bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effects of Landscape Attributes on Campuses Bird Species Richness and Diversity, Implications for Eco-Friendly Urban Planning
Authors: Zhang Yong , Jiang Chao , Chen Sheng , Zhang Yuanyuan , Shi Hui , Chen Bin , Mao Lingfeng
Published: May 2021

Landscape changes due to urban expansion may severely influence urban biodiversity through direct and indirect effects. Hence, a comprehensive understanding of the urban expansion effects on species diversity is essential for conservation biologists, urban planners, and policymakers to help design more practical and effective conservation strategies. Here, based on monthly bird survey data of 12 university campuses distributed in the center and the Xianlin university town of Nanjing city, we first compared the differences of the campuses bird species richness, Shannon-Wiener, and Simpson indices. Then, we analyzed the effects of a variety of landscape attributes on the campuses bird species richness. Unlike other studies, we also constructed a 2 km buffer area surrounding each campus and analyzed the effects of the landscape attributes of the buffer area on species richness. We found that bird species richness was higher in the campus of Xianlin compared to those in the center. Landscape attributes played an important role on bird species richness, especially for the determinants in the buffer area. Specifically, species richness, Shannon-Wiener, and Simpson indices increased with the increasing area of water and green space both within the campus and the buffer area. Not surprisingly, bird species richness and diversity were more affected by fragmentation of the buffer area, increasing with the aggregation index and decreasing with the splitting index. Our study emphasized that landscape attributes of both campuses and buffer areas determined bird species richness and diversity, offering several practical implications for urban biodiversity maintenance and eco-friendly urban planning.
Life Cycle Assessment of an Innovative Technology against Late Frosts in Vineyard
Authors: Frota de Albuquerque Landi Fabiana , Di Giuseppe Alessia , Gambelli Alberto Maria , Palliotti Alberto , Nicolini Andrea , Pisello Anna Laura , Rossi Federico
Published: May 2021

Wine production is a key sector for the Italian economy, representing 13 billion euros per year. The proportion of the market raises concerns about improving the production technology at low cost, safe practices, and low environmental impacts. The recurrent life cycle assessment performed does not report on the impacts of frost protection. This study presents the potential environmental impact of a novel late frost protection technique for vineyards that is currently under development. It consists of an organic coating made of sugar and straw to prevent vine damage due to frosts in vineyards in the coldest hours of late winter and early spring. From previous research at the University of Perugia (Italy), the technique has proven to be an effective protection method for vine shoots. Currently, the yields are protected by highly energy-demanding methods. For this study, we simulated two different scenarios of frosting protection so we could point out possible hotspots for the field application of the novel method and compare it to a technique usually employed in central Italy. Under the Centrum voor Milieukunde Leiden (CML) method, the cotton candy technique is estimated at 316 kg CO2 equivalent emissions for hectare. Employing the organic sugar-coating means avoiding 69,375 kg of CO2 eq. compared to the traditional technique of oak wood-burning into the vineyard. Preliminary cost analysis demonstrated the economic viability of implementing the organic coating.
Impact of ICT Adoption and Governance Interaction on Food Security in West Africa
Authors: Anser Muhammad Khalid , Osabohien Romanus , Olonade Olawale , Karakara Alhassan Abdulwakeel , Olalekan Idowu Bashiru , Ashraf Junaid , Igbinoba Angie
Published: May 2021

The impact of the interaction of governance and information and communication technologies (ICT) adoption on food security in West Africa is investigated in this study. The study engaged the system generalised method of moments (GMM) approach on a panel data of 15 West African countries. The data used for the study are obtained from the world development indicators (WDI) and world governance indicators (WGI), for the period 2005 to 2018. The findings show that good governance (government effectiveness and efficient anti-corruption control) can boost food security by between 12% and 20%. Furthermore, the findings show that a 1% rise in ICT adoption may boost food security by 12% to 15%. In explaining the level of food security, the relationship between governance and ICT adoption is positive and significant. This implies that ICT and governance (government effectiveness) interaction may have about 15% positive influence on food security, while ICT and control of corruption interaction may positively influence the level of food security by 8%. The study concludes by recommending that to enhance food security in West Africa, effectiveness in governance and ICT adoption are crucial.
Is Establishing a New Partnership Useful Information for Investors in the Smartphone Supply Market?
Authors: Son Insung , Kim Sihyun
Published: May 2021

This study analyzed partner volatility (new, old, revocation partners) and country-specific signal effects (United States (US), Taiwan, Japan, and South Korea) for Apple iPhone parts suppliers from 2007 to 2018. Mid- to long-term stock price movements were also analyzed to define trading patterns by investor type. The results using logit regression analysis revealed that new partners and revocation partners each have a signaling effect perceived as positive and negative information in the short term, and the excess returns by country showed a positive signaling effect in the order of the US, Taiwan, South Korea, and Japan. The findings also suggest that the change in the new partners’ stock price after the preannouncement of new products was useful investment information. Moreover, information asymmetry was found between individual investors, institutions, and foreigners. Results indicate that new partner selection in the smartphone market impacts corporate value and serves as useful investment information.
Analysis Study of Current Transportation Status in Vietnam’s Urban Traffic and the Transition to Electric Two-Wheelers Mobility
Authors: Huu Duc Nguyen , Ngoc Van Nguyen
Published: May 2021

