bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Puzzle of Playful Matters in Non-Dual Śaivism and Sāṃkhya: Reviving Prakṛti in the Sāṃkhya Kārikā through Goethean Organics
Authors: Ashton Geoffrey
Published: May 2020

Abhinavagupta is widely viewed to be a cautious, perceptive, and sympathetic reader (even of his opponents), with some researchers even celebrating him as a pre-modern intellectual historian. But scholars all too often underestimate how and why Abhinava misreads many of his rivals. Abhinava’s treatment of the Sāṃkhya Kārikā (SK) illustrates this. Abhinava and Sāṃkhya alike hold to the doctrine that effects share identity with or reside within their cause (satkāryavāda). But according to Abhinava, Īśvarakṛṣṇa (and other Sāṃkhya thinkers) fails to explain how a cause (sat) can give rise to its effects (kārya, including the manifestations of effects) without ceasing to be itself, since the underlying material cause (mūlaprakṛti), e.g., a square, changes its identity from one manifestation (vyaktaprakṛti) to the next, e.g., a triangle. In place of this, Abhinava argues that only the Pratyabhijñā approach can account for satkārya and abhivyakti (manifestation). Causes and effects, Abhinava tells us, are but expressions of how divine super-consciousness (Śiva) appears to itself through the playful manifestation of a seemingly material other (Śakti). However, a closer reading of the canonical Sāṃkhya text, the Sāṃkhya Kārikā, reveals that this system originally advocated a metaphysics of living nature, not inanimate matter. From this basic yet important correction, Sāṃkhya could explain the very same playful interface between cause and manifest effect described by Abhinava, since the manifest procreativity (vyaktaprakṛti) of organic nature exhibits constancy in the midst of its self-transformations. I draw this out through a critique of the modern scientific assumptions that underlie much Sāṃkhya research, and in its place I develop an organicist reading that is informed by Goethe’s phenomenological science of life. This approach helps to resuscitate core Sāṃkhya metaphysical categories in terms of their directed and intelligent aliveness (not just their materiality). Moreover, it offers clues to why Pratyabhijñā misinterpreted the SK: (1) it gave allegiance to classical Sāṃkhya commentaries (many of which misconstrued Īśvarakṛṣṇa’s views), and (2) its organizing philosophical narrative precluded metaphysical dualism and the self-sufficient power of nature to conceal itself.
Turning Food Waste into Value-Added Resources: Current Status and Regulatory Promotion in Taiwan
Authors: Tsai Wen-Tien
Published: May 2020

Food waste is daily generated in significant amounts around the world, implying the depletion of natural resources and the emergence of environmental pollution issues if discarded without valorization or utilization. In this regard, food waste management poses an important challenge in the circular society. Based on the official statistics and the national laws and regulations database in Taiwan, this study analyzed the on-line reporting amounts of collected food waste since it has been officially designated as one of the mandatory recyclable wastes. Furthermore, the regulatory measures for promoting food waste utilization in Taiwan were addressed to valorize it for the production of value-added resources and also prevent the spread of African swine flu. It showed that the collected amounts of food waste from residential and commercial sectors in Taiwan significantly increased from about 168,600 metric tons in 2003 to the maximal amount (i.e., 834,500 metric tons) in 2012, reflecting the regulatory promulgation and promotional measures. Based on the joint efforts by the central governing authorities (including the Environmental Protection Administration, the Council of Agriculture, and the Ministry of Economic Affairs), this study also examined the regulatory promotions for utilizing food waste as an available resource for the production of value-added resources (i.e., organic fertilizer, pig feed, and bioenergy). Through the central governing authority, local governments, and private recyclers, about 2000 metric tons of food waste in Taiwan was recycled every day, which can not only mitigate the pressure on waste incineration and disposal systems, but also conform to the trends of environmental sustainability and circular bioeconomy. Therefore, the Taiwan government is currently supporting the establishment of anaerobic digestion and aerobic composting plants for turning food waste into organic fertilizers and biogas-to-electricity because they have been evaluated as the best options of food waste valorization.
Torrefaction as a Pretreatment Technology for Chlorine Elimination from Biomass: A Case Study Using Eucalyptus globulus Labill
Authors: Sá Letícia C. R. , Loureiro Liliana M. E. F. , Nunes Leonel J. R. , Mendes Adélio M. M.
Published: May 2020

The recognition of the effects of fossil fuel consumption resulted in several agreements, legislation, and projects focusing on the minimization of impacts caused. Biomass is a versatile energy source. Eucalyptus is a fast-growing crop, mainly used by the pulp and paper industry. Torrefaction is a thermochemical conversion process that can improve biomass fuel properties, enabling its use in the energy sector. However, correct management of biomass is crucial for the sustainability of this process. Torrefaction can also be used to eliminate some elements that can hinder subsequent conversion processes. One example is chlorine, which, during combustion or gasification processes, can form hydrochloric acid that leads to corrosion of metal surfaces. In this context, this research aimed to determine the temperature at which chlorine is eliminated during torrefaction process. For this purpose, several tests were performed at different temperatures and residence times. All samples were analyzed before and after the process, and were characterized by proximate and elemental analysis, calorimetry, and chlorine titration. The analysis showed that, even for the lowest torrefaction temperature used, chlorine content was already below the detection value, showing that, even at lower temperatures, thermal treatment is an efficient technique for the elimination of chlorine from biomass.
Remote Sensing Retrieval of Total Phosphorus in the Pearl River Channels Based on the GF-1 Remote Sensing Data
Authors: Lu Shijun , Deng Ruru , Liang Yeheng , Xiong Longhai , Ai Xianjun , Qin Yan
Published: May 2020

