bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Tracking Health, Performance and Recovery in Athletes Using Machine Learning
Authors: Petrovsky Denis V. , Pustovoyt Vasiliy I. , Nikolsky Kirill S. , Malsagova Kristina A. , Kopylov Arthur T. , Stepanov Alexander A. , Rudnev Vladimir. R. , Balakin Evgenii I. , Kaysheva Anna L.
Published: October 2022

Training and competitive periods can temporarily impair the performance of an athlete. This disruption can be short- or long-term, lasting up to several days. We analyzed the health indicators of 3661 athletes during an in-depth medical examination. At the time of inclusion in the study, the athletes were healthy. Instrumental examinations (fluorography, ultrasound examination of the abdominal cavity and pelvic organs, echocardiography, electrocardiography, and stress testing “to failure”), laboratory examinations (general urinalysis and biochemical and general clinical blood analysis), and examinations by specialists (ophthalmologist, otolaryngologist, surgeon, cardiologist, neurologist, dentist, gynecologist (women), endocrinologist, and therapist) were performed. This study analyzed the significance of determining the indicators involved in the implementation of the “catabolism” and “anabolism” phenotypes using the random forest and multinomial logistic regression machine learning methods. The use of decision forest and multinomial regression models made it possible to identify the most significant indicators of blood and urine biochemistry for the analysis of phenotypes as a characterization of the effectiveness of recovery processes in the post-competitive period in athletes. We found that the parameters of muscle metabolism, such as aspartate aminotransferase, creatine kinase, lactate dehydrogenase, and alanine aminotransferase levels, and the parameters of the ornithine cycle, such as creatinine, urea acid, and urea levels, made the most significant contribution to the classification of two types of metabolism: catabolism and anabolism.
Material Characterization and Physical Processing of a General Type of Waste Printed Circuit Boards
Authors: Lin Peijia , Werner Joshua , Groppo Jack , Yang Xinbo
Published: October 2022

Due to the rapid development of electronic devices and their shortened lifespans, waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE), or E-waste, is regarded as one of the most fast-growing wastes. Among the categories of E-waste, waste printed circuit boards (WPCBs) are considered the most complex waste materials, owing to their various constitutes, such as plastics, capacitors, wiring, and metal plating. To date, a variety of processing technologies have been developed and studied. However, due to the heterogeneous nature of WPCBs, a thorough study on both material characterization and physical separation was needed to provide a better understanding in material handling, as well as to prepare a suitable feedstock prior to the downstream chemical process. In the present study, integrated size and density separations were performed to understand the liberation of contained metals, particularly Cu and Au, from the plastic substrates. The separation performance was evaluated by the elemental concentration, distribution, and enrichment ratio of valuable metals in different size and density fractions. Further, SEM-EDS on the density separation products was carried out to characterize the surface morphology, elemental mapping, and quantified elemental contents. Moreover, thermo-gravimetric properties of waste PCBs were investigated by TGA, in order to understand the effect of temperature on volatile and combustible fractions during the thermal processing.
Analysis of the Determinants and Mechanism of Mutton Price in Xinjiang Region of China
Authors: Yang Yulin , Xu Jian , Yu Lean
Published: October 2022

In order to deeply analyze the internal and external influencing factors of mutton price fluctuation, a multi-scale analytical framework was proposed in regards to the fluctuation mechanism analysis of mutton price in the Xinjiang region of China. By combining data decomposition and correlation analysis, this paper investigated the relationship between different mode components and multiple influencing factors to explain the fluctuation characteristics of mutton price in Xinjiang. Through empirical analysis, it was found that the proposed analytical framework could effectively explore the fluctuation mechanism of influencing factors related to mutton price, and could provide the corresponding policy support for the local government to adjust mutton price in Xinjiang.
Prospects for Organic Farming in Coping with Climate Change and Enhancing Food Security in Southern Africa: A Systematic Literature Review
Authors: Wekeza Siphelele Vincent , Sibanda Melusi , Nhundu Kenneth
Published: October 2022

The potential for organic farming (OF) as a system that enhances climate change (CC) adaptation and improves food security in Africa has been a provocative topic in global discussions. Although OF is promptly increasing globally, the pertinent question is to figure out how OF can result in sustainable food production systems. This systematic literature review was undertaken through two database searches to maximize available data and relevant literature (Scopus and Wiley Online Library), resulting in 2069 documents published between 2007 and 2022. After excluding documents that were duplicates, not presented in English and irrelevant, 538 documents remained. From the remaining documents, 406 were excluded after careful review (not meeting at least one of the inclusion criteria), and 132 documents remained. Finally, 95 documents were excluded after assessing and reviewing full-text articles for eligibility. As a result, 37 documents were included (eligible) in the systematic review. The inclusion criteria followed in this study considered language, thematic focus and document type. The reviewed articles suggest that OF can be one of the climate change adaptation options, preserve environmental impact and improve food security. However, the relative performance in OF differs from region to region. Correspondingly, the organic–conventional yield gap mostly depends on crops and cropping practices. This review concludes the prospects of organic agriculture in Southern Africa are still largely untapped, particularly by smallholder farmers who remain uncertified. Therefore, the review recommends organised interventions on various fronts, starting with organic certification and regulation. Accordingly, sustainability (economic, environmental and social) and investments in OF need to be reinforced and promoted by stakeholders, as it has the potential to alleviate the swarming farming challenges posed by climate change and to address food insecurity.
Environmental Determinants of the Distribution of Halophila beccarii Ascherson in Hainan Island, China
Authors: Geng Xiaoxiao , Cai Zefu , Jia Shuwen , Shen Jie , Tang Di , Wang Daoru , Chen Shiquan
Published: October 2022

