bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Impacts of Environmental and Socio-Economic Risks on the Fisheries in the Mediterranean Region
Authors: Hilmi Nathalie , Farahmand Shekoofeh , Lam Vicky W. Y. , Cinar Mine , Safa Alain , Gilloteaux Juliette
Published: September 2021

The objective of this study is to investigate the impacts of the environmental and socio-economic risks on the fisheries in the Mediterranean region from an economic point of view. A balanced panel of 21 Mediterranean countries for 2001–2018 has been estimated by the GLS method, considering heteroskedasticity and correlation among cross sections. The volume of fish landed and landed values have been considered in two models. The results show that increases in sea bottom and surface temperature, H+ ion concentration and salinity threaten the fisheries in the Mediterranean region for the volume of fish landed and that sea surface temperature and salinity negatively influence landed values. In addition, there is an inverse U-shaped relationship between human population and fisheries. Moreover, the Human Development Index (HDI), an indicator of countries’ adaptive capacity, has a positive impact on fisheries and indicates that countries can safeguard fisheries by improving their adaptive capacity. Finally, our results strongly show the risk of climate change for the fisheries in the Mediterranean region and that fisheries are adversely impacted by climate change as well as worsening socio-economic conditions in the absence of adaptation plans.
Evaluation and Improvement of PCM Melting in Double Tube Heat Exchangers Using Different Combinations of Nanoparticles and PCM (The Case of Renewable Energy Systems)
Authors: Motevali Ali , Hasandust Rostami Mohammadreza , Najafi Gholamhassan , Yan Wei-Mon
Published: September 2021

In this work, the melting process of phase change material (PCM) in double tube heat exchangers was investigated and evaluated through the use of different combinations (1, 2, 3% Nano-Enhanced PCM and 1, 3, 5% Nano-HTF) of GQD, as well as SWCNT nanoparticles and PCM (RT82). In this study, the effect of three different methods, namely the dispersion of nanoparticles in PCM (nano-enhanced PCM), the dispersion of nanoparticles in HTF (nano-HTF), and the simultaneous dispersion of nanoparticles in PCM and HTF (nano-enhanced PCM, nano-HTF) concerning the nanoparticles participation in the thermal energy storage system in a double tube heat exchanger was evaluated. Other effective factors, such as the inlet fluid temperature, different Reynolds numbers, fin as well as new parameter of pipe, and fin thickness were also evaluated. The results showed that the highest effect of different parameters on the PCM melting process was related to the 1% nano-HTF and 3% nano-enhanced PCM nanoparticles of SWCNT, which decreased the PCM melting rate by about 39%. The evaluation of the effect of pipe and fan thickness also showed that the melting rate improved by 31% through reducing the thickness of the HTF fin and pipe. In general, the current study followed two purposes first, to examine three methods of the dispersion of nanoparticles in the thermal energy storage system; second, to reduce the thickness of the tube and fin. Findings of the study yielded positive results.
Influence of Social Distancing Behavior and Cross-Cultural Motivation on Consumers’ Attitude to Using M-Payment Services
Authors: Alam Md. Zahid , Moudud-Ul-Huq Syed , Sadekin Md. Nazmus , Hassan Mohamad Ghozali , Rahman Mohammad Morshedur
Published: September 2021

With the sustainable economy and the development of innovative technology, China is anticipated to have a large number of mobile payment (m-payment) users due to cultural influences and population size. This payment culture leads to a significant motivation to adopt m-payment services, which can stimulate new users from other groups. The role of cultural motivation is the most important factor in the m-payment context. This paper empirically examines the impact of cross-cultural motivation in the context of the practicing of social distancing behavior due to COVID-19 and the mobile payment (m-payment) context. We develop a conceptual model to validate user intention to use mobile payment systems during the COVID-19 crisis. Data were surveyed from 409 international students in China, and the model is validated using the AMOS structural equation modeling approach. Similar to the results of previous studies based on the adoption of mobile payment, this study also confirms the hypothesis testing. The key and robust result is that, due to cultural motivation and social distancing behavior, international students respond swiftly to the use of mobile payment services during COVID-19. Subsequently, perceived usefulness and awareness influence behavior intention to use mobile payment services. The findings of this study suggest that motivational characteristics, including the awareness of efficiency and the social distancing behavior due to COVID-19, play an important role in the adoption of mobile payment. As a result, the empirical results of this research provide useful information to stakeholders so that they can enhance m-payment services strategies and implement these successfully by considering various factors.
Lessons Learned, Barriers, and Improvement Factors for Mega Building Construction Projects in Developing Countries: Review Study
Authors: Abu Aisheh Yazan Issa
Published: September 2021

