bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Intercultural Sensitivity of Religious Education Teachers in Croatia: The Relationship between Knowledge, Experience, and Behaviour
Authors: Filipović Ana Thea , Jurišić Marija
Published: January 2024

Intercultural education and the pedagogy of recognition are among the fundamental dimensions of contemporary education in European schools. The recognition of the role that learning about religions and drawing lessons from them plays in creating a cohesive society is becoming more widespread. European educational policies suggest integrating intercultural competence into the professional identity of teachers in all subjects, including religious education teachers. Intercultural learning is a constitutive part of shaping the identity of all religious communities. The intercultural sensitivity of religious education teachers, along with attitudes and behaviours that reflect openness, adaptability, and communication with those of different cultural and religious backgrounds, influences the development of intercultural competence in students. This paper examines differences in the intercultural sensitivity of religious education teachers from various religious communities in Croatia in relation to their intercultural experiences, gender, and acquired theoretical knowledge. The research utilised a quantitative methodology, and the analysis of results incorporated descriptive and differential statistics (t-test). Although the teachers demonstrated a relatively high level of intercultural sensitivity, differences were still evident among the groups. Understanding the concept of the religious dimension of intercultural education emerged as a significant factor influencing the ethnorelative or ethnocentric attitudes and behaviours of religious education teachers. Differences observed in intercultural experiences and gender lead to the conclusion that there is a need to create equal opportunities in intercultural education for both men and women. Additionally, there is a need to increase opportunities for intercultural exchanges and encounters with members of other cultures and religions to enable teachers to develop a more open identity.
From Esotericism to Embodied Ritual: Care for Country as Religious Experience
Authors: Paradies Yin , Joyce Cullan Woods
Published: January 2024

Colonisation, genocide, ecocide, and climate derangement are ongoing, unfurling, global tragedies. In so-called Australia, spiritual practitioners can respond to these crises by deepening their engagement with Aboriginal perspectives/practices. This paper contends that some Eurocentric habitual categorisations subtly misinterpret Aboriginal experiences of the sacred, such as identifying creation myths as beliefs comparable to post-Enlightenment representations of the sacred and identifying the performance of sacred activity with similar characteristics to separateness and priesthood. This leads to erroneous characterisations of Aboriginal ritual practices as being based on a strong hierarchy, distinctive castes, and esotericism. We argue that an embodied and practice-based sense of sacredness guides Aboriginal spirituality. As a living culture, Aboriginal ongoing care for Country provides an enfleshed, real, palpable enactment of human spirituality. We argue that Aboriginal spirituality has been fetishised to the neglect of a call to care for Country in the most ‘mundane’ sense of tending to food, water, air, etc., as embodied religious experiences. Delving into dadirri and death, we elucidate contemporary cases of practical care for Country that illustrate how being on, in, and with Country can be a contemplative experience. We conclude by outlining how caring for Country ‘layers’ the various expressions of Aboriginal religious experience socially, psychologically, interpersonally, and ritually.
The Canticle of the Creatures by Francis of Assisi (1181/82–1226) and the Care of Our Common Home
Authors: Lamelas Isidro Pereira
Published: January 2024

In the present essay, we want to show how the Canticle of the Creatures, which we might call “The Canticle of Universal Brotherhood”, is much more than the Canticle of Brother Sun or of a single man. The author himself is much more than the exceptional case of a nature-friendly medieval saint who, therefore, continues to inspire the promoters of ecology and, especially after the papal encyclical Laudato Si’, constitutes the ecumenical matrix for the care of our common home. To this end, in this paper, we focus on two moments that, in the construction of the tutelary figure of Francis of Assisi, constitute a kind of diptych or portals which open and recapitulate the reconstructive intuition he bequeathed to us: (1) the vocational moment: Go and repair my house; and (2) the testamentary moment, in which the Founder, who never wanted to found anything, legates his manifesto for building the common home as a universal brotherhood, turning the “stones” into a canticle. Above all, we want to highlight the relevance of Franciscan spirituality, expressed particularly in the Canticle of the Creatures, and thus the Franciscan aesthetics for the modern ecology.
Preharvest Durum Wheat Yield, Protein Content, and Protein Yield Estimation Using Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Imagery and Pléiades Satellite Data in Field Breeding Experiments
Authors: Ganeva Dessislava , Roumenina Eugenia , Dimitrov Petar , Gikov Alexander , Bozhanova Violeta , Dragov Rangel , Jelev Georgi , Taneva Krasimira
Published: January 2024

Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are extensively used to gather remote sensing data, offering high image resolution and swift data acquisition despite being labor-intensive. In contrast, satellite-based remote sensing, providing sub-meter spatial resolution and frequent revisit times, could serve as an alternative data source for phenotyping. In this study, we separately evaluated pan-sharpened Pléiades satellite imagery (50 cm) and UAV imagery (2.5 cm) to phenotype durum wheat in small-plot (12 m × 1.10 m) breeding trials. The Gaussian process regression (GPR) algorithm, which provides predictions with uncertainty estimates, was trained with spectral bands and а selected set of vegetation indexes (VIs) as independent variables. Grain protein content (GPC) was better predicted with Pléiades data at the growth stage of 20% of inflorescence emerged but with only moderate accuracy (validation R2: 0.58). The grain yield (GY) and protein yield (PY) were better predicted using UAV data at the late milk and watery ripe growth stages, respectively (validation: R2 0.67 and 0.62, respectively). The cumulative VIs (the sum of VIs over the available images within the growing season) did not increase the accuracy of the models for either sensor. When mapping the estimated parameters, the spatial resolution of Pléiades revealed certain limitations. Nevertheless, our findings regarding GPC suggested that the usefulness of pan-sharpened Pléiades images for phenotyping should not be dismissed and warrants further exploration, particularly for breeding experiments with larger plot sizes.
The Simulation Analysis and Experimental Study on the Temperature Field of Four Row Rolling Bearings of Rolling Mill under Non-Uniform Load Conditions
Authors: Sun Jianliang , Guo Hesong , Guo Xin , Ma Chao , Peng Yan
Published: January 2024

As a key component of the rolling mill, the four-row cylindrical roller bearing (FCRB) operates under complex working conditions of high speed, high temperature, and heavy load. Due to the lack of an effective temperature test scheme for rolling mill bearings, a too high temperature can easily lead to bearing failure or damage under unsteady conditions. To reveal the internal temperature distribution law of four-row roller bearings of rolling mills and solve the common problem of difficult temperature monitoring of rolling mill bearings, in this paper, a four-row cylindrical roller bearing of 1140 mm cold rolling six-high mill is taken as the research object, and the temperature field calculation model for four-row cylindrical roller bearings is established. Firstly, the mechanical analysis model of FCRB is established on the basis of single row bearing by slice method. Secondly, the mechanical calculation model of FCRB is established by the Newton–Raphson method (NRM) and the finite element method (FEM). Thirdly, based on the mechanical calculation model, the finite element method is used to establish the temperature field model of FCRB under uniform load distribution and non-uniform load distribution. Finally, the temperature test experiment is carried out with the FCRB in the rolling mill fault diagnosis test bench. The results show that the error between the FCRB temperature calculation model and the experimental results is less than 10%. It can be seen that the uneven temperature distribution of FCRB is mainly caused by the uneven load distribution. The temperature distribution along the axial direction of the bearing is related to the load distribution of each column, while the circumferential temperature distribution is related to the azimuth angle.
Kalman-Based Scene Flow Estimation for Point Cloud Densification and 3D Object Detection in Dynamic Scenes
Authors: Ding Junzhe , Zhang Jin , Ye Luqin , Wu Cheng
Published: January 2024

Point cloud densification is essential for understanding the 3D environment. It provides crucial structural and semantic information for downstream tasks such as 3D object detection and tracking. However, existing registration-based methods struggle with dynamic targets due to the incompleteness and deformation of point clouds. To address this challenge, we propose a Kalman-based scene flow estimation method for point cloud densification and 3D object detection in dynamic scenes. Our method effectively tackles the issue of localization errors in scene flow estimation and enhances the accuracy and precision of shape completion. Specifically, we introduce a Kalman filter to correct the dynamic target’s position while estimating long sequence scene flow. This approach helps eliminate the cumulative localization error during the scene flow estimation process. Extended experiments on the KITTI 3D tracking dataset demonstrate that our method significantly improves the performance of LiDAR-only detectors, achieving superior results compared to the baselines.
Text-Guided Image Editing Based on Post Score for Gaining Attention on Social Media
Authors: Watanabe Yuto , Togo Ren , Maeda Keisuke , Ogawa Takahiro , Haseyama Miki
Published: January 2024

Text-guided image editing has been highlighted in the fields of computer vision and natural language processing in recent years. The approach takes an image and text prompt as input and aims to edit the image in accordance with the text prompt while preserving text-unrelated regions. The results of text-guided image editing differ depending on the way the text prompt is represented, even if it has the same meaning. It is up to the user to decide which result best matches the intended use of the edited image. This paper assumes a situation in which edited images are posted to social media and proposes a novel text-guided image editing method to help the edited images gain attention from a greater audience. In the proposed method, we apply the pre-trained text-guided image editing method and obtain multiple edited images from the multiple text prompts generated from a large language model. The proposed method leverages the novel model that predicts post scores representing engagement rates and selects one image that will gain the most attention from the audience on social media among these edited images. Subject experiments on a dataset of real Instagram posts demonstrate that the edited images of the proposed method accurately reflect the content of the text prompts and provide a positive impression to the audience on social media compared to those of previous text-guided image editing methods.
An Experimental Investigation on the Dynamic Response of Buried RC Pipes Induced by Falling Impact
Authors: Yao Yingkang , Jiang Nan , Lyu Guopeng , Sun Jinshan , Yang Feng
Published: January 2024

