bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
An Assessment Method of Deviation Electricity Responsibility in China’s Forward Electricity Market Based on Time-Sharing Trading Prices
Authors: Ye Ze , Liang Deping , Wang Meihui , Huang Shanshan , Luo Ouzhe
Published: June 2024

Electricity forward market contract trading constitutes a principal trading method in the electricity market. To address deviations from or non-compliance with contracts in China’s forward electricity market, an Energy Deviation Settlement (EDS) mechanism has been implemented. However, the current EDS mechanism is marred by unscientific penalties and imprecise deviation cost assessments. Consequently, this paper proposes a deviation responsibility assessment method based on time-sharing trading prices. Initially, the total annual contracted power is decomposed to derive the hourly deviation power for all 8760 h of the year. Subsequently, considering the power supply cost and load level, this paper proposes four pricing strategies for typical supply–demand scenarios and constructs a time-sharing trading pricing model based on cost pricing. Finally, this paper conducts a simulation using actual electricity data from China’s Province H. The results demonstrate that, compared to the traditional EDS mechanism, the proposed method can more accurately and reasonably measure the value of deviation responsibility. Concurrently, it can be better integrated with the future development of real-time spot market operations.
From Friends to Feedback: Effect of Social Influence on Mobile Shopping in the Post-COVID Era
Authors: Tang Xiaoping , Hanif Muhammad Shehzad , Haider Nabeel , Rizwan Amina , Khurshid Aitzaz
Published: June 2024

Although mobile shopping is a new norm after the pandemic, its proliferation is still not very mature in developing nations. Drawing on the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) model, this research employs the SEM technique to examine the effect of mobile shopping frequency and repurchase intent among 198 young mobile shopping consumers in Pakistan. Our findings suggest that purchase frequency is a key variable in consumer behavior and plays a significant role in building mobile shopping repurchase intentions. Findings further suggest that effort expectancy, unlike the performance expectancy, also strongly affects the relationship between purchase frequency and repurchase intention as an intervening mechanism, while a strong interaction effect from the social influence is also noted. This research offers insightful implications for researchers and marketers in the realm of e-commerce and mobile shopping domains.
Research Foundation and Hotspot Analysis of Urban Road Ecology—A Bibliometric Study Based on CiteSpace
Authors: Yang Xiaofan , Liu Qingfu
Published: June 2024

Urban road ecology focuses on the reciprocal interactions between urban road construction and the ecological environment, aiming to provide valuable insights into sustainable urban road construction. The study of road ecology has established a comprehensive research framework since the early 20th century, with urban road ecology emerging as its sub-discipline that emphasizes the strategic planning of urban roads and the internal dynamics within urban ecosystems. In order to demonstrate the broader research focus and development prospects of urban road ecology, as well as to explore its distinguishing features compared to traditional road ecology, this study conducted a bibliometric analysis of urban road ecology using CiteSpace software version 6.2.R7 based on the Web of Science (WOS) database for the literature in the last 30 years. The analysis reflected the current state of research in this field across three dimensions: collaborative analysis, co-citation analysis, and keyword analysis. The results of the study revealed a scarcity of key terms and publications between 1993 and 2010, followed by an exponential surge in research activities after 2010. However, both collaborative and keyword analyses indicate a lack of long-term, in-depth research in this area, highlighting the absence of a unified system. On this basis, this paper presents three expectations for future research and briefly discusses the limitations of this study.
Optimization of Heritage Management Mechanisms through the Prism of Historic Urban Landscape: A Case Study of the Xidi and Hongcun World Heritage Sites
Authors: Tu Li
Published: June 2024

Historic urban landscape (HUL) are essential for preserving the cultural continuity of traditional Chinese villages. Utilizing heritage management approaches to manage historic urban landscapes has significant implications for innovating the governance of these villages. This study used traditional Southern Anhui villages as empirical case studies to determine the key heritage management principles of HUL governance. This underscores the public policy nature of urban heritage conservation and highlights the importance of balancing heritage conservation with sustainable development through the involvement of diverse stakeholders and interdisciplinary institutional instruments. This study examined the development history of heritage management in traditional villages in Southern Anhui, revealing the characteristics and challenges of four aspects: public participation, planning and guidance, legislation and regulation, and fiscal financing mechanisms. Furthermore, it proposed strategies for optimizing the heritage management mechanisms within the HUL framework.
Variation in the Content and Fluorescence Composition of Dissolved Organic Matter in Chinese Different-Term Rice–Crayfish Integrated Systems
Authors: Liu Ru , Huang Xin , Chen Sujuan , Shi Ying , Su Lianghu , Ji Rongting , Wang Saier , Zhu Shentao , Tang Qifeng , Zhang Longjiang
Published: June 2024