A mega-project is a major project or a group of projects of significant cost that attract a high level of public attention or political interest because of substantial direct and indirect impacts on the community, environment, and state budget. Capturing and sharing the knowledge from the performance of the current mega projects is essential in order to avoid losing vital corporate knowledge assets in the construction industry. The learned lessons are gained from experience, success, and failure for improving future performance. This research aims to review and read out the lessons learned from 77 research papers that have dealt with the barriers that hinder the successful performance of mega building construction projects in developing countries, identify and classify the main obstacles, and propose improvements for successful implementation and management of mega building construction projects. The results of this paper will help project owners, construction companies, and other stakeholders in developing countries to overcome the limitations in the execution of mega building construction projects.
Constructing a Sustainable and Dynamic Promotion Model for Fresh Foods Based on a Digital Transformation Framework
Authors: Ou Tsung-Yin , Lin Guan-Yu , Liu Chin-Ying , Tsai Wen-Lung
Published: September 2021

The emergence of digital technology has compelled the retail industry to develop innovative and sustainable business models to predict and respond to consumer behavior. However, most enterprises are crippled with doubt, lacking frameworks and methods for moving forward. This study establishes a five-step decision-making framework for digital transformation in the retail industry and verifies it using real data from convenience stores in Taiwan. Data from residential type and cultural and educational type convenience stores, which together account for 75% of all stores, underwent a one-year simulation analysis according to the following three decision models for promotions: the shelf-life extended scrap model (SES), the fixed remaining duration model (FRD), and the dynamic promotion decision model (DPD). The results indicated that the DPD model reduced scrap in residential type stores by 12.88% and increased profit by 15.43%. In cultural and educational stores, the DPD model reduced scrap by 10.78% and increased profit by 7.63%. The implementation of the DPD model in convenience stores can bring additional revenue to operators, and at the same time address the problem of food waste. With the full use of resources, sustainable operation can be turned into a concrete and feasible management decision-making plan.
Fiscal Policy, Institutional Quality, and Public Debt: Evidence from Transition Countries
Authors: Nguyen Thi Anh Nhu , Luong Thi Thuy Huong
Published: September 2021

This research makes a significant contribution to the literature on the economic implications of fiscal policy and institutional quality by modeling empirically the impact of these factors on public debt in 27 transition countries over the period 2000–2018. Applying Ordinary Least Squares (OLS), Random effects, and two-step GMM methods, the research gives evidence to confirm the background theory that deducing public expenditure and improving government revenue could push government debt lower. The main findings especially demonstrate that institutional quality contributes to making an impact on public debt. Particularly, weak governance in controlling corruption leads to higher accumulation of public debt while financing to improve the institutional quality in relation to government effectiveness, regulatory quality, and rule of law after changes in the regime in those countries increases the size of public debt. The results of this paper convince policymakers of crucial implications of both fiscal policy and institutional quality in managing public debt.
Climate Change, Adaptation Planning and Institutional Integration: A Literature Review and Framework
Authors: Kauffman Nate , Hill Kristina
Published: September 2021

The scale and scope of climate change has triggered widespread acknowledgement of the need to adapt to it. Out of recent work attempting to understand, define, and contribute to the family of concepts related to adaptation efforts, considerable contributions and research have emerged. Yet, the field of climate adaptation constantly grapples with complex ideas whose relational interplay is not always clear. Similarly, understanding how applied climate change adaptation efforts unfold through planning processes that are embedded in broader institutional settings can be difficult to apprehend. We present a review of important theory, themes, and terms evident in the literature of spatial planning and climate change adaptation to integrate them and synthesize a conceptual framework illustrating their dynamic interplay. This leads to consideration of how institutions, urban governance, and the practice of planning are involved, and evolving, in shaping climate adaptation efforts. While examining the practice of adaptation planning is useful in framing how core climate change concepts are related, the role of institutional processes in shaping and defining these concepts—and adaptation planning itself—remains complex. Our framework presents a useful tool for approaching and improving an understanding of the interactive relationships of central climate change adaptation concepts, with implications for future work focused on change within the domains of planning and institutions addressing challenges in the climate change era.
Implementation of the New European Bauhaus Principles as a Context for Teaching Sustainable Architecture
Authors: Sadowski Kajetan
Published: September 2021

Due to the presentation of the European Green Deal (EGD) on 11 December 2019, it is important to introduce a new context for the education of architects corresponding to the objectives set by the European Union. These include reducing greenhouse gas emissions, increasing the energy efficiency of buildings, designing buildings in accordance with the principles of the circular economy, using renewable energy, as well as promoting ecological food and protecting biodiversity. As part of the design course Environmentally Friendly Housing Architecture, inspired by, among others, the design of the New European Bauhaus and the former Bauhaus art school, both of which are compared in the first part of this article, we identify a number of new, assessed design indicators related to the achievement of the above objectives, in line with the trend of sustainable architecture. The indicators are divided into four main categories: energy, environment, indoor climate, and society, where, for example, the environmental category includes the following criteria: embodied energy (MJ/m2), embodied carbon footprint (CO2eq/m2), use of rainwater and gray water (% of demand), use of mains water (% of demand), local production of vegetables and fruit (% of demand). During the design process, changes were made to achieve better indicators, and the final designs were described using radar charts. The paper presents a statistical summary of the achieved values for individual indicators, the progress achieved, exemplary design solutions, and the assessment of the methodology used. The design course Environmentally Friendly Housing Architecture was assessed by the participants by means of a questionnaire.
Retrofitting Building Envelope Using Phase Change Materials and Aerogel Render for Adaptation to Extreme Heatwave: A Multi-Objective Analysis Considering Heat Stress, Energy, Environment, and Cost
Authors: Kumar Dileep , Alam Morshed , Sanjayan Jay G.
Published: September 2021

