bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Investigation of the Adverse Events Associated with Bee Venom Pharmacopuncture in Patients Hospitalized in a Korean Hospital: A Retrospective Chart Review Study
Authors: Bae In-Hu , Jung Woo-Sang , Kwon Seungwon , Lee Han-Gyul , Cho Seung-Yeon , Park Seong-Uk , Moon Sang-Kwan , Park Jung-Mi , Ko Chang-Nam , Cho Ki-Ho
Published: September 2022

In bee venom pharmacopuncture (BVP), bee venom isolated from the venom sac of bees is injected into the acupoint or muscle associated with a disease. However, the histamine component in bee venom can cause adverse events; therefore, attention is required for BVP use. This study investigated the frequency, severity and characteristics of patients developing BVP-associated adverse events. The medical records of patients treated with BVP at Kyung Hee University Korean Medicine Hospital between 1 January 2013 and 1 May 2021 were reviewed. The demographic characteristics, disease-related characteristics, treatment-related characteristics and impressions of each patient were analyzed. In this study, >50% of 4821 inpatients were hospitalized for neurological disorders. The mean age of the overall study population was 54.62 ± 16.38 years and 61% were women. The frequency of adverse events was 2.32%. The mean age in the adverse events group was 58.20 ± 16.10 years and 76% were women. Two patients experienced moderate adverse events, with no commonality between these events. Every patient recovered naturally with no sequelae. The results showed that BVP is a relatively safe therapeutic method. However, further studies are needed to determine the frequency of adverse events and identify the causality between baseline characteristics and adverse events.
Characterization of Potential Threats from Cyanobacterial Toxins in Lake Victoria Embayments and during Water Treatment
Authors: Olokotum Mark , Humbert Jean-François , Quiblier Catherine , Okello William , Semyalo Ronald , Troussellier Marc , Marie Benjamin , Baumann Kathrin , Kurmayer Rainer , Bernard Cécile
Published: September 2022

Africa’s water needs are often supported by eutrophic water bodies dominated by cyanobacteria posing health threats to riparian populations from cyanotoxins, and Lake Victoria is no exception. In two embayments of the lake (Murchison Bay and Napoleon Gulf), cyanobacterial surveys were conducted to characterize the dynamics of cyanotoxins in lake water and water treatment plants. Forty-six cyanobacterial taxa were recorded, and out of these, fourteen were considered potentially toxigenic (i.e., from the genera Dolichospermum, Microcystis, Oscillatoria, Pseudanabaena and Raphidiopsis). A higher concentration (ranging from 5 to 10 µg MC-LR equiv. L−1) of microcystins (MC) was detected in Murchison Bay compared to Napoleon Gulf, with a declining gradient from the inshore (max. 15 µg MC-LR equiv. L−1) to the open lake. In Murchison Bay, an increase in Microcystis sp. biovolume and MC was observed over the last two decades. Despite high cell densities of toxigenic Microcystis and high MC concentrations, the water treatment plant in Murchison Bay efficiently removed the cyanobacterial biomass, intracellular and dissolved MC to below the lifetime guideline value for exposure via drinking water (<1.0 µg MC-LR equiv. L−1). Thus, the potential health threats stem from the consumption of untreated water and recreational activities along the shores of the lake embayments. MC concentrations were predicted from Microcystis cell numbers regulated by environmental factors, such as solar radiation, wind speed in the N–S direction and turbidity. Thus, an early warning through microscopical counting of Microcystis cell numbers is proposed to better manage health risks from toxigenic cyanobacteria in Lake Victoria.
Potassium Bioaccessibility in Uncooked and Cooked Plant Foods: Results from a Static In Vitro Digestion Methodology
Authors: Ceccanti Costanza , Guidi Lucia , D’Alessandro Claudia , Cupisti Adamasco
Published: September 2022

Hyperkalemia is a major concern in chronic kidney disease and in end-stage renal disease, representing a predictor of hospitalization and mortality. To prevent and treat hyperkalemia, dietary management is of great clinical interest. Currently, the growing use of plant-based diets causes an increasing concern about potassium load in renal patients. The aim of this study was to assess the bioaccessibility of potassium in vegetables, concerning all aspects of the plants (fruit, flower, root, tuber, leaf and seed) and to what extent different boiling techniques affect potassium content and bioaccessibility of plant-based foods. Bioaccessibility was evaluated by an in vitro digestion methodology, resembling human gastro-intestinal tract. Potassium content was higher in seeds and leaves, despite it not being possible to define a common “rule” according to the type of organ, namely seed, leaf or fruit. Boiling reduced potassium content in all vegetables excluding carrot, zucchini, and cauliflower; boiling starting from cold water contributed to a greater reduction of the potassium content in potato, peas, and beans. Bioaccessibility after in vitro digestion ranged from 12 (peas) to 93% (tomato) regardless of species and organs. Higher bioaccessibility was found in spinach, chicory, zucchini, tomato, kiwi, and cauliflower, and lower bioaccessibility in peas. Potassium from leaf resulted in the highest bioaccessibility after digestion; as a whole potassium bioaccessibility in the fruits and vegetables studied was 67% on average, with differences in relation to the different organs and species. Further, considering the method of boiling to reduce potassium content, these data indicate that the effective potassium load from plant-based foods may be lower than originally expected. This supports the clinical advices to maintain a wide use of plant-based food in the management of renal patients.
Traumatic Brain Injury and Secondary Neurodegenerative Disease
Authors: Dodd William S. , Panther Eric J. , Pierre Kevin , Hernandez Jairo S. , Patel Devan , Lucke-Wold Brandon
Published: September 2022

