bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Ongoing Community-Based Whole-Food, Plant-Based Lifestyle Effectively Preserves Muscle Mass during Body Mass Loss
Authors: Jakše Boštjan , Jakše Barbara , Godnov Uroš , Pinter Stanislav
Published: April 2022

Body fat and muscle mass showed opposing associations with mortality. The results of research on the effectiveness of popular body mass (BM) loss diets in obese subjects showed 20 to 30% loss of muscle mass within the total BM loss; conversely, when the subjects used a whole-food, plant-based (WFPB) diet, the loss was up to 42%. Therefore, we suggest an improvement. The aim of this retrospective analysis of data was to examine the assessment of changes in the body composition of 217 participants from all over Slovenia who joined our ongoing, community-based WFPB lifestyle programme from 2016 to 2021 and underwent two successive measurements of medically approved bioelectrical impedance. The WFPB lifestyle programme consisted of (i) nutrition, (ii) physical activity (PA) and (iii) a support system. The primary outcomes included the (vector of) change of body fat mass (BFM) per body height (BH), fat-free mass (FFM) per BH and whole-body phase angle (PhA) from the initial values to the first follow-up (FU) of the whole sample and for both sexes. Further, we examined the FFM change within the total BM loss according to their BMI classification and depending on how much BM they lost (5 kg < BM ≥ 5 kg) within the FU time (103.6 ± 89.8 day). Participants experienced a decrease in BFM per BH (−0.02 ± 0.02 kg/cm, p < 0.001), no change in FFM and an increase in PhA (0.2 ± 0.7°, p < 0.001). Importantly, the participants in the obesity BMI class achieved only partial FFM preservation (−1.5 ± 3.6 kg, p = 0.032 of FFM loss (20%) within −7.5 ± 6.1 kg, p < 0.001 of BM loss). However, the participants who lost BM < 5 kg had a significantly increased FFM (0.8 ± 3.2 kg, p = 0.001 of FFM (57%) within −1.4 ± 1.8 kg, p < 0.001 of BM loss), whereas the participants who lost BM ≥ 5 kg experienced a decrease in FFM (−2.2 ± 3.9 kg, p < 0.001 of FFM (−25%) within −8.8 ± 5.2 kg, p < 0.001 of BM loss). To conclude, the WFPB lifestyle, on average, effectively preserved FFM during BM and/or BFM loss among the normal and pre-obesity BMI classes but only partially among the obese BMI class and those who lost ≥ 5 kg of BM. Importantly, a customized PA strategy is needed for obese BMI class participants, where general resistance training is not possible or safe in order to preserve their muscle mass more effectively. In addition, muscle mass preservation is important for further improvements of BM, body composition and visual body image.
Pathophysiology of Acute Kidney Injury in Malaria and Non-Malarial Febrile Illness: A Prospective Cohort Study
Authors: Hawkes Michael T. , Leligdowicz Aleksandra , Batte Anthony , Situma Geoffrey , Zhong Kathleen , Namasopo Sophie , Opoka Robert O. , Kain Kevin C. , Conroy Andrea L.
Published: April 2022

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a life-threatening complication. Malaria and sepsis are leading causes of AKI in low-and-middle-income countries, but its etiology and pathogenesis are poorly understood. A prospective observational cohort study was conducted to evaluate pathways of immune and endothelial activation in children hospitalized with an acute febrile illness in Uganda. The relationship between clinical outcome and AKI, defined using the Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes criteria, was investigated. The study included 967 participants (mean age 1.67 years, 44.7% female) with 687 (71.0%) positive for malaria by rapid diagnostic test and 280 (29.1%) children had a non-malarial febrile illness (NMFI). The frequency of AKI was higher in children with NMFI compared to malaria (AKI, 55.0% vs. 46.7%, p = 0.02). However, the frequency of severe AKI (stage 2 or 3 AKI) was comparable (12.1% vs. 10.5%, p = 0.45). Circulating markers of both immune and endothelial activation were associated with severe AKI. Children who had malaria and AKI had increased mortality (no AKI, 0.8% vs. AKI, 4.1%, p = 0.005), while there was no difference in mortality among children with NMFI (no AKI, 4.0% vs. AKI, 4.6%, p = 0.81). AKI is a common complication in children hospitalized with acute infections. Immune and endothelial activation appear to play central roles in the pathogenesis of AKI.
Cyclooxygenase-Inhibiting Platinum(IV) Prodrugs with Potent Anticancer Activity
Authors: Khoury Aleen , Sakoff Jennette A. , Gilbert Jayne , Scott Kieran F. , Karan Shawan , Gordon Christopher P. , Aldrich-Wright Janice R.
Published: April 2022

