bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Protective Support and Supportive Protection: Critical Reflections on Safe Practice and Safety in Supervision
Authors: Devaney Carmel , Gregor Caroline Mc
Published: July 2022

This paper was based on a framework for practice and supervision based on ‘protective-support and supportive-protection’ (PS-SP) that can be used to discuss and plan for practice in a way that maximises the capacity of workers in child protection and welfare (CPW) services to provide support and protection simultaneously. The framework is underpinned by a long-established assumption about social work in child protection and welfare as a socio-legal practice of mediation in the social. The PS-SP framework was initially developed within an ecological context with a focus on networks and networking. In this paper, we developed this framework further, framing practice supervision using four functions of supervision (management, support, development, and mediation) and including a fifth component on safety. We did this alongside a review of related considerations around safety in supervision in general and in child protection and welfare in particular. While noting the important contribution of this work, we identified ongoing gaps for supervision focused on safety when considered within an ecological context. Bearing in mind the well-evidenced stress, challenges, and vicarious nature of child protection and welfare practice, we argued the importance of a wider framework based on PS-SP for supervision and support to manage this complexity with a particular emphasis on ‘safety’ as a contribution to this. To illustrate our framework and discussion, we referred to a case study throughout. This case study is drawn from a high-profile child abuse inquiry in Ireland over a decade ago. This case was chosen as it demonstrates the complex interplay of needs for support and protection over extended time. We considered how the PS-SP framework may be used in the present (hypothetically) regarding such a case scenario.
The Agency of Difference in Chilean School Policies and Practices: A BioSocioCultural Way-Out Perspective
Authors: Matus Claudia , Riberi Valentina
Published: July 2022

In this paper, we explore the active production of difference (as lacking) through the School Vulnerability Index and the School Inclusion Law in Chile. Through a diffractive reading, we present the contradiction between these two policies. While discriminatory knowledge about school subjects is produced in the School Vulnerability Index as truth and common knowledge for the school community, the School Inclusion Law is designed to solve practices of discrimination at school. We contend that, to address issues of segregation in school settings, we have to question the kind of knowledge we need for a more democratic and just future. As a result, we trouble the separation of biological, social, and cultural realms on which instruments are based to continue segregation practices as a natural way to frame inclusion policies in educational contexts. We argue that both policies and instruments play a decisive role in the continuity of a culture of segregation in a neoliberal school tradition.
The Spatial Spillover Effects of Environmental Regulation and Regional Energy Efficiency and Their Interactions under Local Government Competition in China
Authors: Ju Fangyu , Ke Mengfan
Published: July 2022

Under the pressure of serious environmental pollution and energy shortage, China needs to improve its energy efficiency to alleviate these problems. Environmental regulation is an important constraint on economic development, which has an impact on energy efficiency. Meanwhile, energy efficiency is a reference factor for adjusting environmental policies, which has an impact on environmental regulation. Therefore, the relationship between environmental regulation and energy efficiency needs to be further studied under a unified framework. Based on Chinese provincial panel data, we first use a stochastic frontier model to estimate the energy efficiency of China’s 30 provinces from 2004 to 2019, and then employ a spatial simultaneous equation model to study the spatial spillover effects of environmental regulation and energy efficiency and their interactions. The results show that: (1) Both energy efficiency and environmental regulation have significantly positive spatial spillover effects. Specifically, an overall increase of 1% in energy efficiency in the surrounding areas can promote an improvement in the local energy efficiency by about 1.0404%, and an overall increase of 1% in environmental regulation in the surrounding areas can lead to an increase of about 0.6075% in the local environmental regulation. (2) The impact of environmental regulation on energy efficiency is significantly positive; i.e., under the current situation in China, an increase of 1% in environmental regulation can promote local energy efficiency by about 0.2777%. (3) The impact of energy efficiency on environmental regulation is significantly positive; i.e., a 1% increase in energy efficiency may stimulate local governments to strengthen their environmental regulation by 1.5981%. Accordingly, some targeted policy suggestions are given.
Businesses’ Role in the Fulfillment of the 2030 Agenda: A Bibliometric Analysis
Authors: Garrido-Ruso María , Aibar-Guzmán Beatriz , Monteiro Albertina Paula
Published: July 2022

Companies worldwide can play a fundamental role in the fulfillment of the 2030 Agenda. This paper aims to determine the scope of the existing literature about the role that organizations play in contributing to the advancement of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). A bibliometric analysis is conducted considering the papers specifically focused on SDGs and businesses published from 2015 to 2021 in journals indexed in the Scopus database. The analysis shows that approximately 80% of the studies on this topic have been published in the last three years. Moreover, only one journal (Sustainability) has published more than the 50% of the publications on the subject. The final sample is divided into 11 clusters that analyze different perspectives within the same research topic, and, in all these clusters, practically all of the papers have been published in the last two years, which confirms that this issue is increasing its presence in the academic world. This work extends the existing research on the subject, taking into account the publications of the last year, so it is an update on this “hot topic”. Moreover, it contributes to providing a reference frame of the state of the art of this research topic and can orientate researchers in the development of future studies
Political Connections, Ownership and Within-Firm Pay Gap
Authors: Fang Fang , Duan Tingbo , Li Kun
Published: July 2022

