bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Qualitative Assessment of Agritourism Development Support Schemes in Italy, the USA and South Africa
Authors: Grillini Giulia , Sacchi Giovanna , Chase Lisa , Taylor Jacqui , Van Zyl Christelle C. , Van Der Merwe Peet , Streifeneder Thomas , Fischer Christian
Published: June 2022

Agritourism has grown rapidly in many countries worldwide. However, for all this success, little is known about the concrete implementation, actual extent, and effectiveness of public and private agritourism support measures aimed at keeping up farming and promoting agritourism. Hence, the objective of this study is to provide an overview and a comparison of agritourism supports and policies in different countries. To this purpose, specific political, legal, financial, and promotional instruments for agritourism have been investigated. The focus is on three countries with strong agritourism sectors and different socio-cultural characteristics: Italy, the USA, and South Africa. The analysis of these case study areas is motivated by examination of agritourism from different continents with a diverging status of development as well as history. Italy and the USA are two countries with well-established and successful agritourism sectors; however, these are based on very different framework conditions, resulting in specific development paths and various supportive driving factors. South Africa has been included as a representative case study of a developing country where agritourism operations are growing rapidly through the support of an active private sector association. By assessing commonalities and differences in public and private support backgrounds in three different continents, the present study represents the first exploratory attempt to understand the influences of public and private national and regional framework conditions for agritourism development. Our findings suggest that both public and private supports contribute to success; however, clear criteria and further research are needed in order to fully understand the implications.
Study on the Mechanical Behavior of Fluid–Solid Coupling in Shallow Buried Tunnels under Different Biased Terrain
Authors: Qiu Hongsheng , Qiu Ruihan , Luo Gang , Ayasrah Mo’men , Wang Zhe
Published: June 2022

In the construction of mountain tunnels, biased and water-rich strata are often encountered. During tunnel excavation, the fluid–solid coupling has a great influence on the stability of the surrounding rock. This effect will be more severe when the terrain is biased. The bias tunnel points out the asymmetric load of the rocks which are surrounding the tunnels through the drilling or construction process due to the topographic situation. These loads can cause inverse actions during tunnel construction. Therefore, the effect of fluid–solid coupling on the displacement field, stress field, and seepage field of the tunnel surrounding rock under different biased terrains are studied in this paper. In the context of the Youzishu tunnel project, the numerical model is established to define the degree of terrain bias. Besides, the concept of bias coefficient is introduced. To achieve what is needed, 10 sets of increasing bias coefficients are obtained, by changing the inclination of the terrain to study the influence of formation bias degree on tunnel excavation in water-rich formations. After an in-depth analysis of the simulation results, it is found that the influence of fluid–structure interaction cannot be ignored. By analyzing ten groups of data under different working conditions, the biased terrain will aggravate this effect. As far as the displacement field of the surrounding rock is concerned, the biased formation has a greater impact on the deeply buried side than on the shallow-buried side, and has a greater impact on the vault than on the arch bottom. In addition, by analyzing the stress field and seepage field of the surrounding rock, a similar result can be obtained: the influence of formation bias on the deeply buried side is greater than that on the shallow-buried side, and the biased terrain will increase the pore pressure outside the tunnel lining and increase the water inflow. Finally, the locations where the displacement, stress, water pressure, and water inflow are the largest during the tunnel excavation process are found by the simulations and analyzed. Thus, attention can be paid to these locations, permitting a focus on protection during the construction process.
The Effects of the Harmful Algal Bloom Species Karenia brevis on Survival of Red Porgy (Pagrus pagrus) Larvae
Authors: Litaker Richard Wayne , Bogdanoff Alex K. , Hardison Donnie Ransom , Holland William C. , Ostrowski Andrew , Morris James A.
Published: June 2022

The harmful algal bloom species, Karenia brevis, forms annual, often intense blooms in the Gulf of Mexico, particularly along the west Florida shelf. Though the ability of K. brevis blooms to cause mass mortalities in juvenile fish are well documented, the direct effect of bloom concentrations on larval fish has not been studied extensively. To better understand the potential effect of K. brevis on larval fish survival, laboratory spawned red porgy (Pagrus pagrus) larvae from 4–26 days post-hatch were exposed to concentrations of K. brevis observed in the field for either 24 or 48 h. This species is representative of fish which spawn in regions of the Gulf of Mexico and whose larvae are epipelagic and may encounter K. brevis blooms. In this study, three different K. brevis strains varying in the amount of brevetoxin produced were tested. Larval survivorship was found to be inversely proportional to the amount of brevetoxin produced by each strain. The EC50 value from the combined 24 h experiments was ~163,000 K. brevis cells L−1, which corresponds to cell concentrations found in moderately dense blooms. Larval mortality also increased substantially in the 48 h versus 24 h exposure treatments. These findings indicate K. brevis blooms have the potential to contribute to natural mortality of fish larvae and further reduce inter-annual recruitment of fishery species whose stocks in the Gulf of Mexico may already be depleted.
Sequence-Specific Features of Short Double-Strand, Blunt-End RNAs Have RIG-I- and Type 1 Interferon-Dependent or -Independent Anti-Viral Effects
Authors: Kannan Abhilash , Suomalainen Maarit , Volle Romain , Bauer Michael , Amsler Marco , Trinh Hung V. , Vavassori Stefano , Schmid Jana Pachlopnik , Vilhena Guilherme , Marín-González Alberto , Perez Ruben , Franceschini Andrea , Mering Christian von , Hemmi Silvio , Greber Urs F.
Published: June 2022

