2040, eco-efficiency varies widely between these countries with some countries reporting positive growth in eco-efficiency and other countries reporting negative growth. Eco-efficiency leaders over the period 1997 to 2019 and 2019 to 2040 include Australia, Brazil, France, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Japan, Russia, and the United States. Laggards include Canada, China, India, and Indonesia. These laggard countries recorded negative growth rates in eco-efficiency over the period 1997 to 2019 and 2019 to 2040. Negative eco-efficiency growth points to a worsening of environmental sustainability. Large variations in eco-efficiency between countries make it more difficult to negotiate international agreements on energy efficiency and climate change. For the G18 countries, the average annual change in MPI over the period 1997 to 2019 was 0.5%, while the forecasted average annual change over the period 2019 to 2040 was a 0.1% decrease. For the G18 countries, there has been little change in eco-efficiency. The G18 are an important group of developed and developing countries that need to show leadership when it comes to increasing eco-efficiency.
Urban Road Accident Black Spot Identification and Classification Approach: A Novel Grey Verhuls–Empirical Bayesian Combination Method
Authors: Wan Yan , He Wenqiang , Zhou Jibiao
Published: October 2021

The identification and classification of accident black spots on urban roads is a key element of road safety research. To solve the problems caused by the randomness of accident occurrences and the unclear classification of accident black spots by the traditional model, we propose a method that can quickly identify and classify accident black spots on urban roads: a combined grey Verhuls–Empirical Bayesian method. The grey Verhuls model is used to obtain the predicted/expected numbers of accidents at accident hazard locations, and the empirical Bayesian approach is used to derive two accident black spot discriminators, a safety improvement space and a safety index (SI), and to classify the black spots into two, three, four and five levels according to the range of the SI. Finally, we validate this combined method on examples. High-quality and high-accuracy data are obtained from the accident collection records of the Ningbo Jiangbei District from March to December 2020, accounting for 90.55% of the actual police incidents during this period. The results show that the combined grey Verhuls–Empirical Bayesian method can identify accident black spots quickly and accurately due to the consideration of accident information from the same types of accident locations. The accident black point classification results show that the five-level rating of accident black points is most reasonable. Our study provides a new idea for accident black spot identification and a feasible method for accident black spot risk level classification.
Urban Land Surface Temperature Monitoring and Surface Thermal Runoff Pollution Evaluation Using UAV Thermal Remote Sensing Technology
Authors: Xu Shanshan , Yang Kun , Xu Yuanting , Zhu Yanhui , Luo Yi , Shang Chunxue , Zhang Jie , Zhang Yang , Gao Min , Wu Changhao
Published: October 2021

With the continuous advancement of urbanization, the impervious surface expands. Urbanization has changed the structure of the natural land surface and led to the intensification of the urban heat island (UHI) effect. This will affect the surface runoff temperature, which, in turn, will affect the surface water temperature of urban lakes. This study will use UAS TIR (un-manned aerial system thermal infrared radiance) remote sensing and in situ observation technology to monitor the urban space surface temperature and thermal runoff in Kunming, Yunnan, in summer; explore the feasibility of UAS TIR remote sensing to continuously observe urban surface temperature during day and night; and analyze thermal runoff pollution. The results of the study show that the difference between UAS TIR LSTs and in situ LSTs (in situ air temperature 10 cm above the ground.) varies with the type of land covers. Urban surface thermal runoff has varying degrees of impact on water bodies. Based on the influence of physical factors such as vegetation and buildings and meteorological factors such as solar radiation, the RMSE between UAS LSTs and in situ LSTs varies from 1 to 5 °C. Land cover types such as pervious bricks, asphalt, and cement usually show higher RMSE values. Before and after rainfall, the in situ data of the lake surface water temperature (LSWT) showed a phenomenon of first falling and then rising. The linear regression analysis results show that the R2 of the daytime model is 0.92, which has high consistency; the average R2 at night is 0.38; the averages R2 before and after rainfall are 0.50 and 0.83, respectively; and the average RMSE is 1.94 °C. Observational data shows that thermal runoff quickly reaches thermal equilibrium with the land surface temperature about 30 min after rainfall. The thermal runoff around the lake has a certain warming effect on LSWT.
Legal Provisions and Market Conditions for Energy Communities in Austria, Germany, Greece, Italy, Spain, and Turkey: A Comparative Assessment
Authors: Biresselioglu Mehmet Efe , Limoncuoglu Siyami Alp , Demir Muhittin Hakan , Reichl Johannes , Burgstaller Katrin , Sciullo Alessandro , Ferrero Edoardo
Published: October 2021

