bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Safety of Topical and Intravenous Tranexamic Acid in Endoscopic Sinus Surgery
Authors: Ratnayake Kumar Agrani , Wood Andrew James
Published: October 2022

Tranexamic acid (TXA) is an inexpensive and widely used medication indicated for the reduction of bleeding. There are data showing the efficacy of intravenous (IV) and topical TXA in endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS) but the safety of this practice is not well studied. The objective of this study was to assess the safety of using both IV and topical TXA in ESS. A scoping review was performed to investigate the effect of TXA on respiratory epithelia. A retrospective single-surgeon study was used to assess 177 comprehensive ESS cases from January 2017–December 2019 for the safety of combined IV and topical TXA. The scoping review demonstrated that respiratory epithelia could withstand a wide range of TXA concentrations without detrimental morphological effects. Topical TXA may have positive effects on wound healing and inflammation. The retrospective study showed no thromboembolic complications attributable to TXA in the 28 days after ESS. Only two patients (1.3%) who received TXA re-presented with post-operative bleeding. The use of IV and topical TXA is safe with regards to its effect on respiratory epithelium and thromboembolic disease. Topical TXA may have more positive effects than merely the reduction of bleeding following ESS.
The Impact of Strong Cultures on Organisational Performance in Public Organisations: The Case of the Greek Public Administration
Authors: Xanthopoulou Panagiota , Sahinidis Alexandros , Bakaki Zorzeta
Published: October 2022

Existing literature suggests that a strong culture is essential to the success of an organisation. However, some researchers have since disputed this claim, arguing that while some strong cultures lead to success, others fail. Examining several examples over time, the so-called “case for a strong culture” presents significant weaknesses. The present study, based on the Competing Values Model, examines the effects of a culture’s strength on the organisational performance in the public sector. A sample of 92 departments of Greek public organisations was examined, of which a total of 424 people responded to an online questionnaire. The participating organisations and their departments range in size, in terms of the number of their staff, from 15 to 54 members, and come from different segments of the public administration. The results showed that there is no relationship between culture’s strength and an organisation’s performance and that strong cultures do not have a significant impact on organisational performance in the public sector. The main objective of this research is to enrich the existing knowledge on the relationship between culture and performance, especially in the area of the public sector, since existing studies mainly focus on culture comparisons between large companies using mainly small samples. This study highlights the importance of culture given the chronic problems of Greek public administration to create public value and to be innovative and effective. The results are also of particular importance for the post-pandemic period indicating the need for major changes and reforms in public administration.
The Thermo-Mechanical and Dielectric Properties of Superhydrophobic Pbz/TiO2 Composites
Authors: Asrafali Shakila Parveen , Periyasamy Thirukumaran , Raorane Chaitany Jayprakash , Raj Vinit , Kim Seong Cheol
Published: October 2022

Polymer composites display the synergistic property of the polymer (matrix) and inorganic particles (filler material), when their combination is properly utilized. In the present work, polymer composites possessing a superhydrophobic property are fabricated by imposing the combination of both surface free energy and surface roughness. Polybenzoxazine (Pbz) is a choice of low surface free energy material and TiO2 particles contribute to create surface roughness. Thus, Pbz/TiO2 composites were fabricated by varying TiO2 contents to produce superhydrophobicity. The hydrophobicity increased from 94° for Pbz to 140° for Pbz/T5. The advantage of molecular design flexibility is also utilized to synthesize benzoxazine monomer (Bzo), which then undergoes thermally induced self-polymerization with different contents of TiO2 to produce Pbz-TiO2 composites. The structure analysis and curing behavior of the Bzo monomer was examined using FT-IR, NMR and DSC techniques. Whereas the properties of the Pbz/TiO2 composites were analyzed by WCA, SEM, DMA, TGA, and dielectric techniques.
Modern Technologies in the Real Estate Market—Opponents vs. Proponents of Their Use: Does New Category of Value Solve the Problem?
Authors: Renigier-Biłozor Małgorzata , Źróbek Sabina , Walacik Marek
Published: October 2022

The scientific literature and practical studies show that one of the main challenges facing the ongoing development of sustainable real estate markets is the understanding of the specifics of real estate as an object of increasing importance in the global economy. Misinterpretation of the principles of modern valuation models causes conflict between opponents and proponents of their use. To reconcile the two sides, the authors of this study propose the possibility of extending the methodology with new solutions—hybrid automated valuation models—and introducing a new value called the rough value. The study mostly draws on monographic and deductive reasoning methods, which includes an analysis of the basic principles of real estate appraisal (as described by internationally recognized professional standards) and valuation methods. The introduction of proposed solutions to valuation practice should be preceded by the development of unified standards and the principles of their application.
Artificial Intelligence and Exploratory-Data-Analysis-Based Initial Public Offering Gain Prediction for Public Investors
Authors: Munshi Manushi , Patel Manan , Alqahtani Fayez , Tolba Amr , Gupta Rajesh , Jadav Nilesh , Tanwar Sudeep , Neagu Bogdan-Constantin , Dragomir Alin
Published: October 2022

