bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Impact of Industry 4.0 on Environmental Sustainability
Authors: Oláh Judit , Aburumman Nemer , Popp József , Khan Muhammad Asif , Haddad Hossam , Kitukutha Nicodemus
Published: June 2020

Industry 4.0 is a concept that originated from the German industry, and whose essence is the use of technology for efficient production. In business today, the emergence of Industry 4.0 for production, and its related technologies, such as the Internet of Things (IoT) and cyber-physical systems, amongst others, have, however, a negative impact on environmental sustainability as a result of air pollution, the poor discharge of waste, and the intensive use of raw materials, information, and energy. The method used in this study is an analysis of a literature review of manuscripts discussing topics related to Industry 4.0 and environmental sustainability published between 2000 and 2020. There is currently a gap existing between the actual and the desired situation, in that production occurs in a weak sustainability model, and, therefore, this research debates the effects on environmental sustainability and the challenges facing Industry 4.0. Four scenarios are discussed: a deployment scenario, an operation scenario, integration and compliance with sustainable development goals, and a long-run scenario. The results indicate that there is a negative relationship related to the flow of the production process from the inputs to the final product, including raw materials, energy requirements, information, and waste disposal, and their impacts on the environment. However, the integration of Industry 4.0 and the sustainable development goals enhance environmental sustainability to create ecological support that guarantees high environmental performance with a more positive impact than before. This paper will help stakeholders and companies to provide solutions to the existing environmental challenges that can be mediated through adopting new technologies. The novelty of this study is its depiction of Industry 4.0 and its technologies integrated with sustainable development goals to create a sustainable Industry 4.0 combining environmental protection and sustainability.
Achieving Sustainable New Product Development by Implementing Big Data-Embedded New Product Development Process
Authors: Wang Yufan , Zhang Haili
Published: June 2020

Literature suggests that new product development (NPD) has an impact on sustainable organizational performance. Yet, previous studies in NPD have mainly been based on “experience-driven”, not data-driven, decision-making in the NPD process. We develop a research model to examine how the big data-embedded NPD process affects the sustainable innovation performance of NPD projects. We test the proposed model and conduct the cross-national comparison using data collected on 1858 NPD projects in the United States of America (USA), the United Kingdom (UK), and Australia. The research findings suggest that big data-embedded business analysis, product design, and product testing increase sustainable innovation performance in all three countries. The study findings also reveal several surprising results: (1) in the USA, big data-embedded product testing has the highest effect on sales growth and gross margin, (2) in Australia, big data-embedded commercialization has the highest effect on sales growth and gross margin, and (3) in the UK, big data-embedded commercialization has the highest effect on second-year sales growth, first-year, and third-year gross margin; in addition, big data-embedded product testing has the highest effect on third-year sales growth and second-year gross margin.
Effects of Design Parameters on Operating Characteristics of an Electric Assisted Bicycle Using Fuel Cell
Authors: Hung Nguyen Ba , Lim Ocktaeck
Published: June 2020

A simulation study was conducted to examine the effects of design parameters on the operation of an electric power-assisted bicycle using fuel cell. Bicycle dynamic, electric motor and fuel cell models were built to depict operation of the electric bicycle. These models were solved by Matlab-Simulink to obtain the operating characteristics of the electric bicycle, such as power of fuel cell, propulsion force, moving distance and velocity. The simulation results in motion were compared to experimental results to validate the simulation models. The effects of the number of cells and hydrogen fuel pressure on the operation of the electric bicycle were investigated. In addition, the influences of slope grade on the operating characteristics of the electric-assisted bicycle and fuel cell were investigated in two cases: without and with fuel cell control. The simulation results show that the operating performance of the electric bicycle was improved when the number of cells was increased. The increase in hydrogen fuel pressure helped to increase the operating performance of the electric bicycle; however, this contribution was not significant. When fuel cell control was applied, the velocity of the electric assisted bicycle could be maintained at a stable value, in spite of changing slope grade.
Computing the Assembly Guidance for Maximizing Product Quality in the Virtual Assembly
Authors: Tsung Chen-Kun , Ho Tseng-Fung , Huang Hsuan-Yu , Yang Shu-Hui , Tsou Po-Nien , Tsai Ming-Cheng , Huang Yi-Ping
Published: June 2020