In Vietnam’s major urban areas, private motorcycles are the main means of transportation that are suitable for socio-economic conditions, current transport infrastructure, and people’s habits. However, in recent years, the negative effects of a large number and high density of motorcycles in urban areas such as traffic congestion and noise and air pollution have resulted in a gradual change in the public’s opinion of private vehicle adoption, especially motorcycles. The public has also urged the authorities to issue policies of limiting or curving the growth in the number of private vehicles powered by fossil fuels in big cities. However, in order to achieve the goal, other alternative means of transport should be proposed to encourage people to move to a more sustainable and eco-friendly form of mobility. The alternatives also should be consistent with the average income level as well as social characteristics. In recent years, along with the development of a highly connected public transport network, efficient and less-polluting vehicles including electric two-wheelers have been emerging, thriving, and drawing more attraction from Vietnamese people and policy makers. The spread in the number of electric two-wheelers in Vietnam’s major cities may be a sign of the transition to a more sustainable and less-polluting means of transport as an alternative to gasoline-powered motorcycles. In this paper, the authors aim to analyze the current road traffic status in Vietnam’s major cities, as well as shed a light on the transition to the greener and more efficient alternative vehicles to motorcycles in Vietnam’s urban traffic. Several recommendations for encouraging this vehicle type development are also important outcomes of this paper.
Smart City Ontologies and Their Applications: A Systematic Literature Review
Authors: De Nicola Antonio , Villani Maria  Luisa
Published: May 2021

The increasing interconnections of city services, the explosion of available urban data, and the need for multidisciplinary analysis and decision making for city sustainability require new technological solutions to cope with such complexity. Ontologies have become viable and effective tools to practitioners for developing applications requiring data and process interoperability, big data management, and automated reasoning on knowledge. We investigate how and to what extent ontologies have been used to support smart city services and we provide a comprehensive reference on what problems have been addressed and what has been achieved so far with ontology-based applications. To this purpose, we conducted a systematic literature review finalized to presenting the ontologies, and the methods and technological systems where ontologies play a relevant role in shaping current smart cities. Based on the result of the review process, we also propose a classification of the sub-domains of the city addressed by the ontologies we found, and the research issues that have been considered so far by the scientific community. We highlight those for which semantic technologies have been mostly demonstrated to be effective to enhance the smart city concept and, finally, discuss in more details about some open problems.
Built Environment Factors Influencing Prevalence of Hypertension at Community Level in China: The Case of Wuhan
Authors: Xie Hongjie , Wang Qiankun , Zhou Xilin , Yang Yiping , Mao Yuwei , Zhang Xu
Published: May 2021

This paper studies the correlation between built environment factors and the prevalence of hypertension in Wuhan, a typical city in central China. Data were obtained from a regional epidemiological database, which is the 2015 Epidemiological Survey of people under 65 years in 144 communities. The prevalence of hypertension was analyzed in five components based on the WHO framework (land use, transport, accessibility, green space, and socioeconomic status). Results indicated built environment factors have significant correlations with the prevalence of hypertension (p < 0.01). The road network density, gymnasium cost, income, medical facilities cost, walkability index, and land use mix (LUM) were statistically significant. Other indicators did not pass the significance test. The spatial models fit better than the multivariate linear model.
Exemplary Ethical Communities. A New Concept for a Livable Anthropocene
Authors: Conversi Daniele
Published: May 2021

This article argues that we need to look at living examples provided by non-state communities in various regions of the world that are, perhaps unwittingly, contributing to the maintenance of the Earth’s optimal thermal balance. These fully sustainable communities have been living outside the mainstream for centuries, even millennia, providing examples in the global struggle against the degradation of social–ecological systems. They have all, to varying degrees, embraced simple forms of living that make them ‘exemplary ethical communities’ (EECs)—human communities with a track record of sustainability related to forms of traditional knowledge and the capacity to survive outside the capitalist market and nation-state system. The article proceeds in three steps: First, it condenses a large body of research on the limits of the existing nation-state system and its accompanying ideology, nationalism, identifying this institutional–ideological complex as the major obstacle to tackling climate change. Second, alternative social formations that could offer viable micro-level and micro-scale alternatives are suggested. These are unlikely to identify with existing nation-states as they often form distinct types of social communities. Taking examples from hunter-gatherer societies and simple-living religious groups, it is shown how the protection and maintenance of these EECs could become the keystone in the struggle for survival of humankind and other forms of life. Finally, further investigation is called for, into how researchers can come forward with more examples of actually existing communities that might provide pathways to sustainability and resistance to the looming global environmental catastrophe.
How Vulnerable Are Financial Markets to COVID-19? A Comparative Study of the US and South Korea
Authors: Wang Wenbo , Park Hail
Published: May 2021

