bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Assessment of Suitability Area for Maize Production in Poland Related to the Climate Change and Water Stress
Authors: Król-Badziak Aleksandra , Kozyra Jerzy , Rozakis Stelios
Published: January 2024

In this study, we identify the spatial distribution of water deficits in Poland. The analyses considered expert knowledge in soil categories importance in water stress evaluation influencing the climate suitability for maize production using the analytical hierarchy process (AHP). The Climatic Water Balance was calculated from April to September, for the baseline (BL) period (1981–2010) and two future periods of 2041–2070 (2050s) and 2071–2100 (2080s) using a six-member ensemble of GCM-RCM chain simulations under two representative concentration pathways (RCP) scenarios: low emissions (LE, RCP4.5) and high emissions (HE, RCP8.5). Taking into consideration water deficiency for the BL period, about 81% of Poland proved highly suitable, 18% moderately suitable and 1% marginally suitable for maize cultivation. According to LE and HE scenarios, the area of Poland that is highly suitable for maize production would decrease to 67 and 69% by the 2050s, and to 64 and 44% by the 2080s. By the 2080s, under the HE scenario, rain-fed maize production would become risky, as 21% of Poland would be marginally suitable, while 11% would not be suitable. According to our findings, supplemental irrigation is one of the effective adaptation strategies to maintain the production potential of maize in Poland.
Iberian Ports as a Funnel for Regulations on the Decarbonization of Maritime Transport
Authors: deManuel-López Francisco , Díaz-Gutiérrez David , Camarero-Orive Alberto , Parra-Santiago José Ignacio
Published: January 2024

We are currently seeing how new marine fuels are being introduced, such as Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG), Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), hydrogen, ammonia, methanol, batteries, etc., for the propulsion of the world fleet with the aim of complying with the increasing IMO emissions regulations. The frenetic effort made by shipping companies to decarbonize maritime transport must be followed by an unstoppable adaptation of ports from the historical supply of only fuel and diesel to covering the demands of new fuels, ensuring their renewable origin; onshore power supply (OPS); or even the storage of captured CO2. This article compiles the current environmental regulations applied to maritime transport to provide an analysis of the current situation and a link between vessels’ requirements to comply with such regulations and port environmental infrastructure. This work demonstrates that technological development is growing faster onboard vessels than at ports. It is demonstrated that except for the case of LNG, the theoretical shipping fuel world demand of each type of alternative fuel cannot be absorbed by current world production, where we found big gaps between supply and demand of up to 96.9%. This work concludes that to speed up this process, ports will need European aid as well as private investment. It is proposed that for the next steps, the port system needs to provide the required infrastructure to vessels on time, which inevitably means improvements in competitiveness and governance to promote the blue economy and the concept of smart ports, attracting main international shipping lines with a complete decarbonization hub on their routes by taking advantage of the geostrategic role of the Iberian ports. At the same time, the port governance model must be more flexible in the decision-making process, anticipating changes in maritime regulations with the challenge of coordinating public and private interests, serving as a link, once again, between ship and society.
Multi-Criteria System’s Design Methodology for Selecting Open Pits Dump Trucks
Authors: Rakhmangulov Aleksandr , Burmistrov Konstantin , Osintsev Nikita
Published: January 2024

The sustainable development and operation of mining enterprises as major sources of economic growth in many countries is determined by a balance of economic, environmental, and social objectives and the resources required to achieve these objectives. Transportation is one of the main equipment at open pits. It accounts for up to 70% of open pit operating expenses. Various parameters of transportation means should be coordinated both with the parameters of the open pit and meet the conditions of its operation. The authors have developed a universal system of criteria for selecting a dump truck model for open pit conditions. The novelty of the proposed system lies in the complex consideration of all known factors to date and criteria of dump truck selection and the allocation of four groups of criteria: technical, technological, environmental, economic, and organizational. The groups of criteria and specific criteria in each group were ranked by the degree of importance using the multi-criteria decision-making method FUCOM (Full Consistency Method). The methodology of creating criteria systems in conditions of influence on the choice of alternatives of a set of interrelated factors is presented. The peculiarity of the methodology is the evaluation of different sets of criteria by several groups of experts with different competencies. The obtained criterion ranks are recommended to be used by managers of mining enterprises to choose a dump truck model. The presented methodology is suitable for the development of new systems of criteria, considering significant changes in operating conditions or the emergence of factors not considered in this study. Evaluation of all models of dump trucks on the market using the developed system of criteria is envisaged by the authors in a future study.
Sustainable Robotic Process for Sealing Car Radiators
Authors: Peta Katarzyna , Wiśniewski Marcin , Pęczek Albert , Ciszak Olaf
Published: January 2024

This work presents the multi-variant robotization of the process of sealing car radiators. Three design solutions have been proposed for the tank sealing station, in which the seal is applied on a stationary worktable, on a rotary positioner and on a belt conveyor. These solutions were compared in terms of process time, but also energy consumption. The energy optimization of robotic processes is one of the elements of effective production. First, a review of the use of industrial robots in assembly processes is provided and the structure of car radiators is presented. Next, the basic technological process of producing a car radiator is described, especially the process of applying a liquid gasket. Then, the designed robotic stations and conclusions from the simulations are presented, along with the selection of the most sustainable variant of the robotic station. The results of the simulations are useful in reducing the robot’s operating time and energy consumption while maintaining the appropriate process quality.
Assessing Healthy Effects between Local Level Farmer’s Markets and Community-Supported Agriculture and Physical Well-Being at the State Level
Authors: Kraeger Patsy , Phillips Rhonda G. , Lubin Jonathan H. , Weir Jonathan , Patterson Kristina
Published: January 2024

