bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Hepatitis B Vaccination Coverage Rates and Associated Factors: A Community-Based, Cross-Sectional Study Conducted in Beijing, 2019–2020
Authors: Liang Yan , Bai Xinxin , Liu Xinyao , Zhang Zheng , Pang Xinghuo , Nie Li , Qiu Wuqi , Zhao Wei , Hu Guangyu
Published: September 2021

Hepatitis B vaccination coverage rates are low throughout most populations in China. Factors influencing low coverage rates, including population-specific hepatitis B vaccination barriers, may inform policies that promote vaccination. A cross-sectional survey of residents from 43 communities assessed their vaccination status and identified associated factors via uni- and multivariable logistic regression and subgroup analyses. In total, 11,280 of 36,007 respondents received a hepatitis B vaccine, indicating a 31.33% coverage rate. Multivariable logistic regression revealed non-Beijing (odds ratio (OR) = 0.81; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.76–0.85) and residents who self-rated their health as very healthy (OR = 0.82; 95% CI: 0.68–0.99) were unlikely to be vaccinated. Farmers (OR = 1.68; 95% CI: 1.51–1.86), commerce and service workers (OR = 1.82; 95% CI, 1.63–2.04), government employees (OR = 1.56; 95% CI: 1.38–1.77), professionals and technicians (OR = 1.85; 95% CI: 1.63–2.09), and students (OR = 1.69; 95% CI: 1.10–2.59) had increased hepatitis B vaccination rates. The multivariable assessment revealed hepatitis B vaccination coverage rates are associated with confirmed or suspected family cases, vaccination unwillingness or uncertainty, and unawareness of its prevention of the hepatitis B virus. Low hepatitis B vaccination coverage rates among Beijing subpopulations highlight the need for improved strategies, including those that target specific populations.
Immunogenicity of Recombinant-Deficient Lactobacillus casei with Complementary Plasmid Expressing Alanine Racemase Gene and Core Neutralizing Epitope Antigen against Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea Virus
Authors: Li Fengsai , Wang Xiaona , Fan Xiaolong , Sui Ling , Zhang Hailin , Li Yue , Zhou Han , Wang Li , Qiao Xinyuan , Tang Lijie , Li Yijing
Published: September 2021

Porcine epidemic diarrhea (PED), which is caused by the porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV), has occurred worldwide and poses a serious threat to the pig industry. Intestine is the main function site of PEDV; therefore, it is important to develop an oral mucosal immunity vaccine against this virus infection. Most traditional plasmid delivery vectors use antibiotic genes as a selective marker, easily leading to antibiotic accumulation and gene contamination. In this study, to explore whether the alanine racemase gene (Alr) could be used as a screening marker and develop an efficient oral vaccine against PEDV infection, a recombinant strain was constructed using Lactobacillus casei with Alr deletion (L. casei ΔAlr W56) to deliver the Alr gene and a core-neutralizing epitope (COE) antigen. This recombinant bacterium efficiently induced secretory immunoglobulin A (SIgA)-based mucosal and immunoglobulin G (IgG)-based humoral immune responses via oral vaccination in mice. Compared to the other strains, the recombinant bacteria were able to grow without the addition of D-alanine, revealing that Alr in the plasmid could function normally in defective bacteria. This oral mucosal vaccine would provide a useful strategy to substitute the application of antibiotics in the future and induce efficient immune responses against PEDV infection.
Advances in Understanding of the Immune Response to Mycobacterial Pathogens and Vaccines through Use of Cattle and Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis as a Prototypic Mycobacterial Pathogen
Authors: Davis William C. , Abdellrazeq Gaber S. , Mahmoud Asmaa H. , Park Kun-Taek , Elnaggar Mahmoud M. , Donofrio Gaetano , Hulubei Victoria , Fry Lindsay M.
Published: September 2021

Lack of understanding of the immune response to mycobacterial pathogens has impeded progress in development of vaccines. Infection leads to development of an immune response that controls infection but is unable to eliminate the pathogen, resulting in a persistent infection. Although this puzzle remains to be solved, progress has been made using cattle as a model species to study the immune response to a prototypic mycobacterium, Mycobacterium a. paratuberculosis (Map). As chronicled in the review, incremental advances in characterizing the immune response to mycobacteria during the last 30 years with increases in information on the evolution of mycobacteria and relA, a gene regulating the stringent response, have brought us closer to an answer. We provide a brief overview of how mycobacterial pathogens were introduced into cattle during the transition of humankind to nomadic pastoralists who domesticated animals for food and farming. We summarize what is known about speciation of mycobacteria since the discovery of Mybacterium tuberculsis Mtb, M. bovis Mbv, and Map as zoonotic pathogens and discuss the challenges inherent in the development of vaccines to mycobacteria. We then describe how cattle were used to characterize the immune response to a prototypic mycobacterial pathogen and development of novel candidate vaccines.
A Comprehensive Computer Aided Vaccine Design Approach to Propose a Multi-Epitopes Subunit Vaccine against Genus Klebsiella Using Pan-Genomics, Reverse Vaccinology, and Biophysical Techniques
Authors: Allemailem Khaled S.
Published: September 2021