An initial public offering (IPO) refers to a process by which private corporations offer their shares in a public stock market for investment by public investors. This listing of private corporations in the stock market leads to the easy generation and exchange of capital between private corporations and public investors. Investing in a company’s shares is accompanied by careful consideration and study of the company’s public image, financial policies, and position in the financial market. The stock market is highly volatile and susceptible to changes in the political and socioeconomic environment. Therefore, the prediction of a company’s IPO performance in the stock market is an important study area for researchers. However, there are several challenges in this path, such as the fragile nature of the stock market, the irregularity of data, and the influence of external factors on the IPO performance. Researchers over the years have proposed various artificial intelligence (AI)-based solutions for predicting IPO performance. However, they have some lacunae in terms of the inadequate data size, data irregularity, and lower prediction accuracy. Motivated by the aforementioned issues, we proposed an analytical model for predicting IPO gains or losses by incorporating regression-based AI models. We also performed a detailed exploratory data analysis (EDA) on a standard IPO dataset to identify useful inferences and trends. The XGBoost Regressor showed the maximum prediction accuracy for the current IPO gains, i.e., 91.95%.
Female Entrepreneurship for Sustainable Economy and Development—Challenges, Drivers, and Suggested Policies for Resource-Rich Countries
Authors: Al-Qahtani Muneera , Zguir Mariem Fekih , Ari Ibrahim , Koç Muammer
Published: October 2022

Female entrepreneurship plays a critical role in achieving economic diversification, sustainable economy, and sustainable development, not only in economic terms but also in social and environmental dimensions. Women are considered excellent and relentless custodians of their families, their surroundings, and society. However, in many countries, particularly in resource-rich and developing states, there are considerably limited opportunities and barriers for women to utilize their utmost capacities. Considering the historical development trajectory and learning from several past and benchmark examples, mainly from the entrepreneurship domain, we first developed a conceptual model to deliver a holistic strategy for policymaking and implementation by employing design and systems thinking approaches. Second, based on this conceptual model, we proposed an integrated policy framework for Qatar, as a resource-rich country in the quest of transforming into an innovation-driven, knowledge-based sustainable development to propel women’s entrepreneurship and increase their involvement in achieving economic diversification, and thus, sustainable development in a broader perspective. Third, we conducted a survey to validate the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed policy framework. Results reveal that surveyed aspiring and actual female entrepreneurs maintain the relevance of the suggested policies related to the provision of further local training and mentorship programs and subsidies and funds from the government. Furthermore, while female participants agree that their entrepreneurial practices need to abide by local cultural traditions and trends, they believe there is a supplementary need to spread awareness of and garner support for their social and economic contribution to the society. Finally, findings show that several female participants, mainly Qatari nationals, are willing to become entrepreneurial investors to help fund other entrepreneurship startups to partner with other women and give back to society and contribute to the overall sustainability of their community.
Path Planning of Electric VTOL UAV Considering Minimum Energy Consumption in Urban Areas
Authors: Li Yafei , Liu Minghuan
Published: October 2022

As a new mode of transportation in the future, electric vertical take-off and landing unmanned aerial vehicles (eVTOL UAV) can undertake the task of logistics distribution and carry people in urban areas. It is challenging to carry out research designed to plan the path of eVTOL UAVs which can have a safe and sustainable operation mode in urban areas. Therefore, this work proposes a method for planning an obstacle-free path for eVTOL UAVs in urban areas with the goal of minimizing energy consumption. It aims to improve the safety and sustainability of eVTOL UAV operations. Based on variations of air density with height, a more accurate formula for calculating battery energy consumption of eVTOL UAV is derived. It is used in the vertical takeoff and landing phase and horizontal flight phase, respectively. Considering the influence of buildings on eVTOL UAV operation, a path planning method applicable to complex urban environments is proposed. The safe nodes of eVTOL UAV flight are obtained by using Voronoi diagrams based on building locations. Then, the complete shortest and obstacle-free path is obtained by using a Dubins geometric path and Floyd algorithm. After obtaining the obstacle-free paths for all flight height zones, the battery energy consumption of the eVTOL UAV in each flight height zone is calculated. Then, the flight height with the minimum energy consumption is obtained. The simulation results show that the path length obtained by the proposed path planning method is shorter than that obtained by particle swarm optimization; the total battery energy consumption changes in the same pattern in the low-altitude areas and high-altitude areas; the difference between the maximum and minimum energy consumption in the small area enables the eVTOL UAV to cover about 350 m more, and about 420 m more in the large area. Therefore, in future high-frequency UAV mission flights, choosing the altitude with the lowest energy consumption can reduce UAV operator costs. It can also significantly increase UAV transport range and make UAVs operate more sustainably.
Soil and Water Conservation in Africa: State of Play and Potential Role in Tackling Soil Degradation and Building Soil Health in Agricultural Lands
Authors: Diop Massamba , Chirinda Ngonidzashe , Beniaich Adnane , El Gharous Mohamed , El Mejahed Khalil
Published: October 2022

