bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Differential Associations of Intakes of Whole Grains and Coarse Grains with Risks of Cardiometabolic Factors among Adults in China
Authors: Huang Qiumin , Hao Lixin , Wang Liusen , Jiang Hongru , Li Weiyi , Wang Shaoshunzi , Jia Xiaofang , Huang Feifei , Wang Huijun , Zhang Bing , Ding Gangqiang , Wang Zhihong
Published: May 2022

There is a lack of studies on the association between whole grain intake and cardiometabolic risk factors in China and the current definition of whole grains is inconsistent. This study defined whole grains in two ways, Western versus traditional, and examined their associations with the risks of major cardiometabolic factors (CMFs) among 4706 Chinese adults aged ≥18 years, who participated in surveys both in 2011 and in 2015. Diet data were collected by consecutive 3 d 24 h recalls, together with household seasoning weighing. Whole grains were defined as grains with a ratio of fiber to carbohydrate of ≥0.1, while coarse grains were defined as grains except for rice and its products, and wheat and its products. Multivariable logistic regressions were modeled to analyze the associations of intakes of whole grains and coarse grains, respectively, with risks of major CMFs including obesity-, blood pressure-, blood glucose- and lipid-related factors, which were defined by International Diabetes Federation and AHA/NHLBI criteria. After adjusting for potential confounders, the odds of elevated LDL-C decreased with the increasing intake levels of whole grains (OR 0.64, 95% CI 0.46–0.88, p-trend < 0.05). Moreover, adults with the whole grain intake of 50.00 to 150.00 g/day had 27% lower odds of overweight and obesity (OR 0.73, 95% CI 0.54–0.99) and 31% lower odds of elevated LDL-C (OR 0.69, 95% CI 0.49–0.96), as compared with non-consumers. In conclusion, given the significant nutrient profiles of whole grains and coarse grains, the adults with higher intakes of whole grains only may have a lower risk of LDL-C and overweight and obesity.
Hagnosa longicapillata, gen. nov., sp. nov., a New Sordariaceous Ascomycete in the Indoor Environment, and the Proposal of Hagnosaceae fam. nov.
Authors: Magyar Donát , Tartally András , Merényi Zsolt
Published: May 2022

Hagnosa longicapillata, gen. nov., sp. nov, is described and illustrated from wooden building materials collected in Hungary and from pure culture. This species has been collected exclusively from indoor environments, where it was quite common. The ascocarps develop in a thick layer of brown, woolly mats of mycelia. The ostiolar region of the perithecia is ornamented with a five-lobed, flower-shaped crown. Asci are four-spored; ascospores are dark brown, smooth, muriform, not constricted at the septa, and liberated mostly through crackings of the thin ascomatal wall. Apparently, ascospores are dispersed by the mechanical disturbance of the mycelial web. In the phylogenetic tree, Hagnosa samples were placed as a basal lineage, independently from the other family of Sordariomycetidae, with high support. To place Hagnosa in Sordariales, the new family, Hagnosaceae, is proposed.
Multiplex TaqMan® Quantitative PCR Assays for Host-Tick-Pathogen Studies Using the Guinea Pig-Tick-Rickettsia System
Authors: Ross Anne-Marie L. , Stokes John V. , Cross Claire E. , Alugubelly Navatha , Varela-Stokes Andrea S.
Published: May 2022

Spotted Fever Rickettsiosis (SFR) is caused by spotted fever group Rickettsia spp. (SFGR), and is associated with symptoms common to other illnesses, making it challenging to diagnose before detecting SFGR-specific antibodies. The guinea pig is a valuable biomedical model for studying Spotted Fever Rickettsiosis (SFR); its immune system is more like the human immune system than that of the murine model, and guinea pigs develop characteristic clinical signs. Thus, we have a compelling interest in developing, expanding, and optimizing tools for use in our guinea pig-Amblyomma-Rickettsia system for understanding host-tick-pathogen interactions. With the design and optimization of the three multiplex TaqMan® qPCR assays described here, we can detect the two SFGR, their respective primary Amblyomma sp. vectors, and the guinea pig model as part of controlled experimental studies using tick-transmission of SFGR to guinea pigs. We developed qPCR assays that reliably detect each specific target down to 10 copies by producing plasmid standards for each assay target, optimizing the individual primer-probe sets, and optimizing the final multiplex reactions in a methodical, stepwise fashion. We anticipate that these assays, currently designed for in vivo studies, will serve as a foundation for optimal SFGR detection in other systems, including fieldwork.
Cobalt (II) Chloride Regulates the Invasion and Survival of Brucella abortus 544 in RAW 264.7 Cells and B6 Mice
Authors: Huy Tran X. N. , Nguyen Trang T. , Reyes Alisha W. B. , Kim Heejin , Min WonGi , Lee Hu J. , Lee John H. , Kim Suk
Published: May 2022