This study examines the fluorescence characteristics of dissolved organic matter (DOM) in soils from different periods of rice–crayfish integrated systems (RCISs) in China. Utilizing three-dimensional excitation–emission matrix (3D-EEM) fluorescence spectroscopy, the study investigated the hydrophobicity, molecular weight distributions, and fluorescence properties of DOM in 2-, 5-, and 7-year RCIS operations, with rice monoculture (RM) serving as a control. The findings indicate that in the initial 2 years of an RCIS, factors such as rice straw deposition, root exudates, and crayfish excretions increase dissolved organic carbon (DOC) release and alter DOM composition, increasing the humic acid content in the soil. As the system matures at 5 years, improvements in soil structure and microbial activity lead to the breakdown of high-molecular-weight humic substances and a rise in small-molecular-weight amino acids. By the 7-year mark, as the aquatic ecosystem stabilizes, there is an increase in humic substances and the humification index in the soil DOM. These variations in DOM properties are essential for understanding the effects of integrated farming systems on soil quality and sustainability.
Sustainable Employment Creation through the Polish Investment Zone in Lagging Regions
Authors: Nazarczuk Jarosław M. , Cicha-Nazarczuk Marlena
Published: June 2024

The article aims to identify the firm-level effects of public support within the Polish Investment Zone (PIZ) on firms’ employment located in lagging regions of Poland, signalling insights into sustainable employment creation. Utilising a difference-in-differences framework and accounting for controls, including the firms’ size, age, leverage, other public aid programmes, subsidies, and firm-level fixed effects, our objective is to ascertain the average treatment effects (ATEs) of the programme, particularly concerning the creation of additional workplaces. To ensure the reliability of our findings, we conducted robustness checks utilising alternative econometric approaches and scrutinise changes in the duration of both the pre- and post-treatment periods. No significant ATEs were observed in the year of the treatment or in one to three years following treatment. This outcome remains robust to variations in the econometric approach, the set of variables considered, and alterations in the length of both pre- and post-treatment periods. This article contributes to an ongoing discussion marked by a lack of consensus regarding the effectiveness of special economic zones in fostering sustainable employment and reducing unemployment rates by presenting the effects of the PIZ and directing policy attention towards more qualitative aspects of created workplaces, fostering sustainable employment.
Research on Evaluating the Characteristics of the Rural Landscape of Zhanqi Village, Chengdu, China, Based on Oblique Aerial Photography by Unmanned Aerial Vehicles
Authors: Zhu Chunyan , Li Rong , Luo Jinming , Li Xi , Du Juan , Ma Jun , Hou Chaoping , Zeng Weizhen
Published: June 2024

To achieve the transition of rural areas from traditional to modern, the visualization of rural landscape data and feature evaluations are essential. Landscape character assessment (LCA) is a well-established tool that was developed to assess and understand rural landscape features. In recent years, drones have become increasingly attractive for various applications and services due to their low costs and relative ease of operation. Unlike most previous studies that relied solely on drone-based remote sensing or visual esthetic evaluations, this study proposes an innovative assessment method based on landscape characteristic assessment (LCA) and oblique drone photography technology, supported by specific data and survey results. These include various landscape metrics, such as the Shannon diversity index (SHDI), Shannon evenness index (SHEI), vegetation coverage, landscape character zoning, and delineations of various ecologically sensitive areas. This method was applied to study Zhanqi Village in Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China and revealed some unique characteristics of this village. By categorizing and describing the landscape features, the study makes judgments and decisions about them. This is a beneficial attempt to apply the scientific methods of landscape assessments to the production management of aerial drone surveys. This method provides a comprehensive framework for evaluating rural landscape features and demonstrates that the combination of LCA and oblique drone photography technology is feasible for rural landscape research. Additionally, this study emphasizes the need for further research to explore the potential application of this method in continuously evolving urban and rural environments in the future.
Comprehensive Analysis and Environmental Risk Assessment of Benzotriazoles in Airport Stormwater: A HS-SPME-GC × GC-TOF-MS-Based Procedure as a Tool for Sustainable Airport Runoff Water Management
Authors: Sulej-Suchomska Anna Maria , Koziol Krystyna , Polkowska Żaneta
Published: June 2024

Despite the numerous benefits of intensive air transport development, many activities associated with the operation of airports contribute to environmental pollution. The purpose of this research was the development, optimization, and validation of a headspace–solid-phase microextraction–comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography–time of flight–mass spectrometry (HS-SPME-GC × GC-TOF-MS)-based procedure for determining anti-corrosive compounds in airport stormwater. Optimized HS-SPME conditions include: 45 min extraction time, 100 °C temperature, 1.0 g salt addition, and 10 min desorption time at 270 °C. The developed procedure is sensitive, selective, accurate (recoveries ≥ 80.0%), and precise (the coefficient of variation (CV) ≤ 14.9%), making it a highly suitable tool for extensive airport stormwater quality monitoring. The validated analytical protocol was successfully used to detect pollutants, including 1H-BT, 4-MeBT, 5-MeBT, and 5,6-diMe-1H-BT, in stormwater from various European airports with different flight capacities. Throughout the sampling period at the investigated airports, 1H-benzotriazole was found in the highest concentrations, ranging from below the MQL to 467 mg/L. An ecotoxicological risk assessment revealed that 69% of the sites exhibited high risk levels (Risk Quotient ≥ 1). The developed procedure and carried out environmental risk assessments of benzotriazoles in airport stormwater enable an evidence-based approach to sustainable airport stormwater management.
Exploring Evolution and Trends: A Bibliometric Analysis and Scientific Mapping of Multiobjective Optimization Applied to Hybrid Microgrid Systems
Authors: Tahir Kawakib Arar , Ordóñez Javier , Nieto Juanjo
Published: June 2024

