bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Fuzzy Ontology-Based System for Driver Behavior Classification
Authors: Fernandez Susel , Ito Takayuki , Cruz-Piris Luis , Marsa-Maestre Ivan
Published: October 2022

Intelligent transportation systems encompass a series of technologies and applications that exchange information to improve road traffic and avoid accidents. According to statistics, some studies argue that human mistakes cause most road accidents worldwide. For this reason, it is essential to model driver behavior to improve road safety. This paper presents a Fuzzy Rule-Based System for driver classification into different profiles considering their behavior. The system’s knowledge base includes an ontology and a set of driving rules. The ontology models the main entities related to driver behavior and their relationships with the traffic environment. The driving rules help the inference system to make decisions in different situations according to traffic regulations. The classification system has been integrated on an intelligent transportation architecture. Considering the user’s driving style, the driving assistance system sends them recommendations, such as adjusting speed or choosing alternative routes, allowing them to prevent or mitigate negative transportation events, such as road crashes or traffic jams. We carry out a set of experiments in order to test the expressiveness of the ontology along with the effectiveness of the overall classification system in different simulated traffic situations. The results of the experiments show that the ontology is expressive enough to model the knowledge of the proposed traffic scenarios, with an F1 score of 0.9. In addition, the system allows proper classification of the drivers’ behavior, with an F1 score of 0.84, outperforming Random Forest and Naive Bayes classifiers. In the simulation experiments, we observe that most of the drivers who are recommended an alternative route experience an average time gain of 66.4%, showing the utility of the proposal.
Increasing Firm Performance through Industry 4.0—A Method to Define and Reach Meaningful Goals
Authors: Koldewey Christian , Hobscheidt Daniela , Pierenkemper Christoph , Kühn Arno , Dumitrescu Roman
Published: October 2022

Industry 4.0 is one of the most influential trends in manufacturing as of now. Coined as the fourth industrial revolution it promises to overthrow entrenched structures opening new pathways for innovation and value creation. Like all revolutions, it is accompanied by disruption and uncertainty. Consequently, many manufacturing companies struggle to adopt an Industry 4.0 perspective that benefits their performance. Hence, our goal was to develop a method for increasing firm performance through Industry 4.0. A key factor was to focus on the entire company as a socio-technical system to depict the numerous interactions between people, technology, and business/organization. To realize the method, we combined consortium research, design science, and method engineering. We gathered comprehensive data from workshops, interviews, and five case studies, which we used to develop the method. It consists of four phases: a maturity model to determine the status quo, a procedure to derive a target position, a pattern-based approach to design the socio-technical system, and a procedure to define a transformation setup. Our approach is the first to combine maturity models with foresight and extensive prescriptive knowledge. For practitioners, the method gives orientation for the future-oriented planning of their transformation processes.
Impact of Paternal Leadership on Employee Retention during COVID-19: Financial Crunch or Financial Gain
Authors: Martins José Moleiro , Kashif Uzma , Dantas Rui Miguel , Rafiq Muhammad , Lucas João Luis
Published: October 2022

The leadership style that is most appropriate for the given circumstance will determine whether or not a leader is successful. It means what great leaders should do while working with a diverse workforce. They should be emotionally intelligent in order to understand their team members and modify their leadership style in order to achieve the best out of them. Employee engagement in the workplace is crucial for firms, but different factors can keep employees motivated. Work engagement activities, particularly those supported by the human resource department, have typically been observed as the primary factors that motivate employees. However, the COVID-19 pandemic has brought about a number of adjustments. The primary goal of this study is to examine how virtual human resource practices and paternal leadership affected employee retention in COVID-19, with the function of work engagement activities as a mediator. The data were gathered from 250 Portuguese Professors who were instructing undergraduate students using a survey instrument. Smart-PLS partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) was used to assess the study’s hypotheses. It has been discovered that paternalistic leadership, also known as a resource provider with a benevolent attitude, has a direct impact on job performance and employee intention to leave the job, but during a pandemic, where the role of the government in supporting their nationals was not as significant in Portugal as it could be, people also faced their leaders of organizations as opportunists. Not all, but most paternal organizations took financial decisions to safeguard their business and were not people-oriented. Now the dignity of the paternal leader on the canvas of leadership is fading. This neo-normal approach will contribute to the literature on paternal leadership.
Characteristics of the Spatial Location of Sports Facilities in the Northern Great Plain Region of Hungary
Authors: Kozma Gábor , Teperics Károly , Czimre Klára , Radics Zsolt
Published: October 2022

