bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Optimisation of Energy Use in Bioethanol Production Using a Control Algorithm
Authors: Knaga Jarosław , Lis Stanisław , Kurpaska Sławomir , Łyszczarz Piotr , Tomasik Marcin
Published: February 2021

In this work, the possibility of limiting energy consumption in the manufacturing process of bioethanol to obtain biofuel was analysed. For this purpose, a control algorithm has been optimised while retaining the good quality of the control signals. New in this study is the correlation of the control algorithm not only with the signal’s quality, but also with the energy consumption in such an energy-intensive process as rectification. The rectification process in a periodic production system has been researched. The process was modelled on a test station with the distillation mixture capacity of 25 dm3. For the optimization, the following control algorithms have been applied: relay, PID and PID after modification to I-PD. The simulation was carried out on a transfer function model of the plant that has been verified on a real object, a rectification column. The simulations of energy consumption and control signal’s quality have been carried out in the Matlab®-Simulink environment after implementing the model of the research subject and control algorithms. In the simulation process, an interference signal with an amplitude of 3% and frequency of 2 mHz was used. The executed analyses of the control signal quality and the influence of the control algorithm on the energy consumption has shown some essential mutual relationships. The lowest energy consumption in the rectification process can be achieved using the I-PD controller—however, the signal quality deteriorates. The energy savings are slightly lower while using the PID controller, but the control signal quality improves significantly. From a practical point of view, in the considered problem the best control solution is the classic PID controller—the obtained energy effect was only slightly lower while retaining the good quality of the control signals.
Separation and Rectification of Chloroacetyl Chloride from TiCl4
Authors: Zhu Fuxing , Li Liang , Zhang Dafu , Ma Shangrun , Ma Zhanshan , Qiu Kehui
Published: February 2021

Titanium tetrachloride (TiCl4) is an important intermediate material for the preparation of titanium products. The organic impurities in TiCl4 are easily accumulated during the production of titanium sponges due to the problems of imperfect detection methods and the lack of effective control methods, resulting in a poor quality of sponge titanium. Among all impurities, chloroacetyl chloride (CAC) is the most important in TiCl4. Herein, the determination of the CAC content in TiCl4 solution, with a low detection limit of 0.633 ppm, was established by the standard addition method using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectrometry. This test method presented good repeatability, excellent accuracy, and moderate precision. Furthermore, the influencing factors of CAC separation in the continuous rectification process, including the heating power (the ratio of total heating power to feed rate), reflux temperature, top tower pressure, and feed temperature were optimized based on an orthogonal experimental design. The experimental data demonstrated that the average CAC removal rate reached 78.94% ± 1.00% under the optimal distillation conditions, with 72.21% of the CAC removed via the off-gas system. Therefore, excellent control of the negative pressure of the tail gas is highly desirable for the removal of CAC impurities.
Is the Cerebro-Placental Ratio Sufficient to Predict Adverse Neonatal Outcome in Small for Gestational Age Fetuses > 34 Weeks of Gestation?
Authors: Zdanowicz Jarmila A. , Disler Muriel , Gerull Roland , Raio Luigi , Surbek Daniel
Published: February 2021

Fetuses with an estimated weight (EFW) below the 10th percentile are at risk for adverse perinatal outcome and clinical management remains a challenge. We examined EFW and cerebro-placental ratio (CPR) with regard to their predictive capability in the management and outcome of such cases. Fetuses were first diagnosed as small after 34 weeks of gestation with an actual EFW below the 10th percentile at our tertiary academic center. We determined the optimum cutoff value for CPR and EFW in predicting adverse neonatal outcome. Mean gestational age at diagnosis was 36 weeks. One hundred and two cases were included in our study. We determined a CPR of 1.4 and an EFW of 2152 g to be the best cutoff value for predicting adverse fetal outcome, with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.65 (95% CI 0.54–0.76); p = 0.009, and 0.76 (95% CI 0.66–0.86); p < 0.0001, respectively. However, when comparing EFW with CPR, EFW seems to be slightly better in predicting adverse fetal outcome in our group. While the use of CPR alone for the management of small fetuses is not sufficient, it is an important additional tool that may be of value in the clinical setting.
Hand Gestures Recognition Using Radar Sensors for Human-Computer-Interaction: A Review
Authors: Ahmed Shahzad , Kallu Karam Dad , Ahmed Sarfaraz , Cho Sung Ho
Published: February 2021

Human–Computer Interfaces (HCI) deals with the study of interface between humans and computers. The use of radar and other RF sensors to develop HCI based on Hand Gesture Recognition (HGR) has gained increasing attention over the past decade. Today, devices have built-in radars for recognizing and categorizing hand movements. In this article, we present the first ever review related to HGR using radar sensors. We review the available techniques for multi-domain hand gestures data representation for different signal processing and deep-learning-based HGR algorithms. We classify the radars used for HGR as pulsed and continuous-wave radars, and both the hardware and the algorithmic details of each category is presented in detail. Quantitative and qualitative analysis of ongoing trends related to radar-based HCI, and available radar hardware and algorithms is also presented. At the end, developed devices and applications based on gesture-recognition through radar are discussed. Limitations, future aspects and research directions related to this field are also discussed.
Monitoring the Coastal Changes of the Po River Delta (Northern Italy) since 1911 Using Archival Cartography, Multi-Temporal Aerial Photogrammetry and LiDAR Data: Implications for Coastline Changes in 2100 A.D.
Authors: Fabris Massimo
Published: February 2021