The effects of Cobalt (II) chloride (CoCl2) in the context of Brucella abortus (B. abortus) infection have not been evaluated so far. Firstly, we found that CoCl2 treatment inhibited the phagocytosis of B. abortus into RAW 264.7 cells. The inhibition of bacterial invasion was regulated by F-actin formation and associated with a reduction in the phosphorylation of ERK1/2 and HIF-1α expression. Secondly, the activation of trafficking regulators LAMP1, LAMP2, and lysosomal enzyme GLA at the transcriptional level activated immune responses, weakening the B. abortus growth at 4 h post-infection (pi). The silencing of HIF-1α increased bacterial survival at 24 h pi. At the same time, CoCl2 treatment showed a significant increase in the transcripts of lysosomal enzyme HEXB and cytokine TNF-α and an attenuation of the bacterial survival. Moreover, the enhancement at the protein level of HIF-1α was induced in the CoCl2 treatment at both 4 and 24 h pi. Finally, our results demonstrated that CoCl2 administration induced the production of serum cytokines IFN-γ and IL-6, which is accompanied by dampened Brucella proliferation in the spleen and liver of treated mice, and reduced the splenomegaly and hepatomegaly. Altogether, CoCl2 treatment contributed to host resistance against B. abortus infection with immunomodulatory effects.
Estimation of Pb Content Using Reflectance Spectroscopy in Farmland Soil near Metal Mines, Central China
Authors: Zhao Danyun , Xie Danni , Yin Fang , Liu Lei , Feng Jilu , Ashraf Tariq
Published: May 2022

The contamination of farmlands with hazardous metals from mining puts the safety of agricultural commodities at risk. For remediation, it is crucial to map the spatial distribution of contaminated soil. Typical sampling-based procedures are time-consuming and labor-intensive. The use of visible, near-infrared, and short-wave infrared reflectance (VNIR-SWIR) spectroscopy to detect soil heavy metal pollution is an alternative. With the aim of investigating a methodology of detecting the most sensitive bands using VNIR-SWIR spectra to find lead (Pb) anomalies in agriculture soil near mining activities, the area in Xiaoqinling Mountain, downstream from a series of active gold mines, was selected to test the feasibility of utilizing VNIR-SWIR spectroscopy to map soil Pb. A total of 115 soil samples were collected for laboratory Pb analysis and spectral measurement. Partial least squares regression (PLSR) was adopted to estimate the soil Pb content by building the prediction model, and the model was optimized by finding the optimal number of bands involved. The spatial distribution of Pb concentration was mapped using the ordinary kriging (OK) interpolation method. This study found that five spectral bands (522 nm, 1668 nm, 2207 nm, 2296 nm, and 2345 nm) were sensitive to soil Pb content. The optimized prediction model’s coefficient of determination (R2), residual prediction deviation (RPD), and root mean square error (RMSE) were 0.711, 1.860, and 0.711 ln(mg/kg), respectively. Additionally, the result of OK interpolation was convincing and accurate (R2 = 0.775, RMSE = 0.328 ln(mg/kg)), comparing maps from estimated and ground truth data. This study proves that it is feasible to use VNIR-SWIR spectral data for in situ estimation of the soil Pb content.
Analysis of Uncertainties in Inductance of Multi-Layered Printed-Circuit Spiral Coils
Authors: Noh Myounggyu , Bui Thien Vuong , Le Khanh Tan , Park Young-Woo
Published: May 2022

Eddy-current sensors are widely used for precise displacement sensing and non-destructive testing. Application of printed-circuit board (PCB) technology for manufacturing sensor coils may reduce the cost of the sensor and enhance the performance by ensuring consistency. However, these prospects depend on the uniformness of the sensor coil. Inductance measurements of sample coils reveal rather considerable variations. In this paper, we investigate the sources of these variations. Through image analysis of cut-away cross-sections of sensor coils, four factors that contribute to the inductance variations are identified: the distance between layers, the distance between tracings, cross-sectional areas, and misalignment among layers. By using and extending existing method of calculating inductance of spiral coils, the inductance distributions are obtained when these factors are randomly varied. A sensitivity analysis shows that the inductance uncertainty is most affected by the uniformness of the spacings between coil traces and the distances between layers. Improvements in PCB manufacturing process can help to reduce the uncertainty in inductance.
Enhanced Terahertz Phase Retrieval Imaging by Unequal Spaced Measurement
Authors: Xing Chungui , Qi Feng , Guo Shuxu
Published: May 2022

Terahertz lensless phase retrieval imaging is a promising technique for non-destructive inspection applications. In the conventional multiple-plane phase retrieval method, the convergence speed due to wave propagations and measures with equal interval distance is slow and leads to stagnation. To address this drawback, we propose a nonlinear unequal spaced measurement scheme in which the interval space between adjacent measurement planes is gradually increasing, it can significantly increase the diversity of the intensity with a smaller number of required images. Both the simulation and experimental results demonstrate that our method enables quantitative phase and amplitude imaging with a faster speed and better image quality, while also being computationally efficient and robust to noise.
Application of Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) to Recognize Ship Structures
Authors: Lim Jae-Jun , Kim Dae-Won , Hong Woon-Hee , Kim Min , Lee Dong-Hoon , Kim Sun-Young , Jeong Jae-Hoon
Published: May 2022

The purpose of this paper is to study the recognition of ships and their structures to improve the safety of drone operations engaged in shore-to-ship drone delivery service. This study has developed a system that can distinguish between ships and their structures by using a convolutional neural network (CNN). First, the dataset of the Marine Traffic Management Net is described and CNN’s object sensing based on the Detectron2 platform is discussed. There will also be a description of the experiment and performance. In addition, this study has been conducted based on actual drone delivery operations—the first air delivery service by drones in Korea.
Numerical Study of the Thermal Performance of a Mems Pressure Sensor with Self-Calibration Capabilities
Authors: de Clerck Albrey , Kang Yuhong , Sibold Ridge , Mouring Scott , Ruan Hang , Ng Wing
Published: May 2022