The difference in wages between executives and employees reflects the class conflict in corporate governance. To investigate the political factors within the practice of corporate governance related to employees, this paper empirically tests the relationship among political connections, ownership and within-firm pay gaps. We take the A-share listed companies on the Shanghai and Shenzhen Stock Exchange as the example, design hypothesis tests and examine the effects of political connections on the pay gap in two distinctive groups of companies, the state-owned enterprises (SOEs) and the non-stated-owned enterprises (non-SOEs). The overall result indicates that political connections increase the average salary of executives and decrease the average salary of employees, thereby expanding the within-firm pay gap. Pay gaps in companies with political connections are 16% higher than companies without political connections. The further test results of distinguishing property rights show that in non-SOEs, political connections increase the executives’ compensation and decrease the average compensation of employees, resulting in an increase of the within-firm pay gap. Similar relationships appear in SOEs but without statistical significance. These findings expand the research on income distribution effects of political connections theoretically, and provide useful insights for SOEs’ reform and income distribution system reform in practice.
Assessing the Economic Impacts of COVID-19 on the Aquaculture and Fisheries Sectors in Relation to Food Security: A Critical Review
Authors: Gosh Kamal , Chowdhury Santa , Acharjee Debasish Chandra , Mamun Abdullah-Al , Ghosh Robin
Published: July 2022

The aquaculture and fisheries sectors are critical sources of nutrition and employment generation in many developed and developing countries. Hence, any disruptions to these sectors due to the COVID-19 pandemic have a far-reaching impact, leading to a cascading chain of disorder affecting people’s food security and livelihoods. Relating to these fish sectors, we reviewed COVID-19’s implications for the food security of these vulnerable countries. The current study indicated that COVID-19 and its related preventive measures have severely disrupted the fish demand and supply chain by creating considerable fish price volatility. As a result, the vulnerable aquatic communities have adopted several short-term coping strategies, including fish overwintering, delayed fish stocking time, and feeding the overcrowded fish with low-priced food. Since the long-term coping strategies are still unclear, we recommended certain longstanding methods that are likely to safeguard food security and livelihoods if adopted.
Make Time for Employees to Be Sustainable: The Roles of Temporal Leadership, Employee Procrastination, and Organizational Time Norms
Authors: Zhang Juncheng , Zhang Shuyu , Liu Fang , Chen Weiqi
Published: July 2022

Extended work availability (EWA) captures the experience of an employee who needs to be available for job demands during nonworking hours. It is a ubiquitous phenomenon because of the prevalent use of information and communication technology (ICT) such as mobile devices and internet services for work purposes. Although it has been found to impair employee health and well-being, evidence that delineates how to mitigate employee EWA is sparse. Thus, an important research question is: How can managers alleviate employee EWA in the ICT-prevalent work environment? Given EWA has a close connection with the time-based work–nonwork conflict, the present study addresses this question by taking a temporal lens and focusing on the roles of three time-related determinants of employee EWA. Particularly, we first include temporal leadership as a predictor of employee EWA, which concerns a particular type of time management behavior in which a manager aims at helping employees to achieve effective use of time while performing job duties. Then, we incorporate both the individual tendency to delay an intended course of action (i.e., procrastination) and the time management environment in an organization (i.e., organizational time norms) into our research model to further reveal how employee EWA could be shaped. Drawing on spillover theory, the goal of the present study was to examine the effect of temporal leadership in determining employee EWA, as well as the roles employee procrastination and organizational time norms play. Analyses of cross-sectional survey data from a sample of 240 full-time employees showed that temporal leadership has a U-shaped association (β = 0.32, p < 0.001) with employee EWA. Both employee procrastination (r = 0.40, p < 0.001) and organizational time norms (r = 0.30, p < 0.001) are positively related to employee EWA, respectively. Moreover, the U-shaped association between temporal leadership and employee EWA becomes more salient when the organizational time norms is strong, with a standardized regression coefficient of 0.24 (p < 0.05) for the interaction between temporal leadership squared and organizational time norms. These findings contribute to a more comprehensive view of how managers can alleviate employee EWA in today’s ICT-prevalent work environment.
The Interplay of Social Influence, Financial Literacy, and Saving Behaviour among Saudi Youth and the Moderating Effect of Self-Control
Authors: Alshebami Ali Saleh , Aldhyani Theyazn H. H.
Published: July 2022

This study examined the impact of social influence, i.e., parents and peers, on the level of financial literacy among Saudi young adults (students). It also assessed the effect of financial literacy on the development of saving behaviour and the role of self-control as a moderator in the relationship between financial literacy and saving behaviour among the same respondents. The study’s sample included 270 respondents (male and female) from an applied college affiliated with King Faisal University. The study employed partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) for data analysis and interpretation. Some intriguing findings were generated. It was discovered that the influence of both parents and peers can positively predict financial literacy. Furthermore, financial literacy can positively impact young people’s saving habits. One surprising finding was that self-control negatively moderated the relationship between financial literacy and saving behaviour. Self-control was found to dampen the ties between Saudi young people’s financial literacy and saving behaviour.
Effects of Celebrity–Product/Consumer Congruence on Consumer Confidence, Desire, and Motivation in Purchase Intention
Authors: Liang Shi-Zhu , Hsu Meng-Hsiang , Chou Tung-Hsiang
Published: July 2022

