bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Exploring the Food (In)Security Status of Suburban Households and Its Determinants during COVID-19
Authors: Lujabe Busisiwe , Pretorius Blanche , Goliath Veonna , Sibanda Wilbert
Published: March 2022

Household food insecurity in South African suburban low-income households is a major challenge. Research outcomes that will inform decisions on effective solutions towards reducing household food insecurity in South Africa are essential. The purpose of this study was firstly to determine the food security status of households and the skills of household members in Ward 60 of the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality in the Eastern Cape Province in South Africa. Secondly, it was also to determine the association between the socioeconomic and demographic variables of the households and their level of food (in-)security. The study employed a mixed method of both qualitative and quantitative methodologies, comprising a qualitative Community-Based Participatory Action Research (CBPAR) methodology and a quantitative household food security survey methodology. A household food security survey was employed using a questionnaire that was based on the Household Food Insecurity Access Scale (HFIAS). The questionnaire was used to collect data from 170 randomly selected households. The data analysis used the HFIAS score and logistic regression analysis. The results show 6.1% of households as food secure, 3.05% as mildly food insecure, 13.4% as moderately food insecure, and 77.4% as severely food insecure. The results also show that a significant unemployment rate, a reliance on social grants, and absence of income seriously impact the extent of household food insecurity. The results show a significant association between the household food security and the variables of unemployment, income, and gender. The regression analysis results suggest that gender, household size, age, employment, and household income influence household food security. The results of the household skills show that the households had a variety of skills. These results can help to inform decisions by the government, local municipalities, NGOs, and other stakeholders towards designing effective solutions for enhancing household food security.
Blockchain-Enabled Vehicular Ad Hoc Networks: A Systematic Literature Review
Authors: Saad Muhammad , Khan Muhammad Khalid , Ahmad Maaz Bin
Published: March 2022

This systematic literature review provides an extensive categorization of the blockchain-enabled applications across the domain of vehicular ad hoc networks (VANETs). Within the paradigm of distributed ledger technology (DLT), the communication models and practices for VANETs have been revolutionized. An analytical review and a survey were conducted to explore the advancements of blockchain and VANETs. The techniques, limitations, and advantages of blockchain deployment in VANETs are discussed for the effective implementation of a decentralized network. To this end, 68 studies were selected on the basis of the procedural steps to provide a comprehensive overview of blockchain and the smart contracts in VANETs. In particular, a decentralized communication model is also proposed for the advanced implementation of blockchain in VANETs. Researchers and practitioners are being attracted to these technologies for applications for various industrial sectors. Therefore, this study also emphasizes the identification of any blockchain-related open issues for future prospects. The comprehension of blockchain applications for the Internet of Vehicles (IoV) is also explored in order to fill the research gap on advanced communication networks across the Internet of Things.
Improving Efficiency and Effectiveness of Robotic Process Automation in Human Resource Management
Authors: Mohamed Syaiful Anwar , Mahmoud Moamin A. , Mahdi Mohammed Najah , Mostafa Salama A.
Published: March 2022

Automation technology is changing and transforming innovation into the industrial landscape and Human Resources (HR) should ensure to adapt and practice its deployment to realise its benefits in time and for cost savings. The implementation of Robotic Process Automation (RPA) in HR can help to offer better service to ensure compliance of the processes with standards and regulations. RPA is a software technology that manages software robots to emulate human actions when interacting with digital platforms. RPA is a solution that could perform repetitions to take over activities carried out by humans. However, a robot is not thought to be able to replace the HR but is, instead, useful to support driven processes. The purpose of the study is to prove the efficiency and effectiveness of RPA in the Human Resource Management System (HRMS) compared to the manual process performed by a human. Different types of components and characteristics were identified to adopt RPA in HRMS based on the data measurement in the implementation process. This study designs and develops an HRMS model using RPA tools to achieve the target process. The model was developed based on a case study of an existing model of RPA in HRMS from an IT consultancy industry. In the HR process, the project uses an application focusing on the parameters of gathering, storing and accessing employees’ information from other modules. Lastly, the gaps in the HRMS to improve productivity are evaluated and explained.
Sustainable AI and Intergenerational Justice
Authors: Halsband Aurélie
Published: March 2022

Recently, attention has been drawn to the sustainability of artificial intelligence (AI) in terms of environmental costs. However, sustainability is not tantamount to the reduction of environmental costs. By shifting the focus to intergenerational justice as one of the constitutive normative pillars of sustainability, the paper identifies a reductionist view on the sustainability of AI and constructively contributes a conceptual extension. It further develops a framework that establishes normative issues of intergenerational justice raised by the uses of AI. The framework reveals how using AI for decision support to policies with long-term impacts can negatively affect future persons. In particular, the analysis demonstrates that uses of AI for decision support to policies of environmental protection or climate mitigation include assumptions about social discounting and future persons’ preferences. These assumptions are highly controversial and have a significant influence on the weight assigned to the potentially detrimental impacts of a policy on future persons. Furthermore, these underlying assumptions are seldom transparent within AI. Subsequently, the analysis provides a list of assessment questions that constitutes a guideline for the revision of AI techniques in this regard. In so doing, insights about how AI can be made more sustainable become apparent.
Potential Routes to the Sustainability of the Food Packaging Industry
Authors: Tucki Karol , Orynycz Olga , Wasiak Andrzej , Gola Arkadiusz , Mieszkalski Leszek
Published: March 2022

