bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Overviewing Drought and Heat Stress Amelioration—From Plant Responses to Microbe-Mediated Mitigation
Authors: Iqbal Saima , Iqbal Muhammad Aamir , Li Chunjia , Iqbal Asif , Abbas Rana Nadeem
Published: January 2023

Microbes (e.g., plant-growth-promoting rhizobacteria, arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and endophytes) are the natural inhabitants of the soil-plant-environment ecosystem having the potential to ameliorate the negative effects of environmental extremities. Plant-microbe interactions are integral events of agricultural ecosystems which must be studied in order to modulate the systemic mechanisms in field crops. Under changing climatic scenarios, drought and heat stresses tend to induce numerous physiological, morphological, metabolic and biochemical alterations in crop plants, while microbes hold the potential to mitigate these adverse impacts in a sustainable way. However, plant-microbe interaction mechanisms remain understudied owing to their complexities in the rhizosphere and within the cellular systems of plants. In this review, we have attempted to summarize microbes’ interactions with crop plants that tend to influence hormonal and nutrients balance, and the biosynthesis of metabolites and phytohormones, etc. In particular, focus has been kept on the underlying mechanisms related to plant-microbe interactions which confer abiotic stress tolerance. Moreover, various physiological, morphological, metabolic and biochemical responses of plants subjected to water scarcity and elevated temperatures have been synthesized objectively. Lastly, from the perspective of microbes’ application as biofertilizers, both challenges and future research needs to develop microbe-mediated tolerance as a biologically potent strategy have been strategically pointed out.
210Po in the Environment: Reassessment of Dose to Humans
Authors: Uddin Saif , Fowler Scott W. , Behbehani Montaha
Published: January 2023

Significant efforts have been made by the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) to establish a reliable basis of equivalent and effective doses due to radionuclides. The ICRP over years has been updating the dose coefficients to include recent developments and make it more realistic. This perspective highlights some issues that warrant updating the methodology used for estimating 210Po dose to humans. The need to underpin these dose coefficients with ever-increasing literature has encouraged us to share the observation on the significant loss of 210Po due to seafood cooking, considering the loss due to cooking warrants changing the factor for the dose from seafood ingestion. Most dose assessment approaches use whole-body concentration, while most 210Po is present in the liver and digestive system that often are not part of the edible portion. The other factor is the extremely high 210Po concentration in aerosols as a result of coal and oil-fired power plants, forest fires, and volcanic activities, especially in the inhalable fraction. The 210Po/210Pb concentration ratio in the Gulf was observed to be between 1.6 and 1.9 in contrast to the 0.1 ratio observed in non-impacted areas. This reassessment of the inhalation dose is also relevant globally due to increasing incidences of forest fires where a much higher than 0.1 210Po/210Pb ratio is expected and will result in a significant inhalation dose.
An Overview of the Implication of Climate Change on Fish Farming in Egypt
Authors: Mehrim Ahmed I. , Refaey Mohamed M.
Published: January 2023

Aquaculture is an important component of the human diet, providing high-quality aquatic food for global or local consumption. Egypt is one of the countries most vulnerable to the potential impacts of climate change (CC), especially in the aquaculture sector. CC is one of the biggest challenges of our time and has negatively affected different water bodies. CC leads to the combination of changes in water availability, a decrease in water quality, the movement of salt water upstream due to rising sea levels, and the salinization of groundwater supplies will threaten inland freshwater aquaculture. Similarly, higher temperatures resulting from CC lead to reduce dissolved oxygen levels, increased fish metabolic rates, increased risk of disease spread, increased fish mortality, and consequently decreased fish production. CC may also indirectly affect aquaculture activities; for example, large areas of lowland aquaculture ponds can be highly vulnerable to flooding from rising sea levels. Thus, the current overview will briefly discuss the state of the aquaculture sector in Egypt, the meaning of CC, its causes, and its effects on the different elements of the aquaculture sector, and finally, we will review the appropriate ways to mitigate the adverse effects of CC on fish farming, especially in Egypt.
Economic Performance of Dairy Sheep Farms in Less-Favoured Areas of Greece: A Comparative Analysis Based on Flock Size and Farming System
Authors: Papanikolopoulou Vasiliki , Vouraki Sotiria , Priskas Stergios , Theodoridis Alexandros , Dimitriou Socratis , Arsenos Georgios
Published: January 2023

Dairy sheep farming is a significant agricultural sector in Mediterranean countries, providing income and employment opportunities in less-favoured areas (LFAs). The economic performance of dairy sheep farms is of significant interest to LFAs. However, relevant literature is scarce. The objectives here were to evaluate the economic performance of dairy sheep farms in LFAs of Greece and perform a comparative analysis based on flock size and farming system. In total, 19 and 26 dairy sheep farms for two production periods were used. Farm technical (flock size, production, grazing and nutritional management) and economic (income and variable costs) data were collected. The economic performance of farms was estimated using Happy Goats, a decision support tool for small ruminant farming. Estimated economic parameters were analysed by flock size (≤150 ewes vs. >150 ewes) and farming system (intensive/semi-intensive vs. semi-extensive). Results showed that 37% and 31% of farms were operating with losses in each production period, respectively. Based on nutritional management, ewes produced about 50 kg less milk per milking period. Smaller and semi-extensive farms had significantly (p < 0.05) lower incomes and variable costs. A significantly (p < 0.05) lower average gross margin was reported for smaller compared to larger farms. Results suggest a better economic perspective for larger flock sizes.
Scenario-Based LULC Dynamics Projection Using the CA–Markov Model on Upper Awash Basin (UAB), Ethiopia
Authors: Gebresellase Selamawit Haftu , Wu Zhiyong , Xu Huating , Muhammad Wada Idris
Published: January 2023