It is well known that the consistency of Internet celebrity affects consumers’ purchase intention, but there are few studies on the logic behind the influence. This study investigates the impact of Internet celebrity congruence factors (celebrity congruence with the recommended products and celebrity congruence with followers) on followers’ purchasing psychological states and purchase behaviors. The research model is rooted in congruence theory and social-network theory and we conducted an empirical study on Tiktok and IG followers of celebrities. Then, we used partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS–SEM) to analyze 297 valid questionnaires. The results show the congruence of Internet celebrity with both followers and products promotes follower product adoption; the congruence does so by enhancing followers’ perception that the recommendations are credible, in turn increasing the followers’ confidence in, desire for, and motivation to buy the product. This study explains that the congruence of Internet celebrities with followers and products must be strongly present in the recommendation, which leads to a high credibility recommendation. A high credibility recommendation greatly influences consumers’ pre-purchase psychological states and thus enhance their purchase intention. This study demonstrates to practitioners that when consumers’ purchase intention is lower than expected, it is necessary to consider the credibility of the recommendation.
Change in Alpine Grassland NPP in Response to Climate Variation and Human Activities in the Yellow River Source Zone from 2000 to 2020
Authors: Zhang Feng , Hu Xiasong , Zhang Jing , Li Chengyi , Zhang Yupeng , Li Xilai
Published: July 2022

Identifying the relative contributions of climate change and human activities to alpine grassland dynamics is critical for understanding grassland degradation mechanisms. In this study, first, the actual NPP (NPPa) was obtained by MOD17A3. Second, we used the Zhou Guangsheng model to simulate the potential met net primary productivity (NPPp). Finally, the NPP generated by anthropogenic activities (NPPh) was estimated by calculating the difference between NPPp and NPPa. Then, the relative contributions of climate change and human activities to NPP changes in grasslands were quantitatively assessed by analyzing trends in NPPp and NPPa. Thereby, the drivers of NPP change in the Yellow River source grassland were identified. The results showed that the temperature and precipitation in the study area showed a warm-humid climate trend from 2000 to 2020. The NPPp and NPPa increased at a rate of 1.07 g C/m2 and 1.51 g C/m2 per year, respectively, while the NPPh decreased at a rate of 0.46 g C/m2 per year. It can be seen that human activities had a positive effect on the change of NPP in the Yellow River source grassland from the change rate. The relative contribution analysis showed that 55.90% of grassland NPP increased due to climate change, 40.16% of grassland NPP increased due to human activities, and the grassland degradation was not significant. The research results can provide a theoretical basis and technical support for the next step of the Yellow River source grassland ecological protection project.
Emotions and Resilience in Saudi Women’s Digital Entrepreneurship during the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Alhothali Ghada Talat , Al-Dajani Haya
Published: July 2022

The adoption of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 5 on gender equality and the growth in the number of women entrepreneurs in the MENA region is likely to change the rules of the game. A growing body of research is addressing this and the factors pertaining to this growth, including digital entrepreneurship. However, little remains known about the growth and resilience of women-owned digital microbusinesses during adverse social and economic disruptions, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, in Saudi Arabia. Hence, this study explores the impact of emotions on the resilience of women entrepreneurs in “Saudi Arabia in transformation”, to explore the impact this has on shaping the digital entrepreneurship journeys of women entrepreneurs. A qualitative longitudinal approach was utilized to capture the processual nature of entrepreneurship during crises, and the broaden-and-build theory offered the theoretical framing for the study. Of the eight women-owned digital microbusinesses participating in this study, six survived the COVID-19 pandemic. The findings show that digital entrepreneurship contributed to sustaining microbusinesses during adversity, and entrepreneurs motivated by passion are also infused with positive emotions and positive thoughts and actions, empowering their resilience, despite the adversity.
Blockchain-Enabled Smart Grid Applications: Architecture, Challenges, and Solutions
Authors: Appasani Bhargav , Mishra Sunil Kumar , Jha Amitkumar V. , Mishra Santosh Kumar , Enescu Florentina Magda , Sorlei Ioan Sorin , Bîrleanu Fernando Georgel , Takorabet Noureddine , Thounthong Phatiphat , Bizon Nicu
Published: July 2022