In this study, we carry out a comparative analysis between the US and South Korea, with a special attention to three key areas, including the stock market, the currency market, and the bond market. By employing a composite model, VAR-GARCH-BEKK, we will attempt to capture both mean and volatility spillovers between the pandemic and financial markets, so as to explore the extent and ways in which the COVID-19 pandemic influences the financial sector. The empirical results provide substantial evidence in the following areas: (i) South Korea seems more vulnerable since all of its financial markets are seen to be statistically associated with the growth in infections. (ii) For the US, only the stock market is negatively impacted by the confirmed cases in terms of a conditional mean spillover model. (iii) According to the impulse response functions (IRFs), apart from the US dollar index, both the TED spread and stock returns respond significantly to innovations from the pandemic. (iv) There is little evidence to support the presence of volatility transmission from the pandemic to the financial markets in the two countries.
Art in Urban Spaces
Authors: Karimimoshaver Mehrdad , Eris Bahare , Aram Farshid , Mosavi Amir
Published: May 2021

This study investigates the effect of art on promoting the meaning of the urban space. After considering the semantic dimension of the urban space and the mechanism of transferring the meanings of art through the views of experts, a model is presented for examining the art’s cooperation in promoting urban space meaning. In the first stage, the categories of space meanings influenced by art were extracted using the qualitative method of interpretative phenomenological analysis, and by examining 61 in-depth interviews in 6 urban spaces eligible for urban art in Tehran. In the second stage, these categories were surveyed in these spaces through 600 questionnaires after converting to the questionnaire items. Based on the results, “experience and perception capability”, “social participation”, and “relationship with context” were the main themes of the semantic relationships between art and urban space. Further, the lower scores related to the theme of “social participation” in the quantitative investigations indicate that this theme was weaker than the other themes in promoting the meaning of the urban space through the art in the selected urban spaces.
The Restorativeness of Outdoor Historical Sites in Urban Areas: Physical and Perceptual Correlations
Authors: Masullo Massimiliano , Ozcevik Bilen Asli , Toma Roxana Adina , Akin Guler Gulsen , Maffei Luigi
Published: May 2021

Growing tourist flows, which crowd ancient city centres, have modified their liveability and threatened conservation. They have increased the need for quiet places, primarily where green parks are missing. While previous studies have highlighted the possibility of reusing hidden sites of historical buildings, it is not clear if this scheme can also be applied in other contexts, and which physical or perceptual dimensions are mainly related to the restoration of these sites. If greenery and water elements induce positive effects on people’s well-being, we want to understand if the historical–artistic component can be just as important for people’s restorativeness. To this end, the physical and perceptual characteristics of 20 different sites in Naples and Istanbul were investigated through objective and subjective surveys. The results show that the sound levels inside sites cannot consistently account for the perception of the restorativeness in Italy and Turkey, while some sound level differences caused by outside noise could. Moreover, soundscape, appreciation, maintenance/management, and importance/relevance were the main perceptual dimensions describing these places. The importance/relevance dimension was strongly correlated with all the components of the restorativeness, especially with the fascination. These findings are consistent between the Italian and Turkish groups.
Behavior of the Free Surface of Two-Phase Fluid Flow Near the Taphole in a Tank
Authors: Yoon Hyun-Sik , Park Kyung-Min
Published: May 2021

The present study numerically investigated the deformation of the free-surface of two-phase fluid flow in a tank which is considered as a simplified blast furnace hearth. Actually, the fluids existing in a blast furnace hearth are gas, slag and hot metal from top to bottom. However, the present study considered only gas and cold molten iron in the tank. The porosity is considered as a substitute for void volume formed by the packed bed of the particles such as cokes. The single-phase flow and two-phase fluids flow without the porosity are analyzed for comparison. The porosity contributed the free surface to forming a viscous finger near the taphole. The axi-symmetry nature of the interface of two-phase fluids flow in the cylindrical tank is broken by viscous finger as the interface instability by the gas entrainment into taphole, which has been identified by the visualization of the free surface formation. The acceleration of the free surface falling velocity and the outflow near the taphole are associated by the viscous finger by the gas entrainment. The dimensionless gas break-through time is linear with respect to the porosity magnitude.
New Constraints on Lorentz Invariance Violation from Combined Linear and Circular Optical Polarimetry of Extragalactic Sources
Authors: Gerasimov Roman , Bhoj Praneet , Kislat Fabian
Published: May 2021

Expanding on our prior efforts to search for Lorentz invariance violation (LIV) using the linear optical polarimetry of extragalactic objects, we propose a new method that combines linear and circular polarization measurements. While existing work has focused on the tendency of LIV to reduce the linear polarization degree, this new method additionally takes into account the coupling between photon helicities induced by some models. This coupling can generate circular polarization as light propagates, even if there is no circular polarization at the source. Combining significant detections of linear polarization of light from extragalactic objects with the absence of the detection of circular polarization in most measurements results in significantly tighter constraints regarding LIV. The analysis was carried out in the framework of the Standard-Model Extension (SME), an effective field theory framework to describe the low-energy effects of an underlying fundamental quantum gravity theory. We evaluate the performance of our method by deriving constraints on the mass dimension d=4 CPT-even SME coefficients from a small set of archival circular and linear optical polarimetry constraints and compare them to similar constraints derived in previous works with far larger sample sizes and based on linear polarimetry only. The new method yielded constraints that are an order of magnitude tighter even for our modest sample size of 21 objects. Based on the demonstrated gain in constraining power from scarce circular data, we advocate for the need for future extragalactic circular polarization surveys.
A Fuzzy Approach to Support Evaluation of Fuzzy Cross Efficiency
Authors: Wu Shun-Cheng , Lu Tim , Liu Shiang-Tai
Published: May 2021