Klebsiella is a genus of nosocomial bacterial pathogens and is placed in the most critical list of World Health Organization (WHO) for development of novel therapeutics. The pathogens of the genus are associated with high mortality and morbidity. Owing to their strong resistance profile against different classes of antibiotics and nonavailability of a licensed vaccine, urgent efforts are required to develop a novel vaccine candidate that can tackle all pathogenic species of the Klebsiella genus. The present study aims to design a broad-spectrum vaccine against all species of the Klebsiella genus with objectives to identify the core proteome of pathogen species, prioritize potential core vaccine proteins, analyze immunoinformatics of the vaccine proteins, construct a multi-epitopes vaccine, and provide its biophysical analysis. Herein, we investigated all reference species of the genus to reveal their core proteome. The core proteins were then subjected to multiple reverse vaccinology checks that are mandatory for the prioritization of potential vaccine candidates. Two proteins (TonB-dependent siderophore receptor and siderophore enterobactin receptor FepA) were found to fulfill all vaccine parameters. Both these proteins harbor several potent B-cell-derived T-cell epitopes that are antigenic, nonallergic, nontoxic, virulent, water soluble, IFN-γ producer, and efficient binder of DRB*0101 allele. The selected epitopes were modeled into a multi-epitope peptide comprising linkers and Cholera Toxin B adjuvant. For docking with innate immune and MHC receptors and afterward molecular dynamics simulations and binding free energy analysis, the vaccine structure was modeled for tertiary structure and refined for structural errors. To assess the binding affinity and presentation of the designed vaccine construct, binding mode and interactions analysis were performed using molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulation techniques. These biophysical approaches illustrated the vaccine as a good binder to the immune receptors and revealed robust interactions energies. The vaccine sequence was further translated to nucleotide sequence and cloned into an appropriate vector for expressing it at high rate in Escherichia coli K12 strain. In addition, the vaccine was illustrated to generate a good level of primary, secondary, and tertiary immune responses, proving good immunogenicity of the vaccine. Based on the reported results, the vaccine can be a good candidate to be evaluated for effectiveness in wet laboratory validation studies.
Influence of Morphometry on Echocardiographic Measurements in Cavalier King Charles Spaniels: An Inverse Probability Weighting Analysis
Authors: Bagardi Mara , Ghilardi Sara , Locatelli Chiara , Bionda Arianna , Polli Michele , Bussadori Claudio , Colombo Fabio , Pazzagli Laura , Brambilla Paola
Published: September 2021

The development and progression of myxomatous mitral valve disease (MMVD) in Cavalier King Charles Spaniels (CKCS) are difficult to predict. Thus, the identification of dogs with a morphotype associated with more severe mitral disease at a young age is desirable. The aims of this study were to: (1) describe the physical, morphometric, and echocardiographic features of class B1 MMVD-affected Cavalier King Charles Spaniels (CKCS) according to the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (ACVIM) guidelines; (2) evaluate the influence of morphometric physical measurements on murmur intensity, mitral valve prolapse (MVP), regurgitant jet size, and indexed mitral valve and annulus measurements. Fifty-two MMVD-affected CKCS were included in the ACVIM class B1. This is a prospective clinical cross-sectional study. Morphometric measurements, which included the body, thorax, and head sizes of each dog, were investigated to establish the association with heart murmur intensity, valvular and annular echocardiographic measurements, MVP, and regurgitant jet size, using inverse probability weighting (IPW) analyses to adjust for confounding. The IPW analyses showed that when the head length and nose length decreased, dogs had a more severe regurgitant jet size. Furthermore, subjects with a more pronounced head stop angle had thicker anterior mitral valve leaflets. A brachycephalic morphotype, as seen in dogs similar to the King Charles Spaniel breed in terms of cephalic morphology, is associated with a more severe regurgitant jet size and with valvular characteristics that are related to the most severe forms of MMVD.
Serological and Molecular Characterization of Avian Metapneumovirus in Chickens in Northern Vietnam
Authors: Nguyen Van-Giap , Chung Hee-Chun , Do Hai-Quynh , Nguyen Thanh-Trung , Cao Thi-Bich-Phuong , Truong Ha-Thai , Mai Thi-Ngan , Le Thi-Trinh , Nguyen Thi-Hoa , Le Thi-Luyen , Huynh Thi-My-Le
Published: September 2021

Avian Metapneumovirus (aMPV) is a causative agent of respiratory disease complex in turkeys and chickens that has recently been detected in Vietnam. Due to its novelty, this study was conducted to elucidate the distribution of aMPV in several provinces in northern Vietnam. By the application of Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) and nested Reverse Transcription-Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR), this study demonstrated the circulation of aMPV in 12 out of 14 cities/provinces with positive rates of 37.6% and 17.2%, respectively. All nested RT-PCR positive samples were aMPV subgroup B. By pairing the detection results with age groups, it was observed that aMPV infections occurred in chickens of all ages. Additionally, by genetic characterization, aMPV strains were demonstrated to not be attenuated vaccine viruses and to belong to at least two genetic clades. Overall, the obtained results provided insights into the prevalence of aMPV and indicated a greater complexity of respiratory diseases in chickens in Vietnam.
Pre-Weaning Inulin Supplementation Alters the Ileal Transcriptome in Pigs Regarding Lipid Metabolism
Authors: Schroyen Martine , Li Bing , Arévalo Sureda Ester , Zhang Yuping , Leblois Julie , Deforce Dieter , Van Nieuwerburgh Filip , Wavreille José , Everaert Nadia
Published: September 2021

