bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Modeling and visualization of the changes of flow in the modular paver using ANSYS FLUENT
Authors: Salwa M Z M , Amirah A S N , Kamarudzaman A N , Hassan Z , Zainol Noor Ainee , Makhtar Muaz Mohd Zaini , Mahyun A W
Published: January 2023

Increasing quantity of stormwater runoff is natural but problematic consequences of urbanization. In addressing the issue, the porous pavement usage with modular installation system has been the new alternative being experimented instead of the traditional impervious asphalt and concrete pavers. The effectiveness of porous pavement depends upon the media materials used. This study examined the potentials of an invented surface fill arrangement to be used in conjunction with the hexagonal modular system where the media tested consists of granular activated carbon (GAC), sand and zeolite. The resulting optimum bed heights of 5 cm, 5 cm and 0 cm respectively for the GAC, sand and zeolite, corroborated with the outcome of employing the optimization function, thus validating the reliability of the given arrangement. Modeling using CFD ANSYS FLUENT software and visualizing the changes in the hexagonal module filled with GAC and sand of 5 cm thickness each resulted in a flow velocity of 3.5 x 10−5 m/s while a physical experiment on the fixed filter bed media consisting of the two materials gave an unsaturated velocity of 3.08 x 10−5 m/s. The 12 % difference between the experimental and simulated velocities was considered acceptable. The results showed that GAC and sand can be used as the media for the modular paver system that treats stormwater for heavy metals contamination while serving as a practical porous pavement alternative.
Analysis of water pollution problem Belawan waters
Authors: Pane Yunita , Ridwan Fahmi Muhammad , Hassan Zulkarnain , Sembiring Desi Sri Pasca Sari
Published: January 2023

Indoor This study was conducted to determine water pollution conditions and pollutants entering Belawan waters. Exploration research methods are carried out about water pollution in Belawan of Indonesia. Data on pollution in Belawan is categorized as polluted where the average level of lead-heavy metal in the body of blood clams in Belawan coastal waters reaches 0.042 ppm, the analysis results of Pb metal in Belawan waters in the Electric Steam Power Plant (PLTU) area (24, 12 ppm), mangroves (26.91), and the area around fishermen (11.18 ppm), all of which have passed the quality standard threshold. Water Quality Management and Water Pollution Control related to Pb Quality Standard based on the attachment of PP no 82 of 2001 is Pb < 0.1 mg/L. The content of COD and BOD in water was studied to describe the amount of organic matter dissolved in the water, in the study stated that COD and BOD are indicators to determine water quality. The physical and chemical conditions of Belawan waters are still in the feasible category, measured from Ph, BOD, and DO which are still within the proper limit, this is because the ecosystem and natural habitat are still in balance, then seen from the high diversity of macrozoobenthos, it can be said that polluted with medium-high categorized in Belawan waters.
Potential of pretreated palm kernel shell on pyrolysis
Authors: Ahmad R , Santiagoo R , Ahmad A.G , Mohammed S.A , Wan Ahmad W.A.M , Vijean V , Ibrahim N.R
Published: January 2023

The impact of pretreatment on palm kernel shell (PKS) with torrefaction for the possibility of pyrolysis is discussed in this study. PKS samples were torrefied at different holding times of 30 and 60 minutes at temperatures of 200, 225, 250, 275, and 300 °C. In a fixed-bed reactor with a constant nitrogen flow rate of 500 ml/min, torrefaction pretreatment was carried out. The elemental composition, mass, and energy yield, as well as proximate analysis, were all performed on the pretreated PKS. The optimised pretreated PKS was pyrolyzed next at a temperature of 400 to 550 °C in a fixed-bed reactor. The outcomes demonstrated that the pretreated PKS had a significant mass and energy yield at a temperature of 250 °C and a holding time of 30 min. PKS’s calorific value and carbon content both rose after pretreatment. However, the oxygen and moisture content decreased for pretreated PKS. The maximum bio-oil production of 58% was achieved during the pyrolysis of pretreated PKS at a temperature of 500 °C. At higher temperature of 550 °C, the bio-oil decreased due to secondary cracking reaction. Consequently, the pretreated PKS has greater potential as effective feedstock for successive proses particularly pyrolysis for bio-oil production.
Microbial Fuel Cell as New Renewable Energy for Simultaneous Waste Bioremediation and Energy Recovery
Authors: Zamri Muhammad Lutfan Aiman , Makhtar Salwa Mohd Zaini , Sobri Mohamad Farhan Mohamad , Makhtar Muaz Mohd Zaini
Published: January 2023

Microbial fuel cell (MFC) is an outstanding technology recently creating the headlines relating to energy and environment field that been discovered since the earlier 20th century. It has been furthered implemented for energy renewable through simultaneous bioremediation of wastes. MFC works by converting chemical energy store in the waste into electrical energy with the help of selected microorganisms. Regarding to this, the principle of bioremediation was applied using MFC as the renewable energy where the microorganisms consume the substrate thus generating electrical energy. Many studies done by researches are mostly focusing on MFC utilizing waste and measuring the power generation on different type of MFC but lack of studies on the effect of series and parallel circuit in MFC setup and how does it differentiate the outcome of the studies. This paper reviews the history, working principle, design of MFC, classification of different substrates and its power output and the effect of series and parallel circuit of MFC setup for simultaneous bioremediation and energy recovery.
Influence of Torrefaction on Sewage Sludge
Authors: Ahmad R , Ahmad A.G , Mohammed S.A , Wan Ahmad W.A.M , Vijean V , Santiagoo R , Ibrahim N.R , Udin N
Published: January 2023