Much change has occurred in the recent past around food systems at the local level. As interest continues to rise, we were curious to examine connections of local food systems and well-being in the context of the places they operate at the state level. Health is a central component of food well-being. In this article, we focus on physical well-being. We explore the connection between food systems, as represented by farmers markets (FMs), community-supported agriculture (CSAs), and physical well-being using state level data. To investigate these relationships, we conducted an ordinal logistic regression model analyzing 2016 data from the United States Department of Agriculture for the 50 states. The results of this study suggest that there is an inconclusive relationship at the state level. While local FMs and CSAs may increase physical well-being at the state level, we did not find this in our study. This finding adds to the body of literature where the majority of the studies in this area are case studies, ethnographies, and smaller studies using some regional data and small samples for local data. We believe that this conceptual work will allow for future empirical studies to build upon this study to conduct further empirical work examining regional state and local datasets for more conclusive findings.
Artificial Intelligence Evaluates How Humans Connect to the Built Environment: A Pilot Study of Two Experiments in Biophilia
Authors: Ramm Tobias M. , Werwie Mathias , Otto Tim , Gloor Peter A. , Salingaros Nikos A.
Published: January 2024

Many factors influence well-being and health in everyday life. While people are aware of traffic delays or continuous work stress, other factors influence the state of the body on a subconscious level. The built environment subconsciously influences human physiology during every second of life, which has a cumulative long-term effect. The idea of biophilic design identifies the importance of natural elements implemented in architectural structures to improve the occupants’ health and well-being. This paper measures the impact of biophilic design on positive emotions and productivity in two separate but conceptually related pilot studies that apply novel approaches: (a) facial emotion recognition (FER) with residual masking networks and (b) sentiment detection using Large Language Models. The first study measures the emotions of people when confronted with images of different kinds of architecture, via FER and via a user survey. We find clear trends for emotions detected by FER and significant evidence for self-stated emotions that architecture implementing biophilic design evokes more positive emotions. The second study measures the influence of natural elements on productivity and team engagement. The findings show that natural elements in the surroundings do influence productivity and sentiment positively. As the sample size of subjects, especially for the second study, was relatively small, future research will need to apply these ideas in a larger setup to acquire further evidence for the importance of biophilic design for human well-being and health.
The Optimization of PEM Fuel-Cell Operating Parameters with the Design of a Multiport High-Gain DC–DC Converter for Hybrid Electric Vehicle Application
Authors: Karthikeyan B. , Ramasamy Palanisamy , Pandi Maharajan M. , Padmamalini N. , Sivakumar J. , Choudhury Subhashree , Savari George Fernandez
Published: January 2024

The fossil fuel crisis is a major concern across the globe, and fossil fuels are being exhausted day by day. It is essential to promptly change from fossil fuels to renewable energy resources for transportation applications as they make a major contribution to fossil fuel consumption. Among the available energy resources, a fuel cell is the most affordable for transportation applications because of such advantages as moderate operating temperature, high energy density, and scalable size. It is a challenging task to optimize PEMFC operating parameters for the enhancement of performance. This paper provides a detailed study on the optimization of PEMFC operating parameters using a multilayer feed-forward neural network, a genetic algorithm, and the design of a multiport high-gain DC–DC converter for hybrid electric vehicle application, which is capable of handling both a 6 kW PEMFC and an 80 AH 12 V heavy-duty battery. To trace the maximum power from the PEMFC, the most recent SFO-based MPPT control technique is implemented in this research work. Initially, a multilayer feed-forward neural network is trained using a back-propagation algorithm with experimental data. Then, the optimization phase is separately carried out in a neural-power software environment using a genetic algorithm (GA). The simulation study was carried out using the MATLAB/R2022a platform to verify the converter performance along with the SFO-based MPPT controller. To validate the real-time test bench results, a 0.2 kW prototype model was constructed in the laboratory, and the results were verified.
A Model for Spatially Explicit Landscape Configuration and Ecosystem Service Performance, ESMAX: Model Description and Explanation
Authors: Morris Richard , Davis Shannon , Grelet Gwen-Aëlle , Doscher Crile , Gregorini Pablo
Published: January 2024