This study presents the first record of the overall distribution of the seagrass Halophila beccarii Ascherson on the island of Hainan. Statistical and ecological methods were used to analyze the distribution of the species and the influence of environmental factors. Halophila beccarii was mainly distributed in the northwest and southeast of Hainan, in lagoons with a total area of 20.981 km2, including the largest H. beccarii area in China covering approximately 9.58 km2 in Xiaohai, Wanning; there were also 4.89 km2 in Xinying Bay, Danzhou, approximately 2.20 km2 in Huachang Bay, Chengmai, 1.88 km2 in Dongzhai Port, Haikou, 0.95 km2 in Xinying Port, Lingao, approximately 0.668 km2 in Laoyehai, Wanning, approximately 0.363 km2 in Hongpai, approximately 0.23 km2 in Maniao, and approximately 0.22 km2 in Huanglong Port, Lingao. The average coverage of H. beccarii measured at 7.08–56.33%, the density of stem and branch was 487.47–20,167.1 ind/m2, and the biomass measured at 1.57–112.94 gDW/m2. The growth distribution was mainly influenced by habitat type and, to a lesser extent, by tidal branching channels, heavy metal content (Cu, Pb, Cr, Zn) in the marine environment, and human activities in adjacent coastal areas.
Correlation Analysis between Urban Green Space and Land Surface Temperature from the Perspective of Spatial Heterogeneity: A Case Study within the Sixth Ring Road of Beijing
Authors: Liu Wenrui , Jia Baoquan , Li Tong , Zhang Qiumeng , Ma Jie
Published: October 2022

Urban greening has been widely regarded as the most effective, lasting, and economical strategy for alleviating the effects of urban heat islands (UHIs). Previous studies on the cooling effect of urban green spaces (UGSs) tend to analyze the correlation between landscape metrics and land-surface temperature (LST) based on a global parameter estimation, while ignoring urban heterogeneity and autocorrelation. This study focuses on the sixth ring road of Beijing and uses Landsat 8 imagery to retrieve the LST and extract the position of UGSs. We propose a new approach to optimize the selection of landscape metrics, to identify the least and most effective metrics to establish a geographically weighted regression (GWR) model, and to plot the distribution of local regression coefficients to investigate the spatially heterogeneous cooling effects of greenspaces. The effect of UGS landscape metrics on the LST differs according to spatial location; the method enhances our understanding of the effects of UGS spatial configuration on UHIs and better guides the planning and construction of future UGSs.
Flexural Behavior of Portland Cement Mortars Reinforced with Hybrid Blends of Recycled Waste Fibers
Authors: Alsaif Abdulaziz , Alshannag Mohammad
Published: October 2022

Laboratory tests were performed for evaluating the flexural performance of Portland cement mortars reinforced with recycled fibers. The objective was to find the best blend of unsorted recycled post-consumer tire steel fibers (RTSF), and recycled plastic fibers (RPF) for enhancing the flexural behavior and ductility of cement-based composites. Ten mortar mixes containing various blends of RTSF and RPF were cast and tested under a displacement-controlled four-point bending ASTM test. Test results indicate that the mortar mixes reinforced with recycled fibers satisfied the ASTM flow requirements and achieved a flexural response and toughness comparable to the response of similar mixes, containing manufactured steel fibers (MSF) only, at the same fiber dosage. Among the recycled fiber blends investigated, the mix containing 0.5% RTSF and 0.5% RPF (on volume basis) exhibited relatively superior flexural characteristics compared to the mixes reinforced with the same dosage of MSF only. Moreover, the positive synergetic effect of fiber blends on the post-cracking strength and flexural toughness was pronounced at 0.5% RTSF and 0.5% RPF (on volume basis). Hence, as an echo-friendly material, recycled fiber blends of RTSF and RPF could be recommended for enhancing the flexural performance of cement-based composites at a lesser cost.
Constructing a Decision Model for Health Club Members to Purchase Coaching Programs during the COVID-19 Epidemic
Authors: Liu Jing-Wei , Chang Che-Wei , Wang Yao-Ji , Liu Yi-Hui
Published: October 2022

