bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Influence of Structural Design on the Dimensional Accuracy of CuCrZr Alloy Produced by Laser Powder Bed Fusion
Authors: Ma Zhibo , Zhang Shiheng , Gao Chaofeng , Gu Xu , Xiong Xiaojing , Bi Yunjie , Rao Jeremy Heng
Published: November 2022

With the upgrade of additive manufacturing (AM) equipment, pure copper and various Cu-based alloys with almost full density have been successfully produced, maintaining their excellent thermal and electrical conductivity and good mechanical properties at high temperatures as well. In this paper, a model with a series of inclined surface structures was designed and fabricated to investigate the structural design on the formability of CuCrZr alloy produced by laser powder bed fusion (LPBF). The typical structure dimensions of the as-built samples were measured and compared with their corresponding dimensions and the inclined angle (α) and the relative angle (γ) between the inclined surface and recoating directions. The results demonstrate that the inclined structures with α < 50° were fabricated either with varying buckling deformation and powder adhesion or in failure for severe distortion. The differences (Ld) between the typical structure dimensions and their models increase with the decreasing of α. It has been observed that Ld reaches 1 mm when α is 20° and drastically reduces to around 200 μm when α is above 50°. When α < 50°, Ld is generally increasing with a rising γ value from 0° to 180°, significantly affecting the dimensional accuracy.
Explainable Ensemble Learning Models for the Rheological Properties of Self-Compacting Concrete
Authors: Cakiroglu Celal , Bekdaş Gebrail , Kim Sanghun , Geem Zong Woo
Published: November 2022

Self-compacting concrete (SCC) has been developed as a type of concrete capable of filling narrow gaps in highly reinforced areas of a mold without internal or external vibration. Bleeding and segregation in SCC can be prevented by the addition of superplasticizers. Due to these favorable properties, SCC has been adopted worldwide. The workability of SCC is closely related to its yield stress and plastic viscosity levels. Therefore, the accurate prediction of yield stress and plastic viscosity of SCC has certain advantages. Predictions of the shear stress and plastic viscosity of SCC is presented in the current study using four different ensemble machine learning techniques: Light Gradient Boosting Machine (LightGBM), Extreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost), random forest, and Categorical Gradient Boosting (CatBoost). A new database containing the results of slump flow, V-funnel, and L-Box tests with the corresponding shear stress and plastic viscosity values was curated from the literature to develop these ensemble learning models. The performances of these algorithms were compared using state-of-the-art statistical measures of accuracy. Afterward, the output of these ensemble learning algorithms was interpreted with the help of SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) analysis and individual conditional expectation (ICE) plots. Each input variable’s effect on the predictions of the model and their interdependencies have been illustrated. Highly accurate predictions could be achieved with a coefficient of determination greater than 0.96 for both shear stress and plastic viscosity.
IIoT: Traffic Data Flow Analysis and Modeling Experiment for Smart IoT Devices
Authors: Bhardwaj Akashdeep , Kaushik Keshav , Bharany Salil , Rehman Ateeq Ur , Hu Yu-Chen , Eldin Elsayed Tag , Ghamry Nivin A.
Published: November 2022

The Internet of Things (IoT) has redefined several aspects of our daily lives, including automation and control of the living environment, innovative healthcare services, and much more. Digital IoT devices and sensors, when integrated with home appliances, industrial systems, and online services in the physical world, have brought intense, disruptive changes in our lives. The industry and home users have widely embraced these ‘things’ on the Internet or IoT. However, the innate, intrinsic repercussions regarding security and data privacy are not evaluated. Security applies to Industrial IoT (IIoT) is in its infancy stage. Techniques from security and privacy research promise to address broad security goals, but attacks continue to emerge in industrial devices. This research explores the vulnerabilities of IIoT ecosystems not just as individual nodes but as the integrated infrastructure of digital and physical systems interacting with the domains. The authors propose a unique threat model framework to analyze the attacks on IIoT application environments. The authors identified sensitive data flows inside the IIoT devices to determine privacy risks at the application level and explored the device exchanges at the physical level. Both these risks lead to insecure ecosystems. The authors also performed a security analysis of physical domains to digital domains.
Reconstruction of Historic Monuments—A Dual Approach
Authors: Dzwierzynska Jolanta , Prokop Anna
Published: November 2022

The proper maintenance of historical monuments and their use is one of the pillars of sustainable development. Over the years, historic architectural buildings have undergone numerous changes resulting from reconstruction, expansion, or damage caused both by natural and other disasters. Therefore, their contemporary appearance is the result of these changes. Thanks to the documentation of their transformations, one has the opportunity to get to know their history. Currently, thanks to advanced technology, it is becoming easier and easier to document various historical monuments. However, the method of their documentation, especially the possibility of their reconstruction and the creation of 3D models depends mostly on the data resources at one’s disposal. This article compares two extreme methods of recreating an architectural object that has undergone some changes throughout history. One of the methods is to reconstruct the object on the basis of a photograph using geometrical rules and computer aid, while the other is based on laser scanning. Due to the fact that the same object is being reconstructed by means of both methods, it is possible to evaluate and compare the applied methods and estimate their accuracy, as well as to draw conclusions about the transformations of the reconstructed object over the years.
Fuel Cell Types, Properties of Membrane, and Operating Conditions: A Review
Authors: Jawad Noor H. , Yahya Ali Amer , Al-Shathr Ali R. , Salih Hussein G. , Rashid Khalid T. , Al-Saadi Saad , AbdulRazak Adnan A. , Salih Issam K. , Zrelli Adel , Alsalhy Qusay F.
Published: November 2022