The conventional electrical grid is undergoing substantial growth for reliable grid operation and for more efficient and sustainable energy use. The traditional grid is now metamorphosing into a smart grid (SG) that incorporates a diverse, heterogeneous blend of operating measures such as smart appliances, meters, and renewable energy resources. With better efficient results and dependability, the SG can be described as a modern electric power grid architecture. The SG is one of the greatest potential advances as a promising solution for the energy crisis. However, it is complex and its decentralization could be of tremendous benefit. Moreover, digitalization and integration of a large number of growing connections make it a target of cyber-attacks. In this sense, blockchain is a promising SG paradigm solution that offers several excellent features. There has been considerable effort put into using blockchains in the smart grid for its decentralization and enhanced cybersecurity; however, it has not been thoroughly studied in both application and architectural perspectives. An in-depth study was conducted on blockchain-enabled SG applications. Blockchain architectures for various applications, such as the synchrophasor applications, electric vehicles, energy management systems, etc., were proposed. The purpose of this article is to provide directions for future research efforts aimed at secure and decentralized SG applications using blockchain.
Borrowing the Earth from the Next Generation: Appropriate Wisdom, Technology, and Management toward Environmental Sustainability for Development
Authors: Hashemi Shervin
Published: July 2022

Technological advancements, combined with rapid population growth, have led to an increase in environmental resource consumption [...]
Business Students Expectations of Brazilian Corporate Governance: Insights for a Sustainable Path in an Emerging Business Environment
Authors: Flores Eduardo , De Paula Douglas Augusto , Sampaio Joelson de Oliveira
Published: July 2022

This paper aimed to better understand business students’ expectations of Brazilian corporate governance after recent scandals, focusing on capturing their perceptions after the Lava Jato (Car Wash) police investigation. Adapting a prior survey applied to business students, data were collected from three colleges in São Paulo, the largest city in Latin America, with a total of 328 responses. The data were initially submitted to confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), after which we employed a structural equation model (SEM). Our main finding indicates that students are skeptical of an increase in Brazilian corporate governance after this police operation. This result is supported by the prior literature and denotes student consciousness of the need for deep reforms in the business environment and compliance rules. Furthermore, strategic human resources management is the most prominent corporate governance tool today, and the survey revealed disbelief that the Board of Directors and internal audits will act as potential inhibitors of fraud and corruption. These findings are associated with a broad view related to sustainability which denotes that future firm leaders, who are currently business students, comprehend that an ethical business environment needs to be built by professionals who are able to understand the role of corporate governance mechanisms. This paper contributes to the literature by offering a holistic assessment of business student perceptions and encourages a discussion of current models and instruments of Brazilian corporate governance. The scarcity of studies involving education and governance can be considered a constraint to building sustainable companies from a long-term perspective. Comprehending business students’ perceptions about corporate governance mechanisms can be considered a path to increasing the number of business courses with topics aligned with practical effects on environmental, social, and governance subjects, mainly when these mechanisms are evaluated from an integrated perspective.
Vertebral Slip Morphology in Dysplastic Spondylolisthesis as a Criterion for the Choice of the L5/S1 Support (ALIF, PLIF, Fibular Graft) in Surgical Treatment
Authors: Vyskocil Robert , Prymek Martin , Ryba Ludek , Sklensky Jan , Kocanda Jan , Lujc Michael , Vosynek Petr , Repko Martin
Published: July 2022

Dysplastic spondylolisthesis is a severe pathological condition, based on dysplastic changes in the lumbosacral part of the spine, that causes the asymmetry of the lumbosacral junction. The appropriate therapeutic algorithm remains controversial. As the gold standard, the surgical reposition of the slipped vertebra and 360° fusion of the affected spinal segment is preferred. Thirty-two patients were operated on between the years 2005 and 2018. Different techniques of 360° fusion, based on the severity of the displacement of the affected vertebral segment, were used. Herein, the advantages and disadvantages of different techniques of interbody fusion are discussed. The slippage and retention after reduction in the vertebrae are evaluated prior to the operation, postoperatively, one year after the surgery, and during follow-up, which was 7 years on average (minimum 2 years for a follow-up). Complications associated with the surgery are evaluated, in addition to the operation time, blood loss, spinopelvic parameters, and patient satisfaction with the surgery. All surgical techniques improved the slippage compared to preoperative conditions. The retention of the reposition was not changed significantly in postoperative controls. The incidence of neurological complications reached 12.5%. Surgical treatment is the only treatment option that successfully addressed the pathological principle of dysplastic spondylolisthesis. All of the surgical methods used led to restoring the symmetry of the lumbar spine, and to the improvement in both radiological parameters and the alleviation of subjective difficulties. The aim of this article is to summarize surgical methods in patients having dysplastic spondylolisthesis with a slip of more than 25%, who were operated on, and to determine the optimal treatment algorithm according to the severity of the slip.
Searching for Pairs of Higgs Bosons in the LHC Run 2 Dataset
Authors: Brost Elizabeth , Cadamuro Luca
Published: July 2022

The discovery of the Higgs boson confirms the existence of a scalar sector of the standard model, responsible for electroweak symmetry breaking, but the nature and properties of the potential at the origin of this mechanism are still unknown. By studying the production of pairs of Higgs bosons (HH), physicists can directly measure the coupling of the Higgs boson to itself and thus determine the shape of this potential, which has far-reaching implications on the origin and evolution of our Universe. Because of this deep connection to the foundations of electroweak symmetry breaking, HH production is also an ideal place to search for manifestations of yet-unknown physics, such as modifications of the strength of the self-coupling and of the interaction between pairs of vector bosons and Higgs bosons. In this review article, we summarize the current searches for HH production at ATLAS and CMS, using the LHC Run 2 dataset, discuss the implications of our current constraints on physics beyond the standard model, and briefly review prospect for future HH searches.
Dynamics and Exact Traveling Wave Solutions of the Sharma–Tasso–Olver–Burgers Equation
Authors: Zhou Yan , Zhuang Jinsen
Published: July 2022