Interaction between land subsidence and sea level rise (SLR) increases the hazard in coastal areas, mainly for deltas, characterized by flat topography and with great social, ecological, and economic value. Coastal areas need continuous monitoring as a support for human intervention to reduce the hazard. Po River Delta (PRD, northern Italy) in the past was affected by high values of artificial land subsidence: even if at low rates, anthropogenic settlements are currently still in progress and produce an increase of hydraulic risk due to the loss of surface elevation both of ground and levees. Many authors have provided scenarios for the next decades with increased flooding in densely populated areas. In this work, a contribution to the understanding future scenarios based on the morphological changes that occurred in the last century on the PRD coastal area is provided: planimetric variations are reconstructed using two archival cartographies (1911 and 1924), 12 multi-temporal high-resolution aerial photogrammetric surveys (1933, 1944, 1949, 1955, 1962, 1969, 1977, 1983, 1990, 1999, 2008, and 2014), and four LiDAR (light detection and ranging) datasets (acquired in 2006, 2009, 2012, and 2018): obtained results, in terms of emerged surfaces variations, are linked to the available land subsidence rates (provided by leveling, GPS—global positioning system, and SAR—synthetic aperture radar data) and to the expected SLR values, to perform scenarios of the area by 2100: results of this work will be useful to mitigate the hazard by increasing defense systems and preventing the risk of widespread flooding.
MDECNN: A Multiscale Perception Dense Encoding Convolutional Neural Network for Multispectral Pan-Sharpening
Authors: Li Weisheng , Liang Xuesong , Dong Meilin
Published: February 2021

With the rapid development of deep neural networks in the field of remote sensing image fusion, the pan-sharpening method based on convolutional neural networks has achieved remarkable effects. However, because remote sensing images contain complex features, existing methods cannot fully extract spatial features while maintaining spectral quality, resulting in insufficient reconstruction capabilities. To produce high-quality pan-sharpened images, a multiscale perception dense coding convolutional neural network (MDECNN) is proposed. The network is based on dual-stream input, designing multiscale blocks to separately extract the rich spatial information contained in panchromatic (PAN) images, designing feature enhancement blocks and dense coding structures to fully learn the feature mapping relationship, and proposing comprehensive loss constraint expectations. Spectral mapping is used to maintain spectral quality and obtain high-quality fused images. Experiments on different satellite datasets show that this method is superior to the existing methods in both subjective and objective evaluations.
Manipulating Phosphorus, Calcium, and Magnesium Utilization by Growing Lambs Using Natural Zeolite (Clinoptilolite)
Authors: Abdelrahman Mutassim M. , Alhidary Ibrahim , Adeniji Yusuf A. , Alobre Mohsen M. , Albaadani Hani , Aljumaah Riyadh
Published: February 2021

A total of 24 three-month-old lambs with an average weight of 23 ± 1.5 kg were used in this study and fed a complete diet supplemented with natural zeolite at 1% and 2% of feed weight to evaluate the effect of zeolite on calcium (Ca), phosphorus (P), and magnesium (Mg) concentration in tissues (kidney, liver, and muscle), rumen fluid, and blood. Adding zeolite at 2% to the diet resulted in an increase (p < 0.05) in body weight but a depressed feed conversion ratio. Phosphorus digestibility was significantly (p < 0.05) increased with the addition of zeolite while the digestibility of Ca and Mg remained unaffected (p > 0.05). The concentration of Ca, Mg, and P in the liver remained unchanged (p > 0.05) with the addition of zeolite. The addition of zeolite led to a decrease (p < 0.05) in the Ca concentration in the kidney and muscle, whereas the Ca concentration in lambs receiving diets supplemented with 2% zeolite (123.13 and 48.49 µg/g) was significantly (p < 0.05) higher than supplementation at 1% (120.13 and 45.66 µg/g, respectively, for kidney and muscle). Furthermore, serum and rumen fluid concentrations of P, Ca, and Mg exhibited no significant differences upon the addition of zeolite to the diet. Conclusively, diet supplementation by zeolite at 2% improves performance and especially P digestibility, which may result in the reduction in minerals in lambs’ waste and consequently a reduction in environmental pollution.
Environmental Impact Assessment of Renovated Multi-Apartment Building Using LCA Approach: Case Study from Lithuania
Authors: Chandrasekaran Vidhyalakshmi , Dvarioniene Jolanta , Vitkute Ausrine , Gecevicius Giedrius
Published: February 2021

In Europe, more than 75% of buildings are energy inefficient according to current energy standards. These buildings account for 40% of total energy consumption. Therefore, addressing the energy efficiency of existing buildings through various renovation measures remains of critical importance. In this study, two differently renovated multi-apartment buildings were selected to evaluate its environment impact using life cycle assessment. The buildings were built during the early 1980s, which did not meet the current energy efficiency standards. In recent times, these buildings were revised by Governmental agencies through the modernization process. The aim of the assessment is to study the environmental impacts associated with different renovation measures that has been carried out. This assessment covers the impact of new materials added, and the operational energy use. The study reveals that renovation stage accounts for 19% CO2 emission. The renovated buildings with renewable measures have a significant impact over climate change than the conventional renovation measures. Moreover, the potential savings in thermal energy used for space heating and domestic hot water preparation are 25% and 40% after conventional and renewable measures renovation, respectively. It was concluded that the total climate change potential could be reduced from 12% and 48% by retrofitting combined with renewable energy measures.
Promotion of Electric Mobility in the European Union—Overview of Project PROMETEUS from the Perspective of Cohesion through Synergistic Cooperation on the Example of the Catching-Up Region
Authors: Pollák František , Vodák Josef , Soviar Jakub , Markovič Peter , Lentini Gianluca , Mazzeschi Valerio , Luè Alessandro
Published: February 2021