It is critical that we move our understanding of the ecosystem services (ESs) produced by landscapes from the present abundance of analysis to a fundamental basis of design. This involves enhancing the ability to understand and model the interconnected, coevolving system of humans and the rest of nature, thus contributing to the design of sustainable landscapes. In this paper, we hypothesise that the spatial configuration of landscape components (the size and arrangement of tree clumps, paddocks, crops, water features, etc.) impacts the production of regulating ESs, which in turn have a leveraging effect on provisioning and cultural ESs. Drawing on the precepts of Ecological Field Theory, we present the development and implications of a conceptual Geographic Information System (GIS)-based model, ESMAX, that utilises the idiosyncratic distance-decay characteristics of regulating ESs. These ‘ES fields’ are visualised as radiating into the landscape from their source components, addressing a gap in biophysical reality that has been identified as a shortcoming of existing ES modelling based on landcover proxies. Hypothetical landscape arrangements of simplified landscape components are tested with ESMAX across three regulating ESs: cooling effect, nitrogen retention, and habitat provision. The model calculates the overall ES performance of each landscape arrangement by tabulating the ES fields produced and, critically, the nonlinear response where fields overlap. The results indicate a primary sensitivity to the size of components and a secondary sensitivity to the arrangement of components. Consequently, ESMAX can be used to design landscape configurations that (1) maximise the production of specific regulating ESs and (2) improve the utilisation of natural ES-producing resources.
Multi-Sensor Seismic Processing Approach Using Geophones and HWC DAS in the Monitoring of CO2 Storage at the Hellisheiði Geothermal Field in Iceland
Authors: Bellezza Cinzia , Barison Erika , Farina Biancamaria , Poletto Flavio , Meneghini Fabio , Böhm Gualtiero , Draganov Deyan , Janssen Martijn T. G. , van Otten Gijs , Stork Anna L. , Chalari Athena , Schleifer Andrea , Durucan Sevket
Published: January 2024

Geothermal power production may result in significant CO2 emissions as part of the produced steam. CO2 capture, utilisation, subsurface storage (CCUS) and developments to exploit geothermal resources are focal points for future clean and renewable energy strategies. The Synergetic Utilisation of CO2 Storage Coupled with Geothermal Energy Deployment (SUCCEED) project aims to demonstrate the feasibility of using produced CO2 for re-injection in the geothermal field to improve geothermal performance, while also storing the CO2 as an action for climate change mitigation. Our study has the aim to develop innovative reservoir-monitoring technologies via active-source seismic data acquisition using a novel electric seismic vibrator source and permanently installed helically wound cable (HWC) fibre-optic distributed acoustic sensing (DAS) system. Implemented together with auxiliary multi-component (3C and 2C) geophone receiver arrays, this approach gave us the opportunity to compare and cross-validate the results using wavefields from different acquisition systems. We present the results of the baseline survey of a time-lapse monitoring project at the Hellisheiði geothermal field in Iceland. We perform tomographic inversion and multichannel seismic processing to investigate both the shallower and the deeper basaltic rocks targets. The wavefield analysis is supported by seismic modelling. The HWC DAS and the geophone-stacked sections show good consistency, highlighting the same reflection zones. The comparison of the new DAS technology with the well-known standard geophone acquisition proves the effectiveness and reliability of using broadside sensitivity HWC DAS in surface monitoring applications.
Total-Factor Energy Efficiency (TFEE) and CO2 Emissions for GCC Countries
Authors: Alajmi Reema Gh.
Published: January 2024

Recently, the potential role of energy efficiency in energy transformation on the path to sustainable development has become a crucial topic. Over the past three decades, energy consumption and CO2 emissions in the Gulf countries have increased dramatically. This paper assesses the energy efficiency of Gulf Cooperation Council countries during the period 2000–2019. Thus, the contribution of this study to the energy policy literature is to measure the total-factor energy efficiency, in order to explore the current energy efficiency situation in the Gulf countries. This is the first study of the Gulf countries in terms of estimating the total-factor energy efficiency using the DEA–Malmquist method. The analysis shows that the average total factor productivity change index value was 0.964, with a decline rate of 3.6%. This demonstrates that energy efficiency in those regions has experienced a relative decline. The results of Malmquist analysis show that the total factor productivity change index for the Gulf countries is less than 1, which means a regression in their efficiency (energy inefficiency) from 2000 to 2019. This means that the decline in total-factor energy efficiency in those regions was mainly due to the technical progress index. The results of the study can help policy makers understand the current level of energy efficiency, and identify the main drivers of total-factor energy efficiency. Based on the results, some policy implications related to energy efficiency and suggestions for the GCC region were formulated.
Supplier Selection in Downstream Oil and Gas and Petrochemicals with the Fuzzy BWM and Gray COCOSO Methods Considering Sustainability Criteria and Uncertainty Conditions
Authors: Parsa Rad Alireza , Khalilzadeh Mohammad , Banihashemi Sayyid Ali , Božanić Darko , Milić Aleksandar , Ćirović Goran
Published: January 2024

A project always needs the participation of suppliers to provide the goods and services needed by the project. As the size of the project increases, the need to use suppliers also increases. Choosing the appropriate suppliers for the project is always a difficult task, and considering different criteria along with the existence of multiple alternatives always increases the difficulty and complexity of the supplier selection problem. This study deals with the supplier selection problem, which is one of the important issues in projects and organizations in the downstream field of oil, gas, and petrochemicals. The purpose of this paper was to investigate and improve the supplier selection procedure in this field by considering real-world uncertain conditions. To this end, the fuzzy set theory and gray numbers were taken into account. In the present study, the criteria were first determined by expert judgment; then, the fuzzy best–worst method (FBWM) was exploited to rank the criteria; finally, the suppliers were prioritized and ranked by using the gray COCOSO method The results showed that the highest and the lowest weights were obtained for the “price” and “attention to environmental issues” criteria, respectively. Also, the selected supplier was a supplier with a high score in all criteria. One of the practical benefits of this research is to provide a solution to speed up, facilitate, and improve the process of selecting suppliers for companies in the downstream field of oil, gas, and petrochemicals.
Systematic Review of the Use of the Walk-Along Interview Method to Assess Factors, Facilitators and Barriers Related to Perceived Neighborhood Environment and Walking Activity in Healthy Older Adults
Authors: Amaya Valkiria , Chardon Matthias , Moulaert Thibauld , Vuillerme Nicolas
Published: January 2024