Assembly is the final process of manufacturing, and a good assembly plan reduces the effect of the tolerance generated in the early stages by the tolerance elimination. In the current assembly lines, the assemblers pick up the workpieces and install them together by the assembly instructions. When the workpieces are oversize or undersize, the product can not be installed correctly. Therefore, the assembler considers the secondary processing to fix the tolerance and then installs them together again. The product could be installed, but the product quality may be reduced by the secondary process. So, we formulate the assembly process as a combinatorial optimization problem, named by the dimensional chain assembly (DCA) problem. Given some workpieces with the corresponding actual size, computing the assembly guidance is the goal of the DCA problem, and the product quality is applied to represent the solution quality. The assemblers follow the assembly guidance to install the products. We firstly prove that the DCA problem is NP-complete and collect the requirements of solving the DCA problem from the implementation perspective: the sustainability, the minimization of computation time, and the guarantee of product quality. We consider solution refinement and the solution property inheritance of the single-solution evolution approach to discover and refine the quality of the assembly guidance. Based on the above strategies, we propose the assembly guidance optimizer (AGO) based on the simulated annealing algorithm to compute the assembly guidance. From the simulation results, the AGO reaches all requirements of the DCA problem. The variance of the computation time and the solution quality is related to the problem scale linearly, so the computation time and the solution quality can be estimated by the problem scale. Moreover, increasing the search breadth is unnecessary for improving the solution quality. In summary, the proposed AGO satisfies with the necessaries of the sustainability, the minimization of computation time, and the guarantee of product quality for the requirements of the DCA, and it can be considered in the real-world applications.
Plastic-Free July: An Experimental Study of Limiting and Promoting Factors in Encouraging a Reduction of Single-Use Plastic Consumption
Authors: Heidbreder Lea Marie , Steinhorst Julia , Schmitt Manfred
Published: June 2020

To tackle the plastic problem, the worldwide campaign ‘Plastic Free July’ aims at encouraging people to reduce single-use plastics during the month of July. To get people started with new behavior patterns, so-called ‘windows of opportunity’—periods where people become open for new experiences—are expected to matter. Therefore, the current study evaluated if an arbitrary month that is framed as an opportunity for change can interrupt people in their daily routines and reduce plastic consumption. An online survey (n = 509) with repeated measures (n = 366) was conducted including one experimental and one control group. The experimental group was invited to reduce their single-use plastic consumption during July in line with the ‘Plastic Free July’ campaign. Results revealed that, in this action period, single-use plastic consumption was slightly but significantly lower in the experimental than in the control group, which did not receive any information about ‘Plastic Free July’. The campaign seemed to be more effective for participants with low pro-environmental identity. Path analysis revealed that plastic consumption (prior to the intervention) was significantly predicted by perceived difficulty, habits, and pro-environmental identity. Policy support was predicted by problem awareness, pro-environmental identity and perceived barriers. We conclude with recommendations for plastic-free purchase and policy support.
Characteristics and Determinants of Domestic Food Waste: A Representative Diary Study across Germany
Authors: Herzberg Ronja , Schmidt Thomas G. , Schneider Felicitas
Published: June 2020

As it is the case in many industrialized countries, household food waste accounts for a large share of total food waste in Germany. Within this study, the characteristics of edible and inedible domestic food waste, the reasons for discarding food and the potential influence of socio-demographic factors on food waste generation are assessed. A data set of 6853 households who participated in a diary study in 2016 and 2017 was analyzed by use of descriptive statistics, parametric tests, and linear regression. The results indicate that perishable products such as vegetables, fruits, and bread are mainly affected by disposal. Moreover, household food waste occurs due to quantity problems at purchase for small households and quantity problems at home for larger households and households with children. Despite statistically significant differences in food waste amounts between household lifecycle stages, age of the head of household, household size, and size category of the municipality, socio-demographic factors have a limited power in predicting a household’s food waste level. The study has important implications for food waste policy and research regarding the issues of food waste prevention measures, quantification methodologies, and monitoring implementation.
Sustainable and Regenerable Alkali Metal-Containing Carbons Derived from Seaweed for CO2 Post-Combustion Capture
Authors: Salituro Antonio , Westwood Aidan , Ross Andrew , Brydson Richard
Published: June 2020

Alkali-based CO2 sorbents were prepared from a novel material (i.e., Laminaria hyperborea). The use of this feedstock, naturally containing alkali metals, enabled a simple, green and low-cost route to be pursued. In particular, raw macroalgae was pyrolyzed at 800 °C. The resulting biochar was activated with either CO2 or KOH. KOH–activated carbon (AC) had the largest surface area and attained the highest CO2 uptake at 35 °C and 1 bar. In contrast, despite much lower porosity, the seaweed-derived char and its CO2-activated counterpart outweighed the CO2 sorption performance of KOH–AC and commercial carbon under simulated post-combustion conditions (53 °C and 0.15 bar). This was ascribed to the greater basicity of char and CO2–AC due to the presence of alkali metal-based functionalities (i.e., MgO) within their structure. These were responsible for a sorption of CO2 at lower partial pressure and higher temperature. In particular, the CO2–AC exhibited fast sorption kinetics, facile regeneration and good durability over 10 working cycles. Results presented in the current article will be of help for enhancing the design of sustainable alkali metal-containing CO2 captors.
Porous Polyvinyl Alcohol Membranes: Preparation Methods and Applications
Authors: Sapalidis Andreas A.
Published: June 2020

Polymeric membrane technology is a constantly developing field in both the research and industrial sector, with many applications considered nowadays as mature such as desalination, wastewater treatment, and hemodialysis. A variety of polymers have been used for the development of porous membranes by implementing numerous approaches such as phase inversion, electrospinning, sintering, melt-spinning and cold-stretching, 3D printing, and others. Depending on the application, certain polymer characteristics such as solubility to non-toxic solvents, mechanical and thermal stability, non-toxicity, resistance to solvents, and separation capabilities are highly desired. Poly (vinyl alcohol) (PVA) is a polymer that combines the above-mentioned properties with great film forming capabilities, good chemical and mechanical stability, and tuned hydrophilicity, rendering it a prominent candidate for membrane preparation since the 1970s. Since then, great progress has been made both in preparation methods and possible unique applications. In this review, the main preparation methods and applications of porous PVA based membranes, along with introductory material are presented.
On Path Homology of Vertex Colored (Di)Graphs
Authors: Muranov Yuri V. , Szczepkowska Anna
Published: June 2020