Sewage sludge (SS) from sewage treatment plants has been seen as a waste for decades and little attention to investigate the potential and its beneficial product. SS contain a large amount of recoverable energy; however, it has high moisture, ash, heavy metals, and organic contents. Thus, the goal of this research is to use torrefaction to produce upgraded or torrefied SS. The proximate and ultimate analysis was used to determine the physical and chemical characteristic of raw SS. Torrefaction was performed through inert atmosphere in fixed bed reactor. According to the findings, at torrefaction temperature of 300 °C, torrefaction had improved the quality of raw SS, increasing its fixed carbon content by 47.8%, and its moisture content by 61.3%. The optimum temperature for torrefaction was at 300 °C with holding time of 60 minutes. This study improved the quality of sewage sludge to be utilised in subsequent thermochemical conversion.
Numerical analysis on the effect of the intermediate diaphragm on the concrete bridge to the acceleration and frequency under moving load
Authors: Kamal Ir. Wan Ikram Wajdee Wan Ahmad , Ibrahim Izni Syahrizal , Padil Khairul Hazman , Umar Sarehati , Lee Han-Seung , Singh Jitendra Kumar
Published: January 2023

For the goal of construction simplicity, when considering the addition of an intermediate diaphragm (ID) to the bridge deck construction, particularly for beam-to-slab bridges, the majority of engineers were found to be passive. This took place as a result of the perception that ID does not significantly contribute to improving structural capacity, particularly for bridge deck structures and structurally as a whole. The constructability issue now is also playing an issue for this beam-to-slab bridge, which has been thought to slow down the construction speed since its location in the middle of the span is an unsupported region, which makes it a bit difficult to fix and cast both reinforcement and concrete. As a result of the omittance of ID, adverse impacts have taken place on the beam slab bridge, particularly on the medium span where moderate vibration has been triggered, which is categorized as minor resonance due to traffic crossing, primarily big trucks being loaded, on the bridge deck itself. The results of the numerical study using Abaqus software, it was revealed that the presence of ID improved the vibration level in terms of acceleration and natural frequency, resulting in significant improvements in riding comfort.
Determination on The Optimum Percentage of Rubberized Engineered Cementitious Composite (RECC) as Fine Aggregate Replacement in Mortar
Authors: Jafri N , Rosli M I F , Ghani K D A , Aziz A Abdul , Zakaria N , Md Zahir S Sharih
Published: January 2023

This study aims to determine the optimal percentage of Rubberized Engineered Cementitious Composite (RECC) as fine aggregate replacement in mortar. Various percentages of crumb rubber with 0%, 5%, 10%, 15%, and 20% are used as a partial replacement of fine aggregate. The mortar was subjected to a compressive strength test to evaluate crumb rubber strength performance with varying percentages. The mortar specimen was examined to determine the optimal percentages of Engineered Cementitious Composite (ECC) containing variable percentages of crumb rubber as a partial fine aggregate replacement for 7, 14, and 28 days. The compressive strength test was used until the ECC failed. This study has been carried out using 54 sample mortar cubes with 50 mm cube specimen sizes. As a result, of increased crumb rubber addition into ECC, the compressive strength was significantly reduced, which could be attributed to the low stiffness of crumb rubber and the expanded closing pores in the cement paste. The performance of RECC as a mortar improves in terms of energy dissipation and ductility as used in the compressive strength test. The optimal percentage of crumb rubber as replacement partial fine aggregate is 5%.
Integration of vegetation layer with lightweight foam concrete roof and active moving-air-cavity for attic temperature reduction
Authors: Yew Ming Chian , Tang Kai Feng , Yew Ming Kun , Saw Lip Huat , Yeo Wei Hong , Ng Tan Ching
Published: January 2023

The roof is the primary heat source for landed buildings since it is exposed to the sun. This will lead to significant heat gain in the attic, causing thermal discomfort for the indoor dwellers and increasing cooling loads. An ideal cool roof system plays an important role in inhibiting excessive heat gain and lowering the cooling load for attic temperature reduction. The experiment was conducted indoors by projecting two 500 W halogen spotlights at each roof model to replace the sunlight. The temperature of roof surface, attic, and moving-air-cavity (MAC) were measured using K-type thermocouples. The variation of temperature versus time for each roof model was compared against the predecessor design and base model. Significantly, with the cool roof model integrating vegetation layer, lightweight foam concrete roof tile, and active MAC with solar-powered fans, the attic temperature remained cool at 26.9 °C with a rate of 0.003 °C/min, 96.77% lower than the based model with reinforced concrete roof. The outstanding performance is due to the inventive cool roof system comprising the ability to minimize the heat gain while circulating the hot air efficiently in keeping the attic cool.
The characteristics and production method between glazed and unglazed of ceramic and porcelain tiles by firing process: A review
Authors: Izam Najwa Syahirah Mohamed Nor , Itam Zarina , Beddu Salmia , Razeman Nurul Aqilah , Syamsir Agusril , Zawawi Mohd Hafiz , Zahari Nazirul Mubin , Kamal Nur Liyana Mohd , Mohamad Daud
Published: January 2023