The Climate Pact and the European Green Deal constitute the main components of the European Union (EU)’s climate change policy. Energy transition, that is, transformation to a zero-carbon global energy system, is one of the main pillars of climate change mitigation policies. This transformation, coupled with the empowerment of individuals within the energy system, shifts citizens from their roles as customers towards a more active role. Within this framework, energy communities stand out as significant facilitators for the participation of individuals and communities in the energy system, promoting self-consumption and contributing to the social acceptance of renewable energy initiatives, among other direct and indirect benefits. The main directives introducing energy communities into the EU legal system are RED II and ED 2019. This study, conducted as a part of a Horizon 2020-funded eCREW project, assessed the adaptability and implementability of these two directives within national legislation, along with the associated legal and administrative frameworks, utilizing evidence from Austria, Germany, Greece, Italy, Spain, and Turkey. The comparative analysis also enhances the understanding of the concept of renewable energy communities and citizen energy communities, both in the EU and in nonmember countries. The results of the analysis revealed that none of the countries studied had yet completed the process of harmonizing their legislation concerning energy communities.
Parking Policy as a Tool of Sustainable Mobility-Parking Standards in Poland vs. European Experiences
Authors: Lower Anna , Szumilas Agnieszka
Published: October 2021

Contemporary cities generally lack the balance between the development of the spatial structure and the communication possibilities of the inhabitants. The high motorisation rate in Poland, as well as in other European countries, and the preferred choice of individual means of transportation have both contributed to a significant increase in congestion over the last 10 years. The aim of this research was to try to establish to what extent a consciously conducted parking policy can help control the mobility of inhabitants of selected Polish cities. The starting point for the analysis was the availability of parking spaces in residential areas, introduced as an imposed indicator in the operative planning documents. As part of the research, the authors of this paper analyzed the legal provisions of the operative Local Spatial Development Plans (MPZP) concerning the parking function for housing estates five of the biggest cities in Poland. The results were confronted with data on selected European cities. Nearly 550 planning documents from the years 2000–2019 and parking standards operating in individual countries were cataloged and analyzed. The research results show that for 20 years Polish cities have mainly been using the possibility of determining the minimum rate of parking spaces. Regulations attempting to limit the number of cars are incidental. However, this is a necessary direction of legislative changes.
Language Relativity in Legacy Literature: A Systematic Review in Multiple Languages
Authors: Wu Ji , Orr Madeleine , Aizawa Kurumi , Inoue Yuhei
Published: October 2021

Since the Olympic Agenda 2020, legacy has been widely used as a justification for hosting the Olympic Games, through which sustainable development can be achieved for both events and host cities. To date, no universal definition of legacy has been established, which presents challenges for legacy-related international knowledge transfer among host cities. To address this gap, a multilingual systematic review of the literature regarding the concept of legacy was conducted in French, Japanese, Chinese, and English. Using English literature as a baseline, points of convergence and divergence among the languages were identified. While all four languages value the concept of legacy as an important facet of mega-events, significant differences were found within each language. This finding highlights the importance of strategies that align different cultures when promoting sustainable development of some global movements such as the Olympic legacy. Sport management is replete with international topics, such as international events and sport for development, and each topic is studied simultaneously in several languages and with potentially differing frameworks and perspectives. Thus, literature reviews that examine the English literature, exclusively, are innately limited in scope. The development of partnerships and resources that facilitate cross-lingual and cross-cultural consultation and collaboration is an important research agenda. More research is needed on knowledge translation across languages.
Servitization and Sustainable Value Creation Strategy for China’s Manufacturing Industry: A Multiple Case Study in the Belt and Road Initiative
Authors: Chang Yuan , Ming Xinguo , Zhang Xianyu , Zhou Tongtong , Liao Xiaoqiang , Cao Sijia
Published: October 2021

