bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Dark Matter Axions, Non-Newtonian Gravity and Constraints on Them from Recent Measurements of the Casimir Force in the Micrometer Separation Range
Authors: Klimchitskaya Galina L. , Mostepanenko Vladimir M.
Published: September 2021

We consider axionlike particles as the most probable constituents of dark matter, the Yukawa-type corrections to Newton’s gravitational law and constraints on their parameters following from astrophysics and different laboratory experiments. After a brief discussion of the results by Prof. Yu. N. Gnedin in this field, we turn our attention to the recent experiment on measuring the differential Casimir force between Au-coated surfaces of a sphere and the top and bottom of rectangular trenches. In this experiment, the Casimir force was measured over an unusually wide separation region from 0.2 to 8μm and compared with the exact theory based on first principles of quantum electrodynamics at nonzero temperature. We use the measure of agreement between experiment and theory to obtain the constraints on the coupling constant of axionlike particles to nucleons and on the interaction strength of a Yukawa-type interaction. The constraints obtained on the axion-to-nucleon coupling constant and on the strength of a Yukawa interaction are stronger by factors of 4 and 24, respectively, than those found previously from gravitational experiments and measurements of the Casimir force but weaker than the constraints following from a differential measurement where the Casimir force was nullified. Some other already performed and planned experiments aimed at searching for axions and non-Newtonian gravity are discussed, and their prospects are evaluated.
HDV Seroprevalence in HBsAg-Positive Patients in China Occurs in Hotspots and Is Not Associated with HCV Mono-Infection
Authors: Roggenbach Imme , Chi Xiumei , Lempp Florian A. , Qu Bingqian , Walter Lisa , Wu Ruihong , Gao Xiuzhu , Schnitzler Paul , Ding Yanhua , Urban Stephan , Niu Junqi
Published: September 2021

HDV infection causes severe liver disease, the global health burden of which may be underestimated due to limited epidemiological data. HDV depends on HBV for infection, but recent studies indicated that dissemination can also be supported by other helper viruses such as HCV. We used a rapid point-of-care test and an ELISA to retrospectively test for antibodies against the Hepatitis Delta antigen (anti-HDV-Ab) in 4103 HBsAg-positive and 1661 HBsAg-negative, anti-HCV-positive sera from China and Germany. We found that the HDV seroprevalence in HBsAg-positive patients in China is limited to geographic hotspots (Inner Mongolia: 35/251, 13.9%; Xinjiang: 7/180, 3.9%) and high-risk intravenous drug users (HBV mono-infected: 23/247, 9.3%; HBV-HCV co-infected: 34/107, 31.8%), while none of the 2634 HBsAg carriers from other metropolitan regions were anti-HDV-Ab-positive. In Germany, we recorded an HDV seroprevalence of 5.3% in a university hospital environment. In a cohort of HBsAg-negative, anti-HCV-positive patients that were not exposed to HBV before (anti-HBc-negative), HDV was not associated with HCV mono-infection (Chinese high-risk cohort: 0/365, 0.0%; German mixed cohort: 0/263, 0.0%). However, 21/1033 (2.0%) high-risk HCV patients in China with markers of a previously cleared HBV infection (anti-HBc-positive) were positive for anti-HDV-Ab, with two of them being positive for both HDV and HCV RNA but negative for HBV DNA. The absence of anti-HDV-Ab in HCV mono-infected patients shows that HCV cannot promote HDV transmission in humans.
Construction, Identification and Analysis of the Interaction Network of African Swine Fever Virus MGF360-9L with Host Proteins
Authors: Yang Bo , Zhang Dajun , Shi Xijuan , Shen Chaochao , Hao Yu , Zhang Ting , Yang Jinke , Yuan Xingguo , Chen Xuehui , Zhao Dengshuai , Cui Huimei , Li Dan , Zhu Zixiang , Tian Hong , Yang Fan , Zheng Haixue , Zhang Keshan , Liu Xiangtao
Published: September 2021

African swine fever virus (ASFV) is prevalent in many countries and is a contagious and lethal virus that infects pigs, posing a threat to the global pig industry and public health. The interaction between the virus and the host is key to unlocking the mystery behind viral pathogenesis. A comprehensive understanding of the viral and host protein interaction may provide clues for developing new antiviral strategies. Here, we show a network of ASFV MGF360-9L protein interactions in porcine kidney (PK-15) cells. Overall, 268 proteins that interact with MGF360-9L are identified using immunoprecipitation and liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC-MS). Accordingly, gene ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analyses were conducted, and the protein–protein interaction (PPI) network was created. It was speculated that the cellular proteins interacting with MGF360-9L are involved in protein binding, metabolism, and the innate immune response. Proteasome subunit alpha type (PSMA3), 26S protease regulatory subunit 4 (PSMC1), autophagy and beclin 1 regulator 1 (AMBRA1), and DEAD-box helicase 20 (DDX20) could interact with MGF360-9L in vitro. PSMA3 and PSMC1 overexpression significantly promoted ASFV replication, and MGF360-9L maintained the transcriptional level of PSMA3 and PSMC1. Here, we show the interaction between ASFV MGF360-9L and cellular proteins and elucidate the virus–host interaction network, which effectively provides useful protein-related information that can enable further study of the potential mechanism and pathogenesis of ASFV infection.
Acute HIV-1 and SARS-CoV-2 Infections Share Slan+ Monocyte Depletion—Evidence from an Hyperacute HIV-1 Case Report
Authors: Farias Guilherme , Badura Robert , Conceição Carolina , Gomes André , Godinho-Santos Ana , Laia Joel , Rosmaninho Pedro , Santos Diana , Mota Catarina , Almeida Afonso , Fernandes Susana , Trombetta Amelia , Sousa Ana
Published: September 2021