Total phosphorus (TP) concentration is one of the indicators for surface water quality evaluation. In this study, an indirect algorithm was proposed to retrieve TP concentration. This algorithm retrieves the TP concentration in urban waters based on Gaofen-1 (GF-1) remote sensing data. The algorithm uses the correlation between remote-sensing reflectance, optically significant constituents of water (chlorophyll, suspended sediment, and organic matter (excluding algae)), and TP to establish a retrieval model. First, the concentrations of optically active components are retrieved using a semi-analytical model. Second, the correlation between TP and optically active components is used to retrieve the TP concentration in waters. The GF-1 remote sensing data for 7 August 2015 were used to perform remote sensing retrieval of TP concentration in the Pearl River channels in Guangzhou, China. The results show that the TP concentration in most areas of the Front Channel, Western Channel, Guangzhou Channel, and the western part of the Back Channel was higher than 0.2 mg/L, while the TP concentration in the middle and eastern parts of the Back Channel was generally lower than 0.2 mg/L. The mean absolute percentage error of the retrieval is 24.18%. The experimental results show that the model is suitable for remote sensing retrieval of TP in urban waters in Guangzhou.
Performance of the CMORPH and GPM IMERG Products over the United Arab Emirates
Authors: Alsumaiti Tareefa S. , Hussein Khalid , Ghebreyesus Dawit T. , Sharif Hatim O.
Published: May 2020

Satellite-based precipitation products are becoming available at very high temporal and spatial resolutions, which has accelerated their use in various hydro-meteorological and hydro-climatological applications. Because the quantitative accuracy of such products is affected by numerous factors related to atmospheric and terrain properties, validating them over different regions and environments is needed. This study investigated the performance of two high-resolution global satellite-based precipitation products: the climate prediction center MORPHing technique (CMORPH) and the latest version of the Integrated Multi-SatellitE Retrievals for the Global Precipitation Mission (GPM) algorithm (IMERG), V06, over the United Arab Emirates from 2010 through 2018. The estimates of the products and that of 71 in situ rain gauges distributed across the country were compared by employing several common quantitative, categorical, and graphical statistical measures at daily, event-duration, and annual temporal scales, and at the station and study area spatial scales. Both products perform quite well in rainfall detection (above 70%), but report rainfall not observed by the rain gauges at an alarming rate (more than 30%), especially for light rain (lower quartile). However, for moderate and intense (upper quartiles) rainfall rates, performance is much better. Because both products are highly correlated with rain gauge observations (mostly above 0.7), the satellite rainfall estimates can probably be significantly improved by removing the bias. Overall, the CMORPH and IMERG estimates demonstrate great potential for filling spatial gaps in rainfall observations, in addition to improving the temporal resolution. However, further improvement is required, regarding the overestimation and underestimation of small and large rainfall amounts, respectively.
Mapping Natural Forest Remnants with Multi-Source and Multi-Temporal Remote Sensing Data for More Informed Management of Global Biodiversity Hotspots
Authors: Koskikala Joni , Kukkonen Markus , Käyhkö Niina
Published: May 2020

Global terrestrial biodiversity hotspots (GBH) represent areas featuring exceptional concentrations of endemism and habitat loss in the world. Unfortunately, geospatial data of natural habitats of the GBHs are often outdated, imprecise, and coarse, and need updating for improved management and protection actions. Recent developments in satellite image availability, combined with enhanced machine learning algorithms and computing capacity, enable cost-efficient updating of geospatial information of these already severely fragmented habitats. This study aimed to develop a more accurate method for mapping closed canopy evergreen natural forest (CCEF) of the Eastern Arc Mountains (EAM) ecoregion in Tanzania and Kenya, and to update the knowledge on its spatial extent, level of fragmentation, and conservation status. We tested 1023 model possibilities stemming from a combination of Sentinel-1 (S1) and Sentinel-2 (S2) satellite imagery, spatial texture of S1 and S2, seasonality derived from Landsat-8 time series, and topographic information, using random forest modelling approach. We compared the best CCEF model with existing spatial forest products from the EAM through independent accuracy assessment. Finally, the CCEF model was used to estimate the fragmentation and conservation coverage of the EAM. The CCEF model has moderate accuracy measured in True Skill Statistic (0.57), and it clearly outperforms other similar products from the region. Based on this model, there are about 296,000 ha of Eastern Arc Forests (EAF) left. Furthermore, acknowledging small forest fragments (1–10 ha) implies that the EAFs are more fragmented than previously considered. Currently, the official protection of EAFs is disproportionally targeting well-studied mountain blocks, while less known areas and small fragments are underrepresented in the protected area network. Thus, the generated CCEF model should be used to design updates and more informed and detailed conservation allocation plans to balance this situation. The results highlight that spatial texture of S2, seasonality, and topography are the most important variables describing the EAFs, while spatial texture of S1 increases the model performance slightly. All in all, our work demonstrates that recent developments in Earth observation allows significant enhancements in mapping, which should be utilized in areas with outstanding biodiversity values for better forest and conservation planning.
Monitoring 10-m LST from the Combination MODIS/Sentinel-2, Validation in a High Contrast Semi-Arid Agroecosystem
Authors: Sánchez Juan M. , Galve Joan M. , González-Piqueras José , López-Urrea Ramón , Niclòs Raquel , Calera Alfonso
Published: May 2020