Recent industry trends toward more complex and interconnected systems have increased the demand for more reliable pressure sensors. By integrating a microactuator with a pressure sensor, the sensor can self-calibrate, eliminating the complexities and costs associated with traditional sensor calibration methods to ensure reliability. The present work is focused on furthering understanding and improving the thermal performance of a thermopneumatic actuated self-calibrating pressure sensor. A transient numerical model was developed in ANSYS and was calibrated using experimental testing data. The numerical model provided insights into the sensor’s performance not previously observed in experimental testing. Furthermore, the model was utilized for two design studies. First, it was found that a substrate with low thermal conductivity and high thermal diffusivity is ideal for both the sensor’s efficiency and a faster transient response time. The second design study showed that decreasing the size of the sealed reference cavity lowers power consumption and transient response time. The study also showed that reducing the cavity base dimension has a greater effect on lowering power consumption and response time. Overall, the present work increases understanding of the self-calibrating pressure sensor and provides insight into potential design improvements, moving closer to optimized self-calibrating pressure sensors.
Enabling Energy Harvesting-Based Wi-Fi System for an e-Health Application: A MAC Layer Perspective
Authors: Famitafreshi Golshan , Afaqui Muhammad Shahwaiz , Melià-Seguí Joan
Published: May 2022

The adverse impacts of using conventional batteries in the Internet of Things (IoT) devices, such as cost-effective maintenance, numerous battery replacements, and environmental hazards, have led to an interest in integrating energy harvesting technology into IoT devices to extend their lifetime and sustainably effectively. However, this requires improvements in different IoT protocol stack layers, especially in the MAC layer, due to its high level of energy consumption. These improvements are essential in critical applications such as IoT medical devices. In this paper, we simulated a dense solar-based energy harvesting Wi-Fi network in an e-Health environment, introducing a new algorithm for energy consumption mitigation while maintaining the required Quality of Service (QoS) for e-Health. In compliance with the upcoming Wi-Fi amendment 802.11be, the Access Point (AP) coordination-based optimization technique is proposed, where an AP can request dynamic resource rescheduling along with its nearby APs, to reduce the network energy consumption through adjustments within the standard MAC protocol. This paper shows that the proposed algorithm, alongside using solar energy harvesting technology, increases the energy efficiency by more than 40% while maintaining the e-Health QoS requirements. We believe this research will open new opportunities in IoT energy harvesting integration, especially in QoS-restricted environments.
Effect of Vanadium Catalysts on Hydrogen Evolution from NaBH4
Authors: Orłowski Piotr Antoni , Grochala Wojciech
Published: May 2022

NaBH4 is a very cheap and hydrogen-rich material, as well as a potential hydrogen store. However, the high temperature of its thermal decomposition (above 530 °C) renders it inapplicable in practical use. Here, we studied the effect of addition of diverse V-containing catalysts on thermal hydrogen desorption. It turns out that mechanochemical doping of NaBH4 with vanadium metal, its oxides, or nanoparticles lowers the temperature of pyrolysis significantly. Notably, NaBH4 milled for 3 h with 25 wt.% V2O5 or VO2 releases ca. 70% of stored hydrogen in the temperature range of ca. 370–450 °C. On the other hand, precursors and solvents used to prepare rather uniform vanadium nanoparticles (~4 nm) suspended in THF or less uniform and larger ones (~15 nm) in o- difluorobenzene have adverse effect on the purity of hydrogen evolved.
Learner Autonomy and Learning Strategy Use before and during the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Irgatoğlu Aydan , Sarıçoban Arif , Özcan Murat , Dağbaşı Gürkan
Published: May 2022

This study aims to explore the autonomy level and use of language learning strategies in a preparatory school of a state university before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. One hundred fifty-five preparatory school students from a state university participated in the research. For the data collection, Oxford’s Language Learning Strategy (LLS) and a learner autonomy questionnaire developed by Zhang and Li were used. Means, standard deviation, t-test, and Pearson’s r-correlation were used to analyze the data. The results showed that while participants’ level of learner autonomy before the pandemic was high, during the pandemic it was moderate. Additionally, the results from the LLS questionnaires showed that students used a moderate proportion of language learning strategies before and after the pandemic. Finally, the correlation analysis used to determine the relationship between the level of learner autonomy and LLS use before and during the COVID-19 pandemic indicated that there is a positive and linear relationship between the level of learner autonomy and LLS use.
Band-Sensitive Calibration of Low-Cost PM2.5 Sensors by LSTM Model with Dynamically Weighted Loss Function
Authors: Ryu Jewan , Park Heekyung
Published: May 2022