Hybrid energy systems (HESs) integrate renewable sources, storage, and optionally conventional energies, offering a sustainable alternative to fossil fuels. Microgrids (MGs) bolster this integration, enhancing energy management, resilience, and reliability across different levels. This study, emphasizing the need for refined optimization methods, investigates three themes: renewable energy, microgrid, and multiobjective optimization (MOO), through a bibliometric analysis of 470 Scopus documents from 2010 to 2023, analyzed using SciMAT v1.1.04 software. It segments the research into two periods, 2010–2019 and 2020–2023, revealing a surge in MOO focus, particularly in the latter period, with a 35% increase in MOO-related research. This indicates a shift toward comprehensive energy ecosystem management that balances environmental, technical, and economic elements. The initial focus on MOO, genetic algorithms, and energy management systems has expanded to include smart grids and electric power systems, with MOO remaining a primary theme in the second period. The increased application of artificial intelligence (AI) in optimizing HMGS within the MOO framework signals a move toward more sustainable, intelligent energy solutions. Despite progress, challenges remain, including high battery costs, the need for reliable MOO data, the intermittency of renewable energy sources, and HMGS network scalability issues, highlighting directions for future research.
Digital Economy, Regional Cooperative Innovation and Green Innovation Efficiency: Game Model and Empirical Evidence Based on Regions in China
Authors: Xu Hongdan , Wang Jiuhe
Published: June 2024

Using the differential game model, this study examines the impact of the digital economy and regional cooperative innovation on green innovation efficiency. Additionally, based on the two-stage Super-NSBM model, this study evaluates the effects of the digital economy on green innovation efficiency, its spatial spillover effects, and the moderating role of regional cooperative innovation. The findings of the study indicate that (1) the digital economy significantly enhances green innovation efficiency but has negative spatial spillover effects on surrounding regions. (2) Regional cooperative innovation positively moderates the promotional effect of the digital economy on green innovation efficiency. Moreover, the moderating effect exhibits a single-threshold effect. (3) The influence of the digital economy on green innovation efficiency is more significant in regions with advanced industrialization, robust transportation infrastructure, and high R&D intensity. The coordinated development of digital industrialization and governance is crucial for effectively promoting the development of green innovation.
Symmetrical Modeling of Physical Properties of Flexible Structure of Silicone Materials for Control of Pneumatic Soft Actuators
Authors: Muratbakeev Eduard , Kozhubaev Yuriy , Yiming Yao , Umar Shehzad
Published: June 2024

With the ongoing advancements in material technology, the domain of soft robotics has garnered increasing attention. Soft robots, in contrast to their rigid counterparts, offer superior adaptability to the environment, enhanced flexibility, and improved safety, rendering them highly suitable for complex application scenarios such as rescue operations and medical interventions. In this paper, a new type of pneumatic software actuator is proposed. The actuator adopts a combination of a soft structure and pneumatic control, which is highly flexible and versatile. By using the flow of gas inside the soft structure, high-precision and flexible motion control is realized. In the design process, the extensibility and adaptability of the structure are considered, so that the actuator can adapt to different working environments and task requirements. The experimental results show that the pneumatic soft actuator exhibits excellent performance in terms of accuracy, response speed, and controllability. This research provides new ideas and methods for the development of the field of pneumatic actuators and has wide application prospects. The main research content of this paper is as follows: first, the soft pneumatic actuator is modeled and simulated, the structure is optimized on the basis of simulation, and finally, the performance of the actuator is tested.
A Novel Three-Parameter Nadarajah Haghighi Model: Entropy Measures, Inference, and Applications
Authors: Alshawarbeh Etaf , Alghamdi Fatimah M. , Meraou Mohammed Amine , Aljohani Hassan M. , Abdelraouf Mahmoud , Riad Fathy H. , Alsheikh Sara Mohamed Ahmed , Alsolmi Meshayil M.
Published: June 2024

The fitting and modeling of skewed, complex, symmetric, and asymmetric datasets is an exciting research topic in many fields of applied sciences: notably, lifetime, medical, and financial sciences. This paper introduces a heavy-tailed Nadarajah Haghighi model by compounding the heavy-tailed family and Nadarajah Haghighi distribution. The model obtained has three parameters that account for the scale and shape of the distribution. The proposed distribution’s fundamental characteristics, such as the probability density, cumulative distribution, hazard rate, and survival functions, are provided, several key statistical properties are established, and several entropy information measures are proposed. Estimation of model parameters is performed via a maximum likelihood estimator procedure. Further, different simulation experiments are conducted to demonstrate the proposed estimator’s performance using measures like the average estimate, the average bias, and the associated mean square error. Finally, we apply our proposed model to analyze three different real datasets. In our illustration, we compare the practicality of the recommended model with several well-known competing models.
Community-Detection Method of Complex Network Based on Node Influence Analysis
Authors: Yao Jiaqi , Liu Bin
Published: June 2024