Cross-efficiency evaluation effectively distinguishes a set of decision-making units (DMUs) via self- and peer-evaluations. In constant returns to scale, this evaluation technique is usually applied for data envelopment analysis (DEA) models because negative efficiencies will not occur in this case. For situations of variable returns to scale, the negative cross-efficiencies may occur in this evaluation method. In the real world, the observations could be uncertain and difficult to measure precisely. The existing fuzzy cross-evaluation methods are restricted to production technologies with constant returns to scale. Generally, symmetry is a fundamental characteristic of binary relations used when modeling optimization problems. Additionally, the notion of symmetry appeared in many studies about uncertain theories employed in DEA problems, and this approach can be considered an engineering tool for supporting decision-making. This paper proposes a fuzzy cross-efficiency evaluation model with fuzzy observations under variable returns to scale. Since all possible weights of all DMUs are considered, a choice of weights is not required. Most importantly, negative cross-efficiencies are not produced. An example shows that this paper’s fuzzy cross-efficiency evaluation method has discriminative power in ranking the DMUs when observations are fuzzy numbers.
A Topology Optimization Method Based on Non-Uniform Rational Basis Spline Hyper-Surfaces for Heat Conduction Problems
Authors: Montemurro Marco , Refai Khalil
Published: May 2021

This work deals with heat conduction problems formulation in the framework of a CAD-compatible topology optimization method based on a pseudo-density field as a topology descriptor. In particular, the proposed strategy relies, on the one hand, on the use of CAD-compatible Non-Uniform Rational Basis Spline (NURBS) hyper-surfaces to represent the pseudo-density field and, on the other hand, on the well-known Solid Isotropic Material with Penalization (SIMP) approach. The resulting method is then referred to as NURBS-based SIMP method. In this background, heat conduction problems have been reformulated by taking advantage of the properties of the NURBS entities. The influence of the integer parameters, involved in the definition of the NURBS hyper-surface, on the optimized topology is investigated. Furthermore, symmetry constraints, as well as a manufacturing requirement related to the minimum allowable size, are also integrated into the problem formulation without introducing explicit constraint functions, thanks to the NURBS blending functions properties. Finally, since the topological variable is represented by means of a NURBS entity, the geometrical representation of the boundary of the topology is available at each iteration of the optimization process and its reconstruction becomes a straightforward task. The effectiveness of the NURBS-based SIMP method is shown on 2D and 3D benchmark problems taken from the literature.
Phosphorus Compounds of Natural Origin: Prebiotic, Stereochemistry, Application
Authors: Kolodiazhnyi Oleg I.
Published: May 2021

Organophosphorus compounds play a vital role as nucleic acids, nucleotide coenzymes, metabolic intermediates and are involved in many biochemical processes. They are part of DNA, RNA, ATP and a number of important biological elements of living organisms. Synthetic compounds of this class have found practical application as agrochemicals, pharmaceuticals, bioregulators, and othrs. In recent years, a large number of phosphorus compounds containing P-O, P-N, P-C bonds have been isolated from natural sources. Many of them have shown interesting biological properties and have become the objects of intensive scientific research. Most of these compounds contain asymmetric centers, the absolute configurations of which have a significant effect on the biological properties of the products of their transformations. This area of research on natural phosphorus compounds is still little-studied, that prompted us to analyze and discuss it in our review. Moreover natural organophosphorus compounds represent interesting models for the development of new biologically active compounds, and a number of promising drugs and agrochemicals have already been obtained on their basis. The review also discusses the history of the development of ideas about the role of organophosphorus compounds and stereochemistry in the origin of life on Earth, starting from the prebiotic period, that allows us in a new way to consider this most important problem of fundamental science.
Profiling of Brevetoxin Metabolites Produced by Karenia brevis 165 Based on Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry
Authors: Shen Huihui , Song Xiuxian , Zhang Yue , Zhang Peipei , Li Jing , Song Weijia , Yu Zhiming
Published: May 2021