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a devastating event with severe long-term complications. TBI and its sequelae are one of the leading causes of death and disability in those under 50 years old. The full extent of secondary brain injury is still being intensely investigated; however, it is now clear that neurotrauma can incite chronic neurodegenerative processes. Chronic traumatic encephalopathy, Parkinson’s disease, and many other neurodegenerative syndromes have all been associated with a history of traumatic brain injury. The complex nature of these pathologies can make clinical assessment, diagnosis, and treatment challenging. The goal of this review is to provide a concise appraisal of the literature with focus on emerging strategies to improve clinical outcomes. First, we review the pathways involved in the pathogenesis of neurotrauma-related neurodegeneration and discuss the clinical implications of this rapidly evolving field. Next, because clinical evaluation and neuroimaging are essential to the diagnosis and management of neurodegenerative diseases, we analyze the clinical investigations that are transforming these areas of research. Finally, we briefly review some of the preclinical therapies that have shown the most promise in improving outcomes after neurotrauma.
Microcephaly and Associated Risk Factors in Newborns: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Study
Authors: Melo Natália de L. , Sousa Danilo F. de , Laporta Gabriel Z.
Published: September 2022

Congenital microcephaly is caused by a multitude of drivers affecting maternal–fetal health during pregnancy. It is a rare outcome in high-income industrial countries where microcephaly rates are in the range of 0.3–0.9 per 1000 newborns. Prevalence of microcephaly varies considerably across developing countries and can go as high as 58 cases per 1000 live births in pregnancies exposed to infection by Zika virus (ZIKV). Not only ZIKV-infected pregnancies, but other drivers can modulate the occurrence and severity of this outcome. Here, we sought to test the ZIKV–microcephaly association vs. competing hypotheses using a meta-analysis with 8341 microcephaly cases pooled from 10,250,994 newborns in the Americas, Africa, and Asia. Analysis of risk ratios (RR) showed teratogens the most likely microcephaly-associated risk factor (RR = 3.43; 95%-CI 2.69–4.38; p-value < 0.0001), while the statistical significance of the ZIKV–microcephaly association was marginal (RR = 2.12; 95%-CI 1.01–4.48; p-value = 0.048). Other congenital infections showed strong but variable associations with microcephaly (RR = 15.24; 95%-CI 1.74–133.70; p-value = 0.014). Microcephaly cases were associated with impoverished socioeconomic settings, but this association was statistically non-significant (RR = 2.75; 95%-CI 0.55–13.78; p-value = 0.22). The marginal ZIKV–microcephaly association and statistical significance of the competing hypotheses suggest maternal ZIKV infection might not be a cause of microcephaly alone.
Molecular Characterization and Antifungal Susceptibility of Aspergillus spp. among Patients with Underlying Lung Diseases
Authors: Moglad Ehssan , Saeed Samar , Saeed Humodi , Ahmed Hind , Salih Kwathar , Altayb Hisham , Elhag Wafa
Published: September 2022

Background. Pulmonary aspergillosis is a lung infection caused by Aspergillus spp., which can cause severe illnesses in immunocompromised patients with underlying lung disease or who have asthma and inhale their spores. This study aimed to screen the antifungal susceptibility of Aspergillus spp. isolated from patients with underlying pulmonary infections and characterize the isolates using PCR and sequencing. Method. Three hundred and eighty-four sputum or bronchoalveolar lavage samples were collected and processed for the isolation and identification, and characterization of Aspergillus species and molecular amplification of the ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 region by the PCR and Sanger sequencing method. Antifungal susceptibility tests for itraconazole and voriconazole were performed using the E-test. Result. The overall results revealed that out of 384 patients, 32 (8.3%) were positive for fungal growth, including 28 (87.5%) Aspergillus spp. The highest resistance rate (100 and 44.4%) was obtained from itraconazole against A. niger and A. fumigatus. In contrast, voriconazole revealed the best activities against all tested fungi compared to itraconazole. All A. flavus were sensitive to voriconazole, while only 54.5% were sensitive to itraconazole. The MICs of E-test for Aspergillus spp were 1.6 ± 1.8 and 0.6 ± 0.93 for itraconazole and voriconazole, respectively. Conclusions. The prevalence of aspergillosis was high, with a significant association with underlying lung diseases. Voriconazole was the drug of choice for isolated fungi.
Nonlinear Charged Black Hole Solution in Rastall Gravity
Authors: Nashed Gamal Gergess Lamee
Published: September 2022

