bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Mapping Knowledge and Training Needs in Teachers Working with Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Comparative Cross-Sectional Investigation
Authors: Folostina Ruxandra , Dumitru Cristina , Iacob Claudia Iuliana , Syriopoulou-Delli Christine K.
Published: March 2022

Countries seek to implement sustainable policies for supporting professionals working with students with an autism spectrum disorder. These policies can advance more slowly in developing states like Romania and Greece. As such, this study aimed to investigate the reported knowledge and training needs of professionals working with ASD students to inform policymakers. Using a cross-sectional design, 475 Romanian and 211 Greek specialists completed an online questionnaire on the following dimensions: diagnosis and assessment of ASD, management of behavioural problems in ASD students, communication skills, technology, teaching, and e-learning platforms. The results showed that Greek professionals have higher levels of ASD knowledge compared to Romanian respondents (MGreece = 15.2, SDGreece = 4.22; MRomania = 13.7, SDRomania = 3.88; U = 39703, p < 0.001). There is also a significant need for training on all the investigated dimensions in both countries, with greater training needs in Romania than in Greece (MGreece = 26, SDGreece = 2.98; MRomania = 27.2, SDRomania = 1.84; U = 35556, p < 0.001). Both countries reported the lowest level of knowledge in innovative teaching technologies and high training needs using an e-learning platform. The results emphasise important gaps in the educational programmes for ASD professionals.
Effects of Online Problem-Based Learning to Increase Global Competencies for First-Year Undergraduate Students Majoring in Science and Engineering in Japan
Authors: Ota Eri , Murakami-Suzuki Rie
Published: March 2022

The purpose of this paper is to assess learning outcomes and the process of developing skill sets of online problem-based learning (PBL) for students majoring in science and engineering at a technical university in Japan. PBL course for first-year undergraduate students was organized with international students as teaching assistants (TAs) to find issues and solutions of the target countries. Due to the effects of COVID-19, the course was completely shifted online in the 2020 academic year. Topics selected by group members were all in line with sustainable development goals (SDGs). Three skill sets to be developed through this PBL course are global awareness, problem-solving and finding, and multicultural communication and understanding. A series of analyses on text mining and content analysis was conducted of essays and reports submitted by students registered for the course. This paper summarizes the structure and pedagogy of the course, research methods, research results and reasons for findings. Research results indicated that all three skill sets were well developed in students through this online PBL course by conducting a study of selected countries with group members, carefully listening to other groups’ presentations in the class, conducting data analysis and online interviews, and communicating with TAs in English. Based on the findings, efforts to maintain quality education in conducting online PBL are also discussed.
Assessment of Profit Efficiency for Spinach Production under Small-Scale Irrigated Agriculture in the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa
Authors: Mdoda Lelethu , Obi Ajuruchukwu , Ncoyini-Manciya Zoleka , Christian Mzuyanda , Mayekiso Anele
Published: March 2022

Improving profit efficiency in vegetable farming, especially for Spinach, is vital in enhancing income, livelihoods, and nutrition security and reducing the poverty of smallholder farmers, particularly in developing countries like South Africa. Despite the country’s potential, spinach production faces major challenges, including unreliable markets, low adoption of modern production systems, and production inefficiencies that affect farm returns. This has been attributed to a lack of adequate and reliable information to guide producers on measures for improving productivity through cost effective production systems and efficient market systems, eventually leading to profit inefficiency. Therefore, this study sought to assess the profit efficiency of smallholder spinach producers under irrigated agriculture in the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa. The study made use of multi-stratified sampling procedures to select 150 spinach producers under irrigation. The stochastic profit frontier function was applied to assess the profit efficiency of smallholder spinach farmers. The results indicated that most farmers operated in farm sizes of 3 ha with an average age of 48 years. The estimates of the stochastic profit frontier function showed that farm size, cost of fertilizer, seed, and pesticides increased profit while labour used decreased profit. Findings indicated a 10% profit loss due to a mixture of technical and allocative inefficiency in the production of spinach, while farmers were able to attain an average profit inefficiency of 90%. Moreover, findings revealed numerous factors that positively affected the profit efficiency of spinach farmers, including socioeconomic, institutional, and cultural. The study findings imply that profit efficiency can increase significantly through the use of high-quality fertilizer, seeds, and pesticides. The allocative efficiency results indicate that improvement in access to extension services, farmers’ level of education, and farm experience can result in the increased allocative efficiency of spinach farmers in the study site. The study further suggests that smallholder farmers must adopt innovative technology to enhance their agricultural productivity, and this is likely to improve household income and nutrition security. Thus, the study recommends that policymakers and government must invest in farmers’ education through effective extension delivery programs and the provision of credit to help farmers increase their profit efficiency.
A Review of Sustainable Maintenance Strategies for Single Component and Multicomponent Equipment
Authors: Zhao Jingyi , Gao Chunhai , Tang Tao
Published: March 2022