In this study, Karenia brevis 165 (K. brevis 165), a Chinese strain, was used to research brevetoxin (BTX) metabolites. The sample pretreatment method for the enrichment of BTX metabolites in an algal culture medium was improved here. The method for screening and identifying intracellular and extracellular BTX metabolites was established based on liquid chromatography-time-of-flight mass spectrometry (LC-ToF-MS) and liquid chromatography triple quadrupole tandem mass spectrometry (LC-QqQ-MS/MS). The results show that the recovery rates for BTX toxins enriched by a hydrophilic–lipophilic balance (HLB) extraction column were higher than those with a C18 extraction column. This method was used to analyze the profiles of extracellular and intracellular BTX metabolites at different growth stages of K. brevis 165. This is the first time a Chinese strain of K. brevis has been reported that can produce toxic BTX metabolites. Five and eight kinds of BTX toxin metabolites were detected in the cell and culture media of K. brevis 165, respectively. Brevenal, a toxic BTX metabolite antagonist, was found for the first time in the culture media. The toxic BTX metabolites and brevenal in the K. brevis 165 cell and culture media were found to be fully proven in terms of the necessity of establishing a method for screening and identifying toxic BTX metabolites. The results found by qualitatively and quantitatively analyzing BTX metabolites produced by K. brevis 165 at different growth stages show that the total toxic BTX metabolite contents in single cells ranged between 6.78 and 21.53 pg/cell, and the total toxin concentration in culture media ranged between 10.27 and 449.11 μg/L. There were significant differences in the types and contents of toxic BTX metabolites with varying growth stages. Therefore, when harmful algal blooms occur, the accurate determination of BTX metabolite types and concentrations will be helpful to assess the ecological disaster risk in order to avoid hazards and provide appropriate disaster warnings.
An Early Block in the Replication of the Atypical Bluetongue Virus Serotype 26 in Culicoides Cells Is Determined by Its Capsid Proteins
Authors: Guimerà Busquets Marc , Pullinger Gillian D. , Darpel Karin E. , Cooke Lyndsay , Armstrong Stuart , Simpson Jennifer , Palmarini Massimo , Fragkoudis Rennos , Mertens Peter P. C.
Published: May 2021

Arboviruses such as bluetongue virus (BTV) replicate in arthropod vectors involved in their transmission between susceptible vertebrate-hosts. The “classical” BTV strains infect and replicate effectively in cells of their insect-vectors (Culicoides biting-midges), as well as in those of their mammalian-hosts (ruminants). However, in the last decade, some “atypical” BTV strains, belonging to additional serotypes (e.g., BTV-26), have been found to replicate efficiently only in mammalian cells, while their replication is severely restricted in Culicoides cells. Importantly, there is evidence that these atypical BTV are transmitted by direct-contact between their mammalian hosts. Here, the viral determinants and mechanisms restricting viral replication in Culicoides were investigated using a classical BTV-1, an “atypical” BTV-26 and a BTV-1/BTV-26 reassortant virus, derived by reverse genetics. Viruses containing the capsid of BTV-26 showed a reduced ability to attach to Culicoides cells, blocking early steps of the replication cycle, while attachment and replication in mammalian cells was not restricted. The replication of BTV-26 was also severely reduced in other arthropod cells, derived from mosquitoes or ticks. The data presented identifies mechanisms and potential barriers to infection and transmission by the newly emerged “atypical” BTV strains in Culicoides.
Molecular Dynamics Free Energy Simulations Reveal the Mechanism for the Antiviral Resistance of the M66I HIV-1 Capsid Mutation
Authors: Sun Qinfang , Levy Ronald M. , Kirby Karen A. , Wang Zhengqiang , Sarafianos Stefan G. , Deng Nanjie
Published: May 2021

While drug resistance mutations can often be attributed to the loss of direct or solvent-mediated protein−ligand interactions in the drug-mutant complex, in this study we show that a resistance mutation for the picomolar HIV-1 capsid (CA)-targeting antiviral (GS-6207) is mainly due to the free energy cost of the drug-induced protein side chain reorganization in the mutant protein. Among several mutations, M66I causes the most suppression of the GS-6207 antiviral activity (up to ~84,000-fold), and only 83- and 68-fold reductions for PF74 and ZW-1261, respectively. To understand the molecular basis of this drug resistance, we conducted molecular dynamics free energy simulations to study the structures, energetics, and conformational free energy landscapes involved in the inhibitors binding at the interface of two CA monomers. To minimize the protein−ligand steric clash, the I66 side chain in the M66I−GS-6207 complex switches to a higher free energy conformation from the one adopted in the apo M66I. In contrast, the binding of GS-6207 to the wild-type CA does not lead to any significant M66 conformational change. Based on an analysis that decomposes the absolute binding free energy into contributions from two receptor conformational states, it appears that it is the free energy cost of side chain reorganization rather than the reduced protein−ligand interaction that is largely responsible for the drug resistance against GS-6207.
An Epidemiological Analysis of SARS-CoV-2 Genomic Sequences from Different Regions of India
Authors: Yadav Pragya D. , Nyayanit Dimpal A. , Majumdar Triparna , Patil Savita , Kaur Harmanmeet , Gupta Nivedita , Shete Anita M. , Pandit Priyanka , Kumar Abhinendra , Aggarwal Neeraj , Narayan Jitendra , Vijay Neetu , Kalawat Usha , Sugunan Attayur P. , Munivenkatappa Ashok , Sharma Tara , Devi Sulochna , Majumdar Tapan , Jaryal Subhash , Bakshi Rupinder , Joshi Yash , Sahay Rima , Shastri Jayanti , Singh Mini , Kumar Manoj , Rawat Vinita , Dutta Shanta , Yadav Sarita , Krishnasamy Kaveri , Raut Sharmila , Biswas Debasis , Borkakoty Biswajyoti , Verma Santwana , Rani Sudha , Deval Hirawati , Patel Disha , Turuk Jyotirmayee , Malhotra Bharti , Fomda Bashir , Nag Vijaylakshmi , Jain Amita , Bhargava Anudita , Potdar Varsha , Cherian Sarah , Abraham Priya , Gopal Anjani , Panda Samiran , Bhargava Balram
Published: May 2021