Plastic packaging of food products has a significant impact on the sustainability of the food industry and trade. The article presents selected problems surrounding the production of plastic packaging for food storage and distribution that might cause disruptions in the implementation of sustainable production. An important question regards the extent to which the industry that produces this packaging complies with the sustainability requirements. The present work consists in an investigation of the problems observed in a plastic packaging manufacturing company located in Poland, which is part of a global corporation. Plastic waste management was analyzed and compared with the requirements of a closed loop economy. The quantities of raw material processed and the quantities of waste in the defined period were analyzed. During the analyzed period, 0.05% of the monthly production was non-recyclable waste. The quality of raw material seems to be responsible for the majority of wastes. Therefore, the important role of SAP (Systems Applications and Products) in the use of lower quality batches of raw material is indicated. On the other hand, a possibility of converting the wastes into liquid or gaseous fuels is suggested. In addition, the paper investigates the efficiency of machine use in a film bag production line in a three-shift system. Process losses were analyzed and reliability indicators such as overall equipment efficiency (OEE) and its components, mean time between failures (MTBF), and mean failure repair time (MTTR) were determined. The monthly OEE values for each change individually exceeded 80%.
Optimizing the Method of Rosemary Essential Oils Extraction by Using Response Surface Methodology (RSM)-Characterization and Toxicological Assessment
Authors: Yeddes Walid , Ouerghemmi Ines , Hammami Majdi , Gadhoumi Hamza , Affes Taycir Grati , Nait Mohamed Salma , Aidi-Wannes Wissem , Witrowa-Rajchert Dorota , Saidani-Tounsi Moufida , Nowacka Małgorzata
Published: March 2022

Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis L.) is a plant with needle-shaped leaves. It is mainly found in Mediterranean regions (Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia). Rosemary essential oil (EO) has several therapeutic virtues that were widely studied. However, the use of this EO is restricted due to its sensitivity to oxidation. Nanoencapsulation based on EO and polymers has been developed as one of the promising techniques to overcome this limitation. In this study, the emphasis was on optimizing the extraction and formulation of a food additive based on rosemary EO. In fact, the results showed that rosemary EO extraction depended on the parameters of the extraction process, and the optimum heating temperature and extraction time were determined using an experimental design methodology. The parameters for extraction were chosen as follows: heating temperature of 250 °C and a hydrodistillation time of 180 min. This optimization revealed that the maximum oil yield can be obtained. Rosemary EO was characterized by a dominance of 1,8-cineole, camphor, α-pinene, borneol and camphene as well as by high antioxidant and antibacterial capacities with low acute toxicity. The obtained formulation of a stable rosemary EO powder can be used as a food additive in several industrial applications.
Alternative Uses of Water Hyacinth (Pontederia crassipes) from a Sustainable Perspective: A Systematic Literature Review
Authors: Sierra-Carmona Celia Gabriela , Hernández-Orduña María Graciela , Murrieta-Galindo Rene
Published: March 2022

Water hyacinth (Pontederia crassipes) is a floating hydrophyte plant considered one of the 100 most harmful invasive alien species in the world. Its main uses have been developed along three lines: (1) control, (2) eradication, and (3) wastewater bioremediation. The objective of this work was to conduct a systematic literature review (SLR) focused on the documented uses of Pontederia crassipes, and to determine if there is evidence of its use as a raw material (plant biomass) for the generation of biodegradable products. This systematic literature review was conducted in six international databases, considering three inclusion criteria and three exclusion criteria. The available information about Pontederia crassipes showed a small percentage of studies aimed at the use of its biomass as a raw material for the creation of various biodegradable products, such as cardboard, paper, packaging and some other products, since this species is adaptable and prolific in multiple regions of Mexico.
The Importance and Challenges of Sustainable Development for the Raw Materials Sector: The Views of Key Stakeholders in Three ESEE Countries
Authors: Tomazinakis Stavros , Valakas George , Gaki Anna , Damigos Dimitrios , Adam Katerina
Published: March 2022

