bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Practical-Empirical Modeling on Envelope Design towards Sustainability in Tropical Architecture
Authors: Kusumawati Lili , Setyowati Erni , Purnomo Agus Budi
Published: March 2021

The building envelope’s overall thermal transfer value (OTTV) is an essential aspect of creating sustainable and energy-saving architecture. The original OTTV formula makes it difficult for any user who is not an expert to calculate OTTV. Designers usually need an empirical formula to determine the design direction in the initial design stage. Instead of replacing the previous SNI (The Indonesian National Standard) 6389:2011, this paper will introduce several simple equations as empirical formulas covering solar factor (SF), effective shading coefficient (SCeff), and OTTV. Three hundred architraves units of facade models were investigated to make the formulas or equations. Regression analysis was used to make three practical formulas in this paper. The research validation consists of first and crossed-validation to determine the Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) and Average Percentage of Error (APE) between the rule of thumb and original equation of OTTV from the Indonesian standard. The results show that the RMSE is only 1.12 W/m2, while the APE is 1.05%. By these results, the empirical formulas can be implemented to be the rules of thumb in the first stage of the design process because the values of RMSE and APE are still under the design margin of thermal design in the building.
A Comprehensive Review of the Evolution of Networked Control System Technology and Its Future Potentials
Authors: Gautam Mayank Kumar , Pati Avadh , Mishra Sunil Kumar , Appasani Bhargav , Kabalci Ersan , Bizon Nicu , Thounthong Phatiphat
Published: March 2021

Networked control systems (NCSs) are attracting the attention of control system engineers. The NCS has created a paradigm shift in control system technology. An NCS consists of control loops joined through communication networks in which both the control signal and the feedback signal are exchanged between the system and the controller. However, its materialization faces several challenges as it requires the integration of advanced control and communication techniques. This paper presents an extensive review of NCSs from the perspective of control system design. The evolution of NCSs is broadly divided in three phases, namely NCSs prior to 2000, NCSs during 2001–2010, and NCSs from 2011 onwards. This division corresponds to the initial status, intermediate status, and the recent status of the developments in the design of NCSs. The advancement of different control techniques during these phases has been discussed comprehensively. This paper also describes the transition of control systems form continuous domain to networked domain, which makes it better than the traditional control systems. Some important practical applications, which have been implemented using NCSs, have also been discussed. The thrust areas for future research on NCS have also been identified.
Materialism, Ecological Consciousness and Purchasing Intention of Electric Vehicles: An Empirical Analysis among Chinese Consumers
Authors: Wu Dongming , Yu Liukai , Zhang Qianqian , Jiao Yangyang , Wu Yuhe
Published: March 2021

Electric vehicles (EVs) have great potential for solving problems that threaten sustainability. However, the market penetration of EVs is difficult and slow. From the perspective of consumer resistance, this study proposes a theoretical model to investigate the impacts of two growing personal values in the Chinese context (materialism and ecological consciousness) on consumers’ purchase intention of EVs. The research model was empirically examined with online survey data from 511 general Chinese consumers. The results indicate that consumer resistance is a crucial element hindering EV consumption and that materialism will promote consumer resistance by exerting a positive impact on perceived costs and a negative impact on perceived benefits of purchasing EVs, while ecological consciousness can effectively prevent consumers from developing a resistant attitude by increasing perceived benefits and decreasing perceived costs of purchasing EVs. Furthermore, the mediation tests suggest that value perceptions (perceived costs and perceived benefits) fully mediate the effects of materialism and ecological consciousness on consumer resistance and that resistant attitude fully mediates the relationships between value perceptions and purchase intention of EVs. Theoretically, this study contributes to the literature by investigating the influence of materialism and ecological consciousness on EV consumption and verifying the underlying mechanism linking them. Practically, the findings of this study can provide valuable insights for promoting the market penetration of EVs.
Towards A Conceptual Framework of Sustainable Practices of Post-consumer Textile Waste at Garment End of Lifecycle: A Systematic Literature Review Approach
Authors: Rotimi Esther Oluwadamilola Olufemi , Topple Cheree , Hopkins John
Published: March 2021

Fashion is characterised by rapidly changing trends and consumption patterns which have led to complexities and dynamism of the fashion supply chain (SC). Excessive generation of wastes highlights the need for innovative ways to address unsustainable practices by feeding the waste back into the supply chain system. This paper reviews the extant literature on sustainability within the fashion industry’s supply chain to establish available sustainability practices to manage post-consumer textile waste (PCTW) at garment end of lifecycle. Four sustainable practices emerged from the review—education and engagement, recovery and redistribution, reuse, and recycling—and are central to a framework that shows the interaction of garment end of lifecycle practices and could the achievement of strategic competitive advantage. Our findings emphasise the importance for interaction and collaboration between consumers and retailers and further involvement of the entire supply chain. In addition, sustainability paradoxes were evident across the sustainable practices. To avoid this, for retailers are urged to shift towards cradle to cradle (closed loop) lifecycle supply chains. Furthermore, retailers should evaluate the practices they adopt by questioning their aim in the achievement of sustainability. We suggest that firms should consider the entire supply chain when adopting a sustainable practice and each agent’s role in achieving the overall outcome of sustained competitive advantage.
Complex Risks of COVID-19 Pandemic: Possible Metamorphization of National into Cosmopolitan Sustainable Development
Authors: Kravchenko Sergey A.
Published: March 2021