Understanding the spatiotemporal changes in land use and land cover (LULC) in the watershed is crucial for maintaining the sustainability of land resources. This study intents to understand the historical (1972–2015) and future (2030–2060) spatiotemporal distribution of LULC changes in the Upper Awash Basin (UAB). The supervised Maximum Likelihood Classifier technique (MLC) was implemented for historical LULC classification. The Cellular Automata-Markov (CA–Markov) model was employed to project two scenarios of LULC, ‘business-as-usual’ (BAU) and ‘governance’ (Gov). Results from the historical LULC of the study area show that urban and cropland areas increased from 52.53 km2 (0.45%) to 354.14 km2 (3.01%) and 6040.75 km2 (51.25%) to 8472.45 km2 (71.97%), respectively. Whereas grassland, shrubland, and water bodies shrunk from 2052.08 km2 (17.41%) to 447.63 km2 (3.80%), 2462.99 km2 (20.89%) to 1399.49 km2 (11.89%) and 204.87 km2 (1.74%) to 152.44 km2 (1.29%), respectively, from 1972 to 2015. The historical LULC results indicated that the forest area was highly vulnerable and occupied by urban and cropland areas. The projected LULC under the BAU scenario shows substantial cropland and urban area expansion, increasing from 8472.45 km2 (71.97%) in 2015 to 9159.21 km2 (77.71%) in 2060 and 354.14 km2 (3.1%) in 2015, 1196.78 km2 (10.15%) in 2060, respectively, at the expense of vegetation cover. These results provide insight intothe LULC changes in the area, thus requiring urgent attention by watershed managers, policymakers, and stakeholders to provide sustainable practices for the UAB. Meanwhile, the Gov scenario indicates an increase in vegetable covers and a decrease in cropland, encouraging sustainable development compared to the BAU scenario.
Ecofriendly Dyeing of Textile Materials with Natural Colorants from Date Palm Fiber Fibrillium
Authors: Baaka Noureddine , Khiari Ramzi , Haji Aminoddin
Published: January 2023

Natural dyes have become an interesting subject of study because of their superior ecological properties in comparison to their synthetic counterparts. This explains the great amount of research developed in this regard, especially when the dye used was derived from a natural product’s waste. This research aims to evaluate the affinity of the dye extracted from date palm fibrillium to a multifiber fabric. This choice was made to investigate a comparison of the dyeability of many kinds of textile fibers with the obtained colorant from the date palm fibrillium. It was shown that the different types of fibers were well-dyed. The darkest dyes were obtained especially by using wool and nylon fabrics. In view of these results, wool and nylon fibers were selected for developing a dyeing investigation. The effect of the most important operational conditions such as temperature, pH, and dyeing time on the dyeing quality results has been investigated. Color yield (K/S) and CIELab values (L*, a*, b*, C*, h*) were used to evaluate the dyeing properties. The utilization of durable chemicals and bio-mordants both pre and post-dyeing resulted not only in new dyes but also in improved speed rates.
Dynamic Effects of Climate Policy Uncertainty on Green Bond Volatility: An Empirical Investigation Based on TVP-VAR Models
Authors: Yu Jiasheng , Zhang Maojun , Liu Ruoyu , Wang Guodong
Published: January 2023

With the recent climate changes, investors and policy-makers are paying close attention to the green bond market. This study intends to analyze the dynamic effects of shock transmission between climate policy uncertainty and the green bond market and to offer some new perspectives on analysis of green bond volatility over the previous years. To investigate time-varying effects of climate policy uncertainty on green bond market volatility, we applied a TVP-VAR model. And the impact of three important time points is tested, which are the Paris Association convening in December 2015, the 2017 annual Report on Policies and Actions of China on Climate Change in October 2017 and the “double carbon” policy in September 2020. The finding is that: (1) This impact of climate policy uncertainty on the volatility of the green bond market is time-varying, with short-term overreactions or underreactions as well as medium and long-term inversions. (2) This impact is also time-varying at different time points and has a certain degree of sustainability.
Methodology for the Study of the Vulnerability of Historic Buildings: The Reconstruction of the Transformation Phases of the Church of the Abbey-Castle of Santo Stefano in Monopoli in Puglia (Italy)
Authors: Diceglie Angela
Published: January 2023