The raw materials (RM) sector is linked to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and it impacts their implementation, in a positive or adverse manner, throughout the whole RM value chain (e.g., mining, processing, metallurgy, recycling, etc.). This study aims to identify and rank the SDGs that are classified as more significant for this sector, according to the views of key stakeholders, university students, academics, professionals, and industry representatives, in three East and South-East Europe (ESEE) countries: Greece, Poland, and Slovakia. Moreover, the expected challenges of the RM sector in the next ten years are presented and are based on the opinions of the industry representatives of the abovementioned countries. Within this framework, 423 participants provided their views in a survey with structured questionnaires. The results were analysed on the basis of the stakeholder groups and the countries that were examined. SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure), 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth), and 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy), were highly ranked by the stakeholders, which indicates a strong link between these SDGs and the RM sector. Digital transformation, recycling and material chain optimization for end-of-life products, and increased resource efficiency in mineral and metallurgical processes, were reported as the most important challenges that are expected to be faced by the RM industry in the next decade.
Restoring Mexican Tropical Dry Forests: A National Review
Authors: Mesa-Sierra Natalia , de la Peña-Domene Marinés , Campo Julio , Giardina Christian P.
Published: March 2022

Deforestation is the dominant threat to tropical dry forests (TDFs) in Mexico. Its causes include agriculture, tourism, and mining. In some cases, unassisted forest regeneration is sufficient to return diverse forest cover to a site, but in other cases, changes in land use are so severe that active restoration is required to reintroduce tree cover. The ecological and social constraints on TDF restoration in Mexico are poorly understood. To address this knowledge gap, we synthesized relevant restoration literature for Mexico published between January 1990 and February 2020. We examined 43 unique articles about TDF restoration practices in Mexico to identify (1) the national distribution of TDF restoration projects, (2) restoration objectives, and (3) factors contributing to TDF restoration success or failure. The largest number of restoration sites were in the Yucatan Peninsula, and the most common objective was to restore dry forest vegetation on lands that had been used for agriculture or impacted by fires. Planting seedlings was the most widely reported restoration strategy, and plant survival was the most frequently monitored response variable. Maximum annual temperature and the Lang Aridity Index were the best predictors of plant survival, which ranged from 15% to 78%. This synthesis highlights how national restoration inventories can facilitate the development of a restoration evaluation framework to increase the efficacy of restoration investments.
Comprehensive Evaluation of Soil Substrate Improvement Based on the Minimum Data Set Method
Authors: Tang Dong , Yang Jianjun , Cheng Ping
Published: March 2022

Long-term transitional grazing on the northern slopes of the Tianshan Mountains in Xinjiang has led to severe vegetation degradation, loss of self-renewal capacity and regional ecological degradation in the region. This study was conducted to improve the soil quality and vegetation restoration efficiency in the foreland zone of the northern slope of the Tianshan Mountains (Xiangyataizi slope) using xanthic acid, bentonite, a green plant growth regulator (GGR) and high amounts of mulch as improvement materials, and eight sets of experiments were conducted. Fifteen physical and chemical indicators were selected as the total data set (TDS), and the minimum data set (MDS) was constructed using principal component analysis (PCA) combined with norm values to evaluate the soils in the study area by nonlinear (NL) and linear (L) evaluation methods. The results showed that the soil quality evaluation indexes of the MDS included effective phosphorus, organic matter, percentage of powder, total potassium and total salt for the Xiangyataizi slope of the Tianshan Mountains. The SQI was (p < 0.05). The Ⅵ treatment significantly improved soil quality; that is, plastic mulch applied to soil with 250 g of fulvic acid, 1000 g of bentonite and 15 g of GGR (mixed with 100 kg of water) was the best treatment. Additionally, since the nonlinear soil quality evaluation method (SQI-NL) had a smaller variation interval and coefficient of variation of the soil quality index compared with linear soil quality evaluation method (SQI-L), the coefficient of determination between the MDS and TDS was 0.873 and 0.811 under the SQI-NL and SQI-L evaluation methods, respectively. The nonlinear soil quality evaluation method had better applicability in this region, and the minimum data set was more accurate for soil quality evaluation.
Current Density Limit of DC Grounding Facilities Considering Impact on Zebrafish (Brachydanio rerio)
Authors: Lu Hailiang , Chen Jiahao , Li Guanhua , Xu Kai , Tan Bo , Tong Xuefang , Teng Yun , Li Chun , Lan Lei , Wen Xishan
Published: March 2022

Grounding facilities, including high-voltage DC grounding electrodes and auxiliary anodes in impressed current cathodic protection systems, inject current into the ground. This study developed an experimental platform to determine the safe limit of current density for such facilities through an analysis of fish behavior on the platform. Zebrafish (Brachydanio rerio) were selected for the experiment and placed in a tank; two rod electrodes were used to inject direct current into the water. A wireless camera was focused on the water tank to video record possible changes in fish behavior. The output voltage of the DC power source was varied, and the trajectories of the fish under various direct current fields were recorded. A tracking program was developed to analyze the trajectories and quantify the behavior of the fish. A new method combining the trajectories of fish samples with the results of current density calculations for analysis was proposed. Results demonstrated that the zebrafish could sense current in the water and turn when exposed to certain current densities. The intensity of the current at the turning points was statistically analyzed, and the threshold of current density at which the fish could no longer tolerate the current and turned was 0.4231 A/m2.
Advanced Authentication Scheme with Bio-Key Using Artificial Neural Network
Authors: Rehman Zia ur , Altaf Saud , Ahmad Shafiq , Alqahtani Mejdal , Huda Shamsul , Iqbal Sofia
Published: March 2022