The purpose of this article is to analyze the complex risks of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and their nonlinear influence on sustainable development. In the context of this global pandemic, this article shows the limits of “thinking national” and argues that metamorphization of national to cosmopolitan sustainable development is possible on the basis of overcoming national egoism with cosmopolitan survival. The article builds on the “the theory of metamorphosis” proposed by U. Beck (2010). Phenomena are analyzed through the effects of the “arrow of time” (I. Prigogine) and “methodological cosmopolitanism”. The main results are as follows: The risks of COVID-19 have mixed effects on sustainable development. On the one hand, they undermine the traditional approaches towards social security and sustainability, but on the other hand, there is a chance of establishing cosmopolitan medical cooperation in the struggle against viruses by passing from national biopolitics and national structures of sustainable development to cosmopolitan (global concerted) counterparts. The conclusion is drawn that in order to realize this possibility, it is necessary to re-discover the existing visions of sustainable development while taking into consideration the common struggle of nations against epidemics.
Conceptual Parametric Relationship for Occupants’ Domestic Environmental Experience
Authors: Chowdhury Sajal , Noguchi Masa , Doloi Hemanta
Published: March 2021

Today’s architectural design approaches do not adequately address the relationship between users’ spatial, environmental and psychological experiences. Domestic environmental experience generally indicates users’ cognitive perceptions and physical responses within dwelling spaces. Therefore, without a clear perception of occupants’ experiences, it is difficult to identify proper architectural solutions for a domestic environment. To understand notions of these domestic experiences, the current study explores the theoretical relationship between spatial and environmental design factors within domestic settings which led to the concept of “Environmental Experience Design (EXD)”. Extensive data exploration was conducted using a combination of thirty keywords through different databases (e.g., Scopus, ScienceDirect, PubMed, Google Scholar, Mendeley and Research Gate) to categorise the relevant literature regarding thematic study areas such as human perception and phenomenology, environmental design and psychology, residential environment and design, health-wellbeing and user experiences. This study has identified theoretical associations between spatial and environmental design factors of different domestic spaces that can stimulate occupants’ satisfaction and comfort by reviewing eighty-seven studies from the literature. However, occupants’ contextual situations significantly impact domestic spaces, where spatial and environmental design attributes may be connected to diverse sociocultural factors. The scope of explanation about user context is limited, to some extent, in environmental design theories. Thus, combining occupants’ contexts with spatial and environmental design factors will be a future research direction used to explore the notion of “Domestic Environmental Experience Design”
Best Management Practices for the Transition to a Water-Sensitive City in the South of Portugal
Authors: Rodrigues Miguel , Antunes Carla
Published: March 2021

The uncertainty that arises from future environmental and climatic challenges requires new approaches towards urban water management in Mediterranean cities. In this work, an urban water cycle (UWC) strategy based on the best management practices (BMPs) of water-sensitive urban design (WSUD) is proposed for the transition of a coastal city in the south of Portugal into a water-sensitive city (WSC), in line with the Municipal Strategy for Climate Change Adaptation of Loulé (EMAAC of Loulé). The city’s watershed was identified using the ArcMap Hydrology toolset with geospatial data provided by Loulé’s Municipal Council Operational Unit for Adaptation to Climate Change and Circular Economy (UOACEC). A broad characterisation of the study area was conducted, identifying existing resources to further develop a SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats) analysis. The Hydrology toolset outputs, precipitation events records, and survey results were used to identify flood-prone areas. The opportunities and threats identified were further used to develop the transition strategy, which is focused on critical areas identified and supported by BMPs, including source control, attenuation, treatment and infiltration measures, permeable pavements, rainwater harvesting systems, and bioretention basins. The approach is designed to increase the city’s resilience to climate extremes, as well as community engagement towards UWC management.
Reflections on Sustainability Concepts: Aloha ʻĀina and the Circular Economy
Authors: Beamer Kamanamaikalani , Tuma Axel , Thorenz Andrea , Boldoczki Sandra , Kotubetey Keliʻiahonui , Kukea-Shultz Kanekoa , Elkington Kawena
Published: March 2021