Fuel cells have lately received growing attention since they allow the use of non-precious metals as catalysts, which reduce the cost per kilowatt of power in fuel cell devices to some extent. Until recent years, the major barrier in the development of fuel cells was the obtainability of highly conductive anion exchange membranes (AEMs). On the other hand, improvements show that newly enhanced anion exchange membranes have already reached high conductivity levels, leading to the suitable presentation of the cell. Currently, an increasing number of studies have described the performance results of fuel cells. Much of the literature reporting cell performance is founded on hydrogen‒anion exchange membrane fuel cells (AEMFCs), though a growing number of studies have also reported utilizing fuels other than hydrogen—such as alcohols, non-alcohol C-based fuels, and N-based fuels. This article reviews the types, performance, utilized membranes, and operational conditions of anion exchange membranes for fuel cells.
Trust, Power, and Tax Risk into the “Slippery Slope”: A Corporate Tax Compliance Model
Authors: Aulia Sandra , Rosdiana Haula , Inayati Inayati
Published: November 2022

(1) Background: There are still few studies that discuss corporate tax risk, especially those related to tax compliance and the Slippery Slope Framework. Meanwhile, in practice, tax risk, which is tax uncertainty, is essential in corporate tax compliance. Tax risk has not been discussed in the Slippery Slope Framework in previous research, which has become a reference in various tax compliance studies. Therefore, this study aims to analyze the effect of tax risk induced into the slippery slope framework at corporate taxpayer compliance. Dynamic interactions between power, trust, and tax risk (TPR) in one framework are essential to see the tax compliance model’s determinants comprehensively; (2) Methods: We defined our model using a mathematical and economic approach with a Likert scale, as well as geometrical inferences based on the Slippery Slope Framework. (3) Results: This study found that tax risk affects the effort and tendency of corporate taxpayers to comply. The level of tax risk will make it easier or more difficult for corporate taxpayers to comply. Tax risk will affect the level of tax compliance regardless of the quality of trust and existing power; (4) Conclusions: This research’s theoretical contributions are that trust and power are determinants of tax compliance and that tax risk influences companies to be more compliant. This model is to complete the conceptual gap of the determinants of tax compliance from the perspective of the Slippery Slope Framework. The practical implication is that corporate taxpayers should manage tax risk to avoid unexpected tax outcomes in the future and be more compliant. Therefore, the government needs to help companies reduce compliance risks that cannot be controlled by companies but can be influenced by tax authorities.
The Carrot or the Stick? Stakeholder Support for Mandatory Regulations towards a Circular Fashion System
Authors: Manshoven Saskia , Van Opstal Wim
Published: November 2022

In recent years, fast fashion has boosted global production and consumption, decreasing the lifespans of garments and increasing volumes of discarded textiles which are neither reusable or recyclable. Consequently, multiple visions and strategies regarding circular fashion have been developed, addressing a broad range of features pertaining to a potential circular fashion system. Most remain vague about concrete ambitions and policy measures. However, the design of transition pathways involves a good understanding of the policy instruments among stakeholders that operate in a globalized industry with complex value chains. In this study, we investigate stakeholder support for policy instruments that could contribute towards a circular and sustainable fashion system. We identify 30 aspects of a circular fashion system, based on a screening of visions and strategies published by supranational bodies, NGOs, and sectoral organizations. Then, we present survey and focus group results, displaying broad stakeholder support for government intervention, particularly mandatory regulations. A plausible explanation is the prisoner’s dilemma most stakeholders face regarding global value chains, indicating the need for a more level playing field. We identify and address the differences between stakeholder preferences and conclude that mandatory regulations appear to be a necessary but not a sufficient condition for a transition towards a circular fashion system.
The Impact of Digital Economy Agglomeration on Regional Green Total Factor Productivity Disparity: Evidence from 285 Cities in China
Authors: Chen Kai , Guo Feng , Xu Shuang
Published: November 2022

Purpose—The unbalanced layout of digital economy agglomeration has a significant impact on regional high-quality development. This study aims to explore the impact of digital economy agglomeration on regional green total factor productivity (GTFP) disparity from two aspects, including theoretical mechanism and empirical effect. Design/methodology/approach—Based on the empirical data of 285 cities above the prefecture level in China from 2003 to 2018, super-efficiency undesired SBM model, spatial Dubin model, and intermediary effect model are utilized to analyze how digital economy agglomeration affects regional GTFP disparity. Findings—The results show that the GTFP of China is on the rise as a whole, but the gap among cities is gradually expanding. Digital economy agglomeration has significant positive direct effects and positive spillover effects on GTFP, but digital economy agglomeration also aggravates the regional GTFP disparity due to disequilibrium industrial upgrading mechanism. Originality/value—The paper confirms the relationship between digital economy agglomeration and regional GTFP disparity for the first time. Different from previous studies, the industrial upgrading mechanism in this paper includes industrial structure upgrading and industrial spatial evolution. The study calls for the industrial bottleneck of “low-end locking” in underdeveloped cities to be noticed.
Technological Innovation, Risk-Taking and Firm Performance—Empirical Evidence from Chinese Listed Companies
Authors: Zhang Hui , Aumeboonsuke Vesarach
Published: November 2022