In this paper, we construct the colored-path homology theory in the category of vertex colored (di)graphs and describe its basic properties. Our construction is based on the path homology theory of digraphs that was introduced in the papers of Grigoryan, Muranov, and Shing-Tung Yau and stems from the notion of the path complex. Any graph naturally gives rise to a path complex in which for a given set of vertices, paths go along the edges of the graph. We define path complexes of vertex colored (di)graphs using the natural restrictions that are given by coloring. Thus, we obtain a new collection of colored-path homology theories. We introduce the notion of colored homotopy and prove functoriality as well as homotopy invariance of homology groups. For any colored digraph, we construct the spectral sequence of colored-path homology groups which gives the effective method of computations in the general case since any (di)graph can be equipped with various colorings. We provide a lot of examples to illustrate our results as well as methods of computations. We introduce the notion of homotopy and prove functoriality and homotopy invariance of introduced vertexed colored-path homology groups. For any colored digraph, we construct the spectral sequence of path homology groups which gives the effective method of computations in the constructed theory. We provide a lot of examples to illustrate obtained results as well as methods of computations.
The Renewable Energy Source Selection by Remoteness Index-Based VIKOR Method for Generalized Intuitionistic Fuzzy Soft Sets
Authors: Khan Muhammad Jabir , Kumam Poom , Alreshidi Nasser Aedh , Shaheen Nusrat , Kumam Wiyada , Shah Zahir , Thounthong Phatiphat
Published: June 2020

In this paper, we introduce the Euclidean, Hamming, and generalized distance measures for the generalized intuitionistic fuzzy soft sets (GIFSSs). We discuss the properties of the presented distance measures. The numerical example of decision making and pattern recognition is discussed based on the proposed distance measures. We develop a remoteness index-based VlseKriterijumska Optimizacija I Kompromisno Resenje (VIKOR) method for GIFSSs. The displaced and fixed ideals intuitionistic fuzzy values (IFVs) are defined. The novel concept of displaced and fixed remoteness indexes for IFVs are discussed. We discuss the methods to obtain the precise and intuitionistic fuzzy (IF) weights. The several displaced and fixed ranking indexes are defined based on the precise and IF weights. The remoteness indexes based VIKOR methods are proposed in the form of four algorithms. In the end, the selection of renewable energy sources problem is solved by using the four remoteness index-based VIKOR methods.
Method of Third-Order Convergence with Approximation of Inverse Operator for Large Scale Systems
Authors: Argyros Ioannis K. , Shakhno Stepan , Yarmola Halyna
Published: June 2020

A vital role in the dynamics of physical systems is played by symmetries. In fact, these studies require the solution for systems of equations on abstract spaces including on the finite-dimensional Euclidean, Hilbert, or Banach spaces. Methods of iterative nature are commonly used to determinate the solution. In this article, such methods of higher convergence order are studied. In particular, we develop a two-step iterative method to solve large scale systems that does not require finding an inverse operator. Instead of the operator’s inverting, it uses a two-step Schultz approximation. The convergence is investigated using Lipschitz condition on the first-order derivatives. The cubic order of convergence is established and the results of the numerical experiment are given to determine the real benefits of the proposed method.
Symmetry in Complex Systems
Authors: Lopes António M. , A. Tenreiro Machado José
Published: June 2020

Complex systems with symmetry arise in many fields, at various length scales, including financial markets, social, transportation, telecommunication and power grid networks, world and country economies, ecosystems, molecular dynamics, immunology, living organisms, computational systems, and celestial and continuum mechanics [...]
Investigation of Methods to Extract Fetal Electrocardiogram from the Mother’s Abdominal Signal in Practical Scenarios
Authors: Sarafan Sadaf , Le Tai , Naderi Amir Mohammad , Nguyen Quoc-Dinh , Kuo Brandon Tiang-Yu , Ghirmai Tadesse , Han Huy-Dung , Lau Michael P. H. , Cao Hung
Published: June 2020