Manufacturers are adding service offerings to satisfy customers’ needs in various markets. Effective strategies for servitization can improve the competitiveness of manufacturers during cooperation. The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) established by China offers opportunities for economic cooperation and regional integration for the involved countries. Now, many manufacturing firms are expanding their businesses into Belt and Road countries, most firms are facing the “how to do” problems in improving sustainability during their cooperation. They urgently require methodical assistance on both improving competitiveness through servitization and addressing sustainability challenges. This necessitates the firms to develop successful service models for their industrial initiatives and investigate ways to produce long-term sustainable value through services. In addition to the firm’s economic worth, it also entails lowering the project’s negative environmental impact. The results provided effective strategies for manufacturers from two perspectives. The first perspective is the study discovered innovative service models at both the product and project levels. Project-service systems are critical, and manufacturing firms should use innovative service models to deliver projects. The operation method of holistic solution and localization integration project service was addressed in particular in this study. In the second perspective, there are suggestions for achieving sustainability through innovative service models. The methods for preserving sustainable value on the industrial project level were the subject of our study, which included significant criteria and detailed descriptions. The effective project service system should bring sustainable value to the lifespan of an industrial project. This study has determined four major paths to improving sustainable value creation through servitization: improving resource allocation capabilities, reduce carbon emissions through energy project service, technological outputs, and standards exportation. Useful recommendations are provided for manufacturing firms planning to develop their business overseas, especially in BRI countries.
Spatial and Seasonal Dynamics of Inorganic Nitrogen and Phosphorous Compounds in an Orchard-Dominated Catchment with Anthropogenic Impacts
Authors: Stępniewski Krzysztof , Łaszewski Maksym
Published: October 2021

The influence of various types of agricultural activities on the dynamics of biogenic compounds of flowing water was broadly recognized in many spatial and temporal scales. However, relatively minor attention was paid to the hydrochemical functioning of horticultural catchments despite their importance and dominance in some regions of Europe. Thus, the current study investigated spatial and seasonal variations in inorganic nitrogen and phosphorous compounds in stream water in the Mogielanka River catchment, with 72% covered by apple orchards. Water samples were collected from fifteen sites distributed across the catchment in the monthly timescale from March 2020 to February 2021. Concentrations of NO3−, NO2−, NH4+, and PO43− were determined photometrically, while in situ water temperature, oxygen saturation, electrical conductivity, and pH, were measured with the use of portable devices. The impact of horticulture was mainly documented in the higher concentration of NO3− during the winter months; however, maximum values did not exceed 15 mg·dm−3 and were relatively low in comparison to catchments dominated by arable lands. The authors also found a clear impact of unstratified reservoirs and inflows from wastewater treatment plants on the dynamics of biogenic compounds. The correlations of PO43− with the sums of precipitation suggested, in turn, that increased PO43− concentration mainly results from poor sewage management. The results provided preliminary but unique and spatially extensive insight into the functioning of an orchard-dominated lowland catchment and allowed the researchers to point out the main recommendations for improving water quality in similar regions.
Prediction of the Infectious Outbreak COVID-19 and Prevalence of Anxiety: Global Evidence
Authors: Alghazzawi Daniyal , Qazi Atika , Qazi Javaria , Naseer Khulla , Zeeshan Muhammad , Abo Mohamed Elhag Mohamed , Hasan Najmul , Qazi Shiza , Naz Kiran , Dey Samrat Kumar , Yang Shuiqing
Published: October 2021

Forecasting disease outbreaks in real-time using time-series data can help for the planning of public health interventions. We used a support vector machine (SVM) model using epidemiological data provided by Johns Hopkins University Centre for Systems Science and Engineering (JHU CCSE), World Health Organization (WHO), and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to predict upcoming records before the WHO made an official declaration. Our study, conducted on the time series data available from 22 January till 10 March 2020, revealed that COVID-19 was spreading at an alarming rate and progressing towards a pandemic. The initial insight that confirmed COVID-19 cases were increasing was because these received the highest number of effects for our selected dataset from 22 January to 10 March 2020, i.e., 126,344 (64%). The recovered cases were 68289 (34%), and the death rate was around 2%. Moreover, we classified the tweets from 22 January to 15 April 2020 into positive and negative sentiments to identify the emotions (stress or relaxed) posted by Twitter users related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Our analysis identified that tweets mostly conveyed a negative sentiment with a high frequency of words for #coronavirus and #lockdown amid COVID-19. However, these anxiety tweets are an alarm for healthcare authorities to devise plans accordingly.
Trade Credit with Barter in a Capital-Constrained Supply Chain
Authors: Huang Yangyang , Pi Zhenyang , Fang Weiguo
Published: October 2021