The number of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) cases is increasing in India. This study looks upon the geographic distribution of the virus clades and variants circulating in different parts of India between January and August 2020. The NPS/OPS from representative positive cases from different states and union territories in India were collected every month through the VRDLs in the country and analyzed using next-generation sequencing. Epidemiological analysis of the 689 SARS-CoV-2 clinical samples revealed GH and GR to be the predominant clades circulating in different states in India. The northern part of India largely reported the ‘GH’ clade, whereas the southern part reported the ‘GR’, with a few exceptions. These sequences also revealed the presence of single independent mutations—E484Q and N440K—from Maharashtra (first observed in March 2020) and Southern Indian States (first observed in May 2020), respectively. Furthermore, this study indicates that the SARS-CoV-2 variant (VOC, VUI, variant of high consequence and double mutant) was not observed during the early phase of virus transmission (January–August). This increased number of variations observed within a short timeframe across the globe suggests virus evolution, which can be a step towards enhanced host adaptation.
Hepatitis E Virus in People Who Use Crack-Cocaine: A Cross-Sectional Study in a Remote Region of Northern Brazil
Authors: do Nascimento Raquel Silva , Baia Karen Lorena N. , de Souza Samara Borges , Fontoura Guilherme Martins G. , Nunes Patrícia Ferreira , Machado Luiz Fernando A. , Kupek Emil , Fischer Benedikt , Martins Luísa Caricio , Oliveira-Filho Aldemir B.
Published: May 2021

People who use crack-cocaine (PWUCC) have numerous vulnerabilities and pose a challenge to health and social assistance services. The exposure to pathogens and risk situations occur differently according to each individual, region and social group. This study identified the presence, genotypes and factors associated with hepatitis E virus (HEV) exposure among a community-recruited cohort of 437 PWUCC in northern Brazil. Epidemiological information was collected through community-based assessments and interviews. Thereafter, blood and fecal samples were collected and tested for HEV using an immunoenzymatic assay, and the genotype was identified by PCR. Logistic regressions were used to identify the risk factors independently associated with exposure to HEV. In total, 79 (18.1%) PWUCC were exposed to HEV: 73 (16.7%) for IgG and six for IgG + IgM. HEV RNA was detected in six fecal samples and in two blood samples from PWUCC with IgM + IgG. Subtype 3c was identified in all of the samples. The factors associated with exposure to HEV were low monthly income, unstable housing (e.g., homelessness), crack-cocaine use ≥40 months, and the shared use of crack-cocaine equipment. The current study provides unique initial insights into HEV status and risk factors among PWUCC in a remote area in Brazil, with diverse implications for urgently improved diagnosis, prevention, and treatment intervention needs.
Phage Biocontrol of Pseudomonas aeruginosa in Water
Authors: Kauppinen Ari , Siponen Sallamaari , Pitkänen Tarja , Holmfeldt Karin , Pursiainen Anna , Torvinen Eila , Miettinen Ilkka T.
Published: May 2021

Bacteriophage control of harmful or pathogenic bacteria has aroused growing interest, largely due to the rise of antibiotic resistance. The objective of this study was to test phages as potential agents for the biocontrol of an opportunistic pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa in water. Two P. aeruginosa bacteriophages (vB_PaeM_V523 and vB_PaeM_V524) were isolated from wastewater and characterized physically and functionally. Genomic and morphological characterization showed that both were myoviruses within the Pbunavirus genus. Both had a similar latent period (50–55 min) and burst size (124–134 PFU/infected cell), whereas there was variation in the host range. In addition to these environmental phages, a commercial Pseudomonas phage, JG003 (DSM 19870), was also used in the biocontrol experiments. The biocontrol potential of the three phages in water was tested separately and together as a cocktail against two P. aeruginosa strains; PAO1 and the environmental strain 17V1507. With PAO1, all phages initially reduced the numbers of the bacterial host, with phage V523 being the most efficient (>2.4 log10 reduction). For the environmental P. aeruginosa strain (17V1507), only the phage JG003 caused a reduction (1.2 log10) compared to the control. The cocktail of three phages showed a slightly higher decrease in the level of the hosts compared to the use of individual phages. Although no synergistic effect was observed in the host reduction with the use of the phage cocktail, the cocktail-treated hosts did not appear to acquire resistance as rapidly as hosts treated with a single phage. The results of this study provide a significant step in the development of bacteriophage preparations for the control of pathogens and harmful microbes in water environments.
Structural Analysis of the Novel Variants of SARS-CoV-2 and Forecasting in North America
Authors: Quinonez Elena , Vahed Majid , Hashemi Shahraki Abdolrazagh , Mirsaeidi Mehdi
Published: May 2021