Background: Based on findings from a recent systematic review of the methodological aspects related to data collection for the walk-along interview (WAI) method applied to healthy older adults, complementary questions emerged, among them, what are the main outcomes of studies that have used the WAI? Objective: The aim of this systematic review is to identify the outcomes of published studies that have used the WAI method to identify correlates of the perceived neighborhood environment on walking activity in healthy older adults. Methods: In accordance with the PRISMA guidelines, a date-unrestricted search spanning four databases was performed. Of the 164 articles identified in the initial search, 31 articles published between 2012 and 2022 met the inclusion criteria. Results: The extracted outcomes were classified into two categories: (1) the relationship between the physical characteristics of the environment and walking among healthy older adults (e.g., pedestrian infrastructure, safety, access to facilities, aesthetics and environmental conditions) and (2) the facilitators and barriers to walking, based on the dimensions of the socioecological model. Conclusions: This review provides a valuable resource for researchers, students and professionals who wish to work with the WAI method, working on aging and age-friendly cities policies.
Drone Forensics: An Innovative Approach to the Forensic Investigation of Drone Accidents Based on Digital Twin Technology
Authors: Almusayli Asma , Zia Tanveer , Qazi Emad-ul-Haq
Published: January 2024

In recent years, drones have become increasingly popular tools in criminal investigations, either as means of committing crimes or as tools to assist in investigations due to their capability to gather evidence and conduct surveillance, which has been effective. However, the increasing use of drones has also brought about new difficulties in the field of digital forensic investigation. This paper aims to contribute to the growing body of research on digital forensic investigations of drone accidents by proposing an innovative approach based on the use of digital twin technology to investigate drone accidents. The simulation is implemented as part of the digital twin solution using Robot Operating System (ROS version 2) and simulated environments such as Gazebo and Rviz, demonstrating the potential of this technology to improve investigation accuracy and efficiency. This research work can contribute to the development of new and innovative investigation techniques.
Cerebral Microvascular Perfusion Assessed in Elderly Adults by Spin-Echo Dynamic Susceptibility Contrast MRI at 7 Tesla
Authors: Elschot Elles P. , Backes Walter H. , van den Kerkhof Marieke , Postma Alida A. , Kroon Abraham A. , Jansen Jacobus F. A.
Published: January 2024

Perfusion measures of the total vasculature are commonly derived with gradient-echo (GE) dynamic susceptibility contrast (DSC) MR images, which are acquired during the early passes of a contrast agent. Alternatively, spin-echo (SE) DSC can be used to achieve specific sensitivity to the capillary signal. For an improved contrast-to-noise ratio, ultra-high-field MRI makes this technique more appealing to study cerebral microvascular physiology. Therefore, this study assessed the applicability of SE-DSC MRI at 7 T. Forty-one elderly adults underwent 7 T MRI using a multi-slice SE-EPI DSC sequence. The cerebral blood volume (CBV) and cerebral blood flow (CBF) were determined in the cortical grey matter (CGM) and white matter (WM) and compared to values from the literature. The relation of CBV and CBF with age and sex was investigated. Higher CBV and CBF values were found in CGM compared to WM, whereby the CGM-to-WM ratios depended on the amount of largest vessels excluded from the analysis. CBF was negatively associated with age in the CGM, while no significant association was found with CBV. Both CBV and CBF were higher in women compared to men in both CGM and WM. The current study verifies the possibility of quantifying cerebral microvascular perfusion with SE-DSC MRI at 7 T.
Efficient Removal of Hazardous P-Nitroaniline from Wastewater by Using Surface-Activated and Modified Multiwalled Carbon Nanotubes with Mesostructure
Authors: Liou Tzong-Horng , Huang Jyun-Jie
Published: January 2024