This paper reviews the difference between glazed and unglazed ceramic and porcelain tiles, other than the fact that glazed tiles undergo an additional phase in the firing process. Both tiles are made of clay and burned in a kiln, but porcelain is a particular sort of ceramic. Porcelain clays have a greater density and are burnt at a higher temperature for a longer period time than ceramic clays. This makes it denser and more durable than ceramic tile. The variation in components and production process results in tiles with distinct properties. Although glazed ceramic and porcelain tiles are a little less robust in terms of density and thickness than their unglazed counterpart, they allow for a wider range of styles and colours. Some varieties of glazed tile are fired at higher temperatures than others, and therefore are harder as well. Unglazed tiles are denser and thicker than glazed tiles due to their unfinished appearance. In addition to safety, ceramic and unglazed ceramic tiles are scratch resistant. Because they have the colour of the mineral deposits from which the clay was originally mined, these tiles have a natural aesthetic. The major difference between ceramic and porcelain tiles is how it’s made. In conclusion, porcelain tiles are superior to ceramic tiles based on these reviews.
Design and experimental results of a 28 GHz, 400 kW gyrotron for electron cyclotron resonance heating
Authors: SUN Dimin , HUANG Qili , HU Linlin , HU Peng , ZHUO Tingting , MA Guowu , CHEN Hongbin , MA Hongge
Published: January 2023

A high-power 28 GHz gyrotron has been successfully developed at the Institute of Applied Electronics, China Academy of Engineering Physics. This gyrotron was designed for electron cyclotron resonance heating (ECRH) in the spherical tokamak XL-50. A diode magnetron injection gun was designed to produce the required gyrating electron beam. The gyrotron operates in the TE8,3 mode in a cylindrical open cavity. An internal quasi-optical mode converter was designed to convert the operating mode into a fundamental Gaussian wave beam and separate the spent electron beam from the outgoing microwave power. A tube has been built and successfully tested. The operational frequency of the tube is 28.1 GHz. For beam parameters at an accelerating voltage of 71 kV and beam current of 16 A, the gyrotron has delivered an output power of 400 kW, with a pulse length of 5 s. The output efficiency is about 50% with a single-stage depressed collector. The gyrotron has been installed on the XL-50 and has played an important role in the ECRH experiments.
A multiplexed synthesizer for non-Gaussian photonic quantum state generation
Authors: Melalkia M F , Huynh J , Tanzilli S , D’Auria V , Etesse J
Published: January 2023

Disposing of simple and efficient sources for photonic states with non-classical photon statistics is of paramount importance for implementing quantum computation and communication protocols. In this work, we propose an innovative approach that drastically simplifies the preparation of non-Gaussian states as compared to previous proposals, by taking advantage from the multiplexing capabilities offered by modern quantum photonics tools. Our proposal is inspired by iterative protocols, where multiple resources are combined one after the other for obtaining high-amplitude complex output states. Here, conversely, a large part of the protocol is performed in parallel, by using a single projective measurement along a mode which partially overlaps with all the input modes. We show that our protocol can be used to generate high-quality and high-amplitude Schrödinger cat states as well as more complex states such as error-correcting codes. Remarkably, our proposal can be implemented with experimentally available resources, highlighting its straightforward feasibility.
Internationalism in climate action and China’s role
Authors: Kyriakopoulou Danae , Xia Lucie Qian , Xie Chunping
Published: January 2023

The world is facing dual challenges of generating an economic recovery from the COVID-19 crisis, and transitioning to a low-carbon economy to tackle climate change. Strongly interrelated global challenges will require an integrated and coordinated response by all countries to manage the risk and lay the foundation for building back better. As the world’s biggest emitter and the second-largest economy, China is a very important player in international collaboration and coordination in climate action. Against this backdrop, this paper looks into the increasingly crucial role that China is playing in global climate action, especially focusing on three aspects: China’s domestic and foreign policymaking for the energy transition; its role in promoting multilateralism and international collaboration on building a sustainable world; and how it could accelerate climate action and diplomacy through research, development and innovation. In the critical decade of the 2020s, China has a great opportunity to further transform and upgrade its energy and industrial structures, promote research, development and the application of green and low-carbon technologies and intensify international climate cooperation on climate change. China should aim to be at the forefront of raising climate ambition and accelerating climate action for a sustainable and more equitable world.
PLSDA-batch: a multivariate framework to correct for batch effects in microbiome data
Authors: Wang Yiwen , Lê Cao Kim-Anh
Published: January 2023

