bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Characteristics of Flow over Rectangular Labyrinth Weirs with Round Corners
Authors: Yousif Omed S. Q. , Abdulrahman Kawa Z. , Qadir Wazira , Ali Ahang S. , Karakouzian Moses
Published: October 2021

The hydraulic performance of round-cornered rectangular labyrinth weirs with varying weir heights and effective lengths has not been explored in the existing literature to the authors’ knowledge. The purpose of this experimental study was to see how the height and effective length of round-cornered rectangular labyrinth weirs affect their discharge efficiency. Nine flat-crested rectangular labyrinth weirs made of high-density polyethylene (HDPE) were tested in a rectangular flume under various discharges to fulfill the goals of this study. The discharge coefficients for the weirs were then calculated. The hydraulic efficiency of weirs with round corners increases as the weir height (P) increases, according to the findings; however, with effective length of the weir to channel width ratios (LC/B) ≤ 1.78, the effect of the weir height diminishes. For the HT/P ranges used in this study, 0.1 ≤ HT/P ≤ 0.65, the round-cornered rectangular labyrinth weirs with higher LC/B ratios (greater M values) showed improved hydraulic efficiency. Furthermore, the effects of the round-cornered rectangular labyrinth weirs’ headwater inflation can be mitigated by increasing the effective length of the weirs;by increasing M values (LC/B ratios). Using multiple linear regression analysis, a satisfactory correlation equation was found between discharge coefficients of round-cornered rectangular labyrinth weirs, CB, and the other parameters, LC, P, and h.
A GIS-Cellular Automata-Based Model for Coupling Urban Sprawl and Flood Susceptibility Assessment
Authors: Stamellou Evangelia , Kalogeropoulos Kleomenis , Stathopoulos Nikolaos , Tsesmelis Demetrios E. , Louka Panagiota , Apostolidis Vasileios , Tsatsaris Andreas
Published: October 2021

In Urban Planning (UP), it is necessary to take under serious consideration the inhibitors of the spread of a settlement in a specific direction. This means that all those parameters for which serious problems may arise in the future should be considered. Among these parameters are geo-hazards, such as floods, landslides, mud movement, etc. This study deals with UP taking into account the possibility of widespread flooding in settlement expansion areas. There is a large flooding history in Greece, which is accompanied by a significant number of disasters in different types of land use/land cover, with a large financial cost of compensation and/or rehabilitation. The study area is the drainage basin of Erasinos River in the Attica Region, where many and frequent flood events have been recorded. The main goal of this study is to determine the flood susceptibility of the study area, taking into account possible factors that are decisive in flood occurrence. Furthermore, the flood susceptibility is also determined, taking into account the scenarios of precipitation and the urban sprawl scenario in the area of reference. The study of flood events uses the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) model and the urban sprawl model SLEUTH, which calibrates historical urban growth, using open and cost-free data and software. Eventually, flood susceptibility maps were overlaid with future urban areas to find the vulnerable areas. Following, three scenarios of flood susceptibility with the corresponding susceptibility maps and vulnerability maps, which measure the flood susceptibility of the current and future urban space of the study area, are presented. The results have shown significant peaks in the moderate class of flood susceptibility, while, in the third scenario, high values of flood susceptibility seem to appear. The proposed methodology and specifically the output maps can serve as a decision support tool to assist urban planners and hazard managers in making informed decisions towards sustainable urban planning.
Environmental Factors and Endometriosis
Authors: Polak Grzegorz , Banaszewska Beata , Filip Michał , Radwan Michał , Wdowiak Artur
Published: October 2021

Endometriosis is a common disease, affecting up to 60–80% of women, with pelvic pain or/and infertility. Despite years of studies, its pathogenesis still remains enigmatic. Genetic, hormonal, environmental, and lifestyle-related factors may be involved in its pathogenesis. Thus, the design of the review was to discuss the possible role of environmental factors in the development of endometriosis. The results of individual studies greatly differ, making it very difficult to draw any definite conclusions. There is no reasonable consistency in the role of environmental factors in endometriosis etiopathogenesis.
Landfill Leachate from an Urban Solid Waste Storage System Produces Genotoxicity and Cytotoxicity in Pre-Adolescent and Young Adults Rats
Authors: Torres-González Omar Ricardo , Sánchez-Hernández Ivan Moisés , Flores-Soto Mario Eduardo , Chaparro-Huerta Verónica , Soria-Fregozo Cesar , Hernández-García Laura , Padilla-Camberos Eduardo , Flores-Fernández José Miguel
Published: October 2021