We show that the spherically symmetric black hole (BH) solution of a charged (linear case) field equation of Rastall gravitational theory is not affected by the Rastall parameter and this is consistent with the results presented in the literature. However, when we apply the field equation of Rastall’s theory to a special form of nonlinear electrodynamics (NED) source, we derive a novel spherically symmetric BH solution that involves the Rastall parameter. The main source of the appearance of this parameter is the trace part of the NED source, which has a non-vanishing value, unlike the linear charged field equation. We show that the new BH solution is Anti−de-Sitter Reissner−Nordström spacetime in which the Rastall parameter is absorbed into the cosmological constant. This solution coincides with Reissner−Nordström solution in the GR limit, i.e., when Rastall’s parameter is vanishing. To gain more insight into this BH, we study the stability using the deviation of geodesic equations to derive the stability condition. Moreover, we explain the thermodynamic properties of this BH and show that it is stable, unlike the linear charged case that has a second-order phase transition. Finally, we prove the validity of the first law of thermodynamics.
Identification of Risk Factors for African Swine Fever: A Systematic Review
Authors: Bergmann Hannes , Dups-Bergmann Johanna , Schulz Katja , Probst Carolina , Zani Laura , Fischer Melina , Gethmann Jörn , Denzin Nicolai , Blome Sandra , Conraths Franz J. , Sauter-Louis Carola
Published: September 2022

African swine fever (ASF) is an internationally-spreading viral pig disease that severely damages agricultural pork production and trade economy as well as social welfare in disease-affected regions. A comprehensive understanding of ASF risk factors is imperative for efficient disease control. As the absence of effective ASF vaccines limits disease management options, the identification and minimisation of ASF-associated risk factors is critical to preventing ASF outbreaks. Here, we compile currently known potential ASF risk factors identified through a systematic literature review. We found 154 observation-based and 1239 potential ASF risk factors, which we were able to group into the following defined risk categories: ‘ASF-virus’, ‘Biosecurity’, ‘Disease control’, ‘Environment’, ‘Husbandry’, ‘Movement’, ‘Network’, ‘Pig’, ‘Society’ and ‘Surveillance’. Throughout the epidemiological history of ASF there have been similar risk categories, such as ‘Environment’-related risk factors, predominantly reported in the literature irrespective of the ASF situation at the time. While ASF risk factor reporting has markedly increased since 2010, the majority of identified risk factors overall have referred to domestic pigs. The reporting of risk factors for ASF in wild boar mostly commenced from 2016 onwards. The compendium of ASF risk factors presented herein defines our current knowledge of ASF risk factors, and critically informs ASF-related problem solving.
Lessons Learned from the COVID-19 Pandemic and How Blood Operators Can Prepare for the Next Pandemic
Authors: Drews Steven J. , O’Brien Sheila F.
Published: September 2022

Humans interact with virus-infected animal hosts, travel globally, and maintain social networks that allow for novel viruses to emerge and develop pandemic potential. There are key lessons-learned from the coronavirus diseases 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic that blood operators can apply to the next pandemic. Warning signals to the COVID-19 pandemic included outbreaks of Severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus-1 (SARS-CoV-1) and Middle East respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus (MERS-CoV) in the prior two decades. It will be critical to quickly determine whether there is a risk of blood-borne transmission of a new pandemic virus. Prior to the next pandemic blood operators should be prepared for changes in activities, policies, and procedures at all levels of the organization. Blood operators can utilize “Plan-Do-Study-Act” cycles spanning from: vigilance for emerging viruses, surveillance activities and studies, operational continuity, donor engagement and trust, and laboratory testing if required. Occupational health and donor safety issues will be key areas of focus even if the next pandemic virus is not transfusion transmitted. Blood operators may also be requested to engage in new activities such as the development of therapeutics or supporting public health surveillance activities. Activities such as scenario development, tabletop exercises, and drills will allow blood operators to prepare for the unknowns of the next pandemic.
Intrahost SARS-CoV-2 k-mer Identification Method (iSKIM) for Rapid Detection of Mutations of Concern Reveals Emergence of Global Mutation Patterns
Authors: Thommana Ashley , Shakya Migun , Gandhi Jaykumar , Fung Christian K. , Chain Patrick S. G. , Maljkovic Berry Irina , Conte Matthew A.
Published: September 2022

Despite unprecedented global sequencing and surveillance of SARS-CoV-2, timely identification of the emergence and spread of novel variants of concern (VoCs) remains a challenge. Several million raw genome sequencing runs are now publicly available. We sought to survey these datasets for intrahost variation to study emerging mutations of concern. We developed iSKIM (“intrahost SARS-CoV-2 k-mer identification method”) to relatively quickly and efficiently screen the many SARS-CoV-2 datasets to identify intrahost mutations belonging to lineages of concern. Certain mutations surged in frequency as intrahost minor variants just prior to, or while lineages of concern arose. The Spike N501Y change common to several VoCs was found as a minor variant in 834 samples as early as October 2020. This coincides with the timing of the first detected samples with this mutation in the Alpha/B.1.1.7 and Beta/B.1.351 lineages. Using iSKIM, we also found that Spike L452R was detected as an intrahost minor variant as early as September 2020, prior to the observed rise of the Epsilon/B.1.429/B.1.427 lineages in late 2020. iSKIM rapidly screens for mutations of interest in raw data, prior to genome assembly, and can be used to detect increases in intrahost variants, potentially providing an early indication of novel variant spread.
Is the Physiological Composition of the Vaginal Microbiome Altered in High-Risk HPV Infection of the Uterine Cervix?
Authors: Rokos Tomas , Holubekova Veronika , Kolkova Zuzana , Hornakova Andrea , Pribulova Terezia , Kozubik Erik , Biringer Kamil , Kudela Erik
Published: September 2022