Sports facilities play a very important role in educating people about the benefits of a healthy lifestyle, and the examination of their spatial distribution is one of the important research areas of sport geography, a field of study becoming increasingly important in recent times. In this spirit, the aim of this paper is to present the spatial distribution of sports facilities in a specific Hungarian sample area, the Észak-Alföld (Northern Great Plain) region, to point out the differences between settlements, as well as the reasons behind these differences. Data received from the local authorities and state administration bodies were used for the preparation of the study, which included the different sports facilities at the settlement level in addition to information found on the Internet. The following conclusions were drawn based on the research. First of all, it was found that the settlement size significantly influences the spatial distribution of sports facilities, inter alia, larger settlements with larger populations boast increased demand and higher purchasing power and also have more enhanced and more diverse sports infrastructure. Secondly, in the case of competitive sports, the size of settlements is less relevant; there are only insignificant differences between the settlements of different sizes. This can be explained by the fact that almost all settlements have their own football pitch. Thirdly, the administrative role of the settlements was also found to be significant since settlements being on higher levels of the hierarchy (district centres, county seats) always have better facilities.
The Perception of Grassroots Coaches of Spanish Professional Clubs on the Process of Training Young Players
Authors: Martín Barrero Alberto , Giménez Fuentes-Guerra Francisco Javier , Abad Robles Manuel Tomás
Published: October 2022

(1) The aims of this study were to find out the perception of the coaches of male and female football players in the initiation stage of Spanish professional clubs about different factors of the training process (context, talent development, and methodology), and to identify possible differences according to age/category (U10s: 8–10 years old, and U12s: 10–12 years old) and gender (male and female). (2) For this purpose, a questionnaire of 57 questions grouped into seven dimensions was applied, selecting for this work those related to talent development, training methodology, and social context. A total of 153 coaches from top-level Spanish professional clubs participated in the study: the first and second male division and the first female division. (3) The coaches consider that genetic inheritance is more important than contextual variables in the development of sporting talent. On the other hand, they do not show a clear consensus on whether players who perform better in the initiation stage have a greater chance of reaching the elite. (4) In addition, they value decision-making and technical qualities as fundamental factors in the development of talent rather than physical preparation.
A Tier-Wise Method for Evaluating Uncertainty in Life Cycle Assessment
Authors: Mahmood Awais , Varabuntoonvit Viganda , Mungkalasiri Jitti , Silalertruksa Thapat , Gheewala Shabbir H.
Published: October 2022

As a decision support tool, life cycle assessment (LCA) is prone to multiple uncertainties associated with the data, model structures, and options offered to practitioners. Therefore, to make the results reliable, consideration of these uncertainties is imperative. Among the various classifications, parameter, scenario, and model uncertainty are widely reported and well-acknowledged uncertainty types in LCA. There are several techniques available to deal with these uncertainties; however, each strategy has its own pros and cons. Furthermore, just a few of the methods have been included in LCA software, which restricts their potential for wider application in LCA research. This paper offers a comprehensive framework that concurrently considers parameter, scenario, and model uncertainty. Moreover, practitioners may select multiple alternatives depending on their needs and available resources. Based on the availability of time, resources, and technical expertise three levels—basic, intermediate, and advanced—are suggested for uncertainty treatment. A qualitative method, including local sensitivity analysis, is part of the basic approach. Monte Carlo sampling and local sensitivity analysis, both of which are accessible in LCA software, are suggested at the intermediate level. Advanced sampling methods (such as Latin hypercube or Quasi-Monte Carlo sampling) with global sensitivity analysis are proposed for the advanced level.
Microplastic Pollution in the Soil Environment: Characteristics, Influencing Factors, and Risks
Authors: Wang Chunhui , Tang Junhong , Yu Haixia , Wang Yiyi , Li Huanxuan , Xu Shaodan , Li Gang , Zhou Qian
Published: October 2022

As plastic products are widely used in all walks of life, plastic waste is also accumulating in the environment. Today, microplastic pollution in the soil environment has become an environmental issue of global concern. Compared with the water environment, the research on microplastics in the soil environment is relatively lacking. Based on the above situation, this paper systematically reviews the distribution characteristics, influencing factors, and environmental and ecological risks of microplastics in the soil environment. The abundance, distribution characteristics, and impacts of microplastics in soils globally in recent years are reviewed in detail. Our review suggests that most scholars only focus on the surface soil, and the determination of the accumulation of microplastics in the soil as a whole is still lacking, and there is still no uniform standard for sampling techniques, extraction methods, analytical procedures, and even expression units for soil microplastics. The distribution of microplastics in soil is affected by human factors, natural factors, and the physical and chemical properties of the plastics themselves. We also focused on the analysis of the environmental risks arising from the accumulation of microplastics in soil interacting with metals and organic pollutants, and found that large research gaps exist in the interaction between microplastics and pollutants in the soil and the mechanism of compound pollution. The impact and ecological risks of microplastics on animals, microorganisms, and plants in the soil are explained. Moreover, key suggestions for future research are presented based on the current research status, and we call for more efforts focusing on the occurrence and fate of microplastics in the soil environment.
Effect of Continuous Loading Coupled with Wet–Dry Cycles on Strength Deterioration of Concrete
Authors: Wang Linzhi , Gao Mingzhong , Zhang Jiqiang
Published: October 2022