Africa’s lands are largely vulnerable and threatened by soil degradation and low water availability, especially in semi-arid and arid regions, limiting crop and livestock productivity and farmer livelihood options. Therefore, in African agricultural lands, adopting/improving measures that conserve soil and water resources is crucial. This review aims to provide an update on soil and water conservation (SWC) in terms of farmer practices and research actions and explore how SWC technologies and practices represent a pathway to build or re-establish soil health and enhance sustainable agriculture in Africa. It also aims to increase knowledge on best-fit SWC approaches. Soil conservation, which includes measures of controlling soil erosion and maintaining or improving soil fertility, is inseparable from water conservation. On agricultural lands, the two are typically co-addressed. Increasing plant biomass production through improved water, crop and soil management practices, and managing this biomass judiciously, have direct and indirect impacts on conserving soils and water resources, particularly in drylands. This study focuses on rainfed agricultural systems. We discuss the barriers and challenges to scaling up best-bet SWC technological and management options. Moreover, we show that options, such as Conservation Agriculture (CA), Agroforestry (AF), as well as integrated soil fertility management (ISFM) and field-scale rainwater harvesting (RWH), remain promising for the preservation and improvement of soil health in Africa’s farmlands and improving the resilience of agrosystems to climate change and variability as well as droughts.
Price Co-Movement between Electrical Equipment and Metal Commodities—A Time-Frequency Analysis
Authors: Xin Cheng , Ji Kailin , Chang Hao , Li Yang , Liu Ya-Qiong
Published: October 2022

The rising uncertainty of the global markets has caused the price fluctuation of the equipment and materials in PT&D (Power Transmission and Distribution) projects to be more complicated. As the cost of equipment and materials accounts for a large proportion of the total investment of the PT&D projects, this study investigates the co-movement of the equipment and materials price and metal commodities’ price with the use of wavelet coherency and partial wavelet coherency analysis under a time-frequency framework. Our results indicate that (i) the co-movement manifests mainly in the short term and long term; (ii) there is no clear lead-lag relationship in the co-movement; (iii) the short-term co-movement is activated by the continuous rising of metal commodity price; (iv) the long-term co-movement is largely driven by the overall market price movement, but this effect is weakened when the metal is of high importance in producing the equipment. Our study shed light on the planning and investment in the PT&D projects for both the purchase and production sides.
Identifying the ‘Different we’s’ in Primary Teachers’ Education for Sustainable Development Discourse—A Positioning Theory Perspective
Authors: Felix Sonia Martins , Lykknes Annette , Staberg Ragnhild Lyngved
Published: October 2022

Education can serve the purpose of trying to mitigate catastrophes. In a school context, teachers can have a role in enacting an interconnection between critical thinking (CT) as a potentially useful tool and education for sustainable development (ESD), in terms of educating and communicating the importance of sustainability to future generations. This paper uses discourse analysis, drawing on post-structuralism, to explore how Norwegian primary school teachers consider CT (skills, dispositions, and civic participation) in relation to ESD. The study draws on social constructivism and positioning theory (PT) in particular to find patterns in teachers’ own shifting standpoints through individual and collective assertations around ESD. Specifically, in this paper we make efforts to implement the PT to study (i) teachers’ own positioning about sustainability through their communication acts within primary-school contexts, and (ii) the functions of education in relation to ESD in this context. We explored the discussion between three teachers from the same school team during one focus group interview, by tracing the teachers’ uses of I and we (as markers) in relation to Biesta’s three functions of education in the discourse. Our discourse analysis has an exploratory character and is carried out on a limited dataset. PT was used as a framework to categorize the teachers’ statements; treated as content of discourse. The pronoun we is identified in the discourse analysis in three different ways: with the underlying meaning of a humanitarian we, an institutional we, and a classroom we. In the one focus group interview, we also identified teachers’ sense of belonging with the environment and nature, generally regarded to be prevalent in Norwegian society.
Safety Assessment and Crash Compatibility of Heavy Quadricycle under Frontal Impact Collisions
Authors: Kongwat Suphanut , Homsnit Thonn , Padungtree Chaimongkol , Tonitiwong Naphon , Jongpradist Pornkasem , Jongpradist Pattaramon
Published: October 2022

An electric heavy quadricycle, categorized as an L7e vehicle, is an alternative solution for sustainable mobility with a lower carbon footprint and high energy consumption efficiency. However, accidental crashes of quadricycles with larger vehicle opponents can cause extensive damage to their structures and fatal injury to the occupants due to their geometry drawback in limited space in the front crumple zone. This work investigates the crashworthiness performance and safety assessment of the L7e vehicle under rigid wall crash tests and crash compatibility in car-to-car collisions with a sedan and an SUV. Crash scenarios are simulated using a nonlinear finite element analysis via LS-DYNA to evaluate structural crashworthiness and occupant injuries of a hybrid III 50th percentile male dummy. The compatible vertical alignment of the primary energy-absorbing structure substantially affects the safety of the quadricycle under a frontal crash. A secondary energy-absorbing component should be adapted to the L7e vehicle to achieve vertical alignment with different vehicle sizes. In addition, the typical rigid-wall frontal crash test at 50 kph considerably underestimates the structural damage and occupant injury of the L7e vehicle compared to car-to-car collisions. Thus, additional crash tests representing car-to-car collisions that account for the car’s smaller size and lighter mass should be included in the safety regulation for the L7e vehicle.
Study of the Influence of Different Clothing Materials for Mine Ventilation Clothing on Human Body and Microclimate under Clothing
Authors: You Bo , Yang Jiao , Liu Jianfeng , Liu Heqing , Lu Yi , Han Qiaoyun , Zhang Yixin
Published: October 2022

