bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Changes in Volatile Compounds and Quality Characteristics of Salted Shrimp Paste Stored in Different Packaging Containers
Authors: Pongsetkul Jaksuma , Benjakul Soottawat , Boonchuen Pakpoom
Published: February 2022

Quality changes of salted shrimp paste, one of the most popular traditional Thai fermented food ingredients, stored in different packaging containers including polypropylene containers (PP), polyethylene terephthalate containers (PET), glass jar containers (GJ) as well as LLDPE/Nylon vacuum bags (VB) at room temperature (28 ± 1 °C) for 15 months were studied. The relationship between quality attributes (i.e., volatiles, browning index (A420), biogenic amines, TBARS) and consumer acceptability as indicated by sensory scores were also investigated using principal component analysis (PCA). During storage, some desirable quality characteristics of shrimp paste were improved as indicated by the higher sensory scores of all samples when stored for 6 months, compared with the sample at day 0 (p ≤ 0.05). However, further changes in all compositions when extended storage time can conversely diminish those desirable characteristics and led to lowering consumers’ acceptability. In this study, GJ seem to be the most potential packaging for preserving original products’ quality during storage for this product since it exhibited the lower rate of quality changing than others throughout the storage. Conversely, VB exhibited unique volatiles and microbial profiles, compared with others, which led to the lowest sensory scores at all period test (p ≤ 0.05), implying that vacuum conditions may not be suitable for the storage of this product. Moreover, based on PCA results, the intensity of nitrogen-containing compounds correlated well with sensory acceptability, particularly flavor-likeness. Our study provides useful knowledge for understanding the different quality characteristics, particularly flavors, associated with different packaging containers during prolonged storage of salted shrimp paste.
Admission to the Long-Term Care Facilities and Institutionalization Rate in Community-Dwelling Frail Adults: An Observational Longitudinal Cohort Study
Authors: Gentili Susanna , Riccardi Fabio , Gialloreti Leonardo Emberti , Scarcella Paola , Stievano Alessandro , Proietti Maria Grazia , Rocco Gennaro , Liotta Giuseppe
Published: February 2022

The worldwide aging and the increase of chronic disease impacted the Health System by generating an increased risk of admission to Long-Term Care (LTC) facilities for older adults. The study aimed to evaluate the admission rate to LTC facilities for community-dwelling older adults and investigate factors associated with these admissions. A secondary data analysis stemming from an observational longitudinal cohort study (from 2014 to 2017) was performed. The sample was made up by 1246 older adults (664 females and 582 males, mean age 76.3, SD ± 7.1). The LTC facilities access rate was 12.5 per 1000 observations/ year. Multivariable Linear Regression identified frailty, cardiovascular disease, and incapacity to take medicine and manage money as predictors of the LTC facilities’ access rate. The Multiple Correspondence Analysis identified three clusters: those living at home with comorbidities; those living in LTC facilities who are pre-frail or frail; those very frail but not linked to residential LTC. The results indicate that access to LTC facilities is not determined by severe disability, severe comorbidity, and higher frailty levels. Instead, it is related to moderate disability associated with a lack of social support. Therefore, the care policies need to enhance social interventions to integrate medical, nursing, and rehabilitative care.
An Economic Analysis of Mumps Vaccination in Fiji: Static Model Simulation of Routine Measles–Mumps–Rubella (MMR) Vaccination Instead of Current Measles–Rubella (MR) Vaccination
Authors: Oh Chunghyeon , Rafai Eric , Cho Yinseo , Jun Damin , Cha Seungman
Published: February 2022

Mumps remains endemic in Fiji, with 7802 cases reported between 2016 and 2018. The introduction of mumps vaccination has been discouraged due to perceptions of mumps as a self-limited disease and the perceived high cost of mumps vaccines. We estimated the benefits and costs of introducing a mumps vaccination program in Fiji. First, we estimated the burden of mumps and mumps-related complications in Fiji based on the reported cases in the Fiji National Notifiable Disease Surveillance System between 2016 and 2018. We then developed a static simulation model with stable mumps herd immunity after routine measles–mumps–rubella (MMR) vaccination. Finally, we compared the estimated economic burden of mumps with current MR vaccination and the assumptive burden of the stable-state simulation model after routine MMR vaccination. The benefit–cost ratios (BCRs) were 2.65 from the taxpayer view and 3.00 from the societal view. A probabilistic sensitivity analysis indicated that the 1st and 99th percentiles of BCRs were 1.4 and 5.2 from the taxpayer’s perspective and 1.5 and 6.1 from the societal perspective. From both the taxpayer and societal perspectives, the probability of BCRs greater than 1.0 was 100%. A routine MMR program has value for money from both the taxpayer and societal perspectives. MMR vaccination should be urgently introduced in Fiji.
Assessment of Pharmacists’ Willingness to Conduct Medication Use Reviews in Poland
Authors: Merks Piotr , Religioni Urszula , Waszyk-Nowaczyk Magdalena , Kaźmierczak Justyna , Białoszewski Artur , Blicharska Eliza , Kowalczuk Anna , Neumann-Podczaska Agnieszka
Published: February 2022