In practical engineering, concrete is often under continuous stress conditions and there are limitations in considering the effect of wet–dry cycles alone on the strength deterioration of concrete. In order to study the deterioration of concrete strength under the coupling of load and wet-dry cycles, concrete specimens were loaded with 0%, 10%, 20%, and 35% stress levels and coupled to undergo one, three, and seven wet–dry cycles. The strength deterioration of the concrete was obtained by uniaxial compression and the regression equation was established. The strength deterioration mechanism of the concrete under the coupled conditions was analyzed and revealed through an AE acoustic emission technique and nuclear magnetic resonance technique. The results of the study show that, with the same number of wet–dry cycles, there are two thresholds of a and b for the uniaxial compressive strength of concrete with the stress level, and with the progression of wet–dry cycles, the length of the interval from a to b gradually shortens until it reaches 0. The cumulative AE energy of concrete decreases with the progression of wet–dry cycles; using the initiating crack stress as the threshold, the calm phase of concrete acoustic emission, the fluctuating phase, and the NMR T2 spectral peak area show different patterns of variation with the increase in the number of wet–dry cycles.
Minimizing Risk of Failure from Ceramic-on-Ceramic Total Hip Prosthesis by Selecting Ceramic Materials Based on Tresca Stress
Authors: Ammarullah Muhammad , Santoso Gatot , Sugiharto S. , Supriyono Toto , Wibowo Dwi , Kurdi Ojo , Tauviqirrahman Mohammad , Jamari J.
Published: October 2022

The choice of ceramic-on-ceramic coupling in total hip prosthesis has advantages over couplings with other combinations of materials that use polyethylene and metal materials in terms of high hardness, scratch resistance, low wear rate, and increased lubrication performance. To reduce the risk of primary postoperative failure, the selection of ceramic materials for ceramic-on-ceramic coupling is a strategic step that needs to be taken. The current study aims to analyze ceramic-on-ceramic coupling with commonly used ceramic materials, namely zirconium dioxide (ZrO2), silicon nitride (Si3N4), and aluminium oxide (Al2O3), according to Tressa failure criterion for the investigation of the stress distribution. A two-dimensional axisymmetric finite element-based computational model has been used to evaluate the Tresca stress on ceramic-on-ceramic coupling under gait cycle. The results show that the use of ZrO2-on-ZrO2 couplings can reduce Tresca stress by about 17.34% and 27.23% for Si3N4-on-Si3N4 and Al2O3-on-Al2O3 couplings, respectively.
The Image of Sustainability in European Regions Considering the Social Sustainability Index
Authors: Bălăcescu Aniela , Zaharia Marian , Gogonea Rodica-Manuela , Căruntu Genu Alexandru
Published: October 2022

Evaluating and comparing the sustainable development of regions or countries is fundamental in the management of economic and social systems. From the multitude of tools and means for qualitative and quantitative assessment of the level of sustainable development, which ensure the comparability of the performances of each state, there is a set of indicators known as the Sustainable Society Index, originally developed by the Dutch Sustainable Society Foundation and later developed by TH Köln–University of Applied Sciences. Taking this into account, the objective of the undertaken research was to identify the stages and the similarities and disparities between the European states grouped into the four regions (East, North, South and West), as well as the positioning of Romania in this European context. The obtained results emphasize the fact that between the four European regions, as well as between their component states, there are both similarities and differences, especially in areas such as Well-balanced Society, Climate and Energy, and Economic Well-being regarding the values and implicitly the stage of development of sustainable societies. The article is intended to be a catalyst for discussions on understanding the causes which produce differences regarding the sustainability of European states in the context of the EUs commitment to the 2030 Agenda for sustainable development. Additional efforts are needed in the recovery and resilience process, especially in Eastern and Southern European countries.
Multi-Level Comprehensive Assessment of Constructed Wetland Ecosystem Health: A Case Study of Cuihu Wetland in Beijing, China
Authors: Wang Wenlong , Sun Mingzhu , Li Yi , Zhao Siqi , Zhang Zhenming , Luan Xiaofeng
Published: October 2022

Wetlands are one of the world’s three major ecosystems. They not only maintain regional ecological balance but also provide an important guarantee for human survival. Wetland ecosystem health assessment serves as the foundation for wetland protection, management, and restoration. In this study, the method for wetland ecosystem health assessment proposed by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) was selected and improved to systematically evaluate the health status of the Cuihu wetlands’ ecosystem at three levels. The results revealed that the Cuihu wetlands’ landscape development intensity index was 1.55, the total landscape pattern value was 10 points, and the total score for rapid evaluation was 0.79. Levels I and II indicated that the Cuihu wetlands’ ecosystem was in a good near-natural state. Additionally, level III revealed that ecosystem health is higher in area B than in area A. The Cuihu wetlands were characterized by low species diversity and low distribution of benthic animals and aquatic plants. The comprehensive evaluation results revealed that the Cuihu wetlands’ ecosystem is in a good health. In the future, the health status of the wetland ecosystem should be monitored regularly, the cultivation and propagation of aquatic plants should be strengthened, and effective methods to improve water quality and reduce soil salinity should be used to achieve the best health status of the Cuihu wetlands.
Influence of Polycarboxylate Superplasticizer on the Properties of Cement-Fly Ash Cementitious Materials and Concrete
Authors: Chen Jianguo , Zhu Yuling , Du Weilian , Li Mengxiang , Wang Yifan , Zhang Chunling , Shi Mingsheng , Xue Binghan
Published: October 2022