P-nitroaniline (PNA) is an aniline compound with high toxicity and can cause serious harm to aquatic animals and plants. Multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) are a multifunctional carbon-based material that can be applied in energy storage and biochemistry applications and semiconductors as well as for various environmental purposes. In the present study, MWCNTs (CO2–MWCNTs and KOH–MWCNTs) were obtained through CO2 and KOH activation. ACID–MWCNTs were obtained through surface treatment with an H2SO4–HNO3 mixture. Herein, we report, for the first time, the various MWCNTs that were employed as nanoadsorbents to remove PNA from aqueous solution. The MWCNTs had nanowire-like features and different tube lengths. The nanotubular structures were not destroyed after being activated. The KOH–MWCNTs, CO2–MWCNTs, and ACID–MWCNTs had surface areas of 487, 484, and 80 m2/g, respectively, and pore volumes of 1.432, 1.321, and 0.871 cm3/g, respectively. The activated MWCNTs contained C–O functional groups, which facilitate PNA adsorption. To determine the maximum adsorption capacity of the MWCNTs, the influences of several adsorption factors—contact time, solution pH, stirring speed, and amount of adsorbent—on PNA adsorption were investigated. The KOH–MWCNTs had the highest adsorption capacity, followed by the CO2–MWCNTs, pristine MWCNTs, and ACID–MWCNTs. The KOH–MWCNTs exhibited rapid PNA adsorption (>85% within the first 5 min) and high adsorption capacity (171.3 mg/g). Adsorption isotherms and kinetics models were employed to investigate the adsorption mechanism. The results of reutilization experiments revealed that the MWCNTs retained high adsorption capacity after five cycles. The surface-activated and modified MWCNTs synthesized in this study can effectively remove hazardous pollutants from wastewater and may have additional uses.
Aseptic Meningitis Linked to Borrelia afzelii Seroconversion in Northeastern Greece: An Emerging Infectious Disease Contested in the Region
Authors: Kouroupis Dimitrios , Terzaki Maria , Moscha Nikoletta , Sarvani Anastasia , Simoulidou Elisavet , Chatzimichailidou Sofia , Giza Evangelia , Sapouridis Georgios , Angelakis Emmanouil , Petidis Konstantinos , Pyrpasopoulou Athina
Published: January 2024

Borreliosis (Lyme disease) is a zoonosis, mediated to humans and small mammals through specific vectors (ticks), with increasing global incidence. It is associated with a variety of clinical manifestations and can, if not promptly recognized and left untreated, lead to significant disability. In Europe, the main Borrelia species causing disease in humans are Borrelia burgdorferi s.s., Borrelia afzelii, Borrelia garinii, and Borrelia spielmanii. The Ixodes ricinus tick is their principal vector. Although Lyme disease is considered endemic in the Balkan region and Turkey, and all three main Lyme pathogens have been detected in ticks collected in these countries, autochthonous Lyme disease remains controversial in Greece. We report a case of aseptic meningitis associated with antibody seroconversion against Borrelia afzelii in a young female patient from the prefecture of Thasos without any relevant travel history. The patient presented with fever and severe headache, and the cerebrospinal fluid examination showed lymphocytic pleocytosis. Serum analysis was positive for specific IgG antibodies against Borrelia afzelii. In the absence of typical erythema migrans, serological evidence of infection is required for diagnosis. Although atypical in terms of clinical presentation, the seasonality and geographical location of potential disease transmission in the reported patient should raise awareness among clinicians for a still controversial and potentially underreported emerging infectious disease in Greece.
Discord in Concordance Cosmology and Anomalously Massive Early Galaxies
Authors: McGaugh Stacy S.
Published: January 2024

Cosmological parameters are constrained by a wide variety of observations. We examine the concordance diagram for modern measurements of the Hubble constant, the shape parameter from the large-scale structure, the cluster baryon fraction, and the age of the universe, all from non-CMB data. There is good agreement for H0=73.24±0.38kms−1Mpc−1 and Ωm=0.237±0.015. This concordance value is indistinguishable from the WMAP3 cosmology but is not consistent with that of Planck: there is a tension in Ωm as well as H0. These tensions have emerged as progressively higher multipoles have been incorporated into CMB fits. This temporal evolution is suggestive of a systematic effect in the analysis of CMB data at fine angular scales and may be related to the observation of unexpectedly massive galaxies at high redshift. These are overabundant relative to ΛCDM predictions by an order of magnitude at z>7. Such massive objects are anomalous and could cause gravitational lensing of the surface of last scattering in excess of the standard calculation made in CMB fits, potentially skewing the best-fit cosmological parameters and contributing to the Hubble tension.
Conserved Charge Fluctuations from RHIC BES and FXT
Authors: Nonaka Toshihiro
Published: January 2024

Cumulants up to the sixth-order of the net-particle multiplicity distributions were measured at RHIC for the Beam Energy Scan and fixed-target program, from which we obtained some interesting hints on the phase structure of the QCD matter. In this article, we present recent experimental results on (net-)proton cumulants and discuss current interpretations on the QCD critical point and the nature of the phase transition. We will also report recent results for measurements of the bayron-strangeness correlations, which were measured with the newly developed analysis technique to remove the effect from the combinatorial backgrounds for hyperon reconstruction.
Evolutionary-Related High- and Low-Virulent Classical Swine Fever Virus Isolates Reveal Viral Determinants of Virulence
Authors: Hinojosa Yoandry , Liniger Matthias , García-Nicolás Obdulio , Gerber Markus , Rajaratnam Anojen , Muñoz-González Sara , Coronado Liani , Frías María Teresa , Perera Carmen Laura , Ganges Llilianne , Ruggli Nicolas
Published: January 2024