The Circular Economy is gaining traction in the European Union and all over the world as a transition away from the extractive and exploitative linear economy. In Hawaiʻi, the cultural value of aloha ʻāina is a philosophy describing a set of values grounded in a relationship of kinship between people and the environment. Aloha ʻĀina structured centuries of sustainability and it has evolved over generations to frame community responses to crucial issues today, such as climate change, oligopolistic markets, and contemporary land management. This paper sits at the intersection of cross-disciplinary collaboration, sustainability, and sustainable development. Participative moderate observations and intentional cross-cultural exchanges of knowledge over five years between scholars and experts in the major fields of indigenous Hawaiian knowledge and industrial ecology inspired the concepts explored in this paper, which address the question of how aloha ʻāina and the Circular Economy can engage with each other in the collective effort to combat climate change, guide sustainable development efforts, and transition societies toward sustainability. Extensive literature reviews and insight gained through site visits to sustainability projects inform the discussion of best practices from opposite parts of the globe—Hawaiʻi and Germany—to put into conversation two worldviews and present resulting implications and lessons learned. Essential findings describe the benefits of knowledge exchange between members of global practitioner networks. By shifting expert and participant roles according to which projects are being observed, cross-cultural characteristics can be explored at a deeper level, which allow participants to employ best practices to their respective theories. The Circular Economy’s engagement with indigenous knowledge systems is an opportunity to ally and produce solutions to the challenges associated with changing the linear economy while addressing both environmental and social justice issues.
Cooling Degree Models and Future Energy Demand in the Residential Sector. A Seven-Country Case Study
Authors: Castaño-Rosa Raúl , Barrella Roberto , Sánchez-Guevara Carmen , Barbosa Ricardo , Kyprianou Ioanna , Paschalidou Eleftheria , Thomaidis Nikolaos S. , Dokupilova Dusana , Gouveia João Pedro , Kádár József , Hamed Tareq Abu , Palma Pedro
Published: March 2021

The intensity and duration of hot weather and the number of extreme weather events, such as heatwaves, are increasing, leading to a growing need for space cooling energy demand. Together with the building stock’s low energy performance, this phenomenon may also increase households’ energy consumption. On the other hand, the low level of ownership of cooling equipment can cause low energy consumption, leading to a lack of indoor thermal comfort and several health-related problems, yet increasing the risk of energy poverty in summer. Understanding future temperature variations and the associated impacts on building cooling demand will allow mitigating future issues related to a warmer climate. In this respect, this paper analyses the effects of change in temperatures in the residential sector cooling demand in 2050 for a case study of nineteen cities across seven countries: Cyprus, Finland, Greece, Israel, Portugal, Slovakia, and Spain, by estimating cooling degree days and hours (CDD and CDH). CDD and CDH are calculated using both fixed and adaptive thermal comfort temperature thresholds for 2020 and 2050, understanding their strengths and weaknesses to assess the effects of warmer temperatures. Results suggest a noticeable average increase in CDD and CDH values, up to double, by using both thresholds for 2050, with a particular interest in northern countries where structural modifications in the building stock and occupants’ behavior should be anticipated. Furthermore, the use of the adaptive thermal comfort threshold shows that the projected temperature increases for 2050 might affect people’s capability to adapt their comfort band (i.e., indoor habitability) as temperatures would be higher than the maximum admissible values for people’s comfort and health.
COVID-19 Pandemic Turns Life-Science Students into “Citizen Scientists”: Data Indicate Multiple Negative Effects of Urbanization on Biota
Authors: Schirmel Jens
Published: March 2021

The COVID-19 pandemic and its restrictions strongly affect the higher education community and require diverse teaching strategies. We designed a course where we combined online teaching with independently conducted ecological data collections by students using a “citizen science” approach. The aim was to analyze the impact of urbanization on biota by comparing urban and rural grasslands. Seventy-five students successfully conducted the data collections and the results provide evidence for prevailing negative effects of urbanization. Individual numbers of ground-dwelling invertebrates (−25%) and pollinating insects (−33%) were generally lower in urban sites. Moreover, animal and seed predation were reduced in urban grasslands, indicating the potential of urbanization to alter ecosystem functions. Despite the general limitations of online teaching and citizen science approaches, outcomes of this course showed this combination can be a useful teaching strategy, which is why this approach could be used to more actively involve students in scientific research.
Preparation of Sodium Lignosulfonate/Chitosan Adsorbent and Application of Pb2+ Treatment in Water
Authors: Pan Jie , Zhu Jiangwei , Cheng Fulong
Published: March 2021

Industrial wastewater has brought huge disasters to water resources and soil and has seriously affected the growth of animals and plants. There is an urgent need for a green and efficient adsorbent to solve the problem of water pollution. Sodium lignosulfonate and chitosan undergo free radical polymerization to form a lignin/chitosan adsorbent, which is used to treat Pb2+ in water pollution. An orthogonal experiment was used to optimize the content of sodium lignosulfonate, chitosan, cross-linking agent and initiator to obtain the adsorbent with the best adsorption performance. The adsorbents were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), thermal analysis and zeta potentiometry. The influence of different conditions on the adsorption of heavy metal ions by lignosulfonate/chitosan adsorbent was explored, and a kinetic and isotherm model was established. The results showed that the adsorption capacity of Pb2+ was 345 mg g−1 when the adsorbent was 0.01 g, the concentration of heavy metal ions was 100 mg L−1 and pH was 7. The adsorption process of lignosulfonate/chitosan is a kind of spontaneous adsorption mode, which is mainly composed of electrostatic adsorption and chemical adsorption.
Occurrence Regularity of Silt–Clay Minerals in Wind Eroded Deserts of Northwest China
Authors: Liu Zhen , Sun Hao , Lin Ke , Zhou Cuiying , Huang Wei
Published: March 2021