Pathogen-associated molecular patterns, including cytoplasmic DNA and double-strand (ds)RNA trigger the induction of interferon (IFN) and antiviral states protecting cells and organisms from pathogens. Here we discovered that the transfection of human airway cell lines or non-transformed fibroblasts with 24mer dsRNA mimicking the cellular micro-RNA (miR)29b-1* gives strong anti-viral effects against human adenovirus type 5 (AdV-C5), influenza A virus X31 (H3N2), and SARS-CoV-2. These anti-viral effects required blunt-end complementary RNA strands and were not elicited by corresponding single-strand RNAs. dsRNA miR-29b-1* but not randomized miR-29b-1* mimics induced IFN-stimulated gene expression, and downregulated cell adhesion and cell cycle genes, as indicated by transcriptomics and IFN-I responsive Mx1-promoter activity assays. The inhibition of AdV-C5 infection with miR-29b-1* mimic depended on the IFN-alpha receptor 2 (IFNAR2) and the RNA-helicase retinoic acid-inducible gene I (RIG-I) but not cytoplasmic RNA sensors MDA5 and ZNFX1 or MyD88/TRIF adaptors. The antiviral effects of miR29b-1* were independent of a central AUAU-motif inducing dsRNA bending, as mimics with disrupted AUAU-motif were anti-viral in normal but not RIG-I knock-out (KO) or IFNAR2-KO cells. The screening of a library of scrambled short dsRNA sequences identified also anti-viral mimics functioning independently of RIG-I and IFNAR2, thus exemplifying the diverse anti-viral mechanisms of short blunt-end dsRNAs.
Sequencing during Times of Change: Evaluating SARS-CoV-2 Clinical Samples during the Transition from the Delta to Omicron Wave
Authors: Feng Shuchen , Ali Mudassir S. , Evdokimova Monika , Reid Gail E. , Clark Nina M. , Uprichard Susan L. , Baker Susan C.
Published: June 2022

The pandemic of SARS-CoV-2 is characterized by the emergence of new variants of concern (VOCs) that supplant previous waves of infection. Here, we describe our investigation of the lineages and host-specific mutations identified in a particularly vulnerable population of predominantly older and immunosuppressed SARS-CoV-2-infected patients seen at our medical center in Chicago during the transition from the Delta to Omicron wave. We compare two primer schemes, ArticV4.1 and VarSkip2, used for short read amplicon sequencing, and describe our strategy for bioinformatics analysis that facilitates identifying lineage-associated mutations and host-specific mutations that arise during infection. This study illustrates the ongoing evolution of SARS-CoV-2 VOCs in our community and documents novel constellations of mutations that arise in individual patients. The ongoing evaluation of the evolution of SARS-CoV-2 during this pandemic is important for informing our public health strategies.
Low Intrahost and Interhost Genetic Diversity of Carnivore Protoparvovirus 1 in Domestic Cats during a Feline Panleukopenia Outbreak
Authors: Wang Xiuwan , Carrai Maura , Van Brussel Kate , Feng Shuo , Beatty Julia A. , Shi Mang , Holmes Edward C. , Li Jun , Barrs Vanessa R.
Published: June 2022

Feline panleukopenia (FPL), a highly contagious and frequently fatal disease of cats, is caused by Feline parvovirus (FPV) and Canine parvovirus (CPV). We characterised the diversity of these Carnivore protoparvovirus 1 variants in 18 faecal samples collected from domestic cats with FPL during an outbreak, using targeted parvoviral DNA metagenomics to a mean depth of >10,000 × coverage per site. All samples comprised FPV alone. Compared with the reference FPV genome, isolated in 1967, 44 mutations were detected. Ten of these were nonsynonymous, including 9 in nonstructural genes and one in VP1/VP2 (Val232Ile), which was the only one to exhibit interhost diversity, being present in five sequences. There were five other polymorphic nucleotide positions, all with synonymous mutations. Intrahost diversity at all polymorphic positions was low, with subconsensus variant frequencies (SVF) of <1% except for two positions (2108 and 3208) in two samples with SVF of 1.1–1.3%. Intrahost nucleotide diversity was measured across the whole genome (0.7–1.5%) and for each gene and was highest in the NS2 gene of four samples (1.2–1.9%). Overall, intrahost viral genetic diversity was limited and most mutations observed were synonymous, indicative of a low background mutation rate and strong selective constraints.
Identifying Structural Features of Nucleotide Analogues to Overcome SARS-CoV-2 Exonuclease Activity
Authors: Wang Xuanting , Tao Chuanjuan , Morozova Irina , Kalachikov Sergey , Li Xiaoxu , Kumar Shiv , Russo James J. , Ju Jingyue
Published: June 2022