The recent COVID-19 epidemic has affected the global sports industry to a certain extent, and health clubs are no exception. To avoid unsustainable operations, health clubs need to restructure their programs to suit members’ needs. Therefore, this study constructs a two-stage framework model to evaluate health club members’ purchase of coaching programs. The first stage is to construct a hierarchy of evaluation, using the modified Delphi method, to select suitable criteria and extended sub-criteria, and add and delete them through expert discussion. In the second stage, we use the pairwise comparison matrix to calculate the weight of each criterion and sub-criterion to influence each other. Next, we evaluate and compare physical, online and offline, and live-stream coaching programs, by using network hierarchy analysis to identify the best class purchase plan during the epidemic and provide relevant suggestions. The results of the study found that during the epidemic, the primary sales were for weight training among physical programs (0.314), and activity classes among online and offline programs (0.633) as well as live-stream coaching programs (0.280). These findings have implications for health clubs in deciding which mode they need to adopt for sustainable operations.
Strengthening Capacity in Disaster Waste Management in Vanuatu
Authors: Ahmed Iftekhar , Johnson Thomas , Fuller Sascha , Guinto Ma Bella , Sagapolutele Faafetai
Published: October 2022

This paper explores the effectiveness of a training program in strengthening the capacity of disaster waste management (DWM) in Vanuatu, drawing on an action research project undertaken during the delivery of a Training of Trainers (ToT) program in Port Vila and Ifira Island. The researchers gathered feedback through questionnaires, host group discussions, and park sheets from the participants. This feedback was used to inform revisions of the Disaster Waste Management Handbook to be provided to participants, and to understand the potential benefits for similar programs in other countries across the Pacific Region. The ToT proved to be well-received by participants with 64.7% of the participants giving a rating of “Excellent” and the remaining participants rating it “Good”. It demonstrated to be a cost-effective mode of training with scalability and promoted self-reliance and empowerment of the community. Key challenges in the delivery included time management, and internet connectivity disruptions. By addressing these key challenges and with further research to ensure that it is context-specific, the ToT model could be used effectively to strengthen DWM capacity in other Pacific Island nations.
Three-Level NPC Inverter-Fed IM Drives under PTC, Minimizing the Involved Voltage Vectors and Balancing the DC Bus Capacitor Voltages
Authors: Zouari Wiem , El Badsi Imen Nouira , El Badsi Bassem , Masmoudi Ahmed
Published: October 2022

The paper presents a comparative study of the steady-state and transient behaviors of three-level neutral-point clamped (3L-NPC) inverter-fed induction motor (IM) drives under the control of three predictive torque control (PTC) schemes: the conventional one (C-PTC) and two new strategies involving selected stator voltage vectors (SVs), namely: (SV-PTC1) and (SV-PTC2). Compared to the C-PTC, the latter enable a reduction of the number of voltage vectors as well as the weighting factors. The introduced PTCs mainly differ by the cost function, which is more simple in the case of SV-PTC2. However, SV-PTC1 allows a systematic clamping of each stator phase to the DC bus voltage, at a low level of 60 degrees, and a high level at 60 degrees per cycle, while such a clamping is arbitrary in the case of SV-PTC2. Simulations prove the higher performances of the introduced SV-PTCs over the C-PTC ones, in terms of the reduction of the current distortion and of the torque ripple. Simulation results were validated by the experiments.
Simulation Model-Based Research on the Technology Support System for China’s Real Estate Financial Risk Management
Authors: Guo Jia , Chen Lixuan , Gao Ge , Guo Sijia , Li Xiuting
Published: October 2022

With technology and finance becoming increasingly integrated, it is imperative to use fintech to improve the capability to forestall and defuse major financial risks. As an area prone to financial risks, the real estate industry deserves in-depth research on the dynamics between risks and technological capability (TC). In this paper, a simulation model was constructed with system dynamics to examine whether an improvement in TC can effectively improve risk management capability (RMC), and to explore the specific interaction between RMC and TC under six policy scenarios. We present the following findings: (1) TC has a significant supporting role in risk management; (2) increasing R&D financial input is more effective than increasing personnel input when it comes to improving TC; (3) whether it is a single input or multiple inputs of different types, increasing R&D financial input is also more effective than increasing personnel input when it comes to improving risk management; (4) overall, improvements in TC and RMC have a positive effect on social and economic development. This study not only makes clear the interconnection between TC and RMC and enriches the research content in this field, but also provide a reference for preventing and resolving major financial risks and promoting stable social and economic development.
Secondary School Students’ Well-Being as an Effect of Outdoor Physical Activity versus Indoor Activity and Inactivity
Authors: Pasek Marcin , Kortas Jakub , Zong Xingxing , Lipowski Mariusz
Published: October 2022

(1) Background: Well-being is a broad concept within which, among other components, self-esteem and general mood can be distinguished. Their formation can take place on the basis of contact with physical activity and with the natural environment. (2) Methods: The aim of the study was to compare the self-esteem and general mood of schoolchildren at different levels of contact with physical activity and the natural environment, distinguishing between active outdoor, active indoor and inactive groups. The study involved 306 secondary school students aged 16–19 years. The study used a diagnostic survey method, choosing a questionnaire technique. Two research tools in the form of survey questionnaires were used: Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale—SES and General Mood Scale—GMS. (3) Results: The results indicated physical activity as an important determinant of both well-being components studied. In the study group of adolescents, contact with the natural environment proved to be a non-significant determinant of well-being. (4) Conclusions: The hypothesis of a synergistic positive effect of physical activity and contact with nature on self-esteem and general mood, which was not confirmed in this study, should be verified among representatives of older age groups.
Smart Homes and Families to Enable Sustainable Societies: A Data-Driven Approach for Multi-Perspective Parameter Discovery Using BERT Modelling
Authors: Alqahtani Eman , Janbi Nourah , Sharaf Sanaa , Mehmood Rashid
Published: October 2022