Downscaling techniques offer a solution to the lack of high-resolution satellite Thermal InfraRed (TIR) data and can bridge the gap until operational TIR missions accomplishing spatio-temporal requirements are available. These techniques are generally based on the Visible Near InfraRed (VNIR)-TIR variable relations at a coarse spatial resolution, and the assumption that the relationship between spectral bands is independent of the spatial resolution. In this work, we adopted a previous downscaling method and introduced some adjustments to the original formulation to improve the model performance. Maps of Land Surface Temperature (LST) with 10-m spatial resolution were obtained as output from the combination of MODIS/Sentinel-2 images. An experiment was conducted in an agricultural area located in the Barrax test site, Spain (39°03′35″ N, 2°06′ W), for the summer of 2018. Ground measurements of LST transects collocated with the MODIS overpasses were used for a robust local validation of the downscaling approach. Data from 6 different dates were available, covering a variety of croplands and surface conditions, with LST values ranging 300–325 K. Differences within ±4.0 K were observed between measured and modeled temperatures, with an average estimation error of ±2.2 K and a systematic deviation of 0.2 K for the full ground dataset. A further cross-validation of the disaggregated 10-m LST products was conducted using an additional set of Landsat-7/ETM+ images. A similar uncertainty of ±2.0 K was obtained as an average. These results are encouraging for the adaptation of this methodology to the tandem Sentinel-3/Sentinel-2, and are promising since the 10-m pixel size, together with the 3–5 days revisit frequency of Sentinel-2 satellites can fulfill the LST input requirements of the surface energy balance methods for a variety of hydrological, climatological or agricultural applications. However, certain limitations to capture the variability of extreme LST, or in recently sprinkler irrigated fields, claim the necessity to explore the implementation of soil moisture or vegetation indices sensitive to soil water content as inputs in the downscaling approach. The ground LST dataset introduced in this paper will be of great value for further refinements and assessments.
Remote Sensing-Based Rainfall Variability for Warming and Cooling in Indo-Pacific Ocean with Intentional Statistical Simulations
Authors: Kim Jong-Suk , Xaiyaseng Phetlamphanh , Xiong Lihua , Yoon Sun-Kwon , Lee Taesam
Published: May 2020

This study analyzed the sensitivity of rainfall patterns in South China and the Indochina Peninsula (ICP) using statistical simulations of observational data. Quantitative changes in rainfall patterns over the ICP were examined for both wet and dry seasons to identify hotspots sensitive to ocean warming in the Indo-Pacific sector. The rainfall variability was amplified by combined and/or independent effects of the El Niño–Southern Oscillation and the Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD). During the years of El Niño and a positive phase of the IOD, rainfall is less than usual in Thailand, Cambodia, southern Laos, and Vietnam. Conversely, during the years of La Niña and a negative phase of the IOD, rainfall throughout the ICP is above normal, except in parts of central Laos, northern Vietnam, and South China. This study also simulated the change of ICP rainfall in the wet and dry seasons with intentional IOD changes and verified IOD-sensitive hotspots through quantitative analysis. The results of this study provide a clear understanding both of the sensitivity of regional precipitation to the IOD and of the potential future impact of statistical changes regarding the IOD in terms of understanding regional impacts associated with precipitation in changing climates.
Global Citizenship and Analysis of Social Facts: Results of a Study with Pre-Service Teachers
Authors: González-Valencia Gustavo , Ballbé María , Ortega-Sánchez Delfín
Published: May 2020

This article outlines how the dimensions of global citizenship education (GCE) are reflected in future secondary school teachers’ analysis of news items. The question that guided the research was: When analysing a news item with global implications, do teachers in training use the dimensions of the critical global citizenship education model and which critical literacy achieve? The study used a mixed methodology. Content analysis was used to analyse the information, specifically the use of codes through descriptive and inferential statistics. The findings show that the majority of future secondary school teachers tend to take a socially committed perspective, while they take a critical stance or mobilise for social justice action to a lesser extent.
One Step Forward, Two Steps Back: The Struggle for Child Protection in Canadian Sport
Authors: Kerr Gretchen , Kidd Bruce , Donnelly Peter
Published: May 2020

Millions of children and adolescents around the world participate in organized sport for holistic health and developmental benefits. However, for some, sport participation is characterized by experiences of maltreatment, including forms of abuse and neglect. In Canada, efforts to address and prevent maltreatment in sport have been characterized by recurring cycles of crisis, public attention, policy response, sluggish implementation, and active resistance, with very little observable change. These cycles continue to this day. Achieving progress in child protection in Canadian sport has been hindered by the self-regulating nature of sport, funding models that prioritize performance outcomes, structures that deter athletes from reporting experiences of maltreatment, and inadequate attention to athletes’ recommendations and preventative initiatives. The culture of control that characterizes organized sport underpins these challenges to advancing child protection in sport. We propose that the establishment of a national independent body to provide safeguards against maltreatment in Canadian sport and to address this culture of control.
From Plant to Paddy—How Rice Root Iron Plaque Can Affect the Paddy Field Iron Cycling
Authors: Maisch Markus , Lueder Ulf , Kappler Andreas , Schmidt Caroline
Published: May 2020