Platinum(IV) prodrugs of the [Pt(PL)(AL)(COXi)(OH)]2+ type scaffold (where PL is 1,10-phenanthroline or 5,6-dimethyl-1,10-phenanthroline, AL is 1S,2S-diaminocyclohexane, and COXi is a COX inhibitor, either indomethacin or aspirin) were synthesised and characterised, and their biological activity was explored. MTT assays showed that these complexes exhibit outstanding activity against a range of cancer cell lines, and nanomolar activities were observed. The most potent complex, 4, exhibited a GI50 of 3 nM in the Du145 prostate cancer cell line and was observed to display a 1614-fold increased activity against the HT29 colon cancer cell line relative to cisplatin. ICP-MS studies showed a linear correlation between increased cellular accumulation of the complexes and increased cytotoxicity, while an enzyme immunoassay showed that 1 and 2 inhibited COX-2 at 14 and 1.4 µM, respectively, which is comparable to the inhibition exhibited by indomethacin. These results suggest that while the cytotoxicity of prodrugs 1–4 was influenced by cellular uptake, it was not entirely dependent on either COX inhibition or lipophilicity.
Selective Anticancer Therapy Based on a HA-CD44 Interaction Inhibitor Loaded on Polymeric Nanoparticles
Authors: Espejo-Román José M. , Rubio-Ruiz Belén , Cano-Cortés Victoria , Cruz-López Olga , Gonzalez-Resines Saúl , Domene Carmen , Conejo-García Ana , Sánchez-Martín Rosario M.
Published: April 2022

Hyaluronic acid (HA), through its interactions with the cluster of differentiation 44 (CD44), acts as a potent modulator of the tumor microenvironment, creating a wide range of extracellular stimuli for tumor growth, angiogenesis, invasion, and metastasis. An innovative antitumor treatment strategy based on the development of a nanodevice for selective release of an inhibitor of the HA-CD44 interaction is presented. Computational analysis was performed to evaluate the interaction of the designed tetrahydroisoquinoline-ketone derivative (JE22) with CD44 binding site. Cell viability, efficiency, and selectivity of drug release under acidic conditions together with CD44 binding capacity, effect on cell migration, and apoptotic activity were successfully evaluated. Remarkably, the conjugation of this CD44 inhibitor to the nanodevice generated a reduction of the dosis required to achieve a significant therapeutic effect.
Processing-Speed Enhancement in a Delay-Laser-Based Reservoir Computer by Optical Injection
Authors: Li Ziyue , Li Song-Sui , Zou Xihua , Pan Wei , Yan Lianshan
Published: April 2022

A delay-laser-based reservoir computer (RC) usually has its processing speed limited by the transient response of laser dynamics. Here, we study a simple all-optical approach to enhancing the processing speed by introducing optical injection to the reservoir layer of conventional RC that consists of a semiconductor laser with a delay loop. Using optical injection, the laser’s transient response effectively accelerates due to the speeded carrier-photon resonance. In the chaotic time-series prediction task, the proposed RC achieves good performance in a flexible range of injection detuning frequency under sufficient injection rate. Using proper injection parameters, the prediction error is significantly reduced and stabilized when using high processing speed. For achieving a prediction error below 0.006, the optical injection enhances the processing speed by an order of magnitude of about 5 GSample/s. Moreover, the proposed RC extends the advantage to the handwritten digit recognition task by achieving better word error rate.
Multiscale Spatial–Spectral Interaction Transformer for Pan-Sharpening
Authors: Zhang Feng , Zhang Kai , Sun Jiande
Published: April 2022

Pan-sharpening methods based on deep neural network (DNN) have produced state-of-the-art fusion performance. However, DNN-based methods mainly focus on the modeling of the local properties in low spatial resolution multispectral (LR MS) and panchromatic (PAN) images by convolution neural networks. The global dependencies in the images are ignored. To capture the local and global properties of the images concurrently, we propose a multiscale spatial–spectral interaction transformer (MSIT) for pan-sharpening. Specifically, we construct the multiscale sub-networks containing convolution–transformer encoder to extract the local and global features at different scales from LR MS and PAN images, respectively. Then, a spatial–spectral interaction attention module (SIAM) is designed to merge the features at each scale. In SIAM, the interaction attention is used to decouple the spatial and spectral information efficiently for the enhancement of complementarity and the reduction of redundancy in the extracted features. The features from different scales are further integrated into a multiscale reconstruction module (MRM) to generate the desired high spatial resolution multispectral image, in which the spatial and spectral information is fused scale by scale. The experiments on reduced- and full-scale datasets demonstrate that the proposed MSIT can produce better results in terms of visual and numerical analysis when compared with state-of-the-art methods.
Design of a Millimeter-Wave MIMO Antenna Array for 5G Communication Terminals
Authors: Khan Jalal , Ullah Sadiq , Ali Usman , Tahir Farooq Ahmad , Peter Ildiko , Matekovits Ladislau
Published: April 2022