Barter has emerged to alleviate capital pressure, maximize the circulation of goods, and facilitate the disposal of excess inventory. This study considers a two-level supply chain consisting of a manufacturer and a capital-constrained retailer with trade credit, in which the retailer exchanges unsold products for needed subsidiary products on a barter platform. The retailer’s optimal order quantity and the manufacturer’s wholesale price are derived, and the influences of barter and other factors on the equilibrium strategy and performance of the supply chain are examined; these results are verified and supplemented by numerical simulation. We find that the retailer can increase profit by bartering when facing highly uncertain demand, that the retailer’s optimal order quantity increases with the supply rate and demand for subsidiary products, and that both manufacturer and retailer benefit from the high supply rate of subsidiary products. However, barter induces the manufacturer to raise the wholesale price to prevent its profit from being harmed. In addition, the manufacturer suffers from the retailer’s initial capital.
A Novel Approach to Generate Type-1 Fuzzy Triangular and Trapezoidal Membership Functions to Improve the Classification Accuracy
Authors: Azam Muhammad Hamza , Hasan Mohd Hilmi , Hassan Saima , Abdulkadir Said Jadid
Published: October 2021

Fuzzy logic is an approach that reflects human thinking and decision making by handling uncertainty and vagueness using fuzzy membership functions. When a human is engaged in the design of a fuzzy system, symmetric properties are naturally preferred. Fuzzy c-means clustering is a clustering algorithm that can cluster datasets to produce membership matrix and cluster centers, which results in generating type-1 fuzzy membership functions. However, fuzzy c-means algorithm has a limitation of producing only a single membership function type, Gaussian MF. Generation of multiple fuzzy membership functions is of immense importance as it provides more efficient and optimal solutions to a problem. Therefore, an approach to generate multiple type-1 fuzzy membership functions through fuzzy c-means is required for the optimal and improved results of classification datasets. Hence, to overcome the limitation of the fuzzy c-means algorithm, an approach for the generation of type-1 fuzzy triangular and trapezoidal membership function through fuzzy c-means is considered in this study. The approach is used to calculate and enhance the accuracy of classification datasets called iris, banknote authentication, blood transfusion, and Haberman’s survival. The proposed approach of generating MFs using FCM produce asymmetric MFs, whose results are compared with the MFs produced from grid partitioning (GP), which are symmetric MFs. The results show that the proposed approach of generating type-1 fuzzy membership function through fuzzy c-means is effective and can be adopted.
Natural Thiols, but Not Thioethers, Attenuate Patulin-Induced Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress in HepG2 Cells
Authors: Kim Hye Mi , Choi Hwa Young , Cho Gun Hee , Im Ju Hee , Hong Eun Young , Chun Hyang Sook
Published: October 2021

Patulin, a mycotoxin, is known to have cytotoxic effects, but few studies have focused on the involvement of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress response in patulin toxicity and the natural compounds that attenuate it in HepG2 cells. This study tested the ability of patulin to induce ER stress, and that of four thiols and three thioethers to attenuate patulin-induced ER stress in HepG2 cells. Patulin dose-dependently inhibited cell proliferation (IC50, 8.43 μM). Additionally, patulin was found to increase the expression levels of ER stress-related genes and/or protein markers, including BiP, CHOP, and spliced XBP1, in HepG2 cells compared to the vehicle control, indicating its potential in ER stress induction. Patulin-induced cytotoxicity in HepG2 cells was reduced by naturally occurring thiol compounds (glutathione, L-acetyl-L-cysteine, cysteine, and captopril), but not by thioether compounds (sulforaphane, sulforaphene, and S-allyl-L-cysteine). Patulin-thiol co-treatment decreased CHOP expression and BiP and CHOP levels in HepG2 cells but did not alter BiP expression. Spliced XBP1 expression was decreased by patulin-thiol co-treatment. Thus, patulin induced ER stress in HepG2 cells and thiols, but not in thioethers, attenuated patulin-induced ER stress.
African Swine Fever Virus A528R Inhibits TLR8 Mediated NF-κB Activity by Targeting p65 Activation and Nuclear Translocation
Authors: Liu Xueliang , Ao Da , Jiang Sen , Xia Nengwen , Xu Yulin , Shao Qi , Luo Jia , Wang Heng , Zheng Wanglong , Chen Nanhua , Meurens François , Zhu Jianzhong
Published: October 2021