Monocytes are key modulators in acute viral infections, determining both inflammation and development of specific B- and T-cell responses. Recently, these cells were shown to be associated to different SARS-CoV-2 infection outcome. However, their role in acute HIV-1 infection remains unclear. We had the opportunity to evaluate the mononuclear cell compartment in an early hyper-acute HIV-1 patient in comparison with an untreated chronic HIV-1 and a cohort of SARS-CoV-2 infected patients, by high dimensional flow cytometry using an unsupervised approach. A distinct polarization of the monocyte phenotype was observed in the two viral infections, with maintenance of pro-inflammatory M1-like profile in HIV-1, in contrast to the M2-like immunosuppressive shift in SARS-CoV-2. Noticeably, both acute infections had reduced CD14low/−CD16+ non-classical monocytes, with depletion of the population expressing Slan (6-sulfo LacNac), which is thought to contribute to immune surveillance through pro-inflammatory properties. This depletion indicates a potential role of these cells in acute viral infection, which has not previously been explored. The inflammatory state accompanied by the depletion of Slan+ monocytes may provide new insights on the critical events that determine the rate of viral set-point in acute HIV-1 infection and subsequent impact on transmission and reservoir establishment.
High Rate of Mutational Events in SARS-CoV-2 Genomes across Brazilian Geographical Regions, February 2020 to June 2021
Authors: de Souza Ueric José Borges , dos Santos Raíssa Nunes , Campos Fabrício Souza , Lourenço Karine Lima , da Fonseca Flavio Guimarães , Spilki Fernando Rosado ,   Corona-ômica.BR/MCTI Network
Published: September 2021

Brazil was considered one of the emerging epicenters of the coronavirus pandemic in 2021, experiencing over 3000 daily deaths caused by the virus at the peak of the second wave. In total, the country had more than 20.8 million confirmed cases of COVID-19, including over 582,764 fatalities. A set of emerging variants arose in the country, some of them posing new challenges for COVID-19 control. The goal of this study was to describe mutational events across samples from Brazilian SARS-CoV-2 sequences publicly obtainable on Global Initiative on Sharing Avian Influenza Data-EpiCoV (GISAID-EpiCoV) platform and to generate indexes of new mutations by each genome. A total of 16,953 SARS-CoV-2 genomes were obtained, which were not proportionally representative of the five Brazilian geographical regions. A comparative sequence analysis was conducted to identify common mutations located at 42 positions of the genome (38 were in coding regions, whereas two were in 5′ and two in 3′ UTR). Moreover, 11 were synonymous variants, 27 were missense variants, and more than 44.4% were located in the spike gene. Across the total of single nucleotide variations (SNVs) identified, 32 were found in genomes obtained from all five Brazilian regions. While a high genomic diversity has been reported in Europe given the large number of sequenced genomes, Africa has demonstrated high potential for new variants. In South America, Brazil, and Chile, rates have been similar to those found in South Africa and India, providing enough “space” for new mutations to arise. Genomic surveillance is the central key to identifying the emerging variants of SARS-CoV-2 in Brazil and has shown that the country is one of the “hotspots” in the generation of new variants.
Embryonic Stage of Congenital Zika Virus Infection Determines Fetal and Postnatal Outcomes in Mice
Authors: Nakayama Eri , Kawai Yasuhiro , Taniguchi Satoshi , Hazlewood Jessamine E. , Shibasaki Ken-ichi , Takahashi Kenta , Sato Yuko , Tang Bing , Yan Kexin , Katsuta Naoko , Tajima Shigeru , Lim Chang Kweng , Suzuki Tadaki , Suhrbier Andreas , Saijo Masayuki
Published: September 2021

Zika virus (ZIKV) infection during pregnancy causes a wide spectrum of congenital abnormalities and postnatal developmental sequelae such as fetal loss, intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR), microcephaly, or motor and neurodevelopmental disorders. Here, we investigated whether a mouse pregnancy model recapitulated a wide range of symptoms after congenital ZIKV infection, and whether the embryonic age of congenital infection changed the fetal or postnatal outcomes. Infection with ZIKV strain PRVABC59 from embryonic day 6.5 (E6.5) to E8.5, corresponding to the mid-first trimester in humans, caused fetal death, fetal resorption, or severe IUGR, whereas infection from E9.5 to E14.5, corresponding to the late-first to second trimester in humans, caused stillbirth, neonatal death, microcephaly, and postnatal growth deficiency. Furthermore, 4-week-old offspring born to dams infected at E12.5 showed abnormalities in neuropsychiatric state, motor behavior, autonomic function, or reflex and sensory function. Thus, our model recapitulated the multiple symptoms seen in human cases, and the embryonic age of congenital infection was one of the determinant factors of offspring outcomes in mice. Furthermore, maternal neutralizing antibodies protected the offspring from neonatal death after congenital infection at E9.5, suggesting that neonatal death in our model could serve as criteria for screening of vaccine candidates.
Phage Therapy for Multi-Drug Resistant Respiratory Tract Infections
Authors: Iszatt Joshua J. , Larcombe Alexander N. , Chan Hak-Kim , Stick Stephen M. , Garratt Luke W. , Kicic Anthony
Published: September 2021