Concrete materials often crack due to the temperature field caused by the early heat of hydration, affecting structural safety and normal use. To solve this problem, this paper proposes the method of incorporating polycarboxylate superplasticizer to improve its performance and explore the influence of polycarboxylate superplasticizer on the properties of cement-fly ash composite cementitious materials and concrete. Ordinary silicate was used to prepare cement-fly ash composite cementitious materials. Through isothermal conduction calorimetry, X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and other testing methods, the influence of polycarboxylate water-reducing agent on the heat of hydration of cementitious materials was studied. In addition, the hydration products and microscopic morphology of the cementitious materials were analyzed, and the changes in the concrete properties due to the addition of polycarboxylate superplasticizers were discussed. The results showed that the polycarboxylate superplasticizer could delay the onset time of the hydration heat peak of the slurry and reduce the hydration heat peak, inhibit the crystallization of Ca(OH)2 and AFt, improve the density of the slurry, and reduce the amount of chemically bound water. In addition, it could delay the overall hydration process of the cementitious material, where the adiabatic temperature increase rate and the early drying shrinkage rate of the concrete slowed down, and the mechanical properties and impermeability of the concrete improved.
Organizational Competencies in the Development of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Criteria in the Industrial Sector
Authors: Sierdovski Marcia , Pilatti Luiz Alberto , Rubbo Priscila
Published: October 2022

Sustainability has been discussed as a constant market concern, and to make it effectively an organizational practice, specific skills are needed. In that sense, the objective of this study is to analyze the relation between organizational competencies and the development of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) criteria in the industrial sector. A scientometric methodology was used to analyze the production of scientific research on the topic. To define the portfolio, a search was performed using the Methodi Ordinatio technique in the Science Direct, Scopus, and Web of Science databases using the terms “organizational competencies” or “environment, social and governance*” or “ESG” and “industry”. The study period was from the beginning of the database indexing until May 2021. The results indicate that the topic is relevant to the area of study due to the continuous growth of publications and global concern with ESG issues. In this sense, the industrial organizational competencies highlighted in the development of ESG include corporate social responsibility (CSR), and technical, managerial, and commercial competencies. The analysis demonstrates the positive relationship between organizational competencies and sustainable development, and the discussion is directed at the competencies that fortify ESG criteria and practices in industry.
Approximate Closed-Form Solutions for the Rabinovich System via the Optimal Auxiliary Functions Method
Authors: Ene Remus-Daniel , Pop Nicolina , Lapadat Marioara
Published: October 2022

Based on some geometrical properties (symmetries and global analytic first integrals) of the Rabinovich system the closed-form solutions of the equations have been established. The chaotic behaviors are excepted. Moreover, the Rabinovich system is reduced to a nonlinear differential equation depending on an auxiliary unknown function. The approximate analytical solutions are built using the Optimal Auxiliary Functions Method (OAFM). The advantage of this method is to obtain accurate solutions for special cases, with only an analytic first integral. An important output is the existence of complex eigenvalues, depending on the initial conditions and physical parameters of the system. This approach was not still analytically emphasized from our knowledge. A good agreement between the analytical and corresponding numerical results has been performed. The accuracy of the obtained results emphasizes that this procedure could be successfully applied to more dynamic systems with these geometrical properties.
Solving the Adaptive Cubic Regularization Sub-Problem Using the Lanczos Method
Authors: Zhu Zhi , Chang Jingya
Published: October 2022

The adaptive cubic regularization method solves an unconstrained optimization model by using a three-order regularization term to approximate the objective function at each iteration. Similar to the trust-region method, the calculation of the sub-problem highly affects the computing efficiency. The Lanczos method is an useful tool for simplifying the objective function in the sub-problem. In this paper, we implement the adaptive cubic regularization method with the aid of the Lanczos method, and analyze the error of Lanczos approximation. We show that both the error between the Lanczos objective function and the original cubic term, and the error between the solution of the Lanczos approximation and the solution of the original cubic sub-problem are bounded up by the condition number of the optimal Hessian matrix. Furthermore, we compare the numerical performances of the adaptive cubic regularization algorithm when using the Lanczos approximation method and the adaptive cubic regularization algorithm without using the Lanczos approximation for unconstrained optimization problems. Numerical experiments show that the Lanczos method improves the computation efficiency of the adaptive cubic method remarkably.
Reviewing an Paper for Tourism and Hospitality—A Peep behind the Curtain
Authors: Garrod Brian
Published: October 2022