Iron plaque on rice roots represents a sink and source of iron in paddy fields. However, the extent of iron plaque in impacting paddy field iron cycling is not yet fully deciphered. Here, we followed iron plaque formation during plant growth in laboratory-controlled setups containing a transparent soil matrix. Using image analysis, microsensor measurements, and mineral extractions, we demonstrate that radial oxygen loss (ROL) is the main driver for rhizosphere iron oxidation. While O2 was restricted to the vicinity of roots, root tips showed highest spatio-temporal variation in ROL (<5–50 µM) following diurnal patterns. Iron plaque covered >30% of the total root surface corresponding to 60–180 mg Fe(III) per gram dried root and gradually transformed from low-crystalline minerals (e.g., ferrihydrite) on root tips, to >20% higher-crystalline minerals (e.g., goethite) within 40 days. Iron plaque exposed to an Fe(III)-reducing Geobacter spp. culture resulted in 30% Fe(II) remobilization and >50% microbial transformation to Fe(II) minerals (e.g., siderite, vivianite, and Fe–S phases) or persisted by >15% as Fe(III) minerals. Based on the collected data, we estimated that iron plaque formation and reductive dissolution can impact more than 5% of the rhizosphere iron budget which has consequences for the (im)mobilization of soil contaminants and nutrients.
Thermal Evaluation of a Double-Pass Unglazed Solar Air Heater with Perforated Plate and Wire Mesh Layers
Authors: Jasim Mahmood Afaq
Published: May 2020

In this study, an experimental outdoor investigation of the thermal efficiency and outlet air temperature was conducted on an unglazed, double-pass, solar air heater with a perforated absorber plate and packing wire mesh layers as a supplemental absorbent area. This was done to observe their effects on the thermal performance of the solar air heater. The double-pass collector was constructed with a bed height of 0.05 m, and a collection area of 1.5 m2. The height of the upper channel was fixed at 0.015 m to improve the thermal efficiency, and the outlet temperature at air flow rates between 0.003 and 0.018 kg/s. The collector was mounted with a slope of 42° facing south, to maximize the intensity of solar irradiance during winter. The effects of the air flow rate, ambient temperature, inlet temperature, outlet temperature, and solar intensity were experimentally investigated. The results showed that thermal efficiency could be improved by increasing the air flow rate, where the highest thermal efficiency achieved was 86% at 0.018 kg/s. However, the temperature difference was increased to a maximum value of 38.6 °C, when the air flow rate was decreased to 0.003 kg/s. Furthermore, the results demonstrated a significant improvement in the thermal efficiency and outlet temperature; and when compared with previous research, the experimental results and the predictions for the outlet temperature using the theoretical model agreed.
Biodiversity of Microorganisms Colonizing the Surface of Polystyrene Samples Exposed to Different Aqueous Environments
Authors: Tourova Tatyana , Sokolova Diyana , Nazina Tamara , Grouzdev Denis , Kurshev Eugeni , Laptev Anatoly
Published: May 2020

The contamination of marine and freshwater ecosystems with the items from thermoplastics, including polystyrene (PS), necessitates the search for efficient microbial degraders of these polymers. In the present study, the composition of prokaryotes in biofilms formed on PS samples incubated in seawater and the industrial water of a petrochemical plant were investigated. Using a high-throughput sequencing of the V3–V4 region of the 16S rRNA gene, the predominance of Alphaproteobacteria (Blastomonas), Bacteroidetes (Chryseolinea), and Gammaproteobacteria (Arenimonas and Pseudomonas) in the biofilms on PS samples exposed to industrial water was revealed. Alphaproteobacteria (Erythrobacter) predominated on seawater-incubated PS samples. The local degradation of the PS samples was confirmed by scanning microscopy. The PS-colonizing microbial communities in industrial water differed significantly from the PS communities in seawater. Both communities have a high potential ability to carry out the carbohydrates and amino acids metabolism, but the potential for xenobiotic degradation, including styrene degradation, was relatively higher in the biofilms in industrial water. Bacteria of the genera Erythrobacter, Maribacter, and Mycobacterium were potential styrene-degraders in seawater, and Pseudomonas and Arenimonas in industrial water. Our results suggest that marine and industrial waters contain microbial populations potentially capable of degrading PS, and these populations may be used for the isolation of efficient PS degraders.
From the Anthropocene to an ‘Ecocene’ ―Eco-Phenomenological Perspectives on Embodied, Anthrodecentric Transformations towards Enlivening Practices of Organising Sustainably
Authors: M. Küpers Wendelin
Published: May 2020

The following paper discusses the contexts, conditions and implications of the so-called ‘Anthropocene’ (1). In particular, the following challenges the hyper-separation between nature and culture (2). Afterwards, possibilities for an anthro-decentric transformation are outlined (3). For this transformation-and following (eco) phenomenology-then the role of the body and embodiment, as well as a body-mediated turn towards an enlivening ‘ecocene’ is discussed (4). The article concludes with some implications and perspectives which are all related to a different kind of more sustainable organizing (5).
Implications of Adoption of Zero Tillage (ZT) on Productive Efficiency and Production Risk of Wheat Production
Authors: El-Shater Tamer , Mugera Amin , Yigezu Yigezu
Published: May 2020

The impacts of zero tillage (ZT) on soil physical, biological, and chemical properties have been fairly documented in the literature. However, there is still an information gap in the developing world in general and in integrated crop–livestock production systems in dry areas of the world in particular. Using a sample of 621 farmers in Syria, this study assessed the implications of adoption of ZT technology on productive efficiency, input-specific resource use efficiency, and production risk. A stochastic production frontier model, which explicitly and simultaneously accounts for technical inefficiency and production risk, was used to estimate total factor and input-specific technical efficiencies and the risk of obtaining lower levels of yields for each of the sampled farms. Model results show that adoption of ZT proved to be an effective risk management strategy in this dryland production system, where it led to 95% and 33.3% reductions in the risk of obtaining wheat yield levels below 1000 kg/ha and 1500 kg/ha, respectively. Overall, the results have a clear indication that using ZT leads to improvements in productive efficiency as the adoption of ZT led to 93% reduction in the risk of obtaining efficiency levels below 40%. Future research will be needed to shed light on whether coupling ZT with the other components of conservation agriculture will reverse some of these effects.
Aspects of Relativistic Heavy-Ion Collisions
Authors: Wolschin Georg
Published: May 2020