The emergence of multi-drug resistant (MDR) bacteria is recognised today as one of the greatest challenges to public health. As traditional antimicrobials are becoming ineffective and research into new antibiotics is diminishing, a number of alternative treatments for MDR bacteria have been receiving greater attention. Bacteriophage therapies are being revisited and present a promising opportunity to reduce the burden of bacterial infection in this post-antibiotic era. This review focuses on the current evidence supporting bacteriophage therapy against prevalent or emerging multi-drug resistant bacterial pathogens in respiratory medicine and the challenges ahead in preclinical data generation. Starting with efforts to improve delivery of bacteriophages to the lung surface, the current developments in animal models for relevant efficacy data on respiratory infections are discussed before finishing with a summary of findings from the select human trials performed to date.
Gypenoside Inhibits Bovine Viral Diarrhea Virus Replication by Interfering with Viral Attachment and Internalization and Activating Apoptosis of Infected Cells
Authors: Yang Guanghui , Zhang Jialu , Wang Shenghua , Wang Jun , Wang Jing , Zhu Yaohong , Wang Jiufeng
Published: September 2021

Bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) causes a severe threat to the cattle industry due to ineffective control measures. Gypenoside is the primary component of Gynostemma pentaphyllum, which has potential medicinal value and has been widely applied as a food additive and herbal supplement. However, little is known about the antiviral effects of gypenoside. The present study aimed to explore the antiviral activities of gypenoside against BVDV infection. The inhibitory activity of gypenoside against BVDV was assessed by using virus titration and performing Western blotting, quantitative reverse transcription PCR (RT-qPCR), and immunofluorescence assays in MDBK cells. We found that gypenoside exhibited high anti-BVDV activity by interfering with the viral attachment to and internalization in cells. The study showed that BVDV infection inhibits apoptosis of infected cells from escaping the innate defense of host cells. Our data further demonstrated that gypenoside inhibited BVDV infection by electively activating the apoptosis of BVDV-infected cells for execution, as evidenced by the regulation of the expression of the apoptosis-related protein, promotion of caspase-3 activation, and display of positive TUNEL staining; no toxicity was observed in non-infected cells. Collectively, the data identified that gypenoside exerts an anti-BVDV-infection role by inhibiting viral attachment and internalization and selectively purging virally infected cells. Therefore, our study will contribute to the development of a novel prophylactic and therapeutic strategy against BVDV infection.
Integrating Spatiotemporal Epidemiology, Eco-Phylogenetics, and Distributional Ecology to Assess West Nile Disease Risk in Horses
Authors: Humphreys John M. , Pelzel-McCluskey Angela M. , Cohnstaedt Lee W. , McGregor Bethany L. , Hanley Kathryn A. , Hudson Amy R. , Young Katherine I. , Peck Dannele , Rodriguez Luis L. , Peters Debra P. C.
Published: September 2021

Mosquito-borne West Nile virus (WNV) is the causative agent of West Nile disease in humans, horses, and some bird species. Since the initial introduction of WNV to the United States (US), approximately 30,000 horses have been impacted by West Nile neurologic disease and hundreds of additional horses are infected each year. Research describing the drivers of West Nile disease in horses is greatly needed to better anticipate the spatial and temporal extent of disease risk, improve disease surveillance, and alleviate future economic impacts to the equine industry and private horse owners. To help meet this need, we integrated techniques from spatiotemporal epidemiology, eco-phylogenetics, and distributional ecology to assess West Nile disease risk in horses throughout the contiguous US. Our integrated approach considered horse abundance and virus exposure, vector and host distributions, and a variety of extrinsic climatic, socio-economic, and environmental risk factors. Birds are WNV reservoir hosts, and therefore we quantified avian host community dynamics across the continental US to show intra-annual variability in host phylogenetic structure and demonstrate host phylodiversity as a mechanism for virus amplification in time and virus dilution in space. We identified drought as a potential amplifier of virus transmission and demonstrated the importance of accounting for spatial non-stationarity when quantifying interaction between disease risk and meteorological influences such as temperature and precipitation. Our results delineated the timing and location of several areas at high risk of West Nile disease and can be used to prioritize vaccination programs and optimize virus surveillance and monitoring.
A Bioluminescent 3CLPro Activity Assay to Monitor SARS-CoV-2 Replication and Identify Inhibitors
Authors: Mathieu Cyrille , Touret Franck , Jacquemin Clémence , Janin Yves L. , Nougairède Antoine , Brailly Manon , Mazelier Magalie , Décimo Didier , Vasseur Virginie , Hans Aymeric , Valle-Casuso José-Carlos , de Lamballerie Xavier , Horvat Branka , André Patrice , Si-Tahar Mustapha , Lotteau Vincent , Vidalain Pierre-Olivier
Published: September 2021