Unexpected ground impacts can seriously affect the stability and operational safety of buried pipelines. In this paper, a full-scale modeling test of the dynamic response of a buried concrete pipeline under falling rock impact based on dynamic sensor testing was conducted. A commercially available reinforced concrete pipeline, buried in a clayey soil site, was used, and a 50 kg concrete ball was used to investigate the impact above the pipeline. Considering the purpose of the test, the falling process of the concrete ball and the surface vibration velocity induced by the touchdown of the concrete ball were monitored using a high-speed camera and a vibration signal tester, respectively. The dynamic response signals of the pipe under surface impact were tested using strain gauges and earth pressure gauges combined with dynamic sensors such as dynamic signal tester, and the dynamic response law was analyzed. The experimental results will provide a basis for the design of the impact resistance of reinforced concrete pipes.
J-Net: Improved U-Net for Terahertz Image Super-Resolution
Authors: Yeo Woon-Ha , Jung Seung-Hwan , Oh Seung Jae , Maeng Inhee , Lee Eui Su , Ryu Han-Cheol
Published: January 2024

Terahertz (THz) waves are electromagnetic waves in the 0.1 to 10 THz frequency range, and THz imaging is utilized in a range of applications, including security inspections, biomedical fields, and the non-destructive examination of materials. However, THz images have a low resolution due to the long wavelength of THz waves. Therefore, improving the resolution of THz images is a current hot research topic. We propose a novel network architecture called J-Net, which is an improved version of U-Net, to achieve THz image super-resolution. It employs simple baseline blocks which can extract low-resolution (LR) image features and learn the mapping of LR images to high-resolution (HR) images efficiently. All training was conducted using the DIV2K+Flickr2K dataset, and we employed the peak signal-to-noise ratio (PSNR) for quantitative comparison. In our comparisons with other THz image super-resolution methods, J-Net achieved a PSNR of 32.52 dB, surpassing other techniques by more than 1 dB. J-Net also demonstrates superior performance on real THz images compared to other methods. Experiments show that the proposed J-Net achieves a better PSNR and visual improvement compared with other THz image super-resolution methods.
Assessing Tornado Impacts in the State of Kentucky with a Focus on Demographics and Roadways Using a GIS-Based Approach
Authors: Kaya Mehmet Burak , Alisan Onur , Karaer Alican , Ozguven Eren Erman
Published: January 2024

Although the literature provides valuable insight into tornado vulnerability and resilience, there are still research gaps in assessing tornadoes’ impact on communities and transportation infrastructure, especially in the wake of the rapidly changing frequency and strength of tornadoes due to climate change. In this study, we first investigated the relationship between tornado exposure and demographic-, socioeconomic-, and transportation-related factors in our study area, the state of Kentucky. Tornado exposures for each U.S. census block group (CBG) were calculated by utilizing spatial analysis methods such as kernel density estimation and zonal statistics. Tornadoes between 1950 and 2022 were utilized to calculate tornado density values as a surrogate variable for tornado exposure. Since tornado density varies over space, a multiscale geographically weighted regression model was employed to consider spatial heterogeneity over the study region rather than using global regression such as ordinary least squares (OLS). The findings indicated that tornado density varied over the study area. The southwest portion of Kentucky and Jefferson County, which has low residential density, showed high levels of tornado exposure. In addition, relationships between the selected factors and tornado exposure also changed over space. For example, transportation costs as a percentage of income for the regional typical household was found to be strongly associated with tornado exposure in southwest Kentucky, whereas areas close to Jefferson County indicated an opposite association. The second part of this study involves the quantification of the tornado impact on roadways by using two different methods, and results were mapped. Although in both methods the same regions were found to be impacted, the second method highlighted the central CBGs rather than the peripheries. Information gathered by such an investigation can assist authorities in identifying vulnerable regions from both transportation network and community perspectives. From tornado debris handling to community preparedness, this type of work has the potential to inform sustainability-focused plans and policies in the state of Kentucky.
Interaction between Thermal Conditions and Ventilation in Kindergartens in Melbourne, Australia
Authors: Munckton Brett , Rajagopalan Priyadarsini
Published: January 2024

Kindergartens are important community facilities that introduce children to a classroom learning environment. The research aimed to examine current practices in kindergarten heating, cooling, and ventilation and investigate how IAQ and thermal comfort interact with each other at five selected kindergartens in Melbourne. This research used field measurements to investigate indoor air quality (IAQ) and thermal conditions during the COVID-19 pandemic and used CO2 concentration levels as an indicator of IAQ. The research found that high CO2 levels above recommended maximums were reached in operational kindergartens. The highest level identified during class time was 1908 ppm. Conditions outside recommended levels for thermal comfort were also recorded. A kindergarten operating with the use of both mechanical and natural ventilation was found to have lower CO2 levels than the kindergartens relying solely on mechanical ventilation. However, thermal comfort was compromised in this kindergarten. The data collected in kindergartens in their natural settings offered insights into the actual ventilation conditions in these facilities and provided baseline data for developing pandemic-resilient kindergartens. The findings are relevant to kindergartens in other countries that have dynamic window/door-opening behavior.
Water Treatment with Aluminum Sulfate and Tanin-Based Biocoagulant in an Oil Refinery: The Technical, Environmental, and Economic Performance
Authors: de Jesus José Oduque Nascimento , Medeiros Diego Lima , Esquerre Karla Patricia Oliveira , Sahin Oz , de Araujo Wanderbeg Correia
Published: January 2024