Landfill leachate is a complex mixture of organic and inorganic molecules, as well as environmental pollutants that can cause harm to ecosystems and living beings. The micronucleus test in peripheral blood erythrocytes was used to evaluate the genotoxic and cytotoxic effects of exposure to a landfill leachate from an outdoor solid waste storage system on Wistar strain rats at different developmental stages, pre-adolescents and young adults, and the heavy metal content of the leachate was determined by atomic absorption spectrometry. Contents of arsenic, cadmium, chromium, mercury, and lead in the landfill leachate were outside the allowable international standards, and the exposure to the landfill leachate caused genotoxic and cytotoxic effects on Wistar rats, where the pre-adolescent animals were more susceptible to the toxics contained in the landfill leachate than young adults. Heavy metals contained in landfill leachate, individually or synergically with other molecules can be responsible for clastogenic and cytotoxic effects that can be harmful to humans and ecosystems.
Tuberculosis and Silicosis Burden in Artisanal and Small-Scale Gold Miners in a Large Occupational Health Outreach Programme in Zimbabwe
Authors: Moyo Dingani , Zishiri Christopher , Ncube Ronald , Madziva Godknows , Sandy Charles , Mhene Reginald , Siziba Nicholas , Kavenga Fungai , Moyo Florence , Muzvidziwa Orippa , Ncube Petronella , Chigaraza Blessings , Nyambo Andrew , Timire Collins
Published: October 2021

Artisanal and small-scale miners (ASMs) labour under archaic working conditions and are exposed to high levels of silica dust. Exposure to silica dust has been associated with an increased risk of tuberculosis and silicosis. ASMs are highly mobile and operate in remote areas with near absent access to health services. The main purpose of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of tuberculosis, silicosis and silico-tuberculosis among ASMs in Zimbabwe. A cross-sectional study was conducted from 1 October to 31 January 2021 on a convenient sample of 514 self-selected ASMs. We report the results from among those ASMs who attended an outreach medical facility and an occupational health clinic. Data were collected from clinical records using a precoded data proforma. Data variables included demographic (age, sex), clinical details (HIV status, GeneXpert results, outcomes of chest radiographs, history of tuberculosis) and perceived exposure to mine dust. Of the 464 miners screened for silicosis, 52 (11.2%) were diagnosed with silicosis, while 17 (4.0%) of 422 ASMs were diagnosed with tuberculosis (TB). Of the 373 ASMs tested for HIV, 90 (23.5%) were sero-positive. An HIV infection was associated with a diagnosis of silicosis. There is need for a comprehensive occupational health service package, including TB and silicosis surveillance, for ASMs in Zimbabwe. These are preliminary and limited findings, needing confirmation by more comprehensive studies.
Lysophosphatidic Acid Receptor 6 (LPAR6) Is a Potential Biomarker Associated with Lung Adenocarcinoma
Authors: He Jian , Gao Rui , Meng Mei , Yu Miao , Liu Chengrong , Li Jingquan , Song Yizhi , Wang Hui
Published: October 2021

LPAR6 is the most recently determined G-protein-coupled receptor of the lysophosphatidic acid receptor, and very few of studies have demonstrated the performance of LPAR6 in cancers. Moreover, the relationship of LPAR6 to the potential of prognosis and tumor infiltration immune cells in different types of cancer are still unclarified. In this study, the mRNA expression of LPAR6 and its clinical characteristics were evaluated on various databases. The association between LPAR6 and immune infiltrates of various types of cancer were investigated via TIMER. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) for LPAR6 in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) and lung squamous cell carcinoma (LUSC) tissue microarray with patients’ information was detected. We constructed a systematic prognostic landscape in a variety of types of cancer base on the expression level of mRNA. We enclosed that higher LPAR6 mRNA expression level was associated with better overall survival in some types of malignancy. Moreover, LPAR6 significantly affects the prognostic potential of various cancers in The Cancer Genome Atlas Program (TCGA), especially in lung cancer. Tissue microarrays of lung cancer patient cohorts demonstrated that a higher protein level of LPAR6 was correlated to better overall survival of LUAD rather than LUSC cohorts. Further research indicated that the underlying mechanism of this phenome might be the mRNA expression level of LPAR6 was positively associated to infiltrating statuses of devious immunocytes in LUAD rather than in LUSC, that is, LPAR6 expression potentially contributes to the activation and recruiting of T cells (CD8+ T, naive T, effector T cell) and NK cells and inactivates Tregs, decreases T cell exhaustion and regulates T-helper (Th) cells in LUAD. Our discovery implies that LPAR6 is associated with prognostic potential and immune-infiltrating levels in LUAD. These discoveries imply that LPAR6 could be a promising novel biomarker for indicating the prognosis potential of LUAD patients.
The Influence of Nursing Home, Ward, and Eldercare Workers on the Number of Resident Handlings Performed per Shift in Eldercare
Authors: Kyriakidis Stavros , Stevens Matthew L. , Karstad Kristina , Søgaard Karen , Holtermann Andreas
Published: October 2021

The purpose of our study was to investigate which organizational levels and factors determine the number of resident handlings in eldercare. We conducted a multi-level study, stratified on day and evening shifts, including information on four levels: nursing homes (n = 20), wards within nursing homes (day, n = 120; evening, n = 107), eldercare workers within wards (day, n = 619; evening, n = 382), and within eldercare workers (i.e., days within eldercare workers; day, n = 5572; evening, n = 2373). We evaluated the influence of each level on the number of resident handlings using variance components analysis and multivariate generalized linear mixed models. All four levels contributed to the total variance in resident handlings during day and evening shifts, with 13%/20% at “nursing homes”, 21%/33% at “wards within nursing homes”, 25%/31% at “elder-care workers within wards”, and 41%/16% “within eldercare workers”, respectively. The percentage of residents with a higher need for physical assistance, number of residents per shift, occupational position (only within day shifts), and working hours per week (only within day shifts) were significantly associated with the number of resident handlings performed per shift. Interventions aiming to modify number of resident handlings in eldercare ought to target all levels of the eldercare organization.
Did Financial Consumers Benefit from the Digital Transformation? An Empirical Investigation
Authors: Park Soojin , Kesuma Prida Erni , Cho Man
Published: October 2021