The study presented here concerns an analysis of the structural vulnerability of the arm of the church of the Castello di Santo Stefano Abbey in Monopoli in Puglia (Italy). The ancient monument is located on a small “Peninsula” between two ancient natural harbors, 3 km from Monopoli and 5 km from the archaeological site of Egnazia. Studies on the abbey-castle, have revealed different construction and deconstruction phases relating to historical periods of the Roman age, late antique age, medieval age, modern and contemporary age. The castle is typically attributable to a closed courtyard with four arms. The last one, close to the wall on the port of Tramontana, was added at a contemporary time. The arm of the church is characterized by the crypt with opus reticulatum walls from the two surviving bays of the former Benedictine church, from the residential palace of the 18th century, and from the residential extensions of the 20th century. The north-east and north-west arms, born in the 16th century as defensive earth-filled walls with respective bulwarks (north-east pentagonal and north-west at the tip of a spear), were redeveloped between the 17th and 18th centuries into residential buildings with panoramic loggias and overlooking new ditches enclosed by high walled defenses. The study was conducted with non-invasive methods such as: thermographic surveys; archaeological survey; stratigraphic survey of the walls; stratigraphic survey of plants; photogrammetric survey; 3D returns; Morpho-typological survey of the building material making it possible to acquire data on degradation, on the historicization of instability, on the phases of “growth” of the 18th century and of stylistic “reconstructions” of the 19th century. The data acquired, compared with each other, documented: the deterioration and instability of the foundation wall structures (the crypt) and that of the elevated structures: surviving spans of the church and residential building. Alveolization of the building material, deformations, variations in the geometric shape, lack of resistance of the foundation walls due to the typological and qualitative characteristics of the material (opus reticulatum in soft tuff) with high porosity and problems of the church roof system.
The Impact of the Financial Industry and Globalization on Environmental Quality
Authors: Zhang Jide , Ahmad Mushtaq , Muhammad Tufail , Syed Furqan , Hong Xu , Khan Muhmmad
Published: January 2023

The objectives of this study were to evaluate the impact of financial development, globalization, and pollution in six MENA countries from 1971 to 2015. Many prior studies empirically explored numerous factors determining environmental quality/pollution across the world. As far as the region of North Africa and the Middle East is concerned, the majority of previous studies ignored the combined role of globalization and financial development in predicting environmental quality using carbon emissions (CO2). Furthermore, we aimed to assess the legitimacy of the environmental Kuznets curve (EKC) theory for MENA nations. For this purpose, a feasible generalized least squares (FGLS) estimator was applied. It was found that the development of the financial sector and globalization significantly affected ecological quality. Regressors such as energy use and foreign direct investment (FDI) had an altogether positive effect on natural quality. These empirical discoveries also demonstrate the acceptability of the EKC hypothesis for MENA nations. This study shows that governments in the Middle East and East Africa need to develop and implement appropriate policies to promote renewable energy sources, such as wind, solar, biofuel, and heat production, which help to reduce carbon dioxide emissions and promote sustainable economic development.
The Effect of Pristine Graphene on the Mechanical Properties of Geopolymer Mortar
Authors: Abiodun Oluwapelumi , Kabubo Charles , Mutuku Raphael , Ejohwomu Obuks
Published: January 2023

The dire need for sustainable construction materials has resulted in emerging research to improve the properties and, subsequently, the structural performance of the geopolymer composite. One of these progressive moves is this study’s focus on enhancing the mechanical properties of geopolymer composite. This experiment employed a unique methodology in preparing pristine graphene-reinforced geopolymer mortar. Moreover, the study’s successful dispersion of a large-size (50 µm) industrially manufactured pristine graphene (PG) and its effect when incorporated in the geopolymer matrix was the first of its kind in research on geopolymer. The dosages of PG by weight of the precursor added to the geopolymer mix were 0.05%, 0.07%, 0.1%, and 0.3%. The results revealed that PG less than 5% by weight of the dispersing medium produced a good dispersion when sonicated in an aqueous solution and polycarboxylate ether superplasticiser as a surfactant. An ultraviolet-visible spectrophotometer was used to affirm that the PG aqueous solution subjected to ultrasonication was stable, well dispersed, and fit for incorporation in the geopolymer mortar. When the 0.07% dosage of the PG was incorporated in the geopolymer mortar, the compressive strength was highest, reaching 61.2 MPa and 63.5 MPa at 7 and 28 days, respectively. At 28 days after adding the 0.07% dosage of PG to the geopolymer mortar, the direct tensile strength was maximum at 2.5 MPa, while the flexural strength had a maximum of 10.4 MPa. An optimum PG dosage of 0.07% significantly improved the compressive, tensile, and flexural strengths by 14.4%, 25.96% and 17.35% at 28 days, respectively. Furthermore, the hypothesis tested acknowledged that the 0.05% and 0.07% PG dosages were responsible for significant improvement of the mechanical properties of the geopolymer mortar. This study affirms that large-size industrially produced PG could revolutionise the entrant of sustainable construction materials.
Models, Algorithms and Applications of DynasTIM Real-Time Traffic Simulation System
Authors: Lin Yong
Published: January 2023

Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) have the potential to improve traffic conditions and reduce travel delays. As a decision support software system for ITS, DynasTIM is based on the principle of dynamic traffic assignment and developed for real-time online simulation, prediction and optimization of dynamic traffic flows in urban or expressway networks. This paper introduces the models, algorithms and some typical applications of DynasTIM. The main contents include: the functional architecture; the application architecture of the system; dynamic OD (Origin-Destination) flows estimation method with novel formula for assignment matrix computation; mesoscopic traffic model using variable-length speed influence region and calibrating speed online based on connected vehicles data; and parallel SPSA algorithm based urban area signal optimization method. The functions of DynasTIM are implemented basically through three main modules: state estimation (ES), state prediction and control strategy optimization (PS&CSO), and guidance strategy optimization (GSO). The case study is aimed at the populated Futian Central Business District (CBD) road network in Shenzhen, China, which has an area of about 7 square kilometers. Based on the archived turning counts collected from 359 video traffic detection locations, DynasTIM was calibrated offline for this network, in order to validate the capability of simulating actual traffic conditions, and to set up basic conditions for testing signal optimization methods. The results show that the simulation output flows of DynasTIM have fairly good matching accuracy with the real surveillance flows in the field. Furthermore, for the CBD network with 38 signalized intersections, the signal optimization method is evaluated and better signal timing plans are found which can reduce about 13% average travel delay, compared with the signal plans currently implemented in the field.
Factors Influencing the Chance of Inheriting the Family Farming Career among Heirs in the Upper Northern Region of Thailand in the Crisis of Farming Labor Decline
Authors: Lursinsap Supannika , Sirisunyaluck Ruth , Sreshthaputra Suraphol , Chalermphol Juthathip
Published: January 2023

The aging society of farmers and lack of motivation to pursue a farming career among farmers’ young heirs could induce a severe labor shortage crisis in the farming sector in Thailand in the near future, especially in the upper northern region, which has been officially declared as the base of the organic agricultural production of the country. The main problem is the decision of farmers’ heirs to inherit or not inherit the farming career of their families. The relevant factors and their effects on the decision must be investigated and analyzed. A set of descriptive statistical tools were used to analyze the significance of each factor. A prediction model based on logistic regression was applied to analyze how sensitive of each factor is to the decision to inherit the family farming career. The discovered results could help the federal organization to plan and establish an appropriate strategy in order to cope with the crisis. Here, there are 519 surveyed samples referring to farmers’ heirs from five provinces in the upper northern region, which are Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Nan, Lamphun, and Mae Hong Son. The data were collected using a questionnaire. The following 10 relevant factors were found to have direct impacts on the decision to inherit the farming career: gender, increased age, marital status, increased yearly income, the chance to obtain advice from the Federal Department of Agricultural Extension, attitudes towards the farming career, an increase in the land size for farming per family, increase in the land size for farming in the rural area, the variety of agricultural products produced by the family, and an increased set of farming equipment and tools possessed by the family. However, an increase in the number of new family members could lead to unwillingness to inherit the farming career. All these factors in both the willing and unwilling groups had a statistical significance at the level of 0.05. Since the sample size of the willing group was considerably larger than the sample size of the unwilling group, a technique of minority oversampling was adopted to alleviate the problem of the imbalanced datasets. The classification accuracy obtained was 77.56. In addition to the federal planning and strategies applied to ease the crisis, the factors discovered in this study can be used as a stimulus for persuading and stimulating the young generation to inherit the farming career or become a skillful as well as knowledgeable professional farmer capable of producing high-quality agricultural products for the upper northern region of Thailand.
Isokinetic Rehabilitation Trajectory Planning of an Upper Extremity Exoskeleton Rehabilitation Robot Based on a Multistrategy Improved Whale Optimization Algorithm
Authors: Guo Fumin , Zhang Hua , Xu Yilu , Xiong Genliang , Zeng Cheng
Published: January 2023

Upper extremity exoskeleton rehabilitation robots have become a significant piece of rehabilitation equipment, and planning their motion trajectories is essential in patient rehabilitation. In this paper, a multistrategy improved whale optimization algorithm (MWOA) is proposed for trajectory planning of upper extremity exoskeleton rehabilitation robots with emphasis on isokinetic rehabilitation. First, a piecewise polynomial was used to construct a rough trajectory. To make the trajectory conform to human-like movement, a whale optimization algorithm (WOA) was employed to generate a bounded jerk trajectory with the minimum running time as the objective. The search performance of the WOA under complex constraints, including the search capability of trajectory planning symmetry, was improved by the following strategies: a dual-population search, including a new communication mechanism to prevent falling into the local optimum; a mutation centroid opposition-based learning, to improve the diversity of the population; and an adaptive inertia weight, to balance exploration and exploitation. Simulation analysis showed that the MWOA generated a trajectory with a shorter run-time and better symmetry and robustness than the WOA. Finally, a pilot rehabilitation session on a healthy volunteer using an upper extremity exoskeleton rehabilitation robot was completed safely and smoothly along the trajectory planned by the MWOA. The proposed algorithm thus provides a feasible scheme for isokinetic rehabilitation trajectory planning of upper extremity exoskeleton rehabilitation robots.
Short-Term Photovoltaic Power Forecasting Based on a Novel Autoformer Model
Authors: Huang Yuanshao , Wu Yonghong
Published: January 2023