Prebiotics, such as inulin, are non-digestible compounds that stimulate the growth of beneficial microbiota, which results in improved gut and overall health. In this study, we were interested to see if, and how, the ileal transcriptome altered after inulin administration in the pre-weaning period in pigs. Seventy-two Piétrain–Landrace newborn piglets were divided into three groups: (a) a control (CON) group (n = 24), (b) an inulin (IN)-0.5 group (n = 24), and (c) an IN-0.75 group (n = 24). Inulin was provided as a solution and administered twice a day. At week 4, eight piglets per group, those closest to the average in body weight, were sacrificed, and ileal scrapings were collected and analyzed using 3′ mRNA massively parallel sequencing. Only minor differences were found, and three genes were differentially expressed between the CON and IN-0.5 group, at an FDR of 10%. All three genes were downregulated in the IN-0.5 group. When comparing the CON group with the IN-0.75 group, five genes were downregulated in the IN-0.75 group, including the three genes seen earlier as differentially expressed between CON and IN-0.5. No genes were found to be differential expressed between IN-0.5 and IN-0.75. Validation of a selection of these genes was done using qRT-PCR. Among the downregulated genes were Angiopoietin-like protein 4 (ANGPTL4), Aquaporin 7 (AQP7), and Apolipoprotein A1 (APOA1). Thus, although only a few genes were found to be differentially expressed, several of them were involved in lipid metabolism, belonging to the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) signaling pathway and known to promote lipolysis. We, therefore, conclude that these lipid metabolism genes expressed in the ileum may play an important role when supplementing piglets with inulin early in life, before weaning.
Effect of the Shoe Sole on the Vibration Transmitted from the Supporting Surface to the Feet
Authors: Tarabini Marco , Eger Tammy , Goggins Katie , Moorhead Alex P. , Goi Filippo
Published: September 2021

Vibration transmitted through the foot can lead to vibration white feet, resulting in blanching of the toes and the disruption of blood circulation. Controlled studies identifying industrial boot characteristics effective at attenuating vibration exposure are lacking. This work focused on the evaluation of vibration transmissibility of boot midsole materials and insoles across the range 10–200 Hz at different foot locations. Questionnaires were used to evaluate the comfort of each material. The materials were less effective at attenuating vibration transmitted to the toe region of the foot than the heel. Between 10 and 20 Hz, all midsole materials reduced the average vibration transmitted to the foot. The average transmissibility at the toes above 100 Hz was larger than 1, evidencing that none of the tested material protects the worker from vibration-related risks. There was a poor correlation between the vibration transmissibility and the subjective evaluation of comfort. Future research is needed to identify materials effective for protecting both the toe and the heel regions of the foot. Specific standards for shoe testing are required as well.
Fragility Curves for Slope Stability of Geogrid Reinforced River Levees
Authors: Rossi Nicola , Bačić Mario , Kovačević Meho Saša , Librić Lovorka
Published: September 2021

When constructing flood protection structures such as river levees, oftentimes due to various factors engineers must design composite structures, i.e., reinforced earthen structures which comply with all the stability criteria. The most common way of reinforcing such structures is the usage of geosynthetics, or mostly geogrids when talking about stability. Since geosynthetics are man-made materials produced in a controlled environment and go through quality control measures, their characteristics contain a negligible amount of uncertainty compared to natural soils. However, geosynthetic handling, their installation in the levee, and their long-term degradation can all have significant effects of variable magnitude on geosynthetic characteristics. These effects and their variability can be considered as random variables, which can then be used in probabilistic analyses together with soil properties. To investigate the effects of the geogrid’s resistance variability on slope stability compared to soil properties variability, probabilistic analyses are conducted on a river levee in northern Croatia. It is found that the geogrid’s variability generally has very little effect on the total uncertainty compared to the friction angle’s variability, but out of the three geogrid layers used the top grid has the most influence.
Increasing Hydrostatic Pressure Impacts the Prokaryotic Diversity during Emiliania huxleyi Aggregates Degradation
Authors: Tamburini Christian , Garel Marc , Barani Aude , Boeuf Dominique , Bonin Patricia , Bhairy Nagib , Guasco Sophie , Jacquet Stéphanie , Le Moigne Frédéric A. C. , Panagiotopoulos Christos , Riou Virginie , Veloso Sandrine , Santinelli Chiara , Armougom Fabrice
Published: September 2021