With the recent global spread of new SARS-CoV-2 variants, there remains an urgent need to develop effective and variant-resistant oral drugs. Recently, we reported in vitro results validating the use of combination drugs targeting both the SARS-CoV-2 RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) and proofreading exonuclease (ExoN) as potential COVID-19 therapeutics. For the nucleotide analogues to be efficient SARS-CoV-2 inhibitors, two properties are required: efficient incorporation by RdRp and substantial resistance to excision by ExoN. Here, we have selected and evaluated nucleotide analogues with a variety of structural features for resistance to ExoN removal when they are attached at the 3′ RNA terminus. We found that dideoxynucleotides and other nucleotides lacking both 2′- and 3′-OH groups were most resistant to ExoN excision, whereas those possessing both 2′- and 3′-OH groups were efficiently removed. We also found that the 3′-OH group in the nucleotide analogues was more critical than the 2′-OH for excision by ExoN. Since the functionally important sequences in Nsp14/10 are highly conserved among all SARS-CoV-2 variants, these identified structural features of nucleotide analogues offer invaluable insights for designing effective RdRp inhibitors that can be simultaneously efficiently incorporated by the RdRp and substantially resist ExoN excision. Such newly developed RdRp terminators would be good candidates to evaluate their ability to inhibit SARS-CoV-2 in cell culture and animal models, perhaps combined with additional exonuclease inhibitors to increase their overall effectiveness.
Weekly Nowcasting of New COVID-19 Cases Using Past Viral Load Measurements
Authors: Khalil Athar , Al Handawi Khalil , Mohsen Zeina , Abdel Nour Afif , Feghali Rita , Chamseddine Ibrahim , Kokkolaras Michael
Published: June 2022

The rapid spread of the coronavirus disease COVID-19 has imposed clinical and financial burdens on hospitals and governments attempting to provide patients with medical care and implement disease-controlling policies. The transmissibility of the disease was shown to be correlated with the patient’s viral load, which can be measured during testing using the cycle threshold (Ct). Previous models have utilized Ct to forecast the trajectory of the spread, which can provide valuable information to better allocate resources and change policies. However, these models combined other variables specific to medical institutions or came in the form of compartmental models that rely on epidemiological assumptions, all of which could impose prediction uncertainties. In this study, we overcome these limitations using data-driven modeling that utilizes Ct and previous number of cases, two institution-independent variables. We collected three groups of patients (n = 6296, n = 3228, and n = 12,096) from different time periods to train, validate, and independently validate the models. We used three machine learning algorithms and three deep learning algorithms that can model the temporal dynamic behavior of the number of cases. The endpoint was 7-week forward number of cases, and the prediction was evaluated using mean square error (MSE). The sequence-to-sequence model showed the best prediction during validation (MSE = 0.025), while polynomial regression (OLS) and support vector machine regression (SVR) had better performance during independent validation (MSE = 0.1596, and MSE = 0.16754, respectively), which exhibited better generalizability of the latter. The OLS and SVR models were used on a dataset from an external institution and showed promise in predicting COVID-19 incidences across institutions. These models may support clinical and logistic decision-making after prospective validation.
Potential Autoimmunity Resulting from Molecular Mimicry between SARS-CoV-2 Spike and Human Proteins
Authors: Nunez-Castilla Janelle , Stebliankin Vitalii , Baral Prabin , Balbin Christian A. , Sobhan Masrur , Cickovski Trevor , Mondal Ananda Mohan , Narasimhan Giri , Chapagain Prem , Mathee Kalai , Siltberg-Liberles Jessica
Published: June 2022

Molecular mimicry between viral antigens and host proteins can produce cross-reacting antibodies leading to autoimmunity. The coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 causes COVID-19, a disease curiously resulting in varied symptoms and outcomes, ranging from asymptomatic to fatal. Autoimmunity due to cross-reacting antibodies resulting from molecular mimicry between viral antigens and host proteins may provide an explanation. Thus, we computationally investigated molecular mimicry between SARS-CoV-2 Spike and known epitopes. We discovered molecular mimicry hotspots in Spike and highlight two examples with tentative high autoimmune potential and implications for understanding COVID-19 complications. We show that a TQLPP motif in Spike and thrombopoietin shares similar antibody binding properties. Antibodies cross-reacting with thrombopoietin may induce thrombocytopenia, a condition observed in COVID-19 patients. Another motif, ELDKY, is shared in multiple human proteins, such as PRKG1 involved in platelet activation and calcium regulation, and tropomyosin, which is linked to cardiac disease. Antibodies cross-reacting with PRKG1 and tropomyosin may cause known COVID-19 complications such as blood-clotting disorders and cardiac disease, respectively. Our findings illuminate COVID-19 pathogenesis and highlight the importance of considering autoimmune potential when developing therapeutic interventions to reduce adverse reactions.
Development of Parallel Reaction Monitoring Mass Spectrometry Assay for the Detection of Human Norovirus Major Capsid Protein
Authors: Kimura Yayoi , Shin Jihye , Nakai Yusuke , Takahashi Masaya , Ino Yoko , Akiyama Tomoko , Goto Keiko , Nagata Noriko , Yamaoka Yutaro , Miyakawa Kei , Kimura Hirokazu , Ryo Akihide
Published: June 2022