Contemporary industrial equipment is increasingly developing towards complexity. In order to ensure the high reliability and sustainability of industrial equipment, more flexible maintenance strategies have attracted extensive attention. In view of this, this paper aims to summarize the current situation of existing maintenance strategies, so as to enable colleagues in the industry to choose or formulate more efficient maintenance strategies. Firstly, the characteristics, application potential and limitations of single component maintenance strategies, such as corrective maintenance, preventive maintenance and predictive maintenance, are described in detail from the perspective of maintenance time. On the basis of single component maintenance and the dependency between multiple components, the advantages and disadvantages of multicomponent maintenance strategies, such as batch maintenance, opportunity maintenance and group maintenance, are summarized, and suggestions for the future maintenance of industrial equipment are proposed. Based on this, industries can select the appropriate maintenance strategy according to their equipment characteristics, or improve their existing maintenance strategies based on actual needs.
Investigation of the Drag-Reduction Phenomenon on Plasma-Modified Surface
Authors: Diniz Gutembergy Ferreira , Souza Ivan Alves de , Neto João Freire de Medeiros , Menezes Anderson Wagner , Souza Jailson Alves de , Ortiz Jayme , Costa Thércio Henrique de Carvalho , Bessa Kleiber Lima de , Feitor Michelle Cequeira
Published: March 2022

Drag is one of the main energy-dissipating phenomena in engineering applications. Drag-reduction mechanisms have been studied to reduce this cost. Superhydrophobic surfaces (SHS) have high water repellency and have been studied as an alternative mechanism for reducing drag. The high level of repellency is due to the hierarchical structures in the micro- and nano-scales, making these surfaces able to trap air layers that impose the condition of slipping. The present work investigated the phenomenon of drag reduction on surfaces made of Sylgard® 184 elastomer and modified by low-pressure plasma treatments. Atmospheres with 40% Argon and 60% Acetylene, and 20% Argon and 80% Acetylene were used, varying the treatment times from 10 to 15 min of exposure to Acetylene. The surface, morphological and chemical modifications were confirmed by XPS and AFM analyses, showing the impression of a rough structure on the nanometric scale with deposition of chemical elements from the gas plasma. Furthermore, the obtained SHS showed lower resistance to flow, tested by the imposition of flow in channels.
MDCT Findings in Gastrointestinal Perforations and the Predictive Value according to the Site of Perforation
Authors: Romano Stefania , Somma Carmela , Sciuto Antonio , Jutidamrongphan Warissara , Pacella Daniela , Esposito Francesco , Puglia Marta , Mauriello Claudio , Khanungwanitkul Khanin , Pirozzi Felice
Published: March 2022

Background: Gastrointestinal perforations are a frequent cause of acute abdominal symptomatology for patients in the emergency department. The aim of this study was to investigate the findings of multidetector-row computed tomography of gastrointestinal perforations and analyze the impact of any imaging signs on the presurgical identification of the perforation site. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed emergency MDCT findings of 93 patients submitted to surgery for gastrointestinal perforation at two different institutions. Two radiologists separately reviewed the emergency MDCT examinations performed on each patient, before and after knowing the surgical diagnosis of the perforation site. A list of findings was considered. Positive predictive values were estimated for each finding with respect to each perforation site, and correspondence analysis (CA) was used to investigate the relationship between the findings and each of the perforation types. Results: We did not find inframesocolic free air in sigmoid colorectal perforations, and in rare cases, only supramesocolic free fluid in gastroduodenal perforations was found. A high PPV of perivisceral fat stranding due to colonic perforation and general distension of upstream loops and collapse of downstream loops were evident in most patients. Conclusions: Our data could offer additional information on the perforation site in the case of doubtful findings to support surgeons, especially in planning a laparoscopic approach.
Prenatal Exposure to an EDC Mixture, NeuroMix: Effects on Brain, Behavior, and Stress Responsiveness in Rats
Authors: Gore Andrea C. , Moore Tatum , Groom Matthew J. , Thompson Lindsay M.
Published: March 2022

Humans and wildlife are exposed to endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) throughout their lives. Environmental EDCs are implicated in a range of diseases/disorders with developmental origins, including neurodevelopment and behavior. EDCs are most often studied one by one; here, we assessed outcomes induced by a mixture designed to represent the real-world situation of multiple simultaneous exposures. The choice of EDCs, which we refer to as “NeuroMix,” was informed by evidence for neurobiological effects in single-compound studies and included bisphenols, phthalates, vinclozolin, and perfluorinated, polybrominated, and polychlorinated compounds. Pregnant Sprague Dawley rats were fed the NeuroMix or vehicle, and then offspring of both sexes were assessed for effects on postnatal development and behaviors and gene expression in the brain in adulthood. In order to determine whether early-life EDCs predisposed to subsequent vulnerability to postnatal life challenges, a subset of rats were also given a stress challenge in adolescence. Prenatal NeuroMix exposure decreased body weight and delayed puberty in males but not females. In adulthood, NeuroMix caused changes in anxiety-like, social, and mate preference behaviors only in females. Effects of stress were predominantly observed in males. Several interactions of NeuroMix and stress were found, especially for the mate preference behavior and gene expression in the brain. These findings provide novel insights into how two realistic environmental challenges lead to developmental and neurobehavioral deficits, both alone and in combination, in a sex-specific manner.
The Other Face of Insulin—Overdose and Its Effects
Authors: Rzepczyk Szymon , Dolińska-Kaczmarek Klaudia , Uruska Aleksandra , Żaba Czesław
Published: March 2022