African swine fever (ASF) is mainly an acute hemorrhagic disease which is highly contagious and lethal to domestic pigs and wild boars. The global pig industry has suffered significant economic losses due to the lack of an effective vaccine and treatment. The African swine fever virus (ASFV) has a large genome of 170–190 kb, encoding more than 150 proteins. During infection, ASFV evades host innate immunity via multiple viral proteins. A528R is a very important member of the polygene family of ASFV, which was shown to inhibit IFN-β production by targeting NF-κB, but its mechanism is not clear. This study has shown that A528R can suppress the TLR8-NF-κB signaling pathway, including the inhibition of downstream promoter activity, NF-κB p65 phosphorylation and nuclear translocation, and the antiviral and antibacterial activity. Further, we found the cellular co-localization and interaction between A528R and p65, and ANK repeat domains of A528R and RHD of p65 are involved in their interaction and the inhibition of p65 activity. Therefore, we conclude that A528R inhibits TLR8-NF-κB signaling by targeting p65 activation and nuclear translocation.
An Update on Innate Immune Responses during SARS-CoV-2 Infection
Authors: Zhang Yu , Chen Shuaiyin , Jin Yuefei , Ji Wangquan , Zhang Weiguo , Duan Guangcai
Published: October 2021

The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a member of the Coronaviridae family, which is responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic followed by unprecedented global societal and economic disruptive impact. The innate immune system is the body’s first line of defense against invading pathogens and is induced by a variety of cellular receptors that sense viral components. However, various strategies are exploited by SARS-CoV-2 to disrupt the antiviral innate immune responses. Innate immune dysfunction is characterized by the weak generation of type I interferons (IFNs) and the hypersecretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines, leading to mortality and organ injury in patients with COVID-19. This review summarizes the existing understanding of the mutual effects between SARS-CoV-2 and the type I IFN (IFN-α/β) responses, emphasizing the relationship between host innate immune signaling and viral proteases with an insight on tackling potential therapeutic targets.
The First Sporadic Creutzfeldt–Jakob Disease Case with a Rare Molecular Subtype VV1 and 1-Octapeptide Repeat Deletion in PRNP
Authors: Areškevičiūtė Aušrinė , Lund Eva Løbner , Capellari Sabina , Parchi Piero , Pinkowsky Christian Tersbøl
Published: October 2021

In the present manuscript, we report the clinical presentation and challenging diagnostic work-up of a sporadic Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease patient with confirmed VV1 subtype and heterozygous 1-octapeptide repeat deletion in the prion protein gene. The described patient was a 58-year-old woman. Interestingly, most of the reported patients with the VV1 subtype to date are men with an average age of 44 years at disease onset. The patient was observed clinically from symptoms onset until her death 22 months later. This report describes the patient’s insidious clinical evolution and the paraclinical examinations and pathology reports gathered at different time points of disease progression. Unfortunately, the absence of typical clinical and paraclinical features of classic sporadic Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease made the brain biopsy surgery necessary. This case report illustrates the diagnostic difficulties posed by the phenotypic heterogeneity of sporadic Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease and urges clinicians to consider this diagnosis even in patients who do not fulfil the typical clinical disease criteria. Furthermore, it highlights the need for real-time quaking-induced conversion method adaptation for detection of rare sporadic Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease subtypes with certain prion protein gene variants.
Evaluation of the Presence of ASFV in Wolf Feces Collected from Areas in Poland with ASFV Persistence
Authors: Szewczyk Maciej , Łepek Krzysztof , Nowak Sabina , Witek Małgorzata , Bajcarczyk Anna , Kurek Korneliusz , Stachyra Przemysław , Mysłajek Robert W. , Szewczyk Bogusław
Published: October 2021

African swine fever (ASF), caused by a DNA virus (ASFV) belonging to genus Asfivirus of the Asfarviridae family, is one of the most threatening diseases of suids. During last few years, it has spread among populations of wild boars and pigs in countries of Eastern and Central Europe, causing huge economical losses. While local ASF occurrence is positively correlated with wild boar density, ecology of this species (social structure, movement behavior) constrains long-range disease transmission. Thus, it has been speculated that carnivores known for high daily movement and long-range dispersal ability, such as the wolf (Canis lupus), may be indirect ASFV vectors. To test this, we analyzed 62 wolf fecal samples for the presence of ASFV DNA, collected mostly in parts of Poland declared as ASF zones. This dataset included 20 samples confirmed to contain wild boar remains, 13 of which were collected near places where GPS-collared wolves fed on dead wild boars. All analyzed fecal samples were ASFV-negative. On the other hand, eight out of nine wild boar carcasses that were fed on by telemetrically studied wolves were positive. Thus, our results suggest that when wolves consume meat of ASFV-positive wild boars, the virus does not survive the passage through intestinal tract. Additionally, wolves may limit ASFV transmission by removing infectious carrion. We speculate that in areas where telemetric studies on large carnivores are performed, data from GPS collars could be used to enhance efficiency of carcass search, which is one of the main preventive measures to constrain ASF spread.
Norovirus Protease Structure and Antivirals Development
Authors: Zhao Boyang , Hu Liya , Song Yongcheng , Patil Ketki , Ramani Sasirekha , Atmar Robert L. , Estes Mary K. , Prasad B. V. Venkataram
Published: October 2021

