bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Novel Combined Load Frequency Control and Automatic Voltage Regulation of a 100% Sustainable Energy Interconnected Microgrids
Authors: Fayek Hady H. , Rusu Eugen
Published: August 2022

Frequency and voltage deviations are two main problems in microgrids, especially with the increase in the penetration level of renewable energies. This paper presents novel techniques to apply combined the load frequency control and automatic voltage regulation of two interconnected microgrids. The two microgrids are operated by solar energy and bioenergy technologies and include energy-storage facilities. The control is applied using a novel accelerating PID controller (PIDA), which is compared to state-of-the-art control schemes. The controllers are designed using a new doctor and patient optimization technique (DPO), which is compared to state-of-the-art techniques. The combined design of load frequency controllers and automatic voltage regulators is also compared to a standalone design. The comparisons are carried out by testing the system performance at each operation condition in addition to indicators such as integral absolute error for frequency and voltage and integral time absolute error for frequency and voltage. The results show that a combined DPO–PIDA design of LFC–AVR schemes for fully sustainable microgrids has better performance than other standalone designs and other control and optimization alternatives.
What Influences the Self-Educational Expectations of China’s Migrant Children in the Post-Pandemic Era
Authors: Gao Huangwei , Cai Zhenni , Wu Jian
Published: August 2022

The coronavirus pandemic is forcing societal changes, even along the trajectories of international tourism, educational development, and training systems. Existing research has demonstrated that scholastic attainment, parental educational expectations, and school type have significant impacts on the self-educational expectations of migrant children. Nevertheless, there is still insufficient research on the differences in subject grades, parental educational expectations when it comes to choices regarding specific learning phases, and the impact of school types on specific learning phases. Taking “self-educational expectations = high school degree and below” as the control group, we selected the data of migrant children in grade nine from the China Education Panel Survey (CEPS) and employed multinomial logistic regression (MLR) to investigate the factors affecting the self-educational expectations of China’s migrant children. The results showed that the standardized scores of Chinese children and the math scores of migrant children only have a significant positive impact on their self-educational expectations for either a doctoral degree or master’s degree and a bachelor’s degree, respectively. Parental educational expectations will greatly facilitate the self-educational expectations of children when these are generally consistent with the type of choice of their children’s self-educational expectations. School type only plays a part when the self-educational expectations of migrant children are to attain a bachelor’s degree. The results can help us understand the differences in the educational expectations of parents and their children; guide parents to positively view their children’s scholastic attainment, emotions, and development goals; and help schools fairly allocate high-quality educational resources in promoting the integration of students from different backgrounds.
Global Evolution of Research on Sustainable Finance from 2000 to 2021: A Bibliometric Analysis on WoS Database
Authors: Luo Wenbing , Tian Ziyan , Zhong Shihu , Lyu Qinke , Deng Mingjun
Published: August 2022

The expanding international influence of sustainable finance has made it one of the most cutting-edge development trends in the financial field. Learning about the global evolution of research on sustainable finance can improve the understanding and evaluation of sustainable finance by scholars and practitioners. Based on the ISI Web of Science database, this paper used bibliometric methods to analyze 3786 articles related to sustainable finance published between 2000 and 2021, mastering their discipline co-occurrence, publication characteristics, partnership, influence, keyword co-occurrence, co-citations, and structural variation. The highlights of the results: socially responsible investment, climate change, corporate social responsibility, green finance, carbon credits, and renewable energy were the hotspots between 2000 and 2021; responsible investment, green bond, low-carbon transition, vulnerable countries, low-carbon investment, business model, financial development, supply chain, conventional investment dilemma, sustainable financing, environmental investment, and green credit policy were the hot research topics between 2016 and 2021; papers related to socially responsible investment were an important knowledge base for sustainable financial research between 2000 and 2021; the research topics of the articles with the strongest transformative potentials between 2016 and 2021 mainly involved green bonds, socially responsible mutual funds, ESG investors’ preferences, and the impact of COVID-19.
The Practical Impact of Bias against Minority Group Applicants in Resume Screening on Personnel Selection Outcomes
Authors: Ock Jisoo
Published: August 2022

Research has consistently shown that resume screening decisions, despite their practical importance and frequent use in practice, are prone to biases that disadvantage applicants in demographic minority groups. Using a two-stage multiple-hurdle selection simulation as an example (initial selection on resume scores, then selection on a composite of cognitive ability and conscientiousness test scores), the current study illustrates the practical impact that bias against ethnic minority group applicants in resume evaluation can have on the outcomes of selection. Results show that if the bias against minority group applicants creates even a modest level of deflation in the observed resume evaluation scores for minority group applicants, the selection rate for minority group applicants is expected to be meaningfully lower compared to the selection rate for majority group applicants, increasing the likelihood of adverse impact. These findings demonstrate in clear practical terms the critical importance of fair resume evaluations for improving the legal defensibility of selection. Going beyond the simple understanding that bias against minority group applicants in resume screening leads to lower diversity, the current study contributes to the previous literature by clearly outlining the expected effect that varying levels of discriminatory resume evaluation have on the practical outcomes of selection. Moreover, we illustrate these results under a realistic set of conditions implied from the personnel selection literature and meta-analyses of variables relevant to personnel selection.
Effects of Iron-Loaded Biochar on the Anaerobic Co-Digestion of Food Waste and Sewage Sludge and Elucidating the Mechanism Thereof
Authors: Lu Wenxu , Deng Guanyong , Cheng Xiaoge , Wang Wan
Published: August 2022