In order to study the influence of clothing materials on the cooling effect of mine ventilation clothing, the temperatures of human skin and micro-environment under clothing were used as reflection indexes of the cooling effect, and numerical simulations were carried out using fluent software to compare and analyze the temperature changes of human skin and micro-environment under the influence of mine ventilation clothing made of different clothing materials. The results regarding the human skin temperature showed that the modal fiber type resulted in a 0.4 °C lower temperature than the pure cotton type and that the pure cotton type resulted in a 0.6 °C lower temperature than the silica gel type. The temperature comparison of the micro-environment under clothing showed that the modal fiber type resulted in a lower value than the pure cotton type and that the pure cotton type resulted in a lower value than the silicone type; the cooling effect of the three kinds of mine ventilation clothing was modal fiber type > cotton type > silica gel type. In summary, fabric with good permeability and moisture permeability was helpful in improving the cooling effect of mine ventilation clothing.
Coupling Hydrological and Hydrodynamic Models for Assessing the Impact of Water Pollution on Lake Evaporation
Authors: Mesquita Janine Brandão de Farias , Lima Neto Iran Eduardo
Published: October 2022

The present study evaluated the impact of hydrological variability on the hydrodynamics of an urban lake in Brazil, considering water quality dynamics and its effects on evaporation. The Storm Water Management Model (SWMM) was applied to the lake basin, and the two-dimensional model CE-QUAL-W2 was used to simulate the hydrodynamics and lake evaporation. The two models were coupled to carry out the integrated basin-lake modeling. Then, two water quality models were applied: a transient complete mixing model and an empirical model based on wind speed. Time series of total phosphorus (TP) were generated, and empirical correlations between TP and hydrological variables were proposed. Modeled TP and measured biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) were correlated with monthly Class A pan coefficients (K) adjusted for the lake. The K-values were negatively correlated with TP modeled by the complete mixing model (R2 = 0.76) and the empirical model (R2 = 0.52), as well as by BOD measurements (R2 = 0.85). This indicates that water pollution attenuates evaporation rates. Scenarios of lake pollution and level reduction due to evaporation were also analyzed. The results from this study are important to improve the management of lakes and reservoirs by including the impact of pollution on the water balance.
Asymptotic Rules of Equilibrium Desingularization
Authors: Krasnov Yakov , Rabinowitz Iris
Published: October 2022

A local bifurcation analysis of a high-dimensional dynamical system dxdt=f(x) is performed using a good deformation of the polynomial mapping P:Cn→Cn. This theory is used to construct geometric aspects of the resolution of multiple zeros of the polynomial vector field P(x). Asymptotic bifurcation rules are derived from Grothendieck’s theory of residuals. Following the Coxeter–Dynkin classification, the singularity graph is constructed. A detailed study of three types of multidimensional mappings with a large symmetry group has been carried out, namely: 1. A linear singularity (behaves similarly to a one-dimensional complex analysis theory); 2. The lattice singularity (generalized the linear and resembling regular crystal growth models); 3. The fan-shaped singularity (can be split radially like nuclear fission and fusion models).
Applications of Symmetric Quantum Calculus to the Class of Harmonic Functions
Authors: Khan Mohammad Faisal , Al-Shbeil Isra , Aloraini Najla , Khan Nazar , Khan Shahid
Published: October 2022

In the past few years, many scholars gave much attention to the use of q-calculus in geometric functions theory, and they defined new subclasses of analytic and harmonic functions. While using the symmetric q-calculus in geometric function theory, very little work has been published so far. In this research, with the help of fundamental concepts of symmetric q-calculus and the symmetric q-Salagean differential operator for harmonic functions, we define a new class of harmonic functions connected with Janowski functions SH0˜m,q,A,B. First, we illustrate the necessary and sufficient convolution condition for SH0˜m,q,A,B and then prove that this sufficient condition is a sense preserving and univalent, and it is necessary for its subclass TSH0˜m,q,A,B. Furthermore, by using this necessary and sufficient coefficient condition, we establish some novel results, particularly convexity, compactness, radii of q-starlike and q-convex functions of order α, and extreme points for this newly defined class of harmonic functions. Our results are the generalizations of some previous known results.
Third-Order Neutral Differential Equations with Damping and Distributed Delay: New Asymptotic Properties of Solutions
Authors: Al Themairi A. , Qaraad Belgees , Bazighifan Omar , Nonlaopon Kamsing
Published: October 2022

In this paper, we are interested in studying the oscillation of differential equations with a damping term and distributed delay. We establish new criteria that guarantee the oscillation of the third-order differential equation in terms of oscillation of the second-order linear differential equation without a damping term. By using the Riccati transformation technique and the principle of comparison, we obtain new results on the oscillation for the studied equation. The results show significant improvement and extend the previous works. Symmetry contributes to determining the correct methods for solving neutral differential equations. Some examples are provided to show the significance of our results.
Vascular Choroidal Alterations in Uncomplicated Third-Trimester Pregnancy
Authors: Sochurek Jan A. M. , Gembicki Michael , Grisanti Salvatore , Ranjbar Mahdy
Published: October 2022