Water extracted from natural sources often requires treatment to meet the quality standards necessary for industrial use, involving physico-chemical processes such as coagulation, flocculation, and sedimentation. Inorganic coagulants, such as aluminum sulfate, are commonly used, although they generate a sludge with residual aluminum, classified as hazardous waste. Given this, biocoagulants, such as natural tannin-based polymers, have emerged as a promising alternative. Thus, the objective of this study was to evaluate the environmental performance of water treatment and sludge disposal at an industrial water treatment plant (WTP) of an oil refinery located in Brazil using aluminum sulfate and biocoagulant. The WTP of this study is located in the state of Bahia, Brazil, and is supplied by a surface water body, the Paraguaçu River—Lago de Pedra do Cavalo—which comes from a semi-arid region, and a lake called Catu Korea. The environmental analysis was carried out using the life cycle assessment (LCA) method, using the methodological framework recommended in ISO 14044, followed by economic analysis and circular economy analysis. The inventory used in the analyses contains field data, company records, related literature, and ecoinvent database version 3.3. The impact assessment considered the ILCD 2011 Midpoint+ method package, the AWARE method, and the cumulative energy demand (CED) method in SimaPro 8.4 software. The comparative results showed the greatest impacts in the Energy Demand, Water Footprint, Eutrophication, and Land Use categories for the biocoagulant scenario, in contrast to the Human Toxicity, Acidification, Ecotoxicity, Particulate Matter, Carbon Footprint, and Abiotic Depletion categories for aluminum sulfate. The economic analysis showed that 65% of the operational costs for material and energy inputs in water treatment are due to the use of electricity, and the water pumping stage is the biggest contributor to this consumption. Even though the price of the biocoagulant was identified as eight times that of aluminum sulfate, the water treatment cost with the biocoagulant was 21% higher compared to that with aluminum sulphate. In this regard, circular economy propositions for sludge valorization are discussed for use, recycling, or proper disposal. Thus, the environmental and economic analysis in this study offers insights into eco-efficiency promotion in water treatment and sludge management.
From Global to Glocal: Digital Transformation for Reshoring More Agile, Resilient, and Sustainable Supply Chains
Authors: Fernández Miguel Andrés , Riccardi Maria Pia , García-Muiña Fernando E. , Fernández del Hoyo Alfonso P. , Veglio Valerio , Settembre-Blundo Davide
Published: January 2024

The world is currently undergoing an unprecedented period of global disruption, marked by the COVID-19 pandemic, the ongoing war in Ukraine, and escalating geopolitical tensions [...]
Coordinated Hybrid Approach Based on Firefly Algorithm and Particle Swarm Optimization for Distributed Secondary Control and Stability Analysis of Direct Current Microgrids
Authors: Lasabi Olanrewaju , Swanson Andrew , Jarvis Leigh , Aluko Anuoluwapo , Goudarzi Arman
Published: January 2024

Standalone DC microgrids can potentially influence intelligent energy systems in the future. They accomplish this by employing droop control to smoothly integrate various renewable energy sources (RESs) to satisfy energy demands. This method ensures equitable allocation of load current among RESs, promoting efficiency and smooth operation. Utilizing droop control typically leads to a reduction in the voltage of the DC bus. Hence, to uniformly distribute current among several RESs while simultaneously regulating the DC bus voltage, this research proposes a distributed secondary control technique. The proposed technique ensures fair distribution of current and eliminates bus voltage variations by integrating both current and voltage errors within the designed control loop. An innovative hybrid firefly and particle swarm optimization algorithm (FFA–PSO) is introduced to aid in parameter selection for the distributed control approach, facilitating the attainment of the intended control objectives. A DC microgrid state-space model was developed, which incorporates eigenvalue observation analysis to evaluate the impacts of the optimized secondary distributed control on the stability of the microgrid. A real-time testing setup is built using MATLAB/Simulink® R2022b software. and implemented on a Speedgoat™ real-time machine to verify the practical performance of the proposed approach in real-world applications. The results showcase the robustness of the proposed control technique in achieving voltage stabilization and even current allocation within the DC microgrid. This is evidenced by minimal oscillations and undershoots/overshoots and swift response times.
Circular Business Models (CBMs) in Environmental Management—Analysis of Definitions, Typologies and Methods of Creation in Organizations
Authors: Smol Marzena , Marcinek Paulina , Duda Joanna
Published: January 2024