Wind erosion desertification is the most serious type of land degradation in Northwest China, so it is an important task for ecological management in the region. As the core of ecological management, soil quality is mainly affected by the presence of silt–clay content. Therefore, the grasp of its occurrence regularity is the key to controlling wind erosion desertification. At present, research on silt–clay contents is mainly independent in each local area and lacks integrity, which makes it difficult to meet the overall evaluation and planning requirements. To this end, this paper reviewed the related studies on the occurrence and control of wind erosion desertification in recent years and collected nearly 300 relevant silt–clay content data points. We studied the occurrence regularity of silt–clay content during the occurrence and treatment of wind erosion desertification and revealed the mechanism of silt–clay content in different processes. On this basis, the degree of wind erosion desertification in the major areas of Northwest China in the last five years was evaluated by calculations based on soil typing theory, and the fractal dimension interval (2.41–2.53) for the critical discrimination of desertification in these areas was obtained. The results showed that there were obvious distribution intervals of silt–clay content for different degrees of wind erosion desertification. Qualitative changes in soil quality during degradation ranged from light to moderate wind erosion desertification. The occurrence and control of wind erosion desertification were largely affected by the processes of silt–clay particles loss and aggregation. Among the three main treatment measures, biological measures enhanced silt–clay content most significantly. In this study, the occurrence regularity of silt–clay minerals in wind erosion desertification in Northwest China was revealed as a whole. This study provided a preliminary overall judgement of the dynamic evolution of wind erosion desertification, which provided a reference for the overall evaluation and global governance planning of wind erosion desertification in Northwest China.
Triclustering Discovery Using the δ-Trimax Method on Microarray Gene Expression Data
Authors: Siswantining Titin , Saputra Noval , Sarwinda Devvi , Al-Ash Herley Shaori
Published: March 2021

Clustering is a mathematical approach that allows one to find a group of data with similar attributes. This approach is also often used in the field of computer science to group a large amounts of data. Triclustering analysis is an analysis technique on 3D data (observation—attribute—context). Triclustering analysis can group observations on several attributes and contexts simultaneously. Triclustering analysis has been frequently applied to analyze microarray gene expression data. We proposed the δ-Trimax method to perform triclustering analysis on microarray gene expression data. The δ-Trimax method aims to find a tricluster that has a mean square residual smaller than δ and a maximum volume. Tricluster is obtained by deleting nodes from 3D data using multiple node deletion and single node deletion algorithms. The tricluster candidates that have been obtained are checked again by adding some previously deleted nodes using the node addition algorithm. In this research, the program improvement of the δ-Trimax method was carried out and also the calculation of the resulting tricluster evaluation result. The δ-Trimax method is implemented in two microarray gene expression data. The first implementation was carried out on gene expression data from the differentiation process of human-induced pluripotent stem cells (HiPSCs) from patients with heart disease, resulting in the best simulation when δ=0.0068, λ=1.2, and obtained five tricluster, which are considered as characteristics of heart disease. The second implementation was implemented on HIV-1 data, best simulation when δ=0.0046, λ=1.25 and produced three genes as biomarkers, with the gene names AGFG1, EGR1 and HLA-C. This gene group can be used by medical experts in providing further treatment.
A Traceable Firearm Management System Based on Blockchain and IoT Technology
Authors: Chen Chin-Ling , Chiang Mao-Lun , Deng Yong-Yuan , Weng Wei , Wang Kunhao , Liu Ching-Cheng
Published: March 2021

In some liberal democracies, governments allow people to legally own guns to protect their lives and property. However, gun crime has been increasing in recent years. Taking the United States, for example, a report pointed out that Americans are 10 times more likely to be shot than citizens of other countries. Murder using guns in the United States is 25 times more than that in the other 22 high-income countries. Most of these guns came from other cities. These illegally circulating guns are directly linked to deadly street violence. This means that effective firearm management can reduce deadly violence. In the past few years, Radio Frequency IDentification (RFID) technology was often used to track the supply chain. However, in the traditional supply chain, only the participants of the supply chain can query information. Furthermore, only the participants can verify the correctness of the data. This result causes information to be not transparent. On the other hand, blockchain technology, with a unique combination of features such as distributed notes, decentralized structure, consensus algorithm, storage mechanism, asymmetric encryption, and smart contract, ensures network visibility, transparency, and security. Therefore, we combine blockchain and RFID technology to propose a traceable firearm management system based on blockchain and Internet of Things (IoT) technology. The proposed method achieves several goals. First of all, the characteristic data through the blockchain can be publicly verified and the information will not be modified. The traceability of the data and the application of RFID can effectively manage the production chain. In addition, we used Burrows–Abadi–Needham logic (BAN logic) logic to prove mutual authentication, and the nonrepudiation and integrity method can also be achieved in our proposed scheme.
Dimensional Analysis under Linguistic Pythagorean Fuzzy Set
Authors: Villa Silva Aldo Joel , Pérez-Domínguez Luis , Martínez Gómez Erwin , Luviano-Cruz David , Valles-Rosales Delia
Published: March 2021