Energy retrofitting the existing building stock is crucial to reduce thermal discomfort, energy consumption, and carbon emissions. However, insulating and enhancing the thermal mass of an existing building wall using traditional methods is a very challenging and expensive task. There is a need to develop a material that can be applied easily in an existing occupied building without much interruption to occupants’ daily life while also having high thermal resistance and heat storage capacity. This study aimed to investigate a potential building wall retrofit strategy combining aerogel render and Phase change materials (PCM) because aerogel render is highly resistive to heat and PCM has high thermal mass. While a number of studies investigated the thermal and energy-saving performances of aerogel render and PCM separately, no study has been done on the thermal and energy-saving performance of the combination of PCM and aerogel render. In this study, the performance of 12 different retrofit strategies, including aerogel and PCM, were evaluated numerically in terms of heat stress, energy savings, peak cooling, emission, and lifecycle cost using a typical single-story Australian house. The results showed that applying aerogel render and PCM on the outer side of the external walls and PCM and insulation in ceilings is the best option considering all performance indicators and ease of application. Compared to the baseline, this strategy reduced severe discomfort hours by 82% in a free-running building. In an air-conditioned building, it also decreased energy use, peak cooling demand, CO2 emission, and operational energy cost by 40%, 65%, 64%, and 35%, respectively. Although the lifecycle cost savings for this strategy were lower than the “insulated ceiling and rendered wall without PCM” case, the former one was considered the best option for its superior energy, emission, and comfort performance. Parametric analysis showed that 0.025 m is the optimum thickness for both PCM and aerogel render, and the 25 °C melting point PCM was optimum to achieve the best results amongst all performance indicators for a typical Australian house in Melbourne climate.
Energy Costs of Reducing Industrial Sulfur Dioxide Emissions in China
Authors: Liu Haiying , Zhong Ying , Zhang Chunhong
Published: September 2021

With increasing environmental pollution, China has instituted corresponding environmental regulations to address environmental challenges. Estimating the costs of such environmental regulations can help governments to formulate rational environmental policies. This review estimates the costs of environmental regulations based on a novel perspective of energy consumption. Using panel data for Chinese provincial regions in 2006–2015, we developed a non-parametric directional distance function and estimated different optimal energy inputs based on data envelopment analysis under two scenarios, namely, those with and without emission reduction constraints. The gap between the two groups of optimal energy inputs facilitated the estimation of the energy costs associated with reducing SO2 (sulfur dioxide) emissions in China’s industrial sectors. The results suggest that approximately 13.40 tons of standard coal were required to reduce SO2 emissions by 1 ton, highlighting the discrepancy between energy savings and emission reduction. The energy costs of SO2 emission reduction were the highest in West China (18.63), followed by those in Central and Northeast China; meanwhile, those in East China were the lowest (9.91). The large differences between the energy costs of emission reduction in different regions indicated that economically underdeveloped areas have scope for improvement with respect to energy structures and innovation in the green technology field.
Eat or Throw Away? Factors Differentiating High Food Wasters from Low Food Wasters
Authors: Eičaitė Ovidija , Alenčikienė Gitana , Pauliukaitytė Ingrida , Šalaševičienė Alvija
Published: September 2021

More than half of food waste is generated at the household level, and therefore, it is important to tackle and attempt to solve the problem of consumer food waste. This study aimed to identify factors differentiating high food wasters from low food wasters. A large-scale survey was conducted in Lithuania. A total of 1001 respondents had participated in this survey and were selected using a multi-stage probability sample. Data were collected through face-to-face interviews using a structured questionnaire. Binary logistic regression modelling was used to analyse the effect of socio-demographics, food-related behaviours, attitudes towards food waste, and knowledge of date labelling on levels of food waste. Impulse buying, inappropriate food preparation practices, non-consumption of leftovers, lack of concern about food waste, and worry about food poisoning were related to higher food waste. On the other hand, correct planning practices and knowledge of date labelling were related to lower food waste. The findings of this study have practical implications for designing interventions aimed at reducing consumer food waste.
Leadership, Mental Toughness, and Attachment Relationship in the World Beach Volleyball Context
Authors: Caruzzo Nayara Malheiros , Vissoci João Ricardo Nickenig , Contreira Andressa Ribeiro , Caruzzo Aryelle Malheiros , Fiorese Lenamar
Published: September 2021