This study aimed to test, through empirical investigation, how the rapid advancement of digital transformation (DT) has impacted the price of financial services. To this end, we compiled a set of macro-level indicators on the aggregate outcomes of the financial services sector in Korea over the last three decades and conducted an analysis to gauge the effects of DT on the country using those indicators. Using the ARDL-ECM (autoregressive distributed lag error-correction model), we show that, over time, the unit cost of financial intermediation in Korea has tended to move in tandem with the growth in economic output, although the profit portion of the unit cost has not exhibited a long-term relationship with the GDP trend. The long-term effect of the DT trend is negative (i.e., cost-saving) for labor input, capital expenditure, and the total unit cost of financial intermediation, which are all shown to be statistically significant. Consequently, we conclude that DT contributed to enhancing consumer benefit, mainly by achieving the operational efficiency of labor and capital, from 1990 to 2019 in Korea. From a policy perspective, our finding implies that DT-driven innovation in the sector can benefit financial customers if excessive levels of profit are restrained through market competition.
The Era of Janus Kinase Inhibitors for Inflammatory Bowel Disease Treatment
Authors: Kim Jin-Woo , Kim Su-Young
Published: October 2021

For a significant proportion of patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), primary non-response and secondary loss of response to treatment remain significant issues. Anti-tumor necrosis factor therapies have been licensed for use in IBD. Other disease-related pathways have been targeted as well, including the interleukin 12/23 axis and lymphocyte tracking. However, the need for parenteral administration and the associated costs of dispensing and monitoring all biologics remain a burden on healthcare systems and patients. Janus kinase inhibitors are small-molecule drugs that can be administered orally and are relatively inexpensive, thus offering an additional option for treating IBD. They have been shown to be effective in patients with ulcerative colitis (UC), but they are less effective in those with Crohn’s disease (CD). Nonetheless, given the immune-system-based mechanism of these drugs, their safety profile remains a cause for concern. This article provides an overview of Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitors and new trends in the treatment of IBD.
Tackling the Biological Meaning of the Human Olfactory Bulb Dyshomeostatic Proteome across Neurological Disorders: An Integrative Bioinformatic Approach
Authors: Cartas-Cejudo Paz , Lachén-Montes Mercedes , Fernández-Irigoyen Joaquín , Santamaría Enrique
Published: October 2021

Olfactory dysfunction is considered an early prodromal marker of many neurodegenerative diseases. Neuropathological changes and aberrant protein aggregates occur in the olfactory bulb (OB), triggering a tangled cascade of molecular events that is not completely understood across neurological disorders. This study aims to analyze commonalities and differences in the olfactory protein homeostasis across neurological backgrounds with different spectrums of smell dysfunction. For that, an integrative analysis was performed using OB proteomics datasets derived from subjects with Alzheimer’s disease (AD), Parkinson’s disease (PD), mixed dementia (mixD), dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB), frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD-TDP43), progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) with respect to OB proteome data from neurologically intact controls. A total of 80% of the differential expressed protein products were potentially disease-specific whereas the remaining 20% were commonly altered across two, three or four neurological phenotypes. A multi-level bioinformatic characterization revealed a subset of potential disease-specific transcription factors responsible for the downstream effects detected at the proteome level as well as specific densely connected protein complexes targeted by several neurological phenotypes. Interestingly, common or unique pathways and biofunctions were also identified, providing novel mechanistic clues about each neurological disease at olfactory level. The analysis of olfactory epithelium, olfactory tract and primary olfactory cortical proteotypes in a multi-disease format will functionally complement the OB dyshomeostasis, increasing our knowledge about the neurodegenerative process across the olfactory axis.
Human Islet Amyloid Polypeptide Overexpression in INS-1E Cells Influences Amylin Oligomerization under ER Stress and Oxidative Stress
Authors: Yoo Yeong-Min , Joo Seong Soo
Published: October 2021