Homes are the building block of cities and societies and therefore smart homes are critical to establishing smart living and are expected to play a key role in enabling smart, sustainable cities and societies. The current literature on smart homes has mainly focused on developing smart functions for homes such as security and ambiance management. Homes are composed of families and are inherently complex phenomena underlined by humans and their relationships with each other, subject to individual, intragroup, intergroup, and intercommunity goals. There is a clear need to understand, define, consolidate existing research, and actualize the overarching roles of smart homes, and the roles of smart homes that will serve the needs of future smart cities and societies. This paper introduces our data-driven parameter discovery methodology and uses it to provide, for the first time, an extensive, fairly comprehensive, analysis of the families and homes landscape seen through the eyes of academics and the public, using over a hundred thousand research papers and nearly a million tweets. We developed a methodology using deep learning, natural language processing (NLP), and big data analytics methods (BERT and other machine learning methods) and applied it to automatically discover parameters that capture a comprehensive knowledge and design space of smart families and homes comprising social, political, economic, environmental, and other dimensions. The 66 discovered parameters and the knowledge space comprising 100 s of dimensions are explained by reviewing and referencing over 300 articles from the academic literature and tweets. The knowledge and parameters discovered in this paper can be used to develop a holistic understanding of matters related to families and homes facilitating the development of better, community-specific policies, technologies, solutions, and industries for families and homes, leading to strengthening families and homes, and in turn, empowering sustainable societies across the globe.
Research on Recycling Various Wastes in Papermaking as Eco-Friendly Slurry
Authors: Yi Teng , Liou Shuenn-Ren , Kuo Wen-Yih
Published: October 2022

Waste recycling has always been a priority in the paper industry. In this study, the potential of translating various wastes in papermaking into building materials was separately evaluated. For the first time, the improvement of flexibility and sample texture after translating wastes into cementitious materials was analyzed. The results showed that 20% of the waste in alkali-activated slag slurry is the best proportion for papermaking. In addition, paper sludge and wood chips significantly improved the slurry flexibility while lime mud and bottom ash did not have this effect. Considering the effect of adding wood chips on the optimization of the sample texture, the most appropriate proportion of the paper sludge was 5% when the wood chips in the mixture were 15%. The most suitable alkali equivalent was 6%, with a silicate modulus of 0.9. According to the experimental results, wastes in papermaking had great potential for exploitation and application as circular materials.
Effects of Straw Returning on Soil Chemical Properties and Microbial Community Diversity under the Rice-Crayfish Integrated System
Authors: Zhu Xiuxiu , Peng Chenglin , Si Guohan , Sha Aihua , Yuan Jiafu , Zhao Shujun , Xu Dabing , Liu Wei
Published: October 2022

This study presents an investigation of soil chemical properties and microbial community diversity by Biolog ECO analysis in a seven-year field experiment using winter flooded fallow + no straw returning (W), winter flooded fallow + straw returning (WS), and winter flooded fallow + straw returning + crayfish farming (WSC) at soil depths of 0–10 cm and 10–20 cm. Compared with the WS treatment, the WSC treatment had significantly higher total organic carbon (TOC) content in the 0–10 cm layer as well as greater available nitrogen (AN) and total nitrogen (TN) contents and acid phosphatase and sucrase activities in the 10–20 cm layer, while the pH value, total reducing substances, and Fe2+ content in the 0–20 cm layer were considerably lower. The WSC treatment improved the microbial species abundance in the 10–20 cm layer and the utilization rate of carbon sources in the 0–20 cm layer compared with the WS treatment. The soil microbial species abundance, microbial community diversity, and utilization rate of carbon sources in all of the layers examined were significantly higher in the WSC treatment than in the W treatment. The results indicate that straw returning under the rice-crayfish integrated system improves the contents of TOC, TN, and AN, decreases reducing substances properties, increases acid phosphatase and sucrase activities, and improves microbial community functional diversity, thereby contributing to the improvement of soil quality and the long-term sustainable development of the rice-crayfish integrated system.
A Study on Special Kinds of Derivations in Ordered Hyperrings
Authors: Rao Yongsheng , Kosari Saeed , Khan Aysha , Abbasizadeh Nategh
Published: October 2022