Microbial communities are highly dynamic and sensitive to changes in the environment. Thus, microbiome data are highly susceptible to batch effects, defined as sources of unwanted variation that are not related to and obscure any factors of interest. Existing batch effect correction methods have been primarily developed for gene expression data. As such, they do not consider the inherent characteristics of microbiome data, including zero inflation, overdispersion and correlation between variables. We introduce new multivariate and non-parametric batch effect correction methods based on Partial Least Squares Discriminant Analysis (PLSDA). PLSDA-batch first estimates treatment and batch variation with latent components, then subtracts batch-associated components from the data. The resulting batch-effect-corrected data can then be input in any downstream statistical analysis. Two variants are proposed to handle unbalanced batch x treatment designs and to avoid overfitting when estimating the components via variable selection. We compare our approaches with popular methods managing batch effects, namely, removeBatchEffect, ComBat and Surrogate Variable Analysis, in simulated and three case studies using various visual and numerical assessments. We show that our three methods lead to competitive performance in removing batch variation while preserving treatment variation, especially for unbalanced batch $\times $ treatment designs. Our downstream analyses show selections of biologically relevant taxa. This work demonstrates that batch effect correction methods can improve microbiome research outputs. Reproducible code and vignettes are available on GitHub.
Context-dependent gene regulatory network reveals regulation dynamics and cell trajectories using unspliced transcripts
Authors: Tu Yueh-Hua , Juan Hsueh-Fen , Huang Hsuan-Cheng
Published: January 2023

Gene regulatory networks govern complex gene expression programs in various biological phenomena, including embryonic development, cell fate decisions and oncogenesis. Single-cell techniques are increasingly being used to study gene expression, providing higher resolution than traditional approaches. However, inferring a comprehensive gene regulatory network across different cell types remains a challenge. Here, we propose to construct context-dependent gene regulatory networks (CDGRNs) from single-cell RNA sequencing data utilizing both spliced and unspliced transcript expression levels. A gene regulatory network is decomposed into subnetworks corresponding to different transcriptomic contexts. Each subnetwork comprises the consensus active regulation pairs of transcription factors and their target genes shared by a group of cells, inferred by a Gaussian mixture model. We find that the union of gene regulation pairs in all contexts is sufficient to reconstruct differentiation trajectories. Functions specific to the cell cycle, cell differentiation or tissue-specific functions are enriched throughout the developmental process in each context. Surprisingly, we also observe that the network entropy of CDGRNs decreases along differentiation trajectories, indicating directionality in differentiation. Overall, CDGRN allows us to establish the connection between gene regulation at the molecular level and cell differentiation at the macroscopic level.
ENCD: a manually curated database of experimentally supported endocrine system disease and lncRNA associations
Authors: Hao Ming , Qi Yue , Xu Rongji , Zhao Kangqi , Li Mingqing , Shan Yongyan , Xia Tian , Yang Kun , Hasi Wuyang , Zhang Cong , Li Daowei , Wang Yi , Wang Peng , Kuang Hongyu
Published: January 2023

ENCD (http://www.bio-server.cn/ENCD/) is a manually curated database that provides comprehensive experimentally supported associations among endocrine system diseases (ESDs) and long non-coding ribonucleic acid (lncRNAs). The incidence of ESDs has increased in recent years, often accompanying other chronic diseases, and can lead to disability. A growing body of research suggests that lncRNA plays an important role in the progression and metastasis of ESDs. However, there are no resources focused on collecting and integrating the latest and experimentally supported lncRNA–ESD associations. Hence, we developed an ENCD database that consists of 1379 associations between 35 ESDs and 501 lncRNAs in 12 human tissues curated from literature. By using ENCD, users can explore the genetic data for diseases corresponding to the body parts of interest as well as study the lncRNA regulating mechanism for ESDs. ENCD also provides a flexible tool to visualize a disease- or gene-centric regulatory network. In addition, ENCD offers a submission page for researchers to submit their newly discovered endocrine disorders-genetic data entries online. Collectively, ENCD will provide comprehensive insights for investigating the ESDs associated with lncRNAs.

Database URL http://www.bio-server.cn/ENCD
Surgical resection and epicardial lead implantation for primary cardiac lymphoma with a complete atrioventricular block: a case report
Authors: Shigeno Ryo , Okada Taiji , Koyama Tadaaki , Furukawa Yutaka
Published: January 2023

Background

Primary cardiac lymphoma (PCL) is a rare cardiac tumour with various presentations, which might cause a complete atrioventricular (AV) block, which can, in turn, cause heart failure symptoms.

Case summary

We report a case of a 55-year-old woman with a chief complaint of exertional dyspnoea. Her vital signs showed bradycardia, and electrocardiography revealed a complete AV block. Transthoracic echocardiography revealed a large intra-cardiac mass in the right atrium. Full-body positron emission tomography showed an elevated fluorodeoxyglucose uptake in the right atrial mass, interatrial septum, and wall of the left atrium. Since the tumour could obstruct the tricuspid valve, urgent tumour debulking surgery and epicardial lead implantation were performed. Histopathological examination results were consistent with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. After several courses of chemotherapy, we kept her in complete remission of the tumour for 2 years.