Monitoring of fetal electrocardiogram (fECG) would provide useful information about fetal wellbeing as well as any abnormal development during pregnancy. Recent advances in flexible electronics and wearable technologies have enabled compact devices to acquire personal physiological signals in the home setting, including those of expectant mothers. However, the high noise level in the daily life renders long-entrenched challenges to extract fECG from the combined fetal/maternal ECG signal recorded in the abdominal area of the mother. Thus, an efficient fECG extraction scheme is a dire need. In this work, we intensively explored various extraction algorithms, including template subtraction (TS), independent component analysis (ICA), and extended Kalman filter (EKF) using the data from the PhysioNet 2013 Challenge. Furthermore, the modified data with Gaussian and motion noise added, mimicking a practical scenario, were utilized to examine the performance of algorithms. Finally, we combined different algorithms together, yielding promising results, with the best performance in the F1 score of 92.61% achieved by an algorithm combining ICA and TS. With the data modified by adding different types of noise, the combination of ICA–TS–ICA showed the highest F1 score of 85.4%. It should be noted that these combined approaches required higher computational complexity, including execution time and allocated memory compared with other methods. Owing to comprehensive examination through various evaluation metrics in different extraction algorithms, this study provides insights into the implementation and operation of state-of-the-art fetal and maternal monitoring systems in the era of mobile health.
Interaction of Environmental Pollutants with Microplastics: A Critical Review of Sorption Factors, Bioaccumulation and Ecotoxicological Effects
Authors: Menéndez-Pedriza Albert , Jaumot Joaquim
Published: June 2020

Microplastics have become one of the leading environmental threats due to their persistence, ubiquity and intrinsic toxic potential. The potential harm that microplastics impose on ecosystems varies from direct effects (i.e., entanglement and ingestion) to their ability to sorb a diversity of environmental pollutants (e.g., heavy metals, persistent organic compounds or pharmaceuticals). Therefore, the toxicological assessment of the combined effects of microplastics and sorbed pollutants can produce in biota is one of the hottest topics on the environmental toxicology field. This review aims to clarify the main impacts that this interaction could have on ecosystems by (1) highlighting the principal factors that influence the microplastics sorption capacities; (2) discussing the potential scenarios in which microplastics may have an essential role on the bioaccumulation and transfer of chemicals; and (3) reviewing the recently published studies describing toxicological effects caused by the combination of microplastics and their sorbed chemicals. Finally, a discussion regarding the need for a new generation of toxicological studies is presented.
mRNA Interferase Bacillus cereus BC0266 Shows MazF-Like Characteristics Through Structural and Functional Study
Authors: Kang Sung-Min , Koo Ji Sung , Kim Chang-Min , Kim Do-Hee , Lee Bong-Jin
Published: June 2020

Toxin–antitoxin (TA) systems are prevalent in bacteria and are known to regulate cellular growth in response to stress. As various functions related to TA systems have been revealed, the importance of TA systems are rapidly emerging. Here, we present the crystal structure of putative mRNA interferase BC0266 and report it as a type II toxin MazF. The MazF toxin is a ribonuclease activated upon and during stressful conditions, in which it cleaves mRNA in a sequence-specific, ribosome-independent manner. Its prolonged activity causes toxic consequences to the bacteria which, in turn, may lead to bacterial death. In this study, we conducted structural and functional investigations of Bacillus cereus MazF and present the first toxin structure in the TA system of B. cereus. Specifically, B. cereus MazF adopts a PemK-like fold and also has an RNA substrate-recognizing loop, which is clearly observed in the high-resolution structure. Key residues of B. cereus MazF involved in the catalytic activity are also proposed, and in vitro assay together with mutational studies affirm the ribonucleic activity and the active sites essential for its cellular toxicity.
Absence of Cyanotoxins in Llayta, Edible Nostocaceae Colonies from the Andes Highlands
Authors: Galetović Alexandra , Azevedo Joana , Castelo-Branco Raquel , Oliveira Flavio , Gómez-Silva Benito , Vasconcelos Vitor
Published: June 2020

Edible Llayta are cyanobacterial colonies consumed in the Andes highlands. Llayta and four isolated cyanobacteria strains were tested for cyanotoxins (microcystin, nodularin, cylindrospermopsin, saxitoxin and β-N-methylamino-L-alanine—BMAA) using molecular and chemical methods. All isolates were free of target genes involved in toxin biosynthesis. Only DNA from Llayta amplified the mcyE gene. Presence of microcystin-LR and BMAA in Llayta extracts was discarded by LC/MS analyses. The analysed Llayta colonies have an incomplete microcystin biosynthetic pathway and are a safe food ingredient.
Diagnostic Techniques of Soil-Transmitted Helminths: Impact on Control Measures
Authors: Mbong Ngwese Mirabeau , Prince Manouana Gédéon , Nguema Moure Paul Alvyn , Ramharter Michael , Esen Meral , Adégnika Ayola Akim
Published: June 2020

Soil-transmitted helminth (STH) infections are common in the tropical and subtropical countries. The burden of disease is highest in endemic areas with limited access to good quality water supply and poor sanitary conditions. Major approaches to control and reduce morbidity caused by worm infections include the periodic deworming of pre-school and school-aged children with anthelminthic drugs. Population-based studies and individual patient management including interventional studies can only be successful when accurate diagnostic techniques are used. The lack of appropriate diagnostic tools providing accurate results concerning both infectious status and intensity of infection—as these two factors vary in regions of low infection intensities—is a major challenge. Currently, available techniques show limited sensitivity and specificity and as such, a combination of several techniques is usually used to diagnose the large variety of parasite species. The objective of this review was to describe the advantages and disadvantages of the different available techniques for the diagnosis of STH infections and to highlight their use in control programs.
Emergence of Arboviruses in the United States: The Boom and Bust of Funding, Innovation, and Capacity
Authors: Kading Rebekah C. , Cohnstaedt Lee W. , Fall Ken , Hamer Gabriel L.
Published: June 2020