Human norovirus (HuNoV) infection is a global health and economic burden. Currently, there are no licensed HuNoV vaccines or antiviral drugs available. The protease encoded by the HuNoV genome plays a critical role in virus replication by cleaving the polyprotein and is an excellent target for developing small-molecule inhibitors. The current strategy for developing HuNoV protease inhibitors is by targeting the enzyme’s active site and designing inhibitors that bind to the substrate-binding pockets located near the active site. However, subtle differential conformational flexibility in response to the different substrates in the polyprotein and structural differences in the active site and substrate-binding pockets across different genogroups, hamper the development of effective broad-spectrum inhibitors. A comparative analysis of the available HuNoV protease structures may provide valuable insight for identifying novel strategies for the design and development of such inhibitors. The goal of this review is to provide such analysis together with an overview of the current status of the design and development of HuNoV protease inhibitors.
CCR5+ T-Cells Homed to the Liver Exhibit Inflammatory and Profibrogenic Signatures in Chronic HIV/HCV-Coinfected Patients
Authors: Shrivastava Shikha , Kottilil Shyam , Sherman Kenneth E. , Masur Henry , Tang Lydia
Published: October 2021

Liver fibrosis is accelerated in patients coinfected with hepatitis C virus and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), compared with HCV monoinfected patients, although the underlying mechanisms are unknown. We hypothesize that T cells expressing the HIV co-receptor, chemokine receptor 5 (CCR5), preferentially migrate to the inflamed liver and contribute to enhanced fibrogenesis. We compared the peripheral and intrahepatic CCR5 expression on CD4+ and CD8+ T cells in 21 HIV/HCV-coinfected patients with 14 chronic HCV monoinfected patients. Using 12-color flow cytometry, phenotypic and functional characterization of CCR5+ and negative cells pre- and post-stimulation with HCV genotype specific overlapping pooled peptides was conducted. Patients with HIV/HCV coinfection had significantly more CD4+CCR5+ and CD8+CCR5+ T cells in the liver as compared with peripheral blood (p = 0.0001 for both). Compared with patients with HCV monoinfection, patients with HIV/HCV coinfection also had fewer peripheral CD4+CCR5+ and CD8+CCR5+ T cells (p = 0.02, p = 0.001 respectively), but more intrahepatic CD4+CCR5+ and CD8+CCR5+ cells (p = 0.0001 for both). Phenotypic analysis of CCR5+ sorted cells demonstrated an increased expression of markers of exhaustion, senescence, immune activation and liver homing (PD1, CD57, CD38, HLADR, and CXCR3). Post-stimulation with HCV peptides, CCR5+ T cells secreted more proinflammatory and profibrogenic cytokines and chemokines rather than antiviral cytokines. Phenotypic and functional analyses of CCR5+ T cells in HIV/HCV-coinfected patients revealed a pathogenic role for CCR5+ T cells in hepatic fibrogenesis. These cells are functionally proinflammatory, pro-fibrogenic and preferentially accumulate in liver, accelerating fibrosis. These findings suggest that targeting CCR5 may be a therapeutic strategy for be ameliorating liver fibrosis.
State Regulations and Guidelines for Wastewater Reuse for Irrigation in the U.S.
Authors: Ritter William
Published: October 2021

The objective of this paper is to present an overview of state regulations and guidelines for wastewater reuse for irrigation. Land application of wastewater in the U.S. began in the 19th century when it was considered the safest and best method for wastewater disposal. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), 27 states have regulations for wastewater reuse and 11 states have guidelines for reuse. Some states have no regulations or guidelines for wastewater reuse. For urban wastewater reuse for irrigation where public access is not restricted and for irrigation of food crops, many of the states require additional levels of treatment beyond secondary treatment, which may include oxidation, coagulation, and filtration and high levels of disinfection. California, Arizona, Texas, and Florida were the earliest states to establish water reuse programs and account for the majority of wastewater reuse for irrigation in the U.S. Several of the challenges to increase wastewater reuse are water rights in the western states and a lack of funding for new projects.
Evaluation of Microbial Communities of Bottled Mineral Waters and Preliminary Traceability Analysis Using NGS Microbial Fingerprints
Authors: Carraturo Federica , Del Giudice Carmela , Compagnone Mariacristina , Libralato Giovanni , Toscanesi Maria , Trifuoggi Marco , Galdiero Emilia , Guida Marco
Published: October 2021