Technological innovation can restructure the production factors of enterprises, and it is an important factor for enterprises to meet market demand, improve competitiveness, form long-term competitive advantages and obtain sustainable development. This study focuses on the practical issue of the impact of technology innovation on firm performance. Taking 1166 listed companies in China from 2012 to 2020 as research samples, this study systematically investigates and reveals the impact of technological innovation on firm performance and its internal impact mechanism. The research shows that technological innovation significantly reduces firm performance, and that conclusion holds after an endogeneity test and a robustness test. The analysis of the impact mechanism shows that risk-taking is an important transmission path of corporate technological innovation affecting corporate performance and that technological innovation reduces firm performance by improving the risk-taking capacity. Finally, a heterogeneity test regarding the firm ownership shows that technological innovation has a significantly stronger negative impact on the performance of non-state-owned enterprises than on that of state-owned enterprises. The relevant government departments and market subjects should fully understand and give attention to the impact of enterprise technological innovation on firm performance and its mechanism, which has important practical significance for standardizing and strengthening enterprise R&D management, reducing the market and technological risks of firm technological innovation and perfecting modern enterprise systems. It is helpful for firms to form a sustainable technology innovation cycle development mode.
Effects of Tuff Powder on the Hydration Properties of Cement-Based Materials under High Temperature
Authors: Liu Shuhua , Liang Xiao , Wang Hongling , Liu Min , Ouyang Liao
Published: November 2022

In some instances, traditional mineral admixtures, such as fly ash and slag, have been insufficient, and tuff powder (TP) has been used as an alternate replacement. However, the mechanisms of the hydration of tuff powder have rarely been studied, which has restricted its application; therefore, this paper studied the hydration mechanisms of a cement–TP composite under different temperatures. In this study, the influence of TP on the hydration properties of cement-based materials under different curing temperatures was investigated by a compressive strength test, X-ray diffraction (XRD), and thermogravimetric and differential thermal analysis (TG–DTA). Our results showed that a high curing temperature effectively promoted the hydration of Portland cement and the pozzolanic reaction degree of TP and improved the mechanical and microstructural properties of cement-based materials. The high temperature was most conducive to the early development of strength. Additionally, different water-to-binder ratios showed different effects on the contribution coefficients of high curing temperatures. The effects of a high temperature on the pozzolanic reaction of TP may lead to greater Ca(OH)2 consumption during hydration. This research provides a new way to improve the reaction activity of TP and lays a theoretical foundation for applying TP to precast concrete products, mass concrete, or concrete construction in hot seasons.
Environmentally Friendly Technologies for Wastewater Treatment in Food Processing Plants: A Bibliometric Analysis
Authors: Zapata-Mendoza Prospero Cristhian Onofre , Berrios-Tauccaya Oscar Julian , Tirado-Kulieva Vicente Amirpasha , Gonzales-Malca Jhony Alberto , Ricse-Reyes David Roberto , Berrios-Zevallos Andres Amador , Seminario-Sanz Roberto Simón
Published: November 2022

Currently, the population is experiencing severe water stress mainly due to high water consumption by industries. Food and beverage processing consumes up to 90% of freshwater, resulting in large volumes of wastewater that is often treated with complex, costly and environmentally damaging processes. The purpose of this study is to perform the first bibliometric analysis to evaluate and discuss the evolution in the use of environmentally friendly technologies for wastewater treatment in food processing plants. A total of 606 documents published up to August 2022 were retrieved from Scopus. Data were manually standardized. VOSviewer version 1.5.18 and Bibliometrix version 4.0.0 were used to perform scientific mapping and evaluate bibliometric indicators of quantity, quality and structure. Scientific production is growing exponentially due to factors such as strict environmental policies and increased environmental awareness. The average number of authors per document is 4.056 and prolific authors in the field have not yet been defined. The contribution of the countries (led by the United States with 104 documents) was associated with their gross domestic product (GDP), level of trade and industrialization. Likewise, institutions from China (third place with 70 documents) have the highest contribution in the field. On the other hand, most of the journals where the documents were published are of high quality according to different metrics. According to the most influential articles, the frequency of keywords and their dynamics over time, the use of microalgae, microorganisms and plants for the treatment of effluents generated during food processing is the main trend. The processes also focus on the recovery or recycling of compounds of interest in wastewater such as phosphorus, nitrogen and carbon to contribute to the circular economy.
Evaluation of Groundwater Sensitivity to Pollution Using GIS-Based Modified DRASTIC-LU Model for Sustainable Development in the Nile Delta Region
Authors: Arafa Nesma A. , Salem Zenhom El-Said , Ghorab Mahmoud A. , Soliman Shokry A. , Abdeldayem Abdelaziz L. , Moustafa Yasser M. , Ghazala Hosni H.
Published: November 2022