The rapid thermalization of quarks and gluons in the initial stages of relativistic heavy-ion collisions is treated using analytic solutions of a nonlinear diffusion equation with schematic initial conditions, and for gluons with boundary conditions at the singularity. On a similarly short time scale of t ≤ 1 fm/c, the stopping of baryons is accounted for through a QCD-inspired approach based on the parton distribution functions of valence quarks, and gluons. Charged-hadron production is considered phenomenologically using a linear relativistic diffusion model with two fragmentation sources, and a central gluonic source that rises with ln 3 ( s N N ) . The limiting-fragmentation conjecture that agrees with data at energies reached at the Relativistic Heavy-Ion Collider (RHIC) is found to be consistent with Large Hadron Collider (LHC) data for Pb-Pb at s N N = 2.76 and 5.02 TeV. Quarkonia are used as hard probes for the properties of the quark-gluon plasma (QGP) through a comparison of theoretical predictions with recent CMS, ALICE and LHCb data for Pb-Pb and p-Pb collisions.
Roto-Chemical Heating with Fall-Back Disk Accretion in the Neutron Stars Containing Quark Matter
Authors: Wei Wei , Xu Xin-Yu , Wang Kai-Tuo , Ma Xiao-Hang
Published: May 2020

Probing quark matter is one of the important tasks in the studies of neutron stars (NS). Some works explicitly consider the existence of quark matter in the appearance of hybrid star (HS) or pure quark star (QS). In the present work, we study the roto-chemical heating with accretion in HS and QS, and compare their chemical evolution and cooling features with pure NS. Different from HS and NS, there are two jumps in the chemical evolution of QS, which results from the fast direct Urca (Durca) reaction causing the fast recovery to chemical balance. However, the sudden change in the chemical evolution doesn’t provide an obvious heating effect in the thermal evolution. Differently, the roto-chemical heating effect appears both in the accretion phase and spin-down phase of the HS, and the heating platform in the accretion phase relies on the accretion rate. Larger accretion rate results in larger chemical deviation, higher and longer heating platform, and earlier appearance of the heating effect. Interestingly, with the disappearance of the heating effect in the accretion phase, the surface temperature drops fast, which is another possibility of the rapid cooling trend of the NS in Cas A. Furthermore, the surface temperature of the QS is obviously lower than the HS and NS, which is a latent candidate for the explanation of the old classical pulsar J2144-3933 with the lowest known surface temperature.
Effect of the Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia Virus Nonvirion Protein on Translation via PERK-eIF2α Pathway
Authors: Kesterson Shelby Powell , Ringiesn Jeffery , Vakharia Vikram N. , Shepherd Brian S. , Leaman Douglas W. , Malathi Krishnamurthy
Published: May 2020

Viral hemorrhagic septicemia virus (VHSV) is one of the most deadly infectious fish pathogens, posing a serious threat to the aquaculture industry and freshwater ecosystems worldwide. Previous work showed that VHSV sub-genotype IVb suppresses host innate immune responses, but the exact mechanism by which VHSV IVb inhibits antiviral response remains incompletely characterized. As with other novirhabdoviruses, VHSV IVb contains a unique and highly variable nonvirion (NV) gene, which is implicated in viral replication, virus-induced apoptosis and regulating interferon (IFN) production. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying the role of IVb NV gene in regulating viral or cellular processes is poorly understood. Compared to the wild-type recombinant (rWT) VHSV, mutant VHSV lacking a functional IVb NV reduced IFN expression and compromised innate immune response of the host cells by inhibiting translation. VHSV IVb infection increased phosphorylated eukaryotic initiation factor 2α (p-eIF2α), resulting in host translation shutoff. However, VHSV IVb protein synthesis proceeds despite increasing phosphorylation of eIF2α. During VHSV IVb infection, eIF2α phosphorylation was mediated via PKR-like endoplasmic reticulum kinase (PERK) and was required for efficient viral protein synthesis, but shutoff of host translation and IFN signaling was independent of p-eIF2α. Similarly, IVb NV null VHSV infection induced less p-eIF2α, but exhibited decreased viral protein synthesis despite increased levels of viral mRNA. These findings show a role for IVb NV in VHSV pathogenesis by utilizing the PERK-eIF2α pathway for viral-mediated host shutoff and interferon signaling to regulate host cell response.
Phylogenetic, Evolutionary and Structural Analysis of Canine Parvovirus (CPV-2) Antigenic Variants Circulating in Colombia
Authors: Giraldo-Ramirez Sebastián , Rendon-Marin Santiago , Ruiz-Saenz Julián
Published: May 2020