The microbiological monitoring of mineral bottled waters results is crucial for the prevention of outbreaks in consumers. European and International regulations establish the quality of water intended for human consumption in order to preserve human health from the negative effects deriving from water contamination. Advanced methods targeting the faster detection of potential pathogens in drinking water may consent to the creation of an early warning system, enhancing water quality management. This study aimed to suggest the implementation of standard water quality evaluations, based on the characterization of the microbial composition of mineral bottled water brands, contributing to the periodic control of the water’s microbiological stability along with the shelf life, and, consequently, the stability of the supplying sources. Bottled water microbiota analysis was combined with the qualitative and quantitative evaluation of microbial loads in time, and the monitoring was performed in two seasons and two different storage conditions for a total of sixty days. The employment of molecular microbiology techniques (NGS and Sanger sequencing), compared to standardized cultural methods and integrated with metagenomic analysis, combining chemical and physical indicators for each sample, allowing for the generation of specific fingerprints for mineral bottled waters, pointing at simplifying and improving the foreseen risk assessment strategies to ensure the adequate traceability, quality and safety management of drinking water.
Phycocyanin Monitoring in Some Spanish Water Bodies with Sentinel-2 Imagery
Authors: Pérez-González Rebeca , Sòria-Perpinyà Xavier , Soria Juan Miguel , Delegido Jesús , Urrego Patricia , Sendra María D. , Ruíz-Verdú Antonio , Vicente Eduardo , Moreno José
Published: October 2021

Remote sensing is an appropriate tool for water management. It allows the study of some of the main sources of pollution, such as cyanobacterial harmful algal blooms. These species are increasing due to eutrophication and the adverse effects of climate change. This leads to water quality loss, which has a major impact on the environment, including human water supplies, which consequently require more expensive purification processes. The application of satellite remote sensing images as bio-optical tools is an effective way to monitor and control phycocyanin concentrations, which indicate the presence of cyanobacteria. For this study, 90 geo-referenced phycocyanin measurements were performed in situ, using a Turner C3 Submersible Fluorometer and a laboratory spectrofluorometer, both calibrated with phycocyanin standard, in water bodies of the Iberian Peninsula. These samples were synchronized with Sentinel-2 satellite orbit. The images were processed using Sentinel Application Program software and corrected with the Case 2 Regional Coast color-extended atmospheric correction tool. To produce algorithms that would help to obtain the phycocyanin concentration from the reflectance measured by the multispectral instrument sensor of the satellite, the following band combinations were tested, among others: band 665 nm, band 705 nm, and band 740 nm. The samples were equally divided: half were used for the algorithm’s calibration, and the other half for its validation. With the best adjustment, the algorithm was made more robust and accurate through a recalculation, obtaining a determination coefficient of 0.7, a Root Mean Square Error of 8.1 µg L−1, and a Relative Root Mean Square Error of 19%. In several reservoirs, we observed alarming phycocyanin concentrations that may trigger many environmental health problems, as established by the World Health Organization. Remote sensing provides a rapid monitoring method for the temporal and spatial distribution of these cyanobacteria blooms to ensure good preventive management and control, in order to improve the environmental quality of inland waters.
Land Degradation and Soil Conservation Measures in the Moldavian Plateau, Eastern Romania: A Case Study from the Racova Catchment
Authors: Niacsu Lilian , Ionita Ion , Samoila Claudia , Grigoras Georgel , Blebea-Apostu Ana Maria
Published: October 2021

Land degradation by soil erosion, gullying and landslides and reservoir sedimentation is a major environmental threat in the Moldavian Plateau of eastern Romania. The widespread development of these processes in the last two centuries was favored mainly by traditional agriculture focused on ‘up-and-down slope’ farming on small plots. However, soil conservation measures were actively undertaken between 1970 and 1989. More recent legislation (No. 18/1991 Agricultural Real Estate Act) includes two provisions that discourage maintaining and extending soil conservation practices. Hence, the former contour farming system has been abandoned in favor of the traditional, inadequate farming methods. Thus, this paper reviews the impact of land degradation and soil conservation measures in a representative 32,908 ha catchment located in the Central Moldavian Plateau. Based on field measurements, the results show that the estimated mean long-term (1973–2017) sedimentation rate reaches 4.7 cm y−1 in the Puscasi Reservoir at the catchment outlet, resulting in an associated sediment delivery ratio of 0.28. The initial area of the Puscasi Reservoir at normal retention level has decreased by 32% and the water storage capacity has decreased by 39%. Consequently, land degradation remains a serious problem in the study area and effective soil conservation is urgently needed.
Feasibility of Innovative Smart Mobility Solutions: A Case Study for Vaasa
Authors: Paalosmaa Tomi , Shafie-khah Miadreza
Published: October 2021