Background: Cervical cancer is the fourth most common malignancy and fourth leading cause of cancer death in women worldwide. More than 99.7% of cases are caused by human papillomavirus (HPV), while HPV types 16 and 18 cause over 70% of all cervical cancer cases. In this preliminary study, we aimed to investigate the presence of HPV infection and diversity of bacteria associated with bacterial vaginosis. Methods: Cervical swabs (n = 21) taken from women aged 21–47 years, in seventeen cases, with different degrees of cervical abnormality, and from four healthy women, were tested for the presence of HPV DNA, as well as the bacterial strains associated with bacterial vaginosis, using the real-time PCR method. Results: HPV16 was the dominant genotype in 53% (9/17) of patients with confirmed precancerous lesions (ASCUS, LSIL, and HSIL). In specimens with confirmed cytological abnormalities and hrHPV infection, we detected a wide diversity of microbes, while the most common species were Gardnerella vaginalis, Atopobium vaginae, Prevotella bivia, Ureaplasma parvum, Ureaplasma urealyticum, Leptotrichia amnionii, Bacteroides ureolyticus, and Sneathia sanguinegens. The presence of pathogens did not differ, depending on the degree of precancerous lesions or HPV type. Conclusion: In our work, HPV16 dominated in patients with cervical precancerous lesions. We also suggest an increased bacterial diversity of the vaginal microbiome in patients with cervical lesions, for which the HPV virus is largely responsible.
GPS Tracking of Free-Roaming Cats (Felis catus) on SARS-CoV-2-Infected Mink Farms in Utah
Authors: Amman Brian R. , Cossaboom Caitlin M. , Wendling Natalie M. , Harvey R. Reid , Rettler Hannah , Taylor Dean , Kainulainen Markus H. , Ahmad Ausaf , Bunkley Paige , Godino Claire , Tong Suxiang , Li Yan , Uehara Anna , Kelleher Anna , Zhang Jing , Lynch Brian , Behravesh Casey Barton , Towner Jonathan S.
Published: September 2022

Zoonotic transmission of SARS-CoV-2 from infected humans to other animals has been documented around the world, most notably in mink farming operations in Europe and the United States. Outbreaks of SARS-CoV-2 on Utah mink farms began in late July 2020 and resulted in high mink mortality. An investigation of these outbreaks revealed active and past SARS-CoV-2 infections in free-roaming and in feral cats living on or near several mink farms. Cats were captured using live traps, were sampled, fitted with GPS collars, and released on the farms. GPS tracking of these cats show they made frequent visits to mink sheds, moved freely around the affected farms, and visited surrounding residential properties and neighborhoods on multiple occasions, making them potential low risk vectors of additional SARS-CoV-2 spread in local communities.
Monkeypox Vaccine Hesitancy in French Men Having Sex with Men with PrEP or Living with HIV in France
Authors: Zucman David , Fourn Erwan , Touche Pauline , Majerholc Catherine , Vallée Alexandre
Published: September 2022

People with pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) or living with HIV are a high-risk population for monkeypox virus (MPXV) infection. It is important to achieve high MPXV vaccination coverage rates in this group. This project used self-reporting to assess vaccine hesitancy for the smallpox vaccine and acceptance among men having sex with men with PrEP or living with HIV. In total, 52 (33.6%) participants among the 155 declared their hesitancy to be vaccinated against MPXV. Moreover, 20.7% patients with PrEP declared a hesitant attitude towards the smallpox vaccine compared to 40.2% of the HIV patients, p = 0.013. This difference remained not significant after adjustment for age (p = 0.119) and after adjustment for both age and number of different sexual partners (p = 0.406). Among PrEP people, those who expressed concerns about people getting more vaccines than needed (p = 0.012) were less likely to accept vaccination, whereas an increased number of different sexual partners during the previous month was significantly associated with acceptance of vaccination (p = 0.034). Among HIV people, those who expressed concerns about being infected by MPXV (p < 0.001), those who expressed that the smallpox vaccine should be compulsory for people at risk (p < 0.001) and those with an increased the number of different sexual partners the previous month (p = 0.018) were significantly associated with higher acceptance of MPXV vaccination. Our results suggest that vaccine strategy would be efficient in France with a communication strategy emphasizing the benefits of vaccination and the potential MPXV risk infection for health in PrEP and HIV people. Other preventive actions should be implemented, including reduction in sexual partners.
A Study on Additive Manufacturing of Metal Components for Mobility in the Area of After-Sales with Spare and Performance Parts
Authors: Schuhmann Dirk , Pinto Grithen , Merkel Markus , Harrison David K.
Published: September 2022