Canine parvovirus (CPV-2) is the causative agent of haemorrhagic gastroenteritis in canids. Three antigenic variants—CPV-2a, CPV-2b and CPV-2c—have been described, which are determined by variations at residue 426 of the VP2 capsid protein. In Colombia, the CPV-2a and CPV-2b antigenic variants have previously been reported through partial VP2 sequencing. Mutations at residues Asn428Asp and Ala514Ser of variant CPV-2a were detected, implying the appearance of a possible new CPV-2a variant in Colombia. The purpose of the present study was to characterise the full VP2 capsid protein in samples from Antioquia, Colombia. We conducted a cross-sectional study with 56 stool samples from dogs showing clinical symptoms of parvoviral disease. Following DNA extraction from the samples, VP2 amplification was performed using PCR and positive samples were sequenced. Sequence and phylogenetic analyses were performed by comparison with the VP2 gene sequences of the different CPV-2 worldwide. VP2 was amplified in 51.8% of the analysed samples. Sequencing and sequence alignment showed that 93.1% of the amplified samples belonged to the new CPV-2a antigenic variant previously. Analysing the amino acid sequences revealed that all CPV-2a contain Ala297Asn mutations, which are related to the South America I clade, and the Ala514Ser mutation, which allows characterization as a new CPV-2a sub-variant. The Colombian CPV-2b variant presented Phe267Tyr, Tyr324Ile and Thr440Ala, which are related to the Asia-I clade variants. The CPV-2c was not detected in the samples. In conclusion, two antigenic CPV-2 variants of two geographically distant origins are circulating in Colombia. It is crucial to continue characterising CPV-2 to elucidate the molecular dynamics of the virus and to detect new CPV-2 variants that could be becoming highly prevalent in the region.
Molecular Evolution and Structural Mapping of N-Terminal Domain in Spike Gene of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV)
Authors: Naeem Asif , Hamed Maaweya , Alghoribi Majed , Aljabr Waleed , Alsaran Hadel , Enani Mushira , Alosaimi Bandar
Published: May 2020

The Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) is a lethal zoonotic pathogen circulating in the Arabian Peninsula since 2012. There is no vaccine for MERS and anti-viral treatment is generally not applicable. We investigated the evolution of the MERS-CoV spike gene sequences and changes in viral loads over time from patients in Saudi Arabia from 2015–2017. All the MERS-CoV strains belonged to lineage 5, and showed high sequence homology (99.9%) to 2017 strains. Recombination analysis showed a potential recombination event in study strains from patients in Saudi Arabia. The spike gene showed eight amino acid substitutions, especially between the A1 and B5 lineage, and contained positively selected codon 1020. We also determined that the viral loads were significantly (p < 0.001) higher in fatal cases, and virus shedding was prolonged in some fatal cases beyond 21 days. The viral concentration peaked during the first week of illness, and the lower respiratory specimens had higher levels of MERS-CoV RNA. The presence of the diversifying selection and the topologies with the structural mapping of residues under purifying selection suggested that codon 1020 might have a role in the evolution of spike gene during the divergence of different lineages. This study will improve our understanding of the evolution of MERS-CoV, and also highlights the need for enhanced surveillance in humans and dromedaries. The presence of amino acid changes at the N-terminal domain and structural mapping of residues under positive selection at heptad repeat 1 provides better insight into the adaptive evolution of the spike gene and might have a potential role in virus-host tropism and pathogenesis.
The Robust Restriction of Zika Virus by Type-I Interferon in A549 Cells Varies by Viral Lineage and Is Not Determined by IFITM3
Authors: Gobillot Theodore A. , Humes Daryl , Sharma Amit , Kikawa Caroline , Overbaugh Julie
Published: May 2020

Type-I interferon (IFN-I) is a major antiviral host response but its impact on Zika virus (ZIKV) replication is not well defined, particularly as it relates to different circulating strains. Interferon stimulated genes (ISGs) that inhibit ZIKV, such as IFITM3, have been identified largely using overexpression studies. Here, we tested whether diverse ZIKV strains differed in their susceptibility to IFN-I-mediated restriction and the contribution of IFITM3 to this restriction. We identified a robust IFN-I-mediated antiviral effect on ZIKV replication (>100-fold reduction) in A549 cells, a commonly used cell line to study ZIKV replication. The extent of inhibition depended on the IFN-I type and the virus strain tested. Viruses from the American pathogenic outbreak were more sensitive to IFNα (p = 0.049) and IFNβ (p = 0.09) than African-lineage strains, which have not been linked to severe pathogenesis. Knocking out IFITM3 expression did not dampen the IFN-I antiviral effect and only high overexpression of IFITM3 led to ZIKV inhibition. Moreover, IFITM3 expression levels in different cells were not associated with IFN-mediated ZIKV inhibition. Taken together, our findings indicate that there is a robust IFN-I-mediated antiviral effect on ZIKV infection, particularly for American viruses, that is not due to IFITM3. A549 cells, which are a commonly used cell line to study ZIKV replication, present an opportunity for the discovery of novel antiviral ISGs against ZIKV.
Color Flow Doppler Echocardiography in Healthy Racing Pigeons (Columba livia f. domestica) and the Evidence of Physiological Blood Flow Vortex Formations
Authors: Legler Marko , Koy Lajos , Kummerfeld Norbert , Fehr Michael
Published: May 2020