In the dark ocean, the balance between the heterotrophic carbon demand and the supply of sinking carbon through the biological carbon pump remains poorly constrained. In situ tracking of the dynamics of microbial degradation processes occurring on the gravitational sinking particles is still challenging. Our particle sinking simulator system (PASS) intends to mimic as closely as possible the in situ variations in pressure and temperature experienced by gravitational sinking particles. Here, we used the PASS to simultaneously track geochemical and microbial changes that occurred during the sinking through the mesopelagic zone of laboratory-grown Emiliania huxleyi aggregates amended by a natural microbial community sampled at 105 m depth in the North Atlantic Ocean. The impact of pressure on the prokaryotic degradation of POC and dissolution of E. huxleyi-derived calcite was not marked compared to atmospheric pressure. In contrast, using global O2 consumption monitored in real-time inside the high-pressure bottles using planar optodes via a sapphire window, a reduction of respiration rate was recorded in surface-originated community assemblages under increasing pressure conditions. Moreover, using a 16S rRNA metabarcoding survey, we demonstrated a drastic difference in transcriptionally active prokaryotes associated with particles, incubated either at atmospheric pressure or under linearly increasing hydrostatic pressure conditions. The increase in hydrostatic pressure reduced both the phylogenetic diversity and the species richness. The incubation at atmospheric pressure, however, promoted an opportunistic community of “fast” degraders from the surface (Saccharospirillaceae, Hyphomonadaceae, and Pseudoalteromonadaceae), known to be associated with surface phytoplankton blooms. In contrast, the incubation under increasing pressure condition incubations revealed an increase in the particle colonizer families Flavobacteriaceae and Rhodobacteraceae, and also Colwelliaceae, which are known to be adapted to high hydrostatic pressure. Altogether, our results underline the need to perform biodegradation experiments of particles in conditions that mimic pressure and temperature encountered during their sinking along the water column to be ecologically relevant.
A Simple Method for Identifying Appropriate Areas for Onsite Wastewater Treatment
Authors: Iribarnegaray Martín Alejandro , Correa Juan José , Sorani Jazmín Marcela del Rosario , Clavijo Araceli , Rodriguez-Alvarez María Soledad , Seghezzo Lucas
Published: September 2021

Onsite Domestic Wastewater Treatment Systems (ODWTS) are increasingly important for treating domestic wastewater in metropolitan contexts, especially in suburban sectors isolated from sewer networks and centralized treatment plants. When ODWTS are not correctly planned and located in suitable places, or are not properly designed, they can cause groundwater contamination and generate risks for human health. This work presents a Spatial Decision Support System (SDSS) to zone specific areas based on a few simple parameters. The proposed tool can be easily adapted to different contexts, even where institutional capacities are low. Results obtained in the metropolitan area of the Lerma Valley (Salta, Argentina) show strong contradictions between our zoning and current urbanization features in the study area. As a result, environmental impacts and health hazards are likely to manifest in the short or medium term. The sectors with the best receptivity conditions were found in the southern sector of the study area. We argue that ODWTS can be safely implemented in many areas as long as this concept is embedded in urban planning initiatives, which usually also require the consolidation or development of appropriate institutions and control systems.
A Simplified Method for Rapid Estimation of Emergency Water Supply Needs after Earthquakes
Authors: Toland Joseph , Wein Anne
Published: September 2021

Researchers are investigating the problem of estimating households with potable water service outages soon after an earthquake. Most of these modeling approaches are computationally intensive, have large proprietary data collection requirements or lack precision, making them unfeasible for rapid assessment, prioritization, and allocation of emergency water resources in large, complex disasters. This study proposes a new simplified analytical method—performed without proprietary water pipeline data—to estimate water supply needs after earthquakes, and a case study of its application in the HayWired earthquake scenario. In the HayWired scenario—a moment magnitude (Mw) 7.0 Hayward Fault earthquake in the San Francisco Bay Area, California (USA)—an analysis of potable water supply in two water utility districts was performed using the University of Colorado Water Network (CUWNet) model. In the case study, application of the simplified method extends these estimates of household water service outage to the nine counties adjacent to the San Francisco Bay, aggregated by a ~250 m2 (nine-arcsecond) grid. The study estimates about 1.38 million households (3.7 million residents) out of 7.6 million residents (2017, ambient, nighttime population) with potable water service outage soon after the earthquake—about an 8% increase from the HayWired scenario estimates.
Wildfires as a Source of PAHs in Surface Waters of Background Areas (Lake Baikal, Russia)
Authors: Gorshkov Alexander G. , Izosimova Oksana N. , Kustova Olga V. , Marinaite Irina I. , Galachyants Yuri P. , Sinyukovich Valery N. , Khodzher Tamara V.
Published: September 2021

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were detected in different types of PAH-containing samples collected in Lake Baikal during wildfires in the adjacent areas. The set of studied samples included the following: (i) water from the upper layer (5 m); (ii) water from the surface microlayer; (iii) water from the lake tributaries; (iv) water from deep layers (400 m); and (v) aerosol from the near-water layer. Ten PAHs were detected in the water samples: naphthalene, 1-methylnaphthalene, 2-methylnaphthalene acenaphthylene, acenaphthene, fluorene, phenanthrene, fluoranthene, pyrene, and chrysene. The total PAH concentrations (ƩPAHs) were detected in a wide range from 9.3 to 160 ng/L, characterizing by seasonal, intersessional, and spatial variability. In September 2016, the ƩPAH concentration in the southern basin of the lake reached 610 ng/L in the upper water layer due to an increase in fluorene, phenanthrene, fluoranthene, and pyrene in the composition of the PAHs. In June 2019, ƩPAHs in the water from the northern basin of the lake reached 290 ng/L, with the naphthalene and phenanthrene concentrations up to 170 ng/L and 92 ng/L, respectively. The calculation of back trajectories of the atmospheric transport near Lake Baikal, satellite images, and ƩPAH concentrations in the surface water microlayer of 150 to 960 ng/L confirm the impact of wildfires on Lake Baikal, with which the seasonal increase in the ƩPAH concentrations was associated in 2016 and 2019. The toxicity of PAHs detected in the water of the lake in extreme situations was characterized by the total value of the toxic equivalent for PAHs ranging from 0.17 to 0.22 ng/L, and a possible ecological risk of the impact on biota was assessed as moderate.
Source, Partition and Ecological Risk of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Karst Underground River Environment, Southern China
Authors: Wang Zhe , Li Jiang , Lu Li , Cao Jianwen , Zhao Liangjie , Luan Song
Published: September 2021