For a long time, competitive sport has focused only on aspects related to performance. However, studies in social psychology have indicated the importance of focusing on the human development of athletes, which can occur through training environments that promote psychological well-being. Thus, this study aimed to analyze the impact of the coach-athlete attachment style, mediated by the coach’s leadership style, on the mental toughness of athletes in the world beach volleyball context. Elite beach volleyball athletes (n = 65), participants of the World Tour 2018, were part of the study. The Coach-Athlete Attachment Scale (CAAS), Mental Toughness Index (MTI) and Leadership Scale for Sport (LSS) were used as instruments. For data analyses we used polychoric correlation and a bias-corrected factor score path analysis. Path analysis showed that perceived secure attachment was positively associated with athletes’ mental toughness (0.24; 0.31; 0.25), but leadership styles did not mediate this relationship. For athletes with anxious attachment profiles, the perception of autocratic leadership style was associated with athletes’ mental toughness (1.01; p = 0.03), when their interaction style is focused on coaching-instruction. It concludes that the secure attachment relationship can bring increases in levels of athletic mental toughness, whereas for athletes with insecure attachment, the autocratic style was shown to be associated with the highest levels of mental toughness.
Axisymmetric Large Deflection Elastic Analysis of Hollow Annular Membranes under Transverse Uniform Loading
Authors: Sun Jun-Yi , Zhang Qi , Li Xue , He Xiao-Ting
Published: September 2021

The anticipated use of a hollow linearly elastic annular membrane for designing elastic shells has provided an impetus for this paper to investigate the large deflection geometrically nonlinear phenomena of such a hollow linearly elastic annular membrane under transverse uniform loads. The so-called hollow annular membranes differ from the traditional annular membranes available in the literature only in that the former has the inner edge attached to a movable but weightless rigid concentric circular ring while the latter has the inner edge attached to a movable but weightless rigid concentric circular plate. The hollow annular membranes remove the transverse uniform loads distributed on “circular plate” due to the use of “circular ring” and result in a reduction in elastic response. In this paper, the large deflection geometrically nonlinear problem of an initially flat, peripherally fixed, linearly elastic, transversely uniformly loaded hollow annular membrane is formulated, the problem formulated is solved by using power series method, and its closed-form solution is presented for the first time. The convergence and effectiveness of the closed-form solution presented are investigated numerically. A comparison between closed-form solutions for hollow and traditional annular membranes under the same conditions is conducted, to reveal the difference in elastic response, as well as the influence of different closed-form solutions on the anticipated use for designing elastic shells.
Microstrip Impedance Management through Multilayer PCB Stack-Up: Discontinuity Compensation Voids with Asymmetric Dielectrics
Authors: Vasjanov Aleksandr , Barzdenas Vaidotas
Published: September 2021

To process high-frequency signals on a printed circuit board (PCB), it is often necessary to carefully analyze and select the pad widths of the chip packages and components to match their impedance to the standard Z0. Modern PCBs are complex multilayer designs, utilizing either only high-end laminates, low-end laminates, or a combination of both. The on-board component footprints usually have larger pads that become discontinuities and corrupt the impedance of critical traces. One way to address this issue is to include reference plane cutouts as a measure of compensation. This paper aims to find out how an asymmetric dielectric stack-up affects the microstrip discontinuity impedance compensation using reference plane cutouts. The selected board layer stack-up imitates several different practical design scenarios, including costly PCBs that strictly comprise high-end dielectric materials, as well as trying to lower PCB cost by introducing low-cost materials without major performance sacrifice. S-parameter measurements are performed and confirmed by time domain reflectometry (TDR) measurements.
Semantic Features with Contextual Knowledge-Based Web Page Categorization Using the GloVe Model and Stacked BiLSTM
Authors: Nandanwar Amit Kumar , Choudhary Jaytrilok
Published: September 2021

Internet technologies are emerging very fast nowadays, due to which web pages are generated exponentially. Web page categorization is required for searching and exploring relevant web pages based on users’ queries and is a tedious task. The majority of web page categorization techniques ignore semantic features and the contextual knowledge of the web page. This paper proposes a web page categorization method that categorizes web pages based on semantic features and contextual knowledge. Initially, the GloVe model is applied to capture the semantic features of the web pages. Thereafter, a Stacked Bidirectional long short-term memory (BiLSTM) with symmetric structure is applied to extract the contextual and latent symmetry information from the semantic features for web page categorization. The performance of the proposed model has been evaluated on the publicly available WebKB dataset. The proposed model shows superiority over the existing state-of-the-art machine learning and deep learning methods.
Clausen’s Series 3F2(1) with Integral Parameter Differences
Authors: Chen Kwang-Wu
Published: September 2021

Ebisu and Iwassaki proved that there are three-term relations for 3F2(1) with a group symmetry of order 72. In this paper, we apply some specific three-term relations for 3F2(1) to partially answer the open problem raised by Miller and Paris in 2012. Given a known value 3F2((a,b,x),(c,x+1),1), if f−x is an integer, then we construct an algorithm to obtain 3F2((a,b,f),(c,f+n),1) in an explicit closed form, where n is a positive integer and a,b,c and f are arbitrary complex numbers. We also extend our results to evaluate some specific forms of p+1Fp(1), for any positive integer p≥2.
A Comparative Study of the Fractional-Order System of Burgers Equations
Authors: Cui Yanmei , Shah Nehad Ali , Shi Kunju , Saleem Salman , Chung Jae Dong
Published: September 2021