Introduction. Pharmacists play an important role in healthcare. Their functions are evolving and, in many countries, they actively participate in interdisciplinary patient treatment. One of the most common services provided by pharmacists as part of pharmaceutical care in community pharmacies involves medication reviews. Objective. The objective of this study was to evaluate the readiness of pharmacists to conduct medication reviews in community pharmacies. Materials and methods. This study comprises 493 pharmacists from community pharmacies in Poland. A questionnaire (developed for the purposes of this study) was used. It consisted of eight questions regarding readiness to conduct medication reviews, along with personal data. Results. A total of 63.9% of the pharmacists were ready to conduct medication reviews, and 23.1% already had experience in this area. Participants were of the opinion that this service should be funded by the Ministry of Health or a third-party public payer, and overall was valued by the participants at PLN 169.04 (SD = 280.77) net per patient. Conclusions. Pharmacists in Poland have expressed their readiness to conduct medical reviews. Implementation of this service in community pharmacies in Poland can have a significant impact on optimising patient health outcomes.
Security Service Function Chain Based on Graph Neural Network
Authors: Li Wei , Wang Haomin , Zhang Xiaoliang , Li Dingding , Yan Lijing , Fan Qi , Jiang Yuan , Yao Ruoyu
Published: February 2022

With the rapid development and wide application of cloud computing, security protection in cloud environment has become an urgent problem to be solved. However, traditional security service equipment is closely coupled with the network topology, so it is difficult to upgrade and expand the security service, which cannot change with the change of network application security requirements. Building a security service function chain (SSFC) makes the deployment of security service functions more dynamic and scalable. Based on a software defined network (SDN) and network function virtualization (NFV) environment, this paper proposes a solution to the particularity optimization algorithm of network topology feature extraction using graph neural network. The experimental results show that, compared with the shortest path, greedy algorithm and hybrid bee colony algorithm, the average success rate of the graph neural network algorithm in the construction of the security service function chain is more than 90%, far more than other algorithms, and far less than other algorithms in construction time. It effectively reduces the end-to-end delay and increases the network throughput.
Storage Minimization of Marine Energy Grids Using Polyphase Power
Authors: Husain Salman , Parker Gordon G. , Weaver Wayne W.
Published: February 2022

Multiple wave energy converter (WEC) buoys can be used to establish a WEC array-powered microgrid collectively forming a Marine Energy Grid (MEG). An oceanic domain with gravity waves will have significant spatial variability in phase, causing the power produced by a WEC array to have high peak-to-average ratios. Minimizing these power fluctuations reduces the demand for large energy storage by WEC array-powered DC microgrids while also reducing losses in the undersea cable to the shore. Designs that reduce energy storage requirements are desirable to reduce deployment and maintenance costs. This work demonstrates that polyphase power in conjunction with an energy storage system can be used to maintain constant power. This work shows that an N WEC array geometry can be designed to reduce the energy storage requirements needed to mitigate the power fluctuations if the WEC array produces constant, polyphase power. Additionally, the conditions that identify the wave frequencies and control the effort needed to produce polyphase power are developed. This paper also shows that increasing the number of WECs in an array reduces aggregate power fluctuations. Finally, WEC array power profiles are investigated using simulation results to verify the mathematical conditions developed for the three and six WEC cases.
Immunomodulation Potential of Probiotics: A Novel Strategy for Improving Livestock Health, Immunity, and Productivity
Authors: Kober A. K. M. Humayun , Riaz Rajoka Muhammad Shahid , Mehwish Hafiza Mahreen , Villena Julio , Kitazawa Haruki
Published: February 2022

Over the past decade, the use of probiotics as feed supplements in animal production has increased considerably due to the ban on antibiotic growth promoters in livestock. This review provides an overview of the current situation, limitation, and prospects for probiotic formulations applied to livestock. Recently, the use of probiotics in livestock has been suggested to significantly improve their health, immunity, growth performance, nutritional digestibility, and intestinal microbial balance. Furthermore, it was reported that the use of probiotics in animals was helpful in equilibrating their beneficial microbial population and microbial turnover via stimulating the host immune response through specific secretions and competitive exclusion of potentially pathogenic bacteria in the digestive tract. Recently, there has been great interest in the understanding of probiotics targeted diet and its ability to compete with harmful microbes and acquire their niches. Therefore, the present review explores the most commonly used probiotic formulations in livestock feed and their effect on animal health. In summary, this article provides an in-depth knowledge about the formulation of probiotics as a step toward a better alternative to antibiotic healthy growth strategies.
Process Mineralogy of the Tailings from Llallagua: Towards a Sustainable Activity
Authors: Alfonso Pura , Ruiz Miguel , Zambrana Rubén Néstor , Sendrós Miquel , Garcia-Valles Maite , Anticoi Hernan , Sidki-Rius Nor , Salas Antonio
Published: February 2022