Dimensional analysis under linguistic Pythagorean fuzzy set (DA-LPFS) is a technique to handle qualitative (intangible) as well as the interactions between criteria, by combining dimensional analysis (DA) and Pythagorean fuzzy set (PFS) with linguistic variables. In this paper, a novel DA method is proposed for LPFSs based in a PFS extension, in order to consider the mutual relationship among criteria and handle qualitative (fuzzy) and quantitative (crisp) information usually involved in Multi-criteria decision making (MCDM) problems. Finally, DA-LPFS is applied to handle a case concerning the selection of CNC router to illustrate the applicability of the method.
Assessment of 9-OH- and 7,8-diol-benzo[a]pyrene in Blood as Potent Markers of Cognitive Impairment Related to benzo[a]pyrene Exposure: An Animal Model Study
Authors: Cherif Lynda Saber , Cao-Lei Lei , Farinelle Sophie , Muller Claude P. , Turner Jonathan D. , Schroeder Henri , Grova Nathalie
Published: March 2021

The potent neurotoxicity of benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P) has been suggested to be a susceptibility factor accelerating the onset of brain tumours and the emergence of neurobehavioural disturbances. B[a]P has been shown to be neurotoxic, acting directly on both the central and peripheral nervous systems, as well as indirectly via peripheral organs like liver and gut. By using a realistic B[a]P exposure scenario (0.02–200 mg/kg/day, 10 days) in mice, we elucidated brain-specific B[a]P metabolism and at identified hydroxylated B[a]P metabolites in serum which could be used as markers of cognitive impairment. Repeated oral administration of B[a]P led to, at the doses of 20 and 200 mg/kg/day, significant overexpression of Cyp1a1/Cyp1b1 in 2 out of the 3 brain regions considered, thereby suggesting the ability of the brain to metabolize B[a]P itself. At the same doses, mice exhibited a reduction in anxiety in both the elevated plus maze and the hole board apparatus. Concomitantly, B[a]P triggered dose-dependent changes in Nmda subunit expression (Nr1 and Nr2a/Nr2b) in areas involved in cognition. We detected 9-OH-B[a]P and 7,8-diol-B[a]P in serum at the level for which cognitive impairment was observed. We suggest that these metabolites may, in the future be exploited as potent biomarkers of B[a]P-induced cognitive impairments.
Gossypol Exhibited Higher Detrimental Effect on Ruminal Fermentation Characteristics of Low-Forage in Comparison with High-Forage Mixed Feeds
Authors: Wang Wei-Kang , Wang Yan-Lu , Li Wen-Juan , Wu Qi-Chao , Li Sheng-Li , Yang Hong-Jian
Published: March 2021

Gossypol is a key anti-nutritional factor which limits the feeding application of cottonseed by-products in animal production. A 2 × 4 factorial in vitro experiment was conducted to determine the effect of gossypol addition levels of 0, 0.25, 0.5, and 0.75 mg/g on ruminal fermentation of a high-forage feed (HF, Chinese wildrye hay/corn meal = 3:2) in comparison with a low-forage feed (LF, Chinese wildrye hay/corn meal = 2:3). After 48 h of incubation, in vitro dry matter disappearance was greater in the LF than the HF group, while the cumulative gas production and asymptotic gas production were greater in the HF than the LF group (p < 0.05). Regardless of whatever ration type was incubated, the increasing gossypol addition did not alter in vitro dry matter disappearance. The asymptotic gas production, cumulative gas production, molar percentage of CO2 and H2 in fermentation gases, and microbial protein in cultural fluids decreased with the increase in the gossypol addition. Conversely, the gossypol addition increased the molar percentage of CH4, ammonia N, and total volatile fatty acid production. More than 95% of the gossypol addition disappeared after 48 h of in vitro incubation. Regardless of whatever ration type was incubated, the real-time PCR analysis showed that the gossypol addition decreased the populations of Fibrobactersuccinogenes, Ruminococcus albus, Butyrivibrio fibrisolvens, Prevotella ruminicola, Selenomonas ruminantium, and fungi but increased Ruminococcus flavefaciens, protozoa, and total bacteria in culture fluids in comparison with the control (p < 0.01). Additionally, the tendency of a smaller population was observed for R. albus, B. fibrisolvens, and fungi with greater inclusion of gossypol, but a greater population was observed for F. succinogenes, R. flavefaciens, S. ruminantium, protozoa, and total bacteria. In summary, the present results suggest that rumen microorganisms indeed presented a high ability to degrade gossypol, but there was an obvious detrimental effect of the gossypol addition on rumen fermentation by decreasing microbial activity when the gossypol inclusion exceeded 0.5 mg/g, and such inhibitory effect was more pronounced in the low-forage than the high-forage group.
Effects of Tall Fescue Endophyte Type and Dopamine Receptor D2 Genotype on Cow-Calf Performance during Late Gestation and Early Lactation
Authors: Wilbanks Sarah A. , Justice Susan Maggie , West Thomas , Klotz James L. , Andrae John G. , Duckett Susan K.
Published: March 2021