In this study, we concentrate on an important class of ordered hyperstructures with symmetrical hyperoperations, which are called ordered Krasner hyperrings, and discuss strong derivations and homo-derivations. Additionally, we apply our results on nonzero proper hyperideals to the study of derivations of prime ordered hyperrings. This work is a pioneer in studies on structures such as hyperideals and homomorphisms of an ordered hyperring with the help of derivation notation. Finally, we prove some results on 2-torsion-free prime ordered hyperrings by using derivations. We show that if d is a derivation of 2-torsion-free prime hyperring R and the commutator set [l,d(q)] is equal to zero for all q in R, then l∈Z(R). Moreover, we prove that if the commutator set (d(l),q) is equal to zero for all l in R, then (d(R),q)=0.
Plant Resistance to Fungal Pathogens: Bibliometric Analysis and Visualization
Authors: Tang Yueyue , He Guandi , He Yeqing , He Tengbing
Published: October 2022

Plants are susceptible to fungal pathogen infection, threatening plant growth and development. Researchers worldwide have conducted extensive studies to address this issue and have published numerous articles on the subject, but they lack a scientometric evaluation. This study analyzed international research on the topic “Plant resistance to fungal pathogens” between 2008 and 2021, using the core database of the Web of Science (WoS). By searching the subject words “Plants”, “Disease Resistance”, and “Fungal Pathogens”, we received 6687 articles. Bibliometric visualization software analyzes the most published countries, institutions, journals, authors, the most cited articles, and the most common keywords. The results show that the number of articles in the database has increased year by year, with the United States and China occupying the core positions, accounting for 46.16% of the total published articles worldwide. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is the main publishing organization. Wang Guoliang is the author with the most published articles, and the Frontiers in Plant Science ranks first in published articles. The research on plant anti-fungal pathogens is booming, and international exchanges and cooperation need to be further strengthened. This paper summarizes five possible research ideas, from fungal pathogens, gene editing technology, extraction of secondary metabolites from plants as anti-fungal agents, identification of related signal pathways, fungal molecular databases, and development of nanomaterials, to provide data for related research.
Characteristics of Respiratory Syncytial Virus versus Influenza Infection in Hospitalized Patients of Peru: A Retrospective Observational Study
Authors: Ramírez-Soto Max Carlos , Ortega-Cáceres Gutia , Garay-Uribe Jose
Published: October 2022

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and influenza infections are important causes of respiratory illness associated with hospitalizations in children in Peru; however, comparisons of RSV and influenza hospitalization across all age groups are not available in Peru. Therefore, we conducted an observational, retrospective study between May 2015 and October 2021 using hospitalization from RSV and influenza infection data obtained from SUSALUD (open data) in Peru to compare the baseline characteristics of sex, age, region, and infection type. For the study, 2696 RSV-infected and 1563 influenza-infected hospitalized patients from different age groups were included. Most hospitalizations from RSV infection and the influenza virus occurred in children <5 years of age (86.1% vs. 32.2%, respectively). Compared with influenza infection, RSV infection was less likely to occur in individuals ≥5 years of age (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 0.07; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.06–0.08; p < 0.0001; compared to <5 years of age), and more likely to occur in highlands (aOR = 1.75; 95% CI, 1.46–2.07; p < 0.0001, compared to coast region), and jungle region (aOR = 1.75; 95% CI, 1.27–2.41; p = 0.001, compared to coast region). Among the respiratory complications, RSV pneumonia was less likely to occur between different age groups (aOR = 0.29; 95% CI, 0.22–0.37; p < 0.0001, compared to <5 years of age), compared with influenza pneumonia. These findings on the RSV-hospitalization and its complications are helpful for health services planning and may increase awareness of the Peruvian population’s RSV and influenza disease burden.
Revisiting Dudas-Mourad Compactifications
Authors: Basile Ivano , Raucci Salvatore , Thomée Sylvain
Published: October 2022

Superstring theories in ten dimensions allow spacetime supersymmetry breaking at the string scale at the expense of controlled Minkowski backgrounds. The next-to-maximally symmetric backgrounds, found by Dudas and Mourad, involve a warped compactification on an interval associated with codimension-one defects. We generalize these solutions by varying the effective field theory parameters, and we discuss the dimensional reduction on the interval. In particular, we show that scalars and form fields decouple in a certain range of dimensions, yielding Einstein-Yang-Mills theory. Moreover, we find that the breakdown of this effective description due to light Kaluza-Klein modes reflects the swampland distance conjecture, supporting the consistency of the picture at least qualitatively.
Shedding Light to the Dark Sides of the Universe: Cosmology from Strong Interactions
Authors: Pasechnik Roman , Šumbera Michal
Published: October 2022

The basic aim of this Special Issue was to reflect upon the modern status of research on strong interactions and their implications in Cosmology [...]
Host-Level Susceptibility and IRF1 Expression Influence the Ability of IFN-γ to Inhibit KSHV Infection in B Lymphocytes
Authors: Alomari Nedaa , Totonchy Jennifer
Published: October 2022