The inhibition of volatile fatty acid (VFA) production is an important factor affecting biogas (methane) production in the anaerobic co-digestion systems comprising food waste and sewage sludge. In this study, batch experiments were conducted at medium temperature (36 ± 0.5 °C), during which the biogas production index and material–liquid characteristic parameters of the anaerobic digestion systems containing different concentrations of iron-loaded biochar (Fe-BC) were monitored. The cumulative biogas production data were analyzed using a modified Gompertz kinetic model to determine the effect of the Fe-BC on biogas production in the anaerobic co-digestion system. Studies have shown that addition of Fe-BC does not significantly influence the hydrolysis and acidification stages of anaerobic co-digestion, but does have a significant effect on promoting methanogenesis by alleviating the accumulation of VFAs and improving both the buffer capacity of the system and the efficiency of substrate-to-biogas conversion. When the Fe-BC concentration was 16 g·L−1, the cumulative biogas production reached 329.42 mL·g-VS−1, which was 49.7% higher than the blank group, and the lag period was 3.55 d, which was 42% shorter than the blank group. Mechanistic studies have shown that Fe-BC increased the concentration of coenzyme F420 and the conductivity of the digestate in the co-digestion system, which increased the activity of methanogens in the anaerobic digestion system, thereby promoting methanogenesis.
Mining Subsidence Prediction Model and Parameters Inversion in Mountainous Areas
Authors: Zhou Bang , Yan Yueguan , Dai Huayang , Kang Jianrong , Xie Xinyu , Pei Zhimiao
Published: August 2022

Coal mining in mountainous areas is general in China, especially in Shanxi Province. Under the influence of topography in mountainous areas, surface collapses and landslides caused by underground mining happen at a certain frequency and threaten human lives and assets. Accurate prediction of the movement and deformation of mining subsidence in mountainous areas facilitates the prevention and control of geological disasters. The probability integral method is an official prediction method for mining subsidence prediction in China, while it is lacking in the prediction accuracy in mountainous areas due to the inherent topography. Therefore, a practical prediction model based on slopes slip combined parameters optimization was proposed in this study. The slip subsidence and slip horizontal movement were deduced based on the probability integral method considering the topography (slope angle α < 30°) and geological conditions (loess covered) to build the prediction model. The dynamic step fruit fly optimization algorithm (DSFOA) was applied for parameters inversion about the probability integral method in the proposed prediction model, while the other parameters in the proposed model were determined by mechanics analysis based on the nature of losses. The determination of parameters is more efficient, objective and reasonable, so that the prediction accuracy can be improved. The measured data of the working panel 22,101 located in Taiyuan, Shanxi Province was verified by this practical model, and the result shows that the mean square error of subsidence and the horizontal movement was decreased to 71 mm and 276 mm, respectively, hence, the applicability of the proposed mining subsidence prediction model in mountainous areas is verified. This work will contribute to a comprehensive understanding on the law of surface movement and provide theoretical guidance for surface damage prevention and control in mountainous mining areas.
Forest Fire Susceptibility Assessment and Mapping Using Support Vector Regression and Adaptive Neuro-Fuzzy Inference System-Based Evolutionary Algorithms
Authors: Mabdeh Ali Nouh , Al-Fugara A’kif , Khedher Khaled Mohamed , Mabdeh Muhammed , Al-Shabeeb Abdel Rahman , Al-Adamat Rida
Published: August 2022

Support vector regression (SVR) and the adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system (ANFIS) are two well-known and powerful artificial intelligence techniques which have been frequently used for hazard mapping. So far, a plethora of hybrid models have been developed using a combination of either the SVR or ANFIS and evolutionary algorithms, but there are only a handful of studies that compare the performance of these models when integrated with evolutionary algorithms, especially in forest fire susceptibility mapping (FFSM). The aim of this study was to compare performance of ANFIS-, and SVR-based evolutionary algorithms, namely, the genetic algorithm (GA) and the shuffled frog-leaping algorithm (SFLA) in FFSM in Ajloun Governorate in Jordan. Accordingly, four hybrid models, SVR-GA, SVR-SFLA, ANFIS-GA, and ANFIS-SFLA, were developed and compared. One hundred and one forest fire locations were used in this study to assess and model susceptibility of forests to fires. The forest fire inventory data were divided into a training data subset (70%) and a testing data subset (30%). Fourteen factors affecting incidence of forest fires were employed as conditioning factors. The area under the receiver operating characteristic (AUROC) curve was used to assess performance of the models in the validation phase. The results revealed that the SVR-based hybrid algorithms had better AUROC values than the ANFIS-based algorithms. Of the four integrated models, the SVR-GA model proved to be the model with the highest accuracy and best performance. It had AUROC values of 0.97 and 0.89 in the training and the testing phases, respectively.
Identification and Differentiation of the Hierarchical Structure of the Caribbean Cruise Shipping Network Based on Route Organization
Authors: Gou Yichao , Wang Chengjin
Published: August 2022