This project report presents the rationale and the first results as regards the ongoing learning process of the PROMETEUS (PROMotion of EmobiliTy in EU regionS) project, co-financed by the Interreg Europe program, in the context of EU policies and programs dedicated to the promotion of sustainable mobility, and electric mobility in particular. Electric mobility, and in general low-carbon mobility, is one of the main targets of the European Union’s policies dedicated to a green transition. Despite continuous efforts, the number of electric cars in circulation remains low and the objectives of expanding the market for such vehicles by 2030 are still far from being fulfilled. Up until 2018, the share of electric vehicles was in fact only 1.5% of total car sales in the EU. Specifically, it has been noted that an increase in the uptake of electric vehicles in Europe is hampered by the presence of three main barriers: affordability, infrastructure availability, and lack of investments. In this context, project PROMETEUS has aimed at tackling the lacunae in the availability of infrastructures for a transition towards electric mobility in the partnership’s regions, namely, Carinthia in Austria, Castilla y León in Spain, Lazio in Italy, Malta, and Prešov in Slovakia, and at countering low awareness in the public through the improvement of policy instruments linked to structural funds. In order to approach and clarify the process of improvement of those policy instruments, we have summarized and presented the reference results and outputs from the Action Plans across the partners. Moreover, the report discusses in detail the output of the regional Action Plan of the one of project partners—the Prešov region, as the form of a model example—as the initial situation in terms of infrastructure development in the region posing as the biggest challenge for the project. Managerial as well as research summaries can be helpful in the implementation of similar projects; in the continuous improvement of policy instruments; and, last but not least, in the formulation of new challenges to improve awareness of sustainable forms of transport.
Phytosanitary and Technical Quality Challenges in Export Fresh Vegetables and Strategies to Compliance with Market Requirements: Case of Smallholder Snap Beans in Kenya
Authors: Fulano Alex M. , Lengai Geraldin M. W. , Muthomi James W.
Published: February 2021

Kenya is one of the leading exporters of snap beans (Phaseolus vulgaris) to Europe, but the export volume has remained below potential mainly due to failure to meet the market quality standards. The quality concerns include the presence of regulated and quarantine pests, pesticide residues, harmful organisms, and noncompliance with the technical standards. These challenges call for the development of alternative approaches in overcoming the phytosanitary and quality challenges in the export of snap beans and other fresh vegetables. These may include integrated pest management (IPM) approaches that incorporate non synthetic chemical options, such as diversified cropping systems, plant and microbial-based pesticides, varieties with multiple disease and pest resistance, insecticidal soaps, pheromones and kairomones, entomopathogens and predators. These approaches, coupled with capacity-building and adherence to the set quality standards, will improve compliance with export market requirements. The aim of this paper is to increase knowledge on implementing good practices across the value chain of fresh vegetables that would lead to improved quality and thereby meeting institutional requirements for the export market. The novelty of the current review is using snap beans as a model vegetable to discuss the challenges that must be mitigated for the quest of achieving high quality and increased volume of fresh export products. Whilst many of the publications have focused on alternatives to synthetic pesticides in addressing MRLs in fresh vegetable exports, there is a disconnect between research and industry in achieving chemical residue and pest free export vegetables. This review describes the phytosanitary and technical challenges faced by smallholder farmers in accessing export markets, evaluates the phytosanitary and quality requirements by the niche markets, and explores the strategies that could be used to enhance compliance to the institutional and market requirements for fresh vegetables.
School Bullying: Empathy among Perpetrators and Victims
Authors: Salavera Carlos , Usán Pablo , Teruel Pilar , Urbón Eva , Murillo Victor
Published: February 2021

This study analyses the relationship between empathy and school bullying, taking both perpetrators and victims into consideration. The study sample comprised 840 students, 423 of which were female (50.36%), aged an average of 14.28 years. The instruments used were an ad hoc questionnaire for socioeconomic variables and bullying behaviour, an empathy questionnaire, and a personality questionnaire. Victims yielded higher scores in terms of empathic concern, while both groups, aggressors and victims, yielded similar results in terms of cognitive and affective empathy. Concerning the correlation between these variables and personality, anxiety was found to be correlated with affective empathy and empathetic concern in both groups. A correlation between cognitive empathy and impulsiveness and activity was also found in both groups. Remarkably, aggression and cognitive empathy were found to be correlated, but only among victims. Finally, experiences with classmates, anxiety, sincerity, and aggression were found to act as predictors of school bullying, while gender and aggression factors were found to act as predictors among perpetrators, but to a lesser extent, which suggests that other factors must be in place for bullying behaviour to occur. The results suggest that, although empathy levels are different in both groups, they cannot act as a predictor of bullying, especially concerning perpetrators.
Vendors’ Attitudes and Perceptions towards International Tourists in the Malaysia Night Market: Does the COVID-19 Outbreak Matter?
Authors: Tilaki Mohammad Javad Maghsoodi , Abooali Gelareh , Marzbali Massoomeh Hedayati , Samat Narimah
Published: February 2021