Academic journals rely crucially upon the willingness of academics to review papers and for them to provide high-quality review reports. The purpose of this Editorial is to assist reviewers for Tourism and Hospitality in providing review reports that will be helpful to the journal editors in making decisions about whether to accept, reject or require revisions to papers that are submitted to the journal. It provides reviewers with a ‘peep behind the curtain’ of what can sometimes seem a rather opaque paper review process, with the aim of clarifying the purpose and format of the review process, and thereby to gain a greater appreciation of what it required of them. Several tips for writing high-quality review reports are also presented.
The Actual Efficacy of an Air Purifier at Different Outdoor PM2.5 Concentrations in Residential Houses with Different Airtightness
Authors: Shin Dongho , Kim Younghun , Hong Keejung , Lee Gunhee , Park Inyong , Han Bangwoo
Published: October 2022

It is important to control airborne particles in residential houses for protecting human health. Indoor particulate matter of <2.5 μm (PM2.5) can be effectively monitored and managed using an air purifier. In this study, the actual clean air delivery rates in residential houses (CADRActual) were acquired by comparing decay rates of fine particles with and without operations of the air purifier under actual conditions, following the standard CADR of an air purifier obtained in a closed test chamber. The measurements of CADRActual at different outdoor PM2.5 concentrations over a month in two residential houses revealed different airtightness levels, compared to the standardized clean air delivery rate of the air purifier (CADRAP). Air changes per hour at 50 Pa (ACH50) was 4.8 h−1 for “house A” (built in 2007) and 2.1 h−1 for “house B” (built in 2018). The CADR of the air purifier used in this study was 10.6 m3/min, while the averaged CADRActual at the “house A” was 7.2 m3/min (approximately 66% of the CADR of the air purifier) and 9.5 m3/min at “house B” (approximately 90% of the CADR of the air purifier). Under the outdoor PM2.5 concentrations of <35 μg/m3, the averaged CADRActual of house A and house B were 7.8 ± 0.3 and 9.7 ± 0.4 m3/min, respectively. However, under the outdoor PM2.5 concentrations of >35 μg/m3, the analogous averaged concentrations were 6.8 ± 0.6 and 9.6 ± 0.3 m3/min for houses A and B, respectively. The measured CADRActual agreed well with the theoretical estimates of CADRActual acquired by the mass balance equation using the infiltration rate of ACH50/20. We also estimated CADRActual/CADRAP for house C built in 2017, where the ACH50 was 1.8 h−1. Overall, this study demonstrated how CADRActual/CADRAP of an air purifier at residential houses can be predicted according to outdoor PM2.5 concentration and airtightness of the house. As shown, it can be closer to 1 at lower ACH50 houses and at lower outdoor PM2.5 concentrations.
Evaluation of Clinical Biomarkers Related to CD4 Recovery in HIV-Infected Patients—5-Year Observation
Authors: Lembas Agnieszka , Załęski Andrzej , Mikuła Tomasz , Dyda Tomasz , Stańczak Wojciech , Wiercińska-Drapało Alicja
Published: October 2022

Human Immunodeficiency Virus infection leads to the impairment of immune system function. Even long-term antiretroviral therapy uncommonly leads to the normalization of CD4 count and CD4:CD8 ratio. The aim of this study was to evaluate possible clinical biomarkers which may be related to CD4 and CD4:CD8 ratio recovery among HIV-infected patients with long-term antiretroviral therapy. The study included 68 HIV-infected patients undergoing sustained antiretroviral treatment for a minimum of 5 years. Clinical biomarkers such as age, gender, advancement of HIV infection, coinfections, comorbidities and applied ART regimens were analyzed in relation to the rates of CD4 and CD4:CD8 increase and normalization rates. The results showed that higher rates of CD4 normalization are associated with younger age (p = 0.034), higher CD4 count (p = 0.034) and starting the therapy during acute HIV infection (p = 0.012). Higher rates of CD4:CD8 ratio normalization are correlated with higher CD4 cell count (p = 0.022), high HIV viral load (p = 0.006) and acute HIV infection (p = 0.013). We did not observe statistically significant differences in CD4 recovery depending on gender, HCV/HBV coinfections, comorbidities and opportunistic infections. The obtained results advocate for current recommendations of introducing antiretroviral therapy as soon as possible, preferably during acute HIV infection, since it increases the chances of sufficient immune reconstruction.
The Parapoynx stagnalis Nucleopolyhedrovirus (PastNPV), a Divergent Member of the Alphabaculovirus Group I Clade, Encodes a Homolog of Ran GTPase
Authors: Harrison Robert L. , Rowley Daniel L.
Published: October 2022