Kaposi’s sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) is associated with vascular endothelial cell tumor, Kaposi’s sarcoma (KS) and lymphoproliferative disorder, multicentric Castleman’s disease (MCD), primary effusion lymphoma (PEL) and KSHV inflammatory cytokine syndrome (KICS). Dysregulation of proinflammatory cytokines is found in most KSHV associated diseases. However, little is known about the role of host microenvironment in the regulation of KSHV establishment in B cells. In the present study, we demonstrated that IFN-γ has a strong inhibitory effect on KSHV infection but only in a subset of tonsil-derived lymphocyte samples that are intrinsically more susceptible to infection, contain higher proportions of naïve B cells, and display increased levels of IRF1 and STAT1-pY701. The effect of IFN-γ in responsive samples was associated with increased frequencies of germinal center B cells (GCB) and decreased infection of plasma cells, suggesting that IFN-γ-mediated modulation of viral dynamics in GC can inhibit the establishment of KSHV infection.
Evolutionary Pattern Comparisons of the SARS-CoV-2 Delta Variant in Countries/Regions with High and Low Vaccine Coverage
Authors: Zhang Jiahao , Fan Linqian , Xu Hanli , Fu Yuanhui , Peng Xianglei , Zheng Yanpeng , Yu Jiemei , He Jinsheng
Published: October 2022

It has been argued that vaccine-breakthrough infections of SARS-CoV-2 would likely accelerate the emergence of novel variants with immune evasion. This study explored the evolutionary patterns of the Delta variant in countries/regions with relatively high and low vaccine coverage based on large-scale sequences. Our results showed that (i) the sequences were grouped into two clusters (L and R); the R cluster was dominant, its proportion increased over time and was higher in the high-vaccine-coverage areas; (ii) genetic diversities in the countries/regions with low vaccine coverage were higher than those in the ones with high vaccine coverage; (iii) unique mutations and co-mutations were detected in different countries/regions; in particular, common co-mutations were exhibited in highly occurring frequencies in the areas with high vaccine coverage and presented in increasing frequencies over time in the areas with low vaccine coverage; (iv) five sites on the S protein were under strong positive selection in different countries/regions, with three in non-C to U sites (I95T, G142D and T950N), and the occurring frequencies of I95T in high vaccine coverage areas were higher, while G142D and T950N were potentially immune-pressure-selected sites; and (v) mutation at the N6-methyladenosine site 4 on ORF7a (C27527T, P45L) was detected and might be caused by immune pressure. Our study suggested that certain variation differences existed between countries/regions with high and low vaccine coverage, but they were not likely caused by host immune pressure. We inferred that no extra immune pressures on SARS-CoV-2 were generated with high vaccine coverage, and we suggest promoting and strengthening the uptake of the COVID-19 vaccine worldwide, especially in less developed areas.
An Unwanted Association: The Threat to Papaya Crops by a Novel Potexvirus in Northwest Argentina
Authors: Cabrera Mederos Dariel , Debat Humberto , Torres Carolina , Portal Orelvis , Jaramillo Zapata Margarita , Trucco Verónica , Flores Ceferino , Ortiz Claudio , Badaracco Alejandra , Acuña Luis , Nome Claudia , Quito-Avila Diego , Bejerman Nicolas , Castellanos Collazo Onias , Sánchez-Rodríguez Aminael , Giolitti Fabián
Published: October 2022

An emerging virus isolated from papaya (Carica papaya) crops in northwestern (NW) Argentina was sequenced and characterized using next-generation sequencing. The resulting genome is 6667-nt long and encodes five open reading frames in an arrangement typical of other potexviruses. This virus appears to be a novel member within the genus Potexvirus. Blast analysis of RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) and coat protein (CP) genes showed the highest amino acid sequence identity (67% and 71%, respectively) with pitaya virus X. Based on nucleotide sequence similarity and phylogenetic analysis, the name papaya virus X is proposed for this newly characterized potexvirus that was mechanically transmitted to papaya plants causing chlorotic patches and severe mosaic symptoms. Papaya virus X (PapVX) was found only in the NW region of Argentina. This prevalence could be associated with a recent emergence or adaptation of this virus to papaya in NW Argentina.
Glucomannan as a Dietary Supplement for Treatment of Breast Cancer in a Mouse Model
Authors: Ahmadi Nioosha , Jahantigh Hamid Reza , Noorbazargan Hassan , Yazdi Mohammad Hossein , Mahdavi Mehdi
Published: October 2022