There are significant tin reserves in the dumps and tailings from Llallagua. Currently, this waste is being processed using gravity concentration or a combination of gravity concentration with a final stage of froth flotation. A process mineralogy study of the tailings and their products after processing in Llallagua was carried out to determine the failings of the processing system in order to contribute to designing an improved new processing scheme. The mineralogy of the feed tailings, concentrate, and final tailings was determined by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and mineral liberation analysis. The tailings were composed of quartz, tourmaline, illite, K-feldspar, plagioclase, cassiterite, rutile, zircon, and monazite. The concentrate essentially contains cassiterite (57.4 wt.%), tourmaline, quartz, hematite, rutile and rare earth minerals, mainly monazite and minor amounts of xenotime and florencite. The concentrate contained 52–60 wt.% of SnO2 and 0.9–1.3 wt.% REE. The final tailings contained 0.23–0.37 wt.% SnO2 and 0.02 wt.% of Rare Earth Elements (REE). Only 57.6 wt.% of cassiterite from the concentrate was liberated. The non-liberated cassiterite was mainly associated with quartz, tourmaline, and rutile. The average grain size of monazite was 45 µm and 57.5 wt.% of this was liberated. In other cases, it occurs in mixed particles associated with tourmaline, quartz, cassiterite, and muscovite. To improve the sustainability of this mining activity, the concentrate grade and the metal recovery must be improved. Reducing the particle size reduction of the processed tailings would increase the beneficiation process rates. In addition, the recovery of the REE present in the concentrate as a by-product should be investigated.
The Construct CoSe2 on Carbon Nanosheets as High Sensitivity Catalysts for Electro-Catalytic Oxidation of Glucose
Authors: Wang Di , Chang Ying
Published: February 2022

Seeking an efficient, sensitive, and stable catalyst is crucial for no-enzyme glucose sen-sors to detect glucose content accurately. Herein, we constructed a catalyst of selenide cobalt (CoSe2) on carbon nanomaterials by auxiliary pyrolysis of sodium chloride. The CoSe2 on carbon nanosheets possesses good selectivity and a wide linear range up to 5 mM. Based on its good detection per-formance, the CoSe2 nanomaterial is expected to be an emerging catalyst for no-enzyme sensors.
Micro-Tapered Fiber Few-Mode Interferometers Incorporated by Molecule Self-Assembly Fiber Grating for Temperature Sensing Applications
Authors: Zhou Haimiao , Suo Lina , Peng Ya-Pei , Yang Fan , Ren Shijie , Chen Nan-Kuang , Lu Xinhe , Rahman B.M.A. , Grattan K.T.V.
Published: February 2022

We demonstrate fiber few-mode interferometers based on a self-assembly surface corrugated grating using charged nano-particles. Initially, an abrupt taper (AT) was first created using a micro flame. The AT was then further outwardly stretched to make an elongated uniformed taper until the tapered diameter achieved a micron scale. The high order core modes (HOCMs) were excited at the AT and the optical path difference (OPD) among the modes was enlarged through the uniformed taper to achieve the few-mode interference effects seen. However, to significantly enhance the interference effects with higher extinction ratios (ER) over such a short length of interferometer, an external assisted grating was made using charged nanoparticles to form surface corrugated grating with a period, Λ, of approximately 14 μm. This intermediate period of the fiber grating was helpful in scattering and attenuating some unwanted high-order modes to change the optical characteristics of the few-mode interferometer (FMI). This FMI with a self-assembly fiber grating (SAFG) was further used to make fiber temperature sensors, with a maximum resonant wavelength shift of 4.6 nm, over a temperature range from 20–60 °C. The temperature sensitivity achieved was 112.6 pm/°C and the coefficient of determination, R2, was as high as 0.99, which revealed the high linearity of the results.
Amorphous Poly(ethylene terephthalate) Composites with High-Aspect Ratio Aluminium Nano Platelets
Authors: Anis Arfat , Elnour Ahmed Yagoub , Alhamidi Abdullah , Alam Mohammad Asif , Al-Zahrani Saeed M. , AlFayez Fayez , Bashir Zahir
Published: February 2022

Previously, we reported that amorphous poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) filled with irregular nodular aluminium (Al) particles gave simultaneous increases in tensile modulus, tensile strength, and impact resistance, which is unusual for materials. Here, we investigated the effect of the particle shape and size by using nano-platelet Al. The Al nano-platelets had a thickness higher than graphenes and clays, but lower than mica and talc, and due to their large widths, they had high aspect ratios. Due to the ductility of Al, the platelets maintained the high aspect ratio and did not snap during injection moulding. In addition to avoiding the usual drop in tensile strength and impact, the composites with nano Al platelets gave an unusually high flexural modulus (8 GPa), which was almost double that attained practically with talc, mica, and graphene. This was because of the high tendency of the Al nano platelets to become oriented during moulding. The Al–PET composite would be a more cost-and-performance effective combination for making conductive composites. The Al is a cheaper material than graphene, surface treatment for adhesion (to PET) is unnecessary, and dispersion issues, such as exfoliation and de-aggregation, are not a problem.
Thermal Degradation Kinetics Analysis of Ethylene-Propylene Copolymer and EP-1-Hexene Terpolymer
Authors: Mazhar Hassam , Shehzad Farrukh , Hong Sung-Gil , Al-Harthi Mamdouh A.
Published: February 2022

LLDPE is a less crystalline polymer with vast industrial and domestic applications. It is imperative to understand the synthesis, processing conditions, and thermal degradation mechanism of the co- as well as terpolymers. This paper reports the in-situ synthesis and thermal degradation studies of the ethylene-propylene copolymer and ethylene-propylene-1-hexene terpolymer and its nanocomposite with ZnAL LDH sheets. The 1-hexene dosing during the in-situ process influenced the product yield and immensely affected the thermal stability of the resultant polymer. One milliliter 1-hexene in-situ addition increased the product yield by 170 percent, while the temperature at 10 percent weight loss in TGA was dropped by about 60 °C. While only 0.3 weight percent ZnAL LDH addition in the terpolymer improved the thermal stability by 10 °C. A master plot technique and combined kinetics analysis (CKA) were deployed to access the thermal degradation mechanism of the synthesized polymers.
Photocatalytic Degradation of Textile Dye on Blended Cellulose Acetate Membranes
Authors: Asiri Abdullah M. , Pugliese Valerio , Petrosino Francesco , Khan Sher Bahadar , Alamry Khalid Ahmad , Alfifi Soliman Y. , Marwani Hadi M. , Alotaibi Maha M. , Mukherjee Debolina , Chakraborty Sudip
Published: February 2022