In this paper, to study the Sharma–Tasso–Olver–Burgers equation, we focus on the geometric properties and the exact traveling wave solutions. The corresponding traveling system is a cubic oscillator with damping, and it has time-dependent and time-independent first integral. For all bounded orbits of the traveling system, we give the exact explicit kink wave solutions.
Parameter Learning of Bayesian Network with Multiplicative Synergistic Constraints
Authors: Zhang Yu , Hu Zhiming
Published: July 2022

Learning the conditional probability table (CPT) parameters of Bayesian networks (BNs) is a key challenge in real-world decision support applications, especially when there are limited data available. The traditional approach to this challenge is introducing domain knowledge/expert judgments that are encoded as qualitative parameter constraints. In this paper, we focus on multiplicative synergistic constraints. The negative multiplicative synergy constraint and positive multiplicative synergy constraint in this paper are symmetric. In order to integrate multiplicative synergistic constraints into the learning process of Bayesian Network parameters, we propose four methods to deal with the multiplicative synergistic constraints based on the idea of classical isotonic regression algorithm. The four methods are simulated by using the lawn moist model and Asia network, and we compared them with the maximum likelihood estimation (MLE) algorithm. Simulation results show that the proposed methods are superior to the MLE algorithm in the accuracy of parameter learning, which can improve the results of the MLE algorithm to obtain more accurate estimators of the parameters. The proposed methods can reduce the dependence of parameter learning on expert experiences. Combining these constraint methods with Bayesian estimation can improve the accuracy of parameter learning under small sample conditions.
Graded Weakly 2-Absorbing Ideals over Non-Commutative Graded Rings
Authors: Alshehry Azzh Saad , Habeb Jebrel M. , Abu-Dawwas Rashid , Alrawabdeh Ahmad
Published: July 2022

Let G be a group and R be a G-graded ring. In this paper, we present and examine the concept of graded weakly 2-absorbing ideals as in generality of graded weakly prime ideals in a graded ring which is not commutative, and demonstrates that the symmetry is obtained as a lot of the outcomes in commutative graded rings remain in graded rings that are not commutative.
Potential Heavy Metals Pollution Contribution from Wash-Off of Urban Road-Dust
Authors: Faisal Muhammad , Wu Zening , Wang Huiliang , Lin Xiaoying , Hussain Zafar , Azam Muhammad Imran
Published: July 2022

Based on the different particle sizes of street dust, the potential pollution load of heavy metals from dry and wet atmospheric deposition to surface runoff in different functional areas of Zhengzhou city was estimated by using the rain-scour heavy metal index model. Compared to the EA, IA, and CA areas, RA and PA have a higher potential contribution to heavy metal runoff pollution from Road deposited sediments (RDS) than the other watersheds. Zhengzhou utilized the RDS index model to calculate pollution loads in various areas around Zhengzhou (EA, IA, CA, PA, and RA). In the different land-use areas, the RDS indices for pollutant load (RDSindex,load) and pollutant strength (RDSindex,strength) varied greatly, and the RDS index strength values increased. RDSindex,load fell in the following order: IA > RA > PA > EA. Because the RDS index incorporates RDS characteristics such as the amount of RDS, grain sizes present, RDS mobility, and associated metals, the RDSindex,load and RDSindex,strength results did not merely match variability in the amounts of RDS found or metal concentrations in the RDS in various land-use areas. Metal’s presence in the dust is a direct health risk for humans and warrants immediate and effective pollution control and prevention measures in the city.
Public Health Implications and Possible Sources of Lead (Pb) as a Contaminant of Poorly Regulated Kratom Products in the United States
Authors: Prozialeck Walter , Fowler Alexandra , Edwards Joshua
Published: July 2022

Kratom (Mitragyna speciosa) is a tropical tree that is indigenous to Southeast Asia. Kratom leaf products have been used in traditional folk medicine for their unique combination of stimulant and opioid-like effects. Kratom is being increasingly used in the West for its reputed benefits in the treatment of pain, depression, and opioid use disorder (OUD). Recent studies from the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA, Silver Spring, MD, USA) and our laboratory have shown that many kratom products being sold in the United States are contaminated with potentially hazardous levels of lead (Pb). In this commentary, we discuss the public health implications of the presence of Pb in kratom products, particularly as they relate to the predicted levels of Pb exposure among kratom users. We also considered the specific toxic effects of Pb and how they might relate to the known physiologic and toxicologic effects of kratom. Finally, we consider the possible sources of Pb in kratom products and suggest several areas for research on this issue.
Early Clinical Experience with Molnupiravir for Mild to Moderate Breakthrough COVID-19 among Fully Vaccinated Patients at Risk for Disease Progression
Authors: Vena Antonio , Traman Luca , Bavastro Martina , Limongelli Alessandro , Dentone Chiara , Magnè Federica , Giacobbe Daniele Roberto , Mikulska Malgorzata , Taramasso Lucia , Di Biagio Antonio , Bassetti Matteo
Published: July 2022