The global trend of urbanization and growing environmental awareness have risen concerns and demands to develop cities to become smarter. There is a grave need for ambitious sustainability strategies and projects, which can aid cities intelligently and comprehensively in this task. European Union (EU) launched 2014 the Horizon 2020 program (aka Horizon Europe), aiming to encourage the EU nations and their cities to take action to reach carbon neutrality through projects striving to smart city development. By promoting innovative, efficient, far-reaching, and replicable solutions, from the fields of smart energy production and consumption, traffic and mobility, digitalization and information communication technology, and citizen engagement, the objectives of the smart city strategies can be achieved. Horizon 2020 funded IRIS Smart Cities project was launched in 2017. One of the follower cities in the project has been the City of Vaasa in Finland. Vaasa’s climate objective is to reach carbon neutrality by 2030. In order to achieve this goal, the city has taken several decisive measures to enhance de-carbonization during recent years. One essential target for de-carbonization activities has been traffic and mobility. The primary purpose of the research conducted was to study the smart mobility, vehicle-to-grid (V2G), and second life battery solutions in the IRIS Smart Cities project, demonstrated first by the Lighthouse cities and then to be replicated in the City of Vaasa. The aim was to study which importance and prioritization these particular integrated solutions would receive in the City of Vaasa’s replication plan led by the City of Vaasa’s IRIS project task team of 12 experts, with the contribution of the key partners and stakeholders. Additionally, the aim was to study the potential of the integrated solutions in question to be eventually implemented in the Vaasa environment, and the benefit for the city’s ultimate strategy to reach carbon neutrality by 2030. The secondary object was to study the solutions’ compatibility with the IRIS lighthouse cities’ demonstrations and gathered joined experiences concerning the smart and sustainable mobility and vehicle-to-grid solutions, and utilization of 2nd life batteries. The results of the research indicated, that the innovative smart mobility solutions, including vehicle-to-grid and second life battery schemes, are highly relevant not only to the IRIS Lighthouse cities, but they also present good potential for the City of Vaasa in the long run, being compatible with the city’s climate and de-carbonization goals.
The Third Industrial Revolution: on the issue of definition
Authors: Kolin Konstantin Konstantinovich
Published: October 2021

The article examines the features of the Third Industrial Revolution. The need for a coordinate consideration of this concept, associated with a number of other phenomena that are similar in their content characteristics, determines the relevance of the article. The work shows that the Third Industrial Revolution has been unfolding essentially since the 1970s following the First Industrial Revolution (late 18th — early 19th centuries), the content of which was the transition from an agricultural economy to an industrial economy, as well as the Second Industrial Revolution (second half of the 19th century — early 20th century), based on the use of a new type electrical energy and conveyor production. The author shows the foundations of the third industrial revolution that are associated with network energy, "green economy" and examines the socio-economic consequences of the Third Industrial Revolution.
The use of acting techniques in career development
Authors: Akimenkova Mariya Aleksandrovna
Published: October 2021

The article shows that in career development, the use of acting techniques opens up new opportunities. The author traces the development of the Russian acting school, created by K.S. Stanislavsky and later revised and supplemented by his students, in the modern socio-economic situation. The article demonstrates that despite the fact that for many years this school was aimed exclusively at educating and training people who want to connect their lives with the theater, it had a significant impact on amateurs as well. Passion for the performing arts was traced among people of a wide variety of professions, which contributed to the creation of numerous amateur theaters. This tendency was especially evident in educational institutions. Pupils and students under the guidance of an experienced director tried to take steps in the stage space, received grateful responses, but continued to be content with the role of an amateur actor, without encroaching on the laurels of a professional. Nevertheless, after that, their main activity, regardless of the direction, moved to a completely different level. Without any psychotherapeutic interventions, the attitude to oneself, to the people around, and to situations changed, the speech apparatus and the timbre of the voice were transformed, phobias and depressive tendencies disappeared. As a result, participants in amateur theaters acquired a new circle of friends and promotions, or they radically changed their field of activity, opening completely new prospects for themselves. The article examines these possibilities in the framework of the modern situation, when the entire range of theater and acting means may be in demand by representatives of other professions.