The groundwater resources in the Nile Delta region are an important resource for freshwater because of rising water demand due to anthropogenic activities. The goal of this study is to quantify groundwater sensitivity to pollution in the Nile Delta by a modified GIS-based DRASTIC-LU model. In this study, we utilized two types of modified DRASTIC-LU models, generic and pesticide, to determine the groundwater vulnerability rates to contamination. The results of the generic DRASTIC-LU model showed that the research region, except for the northwestern part with moderate vulnerability of 3.38%, is highly and very highly vulnerable to pollution with 42.69 and 53.91%, respectively. Results from the pesticide DRASTIC-LU model, on the other hand, also confirmed that, except for the northwestern and southern parts with a moderate vulnerability of 9.78%, most the Nile Delta is highly and very highly vulnerable with 50.68 and 39.53%, respectively. A validation of the model generated was conducted based on nitrate concentrations in the groundwater and a sensitivity analysis. Based on the nitrate analysis, the final output map showed a strong association with the pesticide vulnerability model. Examining the model sensitivity revealed that the influence of depth to water and net recharge were the most important factors to consider.
Sustainable Scaling of Climate-Smart Agricultural Technologies and Practices in Sub-Saharan Africa: The Case of Kenya, Malawi, and Nigeria
Authors: Phiri Austin Tenthani , Charimbu Miriam , Edewor Sarah Edore , Gaveta Elias
Published: November 2022

In the wake of climate change, climate-smart agriculture has been proposed as an option for mitigation and adaptation to the attendant harsh impacts among smallholder farmers in Africa. The approach has been promoted for nearly two decades in Kenya, Nigeria, and Malawi, but with low adoption among farmers. This study therefore sought to determine the pathways for sustainable scaling of climate-smart agricultural technologies and practices in the three countries. Secondary and primary data were obtained from desk review, field survey, key informant interviews, and focus group discussions. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics and multivariate probit regression. The multivariate probit regression result showed eight negative correlated coefficients between the climate-smart agriculture technologies and practices adopted, thus implying that the practices are substitutes for each other. It was observed that gender had no significant influence on the adoption of a set of practices (refuse retention, minimum tillage, green manure, and mulching) but influenced significantly the adoption of early maturing varieties. Implicitly, therefore, apart from gender, the adoption of climate-smart agriculture technologies and practices might often be due to other factors.
Analytical Attitude Guidance Planner for Multiple Ground Targets Acquisitions
Authors: Carbone Andrea , Spiller  Dario , Curti  Fabio
Published: November 2022

This paper focuses on the development of a guidance methodology for the planning of multiple ground target acquisition. Specifically, the work addresses the problem of the lack of an attitude guidance planner (AGP) aboard a remote sensing satellite. In general, the guidance is computed offline and uploaded by ground control to the space segment, i.e., satellites are not responsible for the guidance generation but they only perform control algorithms to track the guidance profiles provided by the ground segment. Overall, this limits the mission flexibility and efficiency, affecting the capability of autonomous satellite decisions. This choice is driven by the fact that the numerical algorithms used to optimize the attitude guidance trajectory require high computational effort to be implemented directly on the satellite computer. Therefore, the aim of this work is to design an analytical AGP solution to solve this problem by requiring low computational effort, making it suitable for real-time applications on on-board flight hardware. In this way, the satellite’s guidance, navigation, and control (GNC) module would become completely autonomous and independent of ground control, which will only have to indicate the targets to be acquired so that the satellite can generate its own guidance for the GNC module. The AGP analytical solution for multiple ground target acquisition is evaluated by means of phases: the first phase is named the APPG (attitude point-to-point generator) and it aims to generate the point-to-point guidance to start the ground target acquisition. The second phase is named the ATPG (attitude target pointing generator) and it generates the reference guidance to maintain the payload view axis pointing toward the ground target. The two phases joined together give the whole guidance needed to observe ground target points by means of an analytical closed-form solution.
An Active Contour Model Based on Retinex and Pre-Fitting Reflectance for Fast Image Segmentation
Authors: Yang Chengxin , Wu Lele , Chen Yiyang , Wang Guina , Weng Guirong
Published: November 2022

In the present article, this paper provides a method for fast image segmentation for computer vision, which is based on a level set method. One dominating challenge in image segmentation is uneven illumination and inhomogeneous intensity, which are caused by the position of a light source or convex surface. This paper proposes a variational model based on the Retinex theory. To be specific, firstly, this paper figures out the pre-fitting reflectance by using an algorithm in the whole image domain before iterations; secondly, it reconstructs the image domain using an additive model; thirdly, it uses the deviation between the global domain and low-frequency component to approximate the reflectance, which is the significant part of an energy function. In addition, a new regularization term has been put forward to extract the vanishing gradients. Furthermore, the new regularization term is capable of accelerating the segmentation process. Symmetry plays an essential role in constructing the energy function and figuring out the gradient flow of the level set.
From Skyrmions to One Flavored Baryons and Beyond
Authors: Karasik Avner
Published: November 2022