Community detection can help analyze the structural features and functions of complex networks, and plays important roles in many aspects such as project recommendation and network evolution analysis. Therefore, community detection has always been a hot topic in the field of complex networks. Although various community-detection methods have been proposed, how to improve their accuracy and efficiency is still an ambition pursued by researchers. In view of this, this paper proposes a community-detection method for complex networks based on node influence analysis. First, the influence of nodes is represented as a vector composed by neighborhood degree centrality, betweennes centrality and clustering coefficient. Then, Pareto dominance is used to rank the influence of nodes. After that, the community centers are selected by comprehensively considering the node influence and crowding degree. Finally, the remaining nodes are allocated to different communities using a labeling algorithm. The proposed method in this paper is applied to several actual networks. The comparison results with other methods demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method.
New Parametric 2D Curves for Modeling Prostate Shape in Magnetic Resonance Images
Authors: Corso Rosario , Comelli Albert , Salvaggio Giuseppe , Tegolo Domenico
Published: June 2024

Geometric shape models often help to extract specific contours in digital images (the segmentation process) with major precision. Motivated by this idea, we introduce two models for the representation of prostate shape in the axial plane of magnetic resonance images. In more detail, the models are two parametric closed curves of the plane. The analytic study of the models includes the geometric role of the parameters describing the curves, symmetries, invariants, special cases, elliptic Fourier descriptors, conditions for simple curves and area of the enclosed surfaces. The models were validated for prostate shapes by fitting the curves to prostate contours delineated by a radiologist and measuring the errors with the mean distance, the Hausdorff distance and the Dice similarity coefficient. Validation was also conducted by comparing our models with the deformed superellipse model used in literature. Our models are equivalent in fitting metrics to the deformed superellipse model; however, they have the advantage of a more straightforward formulation and they depend on fewer parameters, implying a reduced computational time for the fitting process. Due to the validation, our models may be applied for developing innovative and performing segmentation methods or improving existing ones.
Construction of Immobilized Laccase System Based on ZnO and Degradation of Mesotrione
Authors: Yue Wanlei , Wang Xin , Zhang Jiale , Bao Jia , Yao Mengqin
Published: June 2024

Mesotrione (MES) is a new environmental pollutant. Some reports have indicated that microbial enzymes could be utilized for MES degradation. Laccase is a green biocatalyst whose potential use in environmental pollutant detoxification has been considered limited due to its poor stability and reusability. However, these issues may be addressed using enzyme immobilization. In the present study, we sought to optimize conditions for laccase immobilization, to analyze and characterize the characteristics of the immobilized laccase, and to compare its enzymatic properties to those of free laccase. In addition, we studied the ability of laccase to degrade MES, and analyzed the metabolic pathway of MES degradation by immobilized laccase. The results demonstrated that granular zinc oxide material (G-ZnO) was successfully used as the carrier for immobilization. G-ZnO@Lac demonstrated the highest recovery of enzyme activity and exhibited significantly improved stability compared with free laccase. Storage stability was also significantly improved, with the relative enzyme activity of G-ZnO@Lac remaining at about 54% after 28 days of storage (compared with only 12% for free laccase). The optimal conditions for the degradation of MES by G-ZnO@Lac were found to be 10 mg, 6 h, 30 °C, and pH 4; under these conditions, a degradation rate of 73.25% was attained. The findings of this study provide a theoretical reference for the laccase treatment of 4-hy-droxyphenylpyruvate dioxygenase (HPPD)-inhibiting herbicide contamination.
Hot-Water Immersion (HWI) or Ice-Pack Treatment (IPT) as First Aid for Human Envenomation by Marine Animals? Review of Literature
Authors: Niżnik Łukasz , Jabłońska Karolina , Orczyk Michał , Orzechowska Martyna , Jasińska Judyta , Smoliniec Barbara , Hućko Agnieszka , Kosowicz Piotr , Klocek Anna , Słoma Paweł , Roztoczyńska Aleksandra , Toporowska-Kaźmierak Joanna , Jurowski Kamil
Published: June 2024

Envenomation by marine animals poses a significant health concern globally, affecting both local residents and tourists in coastal regions. The primary objective of this review is to critically evaluate the existing scientific literature to determine the most effective first-aid treatment for envenomations caused by marine animals, specifically whether hot-water immersion (HWI) or ice-pack treatment (IPT) provides the best immediate care. This comprehensive review covers a wide range of marine envenomations, from jellyfish stings to stingray injuries. While our focus is primarily on the efficacy of HWI and IPT, we also explore the role of cold-water treatment as a result of its relevance and similarity to ice-pack applications. In addition, we examine other treatments mentioned in the literature, such as medications or vinegar, and highlight their findings where applicable. To provide a clear and structured overview, we summarised the articles in separate tables. These tables categorise the type of research conducted, the marine species studied, the region of origin of the marine species, and the key findings of each study. Our analysis of the available evidence indicates a general consensus in the scientific community on the effectiveness of HWI or IPT for envenomation by marine animals. However, when treating those injuries, it is crucial to consider all factors since there is no universally superior treatment due to the diverse nature of marine habitats.
Biocontrol of Occurrence Ochratoxin A in Wine: A Review
Authors: Zjalic Slaven , Markov Ksenija , Loncar Jelena , Jakopovic Zeljko , Beccaccioli Marzia , Reverberi Massimo
Published: June 2024