Particulate matter has become one of the major issues in environmental sustainability, and its accurate measurement has grown in importance recently. Low-cost sensors (LCS) have been widely used to measure particulate concentration, but concerns about their accuracy remain. Previous research has shown that LCS data can be successfully calibrated using various machine learning algorithms. In this study, for better calibration, dynamic weight was introduced to the loss function of the LSTM model to amplify the loss, especially in a specific band. Our results showed that the dynamically weighted loss function resulted in better calibration in the specific band, where the model accepts the loss more sensitively than outside of the band. It was also confirmed that the dynamically weighted loss function can improve the calibration of the LSTM model in terms of both overall performance and local performance in bands. In a test case, the overall calibration performance was improved by about 12.57%, from 3.50 to 3.06, in terms of RMSE. The local calibration performance in the band improved from 4.25 to 3.77. Such improvements were achieved by varying coefficients of the dynamic weight. The results from different bands also indicated that having more data in a band will guarantee better improvement.
The Influence of Multi-Variation In-Trust Web Feature Behavior Performance on the Information Dissemination Mechanism in Virtual Community
Authors: Zhao Tingting , Lin Jie , Zhang Zhenyu
Published: May 2022

With the flourishing development of the virtual community (VC), trust not only provides a guarantee and foundation for the VC operation, but is critical in activating individual trust-related behavior in a virtual setting. However, based on a review of prior literature on trust and the VC, those studies failed to pay enough attention to trust’s multidimensional nature. Specifically, the relation among multidimensional components (conditions) in the research trust model is usually less discussed. This research focuses on a set of multidimensional conditions (components) that could activate trust in the context of the VC. The research framework also focuses on the factors of the virtual community scene and individual online behavior (based on intrinsic trustworthiness properties). Based on the classic trust framework, the operation and maintaining mechanism of the VC is analyzed, as well as the relationship between the trustworthy qualities of online users and their online behavior, which helps survey scale design, and then the multidimensions of trust’s construct of the VC is successfully isolated. The concept of Multi-Variation In-Trust Web Feature Behavior Performance as the set of multidimensional conditions supporting trust is proposed in the paper, and the relation among four dimensional components (conditions) is verified. Finally, the connection and operation mechanism between the four dimensional conditions (components) of trust and information dissemination in the VC are explored.
Critical Review on Economic Effect of Renovation Works for Sustainable Office Building Based on Opinions of Real-Estate Appraisers
Authors: Cho Kyuman , Kim Jaeyeon , Kim Taehoon
Published: May 2022

Despite increased renovation work for office buildings to improve energy performance, studies on the appraisal of renovated office buildings (ROB) are scarce. Thus, this study analyzed the perceptions of appraisers regarding renovation work and the effect of renovation work on the economic value of office buildings. Following a reliability evaluation, research results were derived using various methodologies, such as descriptive statistics, Chi-square analysis, analytic hierarchical process, and structural equation modeling, based on the survey results of 118 appraisers. The renovation work was found to positively increase an office building’s value, although the existing appraisal methods have low applicability considering the appraisal of ROB. On evaluating the importance of each factor considered in the ROB appraisal process, the factors related to the “location” of ROB were deemed more important than the attributes directly changed as a result of renovation work. Moreover, factors whose attributes were changed (e.g., working environment, green space, lease area, gross area of floors, number of floors, and number of parking spaces) were found to be critical factors affecting ROB value. The results of this study are expected to provide improvement directions for ROB appraisal methods and significantly aid building owners.
Mass-Balance Method for Provision of Net Zero Emission Transport Services
Authors: Davydenko Igor , Hopman Meike , Fransen Ruben , Harmsen Jorrit
Published: May 2022

There is a strong need to reduce emissions from transport and logistics. Electrification and use of greener energy carriers and fuels provide a ready way to reduce emissions, but these technologies are generally more expensive than the conventional ones they are replacing. Fortunately, some shippers are willing to pay the extra cost to ship their goods using net zero emission transport solutions. To capture this demand, carriers need to decarbonize a part of their operations related to the transport volumes of the “green” shippers. This paper proposes a mass-balancing method based on carbon footprinting to equip the carriers with a verifiable way to market net zero emission services without creation of operational inefficiencies and physical separation of conventional and low emission transport. The paper shows feasibility and rather “easy” data requirements of the method in an application case on real world data of a deep-sea carrier.
Response Surface Methodology and Artificial Neural Networks-Based Yield Optimization of Biodiesel Sourced from Mixture of Palm and Cotton Seed Oil
Authors: Razzaq Luqman , Abbas Muhammad Mujtaba , Miran Sajjad , Asghar Salman , Nawaz Saad , Soudagar Manzoore Elahi M. , Shaukat Nabeel , Veza Ibham , Khalil Shahid , Abdelrahman Anas , Kalam Muhammad A.
Published: May 2022