Discussion

Primary cardiac lymphoma was complicated by a complete AV block and diagnosed by using the samples that we obtained in the surgery. A surgical resection of the tumour and epicardial lead implantation, combined with chemotherapy, can be an option, especially in patients who require cardiac surgery.
Shifting Punishment onto Minorities: Experimental Evidence of Scapegoating
Authors: Bauer Michal , Cahlíková Jana , Chytilová Julie , Roland Gérard , Želinský Tomáš
Published: January 2023

Do members of a majority group systematically shift punishment onto innocent members of an ethnic minority? We introduce an experimental paradigm, punishing the scapegoat game, to measure how injustice affecting a member of one's own group shapes punishment of an unrelated bystander. When no harm is done, we find no evidence of discrimination against the ethnic minority (Roma people in Slovakia). In contrast, when a member of one's own group is harmed, the punishment ‘passed’ onto innocent individuals more than doubles when they are from the minority, as compared to when they are from the dominant group.
Population genetic analysis of the microsporidium Ordospora colligata reveals the role of natural selection and phylogeography on its extremely compact and reduced genome
Authors: Angst Pascal , Ebert Dieter , Fields Peter D
Published: January 2023

The determinants of variation in a species’ genome-wide nucleotide diversity include historical, environmental, and stochastic aspects. This diversity can inform us about the species’ past and present evolutionary dynamics. In parasites, the mode of transmission and the interactions with the host might supersede the effects of these aspects in shaping parasite genomic diversity. We used genomic samples from 10 populations of the microsporidian parasite Ordospora colligata to investigate present genomic diversity and how it was shaped by evolutionary processes, specifically, the role of phylogeography, co-phylogeography (with the host), natural selection, and transmission mode. Although very closely related microsporidia cause diseases in humans, O. colligata is specific to the freshwater crustacean Daphnia magna and has one of the smallest known eukaryotic genomes. We found an overlapping phylogeography between O. colligata and its host highlighting the long-term, intimate relationship between them. The observed geographic distribution reflects previous findings that O. colligata exhibits adaptations to colder habitats, which differentiates it from other microsporidian gut parasites of D. magna predominantly found in warmer areas. The co-phylogeography allowed us to calibrate the O. colligata phylogeny and thus estimate its mutation rate. We identified several genetic regions under potential selection. Our whole-genome study provides insights into the evolution of one of the most reduced eukaryotic genomes and shows how different processes shape genomic diversity of an obligate parasite.
Obstetric, neonatal, and child health outcomes following embryo biopsy for preimplantation genetic testing
Authors: Alteri Alessandra , Cermisoni Greta Chiara , Pozzoni Mirko , Gaeta Gerarda , Cavoretto Paolo Ivo , Viganò Paola
Published: January 2023

BACKGROUND

Preimplantation genetic testing (PGT) of embryos developed in vitro requires a biopsy for obtaining cellular samples for the analysis. Signs of cell injury have been described in association with this procedure. Thus, the consequences of the biopsy on obstetric and neonatal outcomes have been the subject of some quantitative analyses, although the reliability of data pooling may be limited by important issues in the various reports.

OBJECTIVE AND RATIONALE

The present review identifies evidence for whether pregnancies conceived after embryo biopsy are associated with a higher risk of adverse obstetric, neonatal, and long-term outcomes. Available evidence has been summarized considering manipulation at various stages of embryo development.

SEARCH METHODS

We used the scoping review methodology. Searches of article databases were performed with keywords pertaining to the embryo biopsy technique and obstetric, neonatal, and postnatal outcomes. Studies in which embryos were biopsied at different stages (i.e. both at the cleavage and blastocyst stages) were excluded. We included data on fresh and frozen embryo transfers. The final sample of 31 documents was subjected to qualitative thematic analysis.

OUTCOMES

Sound evidence is lacking to fully address the issues on the potential obstetric, neonatal or long-term consequences of embryo biopsy. For polar body biopsy, the literature is too scant to draw any conclusion. Some data, although limited and controversial, suggest a possible association of embryo biopsy at the cleavage stage with an increased risk of low birthweight and small for gestational age neonates compared to babies derived from non-biopsied embryos. An increase in preterm deliveries and birth defects in cases of trophectoderm biopsy was suggested. For both biopsy methods (at the cleavage and blastocyst stages), an increased risk for hypertensive disorders of pregnancy was found. However, these findings may be explained by confounders such as other embryo manipulation procedures or by intrinsic patient or population characteristics.

WIDER IMPLICATIONS

Since there is inadequate evidence to assess obstetric, neonatal, and long-term health outcomes following embryo biopsy, an invasive PGT strategy should be developed with a cautious approach. A non-invasive approach, based on the analysis of embryo cell-free DNA, needs to be pursued to overcome the potential limitations of embryo biopsy.
Policy enabling North Atlantic right whale reproductive health could save the species
Authors: Moore Michael J
Published: January 2023

North Atlantic right whales (Eubalaena glacialis) risk extinction unless conservation measures not only reduce mortality but also enhance reproduction. Vessel collisions injure and kill by spinning propeller cuts or being hit with a blunt structure resulting in bone and soft tissue damage. Entanglement trauma includes sublethal injuries that can reduce their ability to reproduce, while lethal events include drowning, deep constricting wounds, and emaciation leading to death over months or years. Current regulations attempt to reduce mortality from vessel strikes and fishing gear entanglement off the eastern shores of the United States and Canada. However, sub-lethal stressors, especially entanglement, have exacerbated impacts from climate-driven food supply changes, resulting in a serious reduction in growth of individuals and calving rates. If consumers demand that their ship-borne goods and bottom-caught seafood be procured without serious welfare and health concerns for the whales, recovery is possible. We need the will to widely employ the tools of vessel speed restrictions and acoustic retrieval of bottom traps and nets without a persistent vertical line in the water column to reduce sub-lethal as well as lethal trauma. Thus, consumers should pressure legislators, endangered species managers, and suppliers for far broader protections than currently exist.
P04 Dual pH/enzyme-responsive capsules of ciprofloxacin; a strategy to maximize the efficacy against infection causing superbugs such as MRSA and Pseudomonas aeruginosa
Authors: Nwabuife Joshua C , Omolo Calvin A , Abdallah Eman Ismail , Gafar Mohammed Ali , Mohammed Mahir , Rambharose Sanjeev , Govender Thirumala
Published: January 2023