Mobility is undergoing changes. Increasingly strict legislation regarding pollutant emissions and the protection of the environment are more important than ever. The change to electric mobility is also presenting the mobile world with new challenges and opportunities. Vehicles are becoming more and more efficient with higher power densities and better performance. Application-adapted components are being developed and used as a matter of preference. New production technologies can help to realise the change in mobility reliably. Additive manufacturing is one way of producing functionally integrated and performance-optimised components. AM offers the possibility to produce application-specific performance parts. Electric vehicles often have a problem with the thermal load of the components during power output and charging. Additively manufactured components with optimised topology and integrated cooling strive to achieve higher power density, enhanced cooling performance, and improved mechanical properties. AM not only makes it possible to produce functionally integrated and application-adapted components but also to reduce CO2 emissions and conserve resources. The potential of additive manufacturing for mobility is particularly interesting for the spare and performance parts sector. Components can be improved in performance and manufactured directly on-site. The higher power density and the elimination of transport routes can make an additional significant contribution to environmental protection. This paper presents an overview of the current state of additive manufacturing in the field of electromobility with regard to replacement and performance parts using 3D metal printing. Based on an extensive literature research, a market overview is given. This serves as the basis for the further procedure and, building on this, the advantages of additive manufacturing are demonstrated using the example of an electric motor. The selected electric motor is an example of a defective component in a vehicle that needs to be replaced and whose performance can be improved by additive manufacturing and which can be produced on-site in a quantity of one. The motor is verified by means of a FEM simulation in order to determine the selection of an optimal water jacket topology and to demonstrate further potential for the future.
Evaluation of Left Ventricular Function in Healthy Retrievers Using Standard and 2D Speckle-Tracking Echocardiography
Authors: Hamabe Lina , Shimada Kazumi , Mandour Ahmed S. , Yoshida Tomohiko , Hirose Miki , Hendawy Hanan , El-Husseiny Hussein M. , Tanaka Ryou
Published: September 2022

Standard echocardiography is vital for the assessment of cardiac performance in healthy and diseased animals. Similarly, two-dimensional speckle-tracking echocardiography (2D-STE) is an advanced echocardiographic technique that is becoming increasingly important for the assessment of myocardial function. Breeds, age, and body weight (BW) are known to be important factors affecting the echocardiographic parameters; therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of breed, age, and BW on the echocardiographic parameters in three breeds of clinically healthy Retrievers. A total of 46 Retrievers, including 16 Flat-coated Retrievers (FR), 16 Golden Retrievers (GR), and 14 Labrador Retrievers (LR) were included in the study. The comparison of the breeds revealed significant differences in the LV wall thickness of FR and GR, although further analysis using MLR showed that the differences were most likely associated with BW, similarly to the other LV dimensions. Functional parameters, including ejection fraction, fractional shortening, and left-atrial-to-aortic ratio, were independent of breed, age, and BW. On the other hand, peak aortic blood flow velocity, trans-mitral rapid ventricular filling flow, and the ratio of trans-mitral rapid ventricular filling flow to atrial contraction were influenced by age. The 2D-STE-derived radial and circumferential strain parameters were independent of breed, age, and BW, except for global strain in the radial direction.
Digestibility, Blood Parameters, Rumen Fermentation, Hematology, and Nitrogen Balance of Goats after Receiving Supplemental Coffee Cherry Pulp as a Source of Phytochemical Nutrients
Authors: Maxiselly Yudithia , Chiarawipa Rawee , Somnuk Krit , Hamchara Puwadon , Cherdthong Anusorn , Suntara Chanon , Prachumchai Rittikeard , Chanjula Pin
Published: September 2022

This research examines the impact of adding dried coffee cherry pulp (CoCP) to goat feed on the digestibility of the feed, rumen fermentation, hematological, and nitrogen balance. A goat feeding experiment employed four male crossbreds (Thai Native × Anglo Nubian) aged 12 months and weighing 21.0 ± 0.2 kg each. The treatment was conceived as a 4 × 4 Latin square with four specific CoCP levels at 0, 100, 200, and 300 g/day. Dry matter intake (DMI), organic matter intake (OMI), and crude protein intake (CPI) were unaffected by the addition of CoCP. However, across treatment groups, there was a linear increase in ether extract intake (EEI) (p < 0.01), neutral detergent fiber intake (NDFI) (p = 0.06), and acid detergent fiber intake (ADFI) (p = 0.04), as well as a quadratic effect on DMI% BW (p = 0.04). The findings showed that rumen temperature, pH, ammonia-nitrogen, or pack cell volume did not change with CoCP supplementation. Total volatile fatty acid showed linear effects on acetate (p = 0.03) and was quadratically affected by propionate concentration (p = 0.02), acetate to propionate ratio (p = 0.01), acetic plus butyric to propionic acid ratio (p = 0.01), and methane estimation (p = 0.01). With increased CoCP supplementation, there was a linear decrease in protozoa count by about 20.2% as the amount of CoCP supplemented increased (p = 0.06). CoCP supplementation in animal feed resulted in a linear decrease in urinary nitrogen (p = 0.02) and a quadratic effect on absorbed nitrogen (p = 0.08) among treatment groups, with greater N utilization values found in goats fed 200 g/d CoCP. In light of this, supplementing CoCP into animal feed may improve animal digestion and rumen fermentation effectiveness while having no effect on feed intake, rumen microbes, or blood metabolites.
Influence of Interference between Vertical and Roll Vibrations on the Dynamic Behaviour of the Railway Bogie
Authors: Dumitriu Mădălina , Apostol Ioana Izabela
Published: September 2022

This paper investigates the dynamic behaviour of a two-axle bogie under the influence of interference between the vertical vibrations of bounce and pitch—generated by the track irregularities—and the roll horizontal vibrations—excited by the asymmetry in the suspension damping that can be caused by the failure of a damper during exploitation. For this purpose, the results of numerical simulations are being used, as developed on the basis of two original models of the bogie-track system, namely the model of the bogie with symmetrical damping of the suspension—track and the model of the bogie with asymmetrical damping of the suspension—track, respectively. The dynamic behaviour of the bogie with symmetrical/asymmetrical damping is evaluated in five reference points of the bogie regime of vibrations, based on the Root Mean Square of acceleration (RMS acceleration). The results thus obtained highlight the characteristics regarding the symmetry/asymmetry of the regime of vibrations in the bogie reference points and the location of the critical point of the bogie regime of vibrations. The influence of the suspension asymmetry upon the dynamic behaviour of the bogie is analysed in an original manner, hence leading to conclusions that might establish themselves as the starting point of a new fault detection method of the dampers in the primary suspension of the railway vehicle.
Assessment of the Effects of COVID-19 Pandemic Stay-at-Home Measures on Potable Water Consumption Patterns, Location, and Financial Impacts for Water Utilities in Colombian Cities
Authors: Ortiz Catalina , Salcedo Camilo , Saldarriaga Juan
Published: September 2022