Although the negative economic impacts of COVID-19 are undiscovered, the tourism industry is recognized as one of the most vulnerable sectors. Considering tourism’s contribution to Malaysia’s GDP, this study aims to examine vendors’ attitudes and perceptions towards international tourists in night markets after the emergence of COVID-19 and the impacts of propagation power of COVID-19 on vendors’ perceptions in Malaysia. As large numbers of informal workers lost 60% of their income worldwide due to the pandemic, a lack of research is observed on vendors’ attitudes after the pandemic, especially in Southeast Asia. The study model was derived on the basis of the revised social exchange theory (SET). A questionnaire survey was conducted among local vendors in Malaysia using a multistage probability sampling method. Findings revealed that place attachment has a significant effect on positive perception but not negative perception towards international tourists’ receptiveness. Results indicate that positive perceptions towards international tourists significantly and positively mediate the relationship among place attachment, economic gain, and involvement with tourist receptiveness. Moreover, the research concluded that vendors still have positive attitudes towards international tourists’ receptiveness due to economic gain and their place attachment and involvement levels during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Can Shrub Flammability be Affected by Goat Grazing? Flammability Parameters of Mediterranean Shrub Species under Grazing
Authors: Mancilla-Leytón Juan Manuel , Hernando Carmen , Cambrollé Jesús , Muñoz-Vallés Sara , Pino-Mejías Rafael , Vicente Ángel Martín
Published: February 2021

In this study, we evaluated changes in the potential flammability of different Mediterranean shrub species in a pine (Pinus pinea) forest in the Doñana Natural Park (of SW Spain) as a result of goat grazing. Plant height, total biomass, fine fuel biomass and leaves/wood ratio were measured in individual plants of each species in both grazed and ungrazed areas. Moisture content, mean time of ignition, mean time of combustion, gross heat of combustion (GHC) and flammability class of the studied shrub species were determined in the laboratory. The results of this experiment showed that grazing influenced the flammability characteristics of the studied shrub species. However, the strength of this effect was insufficient to modify the flammability index of these plants, except in the case of Myrtus communis, in which grazed plants presented a lower flammability index. According to Valette’s classification, Cistus salviifolius, Halimium halimifolium and Pistacea lentiscus are flammable species, Rosmarinus officinalis is a flammable-highly flammable species, and M. communis is non-flammable. The GHC values obtained were generally “intermediate”, except for those of R. officinalis, which were classified as “high”. The flammability parameters of the study species did not show a very marked trend in relation to grazing, but the vertical structure of plants did change by presenting reduced biomass of leaves and fine twigs. This change altered the physical characteristics of these plants and possibly acted to reduce the inherent fire risk of the shrublands.
Residents’ Preferences and Perceptions toward Green Open Spaces in an Urban Area
Authors: Zhang Liqin , Cao Huhua , Han Ruibo
Published: February 2021

Green open space is an important part of the natural–social ecosystem, providing ecological services that maintain the healthy development of cities and society. Residents’ perceptions of these benefits are largely related to their social-economic background as well as their familiarity with the development of green open spaces in their neighborhoods. Understanding residents’ perceptions of green open space will contribute significantly to urban planning by providing practical information that facilitates residents’ needs. Using the urban development zone (UDZ) of Wuhan, this study aims to understand residents’ preference toward green open space and their perceptions of ecological services and improvement, with the focus on the linking between social factors, preference, and views. In this study, data are collected through online questionnaire surveys and interviews. The results demonstrate how respondents’ views vary and which social factors significantly relate to them. Significant changes in natural space changes are reflected in the public’s perception of the ecological functions of these spaces. Responses to improving green open space reflect the residents’ pursuit of natural affinity and practicality. We conclude that it is better to enhance public involvement by providing residents’ views, which helps to recognize actual needs in long-term green open space planning.
Agronomic and Environmental Performance of Lemnaminor Cultivated on Agricultural Wastewater Streams—A Practical Approach
Authors: Devlamynck Reindert , de Souza Marcella Fernandes , Michels Evi , Sigurnjak Ivona , Donoso Natalia , Coudron Carl , Leenknegt Jan , Vermeir Pieter , Eeckhout Mia , Meers Erik
Published: February 2021

This study investigated the potential of Lemna minor to valorise agricultural wastewater in protein-rich feed material in order to meet the growing demand for animal feed protein and reduce the excess of nutrients in certain European regions. For this purpose, three pilot-scale systems were monitored for 175 days under outdoor conditions in Flanders. The systems were fed with the effluent of aquaculture (pikeperch production—PP), a mixture of diluted pig manure wastewater (PM), and a synthetic medium (SM). PM showed the highest productivity (6.1 ± 2.5 g DW m−2 d−1) and N uptake (327 ± 107 mg N m−2 d−1). PP yielded a similar productivity and both wastewaters resulted in higher productivities than SM. Furthermore, all media showed similar P uptake rates (65–70 P m−2 d−1). Finally, duckweed had a beneficial amino acid composition for humans (essential amino acid index = 1.1), broilers and pigs. This study also showed that the growing medium had more influence on the productivity of duckweed than on its amino acid composition or protein content, with the latter being only slightly affected by the different media studied. Overall, these results demonstrate that duckweed can effectively remove nutrients from agriculture wastewaters while producing quality protein.
Swimming Performance of Four Carps on the Yangtze River for Fish Passage Design
Authors: Tan Junjun , Li Hong , Guo Wentao , Tan Honglin , Ke Senfan , Wang Jibao , Shi Xiaotao
Published: February 2021