In recent years, with the continuous expansion of the global cruise tourism market, global and regional cruise shipping networks have gradually formed and improved. Among them, the Caribbean cruise shipping network is particularly mature and complex, with a typical regional spatial organization. This paper takes cruise routes as the starting point to analyze the basic characteristics of the Caribbean cruise shipping network, investigate their hierarchical structure and spatial differentiation characteristics, and summarize the general spatial laws of a regional cruise shipping network. The results show that Caribbean cruise routes are mostly circular, and some of them have multi-circular sections. Medium and short cruise routes are common, and most cruise routes usually include sailings that last for a week. The cruise network forms an inverted V shape with the Florida Peninsula as the core connecting the eastern and western Caribbean Seas. There are differences in the number of sailings and centrality of different ports, thus forming the functional differentiation of core hub ports, functional hub ports, and general ports. The Caribbean cruise shipping network is divided into different hierarchies; with the increasing complexity of hierarchies, the numbers of ports and shipping groups have increased, the number of sailings and the centrality show rising trends, and the structure of the cruise shipping network tends to be complicated and the coverage tends to be broad. The three hierarchies basically reflect the core, skeleton, and overall pattern of the Caribbean regional cruise shipping network, and the core hierarchy includes most of the core hub ports.
On New Filters in Ordered Semigroups
Authors: Al-Tahan Madeleine , Davvaz Bijan , Mahboob Ahsan , Hoskova-Mayerova Sarka , Vagaská Alena
Published: August 2022

Ordered semigroups are understood through their subsets. The aim of this article is to study ordered semigroups through some new substructures. In this regard, quasi-filters and (m,n)-quasi-filters of ordered semigroups are introduced as new types of filters. Some properties of the new concepts are investigated, different examples are constructed, and the relations between quasi-filters and quasi-ideals as well as between (m,n)-quasi-filters and (m,n)-quasi-ideals are discussed.
Functional Differential Equations with Several Delays: Oscillatory Behavior
Authors: Almarri Barakah , Muhib Ali , Cesarano Clemente , Moaaz Osama , Anis Mona
Published: August 2022

In this work, we study the asymptotic behavior of even-order delay functional differential equation. As an extension of the recent development in the study of oscillation, we obtain improved and simplified criteria that test the oscillation of solutions of the studied equation. We adopt an approach that improves the relationships between the solution with and without delay. The symmetry between the positive and negative solutions also plays a key role in simplifying the presentation of the main results. Finally, we attach an example to illustrate the results and compare them together with the previous results in the literature.
Fekete–Szegö Inequalities for a New Subclass of Bi-Univalent Functions Associated with Gegenbauer Polynomials
Authors: Çağlar Murat , Cotîrlă Luminiţa-Ioana , Buyankara Mucahit
Published: August 2022

We introduce and investigate in this paper a new subclass of bi-univalent functions associated with the Gegenbauer polynomials which satisfy subordination conditions defined in a symmetric domain, which is the open unit disc. For this new subclass, we obtain estimates for the Taylor–Maclaurin coefficients a2,a3 and the Fekete–Szegö inequality a3−μa22.
Frontal Alpha Asymmetry and Negative Mood: A Cross-Sectional Study in Older and Younger Adults
Authors: Barros Catarina , Pereira Ana Rita , Sampaio Adriana , Buján Ana , Pinal Diego
Published: August 2022

Frontal alpha asymmetry (FAA) has been associated with emotional processing and affective psychopathology. Negative and withdrawal stimuli and behaviors have been related to high levels of right cortical activity, while positive and approach stimuli and behaviors have been related to increased left cortical activity. Inconsistent results in terms of depressive and anxious symptoms and their relationship to FAA have been previously observed, especially at older ages. Additionally, no studies to date have evaluated whether loneliness, a negative feeling, is related to FAA. Therefore, this study aimed (i) to compare FAA between younger and older adults and (ii) to investigate the possible relationships between loneliness, depressive and anxious symptomatology with FAA in young and older adults. Resting electroencephalogram recordings of 39 older (Mage = 70.51, SD = 7.12) and 57 younger adults (Mage = 22.54, SD = 3.72) were analyzed. Results showed greater left than right cortical activity for both groups and higher FAA for older than younger adults. FAA was not predicted by loneliness, depressive or anxious symptomatology as shown by regression analyses. Findings bring clarity about FAA patterns at different ages and open the discussion about the relationship between negative emotional processing and frontal cortical imbalances, especially at older ages.
Analysis of Tempered Fractional Calculus in Hölder and Orlicz Spaces
Authors: Salem Hussein A. H. , Cichoń Mieczysław
Published: August 2022

Here, we propose a general framework covering a wide variety of fractional operators. We consider integral and differential operators and their role in tempered fractional calculus and study their analytic properties. We investigate tempered fractional integral operators acting on subspaces of L1[a,b], such as Orlicz or Hölder spaces. We prove that in this case, they map Orlicz spaces into (generalized) Hölder spaces. In particular, they map Hölder spaces into the same class of spaces. The obtained results are a generalization of classical results for the Riemann–Liouville fractional operator and constitute the basis for the use of generalized operators in the study of differential and integral equations. However, we will show the non-equivalence differential and integral problems in the spaces under consideration.
A Continuous Granular Model for Stochastic Reserving with Individual Information
Authors: Wang Zhigao , Liu Wenchen
Published: August 2022