Insulin is the most effective glycemic-lowering drug, and for people suffering from type 1 diabetes it is a life-saving drug. Its self-dosing by patients may be associated with a higher risk of overdose, both accidental and deliberate. Insulin-induced hypoglycemia causes up to 100,000 emergency department calls per year. Cases of suicide attempts using insulin have been described in the literature since its introduction into therapy, and one of the important factors in their occurrence is the very fact of chronic disease. Up to 90% of patients who go to toxicology wards overdose insulin consciously. Patients with diabetes are burdened with a 2–3 times higher risk of developing depression compared to the general population. For this reason, it is necessary to develop an effective system for detecting a predisposition to overdose, including the assessment of the first symptoms of depression in patients with diabetes. A key role is played by a risk-conscious therapeutic team, as well as education. Further post-mortem testing is also needed for material collection and storage, as well as standardization of analytical methods and interpretation of results, which would allow for more effective detection and analysis of intentional overdose—both by the patient and for criminal purposes.
Novel Strategies to Inhibit Pertussis Toxin
Authors: Ernst Katharina
Published: March 2022

Pertussis, also known as whooping cough, is a respiratory disease caused by infection with Bordetella pertussis, which releases several virulence factors, including the AB-type pertussis toxin (PT). The characteristic symptom is severe, long-lasting paroxysmal coughing. Especially in newborns and infants, pertussis symptoms, such as leukocytosis, can become life-threatening. Despite an available vaccination, increasing case numbers have been reported worldwide, including Western countries such as Germany and the USA. Antibiotic treatment is available and important to prevent further transmission. However, antibiotics only reduce symptoms if administered in early stages, which rarely occurs due to a late diagnosis. Thus, no causative treatments against symptoms of whooping cough are currently available. The AB-type protein toxin PT is a main virulence factor and consists of a binding subunit that facilitates transport of an enzyme subunit into the cytosol of target cells. There, the enzyme subunit ADP-ribosylates inhibitory α-subunits of G-protein coupled receptors resulting in disturbed cAMP signaling. As an important virulence factor associated with severe symptoms, such as leukocytosis, and poor outcomes, PT represents an attractive drug target to develop novel therapeutic strategies. In this review, chaperone inhibitors, human peptides, small molecule inhibitors, and humanized antibodies are discussed as novel strategies to inhibit PT.
Multiorgan and Vascular Tropism of SARS-CoV-2
Authors: Hartard Cédric , Chaqroun Ahlam , Settembre Nicla , Gauchotte Guillaume , Lefevre Benjamin , Marchand Elodie , Mazeaud Charles , Nguyen Duc Trung , Martrille Laurent , Koscinski Isabelle , Malikov Sergueï , Schvoerer Evelyne
Published: March 2022

Although the respiratory tract is the main target of SARS-CoV-2, other tissues and organs are permissive to the infection. In this report, we investigated this wide-spectrum tropism by studying the SARS-CoV-2 genetic intra-host variability in multiple tissues. The virological and histological investigation of multiple specimens from a post-mortem COVID-19 patient was performed. SARS-CoV-2 genome was detected in several tissues, including the lower respiratory system, cardio-vascular biopsies, stomach, pancreas, adrenal gland, mediastinal ganglion and testicles. Subgenomic RNA transcripts were also detected, in favor of an active viral replication, especially in testicles. Ultra-deep sequencing allowed us to highlight several SARS-CoV-2 mutations according to tissue distribution. More specifically, mutations of the spike protein, i.e., V341A (18.3%), E654 (44%) and H655R (30.8%), were detected in the inferior vena cava. SARS-CoV-2 variability can contribute to heterogeneous distributions of viral quasispecies, which may affect the COVID-19 pathogeny.
Apples to Apples? A Comparison of Real-World Tolerability of Antiretrovirals in Patients with Human Immunodeficiency Virus Infection and Patients with Primary Biliary Cholangitis
Authors: Turvey Shannon , Saxinger Lynora , Mason Andrew
Published: March 2022

We previously characterized a human betaretrovirus and linked infection with the development of primary biliary cholangitis (PBC). There are in vitro and in vivo data demonstrating that antiretroviral therapy used to treat human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) can be repurposed to treat betaretroviruses. As such, PBC patients have been treated with nucleoside/nucleotide reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs), alone and in combination with a boosted protease inhibitor or an integrase strand transfer inhibitor in case studies and clinical trials. However, a randomized controlled trial using combination antiretroviral therapy with lopinavir was terminated early because 70% of PBC patients discontinued therapy because of gastrointestinal side effects. In the open-label extension, patients tolerating combination therapy underwent a significant reduction in serum liver parameters, whereas those on NRTIs alone rebounded to baseline. Herein, we compare clinical experience in the experimental use of antiretroviral agents in patients with PBC with the broader experience of using these agents in people living with HIV infection. While the incidence of gastrointestinal side effects in the PBC population appears somewhat increased compared to those with HIV infection, the clinical improvement observed in patients with PBC suggests that further studies using the newer and better tolerated antiretroviral agents are warranted.
The Influenza Virus RNA-Polymerase and the Host RNA-Polymerase II: RPB4 Is Targeted by a PB2 Domain That Is Involved in Viral Transcription
Authors: Morel Jessica , Sedano Laura , Lejal Nathalie , Da Costa Bruno , Batsché Eric , Muchardt Christian , Delmas Bernard
Published: March 2022