Anthropogenic engineered structures alter the local ecological connectivity of river and survival habitat of native fishes. The swimming performance is critical for establishing fish passage or fish habitat. This study evaluated the swimming performance of four carps (black carp, grass carp, silver carp and bighead carp) with smaller body lengths (1.0–9.0 cm) in a swimming flume. The results showed that the critical and burst swimming speed (m/s) of the four carps increased with the increased body length, and the relative (critical and burst) swimming speed (the critical and burst swimming speed divided by the body length, BL/s) decreases with body length. The critical and burst swimming speed of each species at two individual length groups (1.0–5.0 cm, 5.1–9.0 cm) was significantly different (p < 0.05), and the water velocities in fish passage should be less than the fish burst swimming speed. The results further provided the swimming performance data of juvenile carps and provided technical reference for the construction of fish passage and the restoration of ecological habitat.
Well-Being and Sustainability in Crisis Areas: The Case of Taranto
Authors: Bellantuono Nicola , Lagrasta Francesco Paolo , Pontrandolfo Pierpaolo , Scozzi Barbara
Published: February 2021

Unresilient and fragile regions need methods and data able to make policy-makers acknowledge the specific criticalities by which they are affected, so as to build effective development strategies and policies. This research explores whether and to what extent well-being and sustainability measurement frameworks are able to recognize crisis areas. We identified Taranto (Italy), declared as both a National Priority Contaminated Site and a Complex Industrial Crisis area, as a paradigmatic and extreme case of crisis areas and adopted the single case approach to address our research question. After reviewing several frameworks able to measure well-being at local level, we focused on Benessere Equo e Sostenibile dei Territori (Equitable and Sustainable Territorial Well-being, BESdT). We used two aggregate indexes to analyze data, namely the Adjusted Mazziotta-Pareto Index and the Adjusted Differences Mean Index. The study shows that, although BESdT does detect some criticalities of the examined area, it seems not able to adequately frame the multifaceted crisis that affects the area of Taranto. Even in presence of a full-blown crisis, the problematic situation does not always reflect into lower territorial performance, neither at the level of single indicators nor at the level of entire domains. Such discrepancy appears to be particularly evident within the economic domain. The paper ends with a discussion on the research and policy implications and some proposals for further research.
JC Polyomavirus and Transplantation: Implications for Virus Reactivation after Immunosuppression in Transplant Patients and the Occurrence of PML Disease
Authors: Hildreth James , Alcendor Donald
Published: February 2021

The JC polyomavirus (JCPyV/JCV) is a member of the Polyomaviridae family and is ubiquitious in the general population, infecting 50–80% of individuals globally. A primary infection with JCV usally results in an asymptomatic, persistent infection that establishes latency in the renourinary tract. Reactivation from latency via iatrogenic immununosuppression for allograft transplantation may result in organ pathology and a potential life-threatening neuropathological disease in the form of progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML). Currently, no treatment exists for PML, a rare complication that occurs after transplantation, with an incidence of 1.24 per 1000 persons a year among solid organ transplant patients. PML is also observed in HIV patients who are immununosuppressed and are not receiving antiretroviral therapy, as well as individuals treated with biologics to suppress chronic inflammatory responses due to multiple sclerosis, Crohn’s disease, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, rheumatoid arthritis, and other autoimmune-mediated hematological disorders. Here, we describe the proposed mechanisms of JCV reactivation as it relates to iatrogenic immunosuppression for graft survival and the treatment of proinflammatory disease, such as biologics, proposed trafficking of JCV from the renourinary tract, JCV central nervous system dissemination and the pathology of PML in immunosuppressed patients, and potential novel therapeutics for PML disease.
Genomic Signatures of SARS-CoV-2 Associated with Patient Mortality
Authors: Dumonteil Eric , Fusco Dahlene , Drouin Arnaud , Herrera Claudia
Published: February 2021

Infections with SARS-CoV-2 can progress toward multiple clinical outcomes, and the identification of factors associated with disease severity would represent a major advance to guide care and improve prognosis. We tested for associations between SARS-CoV-2 genomic variants from an international cohort of 2508 patients and mortality rates. Findings were validated in a second cohort. Phylogenetic analysis of SARS-CoV-2 genome sequences revealed four well-resolved clades which had significantly different mortality rates, even after adjusting for patient demographic and geographic characteristics. We further identified ten single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the SARS-CoV-2 genome that were associated with patient mortality. Three SNPs remained associated with mortality in a generalized linear model (GLM) that also included patient age, sex, geographic region, and month of sample collection. Multiple SNPs were confirmed in the validation cohort. These SNPs represent targets to assess the mechanisms underlying COVID-19 disease severity and warrant straightforward validation in functional studies.
The SARS-CoV-2-Inactivating Activity of Hydroxytyrosol-Rich Aqueous Olive Pulp Extract (HIDROX®) and Its Use as a Virucidal Cream for Topical Application
Authors: Takeda Yohei , Jamsransuren Dulamjav , Matsuda Sachiko , Crea Roberto , Ogawa Haruko
Published: February 2021