This paper presents a design of multiple input multiple output (MIMO) antenna array for 5G millimeter-wave (mm-wave) communication systems. The proposed MIMO configuration consists of a two antenna arrays combination. Each antenna array consists of four elements which are arranged in an even manner, while two arrays are then assembled with a 90-degree shift with respect to each other. The substrate used is a 0.254 mm thick Rogers RT5880 with a dielectric constant of 2.2 and loss tangent of 0.0009, correspondingly. The proposed MIMO antenna array covers the 37 GHz frequency band, dedicated for 5G millimeter-wave communication applications. The proposed antenna element yields a gain of 6.84 dB, which is enhanced up to 12.8 dB by adopting a four elements array configuration. The proposed MIMO antenna array performance metrics, such as envelope correlation coefficient (ECC) and diversity gain (DG), are observed, which are found to be under the standard threshold. More than 85% of the radiation efficiency of the proposed MIMO antenna array is observed to be within the desired operating frequency band. All the proposed designs are simulated in computer simulation technology (CST) software. Furthermore, the measurements are carried out for the proposed MIMO antenna array, where a good agreement with simulated results is observed. Thus, the proposed design can be a potential candidate for 5G millimeter-wave communication systems.
The Techno-Optimists of Climate Change: Science Communication or Technowashing?
Authors: Ribeiro Sofia , Soromenho-Marques Viriato
Published: April 2022

Although it is important to communicate scientific knowledge, it seems that this assumption is even more evident when it comes to environment-related themes, which have gained more relevance in the public sphere in the last decades. This article evaluates the spectacularization techniques of technology and science displayed as if they were the only solution to the environmental crisis. Firstly, from a literature perspective, this article shows the evolution of science communication and the relationship between society and science over the last centuries. After that, it presents a critical view on the excessive optimism around technology and scientific advancement, arguing that the possible solutions to the environmental crisis cannot come exclusively through technology substitution. The article thus shows that there is today a clear distinction between science communication and the communication of science as a mass product, which is promoted today by different stakeholders to manipulate public opinion for different reasons. Finally, the article identifies some common elements of this phenomenon that we call technowashing, insofar as it aims at a laundering of responsibilities and harmful impacts of business and political decisions.
Do Environmental Administrative Penalties Affect Audit Fees? Results from Multiple Econometric Models
Authors: Xin Chunhua , Hao Xiaolu , Cheng Lu
Published: April 2022

The construction of ecological civilization is an important requirement to realize high-quality development of the economy. Over recent decades, natural disasters, global warming, and other ecological problems have occurred frequently, and countries around the world are facing severe environmental challenges. Sustainable development is an effective way to solve these environmental threats, and environmental administrative penalties play a fundamental role in sustainable growth. So, we explore the response of external stakeholders to environmental administrative penalties from the perspective of auditors. The study examines whether environmental administrative penalties affect audit fees, the heterogeneity effects and the mechanisms. The research uses data of heavily polluting listed firms in China that have been revealed by the Institute of Public and Environmental Affairs (IPE). The findings show the following: (1) environmental administrative penalties can increase audit fees; (2) the effective internal control environment can weaken the positive relationship between firms’ environmental administrative penalties and audit fees, and the stronger regional environmental regulation can enhance the positive impact of firms’ environmental administrative penalties on audit fees; (3) further analysis shows that the impact of environmental administrative penalties on audit fees mainly comes from the “risk premium mechanism” rather than the “cost compensation mechanism”, and the response from audit fees can encourage firms to engage in green innovation activities. The above research conclusions provide a certain reference for auditors’ pricing decisions.
Will a Transition to Timber Construction Cool the Climate?
Authors: Churkina Galina , Organschi Alan
Published: April 2022

Timber construction is on the rise and its contribution to climate change mitigation has been widely discussed by scientists and practitioners alike. As midrise building with wood in cities spreads, it will lead to fundamental and systemic change in forests, the manufacturing of construction materials, and the character and performance of the built environment. In this paper, we discuss the multifaceted implications of the transition to building with timber in cities for climate, which include greenhouse gas emissions but also go beyond those potential benefits. We demonstrate that while a transition to timber cities can have a balancing effect on the global carbon cycle, the other accompanying effects may enhance, reduce, or diminish that effect on climate. A collaboration of practitioners with scientists will be required to steer this transition in a climate-friendly direction.
Generation of Young Adults Living with Their Parents in European Union Countries
Authors: Sompolska-Rzechuła Agnieszka , Kurdyś-Kujawska Agnieszka
Published: April 2022

Young adult Europeans today find it more and more difficult to leave their native nest. The article examines the changes in the percentage of nesters over time, considering their gender, age, and the form of professional activity and employment status. The article also measures the phenomenon of nesting using the linear ordering of countries. Eurostat data were used in the work. The period of the study covers the years 2011–2019, while the spatial scope relates to the 28 countries of the European Union. The results show that more and more young adults live with their parents, and the percentage of nesters varies across Europe. Young adults living with their parents are people with a different employment status and professional activity. Those are employed persons working full-time, employed persons working part-time, unemployed persons, students, employees with a permanent job, employees with a temporary job and other persons outside the labor force. We prove that the problem of nesting between European countries was varied. It is noticeable that this phenomenon is intensifying, especially among the unemployed and those without permanent employment.
Research on Open Practice Teaching of Off-Campus Art Appreciation Based on ICT
Authors: Song Baoqing , He Bingyang , Wang Zehua , Lin Ruichong , Yang Jinrui , Zhou Runxian , Cai Yunji
Published: April 2022