In avian medicine, Doppler sonographic techniques are used to visualize and estimate blood flow in the heart. In the literature there is a lack of standardized studies of the use of color Doppler flow on healthy avian species. For this purpose, we examined blood flow in the heart in the four-chamber view of clinically healthy awake racing pigeons (n = 43) by color flow Doppler sonography. With this technique the diastolic and systolic blood flow in the heart chambers and the heart valve regions were well visualized. However, the pulse repetition frequency must be adapted to the specific blood flow velocities of the heart region to be measured to reduce aliasing in higher velocities and to visualize blood flow of lower velocities. With the help of color Doppler imaging in the four-chamber view, typical physiological atrial and ventricular blood flow vortex formations were visualized in the avian heart for the first time. In the left ventricle an asymmetric vortex ring in the passive and active ventricular filling, in the right ventricle a great counter-clockwise blood vortex in the active ventricular filling, in the left atrium a vortex clockwise, and in the right atrium counter-clockwise were observed. The knowledge of these physiological blood flow vortices is important to identify pathological blood flow.
Piligrimystė Šiauriniu Šv. Jokūbo keliu: kelionių motyvai ir piligrimų santykiai
Authors: Staniulytė Rūta
Published: May 2020

Interest in the pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela is growing. Some pilgrims repeat their pilgrimage. What motivates a person in contemporary Western society to make a journey that requires a lot of resources? The article aims to investigate the motives and travelling experiences of a modern pilgrim on the Northern Way of St James. Based on ethnographic fieldwork, the paper examines the experiences of pilgrims and the specifics of the route, as well as how they construct relationships with other pilgrims and the broader pilgrim community along the way, and how important this connection is in the complexity of the pilgrimage. Key words: pilgrimage, travel, Santiago de Compostela, Way of St James, togetherness.
Histomorfometri ve Mikro-BT Analizlerinin Farklı Yoğunluklardaki Kemiklere Yerleştirilen Dental İmplantların Kemik İmplant Kontağı Yüzdesini Belirlemedeki Etkinliği
Authors: KARAKAYA Mustafa , DEMİRBAŞ Ahmet Emin
Published: May 2020

Genel Bilgi: Kemik içi dental implant tedavisinde implantın stabilitesi ve osseointegrasyonun değerlendirilmesi, tedavisinin başarısı seviyesinin belirlenmesinde oldukça önemlidir. Bu parametrelerin değerlendirilmesinde ise, histomorfometrik analiz ve son dönemlerde popüler olan Mikro-BT analizi ön plana çıkan analizlerdendir. Amaç: Bu çalışmada, implantların osseointegrasyonlarını değerlendirmek için kullanılan kemik-implant kontağı analizinde histomorfometrinin ve mikro-BT’nin avantajlarını, dezavantajlarını ve etkilerinin karşılaştırılması amaçlamıştır.Yöntem: 20 adet dişi tavşan, rastgele yalancı overektomi uygulanan (Grup 1 [yalancıOVX], n:10) ve bilateral overektomi uygulanan (Grup 2 [OVX], n:10) gruplar olmak üzere iki gruba ayrıldı. Tavşanların sağ tibial kemiklerine birer adet implant yerleştirildi. Sakrifikasyon sonrası elde edilen verilerle, mikrotomografik inceleme ve histomorfometrik analiz ile kemik-implant kontağı değerlendirildi.Bulgular: Araştırma bulgularına göre, kemik implant kontağı incelemesinde mikro-BT ve histomorfometrik analizden elde edilen veriler arasında güçlü, pozitif yönlü ve istatistiksel olarak anlamlı bir korelasyon olduğu tespit edildi (r=0,6; p=0,005). Sonuç: Bu çalışma sonucunda, kemik-implant kontağı yüzdesini değerlendirmede mikro-BT ve histomorfometrik analizlerinin birlikte kullanımlarının daha etkili olacağını belirlenmiştir.
TİP 1 DİYABETLİ ADÖLESAN BİREYLERDE UYKU KALİTESİ VE BESLENME DURUMU ARASINDAKİ İLİŞKİNİN BELİRLENMESİ
Authors: ASLAN Büşra , SAKA Mendane
Published: May 2020

Amaç: Bu çalışma Tip 1 diyabetli adölesanlarda uyku kalitesi ve beslenme durumu arasındaki ilişkinin değerlendirilmesi amacıyla yapılmıştır.Gereç ve Yöntem: Çalışmaya, Kasım 2018-Şubat 2019 tarihleri arasında Erciyes Üniversitesi pediatri endokrin bölümüne başvuran 76 Tip 1 diyabetli adölesan dahil edilmiştir. Araştırmanın verileri; anket formu, 3 günlük besin tüketim kaydı, Pittsburgh Uyku Kalitesi İndeksi (PUKİ) ve Epworth Uykululuk Ölçeği kullanılarak toplanmıştır. Katılımcıların beden kütle indeksi (BKİ), boy ve ağırlık ölçümü kullanılarak hesaplanmıştır. Hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), total kolesterol, yüksek dansiteli lipoprotein (HDL), düşük dansiteli lipoprotein (LDL), trigliserid (TG) ve kan glukoz düzeyleri değerlendirilmiştir.Bulgular: Çalışmaya katılan Tip 1 diyabetli adölesanların %43,4’ü kız ve % 56,6’sı erkektir. Katılımcıların yaş ortalaması 14,88±2,16 yıldır. Adölesanların %67,1’i normal BKİ’ye sahiptir. Pittsburgh uyku kalitesi indeksine göre Tip 1 diyabetli adölesanların %40,8’i kötü ve %59,2’si iyi uyku kalitesine sahiptir. Kötü uyku kalitesine sahip adölesanların iyi uyku kalitesine sahip olanlara göre yağ tüketimlerinin daha yüksek olduğu belirlenmiştir (p=0.117). İyi uyku kalitesine sahip olan Tip 1 diyabetli adölesanların kötü uyku kalitesine sahip olanlara göre, daha uzun süre uyuduğu (p=0.001) ve daha kısa sürede uykuya daldığı (p=0.000) belirlenmiştir. İyi uyku kalitesine sahip adölesanların HbA1c (p=0.238), total kolesterol (p=0.620), LDL kolesterol (p=0.565), trigliserid (p=0.230) ve kan glukoz düzeyleri (p=0.238) kötü uyku kalitesine sahip adölesanlardan daha düşüktür. Uyku süresi ile HbA1c düzeyi (r=-0.254, p=0.027), bazal metabolizma hızı (r=-0.234, p=0.042), fiziksel aktivite faktörü (r=-0.241, p=0.036) ve günlük enerji harcaması (r=-0.261, p=0.023) arasında negatif yönlü anlamlı zayıf bir korelasyon saptanmıştır. Sonuç: Tip 1 diyabetli adölesanlarda uyku süresinin kısalması HbA1c’yi etkileyerek glisemik kontrolün bozulmasına yol açabilir. Tip 1 diyabetli adölesanlarda beslenme ve insülin tedavisinin yanı sıra uyku süresi ve kalitesi de metabolik kontrol üzerine olumlu etkiler yapabilir.
The Relationship Between Serum Vitamin D Level and Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Activity
Authors: Zamani Batool , Akbari Hossein , Mahdian Mehrdad , Dadgostar Ehsan
Published: May 2020