The improvements in the field of health monitoring have revolutionized our daily lifestyle by developing various applications that did not exist before. However, these applications have serious security concerns; they also can be taken good care of by utilizing the Electrocardiogram (ECG) as potential biometrics. The ECG provides robustness against forgery attacks unlike conventional methods of authentication. Therefore, it has attained the utmost attention and is utilized in several authentication solutions. In this paper, we have presented an efficient architecture for an advanced authentication scheme that utilized a binarized form (bio-key) of ECG signal along with an Artificial Neural Network (ANN) to enhance the authentication process. In order to prove the concept, we have developed the testbed and acquired ECG signals using the AD8232 ECG recording module under a controlled environment. The variable-length bio-keys are extracted using an algorithm after the feature extraction process. The extracted features along with bio-keys are utilized for template formation and also for training/testing of the ANN model to enhance the accuracy of the authentication process. The performance of authentication results depicted high authentication accuracy of 98% and minimized the equal error rate (EER) to 2%. Moreover, our scheme outperformed comparative peers’ work in terms of accuracy and EER.
Shedding Light into the Need of Knowledge Sharing in H2020 Thematic Networks for the Agriculture and Forestry Innovation
Authors: Feo Elena , Burssens Sylvia , Mareen Hannes , Spanoghe Pieter
Published: March 2022

Providing ready-for-practice materials in an easily accessible and user-friendly way is one of the challenges of Horizon 2020 Thematic Networks (TNs) to promote agriculture and forestry innovation. Those materials are the result of the co-creation and knowledge exchange among TN actors. Using a survey, we investigated the most efficient communication and dissemination (C&D) channels, types and formats of TN-produced data, as well as the involvement of TN actors. Additionally, we propose to collect TN outputs in a single digital platform, such that they are more Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable (FAIR), ensuring the TN’s impact. An open and interactive platform may allow us to overcome challenging issues such as language barriers, limited Internet access and differing cultural backgrounds. The results obtained from the survey suggest which content should be stored in such a digital knowledge reservoir for agriculture and forestry. For example, newsletters and visual materials are often preferred by farmers and foresters. Additionally, face-to-face interaction is confirmed to be the most preferred way of retrieving information, especially by researchers and farmers/foresters. Future work will further investigate the variations in needs of different user profiles. As such, the proposed platform can stimulate knowledge exchange among all TN actors.
The COVID-19 Pandemic and Nature-Based Tourism, Scenario Planning Approach (Case Study of Nature-Based Tourism in Iran)
Authors: Komasi Hossein , Hashemkhani Zolfani Sarfaraz , Cavallaro Fausto
Published: March 2022

The development of nature-based tourism is one of the most critical sectors of tourism, which is influenced by various economic, socio-cultural, and environmental factors. The COVID-19 pandemic has influenced all sectors of tourism, including nature-based tourism. The purpose of this article is to identify the key drivers affecting the development of nature-based tourism and analyze future scenarios of nature-based tourism in Iran based on the uncertainties caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Micmac and ScenarioWizard software programs were used to analyze the research findings. Many factors affect the development of nature-based tourism in Iran, which fall into two human and natural factors groups. Five factors are the key drivers influencing the development of nature-based tourism in Iran: national, regional and globaly safety (F2); economic stability (F8); private sector participation (F9), human crises such as diseases, wars, etc. (F16); national and international advertising (national and international (F17); and travel costs (F19). According to the future of the COVID-19 pandemic, the research results show that a total of 10 scenarios for the future of nature-based tourism in Iran are conceivable, which are presented in three groups.
Geoinformatic Analysis of Rainfall-Triggered Landslides in Crete (Greece) Based on Spatial Detection and Hazard Mapping
Authors: Argyriou Athanasios V. , Polykretis Christos , Teeuw Richard M. , Papadopoulos Nikos
Published: March 2022

Among several natural and anthropogenic conditioning factors that control slope instability, heavy rainfall is a key factor in terms of triggering landslide events. In the Mediterranean region, Crete suffers the frequent occurrence of heavy rainstorms that act as a triggering mechanism for landslides. The Mediterranean island of Crete suffers from frequent occurrences of heavy rainstorms, which often trigger landslides. Therefore, the spatial and temporal study of recent storm/landslide events and the projection of potential future events is crucial for long-term sustainable land use in Crete and Mediterranean landscapes with similar geomorphological settings, especially with climate change likely to produce bigger and more frequent storms in this region. Geoinformatic technologies, mainly represented by remote sensing (RS) and Geographic Information Systems (GIS), can be valuable tools towards the analysis of such events. Considering an administrative unit of Crete (municipality of Rethymnon) for investigation, the present study focused on using RS and GIS-based approaches to: (i) detect landslides triggered by heavy rainstorms during February 2019; (ii) determine the interaction between the triggering factor of rainfall and other conditioning factors; and (iii) estimate the spatial component of a hazard map by spatially indicating the possibility for rainfall-triggered landslides when similar rainstorms take place in the future. Both landslide detection and hazard mapping outputs were validated by field surveys and empirical analysis, respectively. Based on the validation results, geoinformatic technologies can provide an ideal methodological framework for the acquisition of landslide-related knowledge, being particularly beneficial to land-use planning and decision making, as well as the organization of emergency actions by local authorities.
Elucidating the Drought Responsiveness in Wheat Genotypes
Authors: Pandey Ankita , Khobra Rinki , Mamrutha Harohalli Masthigowda , Wadhwa Zeenat , Krishnappa Gopalareddy , Singh Gyanendra , Singh Gyanendra Pratap
Published: March 2022