Human Norwalk viruses (HuNoVs), the most common etiological agents of acute gastroenteritis, are genetically diverse RNA viruses that frequently cause mass food poisoning internationally. Although nucleic acid detection methods, such as reverse transcription–quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR), are the gold standard for the diagnosis of norovirus infection, alternative methods are needed for the specific and sensitive viral protein detection for rapid diagnosis and surveillance. In this study, we developed a robust and high-throughput targeted proteomic assay workflow to directly detect the VP1 major capsid protein of HuNoVs. A parallel reaction monitoring (PRM) assay using a high-resolution mass spectrometer was used to detect representative peptides derived from VP1 in six different HuNoV genotypes. An optimized protocol using synthesized heavy isotope-labeled peptides as internal standards was also used to simultaneously genotype and quantify the VP1 protein in human stool specimens. This method is expected to become a new tool for studying the molecular epidemiology of HuNoV and to shed new light on targeted proteomics in clinical practice.
Advances in Crosstalk between Porcine Circoviruses and Host
Authors: Niu Guyu , Chen Si , Li Xue , Zhang Liying , Ren Linzhu
Published: June 2022

Porcine circoviruses (PCVs), including PCV1 to PCV4, are non-enveloped DNA viruses with a diameter of about 20 nm, belonging to the genus Circovirus in the family Circoviridae. PCV2 is an important causative agent of porcine circovirus disease or porcine circovirus-associated disease (PCVD/PCVAD), which is highly prevalent in pigs and seriously affects the swine industry globally. Furthermore, PCV2 mainly causes subclinical symptoms and immunosuppression, and PCV3 and PCV4 were detected in healthy pigs, sick pigs, and other animals. Although the pathogenicity of PCV3 and PCV4 in the field is still controversial, the infection rates of PCV3 and PCV4 in pigs are increasing. Moreover, PCV3 and PCV4 rescued from infected clones were pathogenic in vivo. It is worth noting that the interaction between virus and host is crucial to the infection and pathogenicity of the virus. This review discusses the latest research progress on the molecular mechanism of PCVs–host interaction, which may provide a scientific basis for disease prevention and control.
Binding of hnRNP I–vRNA Regulates Sindbis Virus Structural Protein Expression to Promote Particle Infectivity
Authors: Westcott Claire E. , Qazi Shefah , Maiocco Anna M. , Mukhopadhyay Suchetana , Sokoloski Kevin J.
Published: June 2022

Alphaviruses cause significant outbreaks of febrile illness and debilitating multi-joint arthritis for prolonged periods after initial infection. We have previously reported that several host hnRNP proteins bind to the Sindbis virus (SINV) RNAs, and disrupting the sites of these RNA–protein interactions results in decreased viral titers in tissue culture models of infection. Intriguingly, the primary molecular defect associated with the disruption of the hnRNP interactions is enhanced viral structural protein expression; however, the precise underlying mechanisms spurring the enhanced gene expression remain unknown. Moreover, our previous efforts were unable to functionally dissect whether the observed phenotypes were due to the loss of hnRNP binding or the incorporation of polymorphisms into the primary nucleotide sequence of SINV. To determine if the loss of hnRNP binding was the primary cause of attenuation or if the disruption of the RNA sequence itself was responsible for the observed phenotypes, we utilized an innovative protein tethering approach to restore the binding of the hnRNP proteins in the absence of the native interaction site. Specifically, we reconstituted the hnRNP I interaction by incorporating the 20nt bovine immunodeficiency virus transactivation RNA response (BIV-TAR) at the site of the native hnRNP I interaction sequence, which will bind with high specificity to proteins tagged with a TAT peptide. The reestablishment of the hnRNP I–vRNA interaction via the BIV-TAR/TAT tethering approach restored the phenotype back to wild-type levels. This included an apparent decrease in structural protein expression in the absence of the native primary nucleotide sequences corresponding to the hnRNP I interaction site. Collectively, the characterization of the hnRNP I interaction site elucidated the role of hnRNPs during viral infection.
Changes in Estimating the Wild Boar Carcasses Sampling Effort: Applying the EFSA ASF Exit Strategy by Means of the WBC-Counter Tool
Authors: Cappai Stefano , Baldi Ileana , Desini Pietro , Pintore Antonio , Denurra Daniele , Cherchi Marcella , Rolesu Sandro , Mandas Daniela , Franzoni Giulia , Fiori Mariangela Stefania , Oggiano Annalisa , Feliziani Francesco , Guberti Vittorio , Loi Federica
Published: June 2022

African swine fever (ASF) is a devastating disease, resulting in the high mortality of domestic and wild pigs, spreading quickly around the world. Ensuring the prevention and early detection of the disease is even more crucial given the absence of licensed vaccines. As suggested by the European Commission, those countries which intend to provide evidence of freedom need to speed up passive surveillance of their wild boar populations. If this kind of surveillance is well-regulated in domestic pig farms, the country-specific activities to be put in place for wild populations need to be set based on wild boar density, hunting bags, the environment, and financial resources. Following the indications of the official EFSA opinion 2021, a practical interpretation of the strategy was implemented based on the failure probabilities of wrongly declaring the freedom of an area even if the disease is still present but undetected. This work aimed at providing a valid, applicative example of an exit strategy based on two different approaches: the first uses the wild boar density to estimate the number of carcasses need to complete the exit strategy, while the second estimates it from the number of wild boar hunted and tested. A practical free access tool, named WBC-Counter, was developed to automatically calculate the number of needed carcasses. The practical example was developed using the ASF data from Sardinia (Italian island). Sardinia is ASF endemic from 43 years, but the last ASFV detection dates back to 2019. The island is under consideration for ASF eradication declaration. The subsequent results provide a practical example for other countries in approaching the EFSA exit strategy in the best choices for its on-field application.
GMMA as an Alternative Carrier for a Glycoconjugate Vaccine against Group A Streptococcus
Authors: Palmieri Elena , Kis Zoltán , Ozanne James , Di Benedetto Roberta , Ricchetti Beatrice , Massai Luisa , Carducci Martina , Oldrini Davide , Gasperini Gianmarco , Aruta Maria Grazia , Rossi Omar , Kontoravdi Cleo , Shah Nilay , Mawas Fatme , Micoli Francesca
Published: June 2022