While the identification of skyrmions as the low energy description of baryons in Nf≥2 QCD is known for decades, a parallel construction for the case of Nf=1 is more mysterious. In the case of one fermionic flavor, there is no chiral symmetry breaking, no non-linear sigma model, and the conventional construction of skyrmions fails to work. In this article, I will review developments from the last couple of years trying to identify baryons as certain singular configurations in the large Nc limit of Nf=1 QCD. We will give various arguments supporting this identification, and discuss some of its applications. Unlike skyrmions, the new baryons are not contained completely inside the low energy effective theory. They give rise to a singular ring on which the chiral condensate must vanish, with new degrees of freedom living on this ring. These configurations may serve as a bridge between the UV and the IR, and hopefully shed some light on the connection between different phases of QCD.
Living with Colours and Pride: Tourism, Ethnicity, and Gender in Yunnan, China
Authors: Wen Julie Jie , Lin Qingqing , Wangzhou Kaixin
Published: November 2022

The current research attempts to understand how gender relationship, livelihood, social structure, and identity evolve within tourism development. Data were collected on the sites from participant observations, in-depth interviews, and focus groups over the course of 12 research field trips from 1995 to 2019. This research provides evidence that family-based, small tourism business appears to survive well in volatile times. When family members establish their own network as equal decision makers, they tend to work together in tourism and help each other, leading to gender equality and interdependence in the relationship. They were also found to have expanded into other income streams and contributed to the career advancement of other members in the family or even the wider community. Gender gaps appear to be reduced, with ethnic woman often conducting better business than their male counterparts. Additionally, ethnic women have the opportunity to explore the potentials of their own capacity. They come into contact with the outside world and gain better social capital, along with expanding choices, and social recognition. They work hard as the hostess with dedication, warm heartedness, and local knowledge, winning respect and trust from the tourists. When ethnic women make an income directly from tourism, no matter how small it is, they have made a great step away from the previous patriarchal dominance. Tourism provides more choices for life with gender equality.
Negative Effects of Cyanotoxins and Adaptative Responses of Daphnia
Authors: Schwarzenberger Anke
Published: November 2022

The plethora of cyanobacterial toxins are an enormous threat to whole ecosystems and humans. Due to eutrophication and increases in lake temperatures from global warming, changes in the distribution of cyanobacterial toxins and selection of few highly toxic species/strains are likely. Globally, one of the most important grazers that controls cyanobacterial blooms is Daphnia, a freshwater model organism in ecology and (eco)toxicology. Daphnia–cyanobacteria interactions have been studied extensively, often focusing on the interference of filamentous cyanobacteria with Daphnia’s filtering apparatus, or on different nutritional constraints (the lack of essential amino acids or lipids) and grazer toxicity. For a long time, this toxicity only referred to microcystins. Currently, the focus shifts toward other deleterious cyanotoxins. Still, less than 10% of the total scientific output deals with cyanotoxins that are not microcystins; although these other cyanotoxins can occur just as frequently and at similar concentrations as microcystins in surface water. This review discusses the effects of different cyanobacterial toxins (hepatotoxins, digestive inhibitors, neurotoxins, and cytotoxins) on Daphnia and provides an elaborate and up-to-date overview of specific responses and adaptations of Daphnia. Furthermore, scenarios of what we can expect for the future of Daphnia–cyanobacteria interactions are described by comprising anthropogenic threats that might further increase toxin stress in Daphnia.
LRP1-Mediated Endocytosis May Be the Main Reason for the Difference in Cytotoxicity of Curcin and Curcin C on U2OS Osteosarcoma Cells
Authors: Qin Siying , Wang Xueying , Han Pan , Lai Zhiping , Ren Yingying , Ma Rui , Cheng Cheng , Wang Ting , Xu Ying
Published: November 2022

Curcin and Curcin C, both of the ribosome-inactivating proteins of Jatropha curcas, have apparent inhibitory effects on the proliferation of osteosarcoma cell line U20S. However, the inhibitory effect of the latter is 13-fold higher than that of Curcin. The mechanism responsible for the difference has not been studied. This work aimed to understand and verify whether there are differences in entry efficiency and pathway between them using specific endocytosis inhibitors, gene silencing, and labeling techniques such as fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC) labeling. The study found that the internalization efficiency of Curcin C was twice that of Curcin for U2OS cells. More than one entering pathway was adopted by both of them. Curcin C can enter U2OS cells through clathrin-dependent endocytosis and macropinocytosis, but clathrin-dependent endocytosis was not an option for Curcin. The low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein 1 (LRP1) was found to mediate clathrin-dependent endocytosis of Curcin C. After LRP1 silencing, there was no significant difference in the 50% inhibitory concentration (IC50) and endocytosis efficiency between Curcin and Curcin C on U2OS cells. These results indicate that LRP1-mediated endocytosis is specific to Curcin C, thus leading to higher U2OS endocytosis efficiency and cytotoxicity than Curcin.
Prevalence and Virulent Gene Profiles of Sorbitol Non-Fermenting Shiga Toxin-Producing Escherichia coli Isolated from Goats in Southern Thailand
Authors: Wiriyaprom Ratchakul , Ngasaman Ruttayaporn , Kaewnoi Domechai , Prachantasena Sakaoporn
Published: November 2022

Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) is the pathogenic E. coli causing disease in humans via the consumption or handling of animal food products. The high prevalence of these organisms in ruminants has been widely reported. Among STECs, O157 is one of the most lethal serotypes causing serious disease in humans. The present study investigated the prevalence of sorbitol non-fermenting STECs in goats reared in the lower region of southern Thailand and described the virulent factors carried by those isolates. Sorbitol non-fermenting (SNF)-STECs were found in 57 out of 646 goats (8.82%; 95% CI 6.75% to 11.28%). Molecular identification revealed that 0.77% of SNF-STEC isolates were the O157 serotype. Shiga toxin genes (stx1 and stx2) and other virulent genes (i.e., eaeA, ehxA, and saa) were detected by molecular techniques. The presence of stx1 (75.44%) was significantly higher than that of stx2 (22.81%), whereas 1.75% of the total isolates carried both stx1 and stx2. Most of the isolates carried ehxA for 75.44%, followed by saa (42.11%) and eaeA (12.28%). In addition, 21.05% of STEC isolates did not carry any eaeA, ehxA, or saa. The first investigation on SNF-STECs in goat was conducted in the lower region of southern Thailand. The present study revealed that goats could be one of the potential carriers of SNF-STECs in the observing area.
Quantitative Detection of Leishmania in Rhipicephalus microplus and Amblyomma sabanerae in the Peruvian Amazon Basin
Authors: Rojas-Jaimes Jesús , Correa-Núñez Germán H. , Donayre Lisa , Lescano Andres G.
Published: November 2022

Leishmaniasis is a disease of public importance with a complex transmission cycle. A quantitative PCR was developed by using the small subunit of the ribosomal RNA gene (SSU rRNA) as a DNA target, which is conserved in all Leishmania species. A TaqMan ® probe was designed to have a high specificity. In all, 22 out of 23 (95.7%) ticks classified as R. microplus tested positive for Leishmania sp. The quantification was between 34.1 and 2197.1 parasites per tick in a range of 12 to 769 fg/uL. In addition, 9 out of 10 (90%) ticks classified as Amblyomma sabanerae tested positive for Leishmania sp. The quantification was between 448.6 and 5428.6 parasites per tick in a range of 157 to 1900 fg/µL. Leishmania sp. was identified in very high percentages in Rhipicephalus microplus and Amblyomma sabanerae from wild Pecari tajacu and Chelonoidis denticulata, in quantities of 34.1 and 5428.6 parasites per arthropod, and this could suggest that the ticks were parasitized by sucking blood from the animals from which they were collected. This is the first report about Leishmania parasites found in wild Rhipicephalus microplus and Amblyomma sabanerae, adding new information about the distribution and epidemiology of the parasite in sylvatic areas.
Strangeness Production from Proton–Proton Collisions at Different Energies by Using Monte Carlo Simulation
Authors: Hussein Ahmed , Mahmoud M. A. , Aly Ayman A. , El-Hammamy M. N. , Mohammed Yasser
Published: November 2022

Nuclear matter, at sufficiently energy density and high temperature, undergoes a transition to a state of strongly interacting QCD matter in which quarks and gluons are not confined known as the Quark–Gluon Plasma (QGP). QGP is usually produced in high-energy collisions of heavy nuclei in the laboratory, where an enhancement of strange hadrons’ production is observed. Many of the effects which are typical of heavy ion phenomenology have been observed in high-multiplicity proton–proton (pp) collisions. The enhancement of strange particles’ production in pp collisions was reported at s=7 TeV and s=13 TeV in 2017 and 2020, respectively, and it was found that the integrated yields of strange particles, relative to pions, increase notably with the charged-particle multiplicity of events. Here, we report the multiplicity dependence of strange particles at |y|<0.5 in pp collisions at s = 7 TeV, 13 TeV, 20 TeV, and 27 TeV from a Monte Carlo simulation using PYTHIA8, EPOS-LHC, and Herwig7.
Visual Aesthetic Quality Assessment of Urban Forests: A Conceptual Framework
Authors: Mundher Riyadh , Abu Bakar Shamsul , Al-Helli Marwah , Gao Hangyu , Al-Sharaa Ammar , Mohd Yusof Mohd Johari , Maulan Suhardi , Aziz Azlizam
Published: November 2022

Visual aesthetic quality is the visual pleasure level that attracts people and makes them prefer certain areas. Visual aesthetic quality is valued and considered for urban forests but remains challenging. This could be due to a lack of understanding of visual aesthetic quality assessment variables based on visual aesthetic theories. This study supports an integrated conceptual framework based on the result of a systematic literature review study to describe and measure aesthetics that incorporates objective and subjective factors through urban forest visual character and urban forest visual quality. The results include defining and understanding a description of visual aesthetic factors and variables as well as a thorough explanation of visual aesthetic theories to comprehend how to assess the visual aesthetic quality of urban forests. This study agrees with and supports the visual aesthetic theoretical framework, and we believe that due to our shared evolutionary history, humans have a standard set of urban forest visual aesthetic features with preferences that change according to cultural and personal variances. Furthermore, this research provides a foundation of visual aesthetic variables of urban forests that will assist urban forest researchers, urban forest managers, and decision-makers in managing and protecting the visual aesthetics of urban forests.
Awareness of HCV Status and Preferences for Testing and Treatment among People with Recent Injecting Drug Use at a Peer-Led Needle and Syringe Program: The TEMPO Pilot Study
Authors: Conway Anna , Read Phillip , Gilliver Rosie , McNaughton Tony , Valerio Heather , Cunningham Evan , Henderson Charles , Hadlow Brett , Molloy Katrina , Doab Anna , Tillakeratne Shane , Pepolim Lucy , Harrod Mary , Dore Gregory , Grebely Jason
Published: November 2022