Art appreciation is an effective way to promote artistic literacy and is also an important component of aesthetic education in school. With the help of information and communication technology, the authors organized open practice teaching for students to learn art appreciation outside school. During the COVID-19 epidemic, local art appreciation education could not be carried out in the city where the authors’ school is located. With the support of mobile positioning technology and information platforms, students were able to carry out 32 art appreciation activities in their hometowns during this period. Through the mobile positioning information submitted by students, feedback questionnaires, after-view data, and other data, learning achievements were identified. A correlation analysis of the data submitted by the students on the information platform confirmed that satisfaction with the art appreciation activity directly affected their interest in art. The correlation reached 0.78. Satisfaction was strongly correlated with psychological expectations (0.67) and art information obtained in the early stage (0.61). The authors propose that using information and communication technology to carry out art appreciation education outside the school is the way to promote the sustainable development of aesthetic education in school.
Design, Development, and Characterization of Highly Efficient Colored Photovoltaic Module for Sustainable Buildings Applications
Authors: Basher Mohammad Khairul , Nur-E-Alam Mohammad , Rahman Md Momtazur , Hinckley Steven , Alameh Kamal
Published: April 2022

The building integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) system is one of the contributors which has enormous potential to reach the goal of net-zero energy buildings (NZEB) that significantly reduce the use of fossil fuels that contribute to global warming. However, the limitations of the visual and aesthetic appearance of current BIPV systems make this aspiration unlikely. This study investigates the limitations of the single-color-based PV modules that are dull in appearance and have low photo-conversion efficiency (PCE). In order to solve this issue, we designed, developed, and characterized micro-patterned-based multicolored photovoltaic (MPCPV) modules which are applicable to net-zero building and development. Our newly developed MPCPV module exhibits an aesthetically attractive and flexible building color suitable for industrial application. Furthermore, the MPCPV module possesses an efficiency of 9.6%, which is 4.1% higher than a single-color PV module (5.5%) but closer to conventional thin-film PV modules. In addition, the other output parameters, such as short-circuit current (Isc), open-circuit voltage (Voc), maximum power (Pmax), and fill factor (FF), indicate that our developed colored PV module is suitable for modern infrastructures that will enable energy generation on-site without compromising the aesthetic appearance. Finally, this research will have a substantial influence on the NZEB and will play an important part in the development of a sustainable environment.
The Use of Business Model Canvas in the Design and Classification of Product-Service Systems Design Methods
Authors: Salwin Mariusz , Jacyna-Gołda Ilona , Kraslawski Andrzej , Waszkiewicz Aneta Ewa
Published: April 2022

The implementation of Product-Service Systems (PSS) calls for the modification of existing business models. The goal of the paper is to work out an analysis and a classification of PSS design methods used in the development of new business models. Using a systematic review method, we identified 60 PSS design methods. Following the examination of the major business model templates, we selected the Business Canvas Model for further studies. Then, coding rules were adopted to specify what elements of the Business Model Canvas impacts individual PSS design methods and an analysis was performed. In the final stage, methods were broken down by Business Model Canvas domains. Various PSS design methods presented in the literature address different areas of Business Model Canvas. The available PPS methods can be classified into three main groups: Group 1—including infrastructure and offering; Group 2—including infrastructure, offering and customers; and Group 3—including infrastructure, offering, customers and finance. Very few methods consider areas such as Key Partners, Customer Segments, Cost Structure and Revenue Streams. Nevertheless, there is no PPS design method that would address all of Business Model Canvas building blocks. The paper discusses PSS design in business model context. Classification of PSS design methods was proposed together with new possibilities to develop business models based on this classification. The proposed approach illustrates the combination of PSS design methods applied in food processing and agricultural machines industry.
Urban Pandemic Vulnerability and COVID-19: A New Framework to Assess the Impacts of Global Pandemics in the Metropolitan Region of Amsterdam
Authors: Wang Yaqi , Viseu Cardoso Rodrigo , Forgaci Claudiu
Published: April 2022

This paper presents the concept of urban pandemic vulnerability as a crucial framework for understanding how COVID-19 affects cities and how they react to pandemics. We adapted existing social and environmental urban vulnerability frameworks to assess pandemic impacts and responses, identifying the appropriate components and spatial, environmental and socio-demographic variables of interest. Pandemic vulnerability depends on exposure, sensitivity and adaptive capacity features, which occur in different combinations in different parts of a city. The model was applied to the Metropolitan Region of Amsterdam (MRA) to create a map of pandemic vulnerability. This map differentiates between affected areas according to the types of vulnerability they experience, and it accurately identified the most vulnerable areas in line with real-world data. The findings contribute to clarifying the challenges brought by COVID-19, identifying vulnerability thresholds and guiding planning towards pandemic resilience.
A Sustainable Innovation Strategy Oriented toward Complex Product Servitization
Authors: Zhang Zhiqiang , Li Ling , Zhang Huiying
Published: April 2022