A circular economy (CE) is an economic model that involves more sustainable management of raw materials and waste. Implementation of CE assumptions is highly recommended in the form of dedicated CE technologies as well as CE business models, so-called circular business models (CBMs), which are an integral part of environmental management in organizations. Depending on the application and the type of sector or enterprise, CBMs are defined differently, focusing on various areas of raw materials and waste management. In general, they should create added value for the given enterprise that meets the CE assumptions or integrate CE principles with the organization’s business practices. This paper aims to analyze different approaches to CBMs with the use of comparative analysis and desk research methods. The scope of this paper includes a comparative analysis of CBM definitions and their typologies, as well as the basics for creating CBMs in enterprises. Moreover, good practices of implemented CMBs in various enterprises are presented. The general definition of CBM is developed as “a business model that assumes creating, delivering and capturing added value for the consumer while considering the CE principles”. Furthermore, the basics of building CBM using a modified Business Model Canvas are proposed. In general, CBM should consider the key CE assumption, i.e., increased raw material efficiency. In the coming years, a further increase in interest in CBMs dedicated to specific sectors and their areas of activity is expected. Various stakeholders could use them as a benchmark to compare and define the best practices for the successful adoption of CBMs in the future.
Economics in Marine Spatial Planning: A Review of Issues in British Columbia and Similar Jurisdictions
Authors: Issifu Ibrahim , Dahmouni Ilyass , García-Lorenzo Iria , Sumaila U. Rashid
Published: January 2024

Recently, there has been a rapid increase in the use of Marine Spatial Planning (MSP) worldwide, partly due to the continued loss of marine biodiversity and habitat. The sustainability of marine resources is threatened in all regions of the world by major events such as climate change, marine pollution, and overfishing, as well as illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing both on the high seas and in country waters. Here, we present a comprehensive review and analysis of how economic information has been applied and used to inform decisions about MSP in British Columbia (BC), Canada, and other similar jurisdictions around the world. This focus for the paper was selected because important gaps remain in the literature in terms of incorporating economic questions into MSP. We first present different definitions of MSP, and then we extract useful lessons from MSP regimes with well-tested decision support tools (DSTs) and use this to guide MSP implementation in BC. Finally, we present and discuss case studies from Australia, South Africa, and Belgium. Our review suggests that applying economic information to support the design and implementation of MSPs would lead to better decisions. This in turn would foster livelihoods, attract finance, increase buy-in, and advance United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 14: Life Below Water, thereby achieving Infinity Fish, i.e., ensuring that ocean benefits flow to humanity forever.
Determining the Safest Anchoring Knot in a Fall Arrest System by Means of Static Tests
Authors: Sáez Pedro Ignacio , Carrión Elena Ángela , Ferrer Belén , García Encarnación , Monge Juan Francisco
Published: January 2024

Today, rope access systems (RASs) and fall arrest systems (FASs) incorporate significant technological innovations. This research aims to determine the safest knot to be used in RASs. The most secure knots are those that leave the most resistance in the rope. Static laboratory tests, followed by an extensive statistical analysis of the obtained data, were carried out under controlled conditions. Five types of anchor knots were selected and studied using three rope models with similar diameters, and we analysed the symmetrical versions in the dextrorotational direction. Thirty break tests were performed for each rope model. The total number of breakage tests was 90. The double overhand knot proved to be the safest knot with an average efficiency of 61.82%. A better understanding of the behaviour of knots and their correct use in FASs will be key to accident prevention.
Building Tourism Resilience through Communication
Authors: Brune Sara , Knollenberg Whitney , Vilá Olivia
Published: January 2024

The impact of the COVID-19 crisis on the tourism industry called attention to how crucial it is for tourism operations to be resilient, as their ability to overcome crises also impacts communities and adjacent industries. The communication theory of resilience argues that resilience is a dynamic capability that can be developed through communication processes. Exploring the role of communication processes in building resilience is important to establishing holistic strategies that strengthen the tourism industry. This work applies the communication theory of resilience to explore the employment of communication processes by agritourism operators during the COVID-19 pandemic. Seven agritourism operators in North Carolina, USA, were interviewed about resilience strategies at three points in time in 2020. These interviews revealed the value of communication processes in building resilience in agritourism operations and the facilitating role of communication technologies. These findings reveal that resilience is built collaboratively through social engagement and interaction.
The Potential of Usnic-Acid-Based Thiazolo-Thiophenes as Inhibitors of the Main Protease of SARS-CoV-2 Viruses
Authors: Yarovaya Olga I. , Filimonov Aleksandr S. , Baev Dmitriy S. , Borisevich Sophia S. , Zaykovskaya Anna V. , Chirkova Varvara Yu. , Marenina Mariya K. , Meshkova Yulia V. , Belenkaya Svetlana V. , Shcherbakov Dmitriy N. , Gureev Maxim A. , Luzina Olga A. , Pyankov Oleg V. , Salakhutdinov Nariman F. , Khvostov Mikhail V.
Published: January 2024