Konjac glucomannan (KGM) is a water-soluble polysaccharide derived from the Amorphophallus’s tuber and, as herbal medicine has shown, can suppress tumor growth or improve health. However, there has been no investigation into the effects of KGM on breast tumor-bearing mice. Therefore, in two cohort experiments, we assessed the effect of glucomannan at daily doses of 2 and 4 mg for 28 days as a dietary supplement and also glucomannan in combination with tumor lysate vaccine as an adjuvant. Tumor volume was monitored twice weekly. In addition, TNF-α cytokines and granzyme B (Gr–B) release were measured with ELISA kits, and IL-2, IL-4, IL-17, and IFN-γ were used as an index for cytotoxic T lymphocyte activity. Moreover, TGF-β and Foxp3 gene expression were assessed in a real-time PCR test. The results show that glucomannan as a dietary supplement increased the IFN-γ cytokine and Th1 responses to suppress tumor growth. Glucomannan as a dietary supplement at the 4 mg dose increased the IL-4 cytokine response compared to control groups. In addition, cell lysate immunization with 2 or 4 mg of glucomannan suppressed tumor growth. As an adjuvant, glucomannan at both doses showed 41.53% and 52.10% tumor suppression compared with the PBS group. Furthermore, the administration of glucomannan as a dietary supplement or adjuvant reduced regulatory T cell response through decreasing TGF-β and Foxp3 gene expression in the tumor microenvironment. In conclusion, glucomannan as a dietary supplement or adjuvant enhanced the immune responses of tumor-bearing mice and decreased immune response suppression in the tumor milieu, making it a potentially excellent therapeutic agent for lowering breast tumor growth.
Social Environmental Predictors of COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy in India: A Population-Based Survey
Authors: Umakanthan Srikanth , Bukelo Maryann M. , Bukelo Mario J. , Patil Sonal , Subramaniam Naveen , Sharma Ria
Published: October 2022

Background: During the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, trust within a community in the projected schemes or strategies to combat COVID-19 depends on the confidence generated and launched by the government and medical employees toward the public. The “vaccination intention” within a community is determined by a range of factors, which include sociodemographic features, personal beliefs, and attitude toward vaccination. Methods: A nationwide survey was conducted involving 2000 people using a Tencent questionnaire platform. One-way ANOVA was conducted for age, education, and occupation with vaccination intention for the COVID-19 vaccine. Correlation analysis was conducted between sources, trust, and vaccination intention indicating both types of sources (official and unofficial sources) and both types of trust (trust in the social environment and in vaccines). Results: The reception of the sources of information on the COVID-19 vaccine was significantly higher from official sources (M = 5.54, SD = 1.37) and government officials (M = 5.68, SD = 1.499) compared with that from experts in medicine (M = 5.39, SD = 1.511). Among the unofficial sources, “chatting and communicating with family and friends” scored the highest (M = 4.84, SD = 1.649). In the statistics on people’s trust in all aspects involved in vaccines, the level of trust in the social environment was significantly higher and more concentrated than in vaccines (M = 5.67, SD = 1.129). The level of trust in government (M = 5.80, SD = 1.256) was slightly higher than in medical personnel (M = 5.53, SD = 1.199). People’s willingness to be vaccinated was generally high (M = 78.15, SD = 22.354). The demographic factors were not influential in vaccination intention. Both sources (official and unofficial sources) and trust (trust in the social environment and in vaccines) are significantly and positively correlated with vaccination intention. Information receptions from official and unofficial sources were significant positive predictors of trust in the social environment, but they were not significant predictors of trust in vaccines. The mediating effect of trust in vaccines on the relationship between receiving information from official and unofficial sources and vaccination intention was insignificant. Conclusions: This study revealed that trust in the environment is an important channel linking people’s information reception and vaccination intention, explores a new path for health information communication, and attempts to provide new ideas for health information dissemination and promotion.
Detection and Genome Sequence Analysis of Avian Metapneumovirus Subtype A Viruses Circulating in Commercial Chicken Flocks in Mexico
Authors: Kariithi Henry M. , Christy Nancy , Decanini Eduardo L. , Lemiere Stéphane , Volkening Jeremy D. , Afonso Claudio L. , Suarez David L.
Published: October 2022

Avian metapneumoviruses (aMPV subtypes A-D) are respiratory and reproductive pathogens of poultry. Since aMPV-A was initially reported in Mexico in 2014, there have been no additional reports of its detection in the country. Using nontargeted next-generation sequencing (NGS) of FTA card-spotted respiratory samples from commercial chickens in Mexico, seven full genome sequences of aMPV-A (lengths of 13,288–13,381 nucleotides) were de novo assembled. Additionally, complete coding sequences of genes N (n = 2), P and M (n = 7 each), F and L (n = 1 each), M2 (n = 6), SH (n = 5) and G (n = 2) were reference-based assembled from another seven samples. The Mexican isolates phylogenetically group with, but in a distinct clade separate from, other aMPV-A strains. The genome and G-gene nt sequences of the Mexican aMPVs are closest to strain UK/8544/06 (97.22–97.47% and 95.07–95.83%, respectively). Various amino acid variations distinguish the Mexican isolates from each other, and other aMPV-A strains, most of which are in the G (n = 38), F (n = 12), and L (n = 19) proteins. Using our sequence data and publicly available aMPV-A data, we revised a previously published rRT-PCR test, which resulted in different cycling and amplification conditions for aMPV-A to make it more compatible with other commonly used rRT-PCR diagnostic cycling conditions. This is the first comprehensive sequence analysis of aMPVs in Mexico and demonstrates the value of nontargeted NGS to identify pathogens where targeted virus surveillance is likely not routinely performed.
The Impact of Land Cover on Selected Water Quality Parameters in Polish Lowland Streams during the Non-Vegetative Period
Authors: Łaszewski Maksym , Fedorczyk Michał , Stępniewski Krzysztof
Published: October 2022