(1) Purpose: To evaluate the anatomy and perfusion of choroidal substructures in third-trimester pregnant women using optical coherence tomography (OCT) and OCT angiography (OCTA) imaging. (2) Methods: In this cross-sectional study, women in their third trimester of uncomplicated pregnancy and non-pregnant age-matched women were recruited. Participants underwent enhanced depth imaging (EDI) OCT and OCTA. Subfoveal choroidal thickness (SFCT), as well as choroidal sublayer perfusion, were compared between groups. (3) Results: In total, 26 eyes of 26 pregnant and 26 eyes of 26 non-pregnant women were included. The median age in both groups was 29 years. The median SFCT was 332 (211–469) µm in the pregnant group and 371.5 (224–466) µm in the non-pregnant cohort (p = 0.018). The median choriocapillaris perfusion (CCP) was significantly lower in the pregnant group (46% vs. 48%, p = 0.039). Moreover, Haller’s layer perfusion correlated significantly with mean arterial pressure in non-pregnant women (CC = 0.430, p = 0.028) but not in pregnant ones (CC = 0.054, p = 0.792). (4) Conclusions: SFCT was found to be thinner and CCP was lower in third-trimester pregnant women. Hormonal changes during pregnancy and consecutive impacts on autoregulation of small choroidal vessels might play an important role. Therefore, altered choroidal measurements during third-trimester pregnancy should be carefully evaluated as, to some extent, it could be a normal physiological change.
Rapid Simultaneous Determination of Three Synthetic Cannabinoids in Urine and Plasma of Rats Using Ultra-High Performance Liquid Chromatography Tandem Mass Spectrometry
Authors: Ke Xing , Tian Yimei , He Dandan , Mu Pengqian , Wan Xuzhi , Zhang Lange , Jia Wei , Wang Qiao , Fan Yilei , Zhang Yu
Published: October 2022

Synthetic cannabinoids, a class of psychoactive compounds, are controlled as new psychoactive substances (NPSs) identified by the early warning system (EWS) of the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA). At present, several new synthetic cannabinoids have appeared in the illegal drug market, including 4-methylnaphthalen-1-yl-(1-pentylindol-3-yl) methanone (JWH-122), methyl (1-(5-fluoropentyl)-1H-indazole-3-carbonyl)-L-valinate (5F-AMB), and methyl 2-(1-(4-fluorobenzyl)-1Hindazole-3-carboxamido)-3-methylbutanoate (AMB-FUBINACA). A convenient, rapid, and highly sensitive analytical method was developed to determine three synthetic cannabinoids in rat plasma and urine. The liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method was optimized and validated to analyze the three synthetic cannabinoids in rat plasma and urine. The method identified intra-assay precision (1.3–9.0% and 2.8–6.7%), inter-assay precision (3.0–8.6% and 3.9–8.8%), limits of detection (0.003–0.004 ng/mL and 0.00125–0.002 ng/mL) and quantification (0.012–0.016 ng/mL and 0.003–0.005 ng/mL), recovery (95.4–106.8% and 92.0–106.8%) for rat plasma and urine, and the matrix effect (93.4–118.0%) for rat urine, and the correlation coefficients were above 0.99 in the linear range. The established LC-MS/MS method was successfully used to simultaneously detect the JWH-122 and 5F-AMB in rat plasma and JWH-122, 5F-AMB, and AMB-FUBINACA in rat urine. The present study provides methodological support for internal exposure assessment of three synthetic cannabinoids and promotes the quantitative analysis and technical supervision of synthetic cannabinoids.
Investigating the Toxicity of Compounds Yielded by Staphylococci on Vero Cells
Authors: Modimola Margaret Selina , Green Ezekiel , Njobeh Patrick , Senabe Jeremiah , Fouche Gerda , McGaw Lyndy , Nkadimeng Sanah Malomile , Mathiba Kgama , Mthombeni Julian
Published: October 2022