Drought is one of the major abiotic constraints on wheat yields and also for sustainability of production levels around the world. In the near future, the occurrence likelihood of droughts is predicted to become more common, due to changing climatic conditions, thereby posing a serious threat to the food security system. Heterogeneity, in its time of occurrence and severity levels, is likely to further augment the complexity of drought conditions. Although wheat crop growth has progressively risen to good levels, as evident by notable increases in both area and production, the expected wheat demand for the ever-growing population is quite high. Besides crop yield volatility in the era of climate change and dwindling resources, “trait-based” breeding programs are required, so as to develop high yielding, climate resilient and stable genotypes, at a faster pace. For this to happen, a broad genetic base and wider adaptability to suit varied agro-ecologies would provide enough scope for their quicker spread. The current review places emphasis on making distinct categories of the wheat cultivars/advanced breeding lines, as tolerant, moderately tolerant or susceptible to drought stresses, duly supported by an extensive up-to-date literature base and will be useful for wheat researchers, in order to choose the best potential donors as parents, coupled with the associated traits for the development of drought-tolerant wheat varieties, and also to facilitate molecular studies.
Responding to Visitor Density Pre and Post COVID-19 Outbreak: The Impact of Personality Type on Perceived Crowdedness, Feeling of Being Comfortable, and Anticipated Experience
Authors: Dogru-Dastan Humeyra , Stepchenkova Svetlana , Kirilenko Andrei P.
Published: March 2022

The study set out to determine whether tourists’ response to human density at destinations changed after the COVID-19 outbreak and, thus, gain insight into whether tourist flows will be sustained in the post-COVID-19 environment. An experimental design with the photo-elicitation technique embedded into an online survey was employed. The two-phase data collection allowed an examination of respondents’ reactions to the same experimental stimuli (images depicting different levels of density) before and after the outbreak. The effect of COVID-19 on the relationship between density and the outcome variables of perceptions of crowdedness, the feeling of being comfortable, and the anticipated experience was small and registered at the medium density level only. The effects of personality profiles on those relationships depend on the tourist density level. The personality profile also moderates the effect of COVID-19 on study variables, mostly at the medium-density level. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.
New Year’s Eve Show: An Opportunity to Further Develop Sustainable Local Tourism in Chile
Authors: Acevedo-Duque Ángel , Prado-Sabido Tohtli , Gomes Ramires Tatiana , Ovalles-Toledo Luiz Vicente , Sandoval Barraza Lidyeth Azucena , Álvarez-Becerra Rina , Llanos-Herrera Gonzalo R.
Published: March 2022

Although the pandemic is still with us and COVID-19 continues to saturate the news, everyone has abundant reasons to travel, whether it be physical and mental exhaustion from prolonged shutdowns, vaccine tourism, family reunions, long-awaited vacations, summer in the southern hemisphere, school break or year-end holidays. The main purpose of this research was to examine and understand the main motivations that lead consumers to attend national events as part of their local tourism activities. Through interviews, we have therefore collected the complementary experiences of specialists who work day-in-day-out to encourage local, quality and sustainable tourism. Using a naturalistic qualitative methodology, our hermeneutic analysis is structured in five phases and based on data—of a social nature—from public and private institutions which believe in endurable tourism. In order to validate these results and for them to be considered by other institutions and other countries when modifying and proposing activities to maintain sustainable tourism, the interviewees had to be representatives of public and private institutions and national tourists who have worked and attended the celebrations of the end of the year 2021 in this region of Chile. Our main conclusions from the analyzed units show that these types of local events enhance local tourism and lead to sustainable political, economic, social, and ecological activities.
Wind Turbines Fault Classification Treatment Method
Authors: Ren Liying , Yong Bin
Published: March 2022

With the aim of solving the problems arising from the low efficiency and low accuracy of fault classification of wind power towers and turbine equipment (referred to as wind power systems for short) using artificial data analysis, this paper takes the operational data for wind power systems as the research object and proposes an improved K-means weighted dynamic clustering fault classification algorithm (DT clustering). First, historical and asymmetrical operational data from wind power systems were pre-processed to construct the data time series matrix and establish the fault classification model; second, the linear approximate constrained optimization algorithm and multiple regression algorithm were combined to build the model parameter optimization model. Finally, the comparative analysis of various algorithms showed the superiority of this algorithm, and the effectiveness of this model should be proved in practical applications.
Exploration of Temperature Distribution through a Longitudinal Rectangular Fin with Linear and Exponential Temperature-Dependent Thermal Conductivity Using DTM-Pade Approximant
Authors: Kumar Ravikumar , Kumar Rangaswamy , Sowmya Ganeshappa , Prasannakumara Ballajja , Sarris Ioannis
Published: March 2022

