bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
An Optimal Design Method for Improving the Efficiency of Ultrasonic Wireless Power Transmission during Communication
Authors: Li Yu , Cui Juan , Li Gang , Liu Lu , Zheng Yongqiu , Zang Junbin , Xue Chenyang
Published: January 2022

Due to the excellent directivity, strong penetrability, and no electromagnetic shielding effect, ultrasonic waves have good potential for wireless energy transmission and information transfer inside and outside of sealed metal devices. However, traditional ultrasonic based energy transmission methods usually result in considerable energy consumption because of the impedance mismatch during the impedance modulation of the communication. This paper presents an optimal design method for efficient energy transfer during ultrasonic communication. The channel equivalent circuit model is established by only using the acoustic-electric channel scattering parameters. According to the equivalent circuit model, the channel impedance matches with a weak mismatch state is performed during the communication. In this way, the impedance modulation effect is ensured with a lower decrease in the energy transmission efficiency. Finally, the simultaneous energy transmission and impedance modulation are carried out through the 11 mm thick 304 stainless steel plate. The transmission power is 37.86 W with a transmission efficiency of 45.75%, and the modulation rate is 10 Kbps. Compared with the traditional methods, our proposed energy transmission efficiency is increased by 17.62%. The results verify the proposed method’s effectiveness and the high accuracy of the model. The proposed method has great engineering applications and broad prospects in condition monitoring of metallic environments.
The Kenyan Survivors of Sexual Violence Network: Preserving Memory Evidence with a Bespoke Mobile Application to Increase Access to Vital Services and Justice
Authors: Stevens Laura M. , Reid Elena , Kanja Wangu , Rockowitz Sarah , Davies Kari , Dosanjh Shanaya , Findel Brooke , Flowe Heather D.
Published: January 2022

Police interviews gather detailed information from witnesses about the perpetrator that is crucial for solving crimes. Research has established that interviewing witnesses immediately after the crime maintains memory accuracy over time. However, in some contexts, such as in conflict settings and low-income countries, witness interviews occur after long delays, which decreases survivors’ access to vital services and justice. We investigated whether an immediate interview via a mobile phone application (SV_CaseStudy Mobile Application, hereafter MobApp) developed by the Kenyan Survivors of Sexual Violence Network preserves people’s memory accuracy over time. Participants (N = 90) viewed a mock burglary and were then interviewed either immediately using MobApp or MobApp+ (which included additional questions about the offender’s behaviour) and again one week later (n = 60), or solely after a one-week delay (n = 30). We found that memory accuracy one week later was higher for participants immediately interviewed with MobApp or MobApp+ compared to those interviewed solely after a one-week delay. Additionally, memory accuracy was maintained for those interviewed with the mobile application across the one-week period. These findings indicate that the mobile phone application is promising for preserving memory accuracy in contexts where crimes are reported to the police after a delay.
Three-Faceted Approach to Perceived Stress: A Longitudinal Study of Stress Hormones, Personality, and Group Cohesion in the Real-Life Setting of Compulsory Basic Military Training
Authors: Bekesiene Svajone , Smaliukiene Rasa , Vaičaitienė Ramutė , Mažeikienė Asta , Larsson Gerry , Karčiauskaitė Dovilė , Mazgelytė Eglė
Published: January 2022

Compulsory basic military training is characterized not only by being challenging but also by being stressful. Assuming a high frequency of perceived stress events as a negative outcome of training, this article provides evidence on how the perceived frequency of stressful situations is affected by three types of factors: (i) biological stress response variables measured by hair steroid hormone levels, (ii) personality traits measured using the Big Five personality test, and (iii) group cohesion measures in military squads. A total of 112 conscripts in 11 squads participated in the research at the beginning (T1), in the middle (T2), and at the end (T3) of compulsory basic military training. Hair steroid hormone levels (cortisol, cortisone, and dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA)) levels were measured by liquid mass spectrometry; other data were collected using self-report questionnaires. The results of the Poisson regression analysis indicated that hair steroid hormone cortisol had a statistically significantly impact and could increase the perceived frequency of stressful situations by up to 1.317 (e0.275, T2) times. The concentrations of other hormones (cortisone = 1.157, e0.146, T3 and DHEA = 1.020, e0.020, T3) also had a statistically significant effect. Other factors had a decreasing effect on the frequency. Extraversion was significant with an effect of 0.907 (e−0.098, T2) and 0.847 (e−0.166, T3), while task cohesion had an effect of 0.946 (e−0.056) and norm cohesion of 0.954 (e−0.047). The research indicates that the three groups of factors affect the perceived frequency of stressful situations during compulsory basic military training, but their impacts are considerably different.
African Case Studies: Developing Pavement Temperature Maps for Performance-Graded Asphalt Bitumen Selection
Authors: Mokoena Refiloe , Mturi Georges , Maritz Johan , Mateyisi Mohau , Klein Peter
Published: January 2022