This paper works on the claims data generated by individual policies which are randomly exposed to a period of continuous time. The main aim is to model the occurrence times of individual claims, as well as their developments given the feature information and exposure periods of individual policies, and thus project the outstanding liabilities. In this paper, we also propose a method to compute the moments of outstanding liabilities in an analytic form. It is significant for a general insurance company to more accurately project outstanding liabilities in risk management. It is well-known that the features of individual policies have effects on the occurrence of claims and their developments and thus the projection of outstanding liabilities. Neglecting the information can unquestionably decrease the prediction accuracy of stochastic reserving, where the accuracy is measured by the mean square error of prediction (MSEP), whose analytic form is computed according to the derived moments of outstanding liabilities. The parameters concerned in the proposed model are estimated based on likelihood and quasi-likelihood and the properties of estimated parameters are further studied. The asymptotic behavior of stochastic reserving is also investigated. The asymptotic distribution of parameter estimators is multivariate normal distribution which is a symmetric distribution and the asymptotic distribution of the deviation of the estimated loss reserving from theoretical loss reserve also follows a normal distribution. The confidence intervals for the parameter estimators and the deviation can be easily obtained through the symmetry of the normal distribution. Some simulations are conducted in order to support the main theoretical results.
Myocarditis Following COVID-19 Vaccination: Cardiac Imaging Findings in 118 Studies
Authors: Keshavarz Pedram , Yazdanpanah Fereshteh , Emad Maryam , Hajati Azadeh , Nejati Seyed Faraz , Ebrahimian Sadabad Faranak , Azrumelashvili Tamta , Mizandari Malkhaz , Raman Steven S.
Published: August 2022

We reviewed the reported imaging findings of myocarditis in the literature following COVID-19 vaccination on cardiac imaging by a literature search in online databases, including Scopus, Medline (PubMed), Web of Science, Embase (Elsevier), and Google Scholar. In total, 532 cases of myocarditis after COVID-19 vaccination were reported (462, 86.8% men and 70, 13.2% women, age range 12 to 80) with the following distribution: Pfizer-BioNTech: 367 (69%), Moderna: 137 (25.8%), AstraZeneca: 12 (2.3%), Janssen/Johnson & Johnson: 6 (1.1%), COVAXIN: 1 (0.1%), and unknown mRNA vaccine: 9 (1.7%). The distribution of patients receiving vaccine dosage was investigated. On cardiac MR Imaging, late intravenous gadolinium enhancement (LGE) was observed mainly in the epicardial/subepicardial segments (90.8%, 318 of 350 enhancing segments), with the dominance of inferolateral segment and inferior walls. Pericardial effusion was reported in 13.1% of cases. The vast majority of patients (94%, 500 of 532) were discharged from the hospital except for 4 (0.7%) cases. Post-COVID-19 myocarditis was most commonly reported in symptomatic men after the second or third dose, with CMRI findings including LGE in 90.8% of inferior and inferolateral epicardial/subepicardial segments. Most cases were self-limited.
N-Acetylcysteine or Sodium Selenite Prevent the p38-Mediated Production of Proinflammatory Cytokines by Microglia during Exposure to Mercury (II)
Authors: Branco Vasco , Coppo Lucia , Aschner Michael , Carvalho Cristina
Published: August 2022

Mercury (Hg) is known for its neurotoxicity and is reported to activate microglia cells at low exposure levels. Since mercury decreases the activity of the glutathione and thioredoxin systems, we hypothesize that Hg would, in turn, disrupt microglia homeostasis by interfering with redox regulation of signaling pathways. Thus, in this work, we analyzed the effect of exposure to Hg2+ on nuclear translocation and activation of NF-kB (p50) and p38 and pro-inflammatory gene transcription (IL-1ß; iNOS, TNF-alpha) considering the interaction of Hg with the glutathione system and thioredoxin systems in microglial cells. N9 (mouse) microglia cells were exposed to different concentrations of Hg2+ and the 24 h EC50 for a reduction in viability was 42.1 ± 3.7 μM. Subsequent experiments showed that at sub-cytotoxic levels of Hg2+, there was a general increase in ROS (≈40%) accompanied by a significant depletion (60–90%) of glutathione (GSH) and thioredoxin reductase (TrxR) activity. Upon 6 h of exposure to Hg2+, p38 (but not p50) accumulated in the nucleus (50% higher than in control), which was accompanied by an increase in its phosphorylation. Transcript levels of both IL1-ß and iNOS were increased over two-fold relative to the control. Furthermore, pre-exposure of cells to the p38 inhibitor SB 239063 hindered the activation of cytokine transcription by Hg2+. These results show that disruption of redox systems by Hg2+ prompts the activation of p38 leading to transcription of pro-inflammatory genes in microglia cells. Treatment of N9 cells with NAC or sodium selenite—which caused an increase in basal GSH and TrxR levels, respectively, prevented the activation of p38 and the transcription of pro-inflammatory cytokines. This result demonstrates the importance of an adequate nutritional status to minimize the toxicity resulting from Hg exposure in human populations at risk.
Impact of Mycotoxin Contaminations on Aquatic Organisms: Toxic Effect of Aflatoxin B1 and Fumonisin B1 Mixture
Authors: Di Paola Davide , Iaria Carmelo , Capparucci Fabiano , Arangia Alessia , Crupi Rosalia , Cuzzocrea Salvatore , Spanò Nunziacarla , Gugliandolo Enrico , Peritore Alessio Filippo
Published: August 2022