Grazing endophyte-infected, toxic tall fescue reduces cow/calf production; therefore, this study examines alternate strategies such as use of novel endophyte fescue varieties during late gestation and early lactation or genetic selection of resistant cows. Pregnant cows (n = 75) were randomly assigned to fescue endophyte type: 1) endophyte-infected ergot alkaloid producing tall fescue (E+) or 2) novel endophyte-infected, non-toxic tall fescue (NOV) within maternal (A|A, n = 38 and G|G, n = 37) DRD2 genotype to examine changes in cow/calf performance and milk production during late gestation and early lactation. Grazing E+ fescue pastures during late gestation reduced cow body weight gain but did not alter calf birth weight compared to NOV. Milk production and calf ADG during the first 30 day of lactation were lower for E+ than NOV. The calving rate was reduced, but not calving interval for E+ cows. The adjusted 205-day weight of calves was lower in those grazing E+ with their dams compared to NOV. There were no interactions between DRD2 genotype and fescue endophyte type indicating that genotype was not associated with response to E+ fescue in this study. Overall, grazing NOV tall fescue pastures rather than E+ during critical stages of production improved cow gain during late gestation, calving rate, early milk production and calf growth.
Identification of Decrease in TRiC Proteins as Novel Targets of Alpha-Amanitin-Derived Hepatotoxicity by Comparative Proteomic Analysis In Vitro
Authors: Kim Doeun , Kim Sunjoo , Na Ann-Yae , Sohn Chang Hwan , Lee Sangkyu , Lee Hye Suk
Published: March 2021

Alpha-amanitin (α-AMA) is a cyclic peptide and one of the most lethal mushroom amatoxins found in Amanita phalloides. α-AMA is known to cause hepatotoxicity through RNA polymerase II inhibition, which acts in RNA and DNA translocation. To investigate the toxic signature of α-AMA beyond known mechanisms, we used quantitative nanoflow liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry analysis coupled with tandem mass tag labeling to examine proteome dynamics in Huh-7 human hepatoma cells treated with toxic concentrations of α-AMA. Among the 1828 proteins identified, we quantified 1563 proteins, which revealed that four subunits in the T-complex protein 1-ring complex protein decreased depending on the α-AMA concentration. We conducted bioinformatics analyses of the quantified proteins to characterize the toxic signature of α-AMA in hepatoma cells. This is the first report of global changes in proteome abundance with variations in α-AMA concentration, and our findings suggest a novel molecular regulation mechanism for hepatotoxicity.
What Is Matter According to Particle Physics, and Why Try to Observe Its Creation in a Lab?
Authors: Vissani Francesco
Published: March 2021

The standard model of elementary interactions has long qualified as a theory of matter, in which the postulated conservation laws (one baryonic and three leptonic) acquire theoretical meaning. However, recent observations of lepton number violations—neutrino oscillations—demonstrate its incompleteness. We discuss why these considerations suggest the correctness of Ettore Majorana’s ideas on the nature of neutrino mass and add further interest to the search for an ultra-rare nuclear process in which two particles of matter (electrons) are created, commonly called neutrinoless double beta decay. The approach of the discussion is mainly historical, and its character is introductory. Some technical considerations, which highlight the usefulness of Majorana’s representation of gamma matrices, are presented in the appendix.
World-Wide Prevalence and Genotype Distribution of Enteroviruses
Authors: Brouwer Lieke , Moreni Giulia , Wolthers Katja C. , Pajkrt Dasja
Published: March 2021

Enteroviruses (EVs) are highly prevalent viruses world-wide, causing a wide range of diseases in both children and adults. Insight in the global prevalence of EVs is important to define their clinical significance and total disease burden, and assists in making therapeutic decisions. While many studies have been conducted to describe epidemiology of EVs in specific (sub)populations and patient cohorts, little effort has been made to aggregate the available evidence. In the current study, we conducted a search in the PubMed and Embase (Ovid) databases to identify articles reporting EV prevalence and type distribution. We summarized the findings of 153 included studies. We found that EVs are highly prevalent viruses in all continents. Enterovirus B was the most detected species worldwide, while the other species showed continent-specific differences, with Enterovirus C more detected in Africa and Enterovirus A more detected in Asia. Echovirus 30 was by far the most detected type, especially in studies conducted in Europe. EV types in species Enterovirus B—including echovirus 30—were often detected in patient groups with neurological infections and in cerebrospinal fluid, while Enterovirus C types were often found in stool samples.
Recent Progress in Torovirus Molecular Biology
Authors: Ujike Makoto , Taguchi Fumihiro
Published: March 2021

Torovirus (ToV) has recently been classified into the new family Tobaniviridae, although it belonged to the Coronavirus (CoV) family historically. ToVs are associated with enteric diseases in animals and humans. In contrast to CoVs, which are recognised as pathogens of veterinary and medical importance, little attention has been paid to ToVs because their infections are usually asymptomatic or not severe; for a long time, only one equine ToV could be propagated in cultured cells. However, bovine ToVs, which predominantly cause diarrhoea in calves, have been detected worldwide, leading to economic losses. Porcine ToVs have also spread globally; although they have not caused serious economic losses, coinfections with other pathogens can exacerbate their symptoms. In addition, frequent inter- or intra-recombination among ToVs can increase pathogenesis or unpredicted host adaptation. These findings have highlighted the importance of ToVs as pathogens and the need for basic ToV research. Here, we review recent progress in the study of ToV molecular biology including reverse genetics, focusing on the similarities and differences between ToVs and CoVs.
Experimental Inoculation of Young Calves with SARS-CoV-2
Authors: Falkenberg Shollie , Buckley Alexandra , Laverack Melissa , Martins Mathias , Palmer Mitchell V. , Lager Kelly , Diel Diego G.
Published: March 2021