Enterprises performing complex product servitization are more vulnerable to the 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic because of their large number of suppliers and wide coverage, among other things. The present research focuses on how to promote the sustainable innovation of complex product servitization. We investigate complex products and sustainable innovation—factors influencing the sustainable innovation of complex product servitization—based on the characteristics of product servitization and by combining the definitions of product servitization. We find that inadequate innovation ability and poor technical research and development (R&D) competence are the primary concerns in the sustainable innovation of complex product servitization. Specific to innovation ability improvement, the sustainable innovation of complex product servitization must follow an innovation-driven development strategy, a hard power cultivation strategy, and a soft power cultivation strategy. In terms of technical R&D competence enhancement, technological innovation strategies, integrated outsourcing of technical R&D competence, and independent improvement of technical R&D competence must be implemented to facilitate the sustainable innovation of complex product servitization.
On a Nonlocal Coupled System of Hilfer Generalized Proportional Fractional Differential Equations
Authors: Samadi Ayub , Ntouyas Sotiris K. , Tariboon Jessada
Published: April 2022

This paper studies the existence and uniqueness of solutions for a coupled system of Hilfer-type generalized proportional fractional differential equations supplemented with nonlocal asymmetric multipoint boundary conditions. We consider both the scalar and the Banach space case. We apply standard fixed-point theorems to derive the desired results. In the scalar case, we apply Banach’s fixed-point theorem, the Leray–Schauder alternative, and Krasnosel’skiĭ’s fixed-point theorem. The Banach space case is based on Mönch’s fixed-point theorem and the technique of the measure of noncompactness. Examples illustrating the main results are presented. Symmetric distance between itself and its derivative can be investigated by replacing the proportional number equal to one half.
Analytical Investigation of Fractional-Order Korteweg–De-Vries-Type Equations under Atangana–Baleanu–Caputo Operator: Modeling Nonlinear Waves in a Plasma and Fluid
Authors: Shah Nehad Ali , Alyousef Haifa A. , El-Tantawy Samir A. , Shah Rasool , Chung Jae Dong
Published: April 2022

This article applies the homotopy perturbation transform technique to analyze fractional-order nonlinear fifth-order Korteweg–de-Vries-type (KdV-type)/Kawahara-type equations. This method combines the Zain Ul Abadin Zafar-transform (ZZ-T) and the homotopy perturbation technique (HPT) to show the validation and efficiency of this technique to investigate three examples. It is also shown that the fractional and integer-order solutions have closed contact with the exact result. The suggested technique is found to be reliable, efficient, and straightforward to use for many related models of engineering and several branches of science, such as modeling nonlinear waves in different plasma models.
The Singularity of Legendre Functions of the First Kind as a Consequence of the Symmetry of Legendre’s Equation
Authors: van der Toorn Ramses
Published: April 2022

Legendre’s equation is key in various branches of physics. Its general solution is a linear function space, spanned by the Legendre functions of the first and second kind. In physics, however, commonly the only acceptable members of this set are Legendre polynomials. The quantization of the eigenvalues of Legendre’s operator is a consequence of this. We present and explain a stand-alone and in-depth argument for rejecting all solutions of Legendre’s equation in physics apart from the polynomial ones. We show that the combination of the linearity, the mirror symmetry and the signature of the regular singular points of Legendre’s equation are quintessential to the argument. We demonstrate that the evenness or oddness of Legendre polynomials is a consequence of the same premises.
Spatial-Temporal Epidemiology of COVID-19 Using a Geographically and Temporally Weighted Regression Model
Authors: Sifriyani Sifriyani , Rasjid Mariani , Rosadi Dedi , Anwar Sarifuddin , Wahyuni Rosa Dwi , Jalaluddin Syatirah
Published: April 2022

This article describes the application of spatial statistical epidemiological modeling and its inference and applies it to COVID-19 case data, looking at it from a spatial perspective, and considering time-series data. COVID-19 cases in Indonesia are increasing and spreading in all provinces, including Kalimantan. This study uses applied mathematics and spatiotemporal analysis to determine the factors affecting the constant rise of COVID-19 cases in Kalimantan. The spatiotemporal analysis uses the Geographically Temporally Weighted Regression (GTWR) model by developing a spatial and temporal interaction distance function. The GTWR model was applied to data on positive COVID-19 cases at a scale of 56 districts/cities in Kalimantan between the period of January 2020 and August 2021. The purpose of the study was to determine the factors affecting the cumulative increase in COVID-19 cases in Kalimantan and map the spatial distribution for 56 districts/cities based on the significant predictor variables. The results of the study show that the GTWR model with the development of a spatial and temporal interaction distance function using the kernel Gaussian fixed bandwidth function is a better model compared to the Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) model. According to the significant variables, there are various factors affecting the rise in cases of COVID-19 in the region of Kalimantan, including the number of doctors, the number of TB cases, the percentage of elderly population, GRDP, and the number of hospitals. The highest factors that affect COVID-19 cases are the high number of TB cases, population density, and the lack of health services. Furthermore, an area map was produced on the basis of the significant variables affected by the rise in COVID-19 cases. The results of the study provide local governments with decision-making recommendations to overcome COVID-19-related issues in their respective regions.
Hybrid Method for Detecting Anomalies in Cosmic ray Variations Using Neural Networks Autoencoder
Authors: Mandrikova Oksana , Mandrikova Bogdana
Published: April 2022