This work aimed to investigate the degradation performance of natural cellulose acetate (CA) membranes filled with ZnO nanostructures. Photocatalytic degradation of reactive toxic dye methylene blue (MB) was studied as a model reaction using UV light. A CA membrane was previously casted and fabricated through the phase inversion processes and laboratory-synthesized ZnO microparticles as filler. The prepared membrane was characterized for pore size, ultrafiltration (UF) performance, porosity, morphology using scanning electron micrographs (SEM), water contact angle and catalytic degradation of MB. The prepared membrane shows a significant amount of photocatalytic oxidation under UV. The photocatalytic results under UV-light radiation in CA filled with ZnO nanoparticles (CA/ZnO) demonstrated faster and more efficient MB degradation, resulting in more than 30% of initial concentration. The results also revealed how the CA/ZnO combination effectively improves the membrane’s photocatalytic activity toward methylene blue (MB), showing that the degradation process of dye solutions to UV light is chemically and physically stable and cost-effective. This photocatalytic activity toward MB of the cellulose acetate membranes has the potential to make these membranes serious competitors for removing textile dye and other pollutants from aqueous solutions. Hence, polymer–ZnO composite membranes were considered a valuable and attractive topic in membrane technology.
Dialogue as a Means of Religious Co-Production: Historical Perspectives
Authors: Heyden Katharina
Published: February 2022

What does interreligious dialogue look like from different religious perspectives? What does it do? One way of answering these questions is by examining historical examples of “religious dialogue”. These illustrate first-hand the rhetoric of interreligious dialogue. This article examines three case studies: (1) from 2nd-century Rome, Justin Martyr’s Dialogue with Trypho; (2) from 12th-century Spain, the Kuzari by Judah Halevi the Jew alongside the Dialogus of Petrus Alfonsi, a Christian convert from Judaism (both discuss Islam); (3) from 18th-century Berlin, Moses Mendelssohn’s Jerusalem and Johann Caspar Lavater’s Nathanael. Each contextualized case-study reveals the creative, morally enigmatic tension between commitment to hearing the religious Other, the utility of the Other for demarcating one’s own religious identity, and the epistemological contradictions of religious systems. Borrowing Martin Buber’s insight that the Ich (the “I”) needs a Du (a “you”) to form itself but must transform that Du into a third person es (an “it”), this article shows how complicated a process religious co-production through dialogue is—one which is both morally problematic and ethically promising. Here, literary dialogues establish a general feature of interreligious dialogue: the requirements of self-construction, not just the need for peaceful coexistence, recommend the adoption of a strong dialogical tolerance.
Radio Frequency Interference Mitigation for Synthetic Aperture Radar Based on the Time-Frequency Constraint Joint Low-Rank and Sparsity Properties
Authors: Ding Yi , Fan Weiwei , Zhang Zijing , Zhou Feng , Lu Bingbing
Published: February 2022

Synthetic aperture radar (SAR) is susceptible to radio frequency interference (RFI), which becomes especially commonplace in the increasingly complex electromagnetic environments. RFI severely detracts from SAR imaging quality, which hinders image interpretation. Therefore, some RFI mitigation algorithms have been introduced based on the partial features of RFI, but the RFI reconstruction models in these algorithms are rough and can be improved further. This paper proposes two algorithms for accurately modeling the structural properties of RFI and target echo signal (TES). Firstly, an RFI mitigation algorithm joining the low-rank characteristic and dual-sparsity property (LRDS) is proposed. In this algorithm, RFI is treated as a low-rank and sparse matrix, and the sparse matrix assumption is made for TES in the time–frequency (TF) domain. Compared with the traditional low-rank and sparse models, it can achieve better RFI mitigation performance with less signal loss and accelerated algorithm convergence. Secondly, the other RFI mitigation algorithm, named as TFC-LRS, is proposed to further reduce the signal loss. The TF constraint concept, in lieu of the special sparsity, is introduced in this algorithm to describe the structural distribution of RFI because of its aggregation characteristic in the TF spectrogram. Finally, the effectiveness, superiority, and robustness of the proposed algorithms are verified by RFI mitigation experiments on the simulated and measured SAR datasets.
Aqueous Biphasic Systems Comprising Natural Organic Acid-Derived Ionic Liquids
Authors: Quental Maria V. , Pereira Matheus M. , Silva Francisca A. e , Coutinho João A. P. , Freire Mara G.
Published: February 2022