Group A Streptococcus (GAS) causes about 500,000 annual deaths globally, and no vaccines are currently available. The Group A Carbohydrate (GAC), conserved across all GAS serotypes, conjugated to an appropriate carrier protein, represents a promising vaccine candidate. Here, we explored the possibility to use Generalized Modules for Membrane Antigens (GMMA) as an alternative carrier system for GAC, exploiting their intrinsic adjuvant properties. Immunogenicity of GAC-GMMA conjugate was evaluated in different animal species in comparison to GAC-CRM197; and the two conjugates were also compared from a techno-economic point of view. GMMA proved to be a good alternative carrier for GAC, resulting in a higher immune response compared to CRM197 in different mice strains, as verified by ELISA and FACS analyses. Differently from CRM197, GMMA induced significant levels of anti-GAC IgG titers in mice also in the absence of Alhydrogel. In rabbits, a difference in the immune response could not be appreciated; however, antibodies from GAC-GMMA-immunized animals showed higher affinity toward purified GAC antigen compared to those elicited by GAC-CRM197. In addition, the GAC-GMMA production process proved to be more cost-effective, making this conjugate particularly attractive for low- and middle-income countries, where this pathogen has a huge burden.
Transmission of H9N2 Low Pathogenicity Avian Influenza Virus (LPAIV) in a Challenge-Transmission Model
Authors: Raj Sugandha , Astill Jake , Alqazlan Nadiyah , Boodhoo Nitish , Hodgins Douglas C. , Nagy Éva , Mubareka Samira , Karimi Khalil , Sharif Shayan
Published: June 2022

Migratory birds are major reservoirs for avian influenza viruses (AIV), which can be transmitted to poultry and mammals. The H9N2 subtype of AIV has become prevalent in poultry over the last two decades. Despite that, there is a scarcity of detailed information on how this virus can be transmitted. The current study aimed to establish a direct contact model using seeder chickens infected with H9N2 AIV as a source of the virus for transmission to recipient chickens. Seeder chickens were inoculated with two different inoculation routes either directly or via the aerosol route. The results indicate that inoculation via the aerosol route was more effective at establishing infection compared to the direct inoculation route. Shedding was observed to be higher in aerosol-inoculated seeder chickens, with a greater percentage of chickens being infected at each time point. In terms of transmission, the recipient chickens exposed to the aerosol-inoculated seeder chickens had higher oral and cloacal virus shedding compared to the recipient chickens of the directly inoculated group. Furthermore, the aerosol route of infection resulted in enhanced antibody responses in both seeder and recipient chickens compared to the directly inoculated group. Overall, the results confirmed that the aerosol route is a preferred inoculation route for infecting seeder chickens in a direct contact transmission model.
Multi-Isotope Characterization of Water in the Water Supply System of the City of Ljubljana, Slovenia
Authors: Nagode Klara , Kanduč Tjaša , Bračič Železnik Branka , Jamnik Brigita , Vreča Polona
Published: June 2022

Urban water supply systems (WSS) are complex and challenging to manage since the properties of water in the WSS change from source to the end user over time. However, understanding these changes requires a more profound knowledge of the WSS. This study describes the urban water cycle within the WSS of Ljubljana, Slovenia, where different water parameters such as temperature, electrical conductivity, total alkalinity, δ2H, δ18O, and δ13CDIC were monitored from September to November 2018. Altogether 108 samples were collected, including from the source (3) and at different levels of the WSS: wells (41), joint exits from water pumping stations (7), reservoirs (22), water treatment locations (2), drinking fountains (13), taps (19) and wastewater system (1). The data show that although the ranges of δ2H and δ18O values were small, each well is represented by a unique fingerprint when considering additional parameters. A statistically significant difference was observed between sampling months, and temperature and most parameters showed higher variability within the wells than across the WSS, suggesting a more unified WSS. Finally, based on δ13CDIC values, a distinction could be made between river/groundwater interactions within the WSS and between shallower and deeper wells and their distance from the river bank.
Role of Grain Size Distribution and Pier Aspect Ratio in Scouring and Sorting around Bridge Piers
Authors: Chibana Takeyoshi , Quiocho Rose , Watanabe Kenji
Published: June 2022

Several bridge piers were visited, and their scour hole was characterized into three zones: scour, transition, and mound zones. The observed onsite sorting and scouring patterns were recreated through flume experiments with varying pier aspect ratio (1:1, 1:2, 1:4 and 1:6) and sediment geometric standard deviation (σg). The experiments showed that maximum scour depth decreased with non-uniformity; 52.7 mm, 20.2 mm, and 16.6 mm are the respective maximum scour depth of beds with σg = 1.4, 2.5, and 5.2. While aspect ratio has minimal effect on maximum scour depth values, it has noticeable effects on scour shape and asymmetry. The location of the lowest point of the scour shifted further downstream as σg increased. The number of occurrences where the location of the lowest point is outside the upstream cylindrical hemisphere is zero (0) for σg = 1.4, three (3) for σg = 2.5, and five (5) for σg = 5.2. The observed processes of upstream-to-downstream propagation of scour may explain the gradual decrease in fines on the surface, as well as the asymmetry of the scour, confirming the role of combined effects of grading of the bed material and piers’ aspect ratio in the scour-forming process.
Impacts and Implications of Land Use Land Cover Dynamics on Groundwater Recharge and Surface Runoff in East African Watershed
Authors: Mengistu Tarekegn Dejen , Chung Il-Moon , Kim Min-Gyu , Chang Sun Woo , Lee Jeong Eun
Published: June 2022