The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has spread globally. Although measures to control SARS-CoV-2, namely, vaccination, medication, and chemical disinfectants are being investigated, there is an increase in the demand for auxiliary antiviral approaches using natural compounds. Here we have focused on hydroxytyrosol (HT)-rich aqueous olive pulp extract (HIDROX®) and evaluated its SARS-CoV-2-inactivating activity in vitro. We showed that the HIDROX solution exhibits time- and concentration-dependent SARS-CoV-2-inactivating activities, and that HIDROX has more potent virucidal activity than pure HT. The evaluation of the mechanism of action suggested that both HIDROX and HT induced structural changes in SARS-CoV-2, which changed the molecular weight of the spike proteins. Even though the spike protein is highly glycosylated, this change was induced regardless of the glycosylation status. In addition, HIDROX or HT treatment disrupted the viral genome. Moreover, the HIDROX-containing cream applied on film showed time- and concentration-dependent SARS-CoV-2-inactivating activities. Thus, the HIDROX-containing cream can be applied topically as an antiviral hand cream. Our findings suggest that HIDROX contributes to improving SARS-CoV-2 control measures.
Optimization of the Groundwater Remediation Process Using a Coupled Genetic Algorithm-Finite Difference Method
Authors: Seyedpour S. M. , Valizadeh I. , Kirmizakis P. , Doherty R. , Ricken T.
Published: February 2021

In situ chemical oxidation using permanganate as an oxidant is a remediation technique often used to treat contaminated groundwater. In this paper, groundwater flow with a full hydraulic conductivity tensor and remediation process through in situ chemical oxidation are simulated. The numerical approach was verified with a physical sandbox experiment and analytical solution for 2D advection-diffusion with a first-order decay rate constant. The numerical results were in good agreement with the results of physical sandbox model and the analytical solution. The developed model was applied to two different studies, using multi-objective genetic algorithm to optimise remediation design. In order to reach the optimised design, three objectives considering three constraints were defined. The time to reach the desired concentration and remediation cost regarding the number of required oxidant sources in the optimised design was less than any arbitrary design.
Plasticity in Reproductive Traits, Condition and Energy Allocation of the Non-Native Pyrenean Gudgeon Gobio lozanoi in a Highly Regulated Mediterranean River Basin
Authors: Amat-Trigo Fátima , Torralva Mar , González-Silvera Daniel , Martínez-López Francisco Javier , Oliva-Paterna Francisco José
Published: February 2021

The invasion success of non-native fish, such as Pyrenean gudgeon Gobio lozanoi in several Iberian rivers, is often explained by the expression of its life history traits. This study provides the first insights into the reproductive traits, fish condition, and energy allocation (protein and lipid contents of tissues) of this species, along a longitudinal gradient in one of the most regulated river basins in the Iberian Peninsula, the Segura river. Larger sizes of first maturity, higher fecundity and larger oocytes were found in fluvial sectors with the most natural flow regimes, characterised by a low base flow with high flow peaks in spring and autumn. A delay in the reproductive period, lower fish condition and no differences in sex-ratio were observed in fluvial sectors with a high increase in base flow and notable inversion in the seasonal pattern of flow regime. Lipid contents in the liver and gonads were stable during the reproductive cycle and decreases in muscle were noted, whereas ovarian and liver proteins increased. In relation to energy allocation for G. lozanoi, an intermediate energy strategy was observed between income and capital breeding. Our results support the hypothesis that the high plasticity of G. lozanoi population traits plays a significant role in its success in a highly regulated Mediterranean river basin. Understanding the mechanisms by which flow regulation shapes fish populations in Mediterranean type-rivers could inform management actions.
Ecuavóley, el rey de los deportes para los ecuatorianos en el mundo
Authors: Galeano-Terán Alex Santiago , Chuquín Paola
Published: February 2021

Los procesos migratorios, así como las características singulares que posee el ecuavóley, han permitido una acelerada masificación dentro y fuera del Ecuador, consiguiendo un gran impacto socio-cultural. Los objetivos planteados fueron: determinar lugar y fecha del primer campeonato internacional de ecuavóley, conocer los países en los que se practica el ecuavóley, determinar el número de personas que se dan cita diariamente a ver o practicar este deporte, determinar si existe equidad de género en su práctica. En esta investigación se desarrolló una metodología mixta, basada en el paradigma cualitativo, fundamentándose a partir de sus cuatro fases científicas, preparatoria, de campo, análisis documental e informativa; iniciando con un análisis bibliográfico, para posteriormente mediante la metodología cuantitativa, tabular la información obtenida de 472 entrevistas estructuradas, mediante el programa estadístico SPSS. Obteniendo como resultado: 13 países en los que se practica ecuavóley, el primer campeonato internacional de ecuavóley se llevó a cabo en Madrid, España el 29 de abril del 2007, siendo sábado el día que más afluencia hay en las canchas, reflejándose equidad de género en la práctica del ecuavóley ya que, en el 41,3% de polideportivos juegan damas y en el 58,7% varones.
Big data en la educación
Authors: Heredia-Mayorga Hugo
Published: February 2021