As the main source of drinking water in the karst areas of southern China, underground rivers play an important supporting role in local economic and social development. However, due to the special aquifer structure in the karst areas of southern China, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) can easily enter the water environment of underground rivers and cause serious pollution, which will affect the water quality safety. In this study, Qing-shui Spring underground river in Nanning city was selected as a representative of the typical underground river in southern China, and the pollution characteristics, source analysis, ecological risk assessment and diffusion law of PAHs were studied. The results showed that the total concentration of PAHs in groundwater and surface sediments was in the range of 282.42–464.88 ng/L and 400.14–1194.69 ng/g, respectively, and the overall concentrations of PAHs were below the moderate pollution level. Pollutant discharge and physical and chemical properties of PAHs caused the concentrations of PAHs to decrease gradually from upstream to downstream, but the proportion of high-cyclic PAHs increased gradually. According to the source analysis results of the ratio method, PAHs sources in groundwater were mainly biomass combustion sources in the upstream, oil sources in the middle and mixed sources in the downstream. Sediment and groundwater had some differences. The middle and upper reaches were the source of biomass combustion, while the middle and lower reaches were the mixed source. The ecological risk assessment results showed that the ecological risk of groundwater was at a moderate level, while the ecological risk of sediment was at a low level. Benzo[a]anthracene (BaA) and benzo[b]fluoranthene (BbF) in groundwater and acenaphthylene (Acy) and fluoranthene (Flu) in sediment should be monitored intensively. Appropriate control measures should be put in place to prevent further pollution. Partition coefficients varied from 0.73 to 3.85 L/g in the sediment–water interface, increasing with the rise of PAH compounds. All of the organic carbon partition coefficients (Koc) in the sediment–water interface were higher than predicate values based on the typical model of equilibrium distribution; this indicated that PAHs were strongly adsorbed in the sediment. The linear free energy relationship coefficient between the Koc value and the n-octanol-water partition coefficient (Kow) was 0.85 but the slope was lower than 1, indicating that sediment in the Qing-shui Spring underground river had weak lipophilic characteristics and adsorption ability for PAHs. The results can provide a reference for the risk assessment and pollution control of PAHs in the karst underground rivers in South China.
Simulation of the Riprap Movement Using the Continuous-Time Random Walking Method
Authors: Wang Maomei , Shu Longcang , Zhao Gang , Lin Yuzhu , Li Zhipeng , Sun Hongguang , Lu Chengpeng
Published: September 2021

During the implementation of the riprap project, the underwater migration process of the stones is quite uncertain because of its difficulty to observe. The process of stone transportation is discrete, which makes it unsuitable to be described by a continuous differential equation. Therefore, considering the distribution of stone jumping and waiting, a continuous-time random walk (CTRW) model is established. Based on the actual engineering data, five schemes simulate the one-dimensional motion of riprap underwater and further discuss the spatial distribution and particle size of the riprap. The results show that the CTRW model can effectively predict the riverbed elevation change behavior caused by the riprap project. The suitability of the model for the prediction of riprap movement decreases first and then increases with the increase in the selected width. This indicates that the randomness of the motion of the riprap causes the width of the observation zone to have a significant effect on the overall behavior of riprap movement. When the width is large enough, the influence of the randomness of the motion can be reduced by the average movement behavior within the observation zone. While the observation time of riprap movement is from a short to long time scale, the transport behavior changes from subdiffusion to normal diffusion behavior.
A Barotropic Tide Model for Global Ocean Based on Rotated Spherical Longitude-Latitude Grids
Authors: Lu Fuqiang , Konecny Milan , Chen Min , Reznik Tomas
Published: September 2021

Ocean modeling and simulation are important for understanding the dynamic processes in the geophysical system, and the simulation of tidal dynamics is of great significance for understanding the dynamic evolution of the ocean. However, there are some problems in existing simulations, including lack of specific standards to produce a desirable discrete spherical mesh for global ocean modelling. Many global ocean numerical models based on conventional longitude-latitude (LL) coordinates suffer from the “pole problem” in regions adjacent to the North Pole due to the convergence of meridians, which seriously hinders global ocean simulations. In this paper, a new longitude-latitude spherical grid coupled with rotated coordinate mapping is proposed to overcome the problem. In the design of the numerical model, for spatial approximation, the finite volume method on staggered C grid is proposed to solve the two-dimensional tidal wave equations for the global ocean. For temporal integration, the third-order Adams-Bashforth method is used to explicitly extrapolate the value on the next time interval half layer, and then the fourth-order implicit Adams-Moulton method is used to correct the water level. Finally, the constructed model is used to simulate the dynamics of two-dimensional tidal waves in the global ocean, and the co-tidal maps of two major diurnal tide and semidiurnal tide components are shown. The results demonstrate that the proposed model can support the simulation of tidal dynamics in the global ocean, especially for the Arctic Ocean.
Socioeconomic Impact Assessment of Water Resources Conservation and Management to Protect Groundwater in Punjab, Pakistan
Authors: Nasir Javaria , Ashfaq Muhammad , Baig Irfan Ahmad , Punthakey Jehangir F. , Culas Richard , Ali Asghar , Hassan Faizan ul
Published: September 2021