Influenza virus transcription is catalyzed by the viral RNA-polymerase (FluPol) through a cap-snatching activity. The snatching of the cap of cellular mRNA by FluPol is preceded by its binding to the flexible C-terminal domain (CTD) of the RPB1 subunit of RNA-polymerase II (Pol II). To better understand how FluPol brings the 3′-end of the genomic RNAs in close proximity to the host-derived primer, we hypothesized that FluPol may recognize additional Pol II subunits/domains to ensure cap-snatching. Using binary complementation assays between the Pol II and influenza A FluPol subunits and their structural domains, we revealed an interaction between the N-third domain of PB2 and RPB4. This interaction was confirmed by a co-immunoprecipitation assay and was found to occur with the homologous domains of influenza B and C FluPols. The N-half domain of RPB4 was found to be critical in this interaction. Punctual mutants generated at conserved positions between influenza A, B, and C FluPols in the N-third domain of PB2 exhibited strong transcriptional activity defects. These results suggest that FluPol interacts with several domains of Pol II (the CTD to bind Pol II), initiating host transcription and a second transcription on RPB4 to locate FluPol at the proximity of the 5′-end of nascent host mRNA.
Strategies to Develop a Mucosa-Targeting Vaccine against Emerging Infectious Diseases
Authors: Feng Fengling , Wen Ziyu , Chen Jiaoshan , Yuan Yue , Wang Congcong , Sun Caijun
Published: March 2022

Numerous pathogenic microbes, including viruses, bacteria, and fungi, usually infect the host through the mucosal surfaces of the respiratory tract, gastrointestinal tract, and reproductive tract. The mucosa is well known to provide the first line of host defense against pathogen entry by physical, chemical, biological, and immunological barriers, and therefore, mucosa-targeting vaccination is emerging as a promising strategy for conferring superior protection. However, there are still many challenges to be solved to develop an effective mucosal vaccine, such as poor adhesion to the mucosal surface, insufficient uptake to break through the mucus, and the difficulty in avoiding strong degradation through the gastrointestinal tract. Recently, increasing efforts to overcome these issues have been made, and we herein summarize the latest findings on these strategies to develop mucosa-targeting vaccines, including a novel needle-free mucosa-targeting route, the development of mucosa-targeting vectors, the administration of mucosal adjuvants, encapsulating vaccines into nanoparticle formulations, and antigen design to conjugate with mucosa-targeting ligands. Our work will highlight the importance of further developing mucosal vaccine technology to combat the frequent outbreaks of infectious diseases.
Characterization of Bovine Foamy Virus Gag Late Assembly Domain Motifs and Their Role in Recruiting ESCRT for Budding
Authors: Wang Zhaohuan , Li Rui , Liu Chenxi , Qiao Wentao , Tan Juan
Published: March 2022

A large number of retroviruses, such as human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and prototype foamy virus (PFV), recruit the endosomal sorting complex required for transport (ESCRT) through the late domain (L domain) on the Gag structural protein for virus budding. However, little is known about the molecular mechanism of bovine foamy virus (BFV) budding. In the present study, we report that BFV recruits ESCRT for budding through the L domain of Gag. Specifically, knockdown of VPS4 (encoding vacuolar protein sorting 4), ALIX (encoding ALG-2-interacting protein X), and TSG101 (encoding tumor susceptibility 101) indicated that BFV uses ESCRT for budding. Mutational analysis of BFV Gag (BGag) showed that, in contrast to the classical L domain motifs, BGag contains two motifs, P56LPI and Y103GPL, with L domain functions. In addition, the two L domains are necessary for the cytoplasmic localization of BGag, which is important for effective budding. Furthermore, we demonstrated that the functional site of Alix is V498 in the V domain and the functional site of Tsg101 is N69 in the UBC-like domain for BFV budding. Taken together, these results demonstrate that BFV recruits ESCRT for budding through the PLPI and YGPL L domain motifs in BGag.
Humoral Immune Response of SARS-CoV-2 Infection and Anti-SARS-CoV-2 Vaccination in Renal Transplant Recipients
Authors: Prasad Narayan , Yadav Brijesh , Singh Mantabya , Gautam Sonam , Bhadauria Dharmendra , Patel Manas , Kushwaha Ravi , Yadav Deependra , Singh Ankita , Yachha Monika , Behera Manas , Kaul Anupama
Published: March 2022