Our therapeutic arsenal against viruses is very limited and the current pandemic of SARS-CoV-2 highlights the critical need for effective antivirals against emerging coronaviruses. Cellular assays allowing a precise quantification of viral replication in high-throughput experimental settings are essential to the screening of chemical libraries and the selection of best antiviral chemical structures. To develop a reporting system for SARS-CoV-2 infection, we generated cell lines expressing a firefly luciferase maintained in an inactive form by a consensus cleavage site for the viral protease 3CLPro of coronaviruses, so that the luminescent biosensor is turned on upon 3CLPro expression or SARS-CoV-2 infection. This cellular assay was used to screen a metabolism-oriented library of 492 compounds to identify metabolic vulnerabilities of coronaviruses for developing innovative therapeutic strategies. In agreement with recent reports, inhibitors of pyrimidine biosynthesis were found to prevent SARS-CoV-2 replication. Among the top hits, we also identified the NADPH oxidase (NOX) inhibitor Setanaxib. The anti-SARS-CoV-2 activity of Setanaxib was further confirmed using ACE2-expressing human pulmonary cells Beas2B as well as human primary nasal epithelial cells. Altogether, these results validate our cell-based functional assay and the interest of screening libraries of different origins to identify inhibitors of SARS-CoV-2 for drug repurposing or development.
New 1,2,3-Triazole Scaffold Schiff Bases as Potential Anti-COVID-19: Design, Synthesis, DFT-Molecular Docking, and Cytotoxicity Aspects
Authors: Said Musa A. , Khan Daoud J. O. , Al-blewi Fawzia F. , Al-Kaff Nadia S. , Ali Adeeb A. , Rezki Nadjet , Aouad Mohamed Reda , Hagar Mohamed
Published: September 2021

Schiff bases encompassing a 1,2,3-triazole motif were synthesized using an efficient multi-step synthesis. The formations of targeted Schiff base ligands were confirmed by different spectroscopic techniques (FT-IR, 1H NMR, 13C NMR, and CHN analysis). The spectral data analysis revealed that the newly designed hydrazones exist as a mixture of trans-E and cis-E diastereomers. Densityfunctional theory calculations (DFT) for the Schiff bases showed that the trans-trans form has the lowest energy structure with maximum stability compared to the other possible geometrical isomers that could be present due to the orientation of the amidic NH–C=O group. The energy differences between the trans-trans on one side and syn-syn and syn-trans isomers on the other side were 9.26 and 5.56 kcal/mol, respectively. A quantitative structure-activity relationship investigation was also performed in terms of density functional theory. The binding affinities of the newly synthesized bases are, maybe, attributed to the presence of hydrogen bonds together with many hydrophobic interactions between the ligands and the active amino acid residue of the receptor. The superposition of the inhibitor N3 and an example ligand into the binding pocket of 7BQY is also presented. Further interesting comparative docking analyses were performed. Quantitative structure-activity relationship calculations are presented, illustrating possible inhibitory activity. Further computer-aided cytotoxicity analysis by Drug2Way and PASS online software was carried out for Schiff base ligands against various cancer cell lines. Overall, the results of this study suggest that these Schiff base derivatives may be considered for further investigation as possible therapeutic agents for COVID-19.
A Deterministic Topographic Wetland Index Based on LiDAR-Derived DEM for Delineating Open-Water Wetlands
Authors: Bian Linlong , Melesse Assefa M. , Leon Arturo S. , Verma Vivek , Yin Zeda
Published: September 2021

Wetlands play a significant role in flood mitigation. Remote sensing technologies as an efficient and accurate approach have been widely applied to delineate wetlands. Supervised classification is conventionally applied for remote sensing technologies to improve the wetland delineation accuracy. However, performing supervised classification requires preparing the training data, which is also considered time-consuming and prone to human mistakes. This paper presents a deterministic topographic wetland index to delineate wetland inundation areas without performing supervised classification. The classic methods such as Normalized Difference Vegetation Index, Normalized Difference Water Index, and Topographic Wetness Index were chosen to compare with the proposed deterministic topographic method on wetland delineation accuracy. The ground truth sample points validated by Google satellite imageries from four different years were used for the assessment of the delineation overall accuracy. The results show that the proposed deterministic topographic wetland index has the highest overall accuracy (98.90%) and Kappa coefficient (0.641) among the selected approaches in this study. The findings of this paper will provide an alternative approach for delineating wetlands rapidly by using solely the LiDAR-derived Digital Elevation Model.
Potential Effects of Persistent Organic Contaminants on Marine Biota: A Review on Recent Research
Authors: Vagi Maria C. , Petsas Andreas S. , Kostopoulou Maria N.
Published: September 2021

Synthetic organic compounds belonging to different chemical classes and possessing diverse physicochemical properties are frequently present in marine environments. Microplastics, pharmaceuticals, pesticides, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are contained in the list of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) that have been detected in the global marine system. Numerous ecotoxicological studies have revealed the direct and indirect effects of anthropogenic toxicants on marine biota. The present review presents the research that has been conducted during the period from 1 January 2016 to 30 June 2021 concerning the lethal and sub-lethal impacts of selected organic-synthetic stressors on different plant and animal marine species, and summarizes the observed or predicted individual and combined effects after exposure to chemical mixtures of such contaminants. Future research needs dependent on the knowledge gaps that remain in the bibliography are also highlighted.
Performance Assessment System to Wastewater Utilities Strategic Planning
Authors: Almeida Maria do Céu , Brito Rita Salgado , Jorge Catarina , Cardoso Maria Adriana
Published: September 2021