Viticulture has been an important economic sector for centuries. In recent decades, global wine production has fluctuated between 250 and almost 300 million hectoliters, and in 2022, the value of wine exports reached EUR 37.6 billion. Climate change and the associated higher temperatures could favor the occurrence of ochratoxin A (OTA) in wine. OTA is a mycotoxin produced by some species of the genera Aspergillus and Penicillium and has nephrotoxic, immunotoxic, teratogenic, hepatotoxic, and carcinogenic effects on animals and humans. The presence of this toxin in wine is related to the type of wine—red wines are more frequently contaminated with OTA—and the geographical location of the vineyard. In Europe, the lower the latitude, the greater the risk of OTA contamination in wine. However, climate change could increase the risk of OTA contamination in wine in other regions. Due to their toxic effects, the development of effective and environmentally friendly methods to prevent, decontaminate, and degrade OTA is essential. This review summarises the available research on biological aspects of OTA prevention, removal, and degradation.
Molecular Detection and Genetic Characterization of Two Dugbe Orthonairovirus Isolates Detected from Ticks in Southern Senegal
Authors: Ndiaye Mignane , Badji Aminata , Dieng Idrissa , Dolgova Anna S. , Mhamadi Moufid , Kirichenko Anastasiia D. , Gladkikh Anna S. , Gaye Alioune , Faye Ousmane , Sall Amadou Alpha , Diallo Mawlouth , Dedkov Vladimir G. , Faye Oumar
Published: June 2024

Dugbe virus (DUGV) is a tick-borne arbovirus first isolated in Nigeria in 1964. It has been detected in many African countries using such diverse methods as serological tests, virus isolation, and molecular detection. In Senegal, reports of DUGV isolates mainly occurred in the 1970s and 1980s. Here, we report a contemporary detection of three novel DUGV isolates upon screening of a total of 2877 individual ticks regrouped into 844 pools. The three positive pools were identified as Amblyomma variegatum, the main known vector of DUGV, collected in the southern part of the country (Kolda region). Interestingly, phylogenetic analysis indicates that the newly sequenced isolates are globally related to the previously characterized isolates in West Africa, thus highlighting potentially endemic, unnoticed viral transmission. This study was also an opportunity to develop a rapid and affordable protocol for full-genome sequencing of DUGV using nanopore technology. The results suggest a relatively low mutation rate and relatively conservative evolution of DUGV isolates.
Isolation and Characterization of Contemporary Bovine Coronavirus Strains
Authors: Li Yu , Palomares Roberto A. , Liu Mingde , Xu Jiayu , Koo Chohee , Granberry Francesca , Locke Samantha R. , Habing Greg , Saif Linda J. , Wang Leyi , Wang Qiuhong
Published: June 2024

Bovine coronavirus (BCoV) poses a threat to cattle health worldwide, contributing to both respiratory and enteric diseases. However, few contemporary strains have been isolated. In this study, 71 samples (10 nasal and 61 fecal) were collected from one farm in Ohio in 2021 and three farms in Georgia in 2023. They were screened by BCoV-specific real-time reverse transcription-PCR, and 15 BCoV-positive samples were identified. Among them, five BCoV strains from fecal samples were isolated using human rectal tumor-18 (HRT-18) cells. The genomic sequences of five strains were obtained. The phylogenetic analysis illustrated that these new strains clustered with US BCoVs that have been detected since the 1990s. Sequence analyses of the spike proteins of four pairs of BCoVs, with each pair originally collected from the respiratory and enteric sites of one animal, revealed the potential amino acid residue patterns, such as D1180 for all four enteric BCoVs and G1180 for three of four respiratory BCoVs. This project provides new BCoV isolates and sequences and underscores the genetic diversity of BcoVs, the unknown mechanisms of disease types, and the necessity of sustained surveillance and research for BCoVs.
Identification and Genomic Characterization of Two Novel Hepatoviruses in Shrews from Yunnan Province, China
Authors: Tang Yi , Zhao Kai , Yin Hong-Min , Yang Li-Ping , Wu Yue-Chun , Li Feng-Yi , Yang Ze , Lu Hui-Xuan , Wang Bo , Yang Yin , Zhang Yun-Zhi , Yang Xing-Lou
Published: June 2024