Deep learning techniques excel at capturing and understanding the symmetry inherent in data patterns and non-linear properties of photovoltaic (PV) power, therefore they achieve excellent performance on short-term PV power forecasting. In order to produce more precise and detailed forecasting results, this research suggests a novel Autoformer model with De-Stationary Attention and Multi-Scale framework (ADAMS) for short-term PV power forecasting. In this approach, the multi-scale framework is applied to the Autoformer model to capture the inter-dependencies and specificities of each scale. Furthermore, the de-stationary attention is incorporated into an auto-correlation mechanism for more efficient non-stationary information extraction. Based on the operational data from a 1058.4 kW PV facility in Central Australia, the ADAMS model and the other six baseline models are compared with 5 min and 1 h temporal resolution PV power data predictions. The results show in terms of four performance measurements, the proposed method can handle the task of projecting short-term PV output more effectively than other methods. Taking the result of predicting the PV energy in the next 24 h based on the 1 h resolution data as an example, MSE is 0.280, MAE is 0.302, RMSE is 0.529, and adjusted R-squared is 0.824.
On Thermodynamically Consistent Quasiparticle Model at Finite Chemical Potential
Authors: Qian Wei-Liang , Ma Hong-Hao , Yin Shaoyu , Wang Ping
Published: January 2023

We explore the quasiparticle model at the finite chemical potential related to Ru-Keng Su’s distinguished contributions to the topic. In addition, we discuss the recent developments in the model, and in particular, one argues that the effective mass of the quasiparticle might attain a specific form as a function of momentum, in addition to its dependence on the temperature and chemical potential. Unlike the approaches based on the properties of underlying symmetry or the renormalization group, the momentum dependence emerges as a special solution to an integro-differential equation resulting from the underlying thermodynamic consistency. Moreover, this special solution to the problem is shown to be more general than previously explored in the literature. Instead of fitting to the lattice QCD data at the vanishing chemical potential, in this work, we adopt a “bottom-up” approach by assuming some analytic ansatzes that are manifestly thermodynamically consistent. The remaining physical quantities are subsequently derived, and possible implications are also addressed.
Construction of Solitary Wave Solutions to the (3 + 1)-Dimensional Nonlinear Extended and Modified Quantum Zakharov–Kuznetsov Equations Arising in Quantum Plasma Physics
Authors: Areshi Mounirah , Seadawy Aly R. , Ali Asghar , AlJohani Abdulrahman F. , Alharbi Weam , Alharbi Amal F.
Published: January 2023

Several types of solitary wave solutions of (3 + 1)-dimensional nonlinear extended and modified quantum Zakharov–Kuznetsov equations are established successfully via the implantation of three mathematical methods. The concerned models have many fruitful applications to describe the waves in quantum electron–positron–ion magnetoplasmas and weakly nonlinear ion-acoustic waves in plasma. The derived results via the MEAEM method, ESE method, and modified F-expansion have been retrieved and will be expedient in the future to illuminate the collaboration between lower nonlinear ion-acoustic waves. For the physical behavior of the models, some solutions are plotted graphically in 2D and 3D by imparting particular values to the parameters under the given condition at each solution. Hence explored solutions have profitable rewards in the field of mathematical physics.
Beta-Thalassemia Minor and SARS-CoV-2: Physiopathology, Prevalence, Severity, Morbidity, and Mortality
Authors: Lansiaux Edouard , Drouin Emmanuel , Bolm Carsten
Published: January 2023

Background: Since the first year of the COVID-19 global pandemic, a hypothesis concerning the possible protection/immunity of beta-thalassemia carriers has remained in abeyance. Methods: Three databases (Pubmed Central, Scopus, and Google Scholar) were screened and checked in order to extract all studies about the incidence of confirmed COVID-19 cases, mortality rate, severity assessment, or ICU admission among patients with beta-thalassemia minor, were included in this analysis. The language was limited to English. Studies such as case reports, review studies, and studies that did not have complete data for calculating incidences were excluded. Results and discussion: a total of 3 studies out of 2265 were selected. According to our systematic-review meta-analysis, beta-thalassemia carriers could be less affected by COVID-19 than the general population [IRR = 0.9250 (0.5752; 1.4877)], affected by COVID-19 with a worst severity [OR = 1.5933 (0.4884; 5.1981)], less admissible into the ICU [IRR = 0.3620 (0.0025; 51.6821)], and more susceptible to die from COVID-19 or one of its consequences [IRR = 1.8542 (0.7819; 4.3970)]. However, all of those results remain insignificant with a bad p-value (respectively 0.7479, 0.4400, 0.6881, and 0.1610). Other large case-control or registry studies are needed to confirm these trends.
Wound Infection of Snakebite from Venomous Protobothrops mucrosquamatus, Viridovipera stejnegeri and Naja atra in Taiwan: Validation of BITE and Cobra BITE Scoring Systems and their Bacteriological Differences in Wound Cultures
Authors: Yeh Heng , Gao Shi-Ying , Lin Chih-Chuan
Published: January 2023