Mosquito-borne viruses will continue to emerge and generate a significant public health burden around the globe. Here, we provide a longitudinal perspective on how the emergence of mosquito-borne viruses in the Americas has triggered reactionary funding by sponsored agencies, stimulating a number of publications, innovative development of traps, and augmented capacity. We discuss the return on investment (ROI) from the oscillation in federal funding that influences demand for surveillance and control traps and leads to innovation and research productivity.
Cosmological Spectrum of Two-Point Correlation Function from Vacuum Fluctuation of Stringy Axion Field in De Sitter Space: A Study of the Role of Quantum Entanglement
Authors: Choudhury Sayantan , Panda Sudhakar
Published: June 2020

In this work, we study the impact of quantum entanglement on the two-point correlation function and the associated primordial power spectrum of mean square vacuum fluctuation in a bipartite quantum field theoretic system. The field theory that we consider is the effective theory of axion field arising from Type IIB string theory compacted to four dimensions. We compute the expression for the power spectrum of vacuum fluctuation in three different approaches, namely (1) field operator expansion (FOE) technique with the quantum entangled state, (2) reduced density matrix (RDM) formalism with mixed quantum state and (3) the method of non-entangled state (NES). For a massless axion field, in all three formalisms, we reproduce, at the leading order, the exact scale invariant power spectrum which is well known in the literature. We observe that due to quantum entanglement, the sub-leading terms for these thee formalisms are different. Thus, such correction terms break the degeneracy among the analysis of the FOE, RDM and NES formalisms in the super-horizon limit. On the other hand, for massive axion field we get a slight deviation from scale invariance and exactly quantify the spectral tilt of the power spectrum in small scales. Apart from that, for massless and massive axion field, we find distinguishable features of the power spectrum for the FOE, RDM, and NES on the large scales, which is the result of quantum entanglement. We also find that such large-scale effects are comparable to or greater than the curvature radius of the de Sitter space. Most importantly, in near future if experiments probe for early universe phenomena, one can detect such small quantum effects. In such a scenario, it is possible to test the implications of quantum entanglement in primordial cosmology.
YerA41, a Yersinia ruckeri Bacteriophage: Determination of a Non-Sequencable DNA Bacteriophage Genome via RNA-Sequencing
Authors: Leskinen Katarzyna , Pajunen Maria I. , Vilanova Miguel Vincente Gomez-Raya , Kiljunen Saija , Nelson Andrew , Smith Darren , Skurnik Mikael
Published: June 2020

YerA41 is a Myoviridae bacteriophage that was originally isolated due its ability to infect Yersinia ruckeri bacteria, the causative agent of enteric redmouth disease of salmonid fish. Several attempts to determine its genomic DNA sequence using traditional and next generation sequencing technologies failed, indicating that the phage genome is modified in such a way that it is an unsuitable template for PCR amplification and for conventional sequencing. To determine the YerA41 genome sequence, we performed RNA-sequencing from phage-infected Y. ruckeri cells at different time points post-infection. The host-genome specific reads were subtracted and de novo assembly was performed on the remaining unaligned reads. This resulted in nine phage-specific scaffolds with a total length of 143 kb that shared only low level and scattered identity to known sequences deposited in DNA databases. Annotation of the sequences revealed 201 predicted genes, most of which found no homologs in the databases. Proteome studies identified altogether 63 phage particle-associated proteins. The RNA-sequencing data were used to characterize the transcriptional control of YerA41 and to investigate its impact on the bacterial gene expression. Overall, our results indicate that RNA-sequencing can be successfully used to obtain the genomic sequence of non-sequencable phages, providing simultaneous information about the phage–host interactions during the process of infection.
Bacsnp: Using Single Nucleotide Polymorphism (SNP) Specificities and Frequencies to Identify Genotype Composition in Baculoviruses
Authors: Wennmann Jörg T. , Fan Jiangbin , Jehle Johannes A.
Published: June 2020

Natural isolates of baculoviruses (as well as other dsDNA viruses) generally consist of homogenous or heterogenous populations of genotypes. The number and positions of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) from sequencing data are often used as suitable markers to study their genotypic composition. Identifying and assigning the specificities and frequencies of SNPs from high-throughput genome sequencing data can be very challenging, especially when comparing between several sequenced isolates or samples. In this study, the new tool “bacsnp”, written in R programming langue, was developed as a downstream process, enabling the detection of SNP specificities across several virus isolates. The basis of this analysis is the use of a common, closely related reference to which the sequencing reads of an isolate are mapped. Thereby, the specificities of SNPs are linked and their frequencies can be used to analyze the genetic composition across the sequenced isolate. Here, the downstream process and analysis of detected SNP positions is demonstrated on the example of three baculovirus isolates showing the fast and reliable detection of a mixed sequenced sample.
Socioeconomic Determinants in Vaccine Hesitancy and Vaccine Refusal in Italy
Authors: Bertoncello Chiara , Ferro Antonio , Fonzo Marco , Zanovello Sofia , Napoletano Giuseppina , Russo Francesca , Baldo Vincenzo , Cocchio Silvia
Published: June 2020