Human amylin or islet amyloid polypeptide (hIAPP) is synthesized in the pancreatic β-cells and has been shown to contribute to the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes (T2D) in vitro and in vivo. This study compared amylin oligomerization/expression and signal transduction under endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and oxidative stress. pCMV-hIAPP-overexpressing INS-1E cells presented different patterns of amylin oligomerization/expression under ER stress and oxidative stress. Amylin oligomerization/expression under ER stress showed three amylin oligomers of less than 15 kDa size in pCMV-hIAPP-overexpressing cells, while one band was detected under oxidative stress. Under ER stress conditions, HIF1α, p-ERK, CHOP, Cu/Zn-SOD, and Bax were significantly increased in pCMV-hIAPP-overexpressing cells compared to the pCMV-Entry-expressing cells (control), whereas p-Akt, p-mTOR, Mn-SOD, catalase, and Bcl-2 were significantly decreased. Under oxidative stress conditions, HIF1α, p-ERK, CHOP, Mn-SOD, catalase, and Bcl-2 were significantly reduced in pCMV-hIAPP-overexpressing cells compared to the control, whereas p-mTOR, Cu/Zn-SOD, and Bax were significantly increased. In mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS), the mitochondrial complex I and complex IV were significantly decreased under ER stress conditions and significantly increased under oxidative stress conditions in pCMV-hIAPP-overexpressing cells compared to the control. The present study results demonstrate that amylin undergoes oligomerization under ER stress in pCMV-hIAPP-overexpressing cells. In addition, human amylin overexpression under ER stress in the pancreatic β cells may enhance amylin protein aggregation, resulting in β-cell dysfunction.
Breeding Enhancement of Musca domestica L. 1758: Egg Load as a Measure of Optimal Larval Density
Authors: Hamidou Leyo Idriss , Moussa Ousmane Zakari , Noël Gregoire , Francis Frédéric , Caparros Megido Rudy
Published: October 2021

The amount of waste produced by the population creates general health problems in terms of public health and hygiene. In recent years the common housefly (Musca domestica L. 1758; Dipteran: Muscidae) has been widely used in the treatment of organic wastes. This study aims to assess the effect of egg loading of the common housefly on maggot development and waste reduction. Housefly larvae were reared at four egg loads (1.25, 2.5, 5, 10 mg) under three different diets (wheat bran, millet bran, cow dung). Two-factor ANOVA (α = 0.05) was used to test the effect of two fixed factors (egg load and substrate) on larval biomass, the survival rate from egg hatching until the last larval instar, number of larvae and substrate reduction rate. The comparison of means based on Duncan’s test was performed to compare the means of the different variables measured. Principal component analysis (PCA) was used to determine the relationship between the measured variables (larval biomass, the survival rate from egg hatching until the last larval instar, number of larvae, and substrate reduction rate) on the discrimination of the egg load factor. The results showed that under the same nutritional conditions, the yield of housefly larvae, the number of larvae and the reduction of substrates increased with increasing egg load. Indeed, at each of three substrates, the rearing egg load of 10 mg resulted in the maximum larval yield, maximum number of larvae, and maximum substrate reduction rate. At this optimum load, wheat bran generated greater biomass, greater number of larvae and greater reduction of substrate compared to millet bran and cow dung. The egg load as a whole had no effect on the survival rate from egg hatching until the last larval instar, unlike substrate type. The high egg load for the survival rate (from egg hatching until the last larval instar) for millet bran was 1.25 while there was no difference for the other two substrates. These results can help to make the waste treatment process efficient with the subsequent production of a large larval biomass that can serve as added value in animal feed. The egg load of 10 mg and the wheat bran were superior respectively to the other egg load and substrates type for all parameters tested excepted for the survival rate (from egg hatching until the last larval instar). Ours study indicated that larval biomass, larval number, egg viability and substrate rate reduction of Musca domestica are affected by the egg load, substrate type and their interaction.
Stress Echocardiography Protocol for Deciding Type of Surgery in Ischemic Mitral Regurgitation: Predictors of Mitral Regurgitation Recurrence following CABG Alone
Authors: Piatkowski Radoslaw , Kochanowski Janusz , Budnik Monika , Peller Michal , Grabowski Marcin , Opolski Grzegorz
Published: October 2021

Purpose: Although coronary artery bypass grafting alone (CABGa), or, with mitral annuloplasty (CABGmp), is considered the best therapeutic strategy for patients with ischemic mitral regurgitation (IMR), some recurrences are still reported. The aim of this study was to evaluate the use of the mitral deformation indices (MDI) as a predictor of recurrence of mitral regurgitation in a 12-month follow-up after CABG alone. Methods: A total of 145 patients after myocardial infarction with significant IMR, eligible for CABG, were prospectively enrolled in the study. Mitral valve morphology, left ventricle function, IMR degree as assessed by effective regurgitation orifice area (ERO), myocardial viability, and MDI were assessed prior to surgery. Patients were referred for CABGa (gr.1; n = 90) or CABGmp (gr.2; n = 55) based on clinical assessment, and the results of rest and stress echocardiography (exercise echocardiography and low dose dobutamine echocardiography-DBX). One year after surgery, each patient underwent the evaluation of cardiovascular events. Univariable logistic regression analysis was used to identify the factors of recurrence of IMR in 1 year follow-up. Serial echo examinations were performed in all patients at discharge, and at 1 and 12 months after surgery. Results: Logistic regression analysis revealed that in CABGa, group preoperative changes of tenting area (TA) and coaptation high (CH) during DBX remained the predictors of the recurrence of IMR in 12 months follow-up. TAdbx > 1 cm2 provided a sensitivity of 90% and specificity of 29%, (AUC 0.6436). The best cut-off value for CHdbx was 0.4 cm (sensitivity 90%, specificity 34%; AUC 0.6432). In both groups (CABGa vs. CABGmp) no significant differences were observed in 12-month mortality (1.2% vs. 0%; p = 1.0), hospitalizations due to the heart failure (HF) exacerbation (5.9% vs. 8.5%; p = 0.72), and in the incidence of the composite endpoint (deaths/CV hosp/stroke) (7% vs. 8.5%; p = 0.742). Conclusions: The preoperative assessment of MDI changes during dbx can be used to identify patients with IMR qualified to CABG alone at increased risk of recurrence of IMR in 1 year follow-up. Mitral deformation analysis should be used for a better qualification of patients with IMR to the exact surgical approach.
The Improved Localized Equivalent-Weights Particle Filter with Statistical Observation in an Intermediate Coupled Model
Authors: Zhao Yuxin , Yang Shuo , Zhou Di , Deng Xiong , Zhu Mengbin
Published: October 2021