Cosmic rays were discovered by the Austrian physicist Victor Hess in 1912 in a series of balloon experiments performed between 1911 and 1912. Cosmic rays are an integral part of fundamental and applied research in the field of solar–terrestrial physics and space weather. Cosmic ray data are applied in different fields from the discovery of high-energy particles coming to Earth from space, and new fundamental symmetries in the laws of nature, to the knowledge of residual matter and magnetic fields in interstellar space. The properties of interplanetary space are determined from intensity variations, angular distribution, and other characteristics of galactic cosmic rays. The measure of cosmic ray flux intensity variability is used as one of the significant space weather factors. The negative impact of cosmic rays is also known. The negative impact can significantly increase the level of radiation hazard and pose a threat to astronauts, crews, and passengers of high-altitude aircraft on polar routes and to modern space equipment. Therefore, methods aimed at timely detection and identification of anomalous manifestations in cosmic rays are of particular practical relevance. The article proposes a method for analyzing cosmic ray variations and detecting anomalous changes in the rate of galactic cosmic ray arrival to the Earth. The method is based on a combination of the Autoencoder neural network with wavelet transform. The use of non-linear activation functions and the ability to flexibly change the structure of the network provide the ability of the Autoencoder to approximate complex dependencies in the recorded variations of cosmic rays. The article describes the numerical operations of the method implementation. Verification of the adequacy of the neural network model is based on the use of Box–Ljung Q-statistics. On the basis of the wavelet transform constructions, data-adaptive operations for detecting complex singular structures are constructed. The parameters of the applied threshold functions are estimated with a given confidence probability based on the α-quantiles of Student’s distribution. Using data from high-latitude neutron monitor stations, it is shown that the proposed method provides efficient detection of anomalies in cosmic rays during increased solar activity and magnetic storms. Using the example of a moderate magnetic storm on 10–11 May 2019, the necessity of applying different methods and approaches to the study of cosmic ray variations is confirmed, and the importance of taking them into account when making space weather forecast is shown.
Viral Evolution and Immunology of SARS-CoV-2 in a Persistent Infection after Treatment with Rituximab
Authors: Van der Moeren Nathalie , Selhorst Philippe , Ha My , Heireman Laura , Van Gaal Pieter-Jan , Breems Dimitri , Meysman Pieter , Laukens Kris , Verstrepen Walter , Van Gasse Natasja , Ogunjimi Benson , Arien Kevin K. , Naesens Reinout
Published: April 2022

Background. Prolonged shedding of SARS-CoV-2 in immunocompromised patients has been described. Furthermore, an accumulation of mutations of the SARS-CoV-2 genome in these patients has been observed. Methods. We describe the viral evolution, immunologic response and clinical course of a patient with a lymphoma in complete remission who had received therapy with rituximab and remained SARS-CoV-2 RT-qPCR positive for 161 days. Results. The patient remained hospitalised for 10 days, after which he fully recovered and remained asymptomatic. A progressive increase in Ct-value, coinciding with a progressive rise in lymphocyte count, was seen from day 137 onward. Culture of a nasopharyngeal swab on day 67 showed growth of SARS-CoV-2. Whole genome sequencing (WGS) demonstrated that the virus belonged to the wildtype SARS-CoV-2 clade 20B/GR, but rapidly accumulated a high number of mutations as well as deletions in the N-terminal domain of its spike protein. Conclusion. SARS-CoV-2 persistence in immunocompromised individuals has important clinical implications, but halting immunosuppressive therapy might result in a favourable clinical course. The long-term shedding of viable virus necessitates customized infection prevention measures in these individuals. The observed accelerated accumulation of mutations of the SARS-CoV-2 genome in these patients might facilitate the origin of new VOCs that might subsequently spread in the general community.
First Indications of Omsk Haemorrhagic Fever Virus beyond Russia
Authors: Wagner Edith , Shin Anna , Tukhanova Nur , Turebekov Nurkeldi , Nurmakhanov Talgat , Sutyagin Vitaliy , Berdibekov Almas , Maikanov Nurbek , Lezdinsh Ilmars , Shapiyeva Zhanna , Shevtsov Alexander , Freimüller Klaus , Peintner Lukas , Ehrhardt Christina , Essbauer Sandra
Published: April 2022