The host range of SARS-CoV-2 and the susceptibility of animal species to the virus are topics of great interest to the international scientific community. The angiotensin I converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) protein is the major receptor for the virus, and sequence and structural analysis of the protein has been performed to determine its cross-species conservation. Based on these analyses, cattle have been implicated as a potential susceptible species to SARS-CoV-2 and have been reported to have increased ACE2 receptor distribution in the liver and kidney, and lower levels in the lungs. The goal of the current study was to determine the susceptibility of cattle to SARS-CoV-2 utilizing inoculation routes that facilitated exposure to tissues with increased ACE2 receptor distribution. For this, colostrum-deprived calves approximately 6 weeks of age were inoculated via the intratracheal or intravenous routes. Nasal and rectal swab samples, as well as blood and urine samples, were collected over the course of the study to evaluate viral shedding, viremia, and seroconversion. Pyrexia was used as the primary criteria for euthanasia and tissue samples were collected during necropsy. Importantly, SARS-CoV-2 RNA was detected in only two nasal swab samples collected on days 3 and 10 post-inoculation (pi) in two calves; one calf in the intratracheal group and the other calf in the intravenous group, respectively. Additionally, the calf in the intratracheal group that was positive on the nasal swab on day 3 pi also had a positive tracheobronchial lymph node on day 9 pi. Viral nucleic acid load on these samples, based on PCR cycle threshold values, were low and infectious virus was not recovered from the samples. These results suggest that there was no productive replication of SARS-CoV-2 in calves following intratracheal and intravenous inoculation.
Trends in Changes of Automatic Milking System Biomarkers and Their Relations with Blood Biochemical Parameters in Fresh Dairy Cows
Authors: Malašauskienė Dovilė , Antanaitis Ramūnas , Juozaitiene Vida , Televičius Mindaugas , Urbutis Mingaudas , Rutkauskas Arūnas , Šimkutė Agnė , Palubinskas Giedrius
Published: March 2021

The aim or this study was to determine the relationship between non-esterified fatty acids and biomarkers from an automatic milking system (AMS). Fresh dairy cows (n = 102) were selected and milked in Lely Astronaut® A3 milking robots. The rumination time (RT), body weight (BW), milk content and composition parameters, milk fat/protein ratio (F/P), and milk electrical conductivity were registered by the same milking robots. For examining non-esterified fatty acids (NEFAs), blood samples were acquired from cows in the dry period. According to the NEFA concentrations, all cows were divided into two groups: Group I, with <0.300 mEq/L (n = 66), and Group II, with ≥0.300 mEq/L (n = 36). Albumin (ALB), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT), and cortisol concentrations were also analyzed once a week up to 30 days in milking. The study revealed that the cows in Group I had higher concentrations of ALB, cortisol, and GGT, but the average concentration of AST was lower. In Group 1, the milk F/P was higher, but the milk yield was lower. We hypothesize that biomarkers from AMS could help in the early diagnosis of metabolic diseases after calving or to control negative energy balance before calving.
Finding Nano: Challenges Involved in Monitoring the Presence and Fate of Engineered Titanium Dioxide Nanoparticles in Aquatic Environments
Authors: Heilgeist Simone , Sekine Ryo , Sahin Oz , Stewart Rodney A.
Published: March 2021

In recent years, titanium dioxide (TiO2) has increasingly been used as an inorganic ultraviolet (UV) filter for sun protection. However, nano-TiO2 may also pose risks to the health of humans and the environment. Thus, to adequately assess its potential adverse effects, a comprehensive understanding of the behaviour and fate of TiO2 in different environments is crucial. Advances in analytical and modelling methods continue to improve researchers’ ability to quantify and determine the state of nano-TiO2 in various environments. However, due to the complexity of environmental and nanoparticle factors and their interplay, this remains a challenging and poorly resolved feat. This paper aims to provide a focused summary of key particle and environmental characteristics that influence the behaviour and fate of sunscreen-derived TiO2 in swimming pool water and natural aquatic environments and to review the current state-of-the-art of single particle inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (SP-ICP-MS) approaches to detect and characterise TiO2 nanoparticles in aqueous media. Furthermore, it critically analyses the capability of existing fate and transport models to predict environmental TiO2 levels. Four particle and environmental key factors that govern the fate and behaviour of TiO2 in aqueous environments are identified. A comparison of SP-ICP-MS studies reveals that it remains challenging to detect and characterise engineered TiO2 nanoparticles in various matrices and highlights the need for the development of new SP-ICP-MS pre-treatment and analysis approaches. This review shows that modelling studies are an essential addition to experimental studies, but they still lack in spatial and temporal resolution and mostly exclude surface transformation processes. Finally, this study identifies the use of Bayesian Network-based models as an underexplored but promising modelling tool to overcome data uncertainties and incorporates interconnected variables.
Setting the Phosphorus Boundaries for Greek Natural Shallow and Deep Lakes for Water Framework Directive Compliance
Authors: Kagalou Ifigenia , Ntislidou Chrysoula , Latinopoulos Dionissis , Kemitzoglou Dimitra , Tsiaoussi Vasiliki , Bobori Dimitra C.
Published: March 2021