Data assimilation has been widely applied in atmospheric and oceanic forecasting systems and particle filters (PFs) have unique advantages in dealing with nonlinear data assimilation. They have been applied to many scientific fields, but their application in geoscientific systems is limited because of their inefficiency in standard settings systems. To address these issues, this paper further refines the statistical observation and localization scheme which used in the classic localized equivalent-weights particle filter with statistical observation (LEWPF-Sobs). The improved method retains the advantages of equivalent-weights particle filter (EWPF) and the localized particle filter (LPF), while further refinements incorporate the effect of time series on the reanalyzed data into the statistical observation calculations, in addition to incorporating the statistical observation proposal density into the localization scheme to further improve the assimilation accuracy under sparse observation conditions. In order to better simulate the geoscientific system, we choose an intermediate atmosphere-ocean-land coupled model (COAL-IC) as the experimental model and divide the experiment into two parts: standard observation and sparse observation, which are analyzed by the spatial distribution results and root mean square error (RMSE) histogram. In order to better analyze the characteristics of the improved method, this method was chosen to be analyzed in comparison with the localized weighted ensemble Kalman filter (LWEnKF), the LPF and classical LEWPF-Sobs. From the experimental results, it can be seen that the improved method is better than the LWEnKF and LPF methods for various observation conditions. The improved method reduces the RMSE by about 7% under standard observation conditions compared to the traditional method, while the advantage of the improved method is even more obvious under sparse observation conditions, where the RMSE is reduced by about 85% compared to the traditional method. In particular, this improved filter not only combine the advantage of the two algorithms, but also overcome the computing resources.
Factors Influencing Dietary Changes of Walleye Pollock, Gadus chalcogrammus, Inhabiting the East Sea off the Korean Coast
Authors: Park Joo-Myun , Jung Hae-Kun , Lee Chung-Il
Published: October 2021

This study examined the dietary patterns of walleye pollock, Gadus chalcogrammus, off the middle eastern coast of Korea between January 2016 and December 2017 to determine the influences of various predictors on dietary changes. Based on stomach content analyses, walleye pollock was found to be a demersal carnivore that mainly consumes carid shrimps, euphausiids, mysids, teleosts, and cephalopods. The main prey species identified in the diets of walleye pollock were Euphausia pacifica (euphausiids), Themisto japonicus (amphipods), Neomysis spp. (mysids), Neocrangon communis, Pandalus borealis (carid shrimps), Watasenia scintillans (cephalopods), and Bothrocara hollandi (teleosts), which are hyper-benthic and bentho-pelagic organisms. Dietary analyses based on the weight contributions of different prey taxa to the diets revealed significant variations in dietary composition in terms of fish size, water depth, and season, implying intraspecific dietary segregation. Euphausiids dominate the diets of smaller individuals (<30 cm TL), whereas the contributions of carid shrimps, teleosts, and cephalopods increase as body size increases. Similarly, the latter three prey items are dominant food resources in deeper habitats. The PERMANOVA results revealed that the size-related spatial and temporal changes in dietary composition are all significant for the species, as well as their two- or three-way interactions among those factors, except for the size-depth interaction. The coupling effect of size and depth is indicative of depth-dependent differences in fish sizes, with the tendency for larger individuals to be distributed in deeper habitats. In addition, seasonal and interannual variations in water column structures are also evident in the diets, which may, in part, account for the diet seasonality observed in the stomach content analysis. The dietary analyses of walleye pollock will improve our understandings to seek functional role of the species in benthic food webs, and to predict the effects of environmental and anthropogenic perturbations.
The Genomic and Transcriptomic Analyses of Floccularia luteovirens, a Rare Edible Fungus in the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau, Provide Insights into the Taxonomy Placement and Fruiting Body Formation
Authors: Liu Zhengjie , Lu Hongyun , Zhang Xinglin , Chen Qihe
Published: October 2021