Bacterial secondary metabolites play a major role in the alleviation of diseases; however, the cytotoxicity of other metabolites cannot be ignored as such metabolites could be detrimental to human cells. Three Staphylococci strains Staphylococcus aureus, staphylococcus epidermidis and staphylococcus saprophyticus were used in the experiments. These strains are well known to cause hospital and community-acquired infections. Secondary metabolites from S. aureus isolated from milk of cows with clinical features of mastitis (swollen udders and the production of watery clotted milk), S. saprophyticus (ATCC 35552), and S. epidermidis (ATCC 51625) were exposed to a minimal medium then screened using Gas Chromatography High-Resolution Time-of-flight Mass Spectrometry (GC-HRTOF-MS) and identified with Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR). From S. epidermidis, two compounds were isolated: oleamide and methyl palmitate; three from S. aureus, including fluoranthene, 3-methyl-2-phenyl-1H-pyrrole, and cyclo(L-Leu-L-Propyl); while S. saprophyticus yielded succinic acid, 1,2,6-hexantriol, veratramine, and 4-methyl-pentyl-amine. The secondary metabolites were tested for cytotoxicity using the Vero cell line. Fluoranthene exhibited toxicity with an LC50 of 0.0167 mg/mL to Vero cells, while the other metabolites did not. Methyl palmitate was the least toxic of all of the metabolites. The results imply that none of the compounds, except fluoranthene, pose any danger to human cells.
Wild Red Deer (Cervus elaphus) Do Not Play a Role as Vectors or Reservoirs of SARS-CoV-2 in North-Eastern Poland
Authors: Krupińska Martyna , Borkowski Jakub , Goll Aleksander , Nowicka Joanna , Baranowicz Karolina , Bourret Vincent , Strandin Tomas , Mäki Sanna , Kant Ravi , Sironen Tarja , Grzybek Maciej
Published: October 2022

Several studies reported a high prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 among white-tailed deer in North America. Monitoring cervids in all regions to better understand SARS-CoV-2 infection and circulation in other deer populations has been urged. To evaluate deer exposure and/or infection to/by SARS-CoV-2 in Poland, we sampled 90 red deer shot by hunters in five hunting districts in north-eastern Poland. Serum and nasopharyngeal swabs were collected, and then an immunofluorescent assay (IFA) to detect anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies was performed as well as real-time PCR with reverse transcription for direct virus detection. No positive samples were detected. There is no evidence of spillover of SARS-CoV-2 from the human to deer population in Poland.
Healthcare-Associated COVID-19 across Five Pandemic Waves: Prediction Models and Genomic Analyses
Authors: Demuyser Thomas , Seyler Lucie , Buttiens Rhea , Soetens Oriane , Van Nedervelde Els , Caljon Ben , Praet Jessy , Seyler Thomas , Boeckmans Joost , Meert Jessy , Vanstokstraeten Robin , Martini Helena , Crombé Florence , Piérard Denis , Allard Sabine D. , Wybo Ingrid
Published: October 2022

Background: Healthcare-associated SARS-CoV-2 infections need to be explored further. Our study is an analysis of hospital-acquired infections (HAIs) and ambulatory healthcare workers (aHCWs) with SARS-CoV-2 across the pandemic in a Belgian university hospital. Methods: We compared HAIs with community-associated infections (CAIs) to identify the factors associated with having an HAI. We then performed a genomic cluster analysis of HAIs and aHCWs. We used this alongside the European Centre for Disease Control (ECDC) case source classifications of an HAI. Results: Between March 2020 and March 2022, 269 patients had an HAI. A lower BMI, a worse frailty index, lower C-reactive protein (CRP), and a higher thrombocyte count as well as death and length of stay were significantly associated with having an HAI. Using those variables to predict HAIs versus CAIs, we obtained a positive predictive value (PPV) of 83.6% and a negative predictive value (NPV) of 82.2%; the area under the ROC was 0.89. Genomic cluster analyses and representations on epicurves and minimal spanning trees delivered further insights into HAI dynamics across different pandemic waves. The genomic data were also compared with the clinical ECDC definitions for HAIs; we found that 90.0% of the ‘definite’, 87.8% of the ‘probable’, and 70.3% of the ‘indeterminate’ HAIs belonged to one of the twenty-two COVID-19 genomic clusters we identified. Conclusions: We propose a novel prediction model for HAIs. In addition, we show that the management of nosocomial outbreaks will benefit from genome sequencing analyses.
High Prevalence of Undocumented SARS-CoV-2 Infections in the Pediatric Population of the Tyrolean District of Schwaz
Authors: Harthaller Teresa , Borena Wegene , Bante David , Schäfer Helena , Strallhofer Oliver , Zöggeler Thomas , Hochmuth Eva , Hoch Luiza , Rössler Annika , von Laer Dorothee , Kimpel Janine , Falkensammer Barbara
Published: October 2022

Complementing the adult seroprevalence data collected at the time of the rapid SARS-CoV-2 mass vaccination in the district of Schwaz in 2021, we set out to establish the seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 among the pediatric population of the district. A total of 369 children, mean age 9.9 (SD 3.4), participated in the study, answering a structured questionnaire on the history of SARS-CoV-2 infection, household contacts, symptoms and history of vaccination. We determined binding and neutralizing antibody levels using plasma samples provided. We estimated the overall prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 infection in the general pediatric population at the time of the study using the census data from Statistik Austria and daily reports of officially confirmed cases. Excluding study participants who reported a history of PCR-confirmed infection, the age-standardized seroprevalence of previously unknown SARS-CoV-2 infection among the general pediatric population of the district was 27% (95% CI: 26.1–27.8). Adding this to the officially documented cases, the true overall prevalence was 32.8% (95% CI: 31.9–33.6) in contrast to the officially documented 8.0% (95% CI: 7.5–8.5) by June 2021. This translated into a proportion of 75.7% (95% CI: 74.4–77.0) of cases being officially undocumented, suggesting a high extent of silent SARS-CoV-2 infections in the pediatric population and possibly silent transmission.
Epigenetics in Tuberculosis: Immunomodulation of Host Immune Response
Authors: Khadela Avinash , Chavda Vivek P. , Postwala Humzah , Shah Yesha , Mistry Priya , Apostolopoulos Vasso
Published: October 2022

