bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Metric Factorization with Item Cooccurrence for Recommendation
Authors: Dai Honglin , Wang Liejun , Qin Jiwei
Published: April 2020

In modern recommender systems, matrix factorization has been widely used to decompose the user–item matrix into user and item latent factors. However, the inner product in matrix factorization does not satisfy the triangle inequality, and the problem of sparse data is also encountered. In this paper, we propose a novel recommendation model, namely, metric factorization with item cooccurrence for recommendation (MFIC), which uses the Euclidean distance to jointly decompose the user–item interaction matrix and the item–item cooccurrence with shared latent factors. The item cooccurrence matrix is obtained from the colike matrix through the calculation of pointwise mutual information. The main contributions of this paper are as follows: (1) The MFIC model is not only suitable for rating prediction and item ranking, but can also well overcome the problem of sparse data. (2) This model incorporates the item cooccurrence matrix into metric learning so it can better learn the spatial positions of users and items. (3) Extensive experiments on a number of real-world datasets show that the proposed method substantially outperforms the compared algorithm in both rating prediction and item ranking.
The Impact of Nanoparticles Due to Applied Magnetic Dipole in Micropolar Fluid Flow Using the Finite Element Method
Authors: Ali Liaqat , Liu Xiaomin , Ali Bagh , Mujeed Saima , Abdal Sohaib , Mutahir Ali
Published: April 2020

The present work examines the effect of different magnetic nanoparticles and the heat transfer phenomena over the stretching sheet with thermal stratification and slips effect. The mixture of water (H 2 O) and ethylene glycol (C 2 H 6 O 2 ) is used as base fluid whereas the paramagnetic, diamagnetic, and ferromagnetic ferrites are taken as nanoparticles. In the presence of ferrite nanoparticles, the magnetic dipole has a significant effect in controlling the rate of heat transfer and the thermal boundary layers. By using suitable similarity transformations, the system of partial differential equations is transformed into nonlinear ordinary differential equations. The numerical solution of resulting equations is found out by using the variational finite element method. The effect of numerous emerging parameters on velocity, temperature, and micro-rotation velocity are represented graphically and analyzed numerically. It has been noticed that comparatively the diamagnetic ferrites have gained maximum thermal conductivity relative to the other nanoparticles. It was also observed that the thermal conduction of nanoparticles increases with the variation of volume fraction. Moreover, with increasing values of thermal stratification the thermal boundary layer thickness decreases and the heat transfer rate increases at the surface. Furthermore, the validation of code and the accuracy of the numerical technique has been confirmed by the assessment of current results with earlier studies.
On the Oscillatory Behavior of a Class of Fourth-Order Nonlinear Differential Equation
Authors: Moaaz Osama , Kumam Poom , Bazighifan Omar
Published: April 2020

In this work, we study the oscillatory behavior of a class of fourth-order differential equations. New oscillation criteria were obtained by employing a refinement of the Riccati transformations. The new theorems complement and improve a number of results reported in the literature. An example is provided to illustrate the main results.
Bee Venom Phospholipase A2 Induces Regulatory T Cell Populations by Suppressing Apoptotic Signaling Pathway
Authors: Baek Hyunjung , Park Seon-Young , Ku Su Jeong , Ryu Kihyun , Kim Younsub , Bae Hyunsu , Lee Ye-Seul
Published: April 2020

Bee venom phospholipase A2 is a lipolytic enzyme in bee venom that catalyzes hydrolysis of the sn-2 ester bond of membrane phospholipids to produce free fatty acid and lysophospholipids. Current evidence suggests that bee venom phospholipase A2 (bvPLA2) induces regulatory T cell expansion and attenuates several immune system-related diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease. The induction of Treg cells is directly mediated by binding to mannose receptors on dendritic cells. This interaction induces the PGE2-EP2 signaling pathway, which promotes Treg induction in CD4+ T cells. In this study, we investigated the effects of bvPLA2 treatment on the apoptotic signaling pathway in Treg populations. Flow cytometry was performed to identify early apoptotic cells. As a result, early apoptotic cells were dramatically decreased in bvPLA2-treated splenocytes, whereas rapamycin-treated cells showed levels of apoptotic cells similar to those of PBS-treated cells. Furthermore, bvPLA2 treatment increased expression of anti-apoptotic molecules including CTLA-4 and PD-1. The survival rate increased in bvPLA2-treated Tregs. Our findings indicate that bvPLA2-mediated modulation of apoptotic signaling is strongly associated with the Treg induction, which exhibits protective effects against various immune-related diseases. To our knowledge, this study is the first to demonstrate that bvPLA2 is the major bee venom (BV) compound capable of inducing Treg expansion through altering apoptotic signal.
Fangs for the Memories? A Survey of Pain in Snakebite Patients Does Not Support a Strong Role for Defense in the Evolution of Snake Venom Composition
Authors: Ward-Smith Harry , Arbuckle Kevin , Naude Arno , Wüster Wolfgang
Published: April 2020