Floccularia luteovirens is a famous and precious edible mushroom (Huang Mogu) on the Qinghai–Tibet plateau that has a unique flavor and remarkable medical functions. Herein, we report a reference-grade 27 Mb genome of F. luteovirens containing 7068 protein-coding genes. The genome component and gene functions were predicted. Genome ontology enrichment and pathway analyses indicated the potential production capacity for terpenoids, polyketides and polysaccharides. Moreover, 16 putative gene clusters and 145 genes coding for secondary metabolites were obtained, including guadinomine and melleolides. In addition, phylogenetic and comparative genomic analyses shed light on the precise classification of F. luteovirens suggesting that it belongs to the genus Floccularia instead of Armillaria. RNA-sequencing and comparative transcriptomic analysis revealed differentially expressed genes during four developmental stages of F. luteovirens, that of which helps to identify important genes regulating fruiting body formation for strain modification. This study will provide insight into artificial cultivation and increase the production of useful metabolites.
SARS-CoV-2 Prevalence in Laparoscopic Surgery Filters. Analysis in Patients with Negative Oropharyngeal RT-qPCR in a Pandemic Context: A Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Llueca Antoni , Barneo-Muñoz Manuela , Escrig Javier , de Llanos Rosa ,   on Behalf of COVID-Lap Working Group
Published: October 2021

Objective: Surgical societies of different specialties have lately demonstrated a growing concern regarding the potential risk of SARS-CoV-2 transmission during surgery, mainly via aerosols carrying SARS-CoV-2 particles during laparoscopy smoke evacuation. Since there is not sufficient scientific evidence to rule out this hypothesis, our study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of the appearance of SARS-CoV-2 genetic material in the in-filter membrane of the smoke filter systems, used in laparoscopic surgery, in a tertiary referral hospital during the peak phases of the pandemic. Methods: During the highest incidence of the pandemic outbreak, 180 laparoscopic smoke evacuation systems were collected from laparoscopies performed between April 2020 and May 2021 in University General Hospital of Castellón. As part of the safety protocol established as a result of the pandemic, an oropharyngeal reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was performed before surgery. We performed RT-qPCR tests for the detection and quantification of SARS-CoV-2 genetic material in the in-filter membranes extracted from the smoke evacuation systems. Results: We found two RT-qPCR positive in-filters from a sample of 128 patients with SARS-CoV-2-negative results in their oropharyngeal RT-qPCR, i.e., 1.6% (95% CI: 0.5–5.5%). From this estimation, the predictive posterior probabilities of finding n cases of negative oropharyngeal COVID-19 patients with positive filters increases with the increasing number of surgeries performed. Conclusions: This cross-sectional study provides evidence suggesting that airborne transmission of SARS-CoV-2 particles from smoke evacuation of aerosols carrying viral particles during laparoscopy should not be ruled out.
Subsidies and Economic and Financial Performance of Enterprises
Authors: Bojnec Štefan , Žampa Sabina
Published: October 2021

The aim of this article is to analyze the economic and financial performance of Slovenian enterprises, as a European Union (EU) member state case study. A favorable economic and financial performance is crucial for long-term sustainable enterprise growth and survival. Eight economic and financial performance indicators are used to evaluate the sustainability in the growth of enterprises: seven of them are financial indicators—assets, revenues from sales, equity, net profits, operating efficiency, return on equity, and value added per employee—while the eighth variable is the economic indicator for the number of employees. A distinction is made between enterprises that did and that did not receive subsidies from national and EU funds. Three enterprise-level data sources are combined in the empirical analysis: balance sheet data from enterprise accounts, own surveys data, and government data on public subsidies to enterprises. The mean values and standard deviations of economic and financial indicators based on balance sheet data for the years in two financial periods are estimated. The summary statistics for economic and financial indicators and correlation analysis are conducted and the results of the economic and financial indicators are compared using the parametric paired sample two-tailed t-test that allows comparison between the enterprises in the two financial periods. An increase in the economic and financial indicators is investigated by comparing the enterprises that did receive subsidies with the enterprises that did not receive subsidies in the two financial periods. The empirical results confirm that the value added per employee is the only financial indicator where a positive link is found between the financial indicator and subsidies. The results suggest that subsidies can be important for cash flow into enterprises, but entrepreneurial activities are crucial for favorable economic and financial performance and long-term sustainable growth in a competitive market environment.
Eco-Restoration of Coal Mine Spoil: Biochar Application and Carbon Sequestration for Achieving UN Sustainable Development Goals 13 and 15
Authors: Ghosh Dipita , Maiti Subodh Kumar
Published: October 2021

Open cast coal mining causes complete loss of carbon sink due to the destruction of vegetation and soil structure. In order to offset the destruction and to increase sequestration of carbon, afforestation is widely used to restore these mine spoils. The current field study was conducted to assess the ecosystem status, soil quality and C pool in an 8 years old reclaimed mine spoil (RMS), compared to a reference forest (RF) site and unamended mine spoil (UMS). Biochar (BC) prepared from invasive weed Calotropis procera was applied in this 8 year RMS at 30 t ha−1 (BC30) and 60 t ha−1 (BC60) to study its impact on RMS properties and C pool. Carbon fractionation was also conducted to estimate inorganic, coal and biogenic carbon pools. The C stock of 8 year old RMS was 30.98 Mg C ha−1 and sequestered 113.69 Mg C ha−1 CO2. BC30 and BC60 improved the C-stock of RMS by 31% and 45%, respectively, and increased the recalcitrant carbon by 65% (BC30) and 67% (BC60). Spoil physio-chemical properties such as pH, cation exchange capacity, moisture content and bulk density were improved by biochar application. The total soil carbon at BC30 (36.3 g C kg−1) and BC60 (40 g C kg−1) was found to be significantly high compared to RMS (21 g C kg−1) and comparable to RF (33 g C kg−1). Thus, eco-restoration of coal mine spoil and biochar application can be effective tools for coal mine reclamation and can help in achieving the UN sustainable development goal 13 (climate action) by increasing carbon sequestration and 15 (biodiversity protection) by promoting ecosystem development.
Spatially Explicit Fuzzy Cognitive Mapping for Participatory Modeling of Stormwater Management
Authors: White Corey T. , Mitasova Helena , BenDor Todd K. , Foy Kevin , Pala Okan , Vukomanovic Jelena , Meentemeyer Ross K.
Published: October 2021