Although the COVID-19 pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2 viruses is officially over, the search for new effective agents with activity against a wide range of coronaviruses is still an important task for medical chemists and virologists. We synthesized a series of thiazolo-thiophenes based on (+)- and (−)-usnic acid and studied their ability to inhibit the main protease of SARS-CoV-2. Substances containing unsubstituted thiophene groups or methyl- or bromo-substituted thiophene moieties showed moderate activity. Derivatives containing nitro substituents in the thiophene heterocycle—just as pure (+)- and (−)-usnic acids—showed no anti-3CLpro activity. Kinetic parameters of the most active compound, (+)-3e, were investigated, and molecular modeling of the possible interaction of the new thiazolo-thiophenes with the active site of the main protease was carried out. We evaluated the binding energies of the ligand and protein in a ligand–protein complex. Active compound (+)-3e was found to bind with minimum free energy; the binding of inactive compound (+)-3g is characterized by higher values of minimum free energy; the positioning of pure (+)-usnic acid proved to be unstable and is accompanied by the formation of intermolecular contacts with many amino acids of the catalytic binding site. Thus, the molecular dynamics results were consistent with the experimental data. In an in vitro antiviral assay against six strains (Wuhan, Delta, and four Omicron sublineages) of SARS-CoV-2, (+)-3e demonstrated pronounced antiviral activity against all the strains.
Sotrovimab: A Review of Its Efficacy against SARS-CoV-2 Variants
Authors: Focosi Daniele , Casadevall Arturo , Franchini Massimo , Maggi Fabrizio
Published: January 2024

Among the anti-Spike monoclonal antibodies (mAbs), the S-309 derivative sotrovimab was the most successful in having the longest temporal window of clinical use, showing a high degree of resiliency to SARS-CoV-2 evolution interrupted only by the appearance of the BA.2.86* variant of interest (VOI). This success undoubtedly reflects rational selection to target a highly conserved epitope in coronavirus Spike proteins. We review here the efficacy of sotrovimab against different SARS-CoV-2 variants in outpatients and inpatients, discussing both randomized controlled trials and real-world evidence. Although it could not be anticipated at the time of its development and introduction, sotrovimab’s use in immunocompromised individuals who harbor large populations of variant viruses created the conditions for its eventual demise, as antibody selection and viral evolution led to its eventual withdrawal due to inefficacy against later variant lineages. Despite this, based on observational and real-world data, some authorities have continued to promote the use of sotrovimab, but the lack of binding to newer variants strongly argues for the futility of continued use. The story of sotrovimab highlights the power of modern biomedical science to generate novel therapeutics while also providing a cautionary tale for the need to devise strategies to minimize the emergence of resistance to antibody-based therapeutics.
Serological and Molecular Investigation of SARS-CoV-2 in Horses and Cattle in Switzerland from 2020 to 2022
Authors: Hüttl Julia , Reitt Katja , Meli Marina L. , Meili Theres , Bönzli Eva , Pineroli Benita , Ginders Julia , Schoster Angelika , Jones Sarah , Tyson Grace B. , Hosie Margaret J. , Pusterla Nicola , Wernike Kerstin , Hofmann-Lehmann Regina
Published: January 2024

Horses and cattle have shown low susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2, and there is no evidence of experimental intraspecies transmission. Nonetheless, seropositive horses in the US and seropositive cattle in Germany and Italy have been reported. The current study investigated the prevalence of antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 in horses and cattle in Switzerland. In total, 1940 serum and plasma samples from 1110 horses and 830 cattle were screened with a species-specific ELISA based on the SARS-CoV-2 receptor-binding domain (RBD) and, in the case of suspect positive results, a surrogate virus neutralization test (sVNT) was used to demonstrate the neutralizing activity of the antibodies. Further confirmation of suspect positive samples was performed using either a pseudotype-based virus neutralization assay (PVNA; horses) or an indirect immunofluorescence test (IFA; cattle). The animals were sampled between February 2020 and December 2022. Additionally, in total, 486 bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL), oropharyngeal, nasal and rectal swab samples from horses and cattle were analyzed for the presence of SARS-CoV-2 RNA via reverse transcriptase quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). Six horses (0.5%; 95% CI: 0.2–1.2%) were suspect positive via RBD-ELISA, and neutralizing antibodies were detected in two of them via confirmatory sVNT and PVNA tests. In the PVNA, the highest titers were measured against the Alpha and Delta SARS-CoV-2 variants. Fifteen cattle (1.8%; 95% CI: 1.0–3.0%) were suspect positive in RBD-ELISA; 3 of them had SARS-CoV-2-specific neutralizing antibodies in sVNT and 4 of the 15 were confirmed to be positive via IFA. All tested samples were RT-qPCR-negative. The results support the hypotheses that the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 infections in horses and cattle in Switzerland was low up to the end of 2022.
Bladder Cancer: Immunotherapy and Pelvic Lymph Node Dissection
Authors: Fan Zhongru , Deng Junpeng , Wang Yutao , Fan Xin , Xie Jianjun
Published: January 2024