Patients bitten by Protobothrops mucrosquamatus, Viridovipera stejnegeri, and Naja atra develop different degrees of wound infection. This study validated BITE and Cobra BITE scoring systems that we established previously. Bacteriological studies of patients with wound infection were conducted. The operating characteristic curves and area under the curve (AUC) and wound infection rates were compared between the derivation set (our previous study patient population) and the validation set (new patient cohorts enrolled between June 2017 and May 2021). No significant differences in the AUC for both the BITE (0.84 vs. 0.78, p = 0.27) and Cobra BITE (0.88 vs. 0.75, p = 0.21) scoring systems were observed between the derivation and validation sets. Morganella morganii and Enterococcus faecalis were the two most commonly detected bacteria in the microbiological study. More bacterial species were cultured from N. atra-infected wounds. Antibiotics such as amoxicillin with clavulanic acid, oxacillin, and ampicillin may not be suitable for treating patients with P. mucrosquamatus, V. stejnegeri, and N. atra bites in Taiwan. Carbapenem, third-generation cephalosporins, and fluoroquinolone may be superior alternatives.
Impact of Topography on Rural Cycling Patterns: Case Study of Bugesera District, Rwanda
Authors: Munyaka Jean-Claude Baraka , Chenal Jérôme , Sebarenzi Alexis Gatoni , Mrani Rim , Konou Akuto Akpedze
Published: January 2023

Rural mobility in Africa is an under-researched issue. Rural communities have often suffered from reduced mobility that has hampered their access to essential services and facilities such as education, health care, food, and clean water. In many rural communities, a more affordable mobility option, such as non-motorized mobility (cycling and walking), is the preferred way for people to travel. Apart from its well-known advantages, little is known about the impact of topography and routes on the mobility options adopted by rural communities. Therefore, this study aims to use Digital Elevation Models (DEMs) to analyze the impact of topography and routes on rural mobility patterns at the level of formal and informal cycle track networks in the Bugesera District, focusing on the Nyamata and Mayange sectors, Rwanda. This study used GPS devices given to 50 participants to collect mobility patterns in the two previously mentioned sectors. Then, the study imposed a 30-m buffer on the official road networks of Rwanda collected by the Rwanda Transport Development Agency (RTDA). These data were joined to GPS tracks to highlight official and unofficial roads (tracks that did not fall within the 30-m buffer). In addition, Digital Elevation Models were applied to analyze the SRTM (30 m resolution) and ALOS PALSAR (12.5 m resolution) elevation data of the Bugesera region. The findings revealed an elevation range of 1333 to 1535 for SRTM and 1323 to 1641 for ALOS PALSAR. The study calculated the slope to find the slope percentage (m) and length (m). The findings from the DEMs and the slope calculation revealed that Bugesera has a relatively flat surface, favorable for cycling. The slope percentage was further classified into five levels of slope ranging from steep to very steep. And the Van Zuidam classification results confirmed that Bugesera has “a flat or nearly flat surface, without significant denudation processes”. With a favorable topography and a higher bicycle ownership ratio, residents of the Bugesera district favor cycling in their daily activities more than any district in Rwanda. Cycling in Nyamata or Mayange links residents to areas with higher social, educational, administrative, and economic activities.
COVID-19 Clusters in Belgian Nursing Homes: Impact of Facility Characteristics and Vaccination on Cluster Occurrence, Duration and Severity
Authors: Dequeker Sara , Callies Milena , Catteau Lucy , Int Panis Laura , Islamaj Esma , Klamer Sofieke , Latour Katrien , Pauwels Marijke , Vernemmen Catharina , Mahieu Romain , Masson Hanna , Savsin Muhammet , De Clercq Etienne , Thomas Mireille , Catry Boudewijn , Vandael Eline
Published: January 2023

COVID-19 severely affected nursing home residents from March 2020 onwards in Belgium. This study aimed to model the impact of vaccination and facility characteristics on cluster occurrence, duration and severity in this setting. Possible clusters were identified between June 2020 and January 2022, based on the Belgian COVID-19 surveillance in nursing homes. Median attack rates (AR) among residents and staff, case hospitalization rates (CHR) and case fatality rates (CFR) were calculated. A negative binomial model was used to identify the association between nursing home characteristics and the number of cases, hospital admissions and deaths and the duration of the cluster. A total of 2239 clusters were detected in more than 80% of nursing homes. Most of these (62%) occurred before the start of COVID-19 vaccination (end of December 2020). After vaccination, the number of clusters, the AR among residents and staff, the CHR and the CFR dropped. Previous cluster(s) and vaccination decreased the number of cases, hospital admissions and deaths among residents. Previous cluster experience and having started vaccination were protective factors. We recommend continued implementation of targeted interventions such as vaccination, large-scale screening and immediate implementation of additional infection prevention and control measures.
Evolutionary Origin, Genetic Recombination, and Phylogeography of Porcine Kobuvirus
Authors: Cui Yongqiu , Li Jingyi , Guo Jinshuo , Pan Yang , Tong Xinxin , Liu Changzhe , Wang Dedong , Xu Weiyin , Shi Yongyan , Ji Ying , Qiu Yonghui , Yang Xiaoyu , Hou Lei , Zhou Jianwei , Feng Xufei , Wang Yong , Liu Jue
Published: January 2023