Assessing the spatiotemporal dynamics of land use land cover (LULC) change on water resources is vital for watershed sustainability and developing proper management strategies. Evaluating LULC scenarios synergistically with hydrologic modeling affords substantial evidence of factors that govern hydrologic processes. Hence, this study assessed the spatiotemporal effects and implications of LULC dynamics on groundwater recharge and surface runoff in Gilgel Gibe, an East African watershed, using the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) model. Three different LULC maps (2000, 2010, and 2020) were derived from Landsat images, and the comparisons pointed out that the land-use pattern had changed significantly. The agricultural land and grassland cover increased by 3.76% and 1.36%, respectively, from 2000 to 2020. The implications acquired for 2000 show that forested land covers decreased by 5.49% in 2020. The SWAT simulation process was executed using a digital elevation model, soil, LULC, and weather data. The model was calibrated and validated using streamflow data to understand the surface runoff and groundwater recharge responses of each Hydrologic Response Units on reference simulation periods using the Calibration and Uncertainty Program (SWAT-CUP), Sequential Uncertainty Fitting (SUFI-2) algorithm. The observed and simulated streamflows were checked for performance indices of coefficient of determination (R2), Nash–Sutcliffe model efficiency (NSE), and percent bias (PBIAS) on monthly time steps. The results show that there is good agreement for all LULC simulations, both calibration and validation periods (R2 & NSE ≥ 0.84, −15 < PBIAS < +15). This reveals that for the LULC assessment of any hydrological modeling, the simulation of each reference period should be calibrated to have reasonable outputs. The study indicated that surface runoff has increased while groundwater decreased over the last two decades. The temporal variation revealed that the highest recharge and runoff occurred during the wet seasons. Thus, the study can support maximizing water management strategies and reducing adverse driving environmental forces.
Real-Time Water Level Prediction in Open Channel Water Transfer Projects Based on Time Series Similarity
Authors: Zhou Luyan , Zhang Zhao , Zhang Weijie , An Kaijun , Lei Xiaohui , He Ming
Published: June 2022

Changes in the opening of gates in open channel water transfer projects will cause fluctuations in the water level and flow of adjacent open channels and thus bring great challenges for real-time water level prediction. In this paper, a novel slope-similar shape method is proposed for real-time water level prediction when the change of gate opening at the next moment is known. The water level data points of three consecutive moments constitute the query. The slope similarity is used to find the historical water level datasets with similar change trend to the query, and then the best slope similarity dataset is determined according to the similarity index and the gate opening change. The water level difference of the next moment of the best similar data point is the water level difference of the predicted moment, and thus the water level at the next moment can be obtained. A case study is performed with the Middle Route of the South-to-North Water Diversion Project of China. The results show that 87.5% of datasets with a water level variation of less than 0.06 m have an error less than 0.03 m, 71.4% of which have an error less than 0.02 m. In conclusion, the proposed method is feasible, effective, and interpretable, and the study provides valuable insights into the development of scheduling schemes.
Effects of Migration and Diffusion of Suspended Sediments on the Seabed Environment during Exploitation of Deep-Sea Polymetallic Nodules
Authors: Fan Zhihan , Jia Yonggang , Chu Fengyou , Zhu Xianming , Zhu Na , Li Bowen , Quan Yongzheng
Published: June 2022

With the increase in demand for metal resources, research on deep-sea polymetallic nodule mining has been reinvigorated, but the problem of its environmental impact cannot be ignored. No matter what method is used for mining, it will disturb the surface sediments of the seabed, thereby increasing the concentration of suspended solid particles and metal ions in the water body, changing the properties of the near-bottom water body and sediments, and affecting biological activity and the living environment. Focusing on the ecological and environmental impacts of deep-sea polymetallic nodule mining, taking as our main subject of focus the dynamic changes in sediments, we investigated the environmental impacts of nodule mining and their relationships with each other. On this basis, certain understandings are summarized relating to the ecological and environmental impacts of deep-sea polymetallic nodule mining, based on changes in the engineering geological properties of sediment, and solutions for current research problems are proposed.
Impact of the Covid-19 Epidemic on the Central Government Budget in Turkey
Authors: KISA Ökkeş , KARTALCI Kadir
Published: June 2022