Addressing “wicked” problems like urban stormwater management necessitates building shared understanding among diverse stakeholders with the influence to enact solutions cooperatively. Fuzzy cognitive maps (FCMs) are participatory modeling tools that enable diverse stakeholders to articulate the components of a socio-environmental system (SES) and describe their interactions. However, the spatial scale of an FCM is rarely explicitly considered, despite the influence of spatial scale on SES. We developed a technique to couple FCMs with spatially explicit survey data to connect stakeholder conceptualization of urban stormwater management at a regional scale with specific stormwater problems they identified. We used geospatial data and flooding simulation models to quantitatively evaluate stakeholders’ descriptions of location-specific problems. We found that stakeholders used a wide variety of language to describe variables in their FCMs and that government and academic stakeholders used significantly different suites of variables. We also found that regional FCM did not downscale well to concerns at finer spatial scales; variables and causal relationships important at location-specific scales were often different or missing from the regional FCM. This study demonstrates the spatial framing of stormwater problems influences the perceived range of possible problems, barriers, and solutions through spatial cognitive filtering of the system’s boundaries.
Bailando, me paso el día bailando y los vecinos mientras tanto no paran de molestar. Parar de + inf as an Interruptive Verbal Periphrasis in Spanish
Authors: Garachana Mar
Published: October 2021

The main aim of this paper is to describe the Spanish construction parar de + inf, an aspectual verbal periphrasis which expresses the interruption of the event referred to by the infinitive in affirmative clauses, and the continuity and repetition of this event in negative clauses. Parar de+ inf is a verbal periphrasis whose consolidation in Spanish occurred in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. The study on this structure is therefore associated with recent linguistic changes. Parar de + inf is a verbal periphrasis characteristic of the colloquial language, which has complicated the study of the real use of parar de + inf. The language used in situations of communicative proximity is under-represented in the corpora. Thus, estimates of the frequencies of use of linguistic forms associated with colloquial language forms should be taken with caution, as frequency of use may differ significantly across discourse traditions. In this regard, it is important to think about the role of frequency data in historical studies of language.
Argan Oil as a Rich Source of Linoleic Fatty Acid for Dietetic Structured Lipids Production
Authors: Simões Tiago , Ferreira Jessica , Lemos Marco F. L. , Augusto Ana , Félix Rafael , Silva Susana F. J. , Ferreira-Dias Suzana , Tecelão Carla
Published: October 2021

Argan oil is rich in long-chain unsaturated fatty acids (FA), mostly oleic and linoleic, and natural antioxidants. This study addresses the production of low-calorie structured lipids by acidolysis reaction, in a solvent-free system, between caprylic (C8:0; system I) or capric (C10:0; system II) acids and argan oil, used as triacylglycerol (TAG) source. Three commercial immobilized lipases were tested: Novozym® 435, Lipozyme® TL IM, and Lipozyme® RM IM. Higher incorporation degree (ID) was achieved when C10:0 was used as acyl donor, for all the lipases tested. Lipozyme® RM IM yielded the highest ID for both systems (28.9 ± 0.05 mol.% C10:0, and 11.4 ± 2.2 mol.% C8:0), being the only catalyst able to incorporate C8:0 under the reaction conditions for biocatalyst screening (molar ratio 2:1 FA/TAG and 55 °C). The optimal conditions for Lipozyme® RM IM in system II were found by response surface methodology (66 °C; molar ratio FA/TAG of 4:1), enabling to reach an ID of 40.9 mol.% of C10:0. Operational stability of Lipozyme® RM IM in system II was also evaluated under optimal conditions, after eight consecutive 24 h-batches, with biocatalyst rehydration between cycles. The biocatalyst presented a half-life time of 103 h.
Visualisation of Amphetamine Contamination in Fingerprints Using TOF-SIMS Technique
Authors: Szynkowska-Jóźwik Małgorzata I. , Maćkiewicz Elżbieta , Rogowski Jacek , Gajek Magdalena , Pawlaczyk Aleksandra , de Puit Marcel , Parczewski Andrzej
Published: October 2021