Background: New technologies and therapies allow the possibility of a single-visit test and treat model for hepatitis C virus (HCV), addressing some of the barriers to care faced by people who inject drugs. Methods: The TEMPO Pilot Study was an interventional cohort study evaluating a single-visit test and treat intervention among people with recent injecting drug use at a one peer-led needle and syringe program (NSP) in Sydney, Australia between September 2019 and February 2021. This analysis evaluated awareness of HCV status and agreement of self-report with HCV RNA test results. The analysis also assessed acceptability of: modality of result delivery, modality of blood sampling, site of treatment, and duration of treatment. Results: Among 101 participants (median age 43; 31% female), 100 had a valid HCV RNA test result and 27% (27/100) were HCV RNA detectable. Overall, 65% (65/100) were aware of their status. Among people with a positive HCV RNA result, 48% (13/27) were aware of their status. People preferred same-day HCV test results (95%, 96/101), and preferred to receive results in person (69%, 70/101). Receiving treatment at an NSP was acceptable (100%, 101/101) and 78% (79/101) were willing to discuss their health with a peer NSP worker. Conclusion: Half of people with current HCV infection were aware of their status. The high acceptability of simplified testing and treatment pathways delivered at NSPs indicates that this is an appropriate strategy to improve HCV awareness and treatment uptake in this population.
Is the Intergenic Region of Aedes aegypti Totivirus a Recombination Hotspot?
Authors: da Silva Couto Roseane , de Oliveira Ribeiro Geovani , Pandey Ramendra Pati , Leal Élcio
Published: November 2022

The genus totivirus in the family Totiviridae contains double-stranded RNA viruses. Their genome has two open reading frames (ORFs) that encode capsid protein (CP) and RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp). The toti-like viruses recently identified in Anopheles sp. and Aedes aegypti mosquitoes (AaTV) share the same genome organization as other totiviruses. The AaTVs that have been described in distinct geographical regions are monophyletic. In this study, we show that AaTV sequences can be grouped into at least three phylogenetic clades (named A, B, and C). Clades A and B are composed of AaTV sequences from mosquitoes collected in the Caribbean region (Guadeloupe), and clade C contains sequences from the USA. These clades may represent AaTV lineages that are locally adapted to their host populations. We also identified three recombinant AaTV strains circulating in mosquitoes in Guadeloupe. Although these strains have different chimeric patterns, the position of the recombination breakpoint was identical in all strains. Interestingly, this breakpoint is located in a hairpin-like structure in the intergenic region of the AaTV genome. This RNA structure may stall RNA polymerase processivity and consequently induce template switching. In vitro studies should be conducted to further investigate the biological significance of AaTV’s intergenic region as a recombination hotspot
Intranasal Exposure to Rift Valley Fever Virus Live-Attenuated Strains Leads to High Mortality Rate in Immunocompetent Mice
Authors: Lacote Sandra , Tamietti Carole , Chabert Mehdi , Confort Marie-Pierre , Conquet Laurine , Pulido Coralie , Aurine Noémie , Baquerre Camille , Thiesson Adrien , Pain Bertrand , De Las Heras Marcelo , Flamand Marie , Montagutelli Xavier , Marianneau Philippe , Ratinier Maxime , Arnaud Frédérick
Published: November 2022

Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV) is a pathogenic arthropod-borne virus that can cause serious illness in both ruminants and humans. The virus can be transmitted by an arthropod bite or contact with contaminated fluids or tissues. Two live-attenuated veterinary vaccines—the Smithburn (SB) and Clone 13 (Cl.13)—are currently used during epizootic events in Africa. However, their residual pathogenicity (i.e., SB) or potential of reversion (i.e., Cl.13) causes important adverse effects, strongly limiting their use in the field. In this study, we infected immunocompetent mice with SB or Cl.13 by a subcutaneous or an intranasal inoculation. Interestingly, we found that, unlike the subcutaneous infection, the intranasal inoculation led to a high mortality rate. In addition, we detected high titers and viral N antigen levels in the brain of both the SB- and Cl.13-infected mice. Overall, we unveil a clear correlation between the pathogenicity and the route of administration of both SB and Cl.13, with the intranasal inoculation leading to a stronger neurovirulence and higher mortality rate than the subcutaneous infection.
How Motives Related to Benefits for Oneself and Others Would Affect COVID-19 Vaccination in a Hong Kong Chinese General Adult Population?
Authors: Yu Yanqiu , Lau Mason M. C. , Lau Joseph T. F.
Published: November 2022