The newly identified porcine Kobuvirus (PKV) has raised concerns owing to its association with diarrheal symptom in pigs worldwide. The process involving the emergence and global spread of PKV remains largely unknown. Here, the origin, genetic diversity, and geographic distribution of PKV were determined based on the available PKV sequence information. PKV might be derived from the rabbit Kobuvirus and sheep were an important intermediate host. The most recent ancestor of PKV could be traced back to 1975. Two major clades are identified, PKVa and PKVb, and recombination events increase PKV genetic diversity. Cross-species transmission of PKV might be linked to interspecies conserved amino acids at 13–17 and 25–40 residue motifs of Kobuvirus VP1 proteins. Phylogeographic analysis showed that Spain was the most likely location of PKV origin, which then spread to pig-rearing countries in Asia, Africa, and Europe. Within China, the Hubei province was identified as a primary hub of PKV, transmitting to the east, southwest, and northeast regions of the country. Taken together, our findings have important implications for understanding the evolutionary origin, genetic recombination, and geographic distribution of PKV thereby facilitating the design of preventive and containment measures to combat PKV infection.
Urine Metabolome Dynamics Discriminate Influenza Vaccination Response
Authors: Rodrick Tori C. , Siu Yik , Carlock Michael A. , Ross Ted M. , Jones Drew R.
Published: January 2023

Influenza represents a major and ongoing public health hazard. Current collaborative efforts are aimed toward creating a universal flu vaccine with the goals of both improving responses to vaccination and increasing the breadth of protection against multiple strains and clades from a single vaccine. As an intermediate step toward these goals, the current work is focused on evaluating the systemic host response to vaccination in both normal and high-risk populations, such as the obese and geriatric populations, which have been linked to poor responses to vaccination. We therefore employed a metabolomics approach using a time-course (n = 5 time points) of the response to human vaccination against influenza from the time before vaccination (pre) to 90 days following vaccination. We analyzed the urinary profiles of a cohort of subjects (n = 179) designed to evenly sample across age, sex, BMI, and other demographic factors, stratifying their responses to vaccination as “High”, “Low”, or “None” based on the seroconversion measured by hemagglutination inhibition assay (HAI) from plasma samples at day 28 post-vaccination. Overall, we putatively identified 15,903 distinct, named, small-molecule structures (4473 at 10% FDR) among the 895 samples analyzed, with the aim of identifying metabolite correlates of the vaccine response, as well as prognostic and diagnostic markers from the periods before and after vaccination, respectively. Notably, we found that the metabolic profiles could unbiasedly separate the high-risk High-responders from the high-risk None-responders (obese/geriatric) within 3 days post-vaccination. The purine metabolites Guanine and Hypoxanthine were negatively associated with high seroconversion (p = 0.0032, p < 0.0001, respectively), while Acetyl-Leucine and 5-Aminovaleric acid were positively associated. Further changes in Cystine, Glutamic acid, Kynurenine and other metabolites implicated early oxidative stress (3 days) after vaccination as a hallmark of the High-responders. Ongoing efforts are aimed toward validating these putative markers using a ferret model of influenza infection, as well as an independent cohort of human seasonal vaccination and human challenge studies with live virus.
Detection and Molecular Characterization of the SARS-CoV-2 Delta Variant and the Specific Immune Response in Companion Animals in Switzerland
Authors: Kuhlmeier Evelyn , Chan Tatjana , Agüí Cecilia Valenzuela , Willi Barbara , Wolfensberger Aline , Beisel Christian , Topolsky Ivan , Beerenwinkel Niko , Stadler Tanja ,   Swiss SARS-CoV-2 Sequencing Consortium, Jones Sarah , Tyson Grace , Hosie Margaret J. , Reitt Katja , Hüttl Julia , Meli Marina L. , Hofmann-Lehmann Regina
Published: January 2023

In human beings, there are five reported variants of concern of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus type 2 (SARS-CoV-2). However, in contrast to human beings, descriptions of infections of animals with specific variants are still rare. The aim of this study is to systematically investigate SARS-CoV-2 infections in companion animals in close contact with SARS-CoV-2-positive owners (“COVID-19 households”) with a focus on the Delta variant. Samples, obtained from companion animals and their owners were analyzed using a real-time reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) and next-generation sequencing (NGS). Animals were also tested for antibodies and neutralizing activity against SARS-CoV-2. Eleven cats and three dogs in nine COVID-19-positive households were RT-qPCR and/or serologically positive for the SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant. For seven animals, the genetic sequence could be determined. The animals were infected by one of the pangolin lineages B.1.617.2, AY.4, AY.43 and AY.129 and between zero and three single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were detected between the viral genomes of animals and their owners, indicating within-household transmission between animal and owner and in multi-pet households also between the animals. NGS data identified SNPs that occur at a higher frequency in the viral sequences of companion animals than in viral sequences of humans, as well as SNPs, which were exclusively found in the animals investigated in the current study and not in their owners. In conclusion, our study is the first to describe the SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant transmission to animals in Switzerland and provides the first-ever description of Delta-variant pangolin lineages AY.129 and AY.4 in animals. Our results reinforce the need of a One Health approach in the monitoring of SARS-CoV-2 in animals.
Exploring the Expression and Function of cTyro3, a Candidate Zika Virus Receptor, in the Embryonic Chicken Brain and Inner Ear
Authors: Negi Vashi , Kuhn Richard J. , Fekete Donna M.
Published: January 2023