Despite the progress achieved by aqueous biphasic systems (ABSs) comprising ionic liquids (ILs) in extracting valuable proteins, the quest for bio-based and protein-friendly ILs continues. To address this need, this work uses natural organic acids as precursors in the synthesis of four ILs, namely tetrabutylammonium formate ([N4444][HCOO]), tetrabutylammonium acetate ([N4444][CH3COO]), tetrabutylphosphonium formate ([P4444][HCOO]), and tetrabutylphosphonium acetate ([P4444][CH3COO]). It is shown that ABSs can be prepared using all four organic acid-derived ILs paired with the salts potassium phosphate dibasic (K2HPO4) and tripotassium citrate (C6H5K3O7). According to the ABSs phase diagrams, [P4444]-based ILs outperform their ammonium congeners in their ability to undergo liquid–liquid demixing in the presence of salts due to their lower hydrogen-bond acidity. However, deviations to the Hofmeister series were detected in the salts’ effect, which may be related to the high charge density of the studied IL anions. As a proof of concept for their extraction potential, these ABSs were evaluated in extracting human transferrin, allowing extraction efficiencies of 100% and recovery yields ranging between 86 and 100%. To further disclose the molecular-level mechanisms behind the extraction of human transferrin, molecular docking studies were performed. Overall, the salting-out exerted by the salt is the main mechanism responsible for the complete extraction of human transferrin toward the IL-rich phase, whereas the recovery yield and protein-friendly nature of these systems depend on specific “IL-transferrin” interactions.
Economic Sustainability by Using Life Cycle Cost Information in the Buying Center: Insights from the Public Sector
Authors: Gaus Julian , Wehking Sven , Glas Andreas H. , Eßig Michael
Published: February 2022

Following the triple-bottom-line approach, sustainability comprises not only an ecologic and a social dimension but also an economic one. In that sense, economic sustainability (ES) tries to achieve a state in which present economic activities do not place a disproportionate burden on future economic activities. The time-related dimension of ES is of interest for this research, because procurement management makes use of life cycle cost (LCC), which is an instrument to measure long-term economic effects. LCC information could help to consider ES, but practice struggles to consider the information. This research addresses this issue and merges organizational information processing with organizational buying behavior theory. Empirically, it reports original insights into eight cases in the public sector. Decisions in the cases are usually made by councils (buying centers); as such, a group of people with different backgrounds must be informed with ES LCC information. The findings show ES LCC information requirements, capabilities, and fit, as well as information distribution and perception in buying centers. As such, the cases provide indications as to which decisions in the project are influenced by ES LCC information. Overall, the analysis integrates two theoretical perspectives and provides strong indications that LCC is a promising instrument to link decision making with a sustainability rational.
Assessing the Impact of a New Urban Greenway Using Mobile, Wearable Technology-Elicited Walk- and Bike-Along Interviews
Authors: Adlakha Deepti , Tully Mark A. , Mansour Perla
Published: February 2022

Physical inactivity is the fourth leading risk factor for global mortality, causing an estimated 3.3 million deaths worldwide. Characteristics of the built environment, including buildings, public spaces, pedestrian and cycling infrastructure, transportation networks, parks, trails and green spaces can facilitate or constrain physical activity. However, objective study of built environment interventions on physical activity remains challenging due to methodological limitations and research gaps. Existing methods such as direct observations or surveys are time and labour intensive, and only provide a static, cross-sectional view of physical activity at a specific point in time. The aim of this study was to develop a novel method for objectively and inexpensively assessing how built environment changes may influence physical activity. We used a novel, unobtrusive method to capture real-time, in situ data from a convenience sample of 25 adults along a newly constructed urban greenway in an area of high deprivation in Belfast, UK. Walk/bike-along interviews were conducted with participants using a body-worn or bicycle-mounted portable digital video camera (GoPro HERO 3+ camera) to record their self-determined journeys along the greenway. This is the first study to demonstrate the feasibility of using wearable sensors to capture participants’ responses to the built environment in real-time during their walking and cycling journeys. These findings contribute to our understanding of the impact of real-world environmental interventions on physical activity and the importance of precise, accurate and objective measurements of environments where the activity occurs.
Estimating the Risk of Acute Gastrointestinal Disease Attributed to E. coli O157:H7 in Irrigation Water and Agricultural Soil: A Quantitative Microbial Risk Assessment
Authors: Iwu Chidozie Declan , Iwu-Jaja Chinwe Juliana , Okoh Anthony Ifeanyin , Otim Michael Ekubu , Al Marzouqi Amina M.
Published: February 2022

Introduction: The occurrence of E. coli O157:H7 in the agricultural environment poses a serious threat to public health. The primary aim was to estimate the probability of illness caused by E. coli O157:H7 in irrigation water and agricultural soil niches. Methods: The Quantitative Microbial Risk Assessment was used and the risks were characterized using the Monte Carlo simulation with 10,000 iterations. Results: The mean levels of E. coli O157:H7 in the irrigation water and agricultural soil samples was 1.328 × 103 CFU/100 mL (Range: 0.00 to 13.000 × 103 CFU/100 mL) and 2.482 × 103 CFU/g (Range: 0.167 × 103 to 16.333 × 103 CFU/g), respectively. The risk of infection in humans exposed to this water and soil was 100%. In addition, a high risk of acute diarrheal disease was estimated at 25.0 × 10−2 for humans exposed to contaminated water and/or soil. Summary: These results exceeded the WHO diarrheal disease risk standard of 1.0 × 10−3. These findings demonstrated a high probability of acute gastrointestinal disease among humans exposed to E. coli O157:H7 in irrigation water and agricultural soil samples collected from the study sites representing a huge public health threat.
The Arctic Highlights Our Failure to Act in a Rapidly Changing World
Authors: Schlosser Peter , Eicken Hajo , Metcalf Vera , Pfirman Stephanie , Murray Maribeth S. , Edwards Clea
Published: February 2022