Information on the efficacy and safety of molnupiravir in daily clinical practice is very scarce. We aimed to describe the clinical characteristics and outcomes of fully vaccinated patients with mild to moderate breakthrough COVID-19 treated with molnupiravir between January 2022 and February 2022. Overall, 145 patients were enrolled. Their median age was 71.0 years, and 60.7% were males. The most common underlying condition was a severe cardiovascular disease (37.2%), followed by primary or acquired immunodeficiency (22.8%), and oncological/onco-hematological disease in the active phase (22.1%). At 30 days after breakthrough COVID-19 diagnosis, only 4 out of 145 patients (2.7%) required hospital admission. No patients developed severe COVID-19, were admitted to the ICU, or died during the follow-up period. Adverse events, mild in intensity, occurred in 2 patients (1.4%). Our results support the current evidence establishing positive clinical and safety outcomes of molnupiravir in fully vaccinated patients with mild or moderate breakthrough COVID-19.
Development of a T Cell-Based COVID-19 Vaccine Using a Live Attenuated Influenza Vaccine Viral Vector
Authors: Isakova-Sivak Irina , Stepanova Ekaterina , Matyushenko Victoria , Niskanen Sergei , Mezhenskaya Daria , Bazhenova Ekaterina , Krutikova Elena , Kotomina Tatiana , Prokopenko Polina , Neterebskii Bogdan , Doronin Aleksandr , Vinogradova Elena , Yakovlev Kirill , Sivak Konstantin , Rudenko Larisa
Published: July 2022

The COVID-19 pandemic emerged in 2020 and has caused an unprecedented burden to all countries in the world. SARS-CoV-2 continues to circulate and antigenically evolve, enabling multiple reinfections. To address the issue of the virus antigenic variability, T cell-based vaccines are being developed, which are directed to more conserved viral epitopes. We used live attenuated influenza vaccine (LAIV) virus vector to generate recombinant influenza viruses expressing various T-cell epitopes of SARS-CoV-2 from either neuraminidase (NA) or non-structural (NS1) genes, via the P2A self-cleavage site. Intranasal immunization of human leukocyte antigen-A*0201 (HLA-A2.1) transgenic mice with these recombinant viruses did not result in significant SARS-CoV-2-specific T-cell responses, due to the immunodominance of NP366 influenza T-cell epitope. However, side-by-side stimulation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of COVID-19 convalescents with recombinant viruses and LAIV vector demonstrated activation of memory T cells in samples stimulated with LAIV/SARS-CoV-2, but not LAIV alone. Hamsters immunized with a selected LAIV/SARS-CoV-2 prototype were protected against challenge with influenza virus and a high dose of SARS-CoV-2 of Wuhan and Delta lineages, which was confirmed by reduced weight loss, milder clinical symptoms and less pronounced histopathological signs of SARS-CoV-2 infection in the lungs, compared to LAIV- and mock-immunized animals. Overall, LAIV is a promising platform for the development of a bivalent vaccine against influenza and SARS-CoV-2.
Quantitative Analysis of Anti-N and Anti-S Antibody Titers of SARS-CoV-2 Infection after the Third Dose of COVID-19 Vaccination
Authors: Lee Nuri , Jeong Seri , Lee Su Kyung , Cho Eun-Jung , Hyun Jungwon , Park Min-Jeong , Song Wonkeun , Kim Hyun Soo
Published: July 2022

We quantitatively analyzed SARS-CoV-2 antibody levels in patients after two doses of the ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 vaccine and the third BNT162b2 booster. We obtained 255 serum samples from 149 healthcare workers 1 and 4 months after the third dose. Of the 149 participants, 58 (38.9%) experienced COVID-19 infection during the 4-month study period, with infection occurring 7–62 days before the second blood draw. Total antibody titers against the anti-spike (anti-S) and anti-nucleocapsid (anti-N) proteins of SARS-CoV-2 were measured using Elecsys Anti-SARS-CoV-2 S and Elecsys Anti-SARS-CoV-2 assays (Roche), respectively. The median anti-S antibody titer in the non-infected groups at 4 months after the third dose was significantly decreased compared to that at 1 month after the third dose (from 17,777 to 3673 U/mL, p < 0.001). The infected group showed higher median anti-S antibody titers at 4 months (19,539 U/mL) than the non-infected group (3673 U/mL). The median anti-N antibody titer in the infected group at 4 months after the third dose was a 5.07 cut-off index (79.3% positivity). Anti-N antibody titers in the infected group were correlated with the number of days after SARS-CoV-2 infection. These data provide useful information for determining quarantine strategies and fourth vaccination requirements.
The Protective Effects of Influenza Vaccination in Elderly Patients with Breast Cancer in Taiwan: A Real-World Evidence-Based Study
Authors: Wu Szu-Yuan , Tung Ho-Jui , Huang Kuang-Hua , Lee Chiachi Bonnie , Tsai Tung-Han , Chang Yu-Chia
Published: July 2022