Hepatitis A virus (HAV), a member of the genus Hepatovirus (Picornaviridae HepV), remains a significant viral pathogen, frequently causing enterically transmitted hepatitis worldwide. In this study, we conducted an epidemiological survey of HepVs carried by small terrestrial mammals in the wild in Yunnan Province, China. Utilizing HepV-specific broad-spectrum RT-PCR, next-generation sequencing (NGS), and QNome nanopore sequencing (QNS) techniques, we identified and characterized two novel HepVs provisionally named EpMa-HAV and EpLe-HAV, discovered in the long-tailed mountain shrew (Episoriculus macrurus) and long-tailed brown-toothed shrew (Episoriculus leucops), respectively. Our sequence and phylogenetic analyses of EpMa-HAV and EpLe-HAV indicated that they belong to the species Hepatovirus I (HepV-I) clade II, also known as the Chinese shrew HepV clade. Notably, the codon usage bias pattern of novel shrew HepVs is consistent with that of previously identified Chinese shrew HepV. Furthermore, our structural analysis demonstrated that shrew HepVs differ from other mammalian HepVs in RNA secondary structure and exhibit variances in key protein sites. Overall, the discovery of two novel HepVs in shrews expands the host range of HepV and underscores the existence of genetically diverse animal homologs of human HAV within the genus HepV.
The Role of Satellites in the Evolution of Begomoviruses
Authors: Varma Anupam , Singh Manoj Kumar
Published: June 2024

Begomoviruses have emerged as destructive pathogens of crops, particularly in the tropics and subtropics, causing enormous economic losses and threatening food security. Epidemics caused by begomoviruses have even spread in regions and crops that were previously free from these viruses. The most seriously affected crops include cassava; cotton; grain legumes; and cucurbitaceous, malvaceous, and solanaceous vegetables. Alphasatellites, betasatellites, and deltasatellites are associated with the diseases caused by begomoviruses, but begomovirus–betasatellite complexes have played significant roles in the evolution of begomoviruses, causing widespread epidemics in many economically important crops throughout the world. This article provides an overview of the evolution, distribution, and approaches used by betasatellites in the suppression of host plant defense responses and increasing disease severity.
The Impact of Drugs and Substance Abuse on Viral Pathogenesis—A South African Perspective
Authors: Ratshisusu Lufuno , Simani Omphile E. , Blackard Jason T. , Selabe Selokela G.
Published: June 2024

Illicit drug and alcohol abuse have significant negative consequences for individuals who inject drugs/use drugs (PWID/UDs), including decreased immune system function and increased viral pathogenesis. PWID/UDs are at high risk of contracting or transmitting viral illnesses such as human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis B virus (HBV), and hepatitis C virus (HCV). In South Africa, a dangerous drug-taking method known as “Bluetoothing” has emerged among nyaope users, whereby the users of this drug, after injecting, withdraw blood from their veins and then reinject it into another user. Hence, the transmission of blood-borne viruses (BBVs) is exacerbated by this “Bluetooth” practice among nyaope users. Moreover, several substances of abuse promote HIV, HBV, and HCV replication. With a specific focus on the nyaope drug, viral replication, and transmission, we address the important influence of abused addictive substances and polysubstance use in this review.
Making a Monkey out of Human Immunodeficiency Virus/Simian Immunodeficiency Virus Pathogenesis: Immune Cell Depletion Experiments as a Tool to Understand the Immune Correlates of Protection and Pathogenicity in HIV Infection
Authors: Symmonds Jen , Gaufin Thaidra , Xu Cuiling , Raehtz Kevin D. , Ribeiro Ruy M. , Pandrea Ivona , Apetrei Cristian
Published: June 2024

Understanding the underlying mechanisms of HIV pathogenesis is critical for designing successful HIV vaccines and cure strategies. However, achieving this goal is complicated by the virus’s direct interactions with immune cells, the induction of persistent reservoirs in the immune system cells, and multiple strategies developed by the virus for immune evasion. Meanwhile, HIV and SIV infections induce a pandysfunction of the immune cell populations, making it difficult to untangle the various concurrent mechanisms of HIV pathogenesis. Over the years, one of the most successful approaches for dissecting the immune correlates of protection in HIV/SIV infection has been the in vivo depletion of various immune cell populations and assessment of the impact of these depletions on the outcome of infection in non-human primate models. Here, we present a detailed analysis of the strategies and results of manipulating SIV pathogenesis through in vivo depletions of key immune cells populations. Although each of these methods has its limitations, they have all contributed to our understanding of key pathogenic pathways in HIV/SIV infection.
The Immune System—A Double-Edged Sword for Adenovirus-Based Therapies
Authors: Wallace Rebecca , Bliss Carly M. , Parker Alan L.
Published: June 2024

Pathogenic adenovirus (Ad) infections are widespread but typically mild and transient, except in the immunocompromised. As vectors for gene therapy, vaccine, and oncology applications, Ad-based platforms offer advantages, including ease of genetic manipulation, scale of production, and well-established safety profiles, making them attractive tools for therapeutic development. However, the immune system often poses a significant challenge that must be overcome for adenovirus-based therapies to be truly efficacious. Both pre-existing anti-Ad immunity in the population as well as the rapid development of an immune response against engineered adenoviral vectors can have detrimental effects on the downstream impact of an adenovirus-based therapeutic. This review focuses on the different challenges posed, including pre-existing natural immunity and anti-vector immunity induced by a therapeutic, in the context of innate and adaptive immune responses. We summarise different approaches developed with the aim of tackling these problems, as well as their outcomes and potential future applications.
Factors Related to Caregivers’ Intention to Vaccinate Their Elderly Family Members with Major Neurocognitive Disorders against COVID-19
Authors: Huang Mei-Feng , Yeh Yi-Chun , Liu Tai-Ling , Hsiao Ray C. , Chen Cheng-Sheng , Yen Cheng-Fang
Published: June 2024