This paper is related to the fractional view analysis of coupled Burgers equations, using innovative analytical techniques. The fractional analysis of the proposed problems has been done in terms of the Caputo-operator sense. In the current methodologies, first, we applied the Elzaki transform to the targeted problem. The Adomian decomposition method and homotopy perturbation method are then implemented to obtain the series form solution. After applying the inverse transform, the desire analytical solution is achieved. The suggested procedures are verified through specific examples of the fractional Burgers couple systems. The current methods are found to be effective methods having a close resemblance with the actual solutions. The proposed techniques have less computational cost and a higher rate of convergence. The proposed techniques are, therefore, beneficial to solve other systems of fractional-order problems.
A Probability Mass Function for Various Shapes of the Failure Rates, Asymmetric and Dispersed Data with Applications to Coronavirus and Kidney Dysmorphogenesis
Authors: El-Morshedy Mahmoud , Alizadeh Morad , Al-Bossly Afrah , Eliwa Mohamed
Published: September 2021

In this article, a discrete analogue of an extension to a two-parameter half-logistic model is proposed for modeling count data. The probability mass function of the new model can be expressed as a mixture representation of a geometric model. Some of its statistical properties, including hazard rate function, moments, moment generating function, conditional moments, stress-strength analysis, residual entropy, cumulative residual entropy and order statistics with its moments, are derived. It is found that the new distribution can be utilized to model positive skewed data, and it can be used for analyzing equi- and over-dispersed data. Furthermore, the hazard rate function can be either decreasing, increasing or bathtub. The parameter estimation through the classical point of view has been performed using the method of maximum likelihood. A detailed simulation study is carried out to examine the outcomes of the estimators. Finally, two distinctive real data sets are analyzed to prove the flexibility of the proposed discrete distribution.
Design of Energy Absorbing Metamaterials Using Stochastic Soft-Wall Billiards
Authors: Pilipchuk Valery
Published: September 2021

Physical principles for designing cellwise artificial materials with energy-absorbing/harvesting and wave guiding properties are discussed in the present work. We analyzed the evolution of waves in a one-dimensional lattice of 3D massive potential wells with light particles inside. The potential wells were coupled with elastic springs and represented soft-wall versions of the so-called stochastic billiards. A billiard could switch from repelling to the stadium type as the parameter of shape changed its sign from positive to negative. We found that certain shapes of the potential wells/containers provided a one-directional trend of the energy flow from the chain of containers into the chaotically moving light inclusions by increasing their total kinetic energy. As a result, propagating waves became trapped by giving rise to standing waves with chaotic mode shapes with decaying amplitudes.
The Solvability of Generalized Systems of Time-Dependent Hemivariational Inequalities Enjoying Symmetric Structure in Reflexive Banach Spaces
Authors: Ceng Lu-Chuan , Fu Yi-Xuan , Yin Jie , He Liang , He Long , Hu Hui-Ying
Published: September 2021

In real reflexive Banach spaces, let the GSTDHVI, SHVI, DVIP, VIT, and KKM represent a generalized system of time-dependent hemivariational inequalities, a system of hemivariational inequalities, a derived vector inclusion problem, Volterra integral term, and Knaster–Kuratowski–Mazurkiewicz, respectively, where the GSTDHVI consists of two parts which are of symmetric structure mutually. By virtue of the surjectivity theorem for pseudo-monotonicity mappings and the Banach contraction mapping principle, instead of the KKM theorems exploited by other authors in recent literature for a SHVI, we consider and study a GSTDHVI with VITs. Under quite mild assumptions, it is shown that there exists only a solution to the investigated problem via demonstrating that a DVIP with VIT is solvable.
Comparison of EI-GC-MS/MS, APCI-LC-MS/MS, and ESI-LC-MS/MS for the Simultaneous Analysis of Nine Nitrosamines Eluted from Synthetic Resins into Artificial Saliva and Health Risk Assessment
Authors: Kim Hyungsoo , Sung Daekwan , Yu Honghyeon , Jang Daeyong , Koo Yeji , Lee Seungha , Lim Kyungmin , Choi Dalwoong
Published: September 2021