Water is the most important resource; it is utilized largely in agricultural production and is fundamental to ensuring global food security. This study aims to assess sustainable water management interventions and their impact on the farm economy. To increase water productivity, the most important adaptations that have been proposed are high-efficiency irrigation systems, drought-resistant varieties, the substitution of water-intensive crops with less water-demanding crops, the mulching of soil, zero tillage, and all on-farm operations that can save water, especially ground water. The recent analysis utilized farm survey data from 469 representative farmers along with secondary statistics. The data were collected via a multi-stage sampling technique to ensure the availability of representative farm populations based on a comprehensive site selection criterion. The TOA-MD model estimates the adoption rate of a proposed adaptation based on net farm returns. The impact of high-efficiency irrigation systems and the substitution of high delta crops for low delta crops had a positive impact on net farm returns and per capita income, and a negative impact on farm poverty in the study area. It is recommended that policymakers consult farmer representatives about agricultural and water-related issues so that all the policies can be implemented properly.
Fluctuating Characteristics of the Stilling Basin with a Negative Step Based on Hilbert-Huang Transform
Authors: Jia Wang , Diao Mingjun , Jiang Lei , Huang Guibing
Published: September 2021

The violent fluctuation of hydrodynamic pressure in stilling basins is an important factor threatening the safety of the bottom plates of stilling basins, and plays an important role in the safe operation of stilling basins. In order to deeply understand the fluctuating characteristics of stilling basins, the fluctuating pressure signal of a stilling basin bottom plate is processed by the Hilbert-Huang transform method through a hydraulic model test. In this paper, three signal decomposition methods are used to decompose the pulsating pressure signal. A Hilbert transform is used to select the component with the best decomposition effect. The time-frequency-amplitude diagram of the pulsating pressure signal is obtained by Hilbert transform, and its time-frequency characteristics are discussed in depth. The analysis results are as follows: (a) the decomposition results from the CEEMD method are orthogonal and complete. The HHT method is suitable for processing fluctuating pressure signals. (b) With an increase in IMF decomposition order, the signal frequency band becomes narrow, the Hilbert spectrum amplitude decreases and the pulsating pressure energy decreases. The decomposition of the fluctuating pressure signal into components of different scales shows that the turbulence is composed of multiple scales of vortices, reflecting the vortex structure in the turbulence. (c) The jet impingement zone of the drop bucket stilling basin is near x/L = 0.075. The dominant frequency and marginal spectrum energy of the jet impingement zone are very prominent, and the marginal spectrum energy is mostly concentrated within 5.0 Hz. (d) At different drop height and different flow energy ratio, the fluctuation in the dominant frequency of fluctuating pressure decreases, the dominant frequency of the head of the stilling basin is larger, the dominant frequency of the middle and rear parts tends to be stable, and the dominant frequency is finally stabilized at about 1.0 Hz. This paper attempts to use the HHT method to process the fluctuating pressure signal, and the results provide a new discussion method for exploring the fluctuating pressure characteristics of hydraulic structures.
Energy Consumption Prediction of Electric Vehicles Based on Digital Twin Technology
Authors: Zhang Zhaolong , Zou Yuan , Zhou Teng , Zhang Xudong , Xu Zhifeng
Published: September 2021

Digital twinning technology originated in the field of aerospace. The real-time and bidirectional feature of data interaction guarantees its advantages of high accuracy, real-time performance and scalability. In this paper the digital twin technology was introduced to electric vehicle energy consumption research. First, an energy consumption model of an electric vehicle of BAIC BJEV was established, then the model was optimized and verified through the energy consumption data of the drum test. Based on the data of the vehicle real-time monitoring platform, a digital twin model was built, and it was trained and updated by daily new data. Eventually it can be used to predict and verify the data of vehicle. In this way the prediction of energy consumption of vehicles can be achieved.
Comparisons of Real-World Vehicle Energy Efficiency with Dynamometer-Based Ratings and Simulation Models
Authors: Hamza Karim , Chu Kang-Ching , Favetti Matthew , Benoliel Peter Keene , Karanam Vaishnavi , Laberteaux Kenneth P. , Tal Gil
Published: September 2021