Background

Antimicrobial resistance is a public health problem of global concern and there is a high turnover of antibiotics developing resistance when compared with new drugs being developed. Therefore, there is a need to develop multifunctional systems that protect and potentiate the current drug on the market. Herein, we present novel dual pH/enzyme-responsive capsules for ciprofloxacin free base (CFB) delivery against MRSA and P. aeruginosa.

Methods

Nano capsules preparation was carried out using the interfacial deposition method and was characterized for their physicochemical properties, as well as binding activities to HAase, and in vitro antibacterial properties. The preliminary biocompatibility was also evaluated via MTT assay.

Results

The cytotoxicity results revealed the viability of the MCF-7 celines to be above 75% after exposure to the prepared capsules, therefore indicating its biosafety. Capsules had hydrodynamic diameter (DH), polydispersity index (PDI) and a surface-charge (ζ) of 261.4 ± 0.70 nm, 0.26 ± 0.01, and −15.2 ± 2.36 mV at pH 7.4 and 258.9 ± 2.51 nm, 0.28±0.01, and −5.27 ± 0.12 mV at pH 6 respectively, with an entrapment efficiency (EE%), of 85.63 ± 2.83%. Results from the release study indicated a faster CFB release from the prepared capsules at pH 6 compared with pH 7.4 confirming pH-responsive drug release. Also, upon the addition of HAase enzyme, the release rate of CFB at pH 7.4 was faster compared with the capsules without the enzyme at the same pH. MST results showed the prepared capsules to have a higher binding activity to bacterial enzyme HAase compared with the natural substrate with Kd of 0.1325 ± 0.0099 μM. Capsules were seen to show a better antibacterial efficacy compared with bare CFB with 16-fold and 128-fold recorded at pH 7.4; 128-fold and 8-fold recorded at pH 6, against MRSA and P. aeruginosa, respectively. Intracellular component leakage studies revealed the capsules to destroy the cell wall of the bacteria, thereby causing a greater reduction in the quantity of intracellular constituents such as protein and DNA, compared with bare CFB. Also, capsules showed better inhibition of efflux pump by a show of higher fluorescence intensity compared with bare CFB.

Conclusions

Thus, the prepared capsules are a potential nano delivery system for CFB antibiotics, with the potential of improving the antibacterial efficacy of CFB against infections and disease condition induced by MRSA and P. aeruginosa.
P13 Association of biofilm production with multidrug resistance in clinical isolates of Pseudomonas aeruginosa
Authors: Nawaz Zeeshan , Zahoor Muhammad Asif , Siddique Abu Baker , Abdulhaq Nazia
Published: January 2023

Background

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is among the most important cause of life threatening hospital acquired infections. It is considered as top listed public health threat worldwide due to its ability to produce toxins, virulence factors, biofilms and resist multiple antibiotics. Biofilm formation is a pathogenic mechanism harboured by this pathogen which further elevates its resistance to antibiotics and host defence system.

Objectives

To detect the phenotypic and genotypic biofilm forming potential and its association with multi drug resistance in P. aeruginosa clinical isolates.

Methods

In the present study, isolation of P. aeruginosa was performed by conventional and molecular method using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) from (n=200) clinical samples. Kirby Bauer method was performed for detection of MDR isolates. The biofilm forming ability of P. aeruginosa isolates was detected by microtitre plate assay (MPA) while the genes associated with biofilm formation (pelA and pslA) were detected by PCR.

Results

The results of study revealed that P. aeruginosa was detected in 26% (52/200) isolates with highest frequency 38.63% in burn wound samples followed by 22.22% in sputum samples and 20.58% in surgical wound samples. Highest resistant was found to ceftriaxone (94%) followed by meropenem (92%), imipenem (90%) and cefotaxime (90%) while (n=20) isolates were detected as MDR. Biofilm formation of variable degree was detected in 49 (94%) isolates. Additionally it was recorded that all the MDR isolates exhibits biofilm formation including 55% as moderately, 40% as strongly and 5% as weakly adherent. Among the MDR P. aeruginosa, the biofilm-associated gene pelA was detected in 95% while pslA was found in 90% isolates.