Animals use venoms for multiple purposes, most prominently for prey acquisition and self-defense. In snakes, venom composition often evolves as a result of selection for optimization for local diet. However, whether selection for a defensive function has also played a role in driving the evolution of venom composition has remained largely unstudied. Here, we use an online survey of snakebite victims to test a key prediction of a defensive function, that envenoming should result in the rapid onset of severe pain. From the analysis of 584 snakebite reports, involving 192 species of venomous snake, we find that the vast majority of bites do not result in severe early pain. Phylogenetic comparative analysis shows that where early pain after a bite evolves, it is often lost rapidly. Our results, therefore, do not support the hypothesis that natural selection for antipredator defense played an important role in the origin of venom or front-fanged delivery systems in general, although there may be intriguing exceptions to this rule.
Molecular Mechanism of Aflatoxin-Induced Hepatocellular Carcinoma Derived from a Bioinformatics Analysis
Authors: Cai Peirong , Zheng Hao , She Jinjin , Feng Nannan , Zou Hui , Gu Jianhong , Yuan Yan , Liu Xuezhong , Liu Zongping , Bian Jianchun
Published: April 2020

Exposure to aflatoxin is considered to be one of the causes of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). With the development of bioinformation, we sought to reveal the occurrence and development of aflatoxin-induced HCC through data research. We identified differentially expressed genes (DEGs) of datasets GSE127791 (Aflatoxin-treated pluripotent stem cell derived human hepatocytes vs. controls) and GSE64041 (liver carcinoma with unknown cause vs. non-cancerous tissue) by GEO2R to find the common DEGs. Gene ontology (GO) and KEGG path enrichment analysis were used to annotate the function of DEGs. Hub genes were screened from identified DEGs by protein-protein interaction (PPI) network analysis. The prognostic value of hub genes in cancer databases were evaluated. We obtained 132 common DEGs and 11 hub genes. According to cluster analysis and protein co-expression networks, we screened out the key genes, histidine-rich glycoprotein (HRG) and phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase 2 (PCK2). Oncomine database and survival curve analysis showed that the decline in HRG and PCK2 expression in the development of HCC indicated poor prognosis. We speculated that the decreased expression of HRG and PCK2 after aflatoxin exposure to hepatocyte may be related to aflatoxin induced hepatocyte injury and carcinogenesis. In addition, the decreased expression of HRG and PCK2 in the occurrence and development of HCC suggests a poor prognosis of HCC.
No More Tears: Mining Sequencing Data for Novel Bt Cry Toxins with CryProcessor
Authors: Shikov Anton E. , Malovichko Yury V. , Skitchenko Rostislav K. , Nizhnikov Anton A. , Antonets Kirill S.
Published: April 2020

Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) is a natural pathogen of insects and some other groups of invertebrates that produces three-domain Cry (3d-Cry) toxins, which are highly host-specific pesticidal proteins. These proteins represent the most commonly used bioinsecticides in the world and are used for commercial purposes on the market of insecticides, being convergent with the paradigm of sustainable growth and ecological development. Emerging resistance to known toxins in pests stresses the need to expand the list of known toxins to broaden the horizons of insecticidal approaches. For this purpose, we have elaborated a fast and user-friendly tool called CryProcessor, which allows productive and precise mining of 3d-Cry toxins. The only existing tool for mining Cry toxins, called a BtToxin_scanner, has significant limitations such as limited query size, lack of accuracy and an outdated database. In order to find a proper solution to these problems, we have developed a robust pipeline, capable of precise 3d-Cry toxin mining. The unique feature of the pipeline is the ability to search for Cry toxins sequences directly on assembly graphs, providing an opportunity to analyze raw sequencing data and overcoming the problem of fragmented assemblies. Moreover, CryProcessor is able to predict precisely the domain layout in arbitrary sequences, allowing the retrieval of sequences of definite domains beyond the bounds of a limited number of toxins presented in CryGetter. Our algorithm has shown efficiency in all its work modes and outperformed its analogues on large amounts of data. Here, we describe its main features and provide information on its benchmarking against existing analogues. CryProcessor is a novel, fast, convenient, open source (https://github.com/lab7arriam/cry_processor), platform-independent, and precise instrument with a console version and elaborated web interface (https://lab7.arriam.ru/tools/cry_processor). Its major merits could make it possible to carry out massive screening for novel 3d-Cry toxins and obtain sequences of specific domains for further comprehensive in silico experiments in constructing artificial toxins.
Combined (d)SPE-QuEChERS Extraction of Mycotoxins in Mixed Feed Rations and Analysis by High Performance Liquid Chromatography-High-Resolution Mass Spectrometry
Authors: Facorro Rocio , Llompart Maria , Dagnac Thierry
Published: April 2020

The objective of this work was the development of a methodology capable of simultaneously determine 26 mycotoxins in mixed feed rations collected in 20 dairy farms. A sample preparation methodology based on a combination of (d)SPE and QuEChERS extractions was used. Liquid chromatography-high resolution mass spectrometry was employed for both identification and quantification purposes. To this respect, a powerful workflow based on data-independent acquisition, consisting of fragmenting all precursor ions entering the mass spectrometer in narrow m/z isolation windows (SWATH), was implemented. SWATH data file then contains all the information that would be acquired in a multitude of different experimental approaches in a single all-encompassing dataset. Analytical method performance was evaluated in terms of linearity, repeatability and matrix effect. Relative recoveries were also measured, giving values above 80% for most compounds. Matrix-matched calibration was carried out and enabled reaching the low ng mL−1 level for many mycotoxins. The observed matrix effect, in most cases suppressive, reached even values higher than 60%. The repeatability was also adequate, showing a relative standard deviation lower than 10%. All unified samples analyzed showed co-occurrence of two or more mycotoxins, recurrently zearalenone, fumonisin B1, and β-zearalenol, with an occurrence frequency ranging from 60% to 90%.
Aspartic Acid Isomerization Characterized by High Definition Mass Spectrometry Significantly Alters the Bioactivity of a Novel Toxin from Poecilotheria
Authors: Johnson Stephen R. , Rikli Hillary G.
Published: April 2020