Vaccination-induced SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibodies are required for herd immunity. Vaccine availability and poor vaccine response in renal transplant recipients (RTRs) remain a concern. There is no report on the efficacy of Covaxin and Covishield vaccines in RTRs. We recruited 222 live donors RTRs and analyzed the serum titer of anti-SARS-CoV-2 spike protein antibody by chemiluminescent magnetic microparticle immunoassay. Patients were categorized into three groups: group1 with SARS-CoV-2 infection and no vaccination (n = 161); group 2 with only vaccination and no SARS-CoV-2 infection (n = 41); and group 3 with both vaccination and SARS-CoV-2 infection (n = 20). Overall seroconversion rate was 193/222 (86.9%) with a median titer 1095.20 AU/mL. The median IgG titer value in group 1 was 647.0 AU/mL; group 2 was 1409.0 AU/mL; and group 3 was 1831.30 AU/mL. Covaxin associated seroconversion was observed in 16/19 (84.21%), with a median titer of 1373.90 AU/mL compared to that of Covishield 32/42 (76.19%), whose median titer was 1831.10 AU/mL. The seroconversion rate due to SARS-CoV-2 infection was 145 (90.06%), it was lowest with the vaccination-only group (70.7%), and with both vaccination and SARS-CoV-2 infection group it was highest (95%). In RTRs, SARS-CoV-2 infection and both Covaxin and Covishield vaccination effectively induce a humoral immune response against the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein; however, seroconversion rate was lower and the antibody titer was higher with vaccine than infection.
Understanding the Variability of Certain Biological Properties of H1N1pdm09 Influenza Viruses
Authors: Al Farroukh Mohammad , Kiseleva Irina , Bazhenova Ekaterina , Stepanova Ekaterina , Puchkova Ludmila , Rudenko Larisa
Published: March 2022

The influenza virus continually evolves because of the high mutation rate, resulting in dramatic changes in its pathogenicity and other biological properties. This study aimed to evaluate the evolution of certain essential properties, understand the connections between them, and find the molecular basis for the manifestation of these properties. To that end, 21 A(H1N1)pdm09 influenza viruses were tested for their pathogenicity and toxicity in a mouse model with a ts/non-ts phenotype manifestation and HA thermal stability. The results demonstrated that, for a strain to have high pathogenicity, it must express a toxic effect, have a non-ts phenotype, and have a thermally stable HA. The ancestor A/California/07/2009 (H1N1)pdm influenza virus expressed the non-ts phenotype, after which the cycling trend of the ts/non-ts phenotype was observed in new strains of A(H1N1)pdm09 influenza viruses, indicating that the ratio of the ts phenotype will increase in the coming years. Of the 21 tested viruses, A/South Africa/3626/2013 had the high pathogenicity in the mouse model. Sequence alignment analysis showed that this virus has three unique mutations in the polymerase complex, two of which are in the PB2 gene and one that is in the PB1 gene. Further study of these mutations might explain the distinguishing pathogenicity.
The Establishment of a Noninvasive Bioluminescence-Specific Viral Encephalitis Model by Pseudorabies Virus-Infected NF-κBp-Luciferase Mice
Authors: Lin Hui-Wen , Wang Meilin , Tsai Pei-Jane , Lee Yi-Ju , Hsieh Ming-Chang , Lu Dah-Yuu , Hsu Wei-Li , Jan Ming-Shiou , Chang Yuan-Yen
Published: March 2022

Encephalitis is a rare brain inflammation that is most commonly caused by a viral infection. In this study, we first use an in vivo imaging system (IVIS) to determine whether NF-κBp-luciferase expression could be detected in the brain of pseudorabies virus (PRV)-infected NF-κBp-luciferase mice and to evaluate proinflammatory mediators in a well-described mouse model of PRV encephalitis. In in vitro studies, we used murine microglia (BV-2) cells to demonstrate the PRV-induced encephalitis model entailing the activation of microglia cells. The results indicate that PRV-induced neuroinflammation responses through the induction of IL-6, TNF-α, COX-2, and iNOS expression occurred via the regulation of NF-κB expression in BV-2 cells. In in vivo studies, compared with MOCK controls, the mice infected with neurovirulent PRV exhibited significantly elevated NF-κB transcription factor activity and luciferase protein expression only in the brain by IVIS. Mild focal necrosis was also observed in the brain. Further examination revealed biomarkers of inflammation, including inducible cyclooxygenase (COX)-2, inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α and interleukin (IL)-6, both of which constituted proinflammatory cytokines. PRV infection stimulated inflammation and COX-2 and iNOS expression of IL-6 and TNF-α. The presented results herein suggest that PRV induces iNOS and COX-2 expression in the brain of NF-κBp–luciferase mice via NF-κB activation. In conclusion, we used NF-κBp-luciferase mice to establish a specific virus-induced encephalitis model via PRV intranasal infection. In the future, this in vivo model will provide potential targets for the development of new therapeutic strategies focusing on NF-κB inflammatory biomarkers and the development of drugs for viral inflammatory diseases.
Immunohistochemical Expression of TGF-β1 in Kidneys of Cats with Chronic Kidney Disease
Authors: Uehara Yuki , Furusawa Yu , Islam Md Shafiqul , Yamato Osamu , Hatai Hitoshi , Ichii Osamu , Yabuki Akira
Published: March 2022