Nitrosamines can be produced during the manufacture of rubber-type products such as pacifiers or the nipples of baby bottles. Humans can be exposed to the nitrosamines in these products when they are eluted into saliva. In this study, we compared the efficiency of electron impact ionization (EI), atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (APCI), and electrospray ionization (ESI) methods for the analysis of nine nitrosamines eluted into artificial saliva. In addition, nine nitrosamines eluted from 54 rubber-type products (rubber, thermoplastic elastomer, thermoplastic polyurethane, and polyurethane) marketed in Korea were monitored. Finally, non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic risk assessments of oral exposure to nine nitrosamines were performed based on the monitoring results. EI-GC-MS/MS performed the best for the simultaneous analysis of these nine nitrosamines with respect to overall linearity, trace analysis limit of detection (less than 1 μg), recovery (average 108.66 ± 9.32%), and precision (less than 6%), compared with liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) (APCI and ESI) methods. Using the EI-GC-MS/MS method, these nine nitrosamines eluted into artificial saliva from 54 rubber-type products were monitored. Based on the monitoring data, risk assessment was performed by calculating the margin of exposure (MOE) for the respective nitrosamines detected. As a result, these nitrosamines were confirmed to be safe with regard to both non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic risks.
Fusarium verticillioides and Aspergillus flavus Co-Occurrence Influences Plant and Fungal Transcriptional Profiles in Maize Kernels and In Vitro
Authors: Lanubile Alessandra , Giorni Paola , Bertuzzi Terenzio , Marocco Adriano , Battilani Paola
Published: September 2021

Climate change will increase the co-occurrence of Fusarium verticillioides and Aspergillus flavus, along with their mycotoxins, in European maize. In this study, the expression profiles of two pathogenesis-related (PR) genes and four mycotoxin biosynthetic genes, FUM1 and FUM13, fumonisin pathway, and aflR and aflD, aflatoxin pathway, as well as mycotoxin production, were examined in kernels and in artificial medium after a single inoculation with F. verticillioides or A. flavus or with the two fungi in combination. Different temperature regimes (20, 25 and 30 °C) over a time-course of 21 days were also considered. In maize kernels, PR genes showed the strongest induction at 25 °C in the earlier days post inoculation (dpi)with both fungi inoculated singularly. A similar behaviour was maintained with fungi co-occurrence, but with enhanced defence response at 9 dpi under 20 °C. Regarding FUM genes, in the kernels inoculated with F. verticillioides the maximal transcript levels occurred at 6 dpi at 25 °C. At this temperature regime, expression values decreased with the co-occurrence of A. flavus, where the highest gene induction was detected at 20 °C. Similar results were observed in fungi grown in vitro, whilst A. flavus presence determined lower levels of expression along the entire time-course. As concerns afl genes, considering both A. flavus alone and in combination, the most elevated transcript accumulation occurred at 30 °C during all time-course both in infected kernels and in fungi grown in vitro. Regarding mycotoxin production, no significant differences were found among temperatures for kernel contamination, whereas in vitro the highest production was registered at 25 °C for aflatoxin B1 and at 20 °C for fumonisins in the case of single inoculation. In fungal co-occurrence, both mycotoxins resulted reduced at all the temperatures considered compared to the amount produced with single inoculation.
Ex Vivo Lung Perfusion: A Platform for Donor Lung Assessment, Treatment and Recovery
Authors: Milross Luke , Griffiths Chelsea , Fisher Andrew J.
Published: September 2021

Lung transplantation offers a lifesaving therapy for patients with end-stage lung disease but its availability is presently limited by low organ utilization rates with donor lungs frequently excluded due to unsuitability at assessment. When transplantation does occur, recipients are then vulnerable to primary graft dysfunction (PGD), multitudinous short-term complications, and chronic lung allograft dysfunction. The decision whether to use donor lungs is made rapidly and subjectively with limited information and means many lungs that might have been suitable are lost to the transplant pathway. Compared to static cold storage (SCS), ex vivo lung perfusion (EVLP) offers clinicians unrivalled opportunity for rigorous objective assessment of donor lungs in conditions replicating normal physiology, thus allowing for better informed decision-making in suitability assessments. EVLP additionally offers a platform for the delivery of intravascular or intrabronchial therapies to metabolically active tissue aiming to treat existing lung injuries. In the future, EVLP may be employed to provide a pre-transplant environment optimized to prevent negative outcomes such as primary graft dysfunction (PGD) or rejection post-transplant.
Clinical Outcomes of Adult Patients Hospitalized with COVID-19 after Vaccination
Authors: Kalligeros Markos , Shehadeh Fadi , Mylona Evangelia K. , Kaczynski Matthew , Kalagara Saisanjana , Atalla Eleftheria , Tsikala Vafea Maria , Mylonakis Eleftherios
Published: September 2021

Vaccination remains the most effective way to prevent COVID-19. The aim of the present study was to assess the incidence of COVID-19 hospitalizations after vaccination, as well as the effect of prior vaccination on hospitalization outcomes among patients with COVID-19. We analyzed and compared all consecutive patients, with or without prior vaccination, who were admitted to our hospital network due to COVID-19 from January to April 2021. Our primary outcome was to identify and describe cases of COVID-19 hospitalized after vaccination. We also utilized a multivariate logistic regression model to investigate the association of previous vaccination with hospitalization outcomes. We identified 915 consecutive patients hospitalized due to COVID-19 with 91/915 (10%) previously vaccinated with at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. Utilizing our multivariate logistic regression model, we found that prior vaccination, regardless of the number of doses or days since vaccination, was associated with decreased mortality (aOR 0.44, 95% CI: 0.20–0.98) when compared to unvaccinated individuals. Our study showed that COVID-19 related hospitalization after vaccination may occur to a small percentage of patients, mainly those who are partially vaccinated. However, our findings underline that prior vaccination, even when partial, is associated with a decreased risk of death. Ongoing vaccination efforts should remain an absolute priority.
SU(5) × U(1)′ Models with a Vector-like Fermion Family
Authors: Karozas A. , Leontaris G. K. , Tavellaris I.
Published: September 2021