Software tools for fuel economy simulations play an important role during design stages of advanced powertrains. However, calibration of vehicle models versus real-world driving data faces challenges owing to inherent variations in vehicle energy efficiency across different driving conditions and different vehicle owners. This work utilizes datasets of vehicles equipped with OBD/GPS loggers to validate and calibrate FASTSim (software originally developed by NREL) vehicle models. The results show that window-sticker ratings (derived from dynamometer tests) can be reasonably accurate when averaged across many trips by different vehicle owners, but successfully calibrated FASTSim models can have better fidelity. The results in this paper are shown for nine vehicle models, including the following: three battery-electric vehicles (BEVs), four plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), one hybrid electric vehicle (HEV), and one conventional internal combustion engine (CICE) vehicle. The calibrated vehicle models are able to successfully predict the average trip energy intensity within ±3% for an aggregate of trips across multiple vehicle owners, as opposed to within ±10% via window-sticker ratings or baseline FASTSim.
Study on Capacity Estimation Methods of Second-Life Application Batteries
Authors: Ma Linkang , Zhang Caiping , Wang Jinyu , Wang Kairang , Chen Jie
Published: September 2021

For the capacity estimation problem of cells in series-retired battery modules, this paper proposed three different methods from the perspective of data-driven, battery curve matching and recession characteristics for different applications. Firstly, based on the premise that the battery history data are available, the features of the IC curve are selected as input for the linear regression models. To avoid multicollinearity among features, we apply a filter-based feature selection method to eliminate redundant features. The results show that the average errors with Multiple Linear Regression are within 1.5%. Secondly, for the situation with a lack of historical operating data, the battery-curve-matching-based method is proposed based on the Dynamic Time Warping algorithm. This method could achieve the curve matching between the reference cell and target cell, and then the curve contraction coefficients can be obtained. The result shows that the method’s average error is 2.34%. Thirdly, whereas the tougher situation is that only part of the battery curve is available, we present a substitute method based on the battery degradation mechanism. This method can estimate most of the battery plant capacity through the partial battery curve. The result shows that the method’s average error is within 2%. Lastly, we contrast the applicability and limitations of every method based on the retired battery test data after deep cycling aging.
Oil Friction Loss Evaluation of Oil-Immersed Cooling In-Wheel Motor Based on Improved Analytical Method and VOF Model
Authors: Yin Yi , Li Hui , Xiang Xuewei
Published: September 2021

Oil-immersed cooling provides an effective cooling scheme for high-power hub motors with compact structure and serious heating problems. However, with this cooling method, some oil friction loss will be generated, making the output torque and efficiency of the motor lower, which limits its application in the motor. It is essential to get an exact calculation of the oil friction loss so that it can be reduced in the future research. Firstly, a new method was proposed to improve the accuracy of oil friction loss calculated by an existing analytical method (Kori’s method), while the influence laws of oil-soaked depth and rotation speed on it were explored. Secondly, a three-dimensional transient Computational Fluid Dynamic (CFD) model based on Volume of Fluid (VOF) was established, considering the actual complex structure and the disorderly mixing of oil and air inside the motor. Finally, the oil friction loss calculated with an improved analytical method and a VOF model was verified by a testing. It was indicated that the VOF model was more precise but more time-consuming. The proposed method has the second highest accuracy but takes less time.
CONOCIMIENTOS Y PRÁCTICAS SOBRE LA HIGIENE DE MANOS EN TRABAJADORES SANITARIOS. ARMENIA 2008- 2009
Authors: Londoño-Franco Ángela Liliana , Murillas-Bedoya Marta Lucia
Published: September 2021

Objetivo: describir conocimientos y prácticas relacionados con la higiene de manos en trabajadores sanitarios y con los resultados realizar sugerencias de intervención. Materiales y métodos: 99 personas entre médicos y enfermeras aceptaron participar y firmaron consentimiento informado; se realizó una encuesta de conocimientos y prácticas y se evaluó la técnica de higiene de manos de acuerdo a las directrices de la Organización Mundial de la Salud. Resultados: Se encontró una práctica adecuada en un 27.5%, aceptable 38.5% y mala 34.1%. Se relacionaron significativamente con la realización adecuada de la técnica de higiene de manos la experiencia laboral y el tipo de trabajador sanitario. La mayor frecuencia de la práctica adecuada se encontró entre quienes llevaban menos de 6 años (60%) de actividad laboral mientras que fue más baja entre aquellos que llevaban 21 y más años trabajando (11.1%). Los participantes conocían la importancia de la higiene de manos y las ventajas del uso de soluciones alcohólicas. El conocimiento de las indicaciones en general fue bueno y varió entre 70 y 98%. Conclusiones: Es necesario buscar estrategias para incentivar la práctica de higiene de manos y la técnica adecuada de acuerdo a los lineamientos del Reto de la Alianza Mundial en pro de la seguridad del pacientes “Una atención limpia es una atención segura”.
“Escola sem partido”
Authors: Souza Israel Pereira Dias de
Published: September 2021

O objetivo do presente estudo é realizar uma análise do projeto “Escola sem partido” e de suas implicações para a ciência e para a prática docente. Embora se apresente como isento de e contra a ideologia e partidos, a pesquisa demonstra que o projeto é apenas uma ideologia que assume a forma da desideologização para melhor passar e atender aos interesses de certos sujeitos, grupos e classe. As conclusões apontam que, na pessoa do professor, é a própria ciência que é acusada, julgada e condenada, colocada entre o banco dos réus (criminalizada) e a fogueira inquisitorial (desmoralizada e anatematizada). Daí o professor ser tratado, concomitantemente, como criminoso, degenerado e, principalmente, degenerador político, moral e sexual. Sob a aparência filosófico-científica da neutralidade e do pluralismo do projeto, esconde-se nada menos que seu caráter (neo)obscurantista e autocrático, submetendo a prática docente-científica à mera opinião.
Uso de assobios na identificação de delfinídeos (Odontoceti: Delphinidae) para o oceano Atlântico Sul ocidental
Authors:   , Machado Raphael Barbosa
Published: September 2021