Transforming growth factor-beta 1 (TGF-β1) plays a central role in the progression of chronic kidney disease (CKD). However, in feline CKD, renal expression of TGF-β1 and how it changes as the disease progresses have not been fully studied. In the present study, we immunohistochemically assessed the renal expression levels of TGF-β1 in cats with CKD and statistically analyzed its correlation with CKD severity. Clear immunosignals were detected in the glomerular mesangial cells, Bowman’s capsules, proximal tubules, distal nephrons, platelets, and vascular smooth muscles in the kidneys of cats with CKD. Statistically, luminal signals in the distal nephrons showed positive correlations with plasma creatinine levels and glomerulosclerosis, while those in the proximal tubules and platelets showed negative correlations with plasma urea and/or creatinine levels. Therefore, it was suggested that the changes in the renal expression of TGF-β1 could be associated with progression of feline CKD.
Identification and Apportionment of Potential Pollution Sources Using Multivariate Statistical Techniques and APCS-MLR Model to Assess Surface Water Quality in Imjin River Watershed, South Korea
Authors: Cho Yong-Chul , Choi Hyeonmi , Lee Myung-Gu , Kim Sang-Hun , Im Jong-Kwon
Published: March 2022

Reliable water quality monitoring data, identifying potential pollution sources, and quantifying the corresponding potential pollution source apportionment are essential for future water resource management and pollution control. Here, we collected water quality data from seven monitoring sites to identify spatiotemporal changes in surface water in the Imjin River Watershed (IRW), South Korea, distinguish potential pollution sources, and quantify the source apportionment from 2018–2020. An analysis was performed based on multivariate statistical techniques (MST) and the absolute principal component score-multiple linear regression (APCS-MLR) model. Statistically significant groups were created based on spatiotemporally similar physicochemical water quality characteristics and anthropogenic activities: low-pollution (LP) and high-pollution (HP) regions, and dry season (DS) and wet season (WS). There were statistically significant mean differences in water quality parameters between spatial clusters, rather than between temporal clusters. We identified four and three potential factors that could explain 80.75% and 71.99% in the LP and HP regions, respectively. Identification and quantitative evaluation of potential pollution sources using MST and the APCS-MLR model for the IRW may be useful for policymakers to improve the water quality of target watersheds and establish future management policies.
Size–Abundance Relationships of Freshwater Macroinvertebrates in Two Contrasting Floodplain Channels of Rhone River
Authors: Gjoni Vojsava , Marle Pierre , Ibelings Bastiaan W. , Castella Emmanuel
Published: March 2022

Body size is perhaps the most fundamental property of an organism and its relationship with abundance is one of the most studied relationships in ecology. Although numerous studies have examined these relationships in local communities, few have investigated how they vary at different temporal and spatial scales. We investigated the relationship between body size and abundance of local macroinvertebrate communities in two floodplain channels of the French upper Rhone River. The two channels differ in their vegetation coverage (high vs. low vegetation) and hydrological regimes. The shapes of the size–abundance relationship were similar between channels on a yearly basis but differed when compared between months. The variation in local size–abundance relationships between months was related to variation in the functional diversity across time. Our findings suggest that local size–abundance relationships are able to quantitatively describe temporal changes in community structure, showing the importance of relating diversity with ecosystem function in a more realistic context.
Spatial and Temporal Patterns of Low-Flow Changes in Lowland Rivers
Authors: Nazarenko Serhii , Meilutytė-Lukauskienė Diana , Šarauskienė Diana , Kriaučiūnienė Jūratė
Published: March 2022

At the beginning of the 21st century, ongoing climate change led to research into extreme streamflow phenomena. This study aimed to assess the patterns of low-flow changes in different hydrological regions of Lithuania using selected hydrological indices (the annual minimum 30-day flow (m3 s−1) of the warm period—30Q), its duration, and deficit volume (below the 80th and 95th percentile flow: 30Q80 and 30Q95). Differences in low-flow indices in separate hydrological regions and over different periods (1961–2020, 1961–1990, 1991–2020) were analyzed, applying the HydroOffice tool, the TREND software package, and mapping using the Kriging interpolation. The highest specific indices of 30Q were estimated in the Southeastern hydrological region (3.97 L/s·km2) and the lowest in the Central hydrological region (1.47 L/s·km2). In general, the 30Q values in the periods 1961–2020 and 1991–2020 had no trends. In 1961–1990, trends in 30Q data were significantly positive, and positive in most investigated rivers of the Western and Central hydrological regions. The average number of dry days at both thresholds decreased in the Western and Southeastern hydrological regions and increased in the Central hydrological region comparing two subperiods.
Human and society. Didactic materials for independent work of 10th grade students of educational institutions
Authors:   Russian State Pedagogical University named after A.I. Herzen, Dokuchaev I.I.
Published: March 2022