Conclusions

It was concluded that biofilm forming P. aeruginosa are more resistant to tested antibiotics and strongly linked with presence of pelA and pslA genes. This presence of MDR strains along with biofilm formation is depicting a lethal combination of bacterial armory that poses a serious threat for public health.
P15 Elizabethkingia anophelis became the major Elizabethkingia species in bacteraemia patients in Northern Taiwan
Authors: Chang Fu-chieh , Liu Chang-Pan , Lin Chih-Chen
Published: January 2023

Background

Elizabethkingia species are antibiotic-resistant microbes. It is a serious bacterial pathogen that can cause the patient to die. Thanks to the technology of sequencing, we can identify different strains of Elizabethkingia species. The Elizabethkingia genus currently comprises 6 species, E. meningoseptica, E. miricola, E. anophelis, E. bruuniana, E. ursingii and E. occul. In the previous study in Taiwan, E. meningoseptica was the major strain that caused infection from 2009 to 2016. But in another reference, we found that E. anophelis became the dominant strain in other countries. Due to this ascertainment, we did an experiment to check the true situation in Taiwan.

Methods

Because of the limitation of the tool, in our hospital, we could spread different strains of Elizabethkingia Species by the traditionally identified methods in our bacteria room. That's why we collected the bacteria to our bacteria bank for research. In this study, we collected 65 Elizabethkingia species from bacteraemia patients. And the storage period from January 2018 to June 2020. Then we used the DNA extraction kit to collect the DNA and did the PCR to check whether the target gene was detected or not. Once anoR gene was detected, it would be E. anophelis, if the mengF gene was detected, it would be E. meningoseptica, or if the ureGF gene was detected, it would be E. miricola.

Results

In this study, we found E. anophelis became the major species (37/65, 56.9%), and E. meningoseptica is the second most common species (28/65, 43.1%). We didn't find any E. miricola.

Conclusions

The transmission route of E. anophelis remains unclear. The case-fatality rate of patients with E. anophelis infection is critically high, ranging from 24% to 60%. To avoid hospital associated infection with E. anophelis, environment cleaning plays an important role. In a recent study, UVC machines can reduce the infection rate, and may be another solution for environment cleaning besides bleach wipes.
Inattention Matters: An Analysis of Consumers’ Inaction in Choosing a Water Tariff
Authors: Heiss Florian , Ornaghi Carmine , Tonin Mirco
Published: January 2023

This paper studies consumers’ choice between two different water tariffs. We document a large inaction in a novel setting where customers face a binary decision and receive simple, detailed, and personalized information about the financial savings they would obtain if they were to switch water tariff. Our empirical framework separates two sources of inertia: inattention and switching costs. The model estimates that half of the customers that would benefit from changing tariff are not aware of the opportunity they are offered. Conditional on paying attention, we estimate median switching costs to be around £100. A model where all customers are assumed to pay attention delivers instead implausibly high switching costs, with a median of £400. This shows the importance of inattention in explaining consumers’ inaction. Looking at the characteristics of the households, our results confirm previous findings that areas where households have higher levels of education or the proportion of minorities is lower display a higher responsiveness to potential savings. The new insight offered by our analysis is that this is entirely driven by attention, whereas switching costs actually increase with education and ethnic homogeneity. Our findings suggest that policies aimed at increasing attention can play a central role in fostering competition among suppliers and reducing inequalities.
A Brave New World: The Aarhus Convention in Tempestuous Times
Authors: Ryall Áine
Published: January 2023

The rights guaranteed under the Aarhus Convention enable individuals and environmental non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to act to defend the environment in the public interest. In these tempestuous times, where environmental democracy faces unprecedented challenges, the Convention stands firmly as a beacon of hope to deliver better outcomes for the environment and to protect human rights. This short commentary identifies new significant developments within the Aarhus framework concerning the protection of environmental defenders, the impact of the pandemic and the application of the Convention during armed conflict. It also reflects briefly on the more general issue of implementation.
Fracture prediction based on attenuative anisotropy theory and its application to a shale gas reservoir
Authors: Li Shikai , Wen Xiaotao , Pu Yong , Miao Zhiwei , Yuan Meng
Published: January 2023

Shale gas reservoirs require artificial hydraulic fracturing to achieve commercial gas production. Continental Jurassic shale reservoirs have several thin interlayers (e.g. sandstone and carbonate), which lead to pseudo-anisotropy of the seismic amplitude and velocity, and traditional technology for predicting anisotropic fractures has difficulty in identifying a true target. Based on the traditional theory of azimuthal anisotropy and the equivalent medium theory, in this paper, the approximate formula for the reflection coefficient of attenuating anisotropy and the equation for the azimuthal attenuating elastic impedance are derived. With the objective function established using Bayesian and group sparse inversion methods, parameters such as the fluid terms and fracture characteristics are obtained by solving the elastic matrix, and a highly accurate prediction of the 3D fracture density is obtained. The validity of this method is confirmed via a test on a single well and application to actual seismic data for a shale gas reservoir.
Field Evaluation of In2Care Mosquito Traps to ControlAedes aegyptiandAedes albopictus(Diptera: Culicidae) in Hawai’i Island
Authors: Brisco Katherine K , Jacobsen Christopher M , Seok Sangwoo , Wang Xiaodi , Lee Yoosook , Akbari Omar S , Cornel Anthony J
Published: January 2023