Classical swine fever (CSF) has been eradicated from Western and Central Europe but remains endemic in parts of Central and South America, Asia, and the Caribbean. CSF virus (CSFV) has been endemic in Cuba since 1993, most likely following an escape of the highly virulent Margarita/1958 strain. In recent years, chronic and persistent infections with low-virulent CSFV have been observed. Amino acid substitutions located in immunodominant epitopes of the envelope glycoprotein E2 of the attenuated isolates were attributed to positive selection due to suboptimal vaccination and control. To obtain a complete picture of the mutations involved in attenuation, we applied forward and reverse genetics using the evolutionary-related low-virulent CSFV/Pinar del Rio (CSF1058)/2010 (PdR) and highly virulent Margarita/1958 isolates. Sequence comparison of the two viruses recovered from experimental infections in pigs revealed 40 amino acid differences. Interestingly, the amino acid substitutions clustered in E2 and the NS5A and NS5B proteins. A long poly-uridine sequence was identified previously in the 3′ untranslated region (UTR) of PdR. We constructed functional cDNA clones of the PdR and Margarita strains and generated eight recombinant viruses by introducing single or multiple gene fragments from Margarita into the PdR backbone. All chimeric viruses had comparable replication characteristics in porcine monocyte-derived macrophages. Recombinant PdR viruses carrying either E2 or NS5A/NS5B of Margarita, with 36 or 5 uridines in the 3′UTR, remained low virulent in 3-month-old pigs. The combination of these elements recovered the high-virulent Margarita phenotype. These results show that CSFV evolution towards attenuated variants in the field involved mutations in both structural and non-structural proteins and the UTRs, which act synergistically to determine virulence.
Domestic Cat Hepadnavirus Antigens in Lymphoma Tissues. Comment on Beatty et al. Domestic Cat Hepadnavirus and Lymphoma. Viruses 2023, 15, 2294
Authors: Piewbang Chutchai , Wardhani Sabrina Wahyu , Siripoonsub Jedsada , Sirivisoot Sirintra , Rungsipipat Anudep , Techangamsuwan Somporn
Published: January 2024

We are addressing the comments made by Beatty et al [...]
Optimizing Vaccination Strategies against African Swine Fever Using Spatial Data from Wild Boars in Lithuania
Authors: Gervasi Vincenzo , Masiulis Marius , Bušauskas Paulius , Bellini Silvia , Guberti Vittorio
Published: January 2024

African swine fever (ASF) is one of the most severe suid diseases, impacting the pig industry and wild suid populations. Once an ASF vaccine is available, identifying a sufficient density of vaccination fields will be crucial to achieve eradication success. In 2020–2023, we live-trapped and monitored 27 wild boars in different areas of Lithuania, in which the wild boars were fed at artificial stations. We built a simulation study to estimate the probability of a successful ASF vaccination as a function of different eco-epidemiological factors. The average 32-day home range size across all individuals was 16.2 km2 (SD = 16.9). The wild boars made frequent visits of short durations to the feeding sites rather than long visits interposed by long periods of absence. A feeding site density of 0.5/km2 corresponded to an expected vaccination rate of only 20%. The vaccination probability increased to about 75% when the feeding site density was 1.0/km2. Our results suggest that at least one vaccination field/km2 should be used when planning an ASF vaccination campaign to ensure that everyone in the population has at least 5–10 vaccination sites available inside the home range. Similar studies should be conducted in the other ecological contexts in which ASF is present today or will be present in the future, with the objective being to estimate a context-specific relationship between wild boar movement patterns and an optimal vaccination strategy.
Safety and Immunogenicity of the Convacell® Recombinant N Protein COVID-19 Vaccine
Authors: Rabdano Sevastyan , Ruzanova Ellina , Makarov Denis , Vertyachikh Anastasiya , Teplykh Valeriya , Rudakov German , Pletyukhina Iuliia , Saveliev Nikita , Zakharov Konstantin , Alpenidze Diana , Vasilyuk Vasiliy , Arakelov Sergei , Skvortsova Veronika
Published: January 2024

We have developed Convacell®—a COVID-19 vaccine based on the recombinant nucleocapsid (N) protein of SARS-CoV-2. This paper details Convacell’s® combined phase I/II and IIb randomized, double-blind, interventional clinical trials. The primary endpoints were the frequency of adverse effects (AEs) and the titers of specific anti-N IgGs induced by the vaccination; secondary endpoints included the nature of the immune response. Convacell® demonstrated high safety in phase I with no severe AEs detected, 100% seroconversion by day 42 and high and sustained for 350 days anti-N IgG levels in phase II. Convacell® also demonstrated a fused cellular and humoral immune response. Phase IIb results showed significant post-vaccination increases in circulating anti-N IgG and N protein-specific IFNγ+-producing PBMC quantities among 438 volunteers. Convacell® showed same level of immunological efficacy for single and double dose vaccination regimens, including for elderly patients. The clinical studies indicate that Convacell® is safe and highly immunogenic.
Guttural Pouch Mycosis: A Three-Step Therapeutic Approach
Authors: Lepage Olivier M.
Published: January 2024

The temporary ligation of the common carotid artery is performed as an emergency aid in cases of guttural pouch mycosis. Its usefulness is put into perspective after an anatomical summary of arterial vascularization involving a guttural pouch. It helps to better understand the need for the cranial (cerebral) and caudal (cardiac) occlusion of an arterial rupture by embolization in order to achieve maximum success in preventing and treating an hemorrhage. Topical oxygen therapy used alone or in a multimodal approach with embolization surgery is performed to promote healing of the inflammatory and mycotic lesions observed when an individual is affected. In conclusion, this three-step therapeutic approach should enable the equine practitioner to better orient their decision tree when faced with this condition which, while rare, can be potentially fatal if poorly treated.
Treatment of Rapid Progression of Myopia: Topical Atropine 0.05% and MF60 Contact Lenses
Authors: Erdinest Nir , Atar-Vardi Maya , London Naomi , Landau David , Smadja David , Pras Eran , Lavy Itay , Morad Yair
Published: January 2024