Vaccination helps reduce the risk of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection in elderly individuals with major neurocognitive disorders (MNDs). However, some caregivers are hesitant to have their elderly family members with MNDs vaccinated against COVID-19. This study explored the factors influencing caregivers’ intentions to vaccinate elderly family members with MNDs against COVID-19. A total of 232 caregivers of elderly family members with MNDs participated in this study. In this survey, data regarding COVID-19 vaccination acceptance, fear, side effects, family members’ attitudes toward vaccination, mental health status, neuropsychiatric symptoms, and cognitive impairments were collected from the elderly participants with MNDs. The associations between these variables and the caregivers’ intention to vaccinate their elderly family members with MNDs against COVID-19 were examined using a multivariable linear regression analysis model. The results revealed that caregivers’ perceived familial support for vaccination, the perceived value of vaccination, and autonomy to vaccinate elder family members were positively correlated with caregivers’ intention to vaccinate elderly family members with MNDs, whereas elderly family members’ age was negatively correlated with caregiver intentions. This study demonstrated that caregiver factors (perceived familial support, value of vaccination, and autonomy) and elderly family members’ age were correlated with caregiver intention. These factors should be considered in developing interventions to enhance caregivers’ intentions to vaccinate their elderly family members with MNDs against COVID-19.
Emergency Approach to Acute Seizures in Dogs and Cats
Authors: Munguia George G. , Brooks Aimee C. , Thomovsky Stephanie A. , Thomovsky Elizabeth J. , Rincon Andrea , Johnson Paula A.
Published: June 2024

Seizures are a common presentation seen in small animal practices. Seizures require prompt management including initial interventions for triage, stabilization, and treatment with first-line anticonvulsant (AC) drugs like benzodiazepines. Concurrently, ruling out metabolic or extracranial causes with point-of-care diagnostics can help guide further diagnostics and treatments. Analysis of the history and a physical exam are also necessary to rule out common “look-alikes” that require specific diagnostic workup and treatments. Typically, causes of seizures can be grouped into intracranial and extracranial causes, with the latter being easier to diagnose with commonly available tests. This review presents a systematic approach to the diagnosis and treatment of single seizures, cluster seizures, and status epilepticus in dogs and cats.
Long-Term Stability of Low-Cost IoT System for Monitoring Water Quality in Urban Rivers
Authors: Naloufi Manel , Abreu Thiago , Souihi Sami , Therial Claire , Rodrigues Natália Angelotti de Ponte , Le Goff Arthur Guillot , Saad Mohamed , Vinçon-Leite Brigitte , Dubois Philippe , Delarbre Marion , Kennouche Paul , Lucas Françoise S.
Published: June 2024

Monitoring water quality in urban rivers is crucial for water resource management since point and non-point source pollution remain a major challenge. However, traditional water quality monitoring methods are costly and limited in frequency and spatial coverage. To optimize the monitoring, techniques such as modeling have been proposed. These methods rely on networks of low-cost multiprobes integrated with IoT networks to offer continuous real-time monitoring, with sufficient spatial coverage. But challenges persist in terms of data quality. Here, we propose a framework to verify the reliability and stability of low-cost sensors, focusing on the implementation of multiparameter probes embedding six sensors. Various tests have been developed to validate these sensors. First of all, a calibration check was carried out, indicating good accuracy. We then analyzed the influence of temperature. This revealed that for the conductivity and the oxygen sensors, a temperature compensation was required, and correction coefficients were identified. Temporal stability was verified in the laboratory and in the field (from 3 h to 3 months), which helped identify the frequency of maintenance procedures. To compensate for the sensor drift, weekly calibration and cleaning were required. This paper also explores the feasibility of LoRa technology for real-time data retrieval. However, with the LoRa gateways tested, the communication distance with the sensing device did not exceed 200 m. Based on these results, we propose a validation method to verify and to assure the performance of the low-cost sensors for water quality monitoring.
Water Geochemistry and Inorganic Quality: Case of the Lower Rusizi Plain Aquifer, North-Western Burundi
Authors: Ngenzebuhoro Pierre Claver , Dassargues Alain , Bahaj Tarik , Hammani Othmane
Published: June 2024

The present study area is an alluvial plain consisting of fine clayey sand and coarse sand with mixed lithology. In September 2018, a water sampling campaign was carried out in 28 wells spread all over the plain. The interpretation of the results from the physicochemical analysis allows determination of the hydrogeochemical behaviour and quality of the groundwater sampled in this plain. The spatial distribution of physical and chemical parameters reveals a clear demarcation between the east and the west of the study area. Water samples from wells located in the western part of the plain show a high mineralisation with high electrical conductivity and total dissolved solids. Water samples from the southern and eastern parts show intermediate to low mineralisation. Graphical representations of chemical analysis in the Piper diagrams reveal that the groundwater in the study area can be classified into five families. The evaluation of water quality shows that concentration values of some ions like Na+, Ca2+, Mg2+, Cl−, HCO3− and SO42− are generally high in the western part of the plain along the Rusizi River with very high values particularly observed in the Rusizi delta.
The Improved Water Resource Stress Index (WRSI) Model in Humid Regions
Authors: Yang Yuxin , Yan Feng , Wu Hongliang
Published: June 2024