The series of publications was prepared on the basis of a teaching manual addressed to 10th grade schoolchildren of schools studying the integrative course “Social Studies” (section “Man and Society”), and is a set of materials for independent work. The content of the manual fully meets the requirements of the Federal State Educational Standards of Basic General Education and work programs for secondary (complete) education in social studies. The presented theoretical and practical material reveals the main aspects of social life: the essence and functional characteristics of consciousness and activity, ideas about society and social institutions as a system, types of societies, views on culture as a cumulative spiritual experience and “collective memory”, its main institutions — science, religion, morality, education, art. Particular attention is paid to the definition of social progress and global problems of mankind.
Management Strategy Evaluation for the Common Spiny Lobster, Palinurus elephas (Fabricius, 1787), Stock in Tunisia
Authors:   Department of Marine Biosciences, Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology, 4-5-7 Konan, Minato-ku, Tokyo 108-8477, Japan, GHARSALLI MANEL , KITAKADO TOSHIHIDE
Published: March 2022

The common spiny lobster, Palinurus elephas (Fabricius, 1787), fishery in Tunisia has been overexploited. This species is currently managed by temporal closures, minimum legal sizes of landings, and the prohibition of catching berried females. This study aims to develop management procedures (MPs) based on the surplus production model to set total allowable catch (TAC) as a management action for the common spiny lobster. Ten MPs ranging from conservative to more relaxed management procedures were evaluated within a management strategy evaluation (MSE) framework. Several scenarios of the operating model were considered to account for uncertainties. Five performance measures were used to evaluate MPs to identify the management strategies that can achieve the prespecified management objective of recovering the stock size as a priority and ensuring high and stable catches. The results of the MSE showed that the conservative management strategies with the highest control points performed well in terms of management objectives with a probability of biomass exceeding the reference point of higher than 90 % but yielded in the lowest catches. On the other hand, relaxed threshold-based management strategies failed in achieving management objectives with 20 % probability of being below the limit reference point. These MSE results also highlighted the trade-off between conservation and catch performance objectives and showed that some moderate management strategies balanced these objectives efficiently.
New Dawn for Space Security
Authors: Plotnek Jordan , Slay Jill
Published: March 2022

Space infrastructure provides vital services for a number of critical industries, including; defence, transportation, energy, utilities, emergency services, banking, environment, academia, and others. These services range from global communications to remote sensing and geolocation, with many new applications undoubtedly on the horizon, including plans for further exploration and even human settlement. It is therefore essential that space technologies are protected from unwanted interferences – a task that is becoming more challenging by the day. Adding to the already complex space security environment, we are experiencing the beginnings of a second space race that is seeing the rapid deployment of space systems containing a vast array of new technologies, such as the Internet of Things (IoT) and advanced onboard processing. This is subsequently introducing new vulnerabilities to an already aged and vulnerable satellite ecosystem, hence increasing the risk of potentially catastrophic security events. Although well-articulated in political, legal, and international relations literature, the engineering, science, and technology aspects of space security are currently under-studied and disjointed, leading to fragmented research and inconsistent terminology. This paper examined space security from an engineering perspective by conceptually tying existing space and security literature together to detail the space threat landscape and identify research gaps and opportunities. Additionally, this paper identifies the need for wider recognition of space systems security as a specialist inter-disciplinary domain in order to break down disciplinary silos, enhance collaboration, and unify definitions, taxonomies, and research objectives.
Assessment of Cybersecurity Risks: Maritime Automated Piloting Process
Authors: Pöyhönen Jouni , Lehto Martti
Published: March 2022

A modern society is a combination of several critical infrastructures, of which international and national maritime transportation systems are essential parts. Digitalization makes it possible to increase levels of autonomy in maritime systems. It also means fully existing cyberenvironments in maritime processes. In cyberenvironments, it is crucial there is trustable information communication between system elements of the process, alongside the usability, reliability, and integrity of systems data in the operating environment. In order to develop maritime autonomy in Finland the Sea4Value / Fairway (S4VF) research program has been developed. At the first stage of the program, the main goal is to create automated fairway piloting feature in the near future. An automated remote piloting process, “ePilotage,” will be a complex system of systems entity. This paper provides a research approach to investigating the cybersecurity risks at the system levels of process. It emphasizes the importation of comprehensive risk assessment to increase the cybersecurity of fairway operations. The findings of the study are located in cybersecurity risks in critical information flows between the main system blocks of the fairway process. The research question is “How can the cybersecurity risks of automated remote fairway operations be evaluated?”  The main findings are related to the probabilities of the risks in all levels of process stakeholders’ responsibilities. Risk assessment methodology, that has been described, is based on attack probabilities against probabilities to defend actions of adversarial in use of communication technologies. Risks assessment factors have been identified and the risk assessment tool have been proposed.
Transient Execution and Side Channel Analysis: a Vulnerability or a Science Experiment?
Authors: Shepherd Michael , Brookes Scott , Denz Robert
Published: March 2022