In this present study, cold flow properties of biodiesel produced from palm oil were improved by adding cotton seed oil into palm oil. Three different mixtures of palm and cotton oil were prepared as P50C50, P60C40, and P70C30. Among three oil mixtures, P60C40 was selected for biodiesel production via ultrasound assisted transesterification process. Physiochemical characteristics—including density, viscosity, calorific value, acid value, and oxidation stability—were measured and the free fatty acid composition was determined via GCMS. Response surface methodology (RSM) and artificial neural network (ANN) techniques were utilized for the sake of relation development among operating parameters (reaction time, methanol-to-oil ratio, and catalyst concentration) ultimately optimizing yield of palm–cotton oil sourced biodiesel. Maximum yield of P60C40 biodiesel estimated via RSM and ANN was 96.41% and 96.67% respectively, under operating parameters of reaction time (35 min), M:O molar ratio (47.5 v/v %), and catalyst concentration (1 wt %), but the actual biodiesel yield obtained experimentally was observed 96.32%. The quality of the RSM model was examined by analysis of variance (ANOVA). ANN model statistics exhibit contented values of mean square error (MSE) of 0.0001, mean absolute error (MAE) of 2.1374, and mean absolute deviation (MAD) of 2.5088. RSM and ANN models provided a coefficient of determination (R2) of 0.9560 and a correlation coefficient (R) of 0.9777 respectively.
Effects of the INDC and GGRMA Regulations on the Impact of PM2.5 Particle Emissions on Maritime Ports: A Study of Human Health and Environmental Costs
Authors: Chang Ching-Chih , Chang Yu-Wei , Huang Po-Chien
Published: May 2022

This study employs an activity-based model to estimate the PM2.5 particle emissions from ships, cargo-handling equipment, and heavy-duty vehicles in the Port of Kaohsiung, Taiwan. External health costs, the index of health impact (IHI), and external environmental costs are assessed to quantify the impact of PM2.5 particle emissions. The mitigation regulations applied in this study are the Intended Nationally Determined Contribution Act (INDC) and the Greenhouse Gas Reduction and Management Act (GGRMA). The provisions in these acts are incorporated into Scenario-INDC and Scenario-GGRMA. The results are as follows: from 2005 to 2017, PM2.5 particle emissions caused an external health cost of 3238.30 DALY (disability-adjusted life year), an IHI value of 8.53%, and environmental cost of USD 2176.04 million annually. For Scenario-INDC and Scenario-GGRMA, it is predicted that PM2.5-related external health costs, IHI value, and external environmental cost will decrease by 927.64 DALY, 2.45%, and USD 608.86 million and by 1736.28 DALY, 4.58%, and USD 1139.84 million, respectively, as compared to BAU-2030 and BAU-2050. The results indicate that compliance with INDC and GGRMA regulations will lead to a significant mitigation of PM2.5 particle emissions, resulting in a significant improvements in air quality and human health in addition to a reduction in environmental costs.
Study on the Profile Distribution and Morphology of Soil Humic Substances in Karst Area of Zunyi City, China
Authors: Li Jin-Jin , Ji Hong-Bing , Wang Wei-Jie , Dong Fei , Yin Chuan , Zhang Li , Li Rui , Gao Jie
Published: May 2022

Soil degradation in low soil humus content karst areas is a serious problem. Humus is composed of a series of polymer organic compounds, with no fixed form, therefore it is difficult to study, especially humin. In this study, 13C CP/MAS NMR was used to study the humic acids (HA), fulvic acids (FA), and humin (HM) components in the soil profiles of carbonate rocks and argillaceous rocks in the Northern Guizhou region. Through the vertical distribution of humus in soil, the transformation mechanism among functional groups of humus was studied. The content of HA and FA in the soil of Zunyi New Area was low, and the humification degree was low. FA was the main HA with simple molecules, which were directly related to the surface vegetation in the area. There may have been some genetic relationship between Aliphatic C and Aromatic C, Aliphatic C and Carboxyl C in the same group of humus. In the phylogenetic relationship of HA, FA, and HM, more transformations existed between HA and FA, and between HA and HM, while the transformations between FA and HM were very rare. This study provides an important scientific basis for the theory of the formation and transformation of soil humus in karst area.
Mapping Pervious Surfaces and Canopy Cover Using High-Resolution Airborne Imagery and Digital Elevation Models to Support Urban Planning
Authors: Codemo Anna , Pianegonda Angelica , Ciolli Marco , Favargiotti Sara , Albatici Rossano
Published: May 2022

Urban green infrastructure (UGI) has a key role in improving human and environmental health in cities and contributes to several services related to climate adaptation. Accurate localization and quantification of pervious surfaces and canopy cover are envisaged to implement UGI, address sustainable spatial planning, and include adaptation and mitigation strategies in urban planning practices. This study aims to propose a simple and replicable process to map pervious surfaces and canopy cover and to investigate the reliability and the potential planning uses of UGI maps. The proposed method combines the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), extracted from high-resolution airborne imagery (0.20 m), with digital elevation models to map pervious surfaces and canopy cover. The approach is tested in the Municipality of Trento, Italy, and, according to a random sampling validation, has an accuracy exceeding 80%. The paper provides a detailed map of green spaces in the urban areas, describing quantity and distribution, and proposes a synthesis map expressed as a block-level degree of pervious surfaces and canopy cover to drive urban transformations. The proposed approach constitutes a useful tool to geovisualize critical areas and to compare levels of pervious surfaces and canopy cover in the municipal area. Acknowledging the role of green areas in the urban environment, the paper examines the potential applications of the maps in the policy cycle, such as land use management and monitoring, and in climate-related practices, and discusses their integration into the current planning tools to shift towards performative rather than prescriptive planning.
Strong Convergence Theorems for a Finite Family of Enriched Strictly Pseudocontractive Mappings and ΦT-Enriched Lipschitizian Mappings Using a New Modified Mixed-Type Ishikawa Iteration Scheme with Error
Authors: Saleem Naeem , Agwu Imo Kalu , Ishtiaq Umar , Radenović Stojan
Published: May 2022