Several studies suggest that social distancing measures due to the COVID-19 pandemic have affected the water sector, specifically regarding its demand and supply. Given the importance of hygiene practices, this effect is heightened by the role that potable water availability has in tackling the spread of the virus. This study aimed to assess the impact of the pandemic on the water consumption patterns and location in four Colombian cities known for their important commercial, industrial, academic, and touristic features. Results exhibit diverse diminishing water consumption trends alongside COVID-19 because of different attributes of the cities (e.g., size, environmental, socioeconomic, and sociocultural characteristics). For instance, the touristic case study has been the most affected because of travel restrictions, with an average commercial demand drop of 32%. In contrast, industrial case studies have had a rapid recovery in water demand, with average industrial drops of 11–14% compared to 20–25% in non-industrial cities. These water demand changes do not affect only the operation of water utilities, but also their finances. Economic losses were estimated at 3.7%, 2.4%, and 6.4% of the expected incomes for the first 14 months of the pandemic for the case studies in this paper. Under a changing environment, understanding these changes and challenges is fundamental for ensuring that water systems are resilient in any unexpected situation.
Health Assessment of the Waterway from Chongqing to Yibin in the Upper Yangtze River, China
Authors: Li Pinjian , Xue Jing , Xia Wei , Li Tianhong
Published: September 2022

Ecological waterway construction and waterway health protection have become a trend and requirement of waterway development worldwide. How to assess the health status of a waterway is a fundamental concern for waterway sustainable development. This study established a comprehensive framework for health assessment of the waterway from Chongqing to Yibin in the upper reach of the Yangtze River, focusing on the coordinated development of river functions or services including navigation, flood discharge, sediment transport, water supply, self-purification, ecology, and recreation. This framework consists of a hierarchical indicator system, a weight determination method with analytic hierarchy process (AHP), an assessment model considering cask short board effect, and a sensitive analysis method. The waterway health in this river section in the periods 2016–2017 and 2018–2020 were assessed. The results showed that the river functions of navigation, flood discharge, water supply, ecology, and recreation had improved, while sediment transport had deteriorated from “Fair” to “Poor”, and self-purification remained at “Excellent” condition. The overall health of the waterway from Chongqing to Yibin has improved but remained in a “Fair” state during 2016–2020, at roughly the same healthy state as the other three waterways in the middle, middle-lower, and lower reaches. The results are conducive to understanding the health status of the whole Yangtze River waterway. They can serve as an important reference for ecological protection and development of high quality in the Yangtze River basin.
Impact of Environmental Conditions and Seasonality on Ecosystem Transpiration and Evapotranspiration Partitioning (T/ET Ratio) of Pure European Beech Forest
Authors: Petrík Peter , Zavadilová Ina , Šigut Ladislav , Kowalska Natalia , Petek-Petrik Anja , Szatniewska Justyna , Jocher Georg , Pavelka Marian
Published: September 2022

Partitioning of evapotranspiration (ET) into transpiration (T) and residual evaporation (E) is a challenging but important task in order to assess the dynamics of increasingly scarce water resources in forest ecosystems. The T/ET ratio has been linked to the ecosystem water use efficiency of temperate forests, and thus is an important index for understanding utilization of water resources under global climate change. We used concurrent sap flow and eddy-covariance measurements to quantify the ET partitioning in pure European beech forest during the 2019–2020 period. The sap flow data were upscaled to stand level T and combined with stand level ET to calculate the T/ET ratio. We analysed intra-annual dynamics, the effect of seasonality and the impact of meteorological conditions on T, ET and T/ET. Annual T/ET of a pure European beech ecosystem was 0.48, falling at the lower end of reported global T/ET values for forest ecosystems. T/ET showed significant seasonal differences throughout spring (T/ET = 0.28), summer (T/ET = 0.62) and autumn (T/ET = 0.35). Air temperature (R2 = 0.45–0.63), VPD (R2 = 0.47–0.6) and PAR (R2 = 0.32–0.63) affected the daily dynamics of T, ET and T/ET; however, soil water content (SWC) had no significant effect. Mature European beech trees showed more anisohydric behaviour and relatively stable T/ET, even under decreasing SWC. The results improve the understanding of ecosystem scale T, ET and T/ET intra-annual dynamics and environmental constraints in anisohydric mature European beech.
CSM-CERES-Wheat Sensitivity to Evapotranspiration Modeling Frameworks under a Range of Wind Speeds
Authors: Nouri Milad , Hoogenboom Gerrit , Bannayan Mohammad , Homaee Mehdi
Published: September 2022