In the world of computer security, attackers are constantly looking for new exploits to gain data from or control over a computer system. One category of exploit that can prove quite effective at accessing privileged data is side channel exploits. These exploits attempt to take advantage of vulnerabilities that are inherent in the design of a system rather than vulnerabilities in the code that has been written for and is running on said system. In other words, they exploit side effects of computation. Examples of this include measuring the power consumption of a system’s processor over time and analysing that power usage to leak system secrets or reading secrets from a system by analysing the electromagnetic radiation the system leaks as it processes data. Another type of side channel attack is a cache-based side channel attack, which exploits the timings of cache and memory accesses to determine data from the target system. We discuss some of the more common types of side channel attacks used to interpret data values from the microarchitectural changes created by transient executions. In particular, we will focus on attacks that are capable of recovering data that is processed through transient execution in some way and then wrongly accessed using a side channel, such as the Spectre and Meltdown classes of attack. We also discuss other attacks of a similar type and survey some popular mitigations for these attacks. We provide a survey of all available Spectre proof-of-concept repositories on GitHub, evaluating whether they work on different platforms. Finally, we review our experiences with these types of attacks on modern systems and comment on the attacks’ practicality, reliability, and portability. We conclude that these types of attacks are interesting, but there are some practicality and reliability concerns that make other attacks easier much of the time.
Bug Bounties: Between New Regulations and Geopolitical Dynamics
Authors: Silomon Jantje , Hansel Mischa , Schwartz Fabiola
Published: March 2022

Crowdsourced security and vulnerability co-ordination platforms, such as Bugcrowd or HackerOne, reward individuals for discovering, reporting, and responsibly disclosing software bugs. A growing number of vendors are turning towards these platforms to improve their product’s security, whilst others set up their own bug bounty programs (BBPs) alongside more traditional approaches, such as in-house testing and professional security reviews. Whether providing a supplementary or even alternative path to organisational cybersecurity, these newer approaches go beyond increasing product security, for example by fostering co-operation between various actors or providing a clear incentive to remain on the ethical side of security research. Whilst some research centres on the reward structures, actor motivations, or effectiveness, the wider impact on peace and stability in cyberspace is rarely examined. Similarly, rarely is light shed on emerging regulatory or policy approaches, or the effects this might have. To fill these gaps, the paper will use Global Public Goods (GPGs) theory to example BBPs across two case studies. Whereas the novel Chinese regulations push towards more national sovereignty in cyberspace, the European Union invests in the compensation of BBP under-provision among open source software (OSS). These regulatory changes in China and endeavours by the European Union, respectively, reveal that the prevalent geopolitical divisions in related topics, such as internet governance, continue to play their part. Further research on BBPs is proposed to quantitatively examine their effect on peace and stability.
Improving Protection Against Cybersecurity Attacks of Emergency Dispatch Centers
Authors: Sweeney James , Tran Vu
Published: March 2022

Public service answering points (PSAPs), also known as 911 dispatch centers, serve as integral and critical infrastructure components that serves as a conduit between the public and emergency assistance such as police, fire and emergency medical services.  It has been demonstrated in previous research, that PSAPs may be exceptionally vulnerable to telephonic and distributed denial of service (TDoS/DDoS) attacks with potentially devastating effects.  It is the purpose of this study is to gather the best practices from experts and tap into the knowledge of the professionals tasked with safeguarding PSAPs every day.  Due to the unknown full capabilities of the PSAPs and the antiquated infrastructure on which they must operate, it is unclear just what safeguards are in place to defend these critical infrastructure components against attacks of this nature.  To gather this information, a multiple rounds qualitative Delphi study was conducted.  Through this process, participants were asked to comment on current tactics and techniques, practices that could be implemented under ideal conditions without political or financial hurdles and how to bridge the gap between current and optimal environments.  PSAP administrators, hereby referred to as experts, with a minimum of five years of experience working within a United States PSAP were included in this study and provided a firm understanding of their capabilities.  The suggestions provided by participants included patch managements, updated hardware, federally mandated standards, regular plan exercises, and standardized education.  After gathering and analysing the data, three basic tenets could be appreciated including cyber hygiene, preparedness and intelligence, and education and training.  It is expected that the results of this study will prove integral in not only better securing the PSAPs within the United States critical infrastructure, but also understanding some of the hurdles and difficulties PSAP administrators must overcome.
Taxonomy of Social Engineering Attacks: A Survey of Trends and Future Directions
Authors: Maraj Arianit , Butler William
Published: March 2022

Hackers have many techniques available for breaching the security flaws of organizations. The human approach, called Social Engineering (SE), is probably the most difficult one to be dealt with. Social engineering is considered one of the most creative methods for gaining unauthorized access to information systems. This type of cyber threat does not require advanced technical knowledge because it relies mainly on human nature. Social engineers use different techniques, such as phishing, to manipulate people and cause significant damage to the organizations where they work. Therefore, organizations must raise the awareness of their users about social engineering attacks. Most organizations are putting all defense efforts into advanced technologies to prevent various threats. This is considered a wrong approach because employees of an organization use email, social networks, or other online sites as part of their work activities. Therefore, the prevention of attacks cannot be accomplished through advanced technologies alone, but the human aspect must also be studied. This paper comprehensively analyzes the existing literature in the taxonomy of social engineering attacks focusing on human aspects. It provides an overview of research opportunities that should be addressed and elaborated in future investigations.