In this paper, we introduce two new classes of mappings known as λ-enriched strictly pseudocontractive mappings and ΦT-enriched Lipshitizian mappings in the setup of a real Banach space. In addition, a new modified mixed-type Ishikawa iteration scheme was constructed, and it was proved that our iteration method converges strongly to the common fixed points of finite families of the above mappings in the framework of a real uniformly convex Banach space. Moreover, we provided a non-trivial example to support our main result. Our results extend and generalize several results existing in the literature.
Effect of Killed PRRSV Vaccine on Gut Microbiota Diversity in Pigs
Authors: Yuan Fangfeng , Sharma Jaishree , Nanjappa Som G. , Gaulke Christopher A. , Fang Ying
Published: May 2022

Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) is one of the most economically important pathogens affecting the global swine industry. Vaccination is still a main strategy for PRRSV control; however, host factors associated with vaccine efficacy remain poorly understood. Growing evidence suggests that mucosa-associated microbiomes may play a role in the responses to vaccination. In this study, we investigated the effects of a killed virus vaccine on the gut microbiome diversity in pigs. Fecal microbial communities were longitudinally assessed in three groups of pigs (vaccinated/challenged with PRRSV, unvaccinated/challenged with PRRSV, and unvaccinated/unchallenged) before and after vaccination and after viral challenge. We observed significant interaction effects between viral challenge and vaccination on both taxonomic richness and community diversity of the gut microbiota. While some specific taxonomic alterations appear to be enhanced in vaccinated/challenged pigs, others appeared to be more consistent with the levels in control animals (unvaccinated/unchallenged), indicating that vaccination incompletely protects against viral impacts on the microbiome. The abundances of several microbial taxa were further determined to be correlated with the level of viral load and the amount of PRRSV reactive CD4+ and CD8+ T-cells. This study highlights the potential roles of gut microbiota in the response of pigs to vaccination, which may pave the road for the development of novel strategies to enhance vaccine efficacy.
Pivoting Novel Exosome-Based Technologies for the Detection of SARS-CoV-2
Authors: Happel Christine , Peñalber-Johnstone Chariz , Tagle Danilo A.
Published: May 2022

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) launched the Rapid Acceleration of Diagnostics (RADx) initiative to meet the needs for COVID-19 diagnostic and surveillance testing, and to speed its innovation in the development, commercialization, and implementation of new technologies and approaches. The RADx Radical (RADx-Rad) initiative is one component of the NIH RADx program which focuses on the development of new or non-traditional applications of existing approaches, to enhance their usability, accessibility, and/or accuracy for the detection of SARS-CoV-2. Exosomes are a subpopulation of extracellular vesicles (EVs) 30–140 nm in size, that are critical in cell-to-cell communication. The SARS-CoV-2 virus has similar physical and molecular properties as exosomes. Therefore, the novel tools and technologies that are currently in development for the isolation and detection of exosomes, may prove to be invaluable in screening for SARS-CoV-2 viral infection. Here, we describe how novel exosome-based technologies are being pivoted for the detection of SARS-CoV-2 and/or the diagnosis of COVID-19. Considerations for these technologies as they move toward clinical validation and commercially viable diagnostics is discussed along with their future potential. Ultimately, the technologies in development under the NIH RADx-Rad exosome-based non-traditional technologies toward multi-parametric and integrated approaches for SARS-CoV-2 program represent a significant advancement in diagnostic technology, and, due to a broad focus on the biophysical and biochemical properties of nanoparticles, the technologies have the potential to be further pivoted as tools for future infectious agents.
Resistance of Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae to Lytic Phage X2 by Spontaneous Mutation of Lipopolysaccharide Synthesis-Related Glycosyltransferase
Authors: Zhang Muchen , Qian Jiahui , Xu Xinyan , Ahmed Temoor , Yang Yong , Yan Chenqi , Elsharkawy Mohsen Mohamed , Hassan Mohamed M. , Alorabi Jamal A. , Chen Jianping , Li Bin
Published: May 2022

Phage therapy is a promising biocontrol management on plant diseases caused by bacterial pathogens due to its specificity, efficiency and environmental friendliness. The emergence of natural phage-resistant bacteria hinders the application of phage therapy. Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae (Xoo) is the causal agent of the devastating bacterial leaf blight disease of rice. Here, we obtained a spontaneous mutant C2R of an Xoo strain C2 showing strong resistance to the lytic phage X2. Analysis of the C2R genome found that the CDS2289 gene encoding glycosyltransferase acquired a frameshift mutation at the 180th nucleotide site, which also leads to a premature stop mutation at the 142nd amino acid. This mutation confers the inhibition of phage adsorption through the changes in lipopolysaccharide production and structure and bacterial surface morphology. Interestingly, glycosyltransferase-deficient C2R and an insertional mutant k2289 also showed reduced virulence, suggesting the trade-off costs of phage resistance. In summary, this study highlights the role of glycosyltransferase in interactions among pathogenic bacteria, phages and plant hosts, which provide insights into balanced coevolution from environmental perspectives.
Selective Removal of Fish from Reservoirs and Lakes: Interaction of Hydraulic and Ecological Factors
Authors: Pavlov Dmitrii S. , Kostin Vasilii V. , Mikheev Victor N.
Published: May 2022