Bladder cancer, a common malignancy of the urinary system, is routinely treated with radiation, chemotherapy, and surgical excision. However, these strategies have inherent limitations and may also result in various side effects. Immunotherapy has garnered considerable attention in recent years as a novel therapeutic approach. It harnesses and activates the patient’s immune system to recognize and eliminate cancer cells, which not only prolongs therapeutic efficacy but also minimizes the toxic side effects. Several immune checkpoint inhibitors and cancer vaccines have been developed for the treatment of bladder cancer. Whereas blocking immune checkpoints on the surface of tumor cells augments the effect of immune cells, immunization with tumor-specific antigens can elicit the production of anti-tumor immune effector cells. However, there are several challenges in applying immunotherapy against bladder cancer. For instance, the efficacy of immunotherapy varies considerably across individual patients, and only a small percentage of cancer patients are responsive. Therefore, it is crucial to identify biomarkers that can predict the efficacy of immunotherapy. Pelvic lymph nodes are routinely dissected from bladder cancer patients during surgical intervention in order to remove any metastatic tumor cells. However, some studies indicate that pelvic lymph node dissection may reduce the efficacy of immunotherapy by damaging the immune cells. Therefore, the decision to undertake pelvic lymph node removal should be incumbent on the clinical characteristics of individual patients. Thus, although immunotherapy has the advantages of lower toxic side effects and long-lasting efficacy, its application in bladder cancer still faces challenges, such as the lack of predictive biomarkers and the effects of pelvic lymph node dissection. Further research is needed to explore these issues in order to improve the efficacy of immunotherapy for bladder cancer.
Can the Revolution in mRNA-Based Vaccine Technologies Solve the Intractable Health Issues of Current Ruminant Production Systems?
Authors: Mahony Timothy J. , Briody Tatiana E. , Ommeh Sheila C.
Published: January 2024

To achieve the World Health Organization’s global Sustainable Development Goals, increased production of high-quality protein for human consumption is required while minimizing, ideally reducing, environmental impacts. One way to achieve these goals is to address losses within current livestock production systems. Infectious diseases are key limiters of edible protein production, affecting both quantity and quality. In addition, some of these diseases are zoonotic threats and potential contributors to the emergence of antimicrobial resistance. Vaccination has proven to be highly successful in controlling and even eliminating several livestock diseases of economic importance. However, many livestock diseases, both existing and emerging, have proven to be recalcitrant targets for conventional vaccination technologies. The threat posed by the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in unprecedented global investment in vaccine technologies to accelerate the development of safe and efficacious vaccines. While several vaccination platforms emerged as front runners to meet this challenge, the clear winner is mRNA-based vaccination. The challenge now is for livestock industries and relevant stakeholders to harness these rapid advances in vaccination to address key diseases affecting livestock production. This review examines the key features of mRNA vaccines, as this technology has the potential to control infectious diseases of importance to livestock production that have proven otherwise difficult to control using conventional approaches. This review focuses on the challenging diseases of ruminants due to their importance in global protein production. Overall, the current literature suggests that, while mRNA vaccines have the potential to address challenges in veterinary medicine, further developments are likely to be required for this promise to be realized for ruminant and other livestock species.
Identification and Distribution Characteristics of Odorous Compounds in Sediments of a Shallow Water Reservoir
Authors: Wang Jiahe , Zhu Hongbin , Wang Cong , Zhang Longji , Zhang Rong , Jiang Cancan , Wang Lei , Tan Yingyu , He Yi , Xu Shengjun , Zhuang Xuliang
Published: January 2024

Odorous sediments containing volatile organic sulfur compounds (VOSCs) are a common issue in shallow water reservoirs globally. Volatile organic sulfur compounds are a typical class of malodorous substances that have attracted widespread attention due to their pungent odors and extremely low odor thresholds. The insufficient hydrodynamic conditions in the reservoir area lead to the accumulation of pollutants in the sediment, where biochemical reactions occur at the sediment–water interface, serving as a significant source of foul-smelling substances in the water body. This study analyzed sediment samples from 10 locations across a shallow water reservoir using flavor profile analysis, an electronic nose, and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The predominant odor types were earthy/musty and putrid/septic, with key odorants being VOSCs, 2-methylisoborneol, and geosmin. The results revealed VOSCs from organic matter account for up to 96.7% of odor activity. More importantly, concentrations and release fluxes of VOSCs consistently decrease along the water flow direction from dam regions to tail regions. This trend matches organic matter accumulation patterns in shallow reservoirs and highlights dam areas as hotspots for malodorous sediment. The generalized spatial distribution pattern and identification of key malodorous compounds establish a basis for understanding and managing odor issues in shallow freshwater reservoir sediments.
How to Minimize the Nitrogen Pollution Risk of Applying Reclaimed Sewage for Urban Turfgrass Irrigation
Authors: Li Yali , Zhang Hongjuan , Liu Mengzhu , Pei Hongwei
Published: January 2024