Urban water utilities face growing challenges in compliance with increasingly demanding legislation, tightening budgets, ageing personnel, decreasing infrastructure reliability, increasing operational costs, regulatory pressure, and climate change. Within this context, tracking the alignment of the performance with the mission and strategic objectives of the organization, based on reliable and up-to-date data, is of utmost importance to enable effective and continual improvement management. Organizational performance assessment in the water sector has been a topic of growing attention since the 1990s due to the increase in the role of regulators and tighter legislation. Proactive utilities are incorporating sustainability, resource efficiency, resilience, and continual improvement principles in their practices. Strategic planning provides the road map for management and interconnecting the different areas of the organization. An essential component of strategic management planning is the adoption of a tailored performance assessment system (PAS), allowing a better response to these challenges from the water utility management perspective. This paper presents a novel PAS at the strategic level, which was tested and validated with wastewater utilities, in a co-creation process. The proposed PAS fully adopts the objectives recommended in international standards, with a corresponding set of criteria and metrics, and a validated proposal of reference values for the metrics.
Layout Selection for an Optimal Sewer Network Design Based on Land Topography, Streets Network Topology, and Inflows
Authors: Saldarriaga Juan , Zambrano Jesús , Herrán Juana , Iglesias-Rey Pedro L.
Published: September 2021

This paper proposes a methodology for the layout selection of an urban drainage system as an extension to the methodology for an optimal sewer network design proposed by Duque, Duque, Aguilar, & Saldarriaga. The layout selection approach proposed in this paper uses an objective function that takes into account all input data in the problem, such as: land topography, street network topology, and inflow to each manhole. Once the layout is selected, the network is optimally designed using dynamic programming. The problem of layout selection is solved as a mixed-integer programming problem and is divided into two steps. The first step tries to define an initial layout using the network topology and land topography as a criterion. This allows for an initial hydraulic design and an approximation of the sewer network’s construction costs. The second step uses the data obtained in the previous process to establish an approximation of the construction costs of each arc that can be part of the layout. This is in order to minimize the objective function of the layout selection problem so that the hydraulic design cost is also minimized. The methodology was successfully tested on three case studies: the Chicó sewer network proposed by Duque et al. and two sewer network benchmarks from the literature.
Impact Assessment of Gridded Precipitation Products on Streamflow Simulations over a Poorly Gauged Basin in El Salvador
Authors: Jimeno-Sáez Patricia , Blanco-Gómez Pablo , Pérez-Sánchez Julio , Cecilia José M. , Senent-Aparicio Javier
Published: September 2021

In this study, five open access gridded precipitation (GP) products (CFSR, MSWEPv1.1, PERSIANN-CDR, CMORPH, and CHIRPSv2.0) and local climate data were evaluated over the Grande de San Miguel (GSM) River Basin in El Salvador. The main purpose was to identify optional data sources of precipitation for hydrological modelling given that ground-based precipitation gauges in El Salvador are scarce and their data includes important temporal and spatial gaps. Firstly, a direct comparison was made between the precipitation data from the five GP products and from the rain gauges. Secondly, the SWAT model was used to simulate the streamflow regimen based on the precipitation datasets. The analysis of results showed that the models produced correct predictions, and the accuracy increased as models were calibrated to each specific precipitation product. Overall, PERSIANN-CDR produced the best simulation results, including streamflow predictions in the GSM basin, and outperformed other GP products and also the results obtained from data precipitation gauges. The findings of this research support the hydrological modelling based on open-access GP products, particularly when the data from precipitation gauges are scarce and poor.
Effects of Elevated Atmospheric CO2 Concentration on Phragmites australis and Wastewater Treatment Efficiency in Constructed Wetlands
Authors: Wang Zongshuai , Li Shuxin , Liu Shengqun , Wang Fahong , Kong Lingan , Li Xiangnan , Brestic Marian
Published: September 2021

Elevated atmospheric CO2 concentration (e[CO2]) has been predicted to rise to more than 400 ppm by the end of this century. It has received extensive attention with regard to the pros and cons of e[CO2] effects in terrestrial and marine ecosystems, while the effects of e[CO2] on wastewater treatment efficiency in constructed wetlands (CWs) are rarely known. In this study, the atmospheric CO2 concentration was set as 400 ppm (that is, ambient [CO2]) and 800 ppm (that is, e[CO2]). The physiological performance of Phragmites australis and microbial enzyme activities in constructed wetlands in response to e[CO2] were tested. Significantly higher net photosynthetic rate and plant growth were found under e[CO2]. The concentrations of nitrate, total anions, and total ions in the xylem sap of Phragmites australis were reduced, while the uptake of N and P in plants were not affected under e[CO2] condition. In addition, the ammonia monooxygenase activity was reduced, while the phosphatase activity was enhanced by e[CO2]. The increased removal efficiency of chemical oxygen demand and total nitrogen in CWs could be ascribed to the changes in physiological performance of Phragmites australis and activities of microbial enzymes under e[CO2]. These results suggested that the future atmospheric CO2 concentration could affect the wastewater treatment efficiency in CWs, due to the direct effects on plants and microorganisms.
Reed Biochar Addition to Composite Filler Enhances Nitrogen Removal from BDBR Systems in Eutrophic Rivers Channel
Authors: Chang Yajun , Liu Jie , Tang Qiang , Sun Linhe , Cui Jian , Liu Xiaojing , Yao Dongrui , Han Shiqun
Published: September 2021