In this perspective on the future of the Arctic, we explore actions taken to mitigate warming and adapt to change since the Paris agreement on the temperature threshold that should not be exceeded in order to avoid dangerous interference with the climate system. Although 5 years may seem too short a time for implementation of major interventions, it actually is a considerable time span given the urgency at which we must act if we want to avoid crossing the 1.5 to <2 °C global warming threshold. Actions required include co-production of research exploring possible futures; supporting Indigenous rights holders’ and stakeholders’ discourse on desired futures; monitoring Arctic change; funding strategic, regional adaptation; and, deep decarbonization through transformation of the energy system coupled with negative carbon emissions. We are now in the decisive decade concerning the future we leave behind for the next generations. The Arctic’s future depends on global action, and in turn, the Arctic plays a critical role in the global future.
Including Digital Connection in the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals: A Systems Thinking Approach for Achieving the SDGs
Authors: Clark Serena , MacLachlan Malcolm , Marshall Kevin , Morahan Niall , Carroll Claire , Hand Karen , Boyle Neasa , O’Sullivan Katriona
Published: February 2022

In the two decades since the establishment of the 2030 Agenda, the world has faced significant challenges to achieve the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Before COVID-19, the SDGs were not on track to be achieved, and disruptions in implementation resulting from the pandemic have had significant effects, turning back years of progress. The pandemic has highlighted the essential nature of digital technologies in advancing the SDGs, continuing education, including higher education, social, and commercial activities, as well as enabling people to participate in society, democracy, and the economy during crises. As humanity enters this new period and begins to reset after the ‘great pause’, it is imperative to reconsider how the digital revolution has affected progress, especially in realizing the SDGs. Digital inclusion and connectivity inform and are essential to achieve all of the Goals. This article builds on the Just Digital Ethical Framework conceptualized by the authors in O’Sullivan et al. published in Nature Communications, which argues that four strategic drivers (digital capabilities, technology, infrastructure, and governance) are imperative to complete all of the 17 SDGs. It takes the Just Digital Ethical Framework to the next critical step, in which there needs to be a new SDG dedicated to these four drivers. This article is an exploratory study that uses a systems thinking approach and presents an 18th SDG called Digital Connection. Digital Connection focuses on the equitable distribution of digital wealth guided by the drivers. Understanding the relationship between these drivers and how they operate, where they are used, the pace of change, and systems’ ability to adapt are essential for sustainable development and to address the challenges that face society equitably and fairly.
A Modified Rainbow-Based Deep Reinforcement Learning Method for Optimal Scheduling of Charging Station
Authors: Wang Ruisheng , Chen Zhong , Xing Qiang , Zhang Ziqi , Zhang Tian
Published: February 2022

To improve the operating efficiency and economic benefits, this article proposes a modified rainbow-based deep reinforcement learning (DRL) strategy to realize the charging station (CS) optimal scheduling. As the charging process is a real-time matching between electric vehicles ‘(EVs) charging demand and CS equipment resources, the CS charging scheduling problem is duly formulated as a finite Markov decision process (FMDP). Considering the multi-stakeholder interaction among EVs, CSs, and distribution networks (DNs), a comprehensive information perception model was constructed to extract the environmental state required by the agent. According to the random behavior characteristics of the EV charging arrival and departure times, the startup of the charging pile control module was regarded as the agent’s action space. To tackle this issue, the modified rainbow approach was utilized to develop a time-scale-based CS scheme to compensate for the resource requirements mismatch on the energy scale. Case studies were conducted within a CS integrated with the photovoltaic and energy storage system. The results reveal that the proposed method effectively reduces the CS operating cost and improves the new energy consumption.
A Stochastic Optimization Model for Sustainable Multimodal Transportation for Bioenergy Production
Authors: Ko Sangpil , Choi Kyoungjoon , Yu Seungmin , Lee Jun
Published: February 2022

While many previous studies have suggested well-defined procedures to find appropriate supply chains, a limited number of studies have been conducted with uncertain values relating to transportation costs. Most of these have included only limited detail on multimodal transportation, or have not considered economic, social, and environmental transportation cost factors together. The main purpose of this study is to suggest a multi-objective stochastic model for sustainable biomass transportation, and to identify the impact level of model selection on the transportation mode. It begins with a deterministic formulation of sustainable transportation, which is then modified to a stochastic problem with vectorization of cost parameters. Based on the model developed, we examined four uncertainty cases from a combination of annual capacity and average distance of biomass transportation. The experimental results provide more cost savings from multimodal transportation, which can be identified if we analyze transportation costs with stochastic modeling. Regarding short-distance plant cases, the study reveals that the impact of the utilization of stochastic methods is insignificant, as the costs savings from multimodal transportation is trivial. Other findings from the experiments show that multimodal transportation could provide cost savings in the economic cost factor, except in the case of low annual capacity and short average distance.
Evolution Analysis of the Coupling Coordination of Microclimate and Landscape Ecological Risk Degree in the Xiahuayuan District in Recent 20 Years
Authors: Fan Qiang , Shi Yue , Song Xiaonan , Li Hui , Sun Wei , Wu Feng
Published: February 2022