We report the analysis of the genome of a novel Alphabaculovirus, Parapoynx stagnalis nucleopolyhedrovirus isolate 473 (PastNPV-473), from cadavers of the rice case bearer, Parapoynx stagnalis Zeller (Lepidoptera: Crambidae), collected in rice fields in Kerala, India. High-throughput sequencing of DNA from PastNPV occlusion bodies and assembly of the data yielded a circular genome-length contig of 114,833 bp with 126 annotated opening reading frames (ORFs) and six homologous regions (hrs). Phylogenetic inference based on baculovirus core gene amino acid sequence alignments indicated that PastNPV is a member of the group I clade of viruses in genus Alphabaculovirus, but different phylogenetic methods yielded different results with respect to the placement of PastNPV and four similarly divergent alphabaculoviruses in the group I clade. Branch lengths and Kimura-2-parameter pairwise nucleotide distances indicated that PastNPV-473 cannot be classified in any of the currently listed species in genus Alphabaculovirus. A unique feature of the PastNPV genome was the presence of an ORF encoding a homolog of Ran GTPase, a regulator of nucleocytoplasmic trafficking. PastNPV appears to have acquired a homolog of Ran relatively recently from a lepidopteran host via horizontal gene transfer.
Natural History of Marburg Virus Infection to Support Medical Countermeasure Development
Authors: Comer Jason E. , Brasel Trevor , Massey Shane , Beasley David W. , Cirimotich Chris M. , Sanford Daniel C. , Chou Ying-Liang , Niemuth Nancy A. , Novak Joseph , Sabourin Carol L. , Merchlinsky Michael , Long James P. , Stavale Eric J. , Wolfe Daniel N.
Published: October 2022

The Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority, part of the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, recognizes that the evaluation of medical countermeasures under the Animal Rule requires well-characterized and reproducible animal models that are likely to be predictive of clinical benefit. Marburg virus (MARV), one of two members of the genus Marburgvirus, is characterized by a hemorrhagic fever and a high case fatality rate for which there are no licensed vaccines or therapeutics available. This natural history study consisted of twelve cynomolgus macaques challenged with 1000 PFU of MARV Angola and observed for body weight, temperature, viremia, hematology, clinical chemistry, and coagulation at multiple time points. All animals succumbed to disease within 8 days and exhibited signs consistent with those observed in human cases, including viremia, fever, systemic inflammation, coagulopathy, and lymphocytolysis, among others. Additionally, this study determined the time from exposure to onset of disease manifestations and the time course, frequency, and magnitude of the manifestations. This study will be instrumental in the design and development of medical countermeasures to Marburg virus disease.
Nirmatrelvir/Ritonavir and Molnupiravir in the Treatment of Mild/Moderate COVID-19: Results of a Real-Life Study
Authors: Gentile Ivan , Scotto Riccardo , Schiano Moriello Nicola , Pinchera Biagio , Villari Riccardo , Trucillo Emilia , Ametrano Luigi , Fusco Ludovica , Castaldo Giuseppe , Buonomo Antonio Riccardo ,   Federico II COVID Team
Published: October 2022

Molnupiravir and nirmatrelvir were the first available oral antivirals (OAs) active against SARS-CoV-2. Trials evaluating the efficacy of OAs involved patients unvaccinated and infected with variants different from those currently circulating. We conducted a retrospective study on patients with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection treated with OAs during the omicron surge in Italy in order to provide real-life data on the efficacy and safety of OAs during the omicron surge of the COVID-19 pandemic. Among 257 patients, 56.8% received molnupiravir, while 43.2% received nirmatrelvir/ritonavir. Patients in the molnupiravir group were older, had a lower body mass index, and had a higher rate of chronic heart disease than those treated with nirmatrelvir/ritonavir. Three hospitalizations were recorded in the molnupiravir (2.1%) group and one in the nirmatrelvir/ritonavir (0.9%) group. One patient treated with molnupiravir died. The median time to negativity was 8 days in the nirmatrelvir/ritonavir group vs. 10 days in the molnupiravir group, p < 0.01. We recorded 37 ADRs (mainly dysgeusia, diarrhea, and nausea) in 31 individuals (12.1%). Only two patients (0.8%) treated with molnupiravir terminated treatment due to ADRs. In conclusion, in a population of mostly vaccinated patients treated with OAs, we observed a low rate of hospitalization, death, and adverse drug reactions. These rates were lower than those reported in pivotal trials.
Ingraining Polio Vaccine Acceptance through Public Service Advertisements in the Digital Era: The Moderating Role of Misinformation, Disinformation, Fake News, and Religious Fatalism
Authors: Jin Qiang , Raza Syed Hassan , Yousaf Muhammad , Munawar Rehana , Shah Amjad Ali , Hassan Saima , Shaikh Rehan Sadiq , Ogadimma Emenyonu C.
Published: October 2022