The present study elaborates on the thermal distribution and efficiency of a longitudinal rectangular fin with exponentially varying temperature-dependent thermal conductivity and heat transfer coefficient concerning internal heat generation. Also, the thermal distribution of a fin is comparatively studied for both exponentially varying temperature-dependent thermal conductivity and linearly varying temperature-dependent thermal conductivity. Further, the thermal distribution of a longitudinal fin is examined by using ANSYS software with different fin materials. Many physical mechanisms can be explained by ordinary differential equations (ODEs) with symmetrical behavior, the significance of which varies based on the perspective. The governing equation of the considered problem is reduced to a non-linear ODE with the assistance of dimensionless terms. The resultant equation is solved analytically using the DTM-Pade approximant and is also solved numerically using Runge-Kutta Fehlberg’s fourth-fifth (RKF-45) order method. The features of dimensionless parameters influencing the fin efficiency and temperature profile are discussed through graphical representation for exponentially and linearly varying temperature-dependent thermal conductivity. This study ensures that the temperature field enhances for the higher magnitude of thermal conductivity parameter, whereas it diminishes for diverse values of the thermo-geometric parameter. Also, greater values of heat generation and heat transfer parameters enhance the temperature profile. Highlight: Thermal distribution through a rectangular profiled straight fin is examined. Linear and non-linear thermal properties are considered. The combined impact of conduction, convection, and internal heat generation is taken for modeling the energy equation of the fin. Thermal simulation is performed for Aluminum Alloy 6061 (AA 6061) and Cast Iron using ANSYS.
Interactions between Artificial Channel Protein, Water Molecules, and Ions Based on Theoretical Approaches
Authors: Wojtkowiak Kamil , Jezierska Aneta , Panek Jarosław J.
Published: March 2022

Contemporary techniques of molecular modeling allow for rational design of several specific classes of artificial proteins. Transmembrane channels are among these classes. A recent successful synthesis of self-assembling, highly symmetrical 12- or 16-helix channels by David Baker’s group prompted us to study interactions between one of these proteins, TMHC6, and low-molecular-weight components of the environment: water molecules and ions. To examine protein stability in a polar environment, molecular dynamics (MD) with classical force fields of the AMBER family was employed. Further characteristics of the chosen interactions were obtained using interaction energy calculations with usage of partially polarizable GFN-FF force field of Spicher and Grimme, symmetry-adapted perturbation theory (SAPT) and atoms in molecules (AIM) approaches for models of residues from the channel entry, crucial for interactions with water molecules and ions. The comparison of the interaction energy values between the gas phase and solvent reaction field gives the quantitative estimation of the strength of the interactions. The energy decomposition via the SAPT method showed that the electrostatics forces play a dominant role in the substructure stabilization. An application of the AIM theory enabled a description of the intermolecular hydrogen bonds and other noncovalent interactions.
Impact of the Inoculation Method of Geotrichum candidum, Used as Biocontrol Agent, on T-2 Toxin Produced by Fusarium sporotrichioides and F. langsethiae during the Malting Process
Authors: Kawtharani Hiba , Beaufort Sandra , Anson Philippe , Taillandier Patricia , Mathieu Florence , Snini Selma Pascale
Published: March 2022

In malt production, steeping and germination steps offer favorable environmental conditions for fungal proliferation when barley is already contaminated by Fusarium species, T-2 toxin producers. However, the use of G. candidum as a biocontrol agent can prevent this proliferation. Indeed, in previous work, a correlation between phenyllactic acid (PLA) production by G. candidum and the reduction in Fusarium sporotrichioides and F. langsethiae growth and T-2 toxin concentration was demonstrated. In the present study, to improve the efficiency of G. candidum, the effects of the inoculum concentration and the inoculation method of G. candidum on PLA and T-2 toxin concentrations were evaluated. First, co-culture experiments with Fusarium species and G. candidum were conducted in a liquid synthetic medium. The results showed that inoculation of G. candidum in the freeze-dried form at 0.4 g/L allowed the production of PLA from the second day of incubation associated with a reduction in T-2 toxin concentration of 82% and 69% produced by F. sporotrichioides and F. langsethiae, respectively. Moreover, the activated form of G. candidum at 0.4 g/L enhanced PLA concentration leading to better T-2 toxin reduction. Second, experiments were conducted on artificially infected barley kernels with both Fusarium species under conditions mimicking the malting step. As for co-culture experiments, the use of the activated form of G. candidum was established as the best condition for T-2 toxin concentration reduction for a 3 day malting period.
Mycotoxins in Maize Silage from China in 2019
Authors: Zhang Dawei , Zhao Liansheng , Chen Yakun , Gao Heyang , Hua Yu , Yuan Xianjun , Yang Hailin
Published: March 2022