Research in toxinology has created a pharmacological paradox. With an estimated 220,000 venomous animals worldwide, the study of peptidyl toxins provides a vast number of effector molecules. However, due to the complexity of the protein-protein interactions, there are fewer than ten venom-derived molecules on the market. Structural characterization and identification of post-translational modifications are essential to develop biological lead structures into pharmaceuticals. Utilizing advancements in mass spectrometry, we have created a high definition approach that fuses conventional high-resolution MS-MS with ion mobility spectrometry (HDMSE) to elucidate these primary structure characteristics. We investigated venom from ten species of “tiger” spider (Genus: Poecilotheria) and discovered they contain isobaric conformers originating from non-enzymatic Asp isomerization. One conformer pair conserved in five of ten species examined, denominated PcaTX-1a and PcaTX-1b, was found to be a 36-residue peptide with a cysteine knot, an amidated C-terminus, and isoAsp33Asp substitution. Although the isomerization of Asp has been implicated in many pathologies, this is the first characterization of Asp isomerization in a toxin and demonstrates the isomerized product’s diminished physiological effects. This study establishes the value of a HDMSE approach to toxin screening and characterization.
Phenyllactic Acid Produced by Geotrichum candidum Reduces Fusarium sporotrichioides and F. langsethiae Growth and T-2 Toxin Concentration
Authors: Kawtharani Hiba , Snini Selma Pascale , Heang Sorphea , Bouajila Jalloul , Taillandier Patricia , Mathieu Florence , Beaufort Sandra
Published: April 2020

Fusarium sporotrichioides and F. langsethiae are present in barley crops. Their toxic metabolites, mainly T-2 toxin, affect the quality and safety of raw material and final products such as beer. Therefore, it is crucial to reduce Fusarium spp. proliferation and T-2 toxin contamination during the brewing process. The addition of Geotrichum candidum has been previously demonstrated to reduce the proliferation of Fusarium spp. and the production of toxic metabolites, but the mechanism of action is still not known. Thus, this study focuses on the elucidation of the interaction mechanism between G. candidum and Fusarium spp. in order to improve this bioprocess. First, over a period of 168 h, the co-culture kinetics showed an almost 90% reduction in T-2 toxin concentration, starting at 24 h. Second, sequential cultures lead to a reduction in Fusarium growth and T-2 toxin concentration. Simultaneously, it was demonstrated that G. candidum produces phenyllactic acid (PLA) at the early stages of growth, which could potentially be responsible for the reduction in Fusarium growth and T-2 toxin concentration. To prove the PLA effect, F. sporotrichioides and F. langsethiae were cultivated in PLA supplemented medium. The expected results were achieved with 0.3 g/L of PLA. These promising results contribute to a better understanding of the bioprocess, allowing its optimization at an up-scaled industrial level.
Fullerol C60(OH)24 Nanoparticles Affect Secondary Metabolite Profile of Important Foodborne Mycotoxigenic Fungi In Vitro
Authors: Kovač Tihomir , Šarkanj Bojan , Borišev Ivana , Djordjevic Aleksandar , Jović Danica , Lončarić Ante , Babić Jurislav , Jozinović Antun , Krska Tamara , Gangl Johann , Ezekiel Chibundu N. , Sulyok Michael , Krska Rudolf
Published: April 2020

Despite the efforts to control mycotoxin contamination worldwide, extensive contamination has been reported to occur in food and feed. The contamination is even more intense due to climate changes and different stressors. This study examined the impact of fullerol C60(OH)24 nanoparticles (FNP) (at 0, 1, 10, 100, and 1000 ng mL−1) on the secondary metabolite profile of the most relevant foodborne mycotoxigenic fungi from genera Aspergillus, Fusarium, Alternaria and Penicillium, during growth in vitro. Fungi were grown in liquid RPMI 1640 media for 72 h at 29 °C, and metabolites were investigated by the LC-MS/MS dilute and shoot multimycotoxin method. Exposure to FNP showed great potential in decreasing the concentrations of 35 secondary metabolites; the decreases were dependent on FNP concentration and fungal genus. These results are a relevant guide for future examination of fungi-FNP interactions in environmental conditions. The aim is to establish the exact mechanism of FNP action and determine the impact such interactions have on food and feed safety.
Novel Approaches to Minimizing Mycotoxin Contamination
Authors: Rodríguez Mar , Núñez Félix
Published: April 2020

Contamination of foods and agricultural commodities by various types of toxigenic fungi is a concerning issue for human and animal health [...]
Nephrotoxic Effects in Zebrafish after Prolonged Exposure to Aristolochic Acid
Authors: Wang Xixin , Giusti Arianna , Ny Annelii , de Witte Peter A.
Published: April 2020