(1) Background: Multiple contaminations of several mycotoxins have been detected in human and veterinary food and feed worldwide. To date, a number of studies on the combined effects of mycotoxins have been conducted on cell and animal models, but very limited studies have been done on aquatic organisms. (2) The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the combined toxic effects of Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) and Fumonisin B1 (FB1) on zebrafish (Danio rerio) embryos. (3) Results: Our results showed that the combination of AFB1 and FB1 at nontoxic concentrations exerted a negative effect on the lethal endpoints analyzed, such as survival, hatching, and heart rate. In addition, the mixture of mycotoxins caused an increase in the levels of enzymes and proteins involved in the antioxidant process, such as superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT), both in terms of protein levels and gene expression, as well as an increase in the levels of the detoxification enzymes glutathione s-transferases (GST) and cytochromes P450 (CYP450). Furthermore, we showed that the mycotoxin mixture induced an increase in pro-apoptotic proteins such as bax and caspase 3, and at the same time reduced the gene expression of the anti-apoptotic bcl-2 protein. Finally, a significant decrease in thyroid function was observed in terms of triiodothyronine (T3), thyroxine (T4), and vitellogenin (VTG) levels. (4) Conclusion: We can say that the mixture of mycotoxins carries a greater risk factor than individual presences. There is a greater need for effective detoxification methods to control and reduce the toxicity of multiple mycotoxins and reduce the toxicity of multiple mycotoxins in feed and throughout the food chain.
Cloning of Metalloproteinase 17 Genes from Oriental Giant Jellyfish Nemopilema nomurai (Scyphozoa: Rhizostomeae)
Authors: Hwang Du Hyeon , Heo Yunwi , Kwon Young Chul , Prakash Ramachandran Loganathan Mohan , Kim Kyoungyeon , Oh Hyunju , Seyedian Ramin , Munawir Al , Kang Changkeun , Kim Euikyung
Published: August 2022

We previously demonstrated that Nemopilema nomurai jellyfish venom metalloproteinases (JVMPs) play a key role in the toxicities induced by N. nomurai venom (NnV), including dermotoxicity, cytotoxicity, and lethality. In this study, we identified two full-length JVMP cDNA and genomic DNA sequences: JVMP17-1 and JVMP17-2. The full-length cDNA of JVMP17-1 and 17-2 contains 1614 and 1578 nucleotides (nt) that encode 536 and 525 amino acids, respectively. Putative peptidoglycan (PG) binding, zinc-dependent metalloproteinase, and hemopexin domains were identified. BLAST analysis of JVMP17-1 showed 42, 41, 37, and 37% identity with Hydra vulgaris, Acropora digitifera, Megachile rotundata, and Apis mellifera venom metalloproteinases, respectively. JVMP17-2 shared 38 and 36% identity with H. vulgaris and A. digitifera, respectively. Alignment results of JVMP17-1 and 17-2 with other metalloproteinases suggest that the PG domain, the tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase (TIMP)-binding surfaces, active sites, and metal (ion)-binding sites are highly conserved. The present study reports the gene cloning of metalloproteinase enzymes from jellyfish species for the first time. We hope these results can expand our knowledge of metalloproteinase components and their roles in the pathogenesis of jellyfish envenomation.
Natural Occurrence of Mycotoxins in Maize in North China
Authors: Cheng Sirui , Feng Xiaoxiao , Liu Guoxin , Zhao Nan , Liu Jing , Zhang Zhimeng , Yang Nan , Zhou Luqi , Pang Minhao , Tang Bowen , Dong Jingao , Zhao Bin , Liu Yingchao
Published: August 2022

Mycotoxins seriously threaten the quality of maize seriously around the world. A total of 426 samples of maize kernel from northeast and northwest China were analyzed in this study. Ultra-performance liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC–MS/MS) was performed to analyze the mycotoxin contamination of maize samples. The results showed that it was contaminated by mycotoxins in maize. The average contamination levels of fumonisins, deoxynivalenol, aflatoxins, zearalenone, ochratoxin A, T-2 and HT-2 were 937, 431, 22, 27, 2 and 12 μg/kg, respectively. Concentration of mycotoxins in some samples exceeded their limit, but most were still at safe levels. The contamination level of FBs and DON were most significative. The proportion of mycotoxins exceeding the maximum limit standard was in the following order: 8.0%, 8.0%, 7.0%, 1.6%, 1.4% and 0.0%. The contamination of mycotoxins in maize varies from region to region.
Measurement of Fumonisins in Maize Using a Portable Mass Spectrometer
Authors: Maragos Chris M. , Barnett Kristin , Morgan Luke , Vaughan Martha M. , Sieve Kristal K.
Published: August 2022