Understanding the degree of interaction between microclimate and landscape risk in urban development is essential. This study analyzed the degree of interaction between microclimate and landscape ecological risk in 2000, 2010, and 2020 in the Xiahuayuan District in Zhangjiakou City, Hebei Province, China, using a coupled coordination degree model. The results show that the degree of landscape ecological risk in the Xiahuayuan District from 2000 to 2020 was mainly medium-high and high risk; the risk transfer area was 69.75 km2 and 107.76 km2 from 2000 to 2010 and 2010 to 2020, respectively. The surface temperature gradually decreased from west to east; the area of the middle temperate zone suitable for human habitation in 2000, 2010 and 2020 was 42.96%, 36.03% and 47.05%, respectively. The landscape ecological risk degree and surface temperature were closely related during the study period and interacted significantly. The coupling degree and coordination degree were dominated by high coupling degree and mutual coordination. The area of high coupling degree in 2000, 2010 and 2020 accounted for 79.53%, 78.07% and 85.06%, respectively; the area of mutual coordination degree accounted for 78.80%, 80.97% and 83.13%, respectively. The interaction between landscape ecological risk degree and surface temperature in the Xiahuayuan District was more evident, with strong coupling coordination.
Phylogenetic Insights on Patterns of HIV-1 Spread and the Design of Epidemic Control Measures
Authors: Brenner Bluma G.
Published: February 2022

Phylogenetics provides a unique structural framework to track the spread of viral diseases, such as HIV-1 (human immunodeficiency virus type 1), the causative agent of AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome) [...]
Factors Associated with Significant Platelet Count Improvement in Thrombocytopenic Chronic Hepatitis C Patients Receiving Direct-Acting Antivirals
Authors: Chen Yen-Chun , Chang Te-Sheng , Chen Chien-Hung , Cheng Pin-Nan , Lo Ching-Chu , Mo Lein-Ray , Chen Chun-Ting , Huang Chung-Feng , Kuo Hsing-Tao , Huang Yi-Hsiang , Tai Chi-Ming , Peng Cheng-Yuan , Bair Ming-Jong , Yeh Ming-Lun , Lin Chih-Lang , Lin Chun-Yen , Lee Pei-Lun , Chong Lee-Won , Hung Chao-Hung , Huang Jee-Fu , Yang Chi-Chieh , Hu Jui-Ting , Lin Chih-Wen , Wang Chia-Chi , Su Wei-Wen , Hsieh Tsai-Yuan , Lin Chih-Lin , Tsai Wei-Lun , Lee Tzong-Hsi , Chen Guei-Ying , Wang Szu-Jen , Chang Chun-Chao , Yang Sheng-Shun , Wu Wen-Chih , Huang Chia-Sheng , Hsiung Chou-Kwok , Kao Chien-Neng , Tsai Pei-Chien , Liu Chen-Hua , Lee Mei-Hsuan , Dai Chia-Yen , Kao Jia-Horng , Chuang Wan-Long , Lin Han-Chieh , Chen Chi-Yi , Tseng Kuo-Chih , Yu Ming-Lung ,   on behalf of TACR investigators
Published: February 2022

To clarify the predictive factors of significant platelet count improvement in thrombocytopenic chronic hepatitis C (CHC) patients. CHC patients with baseline platelet counts of <150 × 103/μL receiving direct-acting antiviral (DAA) therapy with at least 12-weeks post-treatment follow-up (PTW12) were enrolled. Significant platelet count improvement was defined as a ≥10% increase in platelet counts at PTW12 from baseline. Platelet count evolution at treatment week 4, end-of-treatment, PTW12, and PTW48 was evaluated. This study included 4922 patients. Sustained virologic response after 12 weeks post-treatment was achieved in 98.7% of patients. Platelet counts from baseline, treatment week 4, and end-of-treatment to PTW12 were 108.8 ± 30.2, 121.9 ± 41.1, 123.1 ± 43.0, and 121.1 ± 40.8 × 103/μL, respectively. Overall, 2230 patients (45.3%) showed significant platelet count improvement. Multivariable analysis revealed that age (odds ratio (OR) = 0.99, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.99–1.00, p = 0.01), diabetes mellitus (DM) (OR = 1.20, 95% CI: 1.06–1.38, p = 0.007), cirrhosis (OR = 0.66, 95% CI: 0.58–0.75, p < 0.0001), baseline platelet counts (OR = 0.99, 95% CI: 0.98–0.99, p < 0.0001), and baseline total bilirubin level (OR = 0.80, 95% CI: 0.71–0.91, p = 0.0003) were independent predictive factors of significant platelet count improvement. Subgroup analyses showed that patients with significant platelet count improvement and sustained virologic responses, regardless of advanced fibrosis, had a significant increase in platelet counts from baseline to treatment week 4, end-of-treatment, PTW12, and PTW48. Young age, presence of DM, absence of cirrhosis, reduced baseline platelet counts, and reduced baseline total bilirubin levels were associated with significant platelet count improvement after DAA therapy in thrombocytopenic CHC patients.
Zerovalent Iron Nanoparticles-Alginate Nanocomposites for Cr(VI) Removal in Water—Influence of Temperature, pH, Dissolved Oxygen, Matrix, and nZVI Surface Composition
Authors: Parnis Marguerite , García Fabiana Elena , Toledo Melanie Victoria , Montesinos Víctor Nahuel , Quici Natalia
Published: February 2022