This retrospective study evaluates the effectiveness of combining 0.05% atropine with MF60 contact lenses in managing rapid myopia progression in children over one year. The study involved three groups: the treatment group (TG) with 15 children (53% male, average age 12.9 ± 1.04), the MF group (MF) with 12 children (50% male, average age 12.8 ± 0.8) using only MF60 lenses, and the control group (CG) with 14 children (43% male, average age 12.1 ± 0.76). Baseline myopia and axial length (AL) were similar across groups, with the TG, MF, and CG showing −4.02 ± 0.70 D, −4.18 ± 0.89 D, −3.86 ± 0.99 D, and 24.72 ± 0.73 mm, 24.98 ± 0.70 mm, 24.59 ± 1.02 mm, respectively. Prior to the study, all groups exhibited significant myopia and AL progression, with no previous myopia control management. The treatment involved daily 0.05% atropine instillation, the use of MF60 lenses and increased outdoor activity. Biannual cycloplegic refraction and slit lamp evaluations confirmed no adverse reactions. After one year, the TG showed a significant reduction in myopia and AL progression (−0.43 ± 0.46 D, p < 0.01; 0.22 ± 0.23 mm, p < 0.01), whereas the CG showed minimal change (−1.30 ± 0.43 D, p = 0.36; 0.65 ± 0.35 mm, p = 0.533). The MF group also exhibited a notable decrease (−0.74 ± 0.45 D, p < 0.01; 0.36 ± 0.23 mm). Increased outdoor activity during the treatment year did not significantly impact myopia control, suggesting its limited additional effect in this cohort. The study concludes that the combination of 0.05% atropine and peripheral defocus soft contact lenses effectively controls myopia progression in children.
Evaluation of Selected Operating Process Variables for a Bioflocculant Supported Column Flotation System
Authors: Mukandi Melody R. , Basitere Moses , Ntwampe Seteno K. O. , Njoya Mahomet , Chidi Boredi S. , Dlangamandla Cynthia , Mpongwana Ncumisa
Published: January 2024

The poultry industry generates significant volumes of slaughterhouse wastewater, laden with numerous pollutants, thus requiring pretreatment prior to discharge. However, new technologies must be used to re-engineer the existing wastewater treatment equipment and incorporate new designs to improve the treatment processes or system performance. In this study, three variables, i.e., diffuser design, bioflocculant form, and flow rate, were evaluated to determine their effect on the performance of a bioflocculant-supported column flotation (BioCF) system. It was found that bioflocculants influenced diffuser performance with limited impact when the feed flow rate was varied, i.e., 3D-printed air diffusers and cell-free flocculants imparted high BioCF performance when compared to moulded diffusers and cell-bound flocculants. Notably, the combination of 3D-printed air diffusers and cell-free flocculants resulted in relatively high pollutant removal (81.23% COD, 94.44% TSS, 97.77% protein, and 90.38% turbidity reduction). The study lays a foundation for exploring 3D-printed air diffusers, a relatively new technology in conjunction with microbial flocculants usage that are regarded as eco-friendly for application in industry to enhance the performance of column flotation systems.
Effects of Aquaculture and Thalassia testudinum on Sediment Organic Carbon in Xincun Bay, Hainan Island
Authors: Han Qiuying , Che Wenxue , Zhao Hui , Ye Jiahui , Zeng Wenxuan , Luo Yufeng , Bai Xinzhu , Zhao Muqiu , Shi Yunfeng
Published: January 2024

Eutrophication due to aquaculture can cause the decline of seagrasses and impact their carbon storage capacity. This study explored the effects of aquaculture on the sediment organic carbon (SOC) in Thalassia testudinum seagrass beds using enzyme activity and microorganisms as indicators. Our results showed that the distance to aquaculture significantly increased the SOC and TN of sediments; the C/N ratio of sediments was reduced by the distance to aquaculture. Distance to aquaculture and seagrasses significantly impacted the δ13C of sediments, and their significant interactive effects on the δ13C of sediments were found. Distance to aquaculture and seagrasses had significantly interactive effects on the cellulase activity of sediments. Distance to aquaculture and seagrasses separately reduced the invertase activity of sediments. SOC in the seagrass bed was significantly positively impacted by cellulase activity and polyphenol oxidase activity in sediments. Firmicutes, Desulfobacterota and Chloroflexi were the dominant taxa in the S1 and S2 locations. From the S1 location to the S2 location, the relative abundances of Firmicutes and Desulfobacterota increased. The functional profiles of COG were relatively similar between the S1 and S2 locations. BugBase phenotype predictions indicated that the microbial phenotypes of all the seagrass sediment samples were dominated by anaerobic bacteria in terms of oxygen utilizing phenotypes. FAPROTAX functional predictions indicated that aquaculture affects functions associated with seagrass bed sediment bacteria, particularly those related to carbon and nitrogen cycling. This study can provide an important basis for understanding the response mechanism of global carbon sink changes to human activities such as aquaculture and supply more scientific data for promoting the conservation and management of seagrass beds.
Performance Research on Heating Performance of Battery Thermal Management Coupled with the Vapor Injection Heat Pump Air Conditioning
Authors: Yuan Weijian , Guo Yun , Zhang Yunshen
Published: January 2024