Animal feed (including forage and silage) can be contaminated with mycotoxins. Here, 200 maize silage samples from around China were collected in 2019 and analyzed for regulated mycotoxins, masked mycotoxins (deoxynivalenol, 3-acetyldeoxynivalenol, 15-acetyldeoxynivalenol, and deoxynivalenol-3-glucoside), and emerging mycotoxins (beauvericin, enniatins, moniliformin, and alternariol). Deoxynivalenol and zearalenone were detected in 99.5% and 79.5% of the samples, respectively. Other regulated mycotoxins were detected in fewer samples. The highest deoxynivalenol and zearalenone concentrations were 3600 and 830 μg/kg, respectively. The most commonly detected masked mycotoxin was 15-acetyldeoxynivalenol, which was detected in 68.5% of the samples and had median and maximum concentrations of 61.3 and 410 μg/kg, respectively. The emerging mycotoxins beauvericin, alternariol, enniatin A, enniatin B1, and moniliformin were detected in 99.5%, 85%, 80.5%, 72.5%, and 44.5%, respectively, of the samples but at low concentrations (medians <25 μg/kg). The samples tended to contain multiple mycotoxins, e.g., the correlation coefficients for the relationships between the concentrations of beauvericin and deoxynivalenol, deoxynivalenol and zearalenone, and zearalenone and beauvericin were 1.0, 0.995, and 0.995, respectively. The results indicated that there needs to be more awareness of the presence of one or more masked and emerging mycotoxins in maize silage in China.
Severe COVID-19 in Cardiopath Young Pregnant Patient without Vertical Transmission
Authors: França Ana Paula Figueiredo de Montalvão , Pereira Danielly do Vale , Rodrigues Elaine Valéria , Vieira Flávia Nunes , Machado Karine Santos , Nogueira Pedro Aleixo , Fonseca Ricardo Roberto de Souza , Machado Luiz Fernando Almeida
Published: March 2022

The new betacoronavirus, known as severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), is the cause of COVID-19, and has spread rapidly around the world, reaching more than 200 countries, around 364 million people and causing more than 5 million deaths according to the World Health Organization, so this paper reports a fatal case of SARS-CoV-2 infection in a young pregnant woman with heart disease, without vertical transmission. A 26 years old patient at 28th week of pregnancy with regular prenatal care, presented dry cough, high fever, and severe respiratory distress. Due to her clinical symptoms, she sought medical care at a cardiology hospital in Northern Brazil. The medical conditions she presented were heart disease, rheumatic fever history and had no recent record of national or international travel. She was hospitalized and after clinical stabilization, she was referred for an emergency cesarean intervention. The young mother and the newborn were transferred to the intensive care unit after surgery, where diagnostic tests for respiratory viral infections, including SARS-CoV-2, were performed. The mother tested positive, while her newborn was negative for SARS-CoV-2 demonstrating no vertical transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in this severe case. This study reveals that despite the mother’s initially mild symptoms, she progressed to severe clinical conditions resulting in death, although no vertical transmission was observed. This report highlights the relevance of comorbidities for the unfavorable clinical course of COVID-19.
New Insights into the Structure and Assembly of Bacteriophage P1
Authors: Gonzales Miguel F. , Piya Denish K. , Koehler Brian , Zhang Kailun , Yu Zihao , Zeng Lanying , Gill Jason J.
Published: March 2022

Bacteriophage P1 is the premier transducing phage of E. coli. Despite its prominence in advancing E. coli genetics, modern molecular techniques have not been applied to thoroughly understand P1 structure. Here, we report the proteome of the P1 virion as determined by liquid chromatography tandem mass-spectrometry. Additionally, a library of single-gene knockouts identified the following five previously unknown essential genes: pmgA, pmgB, pmgC, pmgG, and pmgR. In addition, proteolytic processing of the major capsid protein is a known feature of P1 morphogenesis, and we identified the processing site by N-terminal sequencing to be between E120 and S121, producing a 448-residue, 49.3 kDa mature peptide. Furthermore, the P1 defense against restriction (Dar) system consists of six known proteins that are incorporated into the virion during morphogenesis. The largest of these, DarB, is a 250 kDa protein that is believed to translocate into the cell during infection. DarB deletions indicated the presence of an N-terminal packaging signal, and the N-terminal 30 residues of DarB are shown to be sufficient for directing a heterologous reporter protein to the capsid. Taken together, the data expand on essential structural P1 proteins as well as introduces P1 as a nanomachine for cellular delivery.
Mapping the Key Residues within the Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome Virus nsp1α Replicase Protein Required for Degradation of Swine Leukocyte Antigen Class I Molecules
Authors: Liu Yuanyuan , Gao Peng , Zhou Lei , Ge Xinna , Zhang Yongning , Guo Xin , Han Jun , Yang Hanchun
Published: March 2022