The reliable performance of roads is crucial for service delivery, and it is a catalyst for domestic and cross-border spatial development. Paved national roads are expected to carry higher traffic volumes over time as a result of urbanization and to support the economic development in the continent. Increased traffic levels combined with expected increases in air temperatures as a result of global warming highlight the need to appropriately select bituminous road materials for a reliable performance of asphalt roads. The objective of the paper is to present African case studies on the development of temperature maps necessary for performance-graded bitumen selection for road design and construction. A consistent approach, that caters for the variability of geographical, environmental and climatic conditions, does not currently exist within the continent. Therefore, this paper discusses a series of critical components in the development of temperature maps for performance-graded bitumen including (i) pavement temperature models and climatic zones in Africa; (ii) the effect of urban heat islands on pavement temperature; (iii) sources of weather data and (iv) the mapping procedure to produce temperature maps. Characterizing the thermal properties of the pavement was found to be an important factor for reliably calculating expected road temperatures as well as the consideration of the ambient climate for a given location. During this study, the urban heat island effect was found to have little influence on the maximum pavement temperatures but a significant effect on the minimum pavement temperatures. Some areas of the urban district assessed in this investigation were found to increase by two performance grades according to the minimum temperature criteria. The recent observed weather data from weather stations are the most accurate means of measurement of the ambient environmental conditions necessary for performance-based specifications, but they are not always easily accessible, and therefore other sources of data, such as satellite data, may need to be used instead. With the expected temperature increases expected as a result of climate change, the use of Global Climate Models also opens new avenues for performance-based material selection in the African continent for expected climates as an alternative to traditional approaches based on historically observed weather.
Effects of Weather on Iowa Nitrogen Export Estimated by Simulation-Based Decomposition
Authors: Raul Vishal , Liu Yen-Chen , Leifsson Leifur , Kaleita Amy
Published: January 2022

The state of Iowa is known for its high-yield agriculture, supporting rising demands for food and fuel production. But this productivity is also a significant contributor of nitrogen loading to the Mississippi River basin causing the hypoxic zone in the Gulf of Mexico. The delivery of nutrients, especially nitrogen, from the upper Mississippi River basin, is a function, not only of agricultural activity, but also of hydrology. Thus, it is important to consider extreme weather conditions, such as drought and flooding, and understand the effects of weather variability on Iowa’s food-energy-water (IFEW) system and nitrogen loading to the Mississippi River from Iowa. In this work, the simulation decomposition approach is implemented using the extended IFEW model with a crop-weather model to better understand the cause-and-effect relationships of weather parameters on the nitrogen export from the state of Iowa. July temperature and precipitation are used as varying input weather parameters with normal and log normal distributions, respectively, and subdivided to generate regular and dry weather conditions. It is observed that most variation in the soil nitrogen surplus lies in the regular condition, while the dry condition produces the highest soil nitrogen surplus for the state of Iowa.
Earnings Management, Board Composition and Earnings Persistence in Emerging Market
Authors: Khuong Nguyen Vinh , Abdul Rahman Abdul Aziz , Thuan Pham Quoc , Liem Nguyen Thanh , Anh Le Huu Tuan , Thuy Cao Thi Mien , Ly Huynh Thi Ngoc
Published: January 2022

Income data are useful for making economic decisions and anticipating future revenues. Earning quality, or the utility of earnings in making decisions, is determined by real economic performance. Firms with greater performance should, on average, have higher profits quality. Managers, investors, and scholars are interested in the influence of earnings management (EM) on earnings persistence (EP). This study evaluates the relationship between these variables in terms of accrual, real EM, board composition, and EP. We conducted quantitative research using GMM regression on a sample of 228 listed businesses in the Vietnamese stock market from 2014 to 2017. Our findings indicate that accrual earnings management (AEM) is associated with a negative connection with EP, but real earnings management (REM) is associated with a mixed association with EP. Additionally, the data indicate that board of directors (BODs) play a critical role in EP. Our research contributes to the existing body of knowledge by establishing a foundation for future research in this subject and by proposing some feasible options for functional government agencies and enterprise management interested in enhancing EP.
Evaluation of Nutritional Content in Wild Apricot Fruits for Sustainable Apricot Production
Authors: Karatas Neva
Published: January 2022