Childhood vaccination has been a milestone in the control of infectious diseases. However, even in countries offering equal access to vaccination, a number of vaccine-preventable diseases have re-emerged. Suboptimal vaccination coverage has been called into question. The aim was to explore socioeconomic inequalities in vaccine hesitancy and outright refusal. Families with at least one child aged between 3 months and 7 years were involved through an online survey. Families were classified as provaccine, hesitant, or antivaccine. The association between socioeconomic determinants and hesitancy/refusal was investigated with a logistic-regression model. A total of 3865 questionnaires were collected: 64.0% of families were provaccine, 32.4% hesitant, and 3.6% antivaccine. Rising levels of perceived economic hardship were associated with hesitancy (adjusted odds ratio (AOR) from 1.34 to 1.59), and lower parental education was significantly associated with refusal (AOR from 1.89 to 3.39). Family economic hardship and parental education did not move in parallel. Economic hardship was a determinant of hesitancy. Lower education was a predictor of outright refusal without affecting hesitancy. These findings may serve as warnings, and further explanations of socioeconomic inequities are needed even in universal healthcare systems. Insight into these factors is necessary to improve convenience and remove potential access issues.
Vaccinations and Immune Response in Celiac Disease
Authors: Passanisi Stefano , Dipasquale Valeria , Romano Claudio
Published: June 2020

Immune response to vaccinations in celiac patients is of growing scientific interest. However, some aspects of the relationship between celiac disease (CD) and vaccines are still unclear. A comprehensive search of published literature using the PubMed database was carried out using the following key terms: “adaptive immunity”, “celiac disease”, “humoral immune response”, “immunization”, and “vaccination”. To date, there is no evidence showing any causative association between vaccines and CD development. Therefore, vaccinations may be administered according to the modalities and timing of the National Immunization Schedule for each country. The rotavirus vaccine is currently recommended for the general population, and according to some data, it appears to reduce the risk for the development of CD autoimmunity in the early years of life. Regarding the hepatitis B virus, a booster dose of the vaccine is often required due to the low or the lost immune response rate in CD. Furthermore, determination of hepatitis B antibody titers could be useful in newly diagnosed CD subjects regardless of age at diagnosis. Finally, pneumococcal vaccines may be administered in patients with advancing age at diagnosis and concomitant risk factors. Future clinical practice guidelines for vaccination and monitoring programs in celiac patients could be recommended.
Modified Alphavirus-Vesiculovirus Hybrid Vaccine Vectors for Homologous Prime-Boost Immunotherapy of Chronic Hepatitis B
Authors: Chiale Carolina , Yarovinsky Timur O. , Mason Stephen W. , Madina Bhaskara R. , Menon Manisha , Krady Marie M. , Moshkani Safiehkhatoon , Chattopadhyay Pal Anasuya , Almassian Bijan , Rose John K. , Robek Michael D. , Nakaar Valerian
Published: June 2020

Virus-like vesicles (VLV) are hybrid vectors based on an evolved Semliki Forest virus (SFV) RNA replicon and the envelope glycoprotein (G) from vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV). Previously, we showed that VLV can be used to express protein antigens and generate protective antigen-specific CD8+ T cells. This report describes VLV vectors designed for enhanced protein expression and immunogenicity. Expressing hepatitis B virus (HBV) middle S antigen (MHBs) from VLV using a dual subgenomic promoter significantly increased MHBs-specific CD8+ T cell and antibody production in mice. Furthermore, envelope glycoprotein switch from VSV Indiana to the glycoprotein of Chandipura virus enabled prime-boost immunization and further increased responses to MHBs. Therapeutic efficacy was evaluated in a mouse model of chronic HBV infection initiated by HBV delivery with adeno-associated virus. Mice with lower or intermediate HBV antigen levels demonstrated a significant and sustained reduction of HBV replication following VLV prime-boost immunization. However, mice with higher HBV antigen levels showed no changes in HBV replication, emphasizing the importance of HBV antigenemia for implementing immunotherapies. This report highlights the potential of VLV dual promoter vectors to induce effective antigen-specific immune responses and informs the further development and evaluation of hybrid viral vaccine platforms for preventative and therapeutic purposes.
N-terminus of Flagellin Fused to an Antigen Improves Vaccine Efficacy against Pasteurella Multocida Infection in Chickens
Authors: Doan Thu-Dung , Wang Hsian-Yu , Ke Guan-Ming , Cheng Li-Ting
Published: June 2020