Time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (TOF-SIMS) was applied to detect traces of amphetamine on fingerprints. In the present study, three different lift tapes and latent powder fingerprints were tested. The obtained results show that it is possible to identify traces of a drug as well as its distribution over the tested fingerprint after its transfer from the primary base onto an adhesive lifter (secondary base). Moreover, images obtained by the TOF-SIMS technique enable the observation of very small areas of the analysed fingerprint as well as the identification of micro-objects (residues of a contaminant) that were left on the fingerprint. The use of the black latent fingerprint powder did not interfere with the TOF-SIMS analysis, which makes it possible to effectively use this technique to study the traces of substances on the revealed fingerprints.
High-Temperature Compressive Response of SiCp/6092Al Composites under a Wide Range of Strain Rates
Authors: Suo Yongyong , Li Jintao , Deng Zhilun , Wang Bo , Wang Quanzhao , Ni Dingrui , Jia Purong , Suo Tao
Published: October 2021

The high-temperature dynamic compressive properties of a 30 vol.% SiCp/6092Al composite, fabricated using powder metallurgy, were experimentally investigated using the split Hopkinson pressure bar system with an electric furnace. Three different ambient temperatures, namely, room temperature, 200 °C, and 350 °C, were adopted, and the dynamic tests of the composite specimens were conducted at strain rates ranging from 1500 to 4500 s−1. The experimental results showed that the flow stress of the composite was generally insensitive to strain rates at room temperature. However, the composite started exhibiting different strain-rate-dependent behaviors as the temperature increased, and the flow stress nonlinearly varied with increasing temperature. In addition, the microscopic images of the specimens showed that the microscopic failure mechanisms of the composite were greatly influenced by the ambient temperature and strain rate. Specifically, the percentage of failed particles decreased with rising temperature and the dominating failure mode of particles changed significantly as the strain rate increased.
A Study of Adhesion in Foamed WMA Binder-Aggregate Systems Using Boiling Water Stripping Tests
Authors: Chomicz-Kowalska Anna
Published: October 2021

The paper investigates the phenomena of adhesion in binder-aggregate systems produced to reflect warm-mix asphalt with water-foamed bitumen. The investigated materials included limestone and quartzite aggregates and a total of four asphalt binders: 50/70 and 45/80–55 bituminous binders obtained from two sources. The adhesive bonding between the asphalt binders and aggregates was evaluated in boiling water stripping tests, which results were quantified using digital image analysis. The bituminous binders were additionally tested for their dynamic viscosities, and their chemical composition was probed using FTIR spectroscopy. The tests were carried out using traditional liquid and foamed bituminous binders on samples prepared at temperatures characteristic of hot-mix asphalt and warm-mix asphalt production (20 °C decrease). The use of foamed binders yielded higher values of residual asphalt binder coverage of the aggregates. Limestone aggregates provided superior adhesion, with the lowest result amounting to approximately 88%, while with quartzite aggregates, the results ranged from approximately 40% to 87%. The refinery from which the asphalt binders were sourced had a significant influence on the results; however, the additional rheological and chemical analyses were insufficient to explain those differences. It was concluded that the process of asphalt binder foaming, per se, may have a beneficial impact on the resistance of the asphalt binder-aggregate system to the action of water.
Optimization of Abrasive Water Jet Machining of SiC Reinforced Aluminum Alloy Based Metal Matrix Composites Using Taguchi–DEAR Technique
Authors: Thangaraj Muthuramalingam , Ahmadein Mahmoud , Alsaleh Naser A. , Elsheikh Ammar H.
Published: October 2021

Since the importance of introducing new engineering materials is increasing, the need for machining such higher strength materials has also considerably increased. In the present research, an endeavor was made to introduce a Taguchi–DEAR methodology for the abrasive water-jet machining process, while machining a SiC-reinforced aluminum composite. Material removal rate, taper angle, and surface roughness were considered as the quality measures. The optimal arrangement of input process factors in the AWJM process was found to be 2800 bar (WP), 400 mg/min (AF), 1000 mm/min (FR), and 4 mm (SOD), among the chosen factors, with an error accuracy of 0.8%. The gas pressure had the most significance for formulating the performance measures, owing to its ability to modify the impact energy and crater size of the machined specimen.
An Optimal Weighted Combined Model Coupled with Feature Reconstruction and Deep Learning for Multivariate Stock Index Forecasting
Authors: Wang Jujie , Liao Yinan , Zhuang Zhenzhen , Gao Dongming
Published: October 2021

Stock index prediction plays an important role in the creation of better investment strategies. However, prediction can be difficult due to the random fluctuation of financial time series. In pursuit of improved stock index prediction, a hybrid prediction model is proposed in this paper, which contains two-step data pretreatment, double prediction models, and smart optimization. In the data pretreatment stage, in order to carry more information about the prediction target, multidimensional explanatory variables are selected by the Granger causality test, and to eliminate data redundancy, feature extraction is inserted with the help of principal component analysis; both of these can provide a higher-quality dataset. Bi-directional long short-term memory and bi-directional gated recurrent unit network, as the concurrent prediction models, can improve not only the precision, but also the robustness of results. In the last stage, the proposed model integrates the weight optimization of the cuckoo search of the two prediction results to take advantage of both. For the model performance test, four main global stock indices are used. The experimental results show that our model performs better than other benchmark models, which indicates the potential of the proposed model for wide application.