El estudio buscó determinar la importancia y la aplicabilidad del concepto Big Data como elemento de toma de decisiones en los procesos académicos, administrativos y financieros, el objetivo es describir el papel del Big Data en la educación y conocer el número de investigaciones existente. La metodología que se usó para realizar la revisión sistemática de literatura fue la de Petersen, la cual se clasifica en cuatro etapas. Aplicados los criterios de búsqueda iniciales en los dieron como resultado que existe 69 publicaciones con una baja adopción por parte de las instituciones educativas del Big data, 15 no utilizan herramientas de recolección de datos de forma eficiente lo que dificulta mirar las contribuciones en educación, y 6 publicaciones muestran importantes soluciones planteadas del uso de Big Data. El Big Data es un fenómeno relativamente nuevo en la educación y sus aplicaciones en las actividades académicas permitirán dar form
Guía didáctica de lectura comprensiva
Authors: Ovando Galvez Ramiro
Published: February 2021

El presente artículo destaca el modelo educativo socio-comunitario productivo destinado como una propuesta para transformar la realidad y fortalecer las capacidades de razonamiento de la lectura comprensiva en estudiantes del 4º grado. La investigación fue desarrollada en el marco del método holístico y dialéctico, métodos teóricos y empíricos. Los resultados analizados en el proceso didáctico, pedagógico, mostraron que el 81 % presentan deficiencias en el rendimiento de sus capacidades lectoras comprensivas. Se determina que, el proceso de enseñanza y aprendizaje del 4º grado de escolaridad se caracteriza por niveles de desarrollo en el rendimiento de las habilidades lectoras, en el desarrollo de las capacidades y habilidades cognitivos en el marco de la propuesta educativa del Modelo Educativo Socio Comunitario Productivo.
Comment les règlements des apothicaires étaient-ils organisés dans le territoire de l’État de Bourgogne entre 1200 et 1600 ?
Authors: Nanno Bolt
Published: February 2021

Un inventaire des règlements pharmaceutiques pour les apothicaires entre 1200 et 1600 a été fait pour trente-quatre villes dans le territoire de l’État de Bourgogne. Neuf thèmes ont été discernés : 1) la conformité des poids et mesures, 2) la bonne qualité des marchandises, 3) le contrôle des préparations rares et coûteuses, 4) la délivrance des produits toxiques

et dangereux, 5) l’inspection des apothicaireries, 6) l’accès à la profession, 7) les prix imposés, 8) le monopole de la préparation et de la délivrance des médicaments, et 9) la position des veuves. L’initiative de rédiger des règlements médico-pharmaceutiques était souvent prise par la municipalité

et assez souvent à la suite des faux pas, comme des produits falsifiés, des conflits d’intérêts entre médecins et apothicaires, un crime par empoisonnement, de l’incorrection des médicaments composés, des prix exagérés dans les situations de monopole, etc. Généralement, on peut observer que le nombre des thèmes augmentait avec le temps et que les détails étaient de plus en plus explicitement formulés. Entre 1300 et 1600 le nombre des règlements pharmaceutiques augmente peu à peu jusqu’à trente-quatre pendant le XVIe siècle.
La légende du « pharmacien » Clovis Sagot
Authors: Lefebvre Thierry
Published: February 2021

Did Clovis Sagot, one of the first Picasso’s art dealer,

work in a «drugstore-turned art gallery», as claimed by some (rare) contemporaries and many art historians ? Probably not ! On the other hand, around 1907, Sagot had commercial relations with

Le Courrier Français and its main sponsor, the Pastilles Géraudel.
Auguste Sartory, professeur et pharmacien-major. Des services exceptionnels à Nancy et à Paris au cours de la Grande Guerre
Authors: Labrude Pierre
Published: February 2021

Auguste Sartory arrive à Nancy en 1912 déjà auréolé d’un superbe exposé de titres et travaux. Chargé du cours magistral de pharmacie, il l’est aussi du cours complémentaire de microbiologie, du cours public de mycologie, et il déploie une intense activité. Agrégé d’histoire naturelle et de pharmacie en 1914, il reste chargé de ces deux cours à Nancy, et se trouve mobilisé à l’hôpital militaire de la ville où il est immédiatement très actif à propos de la difficile question de l’épidémie de fièvres typhoïdes et para-typhoïdes. Affecté à Paris en mars 1916, il y est

responsable de plusieurs laboratoires, d’une pharmacie d’établissement, et il est amené à s’occuper de la lutte contre l’arme chimique et de la formation des pharmaciens auxiliaires. Son activité

scientifique reste cependant très intense avec la parution de plusieurs dizaines de publications, de

plusieurs ouvrages et la direction d’un ensemble de thèses. Nommé au grade de chevalier de la Légion d’honneur pour services exceptionnels le 14 juillet 1917, promu au grade de pharmacien major de 1re classe le 25 septembre 1918, il est nommé professeur titulaire de la chaire de pharmacie chimique à Nancy à compter du 1er novembre 1918. Mais la Victoire, avec le retour des «Provinces perdues» à la «Mère Patrie» , conduit à la création d’une nouvelle école supérieure de pharmacie à Strasbourg. Sartory y est nommé professeur à titre provisoire par un arrêté du 28 juillet 1919, puis