Downstream migration (DSM) of fish through the different types of water intakes is not a random process, but rather a selective removal from the limnetic to the lotic parts of river–lake systems. Selectivity means that the assemblage of migrants does not exactly reflect the composition of the fish community in an upstream reservoir. Some fish are more prone to migrate compared to others, but this is not the only factor affecting DSM. We hypothesize that the interaction of a 3-D “hydraulic funnel” at the water intake with adjacent ecological zones results in the selective removal of fish. We tested our predictions by analyzing the data on DSM and spatial distribution in 13 reservoirs and lakes in Europe and Asia. Water intakes were surrounded by different habitats and located at different depths, from the surface layer to the depth of more than 50 m. Most vulnerable for entrainment by the outflow were the inhabitants of the pelagic zone. The share of fish emigrating from the littoral habitats was much lower compared to pelagic inhabitants. This suggests that littoral habitats saturated with landmarks and shelters hamper DSM more than the vertical physical gradients in the pelagic do. In conjunction with the factors operating on the scale of the whole reservoir, hydro-ecological barriers of different types associated with water intakes play an important role in the selective removal of fish from reservoirs and lakes.
Machine Learning and Remote Sensing Application for Extreme Climate Evaluation: Example of Flood Susceptibility in the Hue Province, Central Vietnam Region
Authors: Ha Minh , Vu Phuong , Nguyen Huu , Hoang Tich , Dang Dinh , Dinh Thi , Şerban Gheorghe , Rus Ioan , Brețcan Petre
Published: May 2022

Floods are the most frequent natural hazard globally and incidences have been increasing in recent years as a result of human activity and global warming, making significant impacts on people’s livelihoods and wider socio-economic activities. In terms of the management of the environment and water resources, precise identification is required of areas susceptible to flooding to support planners in implementing effective prevention strategies. The objective of this study is to develop a novel hybrid approach based on Bald Eagle Search (BES), Support Vector Machine (SVM), Random Forest (RF), Bagging (BA) and Multi-Layer Perceptron (MLP) to generate a flood susceptibility map in Thua Thien Hue province, Vietnam. In total, 1621 flood points and 14 predictor variables were used in this study. These data were divided into 60% for model training, 20% for model validation and 20% for testing. In addition, various statistical indices were used to evaluate the performance of the model, such as Root Mean Square Error (RMSE), Receiver Operation Characteristics (ROC), and Mean Absolute Error (MAE). The results show that BES, for the first time, successfully improved the performance of individual models in building a flood susceptibility map in Thua Thien Hue, Vietnam, namely SVM, RF, BA and MLP, with high accuracy (AUC > 0.9). Among the models proposed, BA-BES was most effective with AUC = 0.998, followed by RF-BES (AUC = 0.998), MLP-BES (AUC = 0.998), and SVM-BES (AUC = 0.99). The findings of this research can support the decisions of local and regional authorities in Vietnam and other countries regarding the construction of appropriate strategies to reduce damage to property and human life, particularly in the context of climate change.
Sustainable and Regenerative Development of Water Mills as an Example of Agricultural Technologies for Small Farms
Authors: Angelakis Andreas N. , Valipour Mohammad , Dietrich Jörg , Voudouris Konstantinos , Kumar Rohitashw , Salgot Miquel , Mahmoudian Seyed Ali , Rontogianni Anatoli , Tsoutsos Theocharis
Published: May 2022

Nowadays, the reuse of built agricultural/industrial heritage has been a common practice worldwide. These structures represent excellent symbols of the great agricultural/industrial past. These agricultural/hydro-technologies also serve as monuments of socio-cultural identities, especially in rural areas and on small farms. One example of a successful application of agricultural technologies for small farms is the water mill. By harnessing the water energy, they were used for traditional flour and other goods production (e.g., olive oil) and works requiring energy, with the main role in the evolution of the traditional/cultural landscape. Water mills have been used to drive a mechanical process of milling, hammering, and rolling and are a portion of the agricultural, cultural, and industrial heritage. For approximately two millennia, the vertical mill water wheel prepared the initial source of mechanical power in many regions of the world. Water mills were the first device that converted natural resources of energy into mechanical energy in order to operate some form of machinery. The preservation/management of water mills is challenging due to their long-term abandonment and the lack of information/knowledge about their value. The other obstacles that are faced in their retrofitting and/or preservation are the lack of sufficient economic incentives and complex authorizations/legislations. Sustainability and regeneration of water mills through the centuries are then reviewed for history and agricultural/industrial “archaeology”. The history of water-powered mills in prehistoric and historic times, including ancient Persia/Iran, ancient China, ancient India, the Islamic world, Venetian Crete, medieval Europe, America, and finally present times, is discussed. The outcome of this review allows the understanding of the importance of conservation, optimization, and development of water mills. It will help to know more and achieve sustainable/regenerative development for small farms with respect to water and energy crises at present and in the future.
Modeling Monthly Nitrate Concentration in a Karst Spring with and without Discrete Conduit Flow
Authors: Gao Yuan , Xu Zexuan , Li Shen , Yu Wenjie
Published: May 2022