Background and aims: : Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease which involves various organs. Vitamin D is an essential ingredient in regulating the immune system. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between vitamin D and the severity of lupus activity. Materials and Methods: This case-control study was carried out on 38 patients with lupus on the basis of the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) criteria and 44 healthy subjects with no history of rheumatologic disease. To measure the level of 25-hydroxy vitamin D, venous blood samples (5 cc) were taken from each participant and the activity of the lupus disease was measured by the Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Disease Activity Index (SLEDAI) scale. Finally, the chi-square test, independent sample t test, one-way ANOVA, and multiple linear regression analysis were used to measure multivariate effects. The level of significance was set to be P<0.05. Results: Thirty-five lupus patients and 40 healthy subjects were females (P=0.847). Vitamin D deficiency was observed in the case (42.1%) and control (11.4%) groups. The mean value of serum vitamin D3 level was 35.3 ng/mL in the control group, as well as 24.6 ng/mL and 21.3 ng/mL in patients with mild and severe SLE, respectively (P=0.024). Conclusion: In this study, high levels of 25-hydroxy vitamin D were observed among the healthy subjects compared to patients with SLE. Eventually, the level of vitamin D significantly decreased by increasing the severity of SLE activity.
Earthquake in southern Sweden wakes up Denmark on 16 December 2008
Authors: Voss Peter H. , Larsen Tine B. , Ottemöller Lars , Gregersen Søren
Published: May 2020

A moderately strong earthquake struck southern Sweden 5 km south-west of the town of Sjöbo, 60 km east of Malmö, in the early morning at 6:20 a.m. local time on 16 December 2008. The epicentre was located in Skåne, a region that is known for its extremely low seismicity, and its location was determined to be 55.5°N and 13.6°E with an uncertainty of about 6 km. A depth of 9 km with an uncertainty of 3 km was obtained from teleseismic observations at the Yellowknife seismic array, USA. Since waveform data from the Swedish national seismic network are not yet available, depth estimation using local stations has so far not been attempted. During the period 1970–2008, only three small earthquakes were detected in the region; the largest measured 2.8 on the local Richter scale. To our knowledge none of these previous earthquakes were felt by people. The historical archives dating back to 1375 show that 14 other earthquakes have been felt in the area. The largest of these, recorded in 1894, was felt over an area of 7300 km2 and had an epicentre 50 km east of the 16 December 2008 earthquake (Scandinavian Earthquake Archive 2003). The activity in southern Sweden is similar to that of northern Sjælland and north-western Jylland, and confirms the low seismicity of the region (Gregersen et al. 1991).
Fingerprinting sediments along the west coast of Jylland: interpreting provenance data
Authors: Knudsen Christian , Kokfelt Thomas , Aagaard Troels , Bartholdy Jesper , Pejrup Morten
Published: May 2020

The Danish North Sea coast is a dynamic sedimentary environment experiencing erosion, transport and re-deposition of sand along the coast. Because of the natural and economic value of the coastal zone expensive protection measures such as nourishment of the coast are undertaken. The present study utilises provenance analysis techniques developed at the Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland (GEUS) to characterise the coastal sand bodies by fingerprinting the heavy minerals in the sand. The aims of the study are to test these new methods in an active sedimentary environment and to develop an understanding of transport pathways along the coast. A total of c. 40 samples have been collected and analysed as part of the project. This paper gives an outline of the project and provides examples of the methods used based on six samples from the Husby profile on the west coast of Jylland (Fig. 1). The study is a collaboration project involving GEUS and the Department of Geography and Geology (DGG) at Copenhagen University; GEUS is responsible for the analyses and DGG for sample collection.
Soil erosion and land-use change during the last six millennia recorded in lake sediments of Gudme Sø, Fyn, Denmark
Authors: Rasmussen Peter , Olsen Jesper
Published: May 2020

The Danish landscape is characterised by low relief and consequently the risk of soil erosion is low compared to many central and southern European countries with more variable terrain (European Environment Agency 2000; Van der Knijff et al. 2000). However, even in countries with less intensive erosion, water-induced soil erosion is recognised as an increasingly important environmental issue due to its role in the transport of nutrients, pesticides and other contaminants to rivers, lakes and coastal waters (e.g. Stone 2000).