Omsk haemorrhagic fever virus (OHFV) is the agent leading to Omsk haemorrhagic fever (OHF), a viral disease currently only known in Western Siberia in Russia. The symptoms include fever, headache, nausea, muscle pain, cough and haemorrhages. The transmission cycle of OHFV is complex. Tick bites or contact with infected small mammals are the main source of infection. The Republic of Kazakhstan is adjacent to the endemic areas of OHFV in Russia and febrile diseases with haemorrhages occur throughout the country—often with unclear aetiology. In this study, we examined human cerebrospinal fluid samples of patients with suspected meningitis or meningoencephalitis with unknown origins for the presence of OHFV RNA. Further, reservoir hosts such as rodents and ticks from four Kazakhstan regions were screened for OHFV RNA to clarify if this virus could be the causative agent for many undiagnosed cases of febrile diseases in humans in Kazakhstan. Out of 130 cerebrospinal fluid samples, two patients (1.53%) originating from Almaty city were positive for OHFV RNA. Screening of tick samples revealed positive pools from different areas in the Akmola region. Of the caught rodents, 1.1% out of 621 were positive for OHFV at four trapping areas from the West Kazakhstan region. In this paper, we present a broad investigation of the spread of OHFV in Kazakhstan in human cerebrospinal fluid samples, rodents and ticks. Our study shows for the first time that OHFV can not only be found in the area of Western Siberia in Russia, but can also be detected up to 1.600 km away in the Almaty region in patients and natural foci.
Proteomic Analysis of Vero Cells Infected with Pseudorabies Virus
Authors: Yang Xintan , Xu Shengkui , Chen Dengjin , Jiang Ruijiao , Kang Haoran , Ge Xinna , Zhou Lei , Han Jun , Zhang Yongning , Guo Xin , Yang Hanchun
Published: April 2022

Suid herpesvirus 1 (SuHV-1), known as pseudorabies virus (PRV), is one of the most devastating swine pathogens in China, particularly the sudden occurrence of PRV variants in 2011. The higher pathogenicity and cross-species transmission potential of the newly emerged variants caused not only colossal economic losses, but also threatened public health. To uncover the underlying pathogenesis of PRV variants, Tandem Mass Tag (TMT)-based proteomic analysis was performed to quantitatively screen the differentially expressed cellular proteins in PRV-infected Vero cells. A total of 7072 proteins were identified and 960 proteins were significantly regulated: specifically 89 upregulated and 871 downregulated. To make it more credible, the expression of XRCC5 and XRCC6 was verified by western blot and RT-qPCR, and the results dovetailed with the proteomic data. The differentially expressed proteins were involved in various biological processes and signaling pathways, such as chaperonin-containing T-complex, NIK/NF-κB signaling pathway, DNA damage response, and negative regulation of G2/M transition of mitotic cell cycle. Taken together, our data holistically outline the interactions between PRV and host cells, and our results may shed light on the pathogenesis of PRV variants and provide clues for pseudorabies prevention.
Effects of Temperature on the Timeliness of eDNA/eRNA: A Case Study of Fenneropenaeus chinensis
Authors: Qian Tangyi , Shan Xiujuan , Wang Weiji , Jin Xianshi
Published: April 2022

Environmental DNA (eDNA) technology has been successfully applied to detect organisms in various aquatic ecosystems. However, eDNA has been proven to exist for a long time in environmental samples. The timeliness of eDNA detection results largely depends on the rate of molecular degradation. Environmental RNA (eRNA) is considered an excellent complementary tool because most researchers believe that RNA degrades faster than DNA in vitro, while, to the best of our knowledge, the number of published articles related to eRNA is very limited. To address an important knowledge gap, this study focused on the response mechanism of eRNA degradation to water temperature change as compared with eDNA. Changes in the concentration of eDNA and eRNA of the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (COI) gene from Fenneropenaeuschinensis were detected at four temperatures (10, 15, 20 and 25 °C). The results showed that the degradation rate of eDNA increased with an increase in temperature. The degradation rate constants ranged from 0.011 to 0.486 h−1 and the degradation time ranged from 8 to 383 h for eDNA. The degradation rate of eRNA changed slightly with an increase in temperature. The degradation rate constants ranged from 0.190 to 0.379 h−1 and the degradation time ranged from 11 to 22 h for eRNA. eRNA showed better stability under temperature change and maintained a faster degradation rate at low temperatures. These results provide answers to the questions of whether eRNA and eDNA degradation rates are fast or slow. Furthermore, this study may suggest the potential superiority of eRNA over eDNA and promote further study of eRNA in future research.
Inundation Analysis of Coastal Urban Area under Climate Change Scenarios
Authors: Han Heechan , Kim Deokhwan , Kim Hung Soo
Published: April 2022

The inundation of urban areas has frequently occurred as a result of the localized heavy precipitation and flash floods in both South Korea and globally. Metropolitan areas with higher property value and population density than rural areas need practical strategies to reduce flood damage. Therefore, this study aims to perform an inundation analysis of coastal urban areas under a climate change scenario. Changwon city is one of the typical coastal metropolitan regions in South Korea. Severe flooding has occurred in this area caused by a combination of precipitation and sea-level rise enhanced by the typhoon, Sanba, in September 2012. At that time, daily precipitation was 65.5 mm, which is lower than the capable amount of rainfall of the drainage system. However, the river stage combined with the tidal wave caused by a typhoon and heavy precipitation exceeded the flood warning level. This study performed the flood inundation analysis for a part of Changwon city using the SWMM model, a two-dimensional urban flood analysis model. Furthermore, we considered the climate change scenarios to predict the potential flood damage that may occur in the future. As a result, as the future target period increases, both the flooding area and the inundation depth increase compared to the results of the inundation simulation according to the current precipitation and sea-level conditions. The inundation area increased by 2.6–16.2% compared to the current state, and the flooded depths would be higher than 1 m or more. We suggest a structural method to reduce inundation damages to consider extreme precipitation and tidal wave effects.
Analisis Sistem Eksitasi Pada Generator Pararel Terhadap Daya Reaktif
Authors: Sari Fita , Darwanto Agus
Published: April 2022