Compared to the use of positive temperature coefficient (PTC) materials that consume electrical energy for low-temperature heating, heat pump air conditioners can provide more energy-efficient heating performance by absorbing and utilizing heat from the outdoor air to heat the cab in order to improve the range of electric vehicles. In addition, in order to make the battery work under safe working conditions, this paper proposes battery thermal management coupled with vapor injection heat pump air conditioning. The system is modeled and analyzed through simulation, and the impact of the compressor speed and ambient temperature changes in the battery cooling performance of the system. The results show that under different compressor RPM (Revolution Per Minute) with an ambient temperature of 5 °C, the average temperature of the battery pack remains below 30 °C, and the majority of individual cell temperatures are maintained within the range of 20 to 35 °C. At a constant compressor RPM of 4000/min under varying ambient temperatures, the average temperature of the battery pack remains below 30 °C, with the majority of individual cell temperatures staying within the range of 20 to 35 °C. And the battery cooling performance still performs well. In the low temperature of −10 °C and −20 °C, the system can still maintain a relatively stable heating capacity compared with the 2009.1W, provided by the environment temperature of 5 °C at the same RPM.
Adverse respiratory outcomes amongst patients with resolved asthma: matched retrospective cohort study
Authors: Jones Hywel , Cumins Bethan , Cannings-John Rebecca , Ahmed Haroon
Published: January 2024

Background: Patients with asthma may have symptom remission leading to a primary care code of resolved asthma. Little is known about subsequent rates of exacerbations and respiratory tract infections (RTI). Aim: To assess the risk of adverse respiratory outcomes for people with resolved asthma compared to those with active asthma and without asthma. Design and setting: This was a retrospective cohort study of patients aged >5 years, registered with a General Practice in England contributing data to the Clinical Practice Research Datalink between January 2010 and December 2019. Method: Patients with resolved asthma were matched to non-asthma controls and active asthma controls on age, sex, and practice. We used negative binomial regression to estimate incidence rate ratios (IRR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) for asthma exacerbations, RTIs, influenza/pneumonia, and antibiotic prescriptions. Results: Cohorts included 16,023 patients (54.4% female, mean age 37 years). Compared to the active asthma cohort, the resolved cohort had fewer hospital admissions (adjusted IRR 0.29, 95% CI (0.27-0.32) and General Practice consultations (adjusted IRR 0.05, 95% CI (0.04-0.07) for asthma exacerbations. The resolved and non-asthma cohorts had similar rates of hospital admissions for RTI or influenza/pneumonia. However, the resolved cohort had significantly greater incidence of General Practice consultations for RTI (adjusted IRR 2.34, 95% CI 2.08-2.64) and antibiotic prescriptions (adjusted IRR 1.37, 95% CI 1.30-1.44). Conclusion: Patients with resolved asthma had greater risk of General Practice RTI and antibiotic prescription than the general population and may benefit from defined strategies for reassessing symptoms and reinitiating asthma therapy.
DEVELOPMENT OF AN AUTONOMOUS POWER SUPPLY USING THE RANQUE HILSCH VORTEX EFFECT
Authors: Bazykin Denis , Ilyichev Vitaliy
Published: January 2024

The relevance of the research is to develop an autonomous power source based on a closed organic Rankine cycle with the simultaneous use of the Ranque-Hilsch vortex effect, which can be used for the efficient generation of electrical energy at mining, transportation, preparation and processing facilities various gases, including at industrial sites located in hard-to-reach areas, significantly removed from the centralized power supply, as well as in areas with harsh climatic conditions. The article discusses the main positive characteristics and disadvantages of existing autonomous power plants used in this industry, as well as the design and operating principle of the developed autonomous power supply, the use of which will significantly reduce environmental pollution due to the lack of use of combustion products in the technological cycle, thereby increasing the environmental friendliness of the process of generating electrical energy, minimizing the economic costs of fuel and maintenance, as well as increasing the fire and explosion safety of the mentioned objects, a design option for an autonomous power supply, including a thermoelectric generator module, has also been considered.
RECOGNITION OF DEFECTS IN THE BLADE APPARATUS OF TURBOMACHINES USING A NEURAL NETWORK
Authors: Blinov Vitalii , Zhukov Ivan
Published: January 2024

Correct, serviceable and high-quality operation of a turbomachine directly depends on the condition of its flow path. One of the reasons for the decrease in the efficiency and reliability of the turbine unit is the wear of the blade apparatus due to the formation of various defects on the edges and surface of the blade airfoil. This study develops an approach to automating the defect detection process of products using modern computer vision technologies. In this work, a program code was prepared in the Python programming language, a database of images of blade defects was created, and the YOLOv8 model was trained and tested. The achieved accuracy in determining the type of defect in the study exceeded 80%.