Background: little is known about the forecasting of new variants of SARS-COV-2 in North America and the interaction of variants with vaccine-derived neutralizing antibodies. Methods: the affinity scores of the spike receptor-binding domain (S-RBD) of B.1.1.7, B. 1.351, B.1.617, and P.1 variants in interaction with the neutralizing antibody (CV30 isolated from a patient), and human angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (hACE2) receptor were predicted using the template-based computational modeling. From the Nextstrain global database, we identified prevalent mutations of S-RBD of SARS-CoV-2 from December 2019 to April 2021. Pre- and post-vaccination time series forecasting models were developed based on the prediction of neutralizing antibody affinity scores for S-RBD of the variants. Results: the proportion of the B.1.1.7 variant in North America is growing rapidly, but the rate will reduce due to high affinity (~90%) to the neutralizing antibody once herd immunity is reached. Currently, the rates of isolation of B. 1.351, B.1.617, and P.1 variants are slowly increasing in North America. Herd immunity is able to relatively control these variants due to their low affinity (~70%) to the neutralizing antibody. The S-RBD of B.1.617 has a 110% increased affinity score to the human angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (hACE2) in comparison to the wild-type structure, making it highly infectious. Conclusion: The newly emerged B.1.351, B.1.617, and P.1 variants escape from vaccine-induced neutralizing immunity and continue circulating in North America in post- herd immunity era. Our study strongly suggests that a third dose of vaccine is urgently needed to cover novel variants with affinity scores (equal or less than 70%) to eliminate developing viral mutations and reduce transmission rates.
Stay on Target: Reengaging Cancer Vaccines in Combination Immunotherapy
Authors: Wolfson Benjamin , Franks S. Elizabeth , Hodge James W.
Published: May 2021

Effective treatment of established tumors requires rational multicombination immunotherapy strategies designed to target all functions of the patient immune system and tumor immune microenvironment. While these combinations build on the foundation of successful immune checkpoint blockade antibodies, it is increasingly apparent that successful immunotherapy will also require a cancer vaccine backbone to engage the immune system, thereby ensuring that additional immuno-oncology agents will engage a tumor-specific immune response. This review summarizes ongoing clinical trials built upon the backbone of cancer vaccines and focusing on those clinical trials that utilize multicombination (3+) immuno-oncology agents. We examine combining cancer vaccines with multiple checkpoint blockade antibodies, novel multifunctional molecules, adoptive cell therapy and immune system agonists. These combinations and those yet to enter the clinic represent the future of cancer immunotherapy. With a cancer vaccine backbone, we are confident that current and coming generations of rationally designed multicombination immunotherapy can result in effective therapy of established tumors.
Hepatitis B Vaccination in Senegalese Children: Coverage, Timeliness, and Sociodemographic Determinants of Non-Adherence to Immunisation Schedules (ANRS 12356 AmBASS Survey)
Authors: Périères Lauren , Marcellin Fabienne , Lo Gora , Protopopescu Camelia , Ba El , Coste Marion , Touré Kane Coumba , Maradan Gwenaëlle , Diallo Aldiouma , Sokhna Cheikh , Boyer Sylvie ,   on behalf of the ANRS 12356 AmBASS Survey Study Group
Published: May 2021

Detailed knowledge about hepatitis B virus (HBV) vaccination coverage and timeliness for sub-Saharan Africa is scarce. We used data from a community-based cross-sectional survey conducted in 2018–2019 in the area of Niakhar, Senegal, to estimate coverage, timeliness, and factors associated with non-adherence to the World Health Organisation-recommended vaccination schedules in children born in 2016 (year of the birth dose (BD) introduction in Senegal) and 2017–2018. Vaccination status was assessed from vaccination cards, surveillance data, and healthcare post vaccination records. Among 241 children with available data, for 2016 and 2017–2018, respectively, 31.0% and 66.8% received the BD within 24 h of birth (BD schedule), and 24.3% and 53.7% received the BD plus at least two pentavalent vaccine doses within the recommended timeframes (three-dose schedule). In logistic regression models, home birth, dry season birth, and birth in 2016 were all associated with non-adherence to the recommended BD and three-dose schedules. Living over three kilometres from the nearest healthcare post, being the firstborn, and living in an agriculturally poorer household were only associated with non-adherence to the three-dose schedule. The substantial proportion of children not vaccinated according to recommended schedules highlights the importance of considering vaccination timeliness when evaluating vaccination programme effectiveness. Outreach vaccination activities and incentives to bring children born at home to healthcare facilities within 24 h of birth, must be strengthened to improve timely HBV vaccination.
Study on Friction in Automotive Shock Absorbers Part 1: Friction Simulation Using a Dynamic Friction Model in the Contact Zone of an FEM Model
Authors: Herzog Ludwig , Augsburg Klaus
Published: May 2021