Motivated by experimental measurements indicating deviations from the Standard Model predictions, we discuss F-theory-inspired models, which, in addition to the three chiral generations, contain a vector-like complete fermion family. The analysis takes place in the context of SU(5)×U(1)′ GUT embedded in an E8 covering group, which is associated with the (highest) geometric singularity of the elliptic fibration. In this context, the U(1)′ is a linear combination of four abelian factors subjected to the appropriate anomaly cancellation conditions. Furthermore, we require universal U(1)′ charges for the three chiral families and different ones for the corresponding fields of the vector-like representations. Under the aforementioned assumptions, we find 192 models that can be classified into five distinct categories with respect to their specific GUT properties. We exhibit representative examples for each such class and construct the superpotential couplings and the fermion mass matrices. We explore the implications of the vector-like states in low-energy phenomenology, including the predictions regarding the B-meson anomalies. The rôle of R-parity violating terms appearing in some particular models of the above construction is also discussed.
Mechanism for the Optimal Location of a Business as a Lever for the Development of the Economic Strength and Resilience of a City
Authors: Manika Stella , Karalidis Konstantinos , Gospodini Aspa
Published: September 2021

Today, the location of a business is more important than ever, as it contributes to its consolidation in the market and, in parallel, to the economic development of a city. Over the years, the theories about the optimal location of a business have undergone various changes, both financial and spatial. On the other hand, economic geography, as a discipline that studies the distribution of economic activities as well as the interactions between them, is also an important tool for the analysis of urban/spatial and business processes. This paper finds the optimal locations of economic activities through the combination of theories of economic geography and spatial analysis, for the sake of reducing urban shrinkage and increasing the resilience of businesses and cities. The analysis of this paper proved that the areas that are most exposed to urban shrinkage are the least central areas. Urban shopping centers, despite the large percentage of closed stores, continue due to their centrality to attracting more new businesses. The calculation of the optimal location of the economic activity showed that the optimal location depends on the financial sector itself but also on the economic activities that open or close over time in this region. In this way, an answer is sought regarding the way in which each region and its economic identity can influence a city’s future development and resilience. Thus, through this analysis, cities are able to control and strengthen their economic landscapes, vulnerable as they are in difficult times, and to implement policies in specific urban units, with a view to the prosperity of their economic activities.
First Clinical Case of Equine Parvovirus-Hepatitis-Related Theiler’s Disease in Asia
Authors: Yoon Jungho , Park Taemook , Kim Ahram , Park Jongyoung , Park Byung-Joo , Ahn Hee-Seop , Go Hyeon-Jeong , Kim Dong-Hwi , Jung Soontag , Seo Yeeun , Lee Joong-Bok , Park Seung-Yong , Song Chang-Seon , Lee Sang-Won , Choi In-Soo
Published: September 2021

Equine parvovirus-hepatitis (EqPV-H) is a newly identified etiologic agent of Theiler’s disease (TD). We present a case of EqPV-H-related fulminant hepatitis in a 14-year-old thoroughbred mare in Korea. The mare had acute hepatopathy and gastrointestinal symptoms, with abnormal liver-related blood parameters. The horse was born in the USA and imported to Korea in 2017, with no history of administration of equine biological products after entry into Korea. The horse was diagnosed with EqPV-H-associated hepatitis after abdominal ultrasonography, laparotomy, and nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and in situ hybridization (ISH) assays. The serum, nasal swab, oral swab, and liver biopsy were positive for EqPV-H according to the PCR assay. Genetic analysis of the partial NS1 gene of EqPV-H showed a unique nucleotide substitution, distinct from that in previously deposited strains. EqPV-H DNA was found not only in hepatocytes but also in bile duct epithelium and Kupffer cells, particularly via ISH. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case of EqPV-H-associated TD in Asia, providing the first clinical evidence for viral shedding from the mouth and nose, and identification of EqPV-H in the liver. This study contributes to a better understanding of the pathological features of EqPV-H-associated TD.
Prognostic Role of Metabolic Syndrome in COVID-19 Patients: A Systematic Review Meta-Analysis
Authors: Zuin Marco , Rigatelli Gianluca , Bilato Claudio , Cervellati Carlo , Zuliani Giovanni , Roncon Loris
Published: September 2021