With the rapid development of urbanization in China, the eutrophication or black stink of urban rivers has become a critical environmental problem. As a research hotspot in wastewater purification, biofilm technology has shortcomings, such as insufficient carbon sources for denitrification. This study used a Biofilm Denitrification Batch Reactor (BDBR) system constructed using reed biochar as the carbon source required in denitrification, significantly accelerating the biofilm formation. To determine the suitable amount of biochar for water purification from the urban eutrophic rivers by the BDBR system, 0%, 5%, 10%, and 15% reed biochar was added to the viscose fiber combined packing. The combined packing reactor involved in this study had a high removal efficiency of the eutrophication channel COD throughout the experiment. However, adding 5% and 10% biochar in the combined filler effectively increased the number of nitrifying and denitrifying bacteria on the biofilm, improved the dominant bacteria diversity and microbial activity, and enhanced denitrification efficiency in the BDBR system. It provides new ideas and methods for developing and applying in situ denitrification technology for urban polluted rivers.
Risk Type Analysis of Building on Urban Flood Damage
Authors: Park Kiyong , Choi Sang-Hyun , Yu Insang
Published: September 2021

Climate change caused by global warming has resulted in an increase in average temperature and changes in precipitation pattern and intensity. Consequently, this has led to an increase in localized heavy rain which intensifies the uncertainty of the development of urban areas. To minimize flood damage in an urban area, this study aims to analyze the flood risk effect on buildings by ranking the risk of flood damage for each building type and sorting the long-term land use plan and the building type that requires particular consideration. To evaluate the flood risk of each building type, vulnerability analysis and exposure analysis were conducted in five regions of the Ulsan City. The vulnerability analysis includes determination of each building type by using the building elements which are sensitive to flood damage. In terms of the exposure analysis, environmental factors were applied to analyze the flood depth. The mapping based on the results from two analyses provided the basis for classifying the flood risk into five classes (green, yellowish green, yellow, orange, red). The results were provided in the urban spatial form for each building type. This analysis shows that the district near the Taehwa river is the area with the highest risk class buildings (red and orange class buildings). Notably, this area plays a pivotal functional role in administrating the Ulsan City and has a high density of buildings. This phenomenon is explained by city development which is centered around the lowland; however, given the high value of property, the potential risk is proven to be high.
Using a Mamdani Fuzzy Inference System Model (MFISM) for Ranking Groundwater Quality in an Agri-Environmental Context: Case of the Hammamet-Nabeul Shallow Aquifer (Tunisia)
Authors: Hajji Soumaya , Yahyaoui Naima , Bousnina Sonda , Ben Brahim Fatma , Allouche Nabila , Faiedh Houda , Bouri Salem , Hachicha Wafik , Aljuaid Awad M.
Published: September 2021

Using an adaptive Mamdani fuzzy inference system model (MFSIM), the purpose of this paper is mainly to assess and rank the assessment and ranking of water quality for irrigation occurring in the Hammamet-Nabeul (Tunisia) shallow aquifer. This aquifer is under Mediterranean climate conditions and affected by intensive and irrational agricultural activities. In the current study, the Mamdani fuzzy logic-based decision-making approach was adapted to classify groundwater quality (GW) for irrigation. The operation of the fuzzy model is based on the input membership functions of electrical conductivity (EC) and sodium absorption ratio (SAR) and on the output membership function of the irrigation water quality index (IWQI). Validation of the applied MFISM showed a rate of about 80%. Therefore, MFISM was shown to be reliable and flexible in quality ranking for irrigation in an uncertain and complex hydrogeological system. The results demonstrated that water quality contamination in the aquifer is affected by the overlaying of three types of negative anthropogenic practices: the excess use of water for irrigation and chemical fertilizers, and the rejection of partially treated wastewater in some areas. The implemented approach led to identifying the spatial distribution of water quality for irrigation in the studied area. It is considered a helpful tool for water agri-environmental sustainability and management.
BIOGRAPHICAL AND PEDAGOGICAL DIMENSION OF VIKTOR SYDORENKO AS A SCIENTIST IN THE FIELD TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION
Authors: Savchenko A. , Tsyna A.
Published: September 2021