Aedes aegypti Linnaeus and Aedes albopictus Skuse are vectors of dengue virus and responsible for multiple autochthonous dengue outbreaks in Big Island, Hawai’i. Control of Ae. aegypti and Ae. albopictus has been achieved in In2Care trap trials, which motivated us to investigate this potential control approach in the Big Island. Our In2Care trial was performed in the coastal settlement of Miloli’i in the southwest of Big Island where both Ae. aegypti and Ae. albopictus are found. This trial starting in the second week of July and ending in the last week of October 2019 fell within the traditional wet season in Miloli’i. No significant reduction in egg or adult counts in our treatment areas following 12 wk of two In2Care trap placements per participating household were observed. In fact, an increase in numbers of adults during the trial reached levels that required the local mosquito abatement program to stop the In2Care trap trial and institute a thorough source reduction and treatment campaign. The source reduction campaign revealed a large variety and quantity of water sources competed with the oviposition cups we had placed, which likely lowered the chances of our oviposition cups being visited by pyriproxyfen-contaminated Aedes adults exiting the In2Care traps.
Unusual blood smear with multiple stages of Plasmodium falciparum infection and intraleukocytic malaria pigments in an expatriate with severe malaria and delayed clearance of parasites
Authors: Javelle Emilie , Carvelli Julien , Delandre Océane , Gendrot Mathieu , Fonta Isabelle , Mosnier Joel , Benoît Nicolas , Madamet Marilyn , L’Ollivier Coralie , Pradines Bruno
Published: January 2023

A French expatriate in Ethiopia presented with severe Plasmodium falciparum infection. The blood smear was remarkable associating multiple stages of parasites including circulating schizonts with a high rate of intraleukocytic malaria pigments. Under artesunate treatment, without polymorphism in PfK13 gene, delayed clearance of parasites occurred, probably following the massive merogony.
Homeostasis of Arabidopsis R protein RPS2 is negatively regulated by the RING-type E3 ligase MUSE16
Authors: Huang Yan , Li Junhao , Huang Tingting , Bai Xue , Li Qi , Gong Yihan , Hoy Ryan , He Zhouqing , Liu Jing , Liao Jinqiu , Yuan Ming , Ding Chunbang , Li Xin , Cai Yi
Published: January 2023

The homeostasis of resistance (R) proteins in plants must be tightly regulated to ensure precise activation of plant immune responses upon pathogen infection, while avoiding autoimmunity and growth defects when plants are uninfected. It is known that CPR1, an F-box protein in the SCF E3 complex, functions as a negative regulator of plant immunity through targeting the resistance (R) proteins SNC1 and RPS2 for degradation. However, whether these R proteins are also targeted by other E3 ligases is unclear. Here, we isolated Arabidopsis MUSE16, which encodes a RING-type E3 ligase, from a forward genetic screen and suggest that it is a negative regulator of plant immunity. Unlike CPR1, knocking out MUSE16 alone in Arabidopsis is not enough to result in defense-related dwarfism, since only RPS2 out of the tested R proteins accumulated in the muse16 mutants. Thus, our study identifies a novel E3 ligase involved in the degradation of nucleotide-binding and leucine-rich repeat (NLR) R proteins, support the idea that ubiquitin-mediated degradation is a fine-tuned mechanism for regulating the turnover of R proteins in plants, and that the same R protein can be targeted by different E3 ligases for regulation of its homeostasis.
Angular momentum transfer in QPEs from galaxy nuclei
Authors: King Andrew
Published: January 2023

A suggested model for quasi-periodic eruptions (QPEs) from galaxy nuclei invokes a white dwarf in an eccentric orbit about the central massive black hole. I point out that the extreme mass ratio allows the presence of strong Lindblad resonances in the accretion disc. These are important for the stability of mass transfer and may trigger the eruptions themselves by rapidly transferring angular momentum from the accretion disc (which is likely to be eccentric itself) to the orbiting WD companion at pericentre. I consider the effects of von Zeipel–Lidov–Kozai (ZLK) cycles caused by a perturber on a more distant orbit about the central black hole. I show that ZLK cycles can change the orbital periods of QPE systems on time-scales much shorter than the mass transfer time, as seen in ASASSN-14ko, and produce correlated short-term variations of their mass transfer rates and orbital periods, as recently observed in GSN 069. Further monitoring of these sources should constrain the parameters of any perturbing companions. This, in turn, may constrain the nature of the events creating QPE systems and perhaps give major insights into how the central black holes in low-mass galaxies are able to grow.
Tailored Regulatory Interventions
Authors: Brakman Reiser Dana , Dean Steven A.
Published: January 2023

This chapter envisions responses to philanthropic innovation that may appear less ambitious than those Congress offered a half-century ago but in truth represent a radical leap beyond the Grand Bargain. Requiring donor-advised funds to clearly and publicly name recipients for dormant assets, carefully easing strictures targeted at “self-dealing” by foundations, and making benefit reports mainstream could allow lawmakers to shrink the gap between the public’s expectations of for-profit philanthropy and what the powerful individuals and organizations leading the charge ultimately deliver. On their own, none of these narrow proposals would rebuild the trust between elites and the public the Grand Bargain once provided. But—even without a new strategic compact to restore a balance of power that time has shifted in favor of elites—targeted measures could help the public believe that for-profit philanthropy addresses urgent problems of today, rather than merely burnishing the images of the wealthiest Americans.