With the aim to explore the possibility to generate a zebrafish model of renal fibrosis, in this study the fibrogenic renal effect of aristolochic acid I (AAI) after immersion was assessed. This compound is highly nephrotoxic able to elicit renal fibrosis after exposure of rats and humans. Our results reveal that larval zebrafish at 15 days dpf (days post-fertilization) exposed for 8 days to 0.5 µM AAI showed clear signs of AKI (acute kidney injury). The damage resulted in the relative loss of the functional glomerular filtration barrier. Conversely, we did not observe any deposition of collagen, nor could we immunodetect α-SMA, a hallmark of myofibroblasts, in the tubules. In addition, no increase in gene expression of fibrogenesis biomarkers after whole animal RNA extraction was found. As zebrafish have a high capability for tissue regeneration possibly impeding fibrogenic processes, we also used a tert−/− zebrafish line exhibiting telomerase deficiency and impaired tissue homeostasis. AAI-treated tert−/− larvae displayed an increased sensitivity towards 0.5 µM AAI. Importantly, after AAI treatment a mild collagen deposition could be found in the tubules. The outcome implies that sustained AKI induced by nephrotoxic compounds combined with defective tert−/− stem cells can produce a fibrotic response.
The Production of Listeriolysin O and Subsequent Intracellular Infections by Listeria monocytogenes Are Regulated by Exogenous Short Chain Fatty Acid Mixtures
Authors: Rinehart Erica , Chapman Julia , Sun Yvonne
Published: April 2020

Listeria monocytogenes is a foodborne pathogen capable of secreting listeriolysin O (LLO), a pore-forming toxin encoded by the hly gene. While the functions of LLO have been studied extensively, how the production of LLO is modulated by the intestinal environment, devoid of oxygen and enriched in short chain fatty acids (SCFAs), is not completely understood. Using L. monocytogenes strain 10403s, we found that hly transcription was moderately decreased by aerobic SCFA exposures but significantly increased by anaerobic SCFA exposures. Moreover, aerobic, but not anaerobic, exposure to low levels of SCFAs resulted in a significantly higher LLO activity. These results demonstrated that transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulations of LLO production were separately modulated by SCFAs and were responsive to oxygen levels. Examining isogenic mutants revealed that PrfA and SigB play a role in regulating LLO production in response to SCFAs. Effects of SCFAs were also present in the cardiotropic strain 07PF0776 but distinctly different from those in strain 10403s. For both strains, prior exposures to SCFAs altered intracellular infections in Caco-2 and RAW264.7 cells and the plaque sizes in L fibroblasts, a result confirming the ability of L. monocytogenes to adapt to SCFAs in ways that impact its subsequent infection outcomes.
Bacterial Factors Targeting the Nucleus: The Growing Family of Nucleomodulins
Authors: Bierne Hélène , Pourpre Renaud
Published: April 2020

Pathogenic bacteria secrete a variety of proteins that manipulate host cell function by targeting components of the plasma membrane, cytosol, or organelles. In the last decade, several studies identified bacterial factors acting within the nucleus on gene expression or other nuclear processes, which has led to the emergence of a new family of effectors called “nucleomodulins”. In human and animal pathogens, Listeria monocytogenes for Gram-positive bacteria and Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Ehrlichia chaffeensis, Chlamydia trachomatis, Legionella pneumophila, Shigella flexneri, and Escherichia coli for Gram-negative bacteria, have led to pioneering discoveries. In this review, we present these paradigms and detail various mechanisms and core elements (e.g., DNA, histones, epigenetic regulators, transcription or splicing factors, signaling proteins) targeted by nucleomodulins. We particularly focus on nucleomodulins interacting with epifactors, such as LntA of Listeria and ankyrin repeat- or tandem repeat-containing effectors of Rickettsiales, and nucleomodulins from various bacterial species acting as post-translational modification enzymes. The study of bacterial nucleomodulins not only generates important knowledge about the control of host responses by microbes but also creates new tools to decipher the dynamic regulations that occur in the nucleus. This research also has potential applications in the field of biotechnology. Finally, this raises questions about the epigenetic effects of infectious diseases.
Impact of Bacterial Toxins in the Lungs
Authors: Lucas Rudolf , Hadizamani Yalda , Gonzales Joyce , Gorshkov Boris , Bodmer Thomas , Berthiaume Yves , Moehrlen Ueli , Lode Hartmut , Huwer Hanno , Hudel Martina , Mraheil Mobarak Abu , Toque Haroldo Alfredo Flores , Chakraborty Trinad , Hamacher Jürg
Published: April 2020

Bacterial toxins play a key role in the pathogenesis of lung disease. Based on their structural and functional properties, they employ various strategies to modulate lung barrier function and to impair host defense in order to promote infection. Although in general, these toxins target common cellular signaling pathways and host compartments, toxin- and cell-specific effects have also been reported. Toxins can affect resident pulmonary cells involved in alveolar fluid clearance (AFC) and barrier function through impairing vectorial Na+ transport and through cytoskeletal collapse, as such, destroying cell-cell adhesions. The resulting loss of alveolar-capillary barrier integrity and fluid clearance capacity will induce capillary leak and foster edema formation, which will in turn impair gas exchange and endanger the survival of the host. Toxins modulate or neutralize protective host cell mechanisms of both the innate and adaptive immunity response during chronic infection. In particular, toxins can either recruit or kill central players of the lung’s innate immune responses to pathogenic attacks, i.e., alveolar macrophages (AMs) and neutrophils. Pulmonary disorders resulting from these toxin actions include, e.g., acute lung injury (ALI), the acute respiratory syndrome (ARDS), and severe pneumonia. When acute infection converts to persistence, i.e., colonization and chronic infection, lung diseases, such as bronchitis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and cystic fibrosis (CF) can arise. The aim of this review is to discuss the impact of bacterial toxins in the lungs and the resulting outcomes for pathogenesis, their roles in promoting bacterial dissemination, and bacterial survival in disease progression.
Distinct Contributions of Different Domains within the HIV-1 Gag Polyprotein to Specific and Nonspecific Interactions with RNA
Authors: Kroupa Tomas , Datta Siddhartha A. K. , Rein Alan
Published: April 2020