Crop modeling uncertainty is expected to be high under weather data limitations; thus, jeopardizing decision-making on food-water security. Missing near-surface wind speed (u2) data required to accurately estimate reference evapotranspiration (ETo) seemed to significantly affect both the potential evapotranspiration (ETP) and yield simulations for data-scarce windy regions. In this study, the uncertainty in crop modeling based on different ETP approaches was assessed. In this regard, wheat yield and evapotranspiration were simulated with the CSM-CERES-Wheat model using either the Priestley-Taylor/Ritchie (PT) or the Penman-Monteith DSSAT (PM) methods under “rain-fed, low-nitrogen stress”, “rain-fed, high nitrogen stress”, “full irrigation, low nitrogen stress”, and “full irrigation, high nitrogen stress” scenarios for a u2 range from 0.8 to 3.5 m s−1. The daily weather data required to run the model were retrieved from 18 semi-arid areas located in western Iran. The statistically significant differences in mean yield and cumulative distribution were determined by the non-parametric Wilcoxon signed-rank and the Kolmogorov-Smirnov tests, respectively. The deviation in evaporation and transpiration simulated by applying PT and PM was lower under rain-fed condition. Under “rain-fed, low-nitrogen stress”, the PT-simulated yield deviated significantly (p < 0.05) from PM-simulated yield by more than 26% for the sites with u2 above 3 m s−1. The deviation in ETP estimates did not, however, lead to statistically significant difference in yield distribution curves for almost all sites and scenarios. Nitrogen deficiency resulted in a smaller difference in yield for rain-fed condition. The yield results showed a deviation below 6% under full irrigation condition. Under windy rain-fed condition, high deviation in leaf area index (LAI) and ETP estimates caused a large difference in the actual transpiration to potential transpiration ratio (Ta/TP), and yield. However, the deviation between PT- and PM-simulated LAI and Ta/TP for the full irrigation scenarios was less than 6%. Overall, the results from this study indicate that when soil moisture is depleted, resembling rain-fed condition, simulation of yield appears to be highly sensitive to the estimation of ETP for windy areas.
Dynamic Formation Processes and Characteristics of “28 June 2012” Debris Flow in Aizi Valley, Ningnan County, Sichuan Province, China
Authors: He Na , Liu Daxiang , Zhang Xianggang , Xu Linjuan , Yang Zhiquan
Published: September 2022

On 28 June 2012, a large debris flow occurred in Aizi gully, Ningnan County, Sichuan Province, China. It was the most significant debris flow disaster at a construction site in 2012 in China, which left 40 people dead or missing. Field investigations and model calculations were conducted following the event in order to determine dynamic parameters and execute engineering mitigation measures. Analyzing the collected data, it is found that earthquake and drought play a dominant role in debris flow initiation, and from 1 January 1986 to 31 December 2010, 43 earthquakes with a magnitude greater than 3.0 occurred around the study area. Through calculation it was found that the inducive radius of 16 earthquakes was larger than the distance between the epicenter and the study area, and it proves that the study area is frequently affected by seismic activities. Furthermore, on the basis of calculation of rainfall anomaly index H from January 2011 to June 2012, it can be seen that the rainfall of 2011 is extremely low. The percentage of the rainfall anomaly index is almost less than −34%, which indicates that the drought in the basin is serious. Under the influences of repeated seismic activities and continuous droughts, the structure of soil was destroyed and its strength and permeability changed significantly, providing favorable conditions for debris flow initiation. On 28 June 2012, heavy rainfall with the intensity of 23.3 mm/h occurred, and the total amount of precipitation reached 66.1 mm before 6am of 28 June 2012. Debris flow was induced due to the triggering effect of the torrential rain. Studying the causes of the large-scale debris flows in construction sites can significantly facilitate the prevention and mitigation of future debris flow disasters, as well as reduce the potential of hazards caused by debris flows in major engineering areas.
Sentinel-1 and Sentinel-2 Data to Detect Irrigation Events: Riaza Irrigation District (Spain) Case Study
Authors: Balenzano Anna , Satalino Giuseppe , Lovergine Francesco Paolo , D’Addabbo Annarita , Palmisano Davide , Grassi Riccardo , Ozalp Ozlem , Mattia Francesco , Nafría García David , Paredes Gómez Vanessa
Published: September 2022

This paper investigates the use of high resolution (~100 m) surface soil moisture (SSM) maps to detect irrigation occurrences, in time and space. The SSM maps have been derived from time series of Copernicus Sentinel-1 (S-1) and Sentinel-2 (S-2) observations. The analysis focused on the Riaza irrigation district in the Castilla y León region (Spain), where detailed information on land use, irrigation scheduling, water withdrawal, meteorology and parcel borders is available from 2017 to 2021. The well-documented data basis has supported a solid characterization of the sources of uncertainties affecting the use of SSM to map and monitor irrigation events. The main factors affecting the irrigation detection are meteo-climatic condition, crop type, water supply and spatial and temporal resolution of Earth observation data. Results indicate that approximately three-quarters of the fields irrigated within three days of the S-1 acquisition can be detected. The specific contribution of SSM to irrigation monitoring consists of (i) an early detection, well before vegetation indexes can even detect the presence of a crop, and (ii) the identification of the irrigation event in time, which remains unfeasible for vegetation indexes. Therefore, SSM can integrate vegetation indexes to resolve the irrigation occurrences in time and space.
Influence of Organic Content on the Mechanical Properties of Organic-Rich Soils Stabilized with CaO-GGBS Binder and PC
Authors: Zhong Yuqing , Cai Guanghua , Wang Shiquan , Qin Huajin , Zhang Caihong , Li Jiangshan
Published: September 2022