Fumonisins are a group of mycotoxins that routinely contaminate maize. Their presence is monitored at multiple stages from harvest to final product. Immunoassays are routinely used to screen commodities in the field while laboratory-based methods, such as mass spectrometry (MS), are used for confirmation. The use of a portable mass spectrometer unlocks the potential to conduct confirmatory analyses outside of traditional laboratories. Herein, a portable mass spectrometer was used to measure fumonisins in maize. Samples were extracted with aqueous methanol, cleaned up on an immunoaffinity column, and tested with the portable MS. The limits of detection were 0.15, 0.19, and 0.28 mg/kg maize for fumonisins B1 (FB1), FB2/FB3, and total fumonisins, respectively. The corresponding limits of quantitation in maize were 0.33, 0.59, and 0.74 mg/kg. Recoveries ranged from 93.6% to 108.6%. However, RSDs ranged from 12.0 to 29.8%. The method was applied to the detection of fumonisins in 64 samples of maize collected as part of the Illinois Department of Agriculture’s monitoring program. Good correlations were observed between the portable MS and a laboratory-based LC-MS method (r2 from 0.9132 to 0.9481). Results suggest the portable MS can be applied to the measurement of fumonisins in maize at levels relevant to international regulations.
Serum Trimethylamine N-Oxide Level Is Associated with Peripheral Arterial Stiffness in Advanced Non-Dialysis Chronic Kidney Disease Patients
Authors: Hsu Bang-Gee , Wang Chih-Hsien , Lin Yu-Li , Lai Yu-Hsien , Tsai Jen-Pi
Published: August 2022

Trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) is a gut-derived uremic toxin involved in cardiovascular diseases (CVD). Peripheral arterial stiffness (PAS), measured by the brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) is a valuable indicator of the existence of CVD alongside other diseases. The study recruited 157 patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) stages 3 to 5, and aimed to determine the correlation between serum TMAO and PAS, defined as a baPWV of >18.0 m/s. Patients with CKD who were diagnosed with PAS (68 patients, 43.3%) were older, had a higher percentage of hypertension or diabetes mellitus, higher systolic blood pressure, and higher fasting glucose, C-reactive protein, and TMAO levels. Furthermore, besides old age and SBP, patients with CKD who had higher serum TMAO were more likely to have PAS, with an odds ratio of 1.016 (95% confidence interval = 1.002–1.029, p = 0.021) by multivariate logistic regression analysis. Correlation analysis demonstrated that serum TMAO was positively correlated with C-reactive protein level and either left or right baPWV. Thus, we supposed that serum TMAO levels were associated with PAS in patients with advanced non-dialysis CKD.
The Target Selects the Toxin: Specific Amino Acids in Snake-Prey Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptors That Are Selectively Bound by King Cobra Venoms
Authors: Chandrasekara Uthpala , Harris Richard J. , Fry Bryan G.
Published: August 2022

Snake venom is an adaptive ecological trait that has evolved primarily as a form of prey subjugation. Thus, the selection pressure for toxin diversification is exerted by the prey’s physiological targets, with this pressure being particularly acute for specialist feeders, such as the King Cobra species, all of which are snake-prey specialists. However, while extensive research has been undertaken to elucidate key amino acids that guide toxin structure–activity relationships, reciprocal investigations into the specific sites guiding prey-lineage selective effects have been lacking. This has largely been due to the lack of assay systems amenable to systematic amino acid replacements of targeted proteins in the prey’s physiological pathways. To fill this knowledge gap, we used a recently described approach based upon mimotope peptides corresponding to the orthosteric site of nicotinic acetylcholine receptor alpha-1 subunits, a major binding site for snake venom neurotoxins that cause flaccid paralysis. We investigated the venoms of four different types of King Cobra (Cambodian, Javan, Malaysian, and Thai). This approach allowed for the determination of the key amino acid positions in King Cobra snake prey that are selectively bound by the toxins, whereby replacing these amino acids in the snake-prey orthosteric site with those from lizards or rats resulted in a significantly lower level of binding by the venoms, while conversely replacing the lizard or rat amino acids with those from the snake at that position increased the binding. By doing such, we identified three negatively charged amino acids in the snake orthosteric site that are strongly bound by the positively charged neurotoxic three-finger toxins found in King Cobra venom. This study, thus, sheds light on the selection pressures exerted by a specialist prey item for the evolution of lineage-selective toxins.
Upper Limit on the Diffuse Radio Background from GZK Photon Observation
Authors: Gelmini Graciela B. , Kalashev Oleg , Semikoz Dmitri
Published: August 2022

Here, we point out that an observation of ultrahigh energy cosmic ray (UHECR) photons, “GZK photons”, could provide an upper limit on the level of the extragalactic radio background, depending on the level of UHECR proton primaries (to be determined after a few years of data taking by the Pierre Auger Observatory upgrade AugerPrime). We also update our 2005 prediction of the range of GZK photon fluxes expected from proton primaries.
A Unified Quantization of Gravity and Other Fundamental Forces of Nature
Authors: Gerhardt Claus
Published: August 2022

We quantized the interaction of gravity with Yang–Mills and spinor fields; hence, offering a quantum theory incorporating all four fundamental forces of nature. Let us abbreviate the spatial Hamilton functions of the standard model by HSM and the Hamilton function of gravity by HG. Working in a fiber bundle E with base space S0=Rn, where the fiber elements are Riemannian metrics, we can express the Hamilton functions in the form HG+HSM=HG+t−23H˜SM, if n=3, where H˜SM depends on metrics σij satisfying detσij=1. In the quantization process, we quantize HG for general σij but H˜SM only for σij=δij by the usual methods of QFT. Let v resp. ψ be the spatial eigendistributions of the respective Hamilton operators, then, the solutions u of the Wheeler–DeWitt equation are given by u=wvψ, where w satisfies an ODE and u is evaluated at (t,δij) in the fibers.
Differentiation between Wild-Type Group A Rotaviruses and Vaccine Strains in Cases of Suspected Horizontal Transmission and Adverse Events Following Vaccination
Authors: Jacobsen Sonja , Niendorf Sandra , Lorenz Roswitha , Bock C.-Thomas , Mas Marques Andreas
Published: August 2022