Background: The prevalence and prognostic implications of metabolic syndrome (MetS) in patients infected by the SARS-CoV-2 remain unclear. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of prevalence and mortality risk in COVID-19 patients with MetS. Methods: Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines were followed in abstracting data and assessing validity. We searched MEDLINE and Scopus to locate every article published up to 1 September 2021, reporting data on MetS among COVID-19 patients. The pooled prevalence of MetS was calculated using a random effects model and presented using the related 95% confidence interval (CI), while the mortality risk was estimated using the Mantel-Haenszel random effects models with odds ratio (OR) and related 95% CI. Statistical heterogeneity was measured using the Higgins I2 statistic. Results: Six studies, enrolling 209.569 COVID-19 patients [mean age 57.2 years, 114.188 males (54.4%)] met the inclusion criteria and were included in the final analysis. The pooled prevalence of dyslipidaemia was 20.5% of cases (95% CI: 6.7–47.8%, p = 0.03), with high heterogeneity (I2 = 98.9%). Pre-existing MetS was significantly associated with higher risk of short-term mortality (OR: 2.30, 95% CI: 1.52–3.45, p < 0.001), with high heterogeneity (I2 = 89.4%). Meta-regression showed a direct correlation with male gender (p = 0.03), hypertension (p < 0.001), DM (p = 0.01) and hyperlipidaemia (p = 0.04), but no effect when considering age (p = 0.75) and chronic pulmonary disease (p = 0.86) as moderators. Conclusions: MetS represents a major comorbidity in about 20% of COVID-19 patients and it is associated with a 230% increased risk of short-term mortality.
A T-Cell Epitope-Based Multi-Epitope Vaccine Designed Using Human HLA Specific T Cell Epitopes Induces a Near-Sterile Immunity against Experimental Visceral Leishmaniasis in Hamsters
Authors: Arya Aryandra , Arora Sunil K.
Published: September 2021

Visceral leishmaniasis is a neglected tropical disease affecting 12 million people annually. Even in the second decade of the 21st century, it has remained without an effective vaccine for human use. In the current study, we designed three multiepitope vaccine candidates by the selection of multiple IFN-γ inducing MHC-I and MHC-II binder T-cell specific epitopes from three previously identified antigen genes of Leishmania donovani from our lab by an immuno-informatic approach using IFNepitope, the Immune Epitope Database (IEDB) T cell epitope identification tools, NET-MHC-1, and NET MHC-2 webservers. We tested the protective potential of these three multiepitope proteins as a vaccine in a hamster model of visceral leishmaniasis. The immunization data revealed that the vaccine candidates induced a very high level of Th1 biased protective immune response in-vivo in a hamster model of experimental visceral leishmaniasis, with one of the candidates inducing a near-sterile immunity. The vaccinated animals displayed highly activated monocyte macrophages with the capability of clearing intracellular parasites due to increased respiratory burst. Additionally, these proteins induced activation of polyfunctional T cells secreting INF-γ, TNF-α, and IL-2 in an ex-vivo stimulation of human peripheral blood mononuclear cells, further supporting the protective nature of the designed candidates.
Economic Assessment of High-Dose Versus Adjuvanted Influenza Vaccine: An Evaluation of Hospitalization Costs Based on a Cohort Study
Authors: van Aalst Robertus , Gravenstein Stefan , Mor Vincent , Mahmud Salaheddin M. , Wilschut Jan , Postma Maarten , Chit Ayman
Published: September 2021

Two influenza vaccines are licensed in the U.S. exclusively for the 65 years and older population: a trivalent inactivated high-dose influenza vaccine (HD-IIV3) and a trivalent inactivated adjuvanted influenza vaccine (aIIV3). In a recent publication, we estimated a relative vaccine effectiveness (rVE) of HD-IIV3 vs. aIIV3 of 12% (95% CI: 3.3–20%) for influenza-related hospitalizations using a retrospective study design, but did not report the number of prevented hospitalizations nor the associated avoided cost. In this paper we report estimations for both. Methods: Leveraging the rVE of a cohort study over two influenza seasons (2016/17 and 2017/18), we collected cost data for healthcare provided to the same study population. Vaccine costs were obtained from the Medicare pricing schedule. Our economic assessment compared cost of vaccination and hospital care for patients experiencing acute respiratory or cardiovascular illness. Results: We analyzed 1.9 million HD-IIV3 and 223,793 aIIV3 recipients. Average vaccine list prices were $46.23 for HD-IIV3 and $48.26 for aIIV3. The hospitalization rates for respiratory disease in HD-IIV3 and aIIV3 recipients were 187 (95% CI: 185–189) and 212 (195–231) per 10,000 persons-years, respectively. Attributing the average cost per hospitalization of $12,652 ($12,214–$13,090) to the difference in hospitalization rates, we estimate net savings of HD-IIV3 to be $34 ($10–$62) per recipient. Conclusion: Pooled over two predominantly A/H3N2 respiratory seasons, vaccination with HD-IIV3 was associated with lower hospitalization rates and associated costs compared to aIIV3 in senior members of a large national managed health care company in the U.S. Reduced hospitalizations affect healthcare utilization overall, and therefore other costly health outcomes.