à titre définitif par le décret du 22 novembre 1919. La chaire dont il a la responsabilité correspond à ses vraies et réelles compétences, affinités et activités, la bactériologie et la cryptogamie, qui sont

aussi en partie celles qu’il a exercées pendant la guerre. Cette nomination prive Nancy, au terme

d’une présence de seulement quelques années, par ailleurs écourtées par le conflit, d’un professeur

d’une qualité exceptionnelle qui n’a cessé, pendant toute la guerre, mais surtout pendant toute sa carrière, de faire honneur à la Pharmacie et à l’Université.
Qui était Étienne-François Geoffroy, l’auteur de la Table des affinités ?
Authors: Lafont Olivier
Published: February 2021

Né le 13 février 1672, Étienne-François Geoffroy reçut une éducation exceptionnelle. Il bénéficia de l’influence des apothicaires parisiens auteurs d’ouvrages de chimie, Nicaise Le Febvre, Christophle Glaser et Nicolas Lémery, ainsi que de celle de chimistes amis de sa famille, Simon Boulduc ou Guillaume Homberg. Les tenants des théories corpusculaires, Lucrèce, Daniel Sennert, Joachim Jungius, ou Isaac Newton avec son attraction universelle inspirèrent ses recherches. Étienne-François devint maître ès Arts en 1689, puis maître apothicaire en 1694. Des voyages à travers la France, notamment un séjour à Montpellier, puis à l’étranger, en Angleterre, en Hollande et en Italie, lui permirent de rencontrer les savants locaux. Il fut reçu à la Royal Society de Londres en 1698. À l’Académie royale des sciences, il devint élève, puis associé, la même année, en 1699. Il devint ultérieurement pensionnaire en 1716. Il changea d’orientation et devint docteur en médecine en 1704. Docteur Régent à la Faculté, il fut nommé professeur, puis doyen en 1726 et 1729. Au Jardin du Roy, il occupa successivement un poste de démonstrateur en 1707, puis de professeur de chimie et de matière médicale en 1712. En 1709, il occupa une chaire de matière médicale au Collège Royal. Il mourut le 6 janvier 1731. Son oeuvre aborda à la fois, la chimie et la matière médicale. Son Traité de Matière Médicale ne fut publié qu’après sa mort en 1741. Sa contribution la plus importante consista en la Table des Rapports qu’il fit paraître dans l’Histoire de l’Académie en 1718 et où il classa les différentes substances par ordre d’affinité décroissante pour chaque substance cible. Cette table modifia l’approche de la chimie et connut une diffusion internationale.
Greener Approach to Synthesis of Steady Nano-sized Gold with the Aqueous Concentrate of Cotinus Coggygria Scop. Leaves
Authors: OZGUR M. U. , ORTADOĞULU Ebru , ERDEMİR Burak
Published: February 2021

There is a growing commercial attraction for nanoparticles because of their widespread feasibility in various fields for instance electronics, textiles, chemistry, medicine, energy and catalysis. This investigation describes an environmentally benign, cheap, and simple technique for biosynthesis of CCS-AuNPs utilizing the CCSL aqueous concentrate as a covering and reducing material. Various parameters influencing the reduction of Au3+ to Au0 were studied and the optimum conditions found as follows: chloroauric acid solution: 1 mM, CCSL aqueous extract: 20 g dry leaf /250 mL distilled water, volume proportion of chloroauric acid solution to CCSL aqueous solution: 24.8/0.2, pH: 3, response temperature: 60°C, and response time: 15 min. By stirring the reaction combination at 60°C for 10-15 minutes, the CCSL aqueous extract reduced Au3+ ions to Au0 and production of CCS-AuNPs was observed with the change of CCSL extract colour from light yellow to dark purple. Produced CCS-AuNPs were well defined by Ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis) absorption spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR spectroscopy), and Transmission electron microscopy (TEM). In the absorption spectrum, a symmetrical and prominent band observed in 500-600 nm wavelength range indicated that CCS-AuNPs formed. Synthesized gold nanoparticles at the optimum conditions are spherical (average particle size~17 nm) and remained stable for four months. Gold nanoparticles showed two fluorescent emission peaks at 444 nm and 704 nm whenever induced at 350 nm. Synthesized CCS-AuNPs showed lower antibacterial effect than plant extract.
РЕВМАТОИДЕН АРТРИТ И СИСТЕМА НА КОМПЛЕМЕНТА
Authors: KOSTURKOVA MARIYA BLAGOEVA , RADANOVA MARIA , MIHAYLOVA GALYA , KADINOV VLADIMIR
Published: February 2021

Системата на комплемента представлява важна част от имунния отговор.  Нормалното й функциониране е задължително за защитата на организма от патогени, както и за очистването му от имунни комплекси, апоптотични клетки и клетъчен дебрис. Прекалената й активация обаче може да доведе до отделяне на множество про-инфламаторни и цитотксични медиатори, причиняващи възпаление и тъканна увреда. Участието на комплемента в патогенезата на ревматоидния артрит (РА) е безспорно, но интимните механизми, по които то се осъществява и съответно възможностите за повлияването им, са все още обект на изследвания. Целта на настоящия обзор е да очертае и систематизира събраните до момента научни доказателства в това отношение.