The important change in the transition from partial to high automation is that a vehicle can drive autonomously, without active human involvement. This fact increases the current requirements regarding ride comfort and dictates new challenges for automotive shock absorbers. There exist two common types of automotive shock absorber with two friction types: The intended viscous friction dissipates the chassis vibrations, while the unwanted solid body friction is generated by the rubbing of the damper’s seals and guides during actuation. The latter so-called static friction impairs ride comfort and demands appropriate friction modeling for the control of adaptive or active suspension systems. In this article, a simulation approach is introduced to model damper friction based on the most friction-relevant parameters. Since damper friction is highly dependent on geometry, which can vary widely, three-dimensional (3D) structural FEM is used to determine the deformations of the damper parts resulting from mounting and varying operation conditions. In the respective contact zones, a dynamic friction model is applied and parameterized based on the single friction point measurements. Subsequent to the parameterization of the overall friction model with geometry data, operation conditions, material properties and friction model parameters, single friction point simulations are performed, analyzed and validated against single friction point measurements. It is shown that this simulation method allows for friction prediction with high accuracy. Consequently, its application enables a wide range of parameters relevant to damper friction to be investigated with significantly increased development efficiency.
Marine Microalgae Contribution to Sustainable Development
Authors: Merlo Simone , Gabarrell Durany Xavier , Pedroso Tonon Angela , Rossi Sergio
Published: May 2021

The burning of fossil fuels is an unsustainable activity, which is leading to an increase in greenhouse gases (GHGs) emissions and related global warming. Among sustainable energy sources, microalgae represent a promising alternative to fossil fuel and contribute to the achievement of important Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In particular, the potential contribution of marine microalgae to sustainable development is large as, among other benefits, they represent a carbon negative energy source and may be applied in many coastal areas around the world. Despite this, significant economic and technological improvements are needed in order to make microalgae biofuels viable on a large scale. This review aims to explore how and to what extent third-generation biofuels (marine microalgae, but also the latest advances in freshwater microalgae) can benefit the realization of these SDGs. From this study we concluded that the production of large-scale marine microalgae biofuels is not yet feasible from the economic perspective at a large scale. However, the cultivation of microalgae in seawater holds great potential for increasing the small to medium viability of this biofuel source. The possibilities for improvement along with the contributions to sustainable development lay the groundwork for continuing to study and apply the potential of sustainable production of microalgae bioenergy.
Risk Analysis and Optimization of Water Surface Deviation from Shafts in the Filling–Emptying System of a Mega-Scale Hydro-Floating Ship Lift
Authors: Liu Jingkai , Hu Yaan , Li Zhonghua , Xue Shu
Published: May 2021

Hydro-floating ship lifts are a milestone in the field of high dam navigation. In order to ensure the running safety of a hydro-floating ship lift, the effective integration of a numerical simulation method and cloud model theory was carried out to deal with the hydrodynamic risks presented by water surface deviations from the shafts in the filling–emptying system such as a lock. In this study, the average values of water surface deviation from the shafts were 0.2, 0.22 and 0.24 m, through numerical simulation on a similar hydro-floating ship lift at the lifting heights of 80, 100 and 120 m, respectively. An increase in the lifting height causes the water surface deviation from the shafts to increase, and the hydrodynamic risk is greatly increased in the equal inertial pipeline filling–emptying system. In addition, the water surface deviations from the shafts of the equal inertial pipeline and longitudinal culvert filling–emptying system like a lock were compared. The longitudinal culvert was better at optimizing running safety in the filling–emptying system and dealing with the uncertainty of water surface deviation from the shafts. The results show that the numerical simulation method and cloud model theory can effectively control the risk of water surface deviation from the shafts and can be used to aid in decision-making for risk prevention in relation to hydro-floating ship lifts.
Study on the Exploitation Scheme of Groundwater under Well-Canal Conjunctive Irrigation in Seasonally Freezing-Thawing Agricultural Areas
Authors: Yang Yang , Zhu Yan , Mao Wei , Dai Heng , Ye Ming , Wu Jingwei , Yang Jinzhong
Published: May 2021

The suitable groundwater exploitation scheme in freezing-thawing agricultural areas under the well-canal conjunctive irrigation conditions is confronted with two major challenges, which are computationally expensive local grid refinements along wells, and the model suitability problem in the freezing-thawing period. In this study, an empirical method for groundwater level prediction in the freezing-thawing period was developed and integrated with the local grid refinement groundwater model MODFLOW-LGR for the groundwater process prediction. The model was then applied to estimate the suitable groundwater exploitation scheme, including the size of well-irrigated area and the irrigation area of single well. The results showed that suitable size of well-irrigated area should be smaller than 15 × 106 m2, and the recommended irrigation area of single well as 15 × 104 m2 to 19 × 104 m2. The recommended layout parameters of groundwater exploitation were further used to plan the well-canal conjunctive irrigation scheme in Yongji irrigation district located in northern China. This study provides an important pilot example of the conjunctive use of groundwater and surface water in arid irrigation areas with a seasonal freezing-thawing period.