The article analyzes Viktor Konstiantynovych Sydorenko’s life and scientific path. The authors have identified four stages of his life as a Doctor of Pedagogical Sciences, Full Professor, Corresponding Member of the Academy of Pedagogical Sciences of Ukraine: 1) the primary stage – 1951-1968; 2) the stage of scientific research – 1968-1977; 3) the stage of pedagogical formation – 1977-1997; 4) the stage of active scientific activity – 1997-2013. Every stage of his life is briefly described, the scientists’ scientific views, the results of his scientific research, opinions about the place of drawing in the curriculum are singled out and emphasized; the scientist’s concern about the removal of drawings from the curriculum and the lack of students’ basics of graphic literacy, which are necessary for further technical engineering and computer graphics. The scientist’s views on updating the content of labor training, the inconsistency of the subject title with the world’s needs are analyzed and concretized, and a modern teacher’s main qualities are determined. Moreover, in the course of the research, it has been revealed that among the main tasks that should be included in the content of future labor education (technology) teacher training in higher pedagogical educational institutions, there is students’ readiness to develop technical concepts, gain practical skills, technical and technological knowledge and creative attitude to work. The problems on which the scientist worked are outlined and systematized; V. Sydorenko’s scientific heritage is analyzed and further directions of research on this issue are determined, which are the following: the systematization of scientific works, analysis of achievements and issues of the scientific school of contradictions research, which cause the emergence of new requirements for teacher training and technologies.
Impacto do uso da Toxina Botulínica em pacientes com Doença de Parkinson: uma revisão Sistemática
Authors: Souza Daniely Hackbarth de , Gonçalves Laura Faustino , Mituuti Cláudia Tiemi , Paiva Karina Mary de , Haas Patricia
Published: September 2021

Introdução. A Toxina Botulínica (TxB) vem sendo amplamente utilizada para tratar sintomas da doença de Parkinson (DP) e sua eficácia e segurança vem sendo confirmada em diversos estudos.  Objetivo. Verificar o impacto do uso da toxina botulínica em pacientes com DP. Método. A busca por artigos científicos foi conduzida por dois pesquisadores independentes nas bases de dados MEDLINE (Pubmed), LILACS, SciELO, SCOPUS, WEB OF SCIENCE e BIREME, sem restrição de idioma e localização, durante o período de 2015 a 2020. Para complementar e evitar viés de risco foi realizada uma busca por literatura cinza no Google Scholar. A revisão sistemática foi conduzida conforme as recomendações do Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA). Foram inclusos na pesquisa estudos que obtiveram pontuação ≥ a 6 pontos segundo o protocolo para pontuação qualitativa proposto por Pithon et al.  Resultados. Foram recuperados 97 artigos com potencial de inclusão, sendo que 4 responderam à pergunta norteadora, que consistiu em verificar o impacto do uso da TxB em pacientes com DP. Os artigos selecionados relataram o uso da TxB para tratar a sialorreia, tremor e distonia dos pés. O uso da TxB mostrou-se eficaz a longo prazo para tratar a sialorreia, distonia dos pés e tremor de membro. Conclusão. As análises evidenciaram que a TxB possui um impacto positivo aos pacientes com DP, sendo uma grande aliada na melhora da qualidade de vida desses pacientes, tendo poucos efeitos colaterais, sendo em sua maioria leves.
MECHANISMS OF ACT OF VARIOUS KINDS OF ORGANIC MINERAL ADDITIVES IN CEMENT SYSTEM
Authors: Ledenev A. , Kozodaev S. , Percev V. , Baranov E. , Zagoruyko T. , Vnukov D.
Published: September 2021

The article presents the direction of development of the scientific and practical foundations of the technology of cement concretes associated with the use of organic mineral additives. It allows to improve the physical and mechanical characteristics of products and structures. The purpose of research is determination of the mechanism of act organic-mineral additives including reductants of the various physical and chemical nature and an experimental estimation of their effect on a mineral phase structure and properties of cement system. Organic mineral additives are applied in studies for which new options of components of the various physical and chemical nature are observed and received. The study of possible mechanisms of effect organic mineral additives conducted on a water-cement paste and on concreting cement system with roent-gen-phase analysis application are made. The effect of organic mineral additives on properties watering out and concreting cement systems is established. The effect of organic mineral additives including reduct-ants of the various physical and chemical nature, on a modification of a mineral phase structure of growths in the course of a hydration solidification and set strength is determined. The data obtained allow to broaden the understanding of organic-mineral additives effect on a structure and properties of cement sys-tem and to suggest accessible raw reductants in new effective organic mineral additives for obtaining of cement concretes with improved physical-mechanical performances.
LOW-MELTING UNFRITTED GLAZE IN THE MATERIALS SYSTEM "QUARTZ SAND-ULEXIT-SODA-FELVESPATCH CONCENTRATE
Authors: Onishchuk V. , Ageeva S. , Doroganov E.
Published: September 2021

The article presents the results of studies aimed at establishing the possibility of obtaining low-melting nephritized glazes for majolica with a glass transition temperature of not more than 1000 ° C in the system of materials "quartz sand - ulexite - soda - feldspar concentrate". A rational choice of raw materials will ensure the production of slips that are able to maintain their design chemical composition during the application of majolica to the shard, therefore, provide the specified chemical composition of the glaze and contribute to obtaining the required physical, mechanical and chemical properties of the glaze layer. The design of the material compositions of the charges and the chemical compositions of the glaze coatings was carried out using the mathematical planning of the experiment, which significantly reduced the time and material costs for research. The parameters that determine the quality of slips and glaze coatings have been established, their most optimal values have been identified, which ensure the production of acceptable glaze coatings, and the ways to optimize work in the studied direction have been determined. As a result, the fundamental possibility of obtaining low-melting nephritized glazes in the system of materials "quartz sand - ulexite - soda - feldspar concentrate, capable of transforming into a glassy state at temperatures not exceeding 1000 ºC, has been proved.
Factors Influencing Procurement of Digital Health Care: A Case Study in Dutch District Nursing
Authors: Holterman Sander , Hettinga Marike , Buskens Erik , Lahr Maarten
Published: September 2021