In elderly patients with newly diagnosed breast cancer, clarity is lacking regarding the effects of influenza vaccines, particularly on clinical outcomes. This study conducted two nationwide, population-based, and propensity score-matched cohorts to estimate and compare the protective effects of influenza vaccine in elderly women and elderly patients with breast cancer. Data were derived from the National Health Insurance Research Database and Cancer Registry Database. Generalized estimating equations (GEEs) were used to compare outcomes between the vaccinated and unvaccinated cohorts. Adjusted odds ratios (aORs) were used to estimate the relative risks, and stratified analyses in the breast cancer cohort were performed to further evaluate elderly breast cancer patients undergoing a variety of adjuvant therapies. The GEE analysis showed that the aORs of death and hospitalization, including for influenza and pneumonia, respiratory diseases, respiratory failure, and heart disease, did not significantly decrease in vaccinated elderly patients with newly diagnosed breast cancer. Conversely, the aORs of all influenza-related clinical outcomes were significantly decreased in elderly women. No protective effects of influenza vaccination were found in the elderly patients with a newly diagnosed breast cancer. More studies focusing on identifying strategies to improve the real-world effectiveness of influenza vaccination to the immunocompromised are needed. Our clinical outcomes will be valuable for future public health policy establishment and shared decision making for influenza vaccine use in elderly patients with newly diagnosed breast cancer. According to our findings, regular influenza vaccine administration for elderly patients with newly diagnosed breast cancer may be reconsidered, with potential contraindications for vaccination. On the other hand, implementing the vaccination of close contacts of patients with breast cancer may be a more important strategy for enhancing protection of those fragile patients.
Adults with Trisomy 21 Have Differential Antibody Responses to Influenza A
Authors: James Stephanie , Haight Robert C. , Hanna Cassandra , Furton Lindsey
Published: July 2022

Down syndrome is caused by an extra copy of chromosome 21. In the past two decades, the life expectancy of individuals with Down syndrome has significantly increased from early 20s to early 60s, creating a population of individuals of which little is known about how well they are protected against infectious disease. The goal of this work is to better understand if adults with Down syndrome are well protected against influenza following vaccination. We obtained plasma samples from 18 adults (average age = 31yo) with Down syndrome and 17 age/gender-matched disomic individuals, all vaccinated against influenza. Antibody concentration to influenza A was measured using ELISA and antibody titers were measured using a hemagglutinin inhibition assay. Statistical analysis was performed using Stata Statistical Software. Adults with Down syndrome had a significantly increased concentration of antibodies to a mixture of influenza A viral proteins; however, they had a significantly decreased titer to the Influenza A/Hong Kong compared to disomic controls. These findings suggest that more vigorous studies of B- and T-cell function in adults with Down syndrome with respect to influenza vaccination are warranted, and that this population may benefit from a high-dose influenza vaccine.
Evaluation of a Probability-Based Predictive Tool on Pathologist Agreement Using Urinary Bladder as a Pilot Tissue
Authors: Jones Emily , Woldeyohannes Solomon , Castillo-Alcala Fernanda , Lillie Brandon N. , Sula Mee-Ja M. , Owen Helen , Alawneh John , Allavena Rachel
Published: July 2022

Inter-pathologist variation is widely recognized across human and veterinary pathology and is often compounded by missing animal or clinical information on pathology submission forms. Variation in pathologist threshold levels of resident inflammatory cells in the tissue of interest can further decrease inter-pathologist agreement. This study applied a predictive modeling tool to bladder histology slides that were assessed by four pathologists: first without animal and clinical information, then with this information, and finally using the predictive tool. All three assessments were performed twice, using digital whole-slide images (WSI) and then glass slides. Results showed marked variation in pathologists’ interpretation of bladder slides, with kappa agreement values of 7–37% without any animal or clinical information, 23–37% with animal signalment and history, and 31–42% when our predictive tool was applied, for digital WSI and glass slides. The concurrence of test pathologists to the reference diagnosis was 60% overall. This study provides a starting point for the use of predictive modeling in standardizing pathologist agreement in veterinary pathology. It also highlights the importance of high-quality whole-slide imaging to limit the effect of digitization on inter-pathologist agreement and the benefit of continued standardization of tissue assessment in veterinary pathology.
Therapeutic Effect and Immune Changes after Treatment of Hymenolepis nana-Infected BALB/c Mice with Compounds Isolated from Leucaena leucocephala
Authors: Ma Yi-Hsuan , Chen Chung-Yi , Chung Li-Yu , Yen Chuan-Min , Juan Yung-Shun , Lin Rong-Jyh
Published: July 2022