Reclamation of treated sewage is an important way to alleviate urban water scarcity and optimize ecological layout, especially in irrigating urban turfgrass. Nevertheless, the irrational use of reclaimed sewage could result in risk of excessive nitrogen (N) pollution, which requires a scientific understanding and assessment. This study examined the water-N transport process of the turfgrass system with a HYDRUS-2D model that was accurately calibrated and validated using a set of field experimental data in North China. By integrating 15 scenarios with different irrigation levels and N applications into the model, the turfgrass water flow and N fate characteristics were estimated. The results showed that the adjusted HYDRUS-2D model effectively simulated the volumetric soil water content, drainage water, N leaching, and soil N residual. The temporal variation in turfgrass water loss and N leaching consistently followed that of precipitation and irrigation, with more than 60% of the total drainage water occurring from June to August. The N leaching was at its peak during April and August, and total ammonium-N and nitrate-N leaching was 2.86 and 2.02 kg/hm2, respectively. In simulated scenarios, the turfgrass drainage water was significantly reduced by 26.82% under I60%S1/3-I60%S3 scenarios (I was 100%, 80%, or 60% of total irrigation and S was 1/3, 1/2, 1, 2, or 3 times the experimental sewage concentration), while root water uptake only decreased by 0.85%. Meanwhile, N leaching and soil N residual were significantly reduced by 3.94% and 26.56% under I60%S1/2, respectively. Furthermore, by the TOPSIS entropy weight method, I60%S1/2 was identified as an optimal turfgrass irrigation strategy for the semi-arid region of North China. These results provide a guiding basis for sewage green treatment and urban sustainable irrigation on turfgrass.
China’s Urban Water Utilization Based on the Water Footprint Methodology
Authors: Alifujiang Yilinuer , Lu Na , Feng Pingping , Jiang Ying
Published: January 2024

In the context of sustainable economic development, the current dilemma of water utilization can be resolved by improving water utilization and achieving an excellent decoupling state between economic growth and water utilization. The utilization of water resources is closely related to the economy of China’s capital cities, and the coordinated relationship between the two plays an essential role in the sustainable development of the capital cities. Therefore, to comprehensively evaluate the water resource utilization of China’s cities from 2011 to 2020, this study selects 21 cities in Northwest China, North China, Northeast China, Central China, Southwest China, South China, and East China. It analyzes them using the water footprint method by selecting indicators and combining them with the decoupling model. The study shows that (1) the water footprint of the cities in the seven regions are different, with a total water footprint of 5793.98 × 108 m3, with cities in the Southwest region of China having the most significant water footprint of 1239.69 × 108 m3, accounting for about 21.40%. At the same time, the region with the most minor water footprint is Northwest China, with 343.30 × 108 m3, accounting for only 6%. Industrial and agricultural water use account for a comparable proportion of the water footprint structure, and both use a more considerable amount of water. (2) North China is most dependent on imported water resources at 61.24%. In comparison, Central China has the lowest dependence on imported water resources at 19.19%, and several other regions have a higher degree of reliance on water resources in their regions. The value of economic benefits generated by the water footprints of the seven regions is more extensive, and the net trade value of the water footprints of North China and Northeast China is negative, which belongs to the water resources exporting places. (3) The decoupling status of cities in the seven regions is poor, and the solid negative decoupling with the worst decoupling status occurs more often. The relationship between water resources utilization and economic development is not coordinated, and the efficiency of water resources utilization needs to be improved.
Monitoring of Fish Migration in Fishways and Rivers—The Infrared Fish Counter “Riverwatcher” as a Suitable Tool for Long-Term Monitoring
Authors: Haas Christian , Thumser Philipp Klaus , Hellmair Michael , Pilger Tyler J. , Schletterer Martin
Published: January 2024

With the globally increasing awareness regarding the interconnectivity between freshwater ecosystems, projects for re-establishing connectivity with fishways as well as stock management are increasing. To ensure the quality and impact of such projects and for extending the scientific state of knowledge on this topic, a detailed monitoring of these measures is mandatory. Automatic, passive, and contactless counting devices can play a major role in these long-term monitoring projects, both for animal protection (non-invasive methods) and technical issues (comparatively low-cost systems in terms of time). Infrared fish counters can be used in a variety of fisheries applications and have proven particularly valuable in situations when long-term or continuous monitoring in lotic systems is required. Herein, we describe the function and technical capabilities of the VAKI Riverwatcher fish counter, provide information regarding its installation, and highlight some specific, practical applications of this technology. We discuss how the Riverwatcher can be used to validate the functionality of fish passage structures and to provide abundance estimates of migratory fish populations. Finally, we call attention to the challenges associated with operating monitoring equipment in variable river systems and briefly discuss potential sources of error that can influence the monitoring results and approaches to minimize or alleviate these errors.
Residual life of machine parts
Authors:   Laboratory of reliability forecasting and technical diagnostics of agricultural machinery, Federal State Budgetary Scientific Institution ", Kostomakhin M. N. ,   Federal Scientific Agroengineering Center VIM",   of the Russian Federation, Moscow, Voronov A. N. ,   Laboratory of reliability forecasting and technical diagnostics of agricultural machinery, Federal State Budgetary Scientific Institution "Federal Scientific Agroengineering Center VIM" of the Russian Federation, Moscow
Published: January 2024

When calculating the residual life of machine parts, it is advisable to use the relative value of the residual life, since the calculation of the relative value allows you to obtain a dimensionless value, to obtain a relative generalized estimate of the residual life of the main components and assemblies of complex machines, as well as groups of parts of the same name.