Understanding the coupled continuum pipe-flow framework for modeling contaminant transport in karst systems is critical for protecting water resources therein. This study simulated point and non-point source nitrate concentration in a karst spring and investigated the results generated from the flow and transport model with and without discrete conduit flow. CFPv2 and CMT3D models were integrated to address the changes in nitrate concentration at a monthly scale in a karst spring, and the results were compared with that from an equivalent porous media (EPM) model with high-hydraulic conductivity (K) zones set in the main karstified area to represent conduits. The results show that the CFPv2+CMT3D model is able to describe well the recession of nitrate concentration in spring discharge, and the relatively larger deviation (slower nitrate recession) from the observed trend for the EPM model is probably a result of the limitation of utilizing high hydraulic conductivity cells to represent conduit. Moreover, simulated hydraulic heads in poorly karstified areas from the two models both show slight differences from the observations (the head RMSE values of calibration/validation for CFPv2 and MODFLOW models are 0.16 m/0.25 m and 0.26 m/0.17 m, respectively), indicating the inclusion of conduits may not affect the simulation considerably, and the lower the proportion of karstic area, the slight effects brought from the inclusion of conduits in the model. For highly karstified areas, the CFPv2+CMT3D model could provide more accurate results (head RMSE of calibration/validation for CFPv2 and MODFLOW are 0.22 m/0.06 and 0.52 m/0.47 m, respectively), showing the coupled continuum pipe-flow framework may be more appropriate for applying to highly and maturely karstified areas where the variations in the behavior of flow and contaminant transport are more affected by turbulent flow regime.
Management accounting in the economic security management system of the organization
Authors:   Izhevsk State Agricultural Academy, Ostaev G. Ya. , Alborov G. R. ,   Izhevsk State Agricultural Academy, Kondratiev D. V. ,   Izhevsk State Agricultural Academy, Kotlyachkov O. V. ,   Izhevsk State Agricultural Academy, Khoruzhy V. I. ,   Financial University under the Government of the Russian Federation
Published: May 2022

The article discusses the issues of management accounting as an information component of business management, which is the most important tool for the economic security of an organization. The information generated in the management accounting system, namely in the context of monitoring the internal and external environment, is most effective for identifying deviations and adjusting the activities of an economic entity, including for the purposes of economic security of the organization. Accordingly, the management accounting system in an integrated form into the organization’s economic security system can be presented as an integrated business management mechanism. It is concluded that, despite the complexity and specifics of management accounting for the purposes of economic security, organizations must constantly engage in an objective assessment of the internal and external environment, analyze their own activities in order to reduce risks.
DYNAMICS OF MILK YIELD AND PRODUCTIVE LIFE OF COWS-DAUGHTERS OF BULLS-PRODUCERS OF DIFFERENT GENOTYPES IN THE HERD OF THE YAROSLAVL BREED
Authors: СУДАРЕВ Н.П. , АБЫЛКАСЫМОВ Д. , АБРАМЯН А.С. , АБРАМПАЛЬСКАЯ О.В. , БУГРОВ П.С.
Published: May 2022

В статье рассмотрены вопросы возрастной динамики удоя и срок продуктивного использования коров — дочерей быков-производителей разных генотипов в стаде племенного репродуктора ярославской породы. Проведен сравнительный анализ по данным признакам 633 выбывших дочерей 17 быков-производителей. Общее число лактаций всех коров составило 2656, или в среднем 1 корова имела 4,20 лактации. Среди анализируемых быков отмечали производителей, дочери которых использовались на протяжении 3 лактаций. У 5 быков отмечено продуктивное использование дочерей (более 80%) в течение 4 лактаций. Четверо из них являются чистопородными ярославскими производителями. В целом оцениваемые быки-производители, в том числе отдельно чистопородные ярославские, по сохранности дочерей до определенной лактации распределились следующим образом: до 3-х лактаций использовались потомки 7 быков, в том числе 3 — ярославской породы; от 7-ми и более лактаций имели дочери одного из чистопородных ярославских производителей. У дочерей от быков ярославской породы более низкий удой сопровождался продолжительным сроком продуктивного использования, причем более длительное время использовались менее продуктивные потомки, то есть сохранность коров до определенной лактации зависела и от уровня раздоя первотелок.

The article deals with the issues of age dynamics of milk yield and the period of productive use of cows - daughters of bulls-producers of different genotypes in the Yaroslavl breed in the conditions of a pedigree breeding. A comparative analysis was carried out according to these characteristics 633 culled daughters from 17 breeding bulls. The total number of lactation of all cows was 2656, or on average, one cow used 4.20 lactation. Among the analyzed bulls, there were producers whose daughters were used during the first three lactation periods. From five bulls, productive use of daughters (more than 80%) was noted during four lactation periods. Four of these bulls are clean bred Yaroslavl. In general, the estimated bulls are producers, including separately purebred Yaroslavl, according to the safety of the daughters before a certain lactation , they were distributed as follows: up to 3 lactations, the descendants of 7 bulls were used, including 3 Yaroslavl bulls; from 7 or more lactations, the daughters of the only purebred Yaroslavl producer had. In the daughters of cleanbred Yaroslavl bulls, a lower yield is accompanied by a long period of productive use, moreover, less productive descendants are used for a longer time, that is, the safety of cows up to a certain lactation depended on the level milking of cow of the first lactation.