Background/Purpose: Hymenolepis nana is globally distributed. Leucaena leucocephala has been studied as a treatment, including the nematodes and protozoa, but no research results are related to cestodes. Therefore, the aim of this study was to target H. nana. Methods: The natural components of L. leucocephala were isolated and added to H. nana, which was cultured in vitro, to observe changes in the mortality, motility, and morphology. BALB/c male mice infected with H. nana were treated with effective components of L. leucocephala for 10 days, and the changes were recorded. After the mice were sacrificed, the spleen weight was measured, and a primary culture was performed for the subsequent cytokine and chemokine testing. Results: The experiment found that 132-hydroxy-(132-S)-pheophytin a and aristophyll-C have clear cestocidal effects in vitro. 132-hydroxy-(132-S)-pheophytin a has been shown to be effective at reducing parasite populations and eliciting host immune responses in vivo. IL-2, IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, IL-10, IL-13, IL-17, MCP-1, IFN-γ, TNF-α, MIP-1α, and GM-CSF in 132-hydroxy-(132-S)-pheophytin a were significantly increased after stimulation, while IL-1α, IL-1β, IL-3, IL-12p70, and RANTES were unchanged. Conclusions: The investigation shows that components of L. leucocephala have actual cestocidal activity against H. nana.
Cat–Owner Relationship and Cat Behaviour: Effects of the COVID-19 Confinement and Implications for Feline Management
Authors: Riggio Giacomo , Borrelli Carmen , Piotti Patrizia , Grondona Anna , Gazzano Angelo , Di Iacovo Francesco P. , Fatjó Jaume , Bowen Jonathan E. , Mota-Rojas Daniel , Pirrone Federica , Mariti Chiara
Published: July 2022

The restrictive measures implemented to stem the spread of COVID-19 abruptly changed the lives of many cats and their owners. This study explored whether the lockdown in Italy affected the cat–owner relationship, as well as cat behaviour and welfare. A survey that included questions on owner and cat’s demographics, living environment, cat behaviour and a modified version of the Cat/Dog Relationship Scale (C/DORS) was distributed online during the lockdown and was completed by 548 cat owners, mainly women (81.6%). With regard to the C/DORS subscales, both emotional closeness and cat–owner interactions increased during confinement, as opposed to a reduction in perceived costs. The effect of the type of job, family role and owner’s age on the C/DORS scores suggests that the relationship improved for those owners that, due to the lockdown, increased the time spent with their cats. For 58.8% of respondents, their cat’s general behaviour did not change, but when changes occurred, they were mostly positive (20.4%). Attention-seeking and demanding behaviours were the most increased during lockdown (25.7%). Cats with pre-existing problematic behaviours tended to either remain stable or improve during confinement. The overall positive effects of lockdown-related environmental changes on a cat’s behaviour suggest that some aspects of commonly implemented cat management practices should be revised to improve cat welfare in normal circumstances.
Research on Influence of Rotation Center Eccentricity on Radial Force of Single-Blade Centrifugal Pump
Authors: Wang Chuanlong , Tan Linwei , Shi Weidong , Chen Cheng , Francis Egbo Munachi
Published: July 2022

To estimate the influence of the rotation center eccentricity of the single-blade centrifugal pump impeller on the radial force on it, and to explore the effective radial force balance method, a single blade pump with a power of 2.2 kW is analyzed. The accuracy of Numerical Simulation Methods are verified by tests of external characteristics (under three rotation-speeds of 1470 r/min, 2000 r/min, and 2940 r/min) and pressure distributions. There are five models with different rotation center coordinates (model a with (0,1), model b with (−1,0), model c with (0,−1), model d with (1,0), and model e with (0,0.5)) which are analyzed. The results show that the radial force of model c and model d reduced by 8.1% and 9.8%, respectively, which means the offset of the center of the impeller to the positive direction of the x-axis and the negative direction of the y-axis can effectively reduce the radial force. At the eccentricity of the impeller (2,−2), the radial force under all operating conditions is reduced, most obviously at 1.0 Qd, which is about 17%. The study may prove helpful to designers and pump manufacturers to find a path forward for an optimal eccentricity to minimize the radial force.
Diagnostic Method for Enhancing Nitrogen and Phosphorus Removal in Cyclic Activated Sludge Technology (CAST) Process Wastewater Treatment Plant
Authors: Liu Chong , Qian Kai , Li Yuguang
Published: July 2022

Ensuring the stable operation of urban wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) and achieving energy conservation and emission reduction have become serious problems with the improvement of national requirements for WWTP effluent. Based on a wastewater quality analysis, identification of the contaminant removal, and a simulation and optimization of the wastewater treatment process, a practical engineering diagnosis method for the cyclic activated sludge technology process of WWTPs in China and an optimal control scheme are proposed in this study. Results showed that exceeding the standard of effluent nitrogen and phosphorus due to unreasonable process cycle setting and insufficient influent carbon source is dangerous. The total nitrogen removal rate increased by 9.5% and steadily increased to 67% when agitation was added to the first 40 min of the cycle. Additionally, the total phosphorus (TP) was reduced to 0.27 mg/L after replacing the phosphorus removal agent polyferric sulfate with polyaluminum iron. The corresponding increase in the TP removal rate to 97% resulted in a reduction in the treatment cost by 0.008 CNY/t.