Tuberculosis is a stern, difficult to treat chronic infection caused by acid-fast bacilli that tend to take a long time to be eradicated from the host’s environment. It requires the action of both innate and adaptive immune systems by the host. There are various pattern recognition receptors present on immune cells, which recognize foreign pathogens or its product and trigger the immune response. The epigenetic modification plays a crucial role in triggering the susceptibility of the host towards the pathogen and activating the host’s immune system against the invading pathogen. It alters the gene expression modifying the genetic material of the host’s cell. Epigenetic modification such as histone acetylation, alteration in non-coding RNA, DNA methylation and alteration in miRNA has been studied for their influence on the pathophysiology of tuberculosis to control the spread of infection. Despite several studies being conducted, many gaps still exist. Herein, we discuss the immunopathophysiological mechanism of tuberculosis, the essentials of epigenetics and the recent encroachment of epigenetics in the field of tuberculosis and its influence on the outcome and pathophysiology of the infection.
100 Years of BCG Immunization: Past, Present, and Future
Authors: Tagliabue Aldo , Boraschi Diana , Leite Luciana C. C. , Kaufmann Stefan H. E.
Published: October 2022

The 100th anniversary of the introduction of Bacille–Calmette–Guérin (BCG) as a tuberculosis (TB) vaccine is an occasion warranting further investigation of the early attempts which culminated in the introduction of BCG as a TB vaccine, as well as of subsequent recognition of failures, new findings that broaden its applications, outstanding questions, and approaches towards the development of novel vaccine candidates [...]
A Real-Time Energy Consumption Minimization Framework for Electric Vehicles Routing Optimization Based on SARSA Reinforcement Learning
Authors: Aljohani Tawfiq M. , Mohammed Osama
Published: October 2022

A real-time, metadata-driven electric vehicle routing optimization to reduce on-road energy requirements is proposed in this work. The proposed strategy employs the state–action–reward–state–action (SARSA) algorithm to learn the EV’s maximum travel policy as an agent. As a function of the received reward signal, the policy model evaluates the optimal behavior of the agent. Markov chain models (MCMs) are used to estimate the agent’s energy requirements on the road, in which a single Markov step represents the average energy consumption based on practical driving conditions, including driving patterns, road conditions, and restrictions that may apply. A real-time simulation in Python with TensorFlow, NumPy, and Pandas library requirements was run, considering real-life driving data for two EVs trips retrieved from Google’s API. The two trips started at 4.30 p.m. on 11 October 2021, in Los Angeles, California, and Miami, Florida, to reach EV charging stations six miles away from the starting locations. According to simulation results, the proposed AI-based energy minimization framework reduces the energy requirement by 11.04% and 5.72%, respectively. The results yield lower energy consumption compared with Google’s suggested routes and previous work reported in the literature using the DDQN algorithm.
Effects of the Long-Term Climate Change and Selective Discharge Schemes on the Thermal Stratification of a Large Deep Reservoir, Xin’anjiang Reservoir, China
Authors: Li Huiyun , Lan Jia , Qin Boqiang , Luo Liancong , Jin Junliang , Zhu Guangwei , Wu Zhixu
Published: October 2022

The effects of global warming and precipitation changes on water temperature and thermocline parameters, such as thermocline depth, thickness, and strength, were assessed. A catchment model, coupled with a reservoir thermal model with meteorological input calculated by a downscaled general circulation model (GCM) projection under three representative concentration pathways (RCPs), was applied to the Xin’anjiang Reservoir, located in southeast China. The results indicate that water temperature in each layer increased (decreased) with the rise (decline) in air temperature, especially the surface water temperature. There was a significant negative (positive) correlation between thermocline depth (strength) and air temperature during the period of stratification weakness. The most sensitive phenomenon of water temperature-to-precipitation changes occurred in the middle layer (depth = 30 m). Additionally, the thermocline depth and thickness increased with decreases in hydraulic residence time, which were caused by precipitation increases. According to the simulation experiments driven by RCP outputs, mean water temperature in each water layer in the future (2096–2100) has a strong response to increases in air temperature, which is projected to increase by 0.11–0.62 °C for RCP2.6, 0.76–1.19 °C for RCP4.5, and 1.50–2.35 °C for RCP8.5, compared to the baseline (2012–2016). However, mean water temperature in each water layer from 2096 to 2100 underwent a slight decrease caused by precipitation changes, with a 0.03–0.25 °C decrease for RCP2.6, 0.07–0.40 °C for RCP4.5, and 0.04–0.29 °C for RCP8.5, compared to 2012–2016. The mean thermocline depth in the future (2096–2100) will be significantly decreased, while the mean thermocline thickness will be slightly increased. Over a multiyear timescale, the impacts of air temperature changes are stronger than those induced by precipitation variations. However, the effects of hydraulic residence time changes caused by precipitation changes (especially rainstorm) should be considered in the management of deep reservoirs.
Impacts of Underground Reservoir Site Selection and Water Storage on the Groundwater Flow System in a Mining Area—A Case Study of Daliuta Mine
Authors: Chen Yanmei , Zhang Yu , Xia Fang , Xing Zhao , Wang Licheng
Published: October 2022