Recently, misinformation and disinformation, as well as fake news, have become global threats to public health owing to their role in spreading viral health hazard information. The growing explosive religious fatalistic views presented on social media and widespread misinformation, disinformation, and fake news can result in detrimental outcomes in adopting protective behavior. The moderating implications of misinformation and religious fatalism can be severe, leading to adverse effects on polio vaccine acceptance. Consequently, this research provides brief empirical evidence on the efficacy of risk communication strategies to address polio vaccine reluctance in a digital age landscape, an area that remains understudied. This research argues that the spread of misinformation, disinformation, fake news, and religious fatalism is not solely the bane of the polio vaccine, but rather represents the absence of risk communication strategies. The study opines that polio vaccine acceptance can be improved using risk communication strategies. Recognizing these risk factors and counter-risk communication strategies, this research tested a theoretical model using the cross-sectional survey design. Overall, data was collected from 2160 parents with children aged below five years. The results, based on structural equation modeling, revealed that public service advertisements are an effective tool to counter the inverse impacts of misinformation, disinformation, fake news, and religious fatalism. Furthermore, the inverse moderating role of misinformation, disinformation, fake news, and religious fatalism has been verified to potentially diminish polio vaccine acceptance. These results suggest that healthcare providers must identify and address all forms of digitally disseminated information that encumbers public health behaviors. Accordingly, this research recognized the utilization of evidence-based strategic communication campaigns to cultivate and encourage the literacy necessary to counter health hazard information, including misinformation. This study’s findings will benefit health and other concerned authorities in utilizing strategic communication on different media platforms to reduce or eradicate the polio endemic.
Impact of Media Use on Chinese Public Behavior towards Vaccination with the COVID-19 Vaccine: A Latent Profile Analysis
Authors: Gong Fangmin , Gong Zhuliu , Li Zhou , Min Hewei , Zhang Jinzi , Li Xialei , Fu Tongtong , Fu Xiaomin , He Jingbo , Wang Zhe , Wang Yujia , Wu Yibo
Published: October 2022

(1) Background: research on vaccines has received extensive attention during epidemics. However, few studies have focused on the impact of media use on vaccination behavior and the factors influencing vaccination in groups with different media use degrees; (2) Method: Based on seven items related to media use, a total of 11,031 respondents were categorized by the frequency of media use by using latent profile analysis (LPA). Binary regression analysis was used to study the factors that influence the vaccination behaviors of people with different media use frequencies; (3) Results: All respondents were classified into the following three groups: media use low frequency (9.7%), media use general (67.1%), and media use high frequency (23.2%). Media use low frequency (β = −0.608, p < 0.001) was negatively associated with COVID-19 vaccination behavior. In the media use low frequency, analysis showed that “aged 41 years or older” β = 1.784, p < 0.001), had religious belief (β = 0.075, p < 0.05), were ethnic minorities (β = 0.936, p < 0.01) and had friends support (β = 0.923, p < 0.05) were associated with a preference to accept the COVID-19 vaccine. In the media use general, those who aged 41 years old and older (β = 1.682, p < 0.001), had major depression (β = 0.951, p < 0.05), had friends support (β = 0.048, p < 0.001) would be more likely to receive COVID-19 vaccination. However, respondents who live in towns (β = −0.300, p < 0.01) had lower behaviors to receive vaccination for COVID-19. In the media use high frequency, the respondents who aged 41 or older (β = 1.010, p < 0.001), were ethnic minorities (β = 0.741, p < 0.001), had moderate depression (β = 1.003, p < 0.05) would receive the vaccination for COVID-19 positively; (4) Conclusions: The more occluded the media use is, the less likely the respondents are to get vaccinated against COVID-19. Vaccination behavior is influenced by different factors in groups with different frequencies of media use. Therefore, the government and appropriate departments should make individualized and targeted strategies about COVID-19 vaccination and disseminate the vaccination information to different media use groups.
Effects of Environmental Conditions and Bed Configuration on Oxygen Transfer Efficiency in Aerated Constructed Wetlands
Authors: Vera-Puerto Ismael , Campal José , Martínez Sandra , Cortés-Rico Laura , Coy Hadher , Tan Sheyie , Arias Carlos A. , Baquero-Rodríguez Gustavo , Rosso Diego
Published: October 2022

This research evaluated the oxygen transfer efficiency in beds to be used as aerated constructed wetlands. The research methods included oxygen transfer efficiency evaluations in several bed configurations using diffused aeration systems. Experiments were conducted at two locations with different environmental conditions: a) Talca (Chile), 120 m above sea level (m.a.s.l.), 0.99 Atm and b) Cajicá (Colombia), 2550 m.a.s.l., 0.76 Atm. A column with only clean water and three bed configurations representing aerated constructed wetlands were evaluated. These configurations included: (a) coarse gravel, (b) coarse gravel with an empty core in the middle (inner container), and (c) fine gravel. Three airflow rates were evaluated: (a) low, 0.7 L/min; (b) medium, 2.5 L/min; and (c) high, 3.6 L/min. The overall oxygen mass transfer coefficient, standard oxygen transfer rate, and standard oxygen transfer efficiency were the variables calculated from the oxygen transfer evaluation tests. The research results indicated that in diffused aeration systems, oxygen transfer efficiency was negatively influenced by environmental conditions, particularly altitude, which limits the driving force for oxygen transfer into water. Furthermore, the results showed that the size of the gravel used in the bed is related to the oxygen transfer efficiency: the larger the gravel size, the higher the oxygen transfer, regardless of the altitude. Finally, research regarding oxygen transfer in aerated constructed wetlands has signaled the need for a standard procedure for aeration testing, and this work suggests a new methodology.
Adsorption Behavior of Nonylphenol on Polystyrene Microplastics and Their Cytotoxicity in Human Caco-2 Cells
Authors: Ding Fangfang , Zhao Qianqian , Wang Luchen , Ma Juan , Song Lingmin , Huang Danfei
Published: October 2022