Flagellin from bacteria elicits a proinflammatory immune response and may act as a vaccine adjuvant. In this study, we evaluated the adjuvant effect of the N-terminus of flagellin (residues 1–99) when linked to an antigen (a truncated, conserved domain of lipoprotein E of Pasteurella multocida). Immunization of chickens with the antigen-adjuvant chimeric protein showed that the N-terminus of flagellin accelerated the antibody response and enhanced the cellular immunity (CD8+ T cell expansion). Stimulation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells from vaccinated chickens showed both TH1 (IFN-γ and IL-12) and TH2 (IL-4)-type cytokine gene expressions. In a challenge test, the N-terminus of flagellin increased the survival rate to 75%, compared to 25% in the antigen-only group. In conclusion, our study found that the N-terminus of flagellin can increase the immune response and enhance vaccine protection.
CTLA-4 Blockade, during HIV Virus-Like Particles Immunization, Alters HIV-Specific B-Cell Responses
Authors: Lewis Phoebe E. , Poteet Ethan C. , Liu Dongliang , Chen Changyi , LaBranche Celia C. , Stanfield-Oakley Sherry A. , Montefiori David C. , Ferrari Guido , Yao Qizhi
Published: June 2020

Studies have shown that blockade of CTLA-4 promoted the expansion of germinal center B-cells in viral infection or immunization with model antigens. Few studies have evaluated the immunological consequences of CTLA-4 blockade during immunization against relevant vaccine candidates. Here, we investigated the effects of CTLA-4 blockade on HIV virus-like particles (VLPs) vaccination in a C57BL/6J mouse model. We found that CTLA-4 blockade during HIV VLP immunization resulted in increased CD4+ T-cell activation, promoted the expansion of HIV envelope (Env)-specific follicular helper T cell (Tfh) cells, and significantly increased HIV Gag- and Env-specific IgG with higher avidity and antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) capabilities. Furthermore, after only a single immunization, CTLA-4 blockade accelerated T-cell dependent IgG class switching and the induction of significantly high serum levels of the B-cell survival factor, A proliferation-inducing ligand (APRIL). Although no significant increase in neutralizing antibodies was observed, increased levels of class-switched Env- and Gag-specific IgG are indicative of increased polyclonal B-cell activation, which demonstrated the ability to mediate and enhance ADCC in this study. Altogether, our findings show that CTLA-4 blockade can increase the levels of HIV antigen-specific B-cell and antigen-specific Tfh cell activity and impact humoral immune responses when combined with a clinically relevant HIV VLP-based vaccine.
Immunoinformatics and Structural Analysis for Identification of Immunodominant Epitopes in SARS-CoV-2 as Potential Vaccine Targets
Authors: Mukherjee Sumit , Tworowski Dmitry , Detroja Rajesh , Mukherjee Sunanda Biswas , Frenkel-Morgenstern Milana
Published: June 2020

A new coronavirus infection, COVID-19, has recently emerged, and has caused a global pandemic along with an international public health emergency. Currently, no licensed vaccines are available for COVID-19. The identification of immunodominant epitopes for both B- and T-cells that induce protective responses in the host is crucial for effective vaccine design. Computational prediction of potential epitopes might significantly reduce the time required to screen peptide libraries as part of emergent vaccine design. In our present study, we used an extensive immunoinformatics-based approach to predict conserved immunodominant epitopes from the proteome of SARS-CoV-2. Regions from SARS-CoV-2 protein sequences were defined as immunodominant, based on the following three criteria regarding B- and T-cell epitopes: (i) they were both mapped, (ii) they predicted protective antigens, and (iii) they were completely identical to experimentally validated epitopes of SARS-CoV. Further, structural and molecular docking analyses were performed in order to understand the binding interactions of the identified immunodominant epitopes with human major histocompatibility complexes (MHC). Our study provides a set of potential immunodominant epitopes that could enable the generation of both antibody- and cell-mediated immunity. This could contribute to developing peptide vaccine-based adaptive immunotherapy against SARS-CoV-2 infections and prevent future pandemic outbreaks.
ATRIP: Architecture for Traffic Classification Based on Image Processing
Authors: Cristiani André Luis , Immich Roger , Akabane Ademar T. , Madeira Edmundo Roberto Mauro , Villas Leandro Aparecido , Meneguette Rodolfo I.
Published: June 2020

With the increase of vehicles in large urban centers, there is also an increase in the number of traffic jams and accidents on public roads. The development of a proper Intelligent Transport System (ITS) could help to alleviate these problems by assisting the drivers on route selections to avoid the most congested road sections. Therefore, to improve on this issue, this work proposes an architecture to aid an ITS to detect, analyze, and classify the traffic flow conditions in real time. This architecture also provides a control room dashboard to visualize the information and notify the users about the live traffic conditions. To this end, the proposed solution takes advantage of computer vision concepts to extract the maximum information about the roads to better assess and keep the drivers posted about the traffic conditions on selected highways. The main contribution of the proposed architecture is to perform the detection and classification of the flow of vehicles regardless of the luminosity conditions. In order to evaluate the efficiency of the proposed solution, a testbed was designed. The obtained results show that the accuracy of the traffic classification rate is up to 90% in daylight environments and up to 70% in low light environments when compared with the related literature.
Public Perceptions of Veterinarians from Social and Online Media Listening
Authors: Widmar Nicole , Bir Courtney , Lai John , Wolf Christopher
Published: June 2020