Organic-rich soil is a typical special soil often encountered in foundation treatment. Previous research has revealed that Portland cement (PC) not only pollutes the environment but is significantly affected by organic matter during its hydration and cementation. Although quicklime (CaO)-GGBS binder (CG) is an effective alternative to PC, its efficiency in treating organic-rich soils has not been studied. In this study, organic-rich soil was treated with two binders of CG and PC. The physical, mechanical, and chemical characteristics of the stabilized soils were tested at various organic contents, binder contents, and curing ages. The results show that the cracks in two treated soils increase with the increase in organic content and the reduction in binder content. CG-treated soils are more likely to shed big lumps after damage than PC-treated soils. The unconfined compressive strength (qu) and deformation modulus (E50) of stabilized soils increase with the increasing curing age and binder content but the decreasing organic content. The E50 of PC-treated soil is about 22~73 times qu, and the E50 of CG-treated soil shows an excellent linear relationship with qu. The moisture content of two treated soils increases as the organic content grows, but it falls as the curing age and binder content increase. The soil pH rises with the increasing organic content and binder content, but it declines with increased curing age. The strength development of organic-rich soils treated by the CG binder has an evident attenuation with the organic content. Given its possible environmental benefit, alkali (especially low calcium)-activated binder is appropriate for practical engineering with modest strength needs.
Water Resources and Water Quality Assessment, Central Bamyan, Afghanistan
Authors: Malistani Hasan Ali , Jawadi Hussain Ali , Sidle Roy C. , Khawary Masuma , Khan Aziz Ali
Published: September 2022

We surveyed and selectively sampled the major water sources in Bamyan city and the surrounding area to assess the water quality. Water quality measurements were taken in situ and more samples were collected for laboratory analysis from canals, rivers, springs, wells, and water supply systems. In urban areas, water supply systems provide 36% of the drinking water, but in rural areas, this source accounts for only 7% of drinking water supplies. Wells comprise 33% and 15% of urban and rural water supplies, respectively, while canals and rivers are modest water sources for Bamyan communities. Basic water quality parameters, such as pH, EC, and TDS, were variable with high values in some areas. Most of the samples fall in the range of potable water, but some had a high TDS and EC indicating that there is the potential of contamination. Values of pH were mostly were mostly in the range of drinking water (6.5–9.5). A Drinking Water Quality Index (DWQI) was calculated to better understand the water quality issues for the potable water supplies. Subsets of representative samples were analyzed for 17 selected chemical elements and other constituents. Barium (Ba) was detected in almost all of the water samples, while arsenic (As) was detected in about 9% of the analyzed samples, and this was mostly associated with thermal springs. Concentrations of Mn and Cu in some samples exceeded that of the water quality standards, while Zn concentrations were below tolerable limits in all of the samples. Most of the analyzed water samples were hard, and several samples showed evidence of microbial pollution in urban areas. Rivers originating from snow and glacier melting had excellent quality for drinking.
Flood Susceptibility Mapping Using Remote Sensing and Integration of Decision Table Classifier and Metaheuristic Algorithms
Authors: Askar Shavan , Zeraat Peyma Sajjad , Yousef Mohanad Mohsen , Prodanova Natalia Alekseevna , Muda Iskandar , Elsahabi Mohamed , Hatamiafkoueieh Javad
Published: September 2022

Flooding is one of the most prevalent types of natural catastrophes, and it can cause extensive damage to infrastructure and the natural environment. The primary method of flood risk management is flood susceptibility mapping (FSM), which provides a quantitative assessment of a region’s vulnerability to flooding. The objective of this study is to develop new ensemble models for FSM by integrating metaheuristic algorithms, such as genetic algorithms (GA), particle swarm optimization (PSO), and harmony search (HS), with the decision table classifier (DTB). The proposed algorithms were applied in the province of Sulaymaniyah, Iraq. Sentinel-1 synthetic aperture radar (SAR) data satellite images were used for flood monitoring (on 27 July 2019), and 160 flood occurrence locations were prepared for modeling. For the training and validation datasets, flood occurrence data were coupled to 1 flood-influencing parameters (slope, altitude, aspect, plan curvature, distance from rivers, land cover, geology, topographic wetness index (TWI), stream power index (SPI), rainfall, and normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI)). The certainty factor (CF) approach was used to determine the spatial association between the effective parameters and the occurrence of floods, and the resulting weights were employed as modeling inputs. According to the pairwise consistency technique, the NDVI and altitude are the most significant factors in flood modeling. The area under the receiver operating characteristic (AUROC) curve was used to evaluate the accuracy and effectiveness of ensemble models. The DTB-GA model was found to be the most accurate (AUC = 0.889), followed by the DTB-PSO model (AUC = 0.844) and the DTB-HS model (AUC = 0.812). This research’s hybrid models provide a reliable estimate of flood risk, and the risk maps are reliable for flood early-warning and control systems.
An overview of the best software statistical tools used in medical research
Authors:   Moscow State Institute of International Relations (University) of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, Krylov A. P.
Published: September 2022

The researching doctor always faces the urgent problem of choosing software for the analysis of experimental data. The article considers the currently existing systems of statistical analysis of experimental data.