Background: Digital health is considered a promising solution in keeping health care accessible and affordable. However, implementation is often complex and sustainable funding schemes are lacking. Despite supporting policy, scaling up innovative forms of health care progresses much slower than intended in Dutch national framework agreements. The aim of this study is to identify factors that influence the procurement of digital health particular in district nursing. Methods: A case study approach was used, in which multiple stakeholder perspectives are compared using thematic framework analysis. The case studied was the procurement of digital health in Dutch district nursing. Literature on implementation of digital health, public procurement and payment models was used to build the analytic framework. We analysed fourteen interviews (secondary data), two focus groups organised by the national task force procurement and eight governmental and third-party reports. Results: Five themes emerged from the analysis: 1) rationale 2) provider-payer relationship, 3) resources, 4) evidence, and 5) the payment model. Per theme a number of factors were identified, mostly related to the design and functioning of the Dutch health system and to the implementation process at providers' side. Conclusions: This study identified factors influencing the procurement of digital health in Dutch district nursing. The findings, however, are not unique for digital health, district nursing or the Dutch health system. The results presented will support policy makers, and decision makers to improve procurement of digital health. Investing in better relationships between payer and care provider organisations and professionals is an important next step towards scaling digital health.
Inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor of the urinary bladder; a case report
Authors: Benlier Necla , Solakhan Mehmet , Sever Özlem Nuray , Gürbüz Hüseyin , Yıldırım Mustafa
Published: September 2021

Inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor (IMT) is a rare neoplasm exhibiting local aggressive behavior and needs to be differentiated from sarcoma and sarcomatoid carcinoma in particular. Its exact etiology is uncertain. IMT is more common among children and young adults. Pulmonary, gastrointestinal, genitourinary, retroperitoneal sites are frequently affected. History, physical examination, laboratory workup and imaging modalities have limited diagnostic value. IMT has a tendency for local recurrence. Here, we report a case of an IMT of the bladder in a female patient with difficulty urinating, dysuria and pelvic pain.
Cachexia and anorexia in cancer; a systematic review
Authors: Darakhshandeh Ali , Momenzadeh Mahnaz
Published: September 2021

The treatment strategy for cancer cachexia is based on the cachexia stage of the cancer and its phenotypes, therefore interventions and expected outcomes vary. In order for the patient to get the most out of the treatment, it should be done based on the mechanism of intervention and the quality of life of patients should be addressed, including aspects of rehabilitation and reduction of the patient’s suffering using a multidisciplinary team. Given the importance of the subject, the present study aims to investigate cachexia and anorexia in cancer. From the electronic databases, PubMed, Cochrane Library, Embase, Web of Sciences have been used to perform a systematic literature until 2020. Therefore, a software program (Endnote X8) has been utilized for managing electronic titles. Searches were performed with mesh terms. This review recommended that clinicians establish an interaction between cancer anorexia-cachexia syndrome (CACS) treatments and chronic pain treatments and choose the best treatment option.
Distribution of CCR5 Δ32 HIV-1 resistance allele frequency at Zanjan province in Iran
Authors: Farshbaf Alieh , Biglari Alireza , Faghihzadeh Soghrat , Esmaeilzadeh Abdolreza
Published: September 2021

Introduction: The CC chemokine receptor 5 (CCR5) is known as the main co-receptor in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. Accumulating evidence verified 32bp deletion in both alleles of CCR5 provides natural resistance to HIV infection. Accordingly, recent therapeutic approaches are based on gene and cell therapies by inducing this resistance. Allogeneic transplantation of stem cells with CCR5Δ32 homozygous to HIV infected people has been considered as an efficient strategy. Objectives: The aim of this study was to determine CCR5 Δ32 mutation frequency in healthy and HIV-infected individuals in Zanjan province, in Iran and also detecting appropriate candidate for future therapeutic approaches. Patients and Methods: In this study, blood samples were collected from 102 HIV infected patients and 204 healthy controls in ethylene diamine tetra-acetic acid (EDTA) pre-coated tubes. DNA extraction was performed and analyzed for CCR5Δ32 mutation by GAP-PCR in both groups and followed by 2% gel agarose electrophoresis. The Δ32 genotype frequency was statistically determined. Results: Our finding demonstrated that 3 HIV infected patients displayed CCR5 mutation, while 204 healthy controls showed one CCR5 Δ32/Δ32 homozygote mutation. We observed that Δ32 mutation frequency is 0.82% in Zanjan province (χ2 =47.58, P<0.001). Conclusion: Reduction in CCR5 mutation frequency as well as the other polymorphisms related to HIV resistance, can lead to the development of HIV infection epidemiology. Migration, natural selection and genetic admixture can elucidate various distribution of Δ32 allele frequency in different populations, like as north Europeans that reduce gradually to south. The result of this study can facilitate the presentation of suitable Δ32 donors to HIV infected patients in therapeutic approaches.