Viral genomic RNA is packaged into virions with high specificity and selectivity. However, in vitro the Gag specificity towards viral RNA is obscured when measured in buffers containing physiological salt. Interestingly, when the binding is challenged by increased salt concentration, the addition of competing RNAs, or introducing mutations to Gag protein, the specificity towards viral RNA becomes detectable. The objective of this work was to examine the contributions of the individual HIV-1 Gag polyprotein domains to nonspecific and specific RNA binding and stability of the initial protein-RNA complexes. Using a panel of Gag proteins with mutations disabling different Gag-Gag or Gag-RNA interfaces, we investigated the distinct contributions of individual domains which distinguish the binding to viral and nonviral RNA by measuring the binding of the proteins to RNAs. We measured the binding affinity in near-physiological salt concentration, and then challenged the binding by increasing the ionic strength to suppress the electrostatic interactions and reveal the contribution of specific Gag–RNA and Gag–Gag interactions. Surprisingly, we observed that Gag dimerization and the highly basic region in the matrix domain contribute significantly to the specificity of viral RNA binding.
Differences in Tissue and Species Tropism of Reptarenavirus Species Studied by Vesicular Stomatitis Virus Pseudotypes
Authors: Korzyukov Yegor , Iheozor-Ejiofor Rommel , Levanov Lev , Smura Teemu , Hetzel Udo , Szirovicza Leonora , de la Torre Juan Carlos , Martinez-Sobrido Luis , Kipar Anja , Vapalahti Olli , Hepojoki Jussi
Published: April 2020

Reptarenaviruses cause Boid Inclusion Body Disease (BIBD), and co-infections by several reptarenaviruses are common in affected snakes. Reptarenaviruses have only been found in captive snakes, and their reservoir hosts remain unknown. In affected animals, reptarenaviruses appear to replicate in most cell types, but their complete host range, as well as tissue and cell tropism are unknown. As with other enveloped viruses, the glycoproteins (GPs) present on the virion’s surface mediate reptarenavirus cell entry, and therefore, the GPs play a critical role in the virus cell and tissue tropism. Herein, we employed single cycle replication, GP deficient, recombinant vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) expressing the enhanced green fluorescent protein (scrVSV∆G-eGFP) pseudotyped with different reptarenavirus GPs to study the virus cell tropism. We found that scrVSV∆G-eGFPs pseudotyped with reptarenavirus GPs readily entered mammalian cell lines, and some mammalian cell lines exhibited higher, compared to snake cell lines, susceptibility to reptarenavirus GP-mediated infection. Mammarenavirus GPs used as controls also mediated efficient entry into several snake cell lines. Our results confirm an important role of the virus surface GP in reptarenavirus cell tropism and that mamma-and reptarenaviruses exhibit high cross-species transmission potential.
Development of a PHEV Hybrid Transmission for Low-End MPVs Based on AMT
Authors: Zhen Yongcheng , Bao Yong , Zhong Zaimin , Rinderknecht Stephan , Zhou Song
Published: April 2020

In order to improve the fuel economy of vehicles, based on the automated mechanical transmission (AMT), a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) hybrid transmission for low-end multi-purpose vehicles (MPVs) is developed. To obtain the statistics of the best-selling models, we took several best-selling models in the Chinese market as the research object to study the relationship between power demand, energy demand, weight, and cost. The power requirements and energy requirements of PHEVs are decoupled. According to the decoupled theory, a single-motor parallel scheme based on the AMT is adopted to develop a PHEV hybrid transmission. In the distribution of engine and motor power, the engine just needs to meet the vehicle’s constant driving power, and the backup power can be provided by the motor, which means we can use an engine with a smaller power rating. The energy of short-distance travel is mainly provided by the motor, which can make full use of the battery, reducing the fuel consumption. The energy of long-distance travel is mainly provided by the engine, which can reduce the need for battery capacity. The working modes of the electrified mechanical transmission (EMT) are proposed, using P3 as the basic working mode and setting the P2 mode at the same time, and the gear ratios are designed. Based on the above basic scheme, two rounds of prototype development and assembling prototype vehicles for testing are carried out for the front-engine-front-drive (FF) layout. The test results show that the vehicle’s economy has been improved compared to the unmodified vehicle, and the fuel-saving rate of 100 kilometers has been achieved at 35.18%. The prototype development and the vehicle matching verify the effectiveness of the new configuration based on AMT.
What Triggers the Annual Cycle of Cyanobacterium Oscillatoria sp. in an Extreme Environmental Sulfide-Rich Spa?
Authors: Reul Andreas , Martín-Clemente Elena , Melero-Jiménez Ignacio J. , Bañares-España Elena , Flores-Moya Antonio , García-Sánchez María J.
Published: April 2020