Generator merupakan peralatan yang sangat penting pada pembangkit listrik, karena generator dapat mengubah tenaga mekanik menjadi tenaga listrik. Selain itu, generator juga berfungsi menjaga kestabilan pembangkitan, salah satunya menjaga kestabilan tegangan. Menjaga kestabilan tegangan dilakukan dengan menjaga perubahan fluks pada generator dengan menjaga kestabilan sistem eksitasi dan daya reaktif pada generator. Untuk itu penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui besar perbandingan yang paling tepat antara arus eksitasi yang dihasilkan dengan daya reaktif yang dihasilkan pada pembangkit agar dapat mengontrol generator secara cepat dan tepat dalam penanganan masalah eksitasi generator. Metode yang digunakan adalah menghitung kembali data keluaran dan masukkan generator yang sudah bekerja paralel per jam operasi. Hasil perhitungan perbandingan antara arus eksitasi dan daya reaktif pada GTG 2.2 yaitu 600.67 A arus eksitasi menghasilkan 39.4 MVAR daya reaktif, sedangkan pada GTG 2.3 yaitu 611.44 A menghasilkan daya reaktif sebesar 35.4 MVAR dalam sehari serta presentase daya reaktif yang dibangkitkan pada PLTGU blok 2 sebesar 53% dalam sehari.
Penerapan Metode Storet Dan Indeks Diversitas Fitoplankton Dari Shannon-Wiener Sebagai Indikator Kualitas Perairan Situ Rawa Kalong Depok, Jawa Barat
Authors: Citraning Sidomukti Gannes , Wardhana Wisnu
Published: April 2022

Situ Rawa Kalong dimanfaatkan oleh masyarakat sekitar untuk budidaya ikan, kegiatan memancing dan tempat rekreasi. Situ tersebut dikelilingi oleh empat buah pabrik (kap lampu, minuman kemasan, kosmetik, plastik) dan pemukiman penduduk sehingga rentan terkena cemaran organik dan anorganik yang berdampak pada organisme perairan, khususnya fitoplankton. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui diversitas fitoplankton serta mengetahui status mutu dan kualitas perairan di Situ Rawa Kalong melalui metode Storet dan perhitungan indeks diversitas fitoplankton dari Shannon-Wiener. Pengamatan dilakukan pada bulan Oktober 2020. Pengambilan sampel fitoplankton dilakukan secara horizontal. Fitoplankton yang ditemukan selama pengamatan yakni divisi dari Bacillariophyta, Chlorophyta, Cyanophyta dan Euglenophyta. Berdasarkan hasil metode Storet, perairan Situ Rawa Kalong memiliki status mutu air kelas D dengan skor (-46) – (-48). Nilai tersebut tergolong buruk dan menunjukkan bahwa kualitas perairan di Situ Rawa Kalong mengalami pencemaran berat dengan nilai indeks diversitas berkisar antara 0,46 – 0,48 yang menunjukan komunitas tidak stabil dan terdapat jenis yang mendominasi. Jenis fitoplankton yang mendominasi adalah Chlorella sp. dan Microcystis sp.
Analisis Postur Pekerja Pada Proses Produksi Tahu Berdasarkan Metode Rapid Entire Body Assessment Di CV Lahan Faedah
Authors: Fauza Dwi Prirasetyo Alif , Mahbubah Nina
Published: April 2022

Musculoskeletal disorder is a problem for worker. The research purposes in the CV . Lahan Faedah are analysing working position can cause musculoskeletal disorder and give suggestions to the positions that need improvement. The REBA is extension of Rapid Entire Body assessment, which is a method that provides an objective measurement of the risk of MSDs caused by activity but only for the assessment of activities that have little movement and involve the whole body, namely by combining Table A and Table B to Table C. There are 3 positions The work analysed, namely Work Position A, B, C. The results of the three work positions using the REBA method are work position A, the soybean milling process gets a score of 9 with a high risk level, it is proposed that it requires corrective action to work posture or is given a tool so that the operator does not had a hard time getting the soybeans into the grinding machine
A Study on Machine Learning Prediction Model for Company Bankruptcy using Features in Time Series Financial Data
Authors: Otsuki Akira , Narumi Shohei , Kawamura Masayoshi
Published: April 2022

Based on such methods as a discriminant analysis and logistic regression, corporate bankruptcy prediction models have been developed as a means to determine the soundness of a company’s operational status based on its financial statements. However, such analytical methods work with binary variables, and thus, as the only outcome of machine learning, the company in question is considered either likely or unlikely to go bankrupt. However, this is insufficient for business operators who would need to know the possible risk factors of a bankruptcy, allowing them to plan and implement measures to avoid any misfortunes. We have therefore developed a prediction model that not only predicts but also identifies the financial variables that can possibly drive the company to bankruptcy.