The nonstructural protein 1α (nsp1α) of the porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) has been shown to target swine leukocyte antigen class I (SLA-I) for degradation, but the molecular details remain unclear. In this report, we further mapped the critical residues within nsp1α by site-directed mutagenesis. We identified a cluster of residues (i.e., Phe17, Ile81, Phe82, Arg86, Thr88, Gly90, Asn91, Phe94, Arg97, Thr160, and Asn161) necessary for this function. Interestingly, they are all located in a structurally relatively concentrated region. Further analysis by reverse genetics led to the generation of two viable viral mutants, namely, nsp1α-G90A and nsp1α-T160A. Compared to WT, nsp1α-G90A failed to co-localize with either chain of SLA-I within infected cells, whereas nsp1α-T160A exhibited a partial co-localization relationship. Consequently, the mutant nsp1α-G90A exhibited an impaired ability to downregulate SLA-I in infected macrophages as demonstrated by Western blot, indirect immunofluorescence, and flow cytometry analysis. Consistently, the ubiquitination level of SLA-I was significantly reduced in the conditions of both infection and transfection. Together, our results provide further insights into the mechanism underlying PRRSV subversion of host immunity and have important implications in vaccine development.
Mapping the Distributions of Mosquitoes and Mosquito-Borne Arboviruses in China
Authors: Wang Tao , Fan Zheng-Wei , Ji Yang , Chen Jin-Jin , Zhao Guo-Ping , Zhang Wen-Hui , Zhang Hai-Yang , Jiang Bao-Gui , Xu Qiang , Lv Chen-Long , Zhang Xiao-Ai , Li Hao , Yang Yang , Fang Li-Qun , Liu Wei
Published: March 2022

The geographic expansion of mosquitos is associated with a rising frequency of outbreaks of mosquito-borne diseases (MBD) worldwide. We collected occurrence locations and times of mosquito species, mosquito-borne arboviruses, and MBDs in the mainland of China in 1954−2020. We mapped the spatial distributions of mosquitoes and arboviruses at the county level, and we used machine learning algorithms to assess contributions of ecoclimatic, socioenvironmental, and biological factors to the spatial distributions of 26 predominant mosquito species and two MBDs associated with high disease burden. Altogether, 339 mosquito species and 35 arboviruses were mapped at the county level. Culex tritaeniorhynchus is found to harbor the highest variety of arboviruses (19 species), followed by Anopheles sinensis (11) and Culex pipiens quinquefasciatus (9). Temperature seasonality, annual precipitation, and mammalian richness were the three most important contributors to the spatial distributions of most of the 26 predominant mosquito species. The model-predicted suitable habitats are 60–664% larger in size than what have been observed, indicating the possibility of severe under-detection. The spatial distribution of major mosquito species in China is likely to be under-estimated by current field observations. More active surveillance is needed to investigate the mosquito species in specific areas where investigation is missing but model-predicted probability is high.
Epidemiology of the Epstein–Barr Virus in Autoimmune Inflammatory Rheumatic Diseases in Northern Brazil
Authors: França Samires Avelino de Souza , Viana Julimar Benedita Gomes de Oliveira , Góes Hilda Carla Azevedo , Fonseca Ricardo Roberto de Souza , Laurentino Rogério Valois , Costa Igor Brasil , Oliveira-Filho Aldemir Branco , Machado Luiz Fernando Almeida
Published: March 2022

The present study aimed to describe the seroprevalence infection, Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) genotypes, relate the infection’s profile with the epidemiological and corticotherapy data of patients with Autoimmune inflammatory rheumatic diseases (AIRD). A cross-sectional study was carried out with 139 individuals, 92 with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), 27 with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and 20 with other autoimmune diseases, who were undergoing clinical follow-up in Brazil. Serological tests for the detection of EBV anti-VCA IgM and IgG antibodies, as well as the amplification of a segment of the EBV EBNA-3c gene by conventional PCR were performed to identify the infection and the viral subtype. The Epstein–Barr nuclear antigen 3 (EBNA3C) gene participates of maintenance of viral latency and infected B-lymphocytes immortalization by unclear signaling cascades. The association of active/latent EBV infection with EBV infection profile was assessed by Fisher’s exact test and multiple logistic regression. The seroprevalence of EBV anti-VCA IgG was 100%, while that of anti-VCA IgM was 1.43% (2/139). Active-phase infection was confirmed by the presence of EBV DNA in 40.29% of the population evaluated (56/139), with 45.65% (42/92) in SLE, 25.92% (7/27) in the RA and in 35% (7/20) in other autoimmune diseases. It was observed that individuals with SLE had a higher prevalence of active/lytic EBV infection and that oral corticosteroid therapy at a dose lower than 20 mg/day increased the risk of EBV activity by up to 11 times. Only the presence of EBV-1 was identified. Thus, EBV lytic infection was higher in individuals with SLE when compared to other autoimmune diseases with rheumatologic involvement and the lytic activity of the virus precedes corticosteroid-induced immunosuppression.