A seasonal cycle of sulfide, nitrate, phosphate, ammonium, chlorophyll a (Chl a) and Oscillatoria sp. abundance (<100 μm), as well as the relative contribution of taxonomic phytoplanktonic groups (cyanobacteria, green algae, cryptomonads, diatoms and dinoflagellates) to total Chl a were measured by fluorometric measurements at La Hedionda sulfide-rich spa (southern Spain). Fluorometry determined that cyanobacteria Chl a concentration correlated positively with the abundance of Oscillatoria sp. Aggregates at 45–100 μm equivalent spherical diameter (ESD) and was used as an indicator of Oscillatoria sp. Abundance, including for aggregates <45 and >100μm (ESD). In addition, air temperature, radiation and precipitation were downloaded from meteorological databases. In agreement with the meteorological annual cycle observed in air temperature, radiation and precipitation, sulfide concentration at La Hedionda Spa shows an annual cycle with concentrations around 40 μM in winter and up to 200 μM in the dry summer period. Phytoplankton composition was dominated by cyanobacteria (mainly Oscillatoria sp.), but other groups were also represented (green algae, cryptomonads, diatoms and dinoflagellates), although they remained constant throughout the year (median Chl a < 0.2 μg L−1). Cyanobacteria, in contrast, showed an annual cycle with a significantly higher median in summer (Chl a = 1.6 μg L−1) than in winter (Chl a = 0.4 μg L−1). No linear relationship between nutrients and cyanobacteria concentration was observed, but an optimum curve of cyanobacteria concentration to sulfide concentration was fitted through a general additive model (GAM). The four-fold increase of cyanobacteria concentration under exposition of an elevated sulfide concentration can be due to higher growth rates at elevated sulfide concentrations reported for an Oscillatoria sp. strain isolated during the same annual cycle at La Hedionda and we suggest that the selective agent, sulfide, positively triggers Oscillatoria sp. proliferation in summer. According to our findings, the Oscillatoria sp. population of La Hedionda not only is sulfide-resistant, but requires sulfide in its optimal niche.
Sustainable Water Resources Management in an Arid Area Using a Coupled Optimization-Simulation Modeling
Authors: Farrokhzadeh Siamak , Hashemi Monfared Seyed , Azizyan Gholamreza , Sardar Shahraki Ali , Ertsen Maurits , Abraham Edo
Published: April 2020

Severe water scarcity in recent years has magnified the economic, social, and environmental significance of water stress globally, making optimal planning in water resources necessary for sustainable socio-economic development. One of the regions that is most affected by this is the Sistan region and its Hamoun wetland, located in south-east Iran. Water policies are essential to sustain current basin ecosystem services, maintaining a balance between conflicting demands from agriculture and the protection of wetland ecosystems. In the present study, a multi-objective optimization model is linked with the Water Evaluation and Planning (WEAP) software to optimize water allocation decisions over multiple years. We formulate and parameterize a multi-objective optimization problem where the net economic benefit from agriculture and the supply of environmental requirements were maximized, to analyze the trade-off between different stakeholders. This problem is modeled and solved for the study area with detailed agricultural, socio-economic, and environmental data for 30 years and quantification of ecosystem services. By plotting Pareto sets, we investigate the trade-offs between the two conflicting objectives and evaluate a possible compromise. The results are analyzed by comparing purely economic versus multi-objective scenarios on the Pareto front. Finally, the disadvantages and advantages of these scenarios are also qualitatively described to help the decision process for water resources managers.
Comparative Analysis of Bacterial and Archaeal Community Structure in Microwave Pretreated Thermophilic and Mesophilic Anaerobic Digesters Utilizing Mixed Sludge under Organic Overloading
Authors: Kor-Bicakci Gokce , Ubay-Cokgor Emine , Eskicioglu Cigdem
Published: April 2020

The effects of microwave (MW) pretreatment were investigated by six anaerobic digesters operated under thermophilic and mesophilic conditions at high organic loading rates (4.9–5.7 g volatile solids/L/d). The experiments and analyses were mainly designed to reveal the impact of MW pretreatment and digester temperatures on the process stability and microbial community structure by correlating the composition of microbial populations with volatile fatty acid (VFA) concentrations. A slight shift from biogas production (with a reasonable methane content) to VFA accumulation was observed in the thermophilic digesters, especially in the MW-irradiated reactors. Microbial population structure was assessed using a high-throughput sequencing of 16S rRNA gene on the MiSeq platform. Microbial community structure was slightly affected by different MW pretreatment conditions, while substantially affected by the digester temperature. The phylum Bacteroidetes proliferated in the MW-irradiated mesophilic digesters by resisting high-temperature MW (at 160 °C). Hydrogenotrophic methanogenesis (mostly the genus of Methanothermobacter) was found to be a key route of methane production in the thermophilic digesters, whereas aceticlastic methanogenesis (mostly the genus of Methanosaeta) was the main pathway in the mesophilic digesters.
Springing for Safe Water: Drinking Water Quality and Source Selection in Central Appalachian Communities
Authors: Patton Hannah , Krometis Leigh-Anne , Sarver Emily
Published: April 2020