The transmembrane protein Axl was proposed as an entry receptor for Zika virus (ZIKV) infection in vitro, but conflicting results from in vivo studies have made it difficult to establish Axl as a physiologically relevant ZIKV receptor. Both the functional redundancy of receptors and the experimental model used can lead to variable results. Therefore, it can be informative to explore alternative animal models to analyze ZIKV receptor candidates as an aid in discovering antivirals. This study used chicken embryos to examine the role of chicken Tyro3 (cTyro3), the equivalent of human Axl. Results show that endogenous cTyro3 mRNA expression overlaps with previously described hot spots of ZIKV infectivity in the brain and inner ear. We asked if ectopic expression or knockdown of cTyro3 influenced ZIKV infection in embryos. Tol2 vectors or replication-competent avian retroviruses were used in ovo to introduce full-length or truncated (presumed dominant-negative) cTyro3, respectively, into the neural tube on embryonic day two (E2). ZIKV was delivered to the brain 24 h later. cTyro3 manipulations did not alter ZIKV infection or cell death in the E5/E6 brain. Moreover, delivery of truncated cTyro3 variants to the E3 otocyst had no effect on inner ear formation on E6 or E10.
Chetomin, a SARS-CoV-2 3C-like Protease (3CLpro) Inhibitor: In Silico Screening, Enzyme Docking, Molecular Dynamics and Pharmacokinetics Analysis
Authors: Ibrahim Mahmoud A. A. , Abdelrahman Alaa H. M. , Mohamed Dina E. M. , Abdeljawaad Khlood A. A. , Naeem Mohamed Ahmed , Gabr Gamal A. , Shawky Ahmed M. , Soliman Mahmoud E. S. , Sidhom Peter A. , Paré Paul W. , Hegazy Mohamed-Elamir F.
Published: January 2023

The emergence of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) has led to over 6 million deaths. The 3C-like protease (3CLpro) enzyme of the SARS-CoV-2 virus is an attractive druggable target for exploring therapeutic drug candidates to combat COVID-19 due to its key function in viral replication. Marine natural products (MNPs) have attracted considerable attention as alternative sources of antiviral drug candidates. In looking for potential 3CLpro inhibitors, the MNP database (>14,000 molecules) was virtually screened against 3CLpro with the assistance of molecular docking computations. The performance of AutoDock and OEDocking software in anticipating the ligand-3CLpro binding mode was first validated according to the available experimental data. Based on the docking scores, the most potent MNPs were further subjected to molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, and the binding affinities of those molecules were computed using the MM-GBSA approach. According to MM-GBSA//200 ns MD simulations, chetomin (UMHMNP1403367) exhibited a higher binding affinity against 3CLpro than XF7, with ΔGbinding values of −55.5 and −43.7 kcal/mol, respectively. The steadiness and tightness of chetomin with 3CLpro were evaluated, revealing the high stabilization of chetomin (UMHMNP1403367) inside the binding pocket of 3CLpro throughout 200 ns MD simulations. The physicochemical and pharmacokinetic features of chetomin were also predicted, and the oral bioavailability of chetomin was demonstrated. Furthermore, the potentiality of chetomin analogues –namely, chetomin A-D– as 3CLpro inhibitors was investigated. These results warrant further in vivo and in vitro assays of chetomin (UMHMNP1403367) as a promising anti-COVID-19 drug candidate.
Reduced Neutralization Efficacy against Omicron Variant after Third Boost of BNT162b2 Vaccine among Liver Transplant Recipients
Authors: Davidov Yana , Indenbaum Victoria , Mandelboim Michal , Asraf Keren , Gonen Tal , Tsaraf Keren , Cohen-Ezra Oranit , Likhter Mariya , Nemet Ital , Kliker Limor , Mor Orna , Doolman Ram , Cohen Carmit , Afek Arnon , Kreiss Yitshak , Regev-Yochay Gili , Lustig Yaniv , Ben-Ari Ziv
Published: January 2023

The immune responses of liver transplant (LT) recipients after the third boost of the BNT162b2mRNA vaccine improved. This study evaluates the durability of the immune response of LT recipients after the third boost, its predictors, and the impact of emerging variants. The receptor-binding domain IgG was determined at median times of 22 (first test) and 133 days (second test) after the administration of the third boost. IgG antibody titers > 21.4 BAU/mL were defined as a positive response. The neutralization efficacies of the vaccine against the wild-type, Omicron, and Delta variants were compared in the first test. The 59 LT recipients were of a median age of 61 years (range 25–82); 53.5% were male. Following administration of the third dose, the positive immune response decreased from 81.4% to 76.3% between the first and second tests, respectively, (p < 0.0001). The multivariate analysis identified CNI monotherapy (p = 0.02) and hemoglobin > 12 g/dL (p = 0.02) as independent predictors of a maintained positive immune response 133 days after the third dose. The geometric mean titers of Omicron neutralization were significantly lower than the wild-type and Delta virus (21, 137, 128, respectively; p < 0.0001). The immune response after the third BNT162b2mRNA vaccine dose decreased significantly in LT recipients. Further studies are required to evaluate the efficacy of the fourth vaccine dose and the durability of the immune response.