The search for the best landscape predictors explaining the spatial variability of stream water chemistry is one of the most important and recent research issues. Thus, in the current study, relationships between land cover indices and selected water quality parameters were evaluated regarding the example of 54 lowland temperate streams located in central Poland. From November 2021 to March 2022, water samples were collected in the monthly timescale, and the concentrations of NH4+, NO3−, and NO2−, as well as electrical conductivity, were correlated with the percentage of land cover types calculated for total catchment area, buffer zones, cut buffer zones, and radius. For such computing, Corine Land Cover 2018 and Sentinel 2 Global Land Cover datasets were used. In the case of both datasets, results indicate significant dependence of NO3−, and NO2− concentrations, as well as EC values on cover metrics. Overall, agricultural lands favored higher concentrations of NO3− and NO2−, whereas mainly coniferous forests reduced nitrogen pollution. Significant correlations were not documented in the case of NH4+ ions, the concentrations of which could be linked to point sources from municipal activity. Correlation performance was slightly better in the case of the S2GLC dataset, while the best spatial scales were generally seen for wider buffer zones (250 and 500 m) and total catchment area. The study provided spatially extensive insight into the impact of land cover predictors at different scales on nitrogen compounds in a lowland landscape.
Enhanced Catalytic Activity of a Coal-Based Powdered Activated Carbon by Thermal Treatment
Authors: Kim Do-Gun , Kim Tae-Hoon , Ko Seok-Oh
Published: October 2022

Thermal treatment is simple and has high potential in activated carbon (AC) modification because its functional groups, structures, and pores can be significantly modified. However, the changes in characteristics of ACs, affecting catalytic activity, have not been investigated enough. Therefore, in this study, a coal-based powdered AC (PAC) was thermally treated, characterized, and subjected to the removal of an antibiotic (oxytetracycline, OTC). The PAC treated at 900 °C (PAC900) showed the best OTC removal compared to the PACs treated under lower temperatures via both adsorption and catalytic oxidation in the presence of peroxymonosulfate (PMS). The results of N2 adsorption/desorption, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and Boehm titration showed increases in basicity, specific surface area, graphitic structures with higher crystallinity and more defects, and C=O in PAC900 compared to PAC. Stronger signals of DMPO-X and TEMP-1O2 were shown for PAC900+PMS compared to PAC+PMS in electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy. It is suggested that a simple thermal treatment can significantly change the characteristics of a PAC, which improves organic micropollutants removal. The changes in the properties, affecting the performance, would provide important information about the improvement of carbonaceous catalysts.
Improving old-age hayfi elds in the forest-steppe zone of Western Siberia
Authors:   Siberian Research Institute of Feed Crops of the Siberian Federal Scientifi c Center of Agrobiotechnology of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Russia, Novosibirsk region, Krasnoobsk, Tyuryukov A. G. , Kostomakhin N. M. ,   Federal State Budgetary Educational Institution of Higher Education “Russian State Agrarian University – Moscow Timiryazev Agricultural Academy”, Russia, Moscow
Published: October 2022

The results of research on the improvement of old-age hayfi elds in the forest-steppe zone of Western Siberia carried out in 2016–2020 were presented. A grass mixture of perennial leguminose grasses was sown, consisting of alfalfa (Medicago varia Mart.) of the Siberian variety 8, meadow clover (Trifolium pratense L.) of SibNIIK variety 10 and sandy esparcet (Onobrychis arenaria D.S.) of SibNIIK variety 41. The largest number of cereal plants (77,3 %) was in the variant with disking in 1 trace without sowing. The largest number of perennial leguminose grasses (86,5 %) was observed in the variant with a radical improvement of old-age hayfi elds and ordinary sowing of a mixture of perennial leguminose grasses. In the botanical composition of the herbage of old–age hayfi elds, the proportion of diff erent grasses with various turf treatments and sowing of perennial leguminose grasses decreased from 19,4 to 9,4–12,9 %. The highest yield of green and dry mass was obtained in a variant with a radical improvement and ordinary sowing of the grass mixture of perennial leguminose grasses. The yield of green mass was 12,09 and dry one 3,51 t/ ha. The amount of digestible protein per 1 feed unit was 111 g. Slightly inferior in yield was the option with a strip sowing of the grass mixture of perennial leguminose grasses. The yield of green and dry mass was 10,02 and 2,91 t/ha, respectively. The amount of digestible protein per 1 feed unit was 106 g. The lowest yield was obtained in the control version of the fi eld experiment (old-age hayfi eld). The yield of green and dry mass was 3,28 and 1,02 t/ha, respectively. The amount of digestible protein per 1 feed unit was 85 g. There was no butyric acid in the haylage of perennial grasses of improved old-age hayfi eld. The sum of lactic and acetic acids was small and amounted to 1,01–2,35 %, which indicates the high quality of the haylage mass obtained. It has been established that the most energetically advantageous option among the methods of improving old–age hayfi elds is strip sowing of the grass mixture of perennial leguminose grasses. Thus, among the considered methods of improving old-age hayfi elds, strip sowing of perennial leguminose grasses turned out to be the most energetically advantageous.