Covid-19 salgını, birçok makroekonomik göstergeyi olumsuz yönde etkilemiştir. Bu göstergelerden bir tanesi de, merkezi yönetim bütçesidir. Bu çalışmanın amacı; salgının Türkiye’de merkezi yönetim bütçesine etkisini incelemektir. Bu nedenle bütçeye ilişkin kalemlerdeki 5 yıllık değişikliklere odaklanılarak salgının etkisi ortaya konulmaya çalışılmıştır. Yapılan çalışma sonucunda; kamu giderlerinde ve kamu gelirlerinde artışlar olduğu gözlenmiştir. Kamu giderlerindeki artışın nedenleri; salgınla mücadele kapsamında yapılan harcamalar ve enflasyondur. Kamu gelirlerindeki artışın nedenleri ise; enflasyonla kaynaklı olarak mali sürüklenme, dolaylı vergilerin fiyat değişimlerini izlemesi ve alınan politika önlemleridir. Ancak kamu gelirlerinin kamu giderleri kadar artmaması sebebiyle salgın döneminde bütçe açığı artmıştır. Bunun sonucunda faiz giderlerinde artış görülmüştür.
Expression and distribution of GPR55 and GPR119 during the development of rat testis
Authors: TUTUN Hidayet , İPEK Volkan , TATAR Musa , KIZILYER Ayşe , KAYA Muhammet Mükerrem
Published: June 2022

G Protein-Coupled Receptors, GPR55 and GPR119 are widely distributed throughout the body and exert important biological functions. However, little is known about their roles in testis. This study aimed to examine the expression and distribution of GPR55 and GPR119 during the development of the rat testis. Sixty male Sprague Dawley rats (180–240 g) were divided into 10 groups as 7, 14, 21, 28, 35, 42, 49, 56, 63, and 70 postnatal days of age (PND) (six animals per group). The testicular expression of GPR55 and GPR119 has been investigated by immunohistochemistry, Western blot, and quantitative RT-PCR methods. We observed that GPR55 and GPR119 are expressed throughout the rat testis development from PND 7 to 70. However, no difference was observed between the groups in terms of expression levels, except for GPR55 mRNA expression in the group of PND 7. Immunohistochemistry analysis showed that GPR55 is expressed in spermatids and spermatocytes in the mid-term tubules and spermatocytes in the late-stage tubules in groups of PND 56, 63, and 70. For GPR119, very intense positivity was observed only in spermatids in the mid-term (stage VII-VIII) tubules in the groups of PND 56, 63, and 70. No significant difference was observed in the number of GPR55 and GPR119 positive cells in testes from PND 56 through PND 70. Taken together, both GPR55 and GPR119 receptors are expressed throughout the rat testis development (PND 7 to 70). These results suggest that GPR55 and GPR119 are involved in the modulation of male reproductive function.
Kinetic Health: Ecologies and Mobilities of Prevention in Europe, c. 1100-1600
Authors: Geltner Guy
Published: June 2022

This article coins and deploys the term kinetic health as part of a broader attempt to historicize the mobilities paradigm from the standpoint of past community prophylactics. It uses the example of Galenic or humoral medicine, which for millennia organized individual and group health as a dynamic systems balance among several spheres of intersecting fixities and flows. The radical situatedness it fostered emerges clearly from tracing preventative health interventions among different communities in ‘preindustrial’ Europe, including urban dwellers, miners and armies, whose different motilities both bound people to and released them from their immediate environment. Beyond reframing past practices, kinetic health benefits mobilities studies scholars by interrogating stagist narratives of civilization and modernization in two ways. First, as an analytic, because although humoralism and other medical systems continue to inform present-day approaches to health and disease around the globe, they are often obscured by layers of colonialism and biomedicine. And secondly, as a perch for viewing the long-term ebb, flow and mingling of ideas about ill/health as an assemblage of (social) bodies and their natural and social environments.
Rural Policing in the Long Trecento: An Urban Project and Its Obstruction
Authors: Geltner Guy
Published: June 2022

The intricacies of urban-rural relations surface with rare detail from the records of Italian field wardens (campari) from the late thirteenth to the mid fifteenth century. Focusing on the region of Piedmont, in the peninsula’s northwest, this article traces campari’s policing of numerous sites and species as part of an urban bio- and agropolitical project. The office reflects towns’ growing desire to control their surrounding countryside, not only for military defense, but also as an essential source of caloric and hydraulic energy, a sink for waste and a stage to showcase their power before internal and external audiences. Reconstructing field wardens’ remits, norms and actions thus illuminates power negotiations shaped by a range of environmental factors and the era’s hygienic thinking. Yet the process also shores up the tactics that rural dwellers devised to contest urban discipline, for instance through self-help, concealment and embellishment of charges made against them. From the perspective of the area’s historiography, the dynamics captured by campari’s records challenge the centrality of landed aristocracies in narratives of political centralization. And from a broader perspective, the granular view they afford of middling officials at work invites historians to explore what urbanization meant at the ground level, on either side of the city walls.
Analisis Kemampuan Pemahaman Konsep Matematika Ditinjau Dari Penggunaan Multimedia Game Petualangan Dalam Limas Berbasis Mobile Learning di SMP Negeri 1 Tilango
Authors: Tahir Nadila Nurfariza , Ismail Sumarno , Oroh Franky Alfrits , Zakaria Perry , Usman Kartin
Published: June 2022