The natural ecological conditions in the Shendong mining area in China are very fragile, and water resources are seriously lacking. As the production scale of the Shendong mine continues to expand, the demand for water for production and living is also increasing; however, the available surface and underground water is decreasing, and the water scarcity in the Shendong mine is becoming increasingly apparent. Obtaining water resources is a major technological challenge for green mining. The underground reservoir is a new type of underground water conservancy project, and the water shortage in China’s coal mine pits is resolved by underground reservoirs, which also makes a substantial contribution to the effective utilization of water resources. How the construction of underground reservoirs affects the groundwater system in a mining area has become one of the most important factors to consider when finding sites for underground reservoirs. In this study, we took the Daliuta Coal Mine as an example. A numerical model based on the hydrogeological conditions in the mining area was developed to determine the effects on groundwater using FEFLOW software via the finite element method. The model was used to analyze the impacts of coal seam mining thickness, overlying lithology, water-storage range and the water level of the underground reservoir on the groundwater flow system in the mining area. The results indicate that the thickness of the coal seam mining and the lithology of the overlying reservoir both had a significant effect on the upper aquifer system. The water-storage range and water level of the underground reservoirs were the main influences on the lower aquifer system. The results prove that underground reservoir storage had a good effect on water retention in the groundwater system in the mining area, and was able to achieve the desired result of storing groundwater and reducing water loss. It also had a positive feedback effect on the mining area’s environment.
Estimation of Evapotranspiration and Soil Water Content at a Regional Scale Using Remote Sensing Data
Authors: Chen He , Wei Zheng , Lin Rencai , Cai Jiabing , Han Congying
Published: October 2022

The timely and accurate estimation of soil water content (SWC) and evapotranspiration (ET) is of great significance in drought estimation, irrigation management, and water resources comprehensive utilization. The unsupervised classification was used to identify the crops in the region. Based on MOD16A2 and the meteorological data, a SEBS model was used to estimate the ET in the Jiefangzha Irrigation Field from 2011 to 2015. Based on the crop water stress index (CWSI), the SWC in 2014 was retrieved and verified with the measured SWC on different underlying surfaces (sunflower, corn, wheat, and pepper). The results showed that: (1) The positional accuracy of maize, sunflower, wheat, and pepper are 0.81, 0.80, 0.90, and 0.82, respectively; (2) The annual ET from 2011 to 2015 presented well the spatial distribution of the ET within the field; (3) The validation results of the estimated SWC on the underlying surface of wheat and sunflower showed a good robustness, the R2 was 0.748 and 0.357, respectively, the RMSE was 2.61% and 2.309%, respectively, and the MAE was 2.249% and 1.975%, respectively. However, for maize and pepper with more irrigation times, the SWC estimation results, based on the CWSI were poor, indicating that the method was more sensitive to soil drought and suitable for the crop SWC estimation with less irrigation and drought tolerance. The results can provide a reference for the agricultural water resources management and the irrigation forecast at a regional scale.
Runoff Estimation Using Advanced Soft Computing Techniques: A Case Study of Mangla Watershed Pakistan
Authors: Humphries Usa Wannasingha , Ali Rashid , Waqas Muhammad , Shoaib Muhammad , Varnakovida Pariwate , Faheem Muhammad , Hlaing Phyo Thandar , Lin Hnin Aye , Ahmad Shakeel
Published: October 2022

A precise rainfall-runoff prediction is crucial for hydrology and the management of water resources. Rainfall-runoff prediction is a nonlinear method influenced by simulation model inputs. Previously employed methods have some limitations in predicting rainfall-runoff, such as low learning speed, overfitting issues, stopping criteria, and back-propagation issues. Therefore, this study uses distinctive soft computing approaches to overcome these issues for modeling rainfall-runoff for the Mangla watershed in Pakistan. Rainfall-runoff data for 29 years from 1978–2007 is used in the study to estimate runoff. The soft computing approaches used in the study are Tree Boost (TB), decision tree forests (DTFs), and single decision trees (SDTs). Using various combinations of past rainfall datasets, these soft computing techniques are validated and tested for the security of efficient results. The evaluation criteria for the models are some statistical measures consisting of root means square error (RMSE), mean absolute error (MAE), coefficient of determination (R2), and Nash–Sutcliffe efficiency (NSE). The outcomes of these computing techniques were evaluated with the multilayer perceptron (MLP). DTF was found to be a more accurate soft computing approach with the average evaluation parameters R2, NSE, RMSE, and MAE being 0.9, 0.8, 1000, and 7000 cumecs. Regarding R2 and RMSE, there are about 57% and 17% of improvement in the results of DTF compared to other techniques. Flow duration curves (FDCs) were employed and revealed that DTF performed better than other techniques. This assessment revealed that DTF has potential; researchers may consider it an alternative approach for rainfall-runoff estimations in the Mangla watershed.