Human group A rotaviruses (RVA) are important enteric pathogens, as they are a leading cause of acute gastroenteritis (AGE) in children worldwide. Since 2013, the German Standing Committee on vaccination recommended the routine rotavirus vaccination for infants in Germany. While vaccination has significantly decreased RVA cases and worldwide mortality, in some cases, infants can develop acute gastroenteritis as an adverse reaction after immunization with an attenuated live vaccine. Pediatricians, as well as clinicians and diagnostic laboratories, contacted the Consultant Laboratory for Rotaviruses and inquired whether cases of RVA-positive AGE after vaccination were associated with vaccine or with wild-type RVA strains. A testing algorithm based on distinguishing PCRs and confirmative sequencing was designed, tested, and applied. Diagnostic samples from 68 vaccinated children and six cases where horizontal transmission was suspected were investigated in this study. Using a combination of real-time PCR, fragment-length analysis of amplicons from multiplex PCRs and confirmative sequencing, vaccine-like virus was detected in 46 samples and wild-type RVA was detected in 6 samples. Three mixed infections of vaccine and wild-type RVA were detectable, no RVA genome was found in 19 samples. High viral loads (>1.0 × 107 copies/g stool) were measured in most RVA-positive samples. Furthermore, information on co-infections with other AGE pathogens in the vaccinated study population was of interest. A commercial multiplex PCR and in-house PCRs revealed three co-infections of vaccinated infants with bacteria (two samples with Clostridioides difficile and one sample with enteropathogenic E. coli) and six co-infections with norovirus in a subset of the samples. Human astrovirus was detected in one sample, with suspected horizontal transmission. The cases of suspected horizontal transmission of vaccine RVA strains could not be confirmed, as they either involved wild-type RVA or were RVA negative. This study shows that RVA-positive AGE after vaccination is not necessarily associated with the vaccine strain and provides a reliable workflow to distinguish RVA vaccine strains from wild-type strains.
Changes in Body Mass Index after Initiation of Antiretroviral Treatment: Differences by Class of Core Drug
Authors: Pantazis Nikos , Papastamopoulos Vasilios , Antoniadou Anastasia , Adamis Georgios , Paparizos Vasilios , Metallidis Simeon , Sambatakou Helen , Psichogiou Mina , Chini Maria , Chrysos Georgios , Panagopoulos Periklis , Sipsas Nikolaos V. , Barbunakis Emmanouil , Gogos Charalambos , Touloumi Giota
Published: August 2022

Recent research on antiretroviral treatment (ART) for HIV suggests that integrase strand transfer inhibitors (INSTIs) cause faster weight gain compared to other drug classes. Here, we investigated changes in body mass index (BMI) and obesity prevalence after treatment initiation and corresponding differences between drug classes. Data were derived from a large collaborative cohort in Greece. Included individuals were adults who started ART, in or after 2010, while previously ART naïve and achieved virologic response within the first year of ART. Data were analysed using mixed fractional polynomial models. INSTI regimens led to the more pronounced BMI increases, followed by boosted PI and NNRTI based regimens. Individuals with normal initial BMI are expected to gain 6 kg with an INSTI regimen compared to 4 kg with a boosted PI and less than 3 kg with a NNRTI regimen after four years of treatment. Prevalence of obesity was 5.7% at ART initiation and 12.2%, 14.2% and 18.1% after four years of treatment with NNRTIs, PIs, and INSTIs, respectively. Dolutegravir or Raltegravir were associated with marginally faster BMI increase compared to Elvitegravir. INSTIs are associated with faster weight gain. INSTIs’ increased risk of treatment emergent obesity and, possibly, weight-related co-morbidities should be judged against their improved efficacy and tolerability but increased clinical attention is required.
Characterisation of a Hepatitis C Virus Subtype 2a Cluster in Scottish PWID with a Suboptimal Response to Glecaprevir/Pibrentasvir Treatment
Authors: Shah Rajiv , Barclay Stephen T. , Peters Erica S. , Fox Ray , Gunson Rory , Bradley-Stewart Amanda , Shepherd Samantha J. , MacLean Alasdair , Tong Lily , van Vliet Vera Jannie Elisabeth , Ngan Chiu Bong Michael , Filipe Ana , Thomson Emma C. , Davis Chris
Published: August 2022

Direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) have revolutionised the treatment of Hepatitis C virus (HCV), allowing the World Health Organisation (WHO) to set a target of eliminating HCV by 2030. In this study we aimed to investigate glecaprevir and pibrentasvir (GP) treatment outcomes in a cohort of patients with genotype 2a infection. Methods: Clinical data and plasma samples were collected in NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde. Next generation whole genome sequencing and replicon assays were carried out at the MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research. Results: 132 cases infected with genotype 2a HCV were identified. The SVR rate for this group was 91% (112/123) following treatment with GP. An NS5A polymorphism, L31M, was detected in all cases of g2a infection, and L31M+R353K in individuals that failed treatment. The results showed that R353K was present in 90% of individuals in the Glasgow genotype 2a phylogenetic cluster but in less than 5% of all HCV subtype 2a published sequences. In vitro efficacy of pibrentasvir against sub-genomic replicon constructs containing these mutations showed a 2-fold increase in IC50 compared to wildtype. Conclusion: This study describes a cluster of HCV genotype 2a infection associated with a lower-than-expected SVR rate following GP treatment in association with the NS5A mutations L31M+R353K.
Bunyaviral N Proteins Localize at RNA Processing Bodies and Stress Granules: The Enigma of Cytoplasmic Sources of Capped RNA for Cap Snatching
Authors: Xu Min , Mazur Magdalena , Gulickx Nigel , Hong Hao , Overmars Hein , Tao Xiaorong , Kormelink Richard
Published: August 2022