This study aims to describe the student’s ability to understand the mathematical concept using adventure game multimedia mobile learning based on the pyramid (PDL) in Grade VIII. This study is qualitative descriptive. The subjects are 40 students of grade VIII which is reduced to 6 students to take the preliminary test of the ability to understand the concept and the interview process seen from the results of the students’ preliminary test. Data collection technique includes preliminary tests, interviews, documentation, and observation. The data analysis applies reduction, data presentation, and conclusion. The results based on interviews conducted with students and teachers show that students’ conceptual abilities vary widely, where some achieve high abilities, medium abilities, and low abilities. It is also seen from the learning process that the use of adventure game multimedia in the pyramid helps to give its vibes to a more interesting learning process.
Analisis Kemampuan Pemecahan Masalah Matematika Melalui Tugas Proyek pada Materi Bilangan Bulat di SMP Negeri 1 Limboto
Authors: Sumba Isnarianti , Mohidin Abdul Djabar , Zakiyah Siti
Published: June 2022

This research is a quantitative descriptive study that aims to describe students' mathematical problem-solving abilities through project assignments on integer material. This research was conducted at SMP Negeri 1 Limboto in the even semester of the 2021/2022 academic year. The subjects in this study were class VII students, totalling 26 students. Data collection was obtained from test results in the form of project assignments and interviews were conducted to add to the information obtained. The results showed that the average achievement for students' abilities in completing project assignments was still moderate, namely 70%. This is indicated by the achievement of indicators understanding the problem by 90%, indicators planning a solution by 72%, indicators solving problems by 62% and indicators re-examining the results obtained by 52%.
Karateristik Sifat Fisika dan Mekanika Papan Laminasi Kayu Sengon dan Kayu Bayur
Authors: Wulandari Febriana Tri , Amin Radjali , Raehanayati Raehanayati
Published: June 2022

Currently, it is increasingly difficult to obtain large and quality sawn timber due to the diminishing supply of wood in natural forests. To overcome this problem, innovation is needed to utilize wood scrap waste as a board product. One form of innovation in the use of wood scrap as a board product is laminated boards. In this study, Sengon and Bayur woods were used which had strong grades III-IV and had specific gravity ranging from 0.29-0.70. Bayur and Sengon wood are suitable to be used as raw materials for laminated boards because they have a light density. The purpose of this research was to determine the physical and mechanical characteristics of laminated boards, the effect of Labur weight, wood species and their interactions. The method used in this study is an experimental method with a factorial completely randomized design (CRD). Characteristics of physical and mechanical properties of laminated boards of Sengon and clothes: density 0.412 gram/cm3; water content 12,459%; thick development 2.019%; thick shrinkage 3.183%; MoE 23031,922 kgf/cm²; MoR 357.208 kgf/cm². Laur weight, type of wood and their interactions have a significant effect on all physical and mechanical properties of Sengon and Bayur laminated boards. The interaction of pumpkin weight and wood species had no significant effect on the water content and MoR tests. Based on the wood strength class, Sengon and Bayur wood laminated boards are classified as class III which can be used as protected heavy construction materials.
Peningkatan Kemampuan Literasi Matematika Melalui Pendekatan Problem Based Learning Bermuatan Penilaian Portofolio
Authors: Kurnila Valeria Suryani , Badus Margaretha , Jeramat Eufrasia , Ningsi Gabariela Purnama
Published: June 2022

Currently, the government is aggressively optimizing students' literacy skills, including mathematical literacy skills. Today's problem is that the dominant students still have low mathematical literacy skills. Therefore, one solution is to apply a Problem Based Learning (PBL) model based on portfolio assessment. This study aims to determine the difference between students' mathematical literacy skills taught using the PBL learning model about portfolios and students' mathematical literacy skills using the direct learning model. Quasi-experimentation is the type of research using the Posttest Only Control Group Design. The population of the study was the seventh-grade students of SMPN 2 Cibal, who found 96 people spread over 3 classes. Samples were taken from the population in a randomized manner so that 32 students of class VIIC were obtained as the experimental group and 32 students of class VIIA as the control group. Data was collected from description testing and also equipped with student portfolio assessment results. The results of data analysis showed that the literacy skills of students who were taught using the PBL learning model showed a better portfolio than the literacy skills of students who used the direct learning model.
How Does Microbiota Form Rheumatic Diseases? Part 1
Authors: Рудой А.С.
Published: June 2022

В кишечнике человека обитает чрезвычайно разнообразное и обильное микробное сообщество, которое корректирует и даже модулирует многие процессы, связанные со здоровьем. «Интерфейсы» слизистой оболочки являются особенно активными участками взаимодействия микроорганизмов и хозяев. Возрастающее понимание характерного состава и функции микробиоты кишечника выявило, что она участвует не только в поддержании целостности слизистой оболочки, но затрагивает и гомеостаз системы иммунитета с формированием как локальных, так и системных иммунных реакций. В представленном обзоре рассмотрена роль нарушений устойчивого состояния и взаимодействия «хозяин – микроорганизм», которые могут потенциально влиять на развитие и прогрессирование ревматических заболеваний. В заключение будут рассмотрены вопросы новых терапевтических целей коррекции микробиоты.

The human guts have a tremendously diverse and abundant microbial community that corrects and even modulates many health-related processes. The “interfaces” of the intestinal mucosa are particularly active sites of interaction between microorganisms and hosts. The growing understanding of the typical composition and function of the gut microbiota has revealed that it is involved not only in maintaining the integrity of the mucous membrane, but also affects the homeostasis of the immune system with the formation of both local and systemic immune responses. In this review, there is considered the host–microorganism interplay, which can potentially affect the development and progression of rheumatic diseases. In conclusion, the issues of new therapeutic goals of microbiota correction will be considered.