The immobilization of zerovalent iron nanoparticles (nZVI) is a way to facilitate their use in continuous flow systems for the treatment of aqueous pollutants. In this work, two types of nZVI (powdered, NSTAR; and slurry suspended, N25) were immobilized in millimetric alginate beads (AL) by coagulation, forming nanocomposites (NCs). These NCs, N25@AL and NSTAR@AL, were structurally studied and tested for Cr(VI) removal. For both NCs types, SEM analysis showed a uniform distribution of the nanoparticles in micron-scale agglomerates, and XRD analysis revealed the preservation of α-Fe as the main iron phase of the immobilized nanoparticles. Additionally, Raman spectroscopy results evidenced a partial oxidation of the initially present magnetite. For both nZVI types, the Cr(VI) removal efficiency increased with temperature, decreased with pH, and did not show any significant change in anoxic or oxic conditions. On the other hand, N25@AL resulted a faster removal agent than NSTAR@AL; however, both materials had the same maximum removal capacity: 133 mg of Cr(VI) per gram of nZVI at pH 3. Cr(III) formed during the removal of Cr(VI) was retained by the alginate matrix, constituting a clear advantage against the use of free nZVI in suspension at acidic pH.
Simulating Discharge in a Non-Dammed River of Southeastern South America Using SWAT Model
Authors: Fujita Thais , de Morais Marcos Vinicius Bueno , Dos Santos Vanessa Cristina , Rudke Anderson Paulo , de Eiras Marilia Moreira , Xavier Ana Carolina Freitas , Abou Rafee Sameh Adib , Santos Eliane Barbosa , Martins Leila Droprinchinski , Uvo Cintia Bertacchi , de Souza Rodrigo Augusto Ferreira , de Freitas Edmilson Dias , Martins Jorge Alberto
Published: February 2022

Within a single region, it is possible to identify opposite changes in flow production. This proved to be the case for several basins in southeastern South America. It remains challenging to the causes this behavior and whether changes in streamflow will continue at current levels or decline in the coming decades. In this study, we used the Soil Water Assessment Tool to simulate monthly river discharge in the Ivaí River Basin, an unregulated medium-sized catchment and tributary of the Upper Paraná River Basin. After calibration, the simulated flow regime for the five streamflow stations based on the Nash-Sutcliffe Efficiency index (NSE) rated four of the streamflow stations Very Good (NSE between 0.86 and 0.89) and only one in the Good index (0.70). The overall flow behavior was well represented, although an underestimation was identified in four monitoring stations. Through assessment of its functionality and limitations in terms of specific flow duration curves percentages, the calibrated model could provide (to managers) the reliability needed for a realistic intervention. The results of this study may assist managers and support public policies for the use of water resources at the Ivaí River basin.
A Stacking Ensemble Learning Model for Monthly Rainfall Prediction in the Taihu Basin, China
Authors: Gu Jiayue , Liu Shuguang , Zhou Zhengzheng , Chalov Sergey R. , Zhuang Qi
Published: February 2022

The prediction of monthly rainfall is greatly beneficial for water resources management and flood control projects. Machine learning (ML) techniques, as an increasingly popular approach, have been applied in diverse climatic regions, showing their respective superiority. On top of that, the ensemble learning model that synthesizes the advantages of different ML models deserves more attention. In this study, an ensemble learning model based on stacking approach was proposed. Four prevalent ML models, namely k-nearest neighbors (KNN), extreme gradient boosting (XGB), support vector regression (SVR), and artificial neural networks (ANN) are taken as base models. To combine the outputs from the base models, the weighting algorithm is used as second-layer learner to generate predictions. Large-scale climate indices, large-scale atmospheric variables, and local meteorological variables were used as predictors. R2, RMSE and MAE, were used as evaluation metrics. The results show that the performance of base models varied among the nine stations in the Taihu Basin, while the stacking approach generally performed better than the four base models. The stacking model showed better performance in spring and winter than in summer and autumn. During wet months, the accuracy of model prediction varied more significantly. On the whole, based on performance evaluation measures, it is concluded that the proposed stacking ensemble multi-ML model can provide a flexible and reasonable prediction framework applicable to other regions.
Spatiotemporal Analysis of Drought and Agriculture Standardized Residual Yield Series Nexuses across Punjab, Pakistan
Authors: Waseem Muhammad , Jaffry Ali Hasan , Azam Muhammad , Ahmad Ijaz , Abbas Adnan , Lee Jae-Eun
Published: February 2022

Food security for the growing global population is closely associated with the variations in agricultural yield at the regional scale. Based on this perspective, the current study was designed to determine the impacts of drought on wheat production in the Punjab province, which is the agricultural hub of Pakistan. Wheat is a staple food in Pakistan, and Punjab provides a major contribution to the total wheat production of the country. Therefore, Punjab is vital to scientific concerns regarding the evaluation of climatic impacts on the annual wheat yield. The current study offers a better understanding of the drought impacts on wheat in Punjab during 2001–2019. The Standardized Precipitation Index was used to assess the impact of drought stress on the wheat yield. Its temporal evolution indicates the recurrent appearance of drought episodes during the wheat cropping season. Furthermore, meteorological drought was noticed in all study years except for 2019. The results reveal that 2002 experienced severe drought conditions. The frequency of drought was calculated as 29% for SPI-12. The relationships between soil moisture, the Standardized Yield Residual Series (SYRS), and the detrended SPI at lags of 1–12 months indicate that zones 1 and 2 are more sensitive to dry conditions. The results presented in this study provide evidence to authorities responsible for developing policies in the context of natural hazards, particularly droughts, and for preparing drought mitigation plans and implementing the adaptation strategies to minimize the effects of drought on wheat yields.