Most cytoplasmic-replicating negative-strand RNA viruses (NSVs) initiate genome transcription by cap snatching. The source of host mRNAs from which the cytoplasmic NSVs snatch capped-RNA leader sequences has remained elusive. Earlier reports have pointed towards cytoplasmic-RNA processing bodies (P body, PB), although several questions have remained unsolved. Here, the nucleocapsid (N) protein of plant- and animal-infecting members of the order Bunyavirales, in casu Tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV), Rice stripe virus (RSV), Sin nombre virus (SNV), Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus (CCHFV) and Schmallenberg virus (SBV) have been expressed and localized in cells of their respective plant and animal hosts. All N proteins localized to PBs as well as stress granules (SGs), but extensively to docking stages of PB and SG. TSWV and RSV N proteins also co-localized with Ran GTPase-activating protein 2 (RanGAP2), a nucleo-cytoplasmic shuttling factor, in the perinuclear region, and partly in the nucleus when co-expressed with its WPP domain containing a nuclear-localization signal. Upon silencing of PB and SG components individually or concomitantly, replication levels of a TSWV minireplicon, as measured by the expression of a GFP reporter gene, ranged from a 30% reduction to a four-fold increase. Upon the silencing of RanGAP homologs in planta, replication of the TSWV minireplicon was reduced by 75%. During in vivo cap-donor competition experiments, TSWV used transcripts destined to PB and SG, but also functional transcripts engaged in translation. Altogether, the results implicate a more complex situation in which, besides PB, additional cytoplasmic sources are used during transcription/cap snatching of cytoplasmic-replicating and segmented NSVs.
Functional Analysis of the Cathepsin D Gene Response to SGIV Infection in the Orange-Spotted Grouper, Epinephelus coioides
Authors: Wang Yuexuan , Han Honglin , Zhu Kecheng , Xu Suifeng , Han Chengzong , Jiang Yunxiang , Wei Shina , Qin Qiwei
Published: August 2022

(1) Background: Lysosomal aspartic protease Cathepsin D (CD) is a key regulator and signaling molecule in various biological processes including activation and degradation of intracellular proteins, the antigen process and programmed cell death. However, the function of fish CD in virus infection remains largely unknown. (2) Methods: The functions of the CD gene response to SGIV infection was determined with light microscopy, reverse transcription quantitative PCR, Western blot and flow cytometry. (3) Results: In this study, Ec-Cathepsin D (Ec-CD) was cloned and identified from the orange-spotted grouper, Epinephelus coioides. The open reading frame (ORF) of Ec-CD consisted of 1191 nucleotides encoding a 396 amino acid protein with a predicted molecular mass of 43.17 kDa. Ec-CD possessed typical CD structural features including an N-terminal signal peptide, a propeptide region and a mature domain including two glycosylation sites and two active sites, which were conserved in other CD sequences. Ec-CD was predominantly expressed in the spleen and kidneys of healthy groupers. A subcellular localization assay indicated that Ec-CD was mainly distributed in the cytoplasm. Ec-CD expression was suppressed by SGIV stimulation and Ec-CD-overexpressing inhibited SGIV replication, SGIV-induced apoptosis, caspase 3/8/9 activity and the activation of reporter gene p53 and activating protein-1 (AP-1) in vitro. Simultaneously, Ec-CD overexpression obviously restrained the activated mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathways, including extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) and c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK). In addition, Ec-CD overexpression negatively regulated the transcription level of pro-inflammatory cytokines and activation of the NF-κB promotor. (4) Conclusions: Our findings revealed that the Ec-CD possibly served a function during SGIV infection.
Progress towards the Development of a Universal Influenza Vaccine
Authors: Wang Wen-Chien , Sayedahmed Ekramy E. , Sambhara Suryaprakash , Mittal Suresh K.
Published: August 2022

Influenza viruses are responsible for millions of cases globally and significantly threaten public health. Since pandemic and zoonotic influenza viruses have emerged in the last 20 years and some of the viruses have resulted in high mortality in humans, a universal influenza vaccine is needed to provide comprehensive protection against a wide range of influenza viruses. Current seasonal influenza vaccines provide strain-specific protection and are less effective against mismatched strains. The rapid antigenic drift and shift in influenza viruses resulted in time-consuming surveillance and uncertainty in the vaccine protection efficacy. Most recent universal influenza vaccine studies target the conserved antigen domains of the viral surface glycoproteins and internal proteins to provide broader protection. Following the development of advanced vaccine technologies, several innovative strategies and vaccine platforms are being explored to generate robust cross-protective immunity. This review provides the latest progress in the development of universal influenza vaccines.