Eutrophication caused by nutrient enrichment is a predominant stressor leading to lake degradation and, thus, the set-up of boundaries that support good ecological status, the Water Framework Directive’s main target, is a necessity. Greece is one of the Member States that have recorded delays in complying with the coherent management goals of European legislation. A wide range of different statistical approaches has been proposed in the Best Practice Guide for determining appropriate nutrient thresholds. To determine the nutrient thresholds supporting the good status of natural Greek lakes, the phytoplankton dataset gathered from the national monitoring programme (2015–2020) was used for shallow and deep natural lakes. The regression analyses were sufficient and robust in order to derive total phosphorus thresholds that ranged from 20 to 41 μg/L in shallow and 15–32 μg/L in deep natural lake types. Nutrient boundaries that encompass the stressors these lakes are subject to, are essential in proper lake management design.
Quaternary Evolution of the Lower Calore and Middle Volturno Valleys (Southern Italy)
Authors: Filocamo Francesca , Leone Natalia , Rosskopf Carmen , Scorpio Vittoria , Giralt Santiago , Aucelli Pietro
Published: March 2021

The lower Calore and middle Volturno valleys preserve stratigraphical and morphological evidence and tephrostratigraphic markers particularly suitable for reconstructing the long-term geomorphological evolution of the central-southern Apennines. Aim of our study is to identify the main steps of the Quaternary landscape evolution of these valley systems and to improve knowledge about the relationships between fluvial processes and tectonics, volcanic activity, climatic and human influences. To this purpose, we carried out an integrated geomorphological and chrono-stratigraphical analysis of identified fluvial landforms and related deposits, integrated by 230Th/234U datings on travertines from the Telese Plain area. The study highlighted in particular: (1) fluvial sedimentation started in the Middle Pleistocene (~650 ka) within valleys that originated in the lower Pleistocene under the control of high-angle faults; (2) extensional tectonics acted during the Middle and Upper Pleistocene, driving the formation of the oldest fluvial terraces and alluvial fans, and persisted beyond the emplacement of the Campanian Ignimbrite pyroclastic deposits (~39 ka); and (3) from the late Upper Pleistocene onwards (<15 ka), the role of tectonics appears negligible, while climatic changes played a key role in the formation of three orders of valley floor terraces and the youngest alluvial fans.
Family law and property law questions in connection with the state of emergency, declared in Bulgaria (13 th March 2020 – 13 th May 2020)
Authors: Petkova Tsvetalina
Published: March 2021

The article analyzes some family law and property law questions, arising in connection with the declared state of emergency from 13.3.2020 to 13.5.2020 on the territory of the Republic of Bulgaria due to the epidemic of COVID-19. Answers are given to the following questions: can the court consider a divorce claim or an application for divorce by mutual consent during the state of emergency; whether it is possible to attain judicial protection in cases of domestic violence in the state of emergency and under what conditions; as well as whether the acquisitive prescription is suspended during that period of time.
Pênfigo vulgar e conceitos atuais para a prática odontológica: relato de caso
Authors: Carvalho Bárbara Rodrigues , Queiroz Ana Flávia Santos , Martins Érika Ferreira , Dias Maria Clara da Paz , Brazão Silva Marco Tullio
Published: March 2021

Introdução: O pênfigo vulgar (PV) é uma doença autoimune caracterizada pela formação de bolhas em mucosas e/ou pele que estouram facilmente, gerando lesões irregulares. O prognóstico depende de um tratamento precoce, reduzindo riscos de infecção secundária e/ou agravamento da doença que pode levar ao óbito. Objetivo: Relatar um caso clínico e sua condução com discussão pautada nos aspectos atuais da literatura sobre a doença com relação à abordagem odontológica.  Relato de Caso: Paciente do sexo feminino, 24 anos, leucoderma, com queixa de dor e descamação gengival que não regrediu após 1 ano de terapias focadas em controle de biofilme e hábitos de higiene bucal.  Ao exame extrabucal não foram observadas lesões. Ao exame intrabucal observou-se a ocorrência de eritema em gengiva marginal e papilar por vestibular com pequenos pontos de ulceração rasa e dolorosa. O teste de Nikolsky realizado com o auxílio de uma seringa resultou em positivo. Realizou-se na sequência uma biópsia incisional na região próxima a este local. A histopatologia mostrou lesão de mucosa por acantólise, com formação de fenda intraepitelial e células de Tzank, culminando no diagnóstico de PV. O tratamento consistiu em corticosteroides tópicos, principalmente às custas de Clobetasol em terapia oclusiva, mostrando adequado controle de úlceras e dor. Conclusão: Quadros de gengivite não associadas ao biofilme representam desafio na rotina do cirurgião-dentista, e o PV deve ser parte do rol de hipóteses para o desenvolvimento de uma propedêutica adequada, proporcionando qualidade de vida e diagnóstico precoce.