Issues surrounding water infrastructure, access, and quality are well documented in the Central Appalachian region of the United States. Even in cases where residents have in-home piped point-of-use (POU) water, some rely on alternative drinking water sources for daily needs—including water collection from roadside springs. This effort aims to better understand and document spring usage in this region by identifying the factors that influence drinking water source selection and comparing household and spring water quality to Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) health-based and aesthetic contaminant recommendations. Households were recruited from communities surrounding known springs in three states (Kentucky, Virginia, and West Virginia). First- and second-draw, in-home POU tap water samples were collected from participating households and compared to samples collected from local springs on the same day. Samples were analyzed for fecal indicator bacteria and inorganic ions. Study participants completed surveys to document perceptions of household drinking water and typical usage. The majority of survey participants (82.6%) did not trust their home tap water due to aesthetic issues. Water quality results suggested that fecal indicator bacteria were more common in spring water, while several metallic ions were recovered in higher concentrations from household samples. These observations highlight that health risks and perceptions may be different between sources.
Automatic Extraction of Supraglacial Lakes in Southwest Greenland during the 2014–2018 Melt Seasons Based on Convolutional Neural Network
Authors: Yuan Jiawei , Chi Zhaohui , Cheng Xiao , Zhang Tao , Li Tian , Chen Zhuoqi
Published: April 2020

The mass loss of the Greenland Ice Sheet (GrIS) has implications for global sea level rise, and surface meltwater is an important factor that affects the mass balance. Supraglacial lakes (SGLs), which are representative and identifiable hydrologic features of surface meltwater on GrIS, are a means of assessing surface ablation temporally and spatially. In this study, we have developed a robust method to automatically extract SGLs by testing the widely distributed SGLs area—in southwest Greenland (68°00′ N–70°00′ N, 48°00′ W–51°30′ W), and documented their dynamics from 2014 to 2018 using Landsat 8 OLI images. This method identifies water using Convolutional Neural Networks (CNN) and then extracts SGLs with morphological and geometrical algorithms. CNN combines spectral and spatial features and shows better water identification results than the widely used adaptive thresholding method (Otsu), and two machine learning methods (Random Forests (RF) and Support Vector Machine (SVM)). Our results show that the total SGLs area varied between 158 and 393 km2 during 2014 to 2018; the area increased from 2014 to 2015, then decreased and reached the lowest point (158.73 km2) in 2018, when the most limited surface melting was observed. SGLs were most active during the melt season in 2015 with a quantity of 700 and a total area of 393.36 km2. The largest individual lake developed in 2016, with an area of 9.30 km2. As for the elevation, SGLs were most active in the area, with the elevation ranging from 1000 to 1500 m above sea level, and SGLs in 2016 were distributed at higher elevations than in other years. Our work proposes a method to extract SGLs accurately and efficiently. More importantly, this study is expected to provide data support to other studies monitoring the surface hydrological system and mass balance of the GrIS.
Emerald Growth: A New Framework Concept for Managing Ecological Quality and Ecosystem Services of Transitional Waters
Authors: Tagliapietra Davide , Povilanskas Ramūnas , Razinkovas-Baziukas Artūras , Taminskas Julius
Published: April 2020

The aim of the present paper is to propose and elaborate on the concept of Emerald Growth as a new framework concept for managing ecological quality and ecosystem services of transitional waters. The research approach combines the longstanding experience of the authors of this article in the investigation of transitional waters of Europe with an analysis of relevant European Union directives and a comparative case study of two European coastal lagoons. The concept includes and reassesses traditional knowledge of the environment of lagoons and estuaries as an engine for sustainable development, but also proposes locally tailored approaches for the renewal of these unique areas. The investigation results show that the Emerald Growth concept enables to extricate better specific management aspects of ecosystem services of transitional waters that fill-in the continuum between the terrestrial (Green Growth) and the maritime areas (Blue Growth). It results from adjusting of both Green Growth and Blue Growth concepts, drivers, indicators and planning approaches regarding durable ways of revitalising coastal communities and their prospects for sustainable development. We conclude that the Emerald Growth concept offers a suitable framework for better dealing with complex and complicated issues pertinent to the sustainable management of transitional waters.
Calibration of a Distributed Hydrological Model in a Data-Scarce Basin Based on GLEAM Datasets
Authors: Jin Xin , Jin Yanxiang
Published: April 2020

The calibration of hydrological models is often complex in regions with scarce data, and generally only uses site-based streamflow data. However, this approach will yield highly generalised values for all model parameters and hydrological processes. It is therefore necessary to obtain more spatially heterogeneous observation data (e.g., satellite-based evapotranspiration (ET)) to calibrate such hydrological models. Here, soil and water assessment tool (SWAT) models were built to evaluate the advantages of using ET data derived from the Global Land surface Evaporation Amsterdam Methodology (GLEAM) to calibrate the models for the Bayinhe River basin in northwest China, which is a typical data-scarce basin. The result revealed the following: (1) A great effort was required to calibrate the SWAT models for the study area to obtain an improved model performance. (2) The SWAT model performance for simulating the streamflow and water balance was reliable when calibrated with streamflow only, but this method of calibration grouped the hydrological processes together and caused an equifinality issue. (3) The combination of the streamflow and GLEAM-based ET data for calibrating the SWAT model improved the model performance for simulating the streamflow and water balance. However, the equifinality issue remained at the hydrologic response unit (HRU) level.
Correction: Zhao, X. et al. Eco-Efficiency of End-of-Pipe Systems: An Extended Environmental Cost Efficiency Framework for Wastewater Treatment. Water 2020, 12, 454
Authors: Zhao Xinyue , Zhang Chaofan , Bai Shunwen
Published: April 2020