Water scarcity is commonly evaluated using the water resource stress index (WRSI). However, the conventional WRSI model cannot effectively reflect the water shortage in humid areas, which may lead to distorted evaluation results. To solve this problem, an improved WRSI has been designed. In the improved WRSI, the assessment year is first divided into multiple periods. Then, the temporal WRSI (T-WRSI) is built to evaluate water scarcity in each period. Finally, the comprehensive WRSI (C-WRSI) is constructed based on the entropy weight model (EWM) to synthetically assess the water shortage condition. The water scarcity of Yongzhou City is taken as a sample for evaluation. The results are as follows. (i) The Lingling-Lengshuitan District and Dong’an County suffer from the most serious water shortage. Their C-WRSI values are 0.464 and 0.458, respectively, both of which are “high” grades. (ii) The values of T-WRSI are more than 0.4 from August to October in most areas, indicating that the major key water shortage period is from August to October. (iii) The reasons for water shortage are that the annual runoff distribution in Yongzhou City is uneven with a uniformity coefficient (Cv) of 0.83, and the main irrigation periods are coincidentally accompanied by the retreat of rainfall. (iv) The main measures to solve water scarcity are to strengthen water resource management, to optimize plant structure, and to construct more reservoirs. (v) The C-WRSI values calculated by the improved model in each region are 95–168% larger than those of conventional WRSI. The improved WRSI has better capacities in evaluating the water shortage induced by uneven runoff within the year and identifying the key water scarcity period of humid regions.
Research on Carbon Dioxide-Assisted Electrocoagulation Technology for Treatment of Divalent Cations in Water
Authors: Chang Baoqi , Li Guangpu , Guo Fuqiang , Lu Shuang , Peng Yuhao , Hou Junwei
Published: June 2024

In the external drainage water of Xinjiang Karamay Petrochemical Company, the calcium and magnesium ion contents are as high as 630 mg/L and 1170 mg/L, respectively. These ions are subsequently scaled at large quantities in water treatment equipment, which greatly reduces the efficiency of the process. This study used a coupled chemical precipitation (CP) and electrocoagulation (EC) method to deal with external drainage water. The results show that the removal rates of calcium and magnesium were 94.71% and 96.33%, respectively, when the pH was adjusted with sodium silicate and EC was introduced after saturating the water samples with CO2. In this study, a quadratic polynomial equation was developed for predicting the removal of calcium and magnesium ions using this coupled technique under three factors of current density (CD) (15, 20 and 25 mA/cm2), reaction time (RT) (30, 40 and 50 min) and pH (10.0, 10.5 and 11.0). It was found that these three variables have a significant effect on the removal of both the abovementioned ions. The response surface method based on a Box–Behnken design showed that the average removal rates of calcium and magnesium ions could be 96.57% and 98.66% at a CD of 22 mA/cm2, RT of 46 min and pH of 11. This study confirmed the presence of calcium carbonate in the solid product through XRD and SEM analysis. The results indicate that this study is promising, and the developed technique can also be used to remove the high concentrations of calcium and magnesium ions from different wastewaters.
Factors Governing Site and Charge Density of Dissolved Natural Organic Matter
Authors: Vogt Rolf D. , Garmo Øyvind A. , Austnes Kari , Kaste Øyvind , Haaland Ståle , Sample James E. , Thrane Jan-Erik , Skancke Liv Bente , Gundersen Cathrine B. , de Wit Heleen A.
Published: June 2024

Rising organic charge in northern freshwaters is attributed to increasing levels of dissolved natural organic matter (DNOM) and changes in water chemistry. Organic charge concentration may be determined through charge balance calculations (Org.−) or modelled (OAN−) using the Oliver and Hruška conceptual models, which are based on the density of weak acid functional sites (SD) present in DNOM. The charge density (CD) is governed by SD as well as protonation and complexation reactions on the functional groups. These models use SD as a key parameter to empirically fit the model to Org.−. Utilizing extensive water chemistry datasets, this study shows that spatial and temporal differences in SD and CD are influenced by variations in the humic-to-fulvic ratio of DNOM, organic aluminum (Al) complexation, and the mole fraction of CD to SD, which is governed by acidity. The median SD values obtained for 44 long-term monitored acid-sensitive lakes were 11.1 and 13.9 µEq/mg C for the Oliver and Hruška models, respectively. Over 34 years of monitoring, the CD increased by 70%, likely due to rising pH and declining Al complexation with DNOM. Present-day median SD values for the Oliver and Hruška models in 16 low-order streams are 13.8 and 15.8 µEq/mg C, respectively, and 10.8 and 12.5 µEq/mg C, respectively, in 10 high-order rivers.