Outcome expectancies involving self-directed and others-directed domains are potential determinants of completed or scheduled first-dose COVID-19 vaccination (CSFCV). This study investigated factors of CSFCV, including (a) self-directed motives [personal positive outcome expectancies (POE) and personal negative outcome expectancy (NOE)], and (b) others-directed motives (societal POE and the personality trait of prosociality). It also investigated the mediations of personal POE between societal POE and CSFCV, and moderations of prosociality between personal POE/personal NOE/societal POE and CSFCV. A cross-sectional population-based telephone survey interviewed 500 people aged 18–75 in Hong Kong in May 2021. The prevalence of CSFCV was 21.0%. Significant factors of CSFCV included personal POE (i.e., physical/practical/emotional/interpersonal benefit), personal NOE, and societal POE. The association between societal POE and CSFCV was fully mediated by the overall scale and some domains of personal POE. Furthermore, the association between physical benefit and CSFCV was stronger at lower levels of prosociality; prosociality showed a stronger effect on CSFCV at lower levels of physical benefit. The results suggest that self-directed motives might be more important than others-directed motives in affecting CSFCV. The findings require confirmations from longitudinal studies and cross-country comparisons.
Subcutaneous Immunization with Unaltered Axenic Malaria Parasite Liver Stages Induces Sterile Protection against Infectious Sporozoite Challenge
Authors: Kamil Mohd , Deveci Gozde , Kina Umit Y. , Kappe Stefan H. I. , Aly Ahmed S. I.
Published: November 2022

Host cell-free, axenic development of liver stages (LS) of the malaria parasite has been demonstrated. Here we explored axenic liver stages as a novel live whole parasite malaria vaccine platform, which is unaltered and not prone to human-error, compared to the immunization with live-attenuated sporozoites that must be done intravenously. We show that in contrast to live sporozoites, axenic LS are not infectious to the immunized host. Subcutaneous immunizations of mice with Plasmodium yoelii axenic LS, developed from wild-type (WT) sporozoites or WT sporozoites expressing enhanced-GFP, conferred sterile protection against P. yoelii infectious sporozoite challenge. Thus, axenic liver stages of P. falciparum and P. vivax might constitute an attractive alternative to live sporozoite immunization.
Experimental Analysis of the Space Ratio Influence on the Excitation Frequencies of One and Two Cylinders Free to Vibrate in Tandem Arrangement
Authors: Neumeister Roberta Fátima , Petry Adriane Prisco , Möller Sergio Viçosa
Published: November 2022

The present study aims to investigate the dominant frequency ranges of a cylinder free to vibrate transversally to the flow positioned in the first, the second or in both positions of the tandem assembly for L/D = 1.26, 1.4, 1.6, and 3.52 with the increase in the flow velocity. Accelerometers and hot wire anemometers were the experimental tools applied in this study. The range of study encompassed the reduced velocity with values from 6 to 72 and Reynolds number from 7.1 × 103 to 2.4 × 104. Fourier transform, continuous wavelet transform, magnitude-square coherence, and wavelet coherence were applied to analyze the cylinder acceleration results for all L/D and wake velocity values studied. The results show that the amplitudes of vibration are below 1.5% of the diameter for all the cases, except for the lower L/D, where the amplitude increases. The first cylinder free to vibrate presents the highest amplitudes observed. Fourier and continuous wavelet analysis showed high energy associated with the two natural frequencies of the system and a third frequency, which may be associated with the flow excitation. In the second cylinder free to vibrate, energy spreads across the monitored spectrum, justifying the smaller amplitudes but the energy level increases with increasing L/D and may be associated with wake-induced vibration. The cases with both cylinders free to vibrate show that the relation between the assembly parameters of each cylinder is relevant to the vibration response and the excitation frequency range. The results showed that even with a clear excitation in a higher frequency, the main energy in the vibration signals is in the natural frequency range.
Identifying Critical Isolation Valves in a Water Distribution Network: A Socio-Technical Approach
Authors: Abdel-Mottaleb Noha , Saghand Payman Ghasemi , Wakhungu Mathews J. , Charkhgard Hadi , Wells E. Christian , Zhang Qiong
Published: November 2022

Isolation valves are critical for the reliable functioning of water distribution networks (WDNs). However, it is challenging for utilities to prioritize valve rehabilitation and replacement given it is often unclear if certain valves are operable in a given WDN. This study uses the Gomory–Hu tree of the segment-valve representation (or dual representation) of WDNs to obtain the logical implications of inoperable valves (i.e., which segments should be isolated and merged unnecessarily due to valve inoperability). Multi-objective optimization is then used to identify the critical valves based on selected attributes (e.g., social vulnerability, flow volume) of segments that would be unnecessarily isolated as a result. This study developed three multi-objective formulations: first, deterministic; second, accounting for uncertainty; and third, accounting for both uncertainty and the likelihood of failure of pipes within segments. Identified critical valves are compared between the three developed formulations and a method considering only a single objective. Results demonstrated that multi-objective optimization provided additional information which can be used to discern valve importance for utilities in comparison with using a single objective. Further, though there was overlap between the results from the three formulations, the third formulation provided the most insight without overwhelming decision-makers with a large number of identified valves.