The authors wish to make the following corrections to this paper [...]
Multi-Site Statistical Downscaling Method Using GCM-Based Monthly Data for Daily Precipitation Generation
Authors: Su Xin , Shao Weiwei , Liu Jiahong , Jiang Yunzhong
Published: April 2020

Global Climate Models (GCMs) can provide essential meteorological data as inputs for simulating and assessing the impact of climate change on catchment hydrology. However, downscaling of GCM outputs is often required due to their coarse spatial and temporal resolution. As an effective downscaling method, stochastic weather generators can reproduce daily sequences with statistically similar statistical characteristics. Most weather generators can only simulate single-site meteorological data, which are spatially uncorrelated. Therefore, this study introduces a method for multi-site precipitation downscaling based on a combination of a single-site stochastic weather generator, CLIGEN (CLImate GENerator), and a modified shuffle procedure constrained with multi-model ensemble GCM monthly precipitation outputs. The applicability of the downscaling method is demonstrated in the Huangfuchuan Basin (arid to semi-arid climate) for a historical period (1976–2005) and a projection period (2021–2070, historical, the representative concentration path (RCP) 2.6, RCP4.5, RCP4.8 scenarios) to generate spatially correlated daily precipitation. The results show that the proposed downscaling method can accurately simulate the mean of daily, monthly and annual precipitation and the wet spell lengths, and the inter-station correlation among 10 sites in the basin. In addition, this combination method generated the projected precipitation and showed an increasing trend for future years. These findings could help us better cope with the potential risks of climate change.
Spatial Changes in Invertebrate Structures as a Factor of Strong Human Activity in the Bed and Catchment Area of a Small Urban Stream
Authors: Czerniawski Robert , Sługocki Łukasz , Krepski Tomasz , Wilczak Anna , Pietrzak Katarzyna
Published: April 2020

The threats to small urban streams lead to a decrease in their water quality and dysregulate their ecological balance, thereby affecting the biodiversity and causing degradation of indicators that determine the ecological potential. The aim of our study was to determine the impact of abiotic conditions induced by intensive human activity on the community structures of invertebrates (zooplankton and macroinvertebrates) in the small urban stream Bukówka in the Szczecin agglomeration (NW Poland). This stream exhibits the same characteristics as a large river, in which the mass of live organic matter increases with their length. The composition of invertebrates (zooplankton and macroinvertebrates) was strongly influenced by the changes caused by humans in the stream bed. The construction of small reservoirs and bed regulation in this small urban streams had a similar effect on the quality of the water and ecological potential as in large rivers, but at a lower scale.
Comparison of Bottom-Up and Top-Down Procedures for Water Demand Reconstruction
Authors: Fiorillo Diana , Creaco Enrico , De Paola Francesco , Giugni Maurizio
Published: April 2020

This paper presents a comparison between two procedures for the generation of water demand time series at both single user and nodal scales, a top-down and a bottom-up procedure respectively. Both procedures are made up of two phases. The top-down procedure adopted includes a non-parametric disaggregation based on the K-nearest neighbours approach. Therefore, once the temporal aggregated water demand patterns have been defined (first phase), the disaggregation is used to generate water demand time series at lower levels of spatial aggregation (second phase). In the bottom-up procedure adopted, demand time series for each user and for each time step are generated applying a beta probability distribution with tunable bounds or a gamma distribution with shift parameter (first phase). Then, a Copula based re-sort is applied to the demand time series generated to impose existing rank cross-correlations between users and at all temporal lags (second phase). For the sake of comparison, two case studies were considered, both of which are related to a smart water network in Naples (Italy). The results obtained show that the bottom-up procedure performs significantly better than the top-down procedure in terms of rank-cross correlations at fine scale. However, the top-down procedure showed a better performance in terms of skewness and rank cross-correlation when the aggregated demands were considered. Finally, the level of aggregation in nodes was found to affect the performance of both the procedures considered.
Impact Assessment of Urban Flood on Traffic Disruption using Rainfall–Depth–Vehicle Speed Relationship
Authors: Choo Kyung-Su , Kang Dong-Ho , Kim Byung-Sik
Published: April 2020

The transportation network enables movement of people and goods and is the basis of economic activity. Recently, short-term locally heavy rains occur frequently in urban areas, causing serious obstacles to road flooding and increasing economic and social effects. Therefore, in advanced weather countries, many studies have been conducted on realistic and reliable impact forecasting by analyzing socioeconomic impacts, not just information transmission as weather forecasts. In this paper, we use the Spatial Runoff Assessment Tool (S-RAT) and Flood Inundation model (FLO-2D model) to calculate the flooding level in urban areas caused by rainfall and use the flooding rate. In addition, the rainfall–flood depth curve and the Flood–Vehicle Speed curve were presented during the analysis, and the traffic disruption map was prepared using this. The results of this study were compared with previous studies and verified by rainfall events in 2011. As a result of the verification, the result was similar to the actual flooding, and when the same rainfall occurred within the range of the target area, it was confirmed that there were sections that could not be passed and sections that could be passed smoothly. Therefore, the results suggested in this study will be helpful for the driver’s route selection by using the urban flood damage analysis and vehicle driving speed analysis.