The public perception of the veterinary medicine profession is of increasing concern given the mounting challenges facing the industry, ranging from student debt loads to mental health implications arising from compassion fatigue, euthanasia, and other challenging aspects of the profession. This analysis employs social media listening and analysis to discern top themes arising from social and online media posts referencing veterinarians. Social media sentiment analysis is also employed to aid in quantifying the search results, in terms of whether they are positivity/negativity associated. From September 2017-November 2019, over 1.4 million posts and 1.7 million mentions were analyzed; the top domain in the search results was Twitter (74%). The mean net sentiment associated with the search conducted over the time period studied was 52%. The top terms revealed in the searches conducted revolved mainly around care of or concern for pet animals. The recognition of challenges facing the veterinary medicine profession were notably absent, except for the mention of suicide risks. While undeniably influenced by the search terms selected, which were directed towards client–clinic related verbiage, a relative lack of knowledge regarding veterinarians’ roles in human health, food safety/security, and society generally outside of companion animal care was recognized. Future research aimed at determining the value of veterinarians’ contributions to society and, in particular, in the scope of One Health, may aid in forming future communication and education campaigns.
Microbial Profile of the Ventriculum of Honey Bee (Apis mellifera ligustica Spinola, 1806) Fed with Veterinary Drugs, Dietary Supplements and Non-Protein Amino Acids
Authors: Cilia Giovanni , Fratini Filippo , Tafi Elena , Turchi Barbara , Mancini Simone , Sagona Simona , Nanetti Antonio , Cerri Domenico , Felicioli Antonio
Published: June 2020

The effects of veterinary drugs, dietary supplements and non-protein amino acids on the European honey bee (Apis mellifera ligustica Spinola, 1806) ventriculum microbial profile were investigated. Total viable aerobic bacteria, Enterobacteriaceae, staphylococci, Escherichia coli, lactic acid bacteria, Pseudomonas spp., aerobic bacterial endospores and Enterococcus spp. were determined using a culture-based method. Two veterinary drugs (Varromed® and Api-Bioxal®), two commercial dietary supplements (ApiHerb® and ApiGo®) and two non-protein amino acids (GABA and beta-alanine) were administered for one week to honey bee foragers reared in laboratory cages. After one week, E. coli and Staphylococcus spp. were significantly affected by the veterinary drugs (p < 0.001). Furthermore, dietary supplements and non-protein amino acids induced significant changes in Staphylococcus spp., E. coli and Pseudomonas spp. (p < 0.001). In conclusion, the results of this investigation showed that the administration of the veterinary drugs, dietary supplements and non-protein amino acids tested, affected the ventriculum microbiological profile of Apis mellifera ligustica.
Experimental Characterization of Friction in a Negative Stiffness Nonlinear Oscillator
Authors: Anastasio Dario , Marchesiello Stefano
Published: June 2020

Nonlinear dissipative phenomena are common features of many dynamical systems and engineering applications, and their experimental characterization has always been a challenge among the research community. Within the wide range of nonlinear damping mechanisms, friction is surely one of the most common, and with a high impact on the dynamical behavior of structures. In this paper, the nonlinear identification of friction in a negative stiffness oscillator is pursued. The structure exhibits a strong nonlinear behavior, mainly due to its polynomial elastic restoring force with a negative stiffness region. This leads to an asymmetric double-well potential with two stable equilibrium positions, and the possibility of switching between them in a chaotic way. Friction plays a crucial role in this context, as it derives from the continuous sliding between the central guide and the moving mass. The system is driven through harmonic tests with several input amplitudes, in order to estimate the variations in the energy dissipated per cycle. The identification of the frictional behavior is then pursed by minimizing the errors between the experimental measurements and the model predictions, using the harmonic balance method in conjunction with a continuation technique on the forcing amplitudes.
Multiple-Line Identification of Socio-Ecological Stressors Affecting Aquatic Ecosystems in Semi-Arid Countries: Implications for Sustainable Management of Fisheries in Sub-Saharan Africa
Authors: Sanon Vincent-Paul , Toé Patrice , Caballer Revenga Jaime , El Bilali Hamid , Hundscheid Laura , Kulakowska Michalina , Magnuszewski Piotr , Meulenbroek Paul , Paillaugue Julie , Sendzimir Jan , Slezak Gabriele , Vogel Stefan , Melcher Andreas
Published: June 2020

Water resources are among the fundamental resources that are the most threatened worldwide by various pressures. This study applied the Driver–Pressure–State–Impact–Response (DPSIR) framework as an innovative tool to better understand the dynamic interlinkages between the different sources of multiple stressors on aquatic ecosystems in Burkina Faso. The triangulation of evidences from interviews, literature reviews, and strategic simulations shows that several human impacts as well as climate change and its effects (such as the decrease of the water level, and the increase of the surface water temperature) are detrimental to fish productivity, abundance, and average size. Furthermore, the ongoing demographic and nutritional transition is driving cumulative pressures on water and fish resources. In this context, the development of aquaculture could offer alternative livelihoods and help fish stocks in natural ecosystems to recover, thereby reducing fishermen’s vulnerability and easing overfishing pressures. Further, the empowerment of the actors and their participation to reinforce fisheries regulation are required to escape the current “regeneration trap” and to achieve a sustainable management of aquatic ecosystems in Burkina Faso.