As two environmental pollutants of great concern, polystyrene microplastics (PS-MPs) and nonylphenol (NP) often coexist in the environment and cause combined pollution. Batch adsorption experiments were carried out by varying parameters such as pH, the particle sizes of the PS-MPs, the initial concentration of NP, and metal ion content. The results showed that the particle size of the PS-MPs in the range tested (0.1, 1, 10, 50, and 100 μm) had a significant effect on their NP adsorption capacity. The NP adsorption process of the PS-MPs was best described by the pseudo-second-order kinetic model and the Langmuir isotherm model, while the intraparticle diffusion and Bangham models were also involved in determining the NP adsorption process of 0.1 μm PS-MPs. Both PS-MPs and NP significantly affected cell proliferation, which had been confirmed by reduced cell viability, a blocked cell cycle G1 phase, and elevated apoptosis by affecting the basic cell functions. Furthermore, the negative effects of 0.1 μm PS-MPs on cell proliferation and function were aggravated after the adsorption of NP. Further research on the potential health risks of PS-MPs combined with NP or other environmental contaminants is needed.
Two-Phase Flow Modeling for Bed Erosion by a Plane Jet Impingement
Authors: Pham Van Bang Damien , Uh Zapata Miguel , Gauthier Georges , Gondret Philippe , Zhang Wei , Nguyen Kim Dan
Published: October 2022

This paper presents experimental and numerical studies on the erosion of a horizontal granular bed by a two-dimensional plane vertical impinging jet to predict the eroded craters’ size scaling (depth and width). The simulations help understand the microscopic processes that govern erosion in this complex flow. A modified jet-bed distance, accounting for the plane jet virtual origin, is successfully used to obtain a unique relationship between the crater size and a local Shields parameter. This work develops a two-phase flow numerical model to reproduce the experimental results. The numerical techniques are based on a finite volume formulation to approximate spatial derivatives, a projection technique to calculate the pressure and velocity for each phase, and a staggered grid to avoid spurious oscillations. Different options for the sediment’s solid-to-liquid transition during erosion are proposed, tested, and discussed. One model is based on unified equations of continuum mechanics, others on modified closure equations for viscosity or momentum transfer. A good agreement between the numerical solutions and the experimental measurements is obtained.
The Influence of Evaporation and Seasonal Effects on the Water Content in the Unsaturated Zone: A Multi-Year Laboratory Study
Authors: Adegbule Aderonke O. , Kibbey Tohren C. G.
Published: October 2022

The unsaturated zone of the subsurface plays a critical role in the environmental fate and transport of a wide range of environmental contaminants, and is also important for plant growth and agriculture. Quantitative prediction of processes in the unsaturated zone requires knowledge of how water content varies with elevation above the water table, a relationship known as the capillary pressure (Pc)–saturation (S) relationship. While the Pc–S relationship is conventionally thought of as being primarily a property of the porous medium and fluids, previous work found evidence suggesting that it actually results from a dynamic equilibrium between capillary forces and phenomena driven by evaporation. The focus of this work was on gaining a further understanding of the role of evaporation on the Pc–S relationship. The work made use of a tall instrumented laboratory column connected to an external reservoir for maintaining water table height. Following an initial imbibition experiment, the column was saturated and allowed to drain, and then water content was monitored in the column as a function of height over 1207 days (3.31 years). While initial imbibition and drainage were rapid, on the order of hours, redistribution and evaporation effects became apparent over longer time scales (hundreds of hours). A drying front moving downward in the column was apparent from changes in the slopes of saturation vs. time curves as it passed individual sensors; unlike previous experiments with a more fully-vented column, the evaporation front appeared to stall, balanced by the capillary-driven upward flow of water. Over the full multi-year duration of the experiment, seasonal trends in water saturation were apparent, with significant, reversible variations observed that closely followed atmospheric conditions. Specifically, saturation above the water table appeared to increase during the spring and summer months and decrease during the fall and winter months, despite the constant water table location, consistent with a changing driving force for evaporation. This result may suggest the likelihood of seasonal effects in the long-term transport and fate of contaminants in the unsaturated zone.