O grupo dos Cetáceos, formado basicamente por baleias, botos e golfinhos evoluiu em um ambiente que propiciou o desenvolvimento de sistemas complexos de comunicação acústica. Devido às suas propriedades físicas, o som viaja cerca de cinco vezes mais rápido na água do que no ar, sendo uma das energias mais eficientes no meio aquático. Sendo assim, os cetáceos são animais vocalmente ativos. Golfinhos da família Delphinidae destacam-se por apresentarem um complexo comportamento vocal, formado por assobios, cliques de ecolocalização e pulsos explosivos. Esses sons são utilizados na realização de diversas tarefas, tais como socialização, caça, navegação e discriminação de objetos. Além de características morfológicas, como posição da nadadeira dorsal, presença de manchas ou padrões de coloração, os sinais acústicos produzidos por esses animais podem ser utilizados na identificação ao nível de espécie. Bioacústica é a ciência responsável por estudar os mecanismos e forças envolvidas na produção, recepção e propagação do som. Essa área do conhecimento tem crescido nos últimos anos para o estudo de cetáceos devido às dificuldades em estudar esses animais em seu habitat natural, que permanecem submersos por longos minutos e apresentam um comportamento que dificulta a aproximação de pesquisadores para identificação da espécie. Algoritmos de classificação acústica têm sido desenvolvidos e aprimorados por se mostrarem extremamente úteis em situações que impossibilitam ou dificultam a observação de delfinídeos. Condições meteorológicas adversas como ventos, chuvas, estado do mar alto, períodos noturnos e de baixa visibilidade podem comprometer a identificação visual e o estudo com esses mamíferos. Com base nisso, este trabalho buscou classificar espécies de delfinídeos com base apenas em seu repertório acústico para o oceano Atlântico Sul ocidental. Foi possível identificar acusticamente três espécies: Delphinus delphis, Stenella frontalis e Stenella longirostris. Essas espécies foram frequentemente avistadas durante o Projeto Talude, uma pesquisa realizada entre 2013 a 2015 nos taludes sul e sudeste do Brasil. Provavelmente essas espécies também estavam acusticamente disponíveis quando condições meteorológicas não propícias não permitiram a identificação visual pelos observadores de bordo. Trabalhos como esse podem contribuir com a conservação dos cetáceos, que sofrem constantemente com os impactos causados por humanos em seu ambiente.
História natural de Ophiodes cf. fragilis (Raddi, 1820) (Squamata, Anguidae): aspectos morfológicos, reprodutivos, citogenéticos e locomotores
Authors:   , Oliveira Paola Rosa de
Published: September 2021

Os lagartos do gênero Ophiodes, conhecidos popularmente como cobras-de-vidro, se caracterizam pelo corpo em formato serpentiforme, ausência de membros anteriores e membros posteriores rudimentares. Foram registrados em diferentes regiões do Brasil e em outros países da América do Sul. Apesar de suas peculiaridades morfológicas e grande distribuição geográfica, são raros os estudos conduzidos com espécies desse gênero. Este trabalho foi desenvolvido com o objetivo de contribuir para o conhecimento de aspectos morfológicos, reprodutivos, citogenéticos e locomotores de uma espécie do gênero utilizando variadas metodologias. Considerando os impasses taxonômicos no gênero, optamos por nomear a espécie estudada como Ophiodes cf. fragilis. Os resultados demonstraram ausência de dimorfismo sexual associada a forma e tamanho em Ophiodes cf. fragilis. Quando avaliados os mesmos parâmetros foi possível diferenciar esta espécie de espécimes de Ophiodes fragilis. O sistema urogenital possui morfologia semelhante a anteriormente descritas para Squamata. Foi constatada variação morfológica microscópica associada a períodos reprodutivos e não reprodutivos do ano. Destaca-se a presença do segmento sexual renal nos rins de machos e fêmeas adultas. O hemipênis e o hemiclitóris possuem estruturas microscópicas similares, se distinguindo quanto ao formato e morfologia externa. O número e morfologia dos cromossomos de Ophiodes cf. fragilis foi semelhante ao já conhecido para outras espécies de Ophiodes. Novas análises de citogenética tradicional e molecular foram realizadas pela primeira vez para uma espécie do gênero. Os espécimes de Ophiodes cf. fragilis se locomovem predominantemente pelos modos serpentina e retilíneo, sendo observado a movimentação em determinadas situações do membro posterior vestigial. Há fortes indícios que o membro posterior seja um membro extremamente reduzido, e não vestigial, pela presença de ossículos que o sustentam com atividade metabólica e ligados a uma fina cintura pélvica. Os osteodermos estão presentes em todo o corpo do animal, com a morfologia dos canículos equivalente a descrita para o gênero. O presente estudo apresenta dados inéditos e complementa outras informações previamente conhecidas para o gênero. As metodologias utilizadas e os resultados obtidos poderão ser facilmente replicados e utilizados como base para estudos futuros com outras espécies de Ophiodes.