Apricot (Prunus armeniaca L.) trees are common from Asia to North America and have been used for delicious and nutritious fruits for centuries. Wild apricot trees show great environment plasticity and are free of pest and disease traits, both of which are important for sustainable apricot production. However, wild apricots are more common in Asia and North African countries. Wild apricot trees and fruits show great variability due to seed propagation characteristics. Seeds of wild apricots are used as rootstocks for apricot cultivars, in particular in main apricot producer countries such as Turkey, Uzbekistan, and Iran. Fruits of wild apricots are also an important food in wild apricot growing countries and add value as a sustainable nutrition source. In the present study, a total of 14 wild apricots widely grown in inner Anatolia were characterized by morphological (fruit weight, flesh/seed ratio, fruit firmness, and color index), nutritional (individual sugars and organic acids) and nutraceutical (total phenolic, total flavonoids, total carotenoid, and antioxidant activity) features. The obtained results showed that wild apricot genotypes differed from each other for most of the morphological, nutritional, and nutraceutical characteristics. The genotypes were found pest- and disease-free and had fruit weight, flesh/seed ratio, and fruit firmness of between 18.24 and 27.54 g; 8.96 and 12.44; and 4.05 and 6.03 kg/cm2, respectively. Citric acid was the dominant organic acid for fruits of all wild apricot genotypes, and ranged from 923 to 1224 mg/100 g. Sucrose was the highest soluble sugar in fruits for all wild apricots, and ranged from between 6.80 and 8.33 g/100 g. Moreover, the level of nutraceutical parameters also varied among genotypes and high amounts of total phenol and antioxidant activity were obtained in fruit extracts of IA8 genotype as 81.4 mg gallic acid equivalent per 100 g and 2.44 μmoL trolox equivalent per g, respectively. Different wild apricot genotypes are rich in certain nutritional and nutraceutical compounds, with significant variations in their levels being observed. The aim of the study was to evaluate fruits of wild apricot genotypes in terms of their total phenolics, antioxidants, and other bioactive compounds for use in future breeding programs and sustainable food and pharma industries.
Legal Conditions for Investments in Renewable Energy in the Overburden Disposal Areas in Poland
Authors: Resak Marta , Rogosz Barbara , Szczepiński Jacek , Dziamara Mariusz
Published: January 2022

The article analyzes opportunities of locating large-scale wind or solar farms in overburden disposal areas, formed as a result of opencast lignite mining. Its main purpose is to present different conditions and limitations for such investments in post-mining regions. The most important aspects include wind or sunlight conditions, geotechnical conditions of the overburden disposal areas where soil and rock materials were deposited during many years of lignite mining and local spatial planning conditions defined by local governments. These, and other conditions cause that the wind or photovoltaic plant investment in the overburden disposal area, might create a challenging process. The legal requirements are discussed in detail, regarding spatial, environmental and infrastructural characteristics of the overburden dumping sites situated inside Jóźwin II B and Jóźwin IIA open pits belonging to the PAK Konin Lignite Mine S.A. located in the west-central part of Poland. The results demonstrate that among the legal conditions for the construction of renewable energy plants, the most restrictive limitation concerns wind farms and precludes the rehabilitation of Konin overburden dumps in this direction. Until the construction of wind farms is legally impossible at closer distances to residential buildings, photovoltaic power plants are the only option for the development of post-mining areas towards large-scale renewable power generation.
Climatological Characteristics and Aerosol Loading Trends from 2001 to 2020 Based on MODIS MAIAC Data for Tianjin, North China Plain
Authors: Wu Zhenling , Zhao Hujia , Hao Jian , Wu Guoliang
Published: January 2022

The North China Plain (NCP) in East Asia has a severe air pollution problem. In this study, the long-term spatial distribution and interannual trends of aerosol optical depth (AOD) were investigated using the MODIS MAIAC (multiangle implementation of the atmospheric correction) dataset from 2001 to 2020 for Tianjin, a city on the NCP. The annual AOD in Tianjin was 0.59 from 2001 to 2020. The average AOD of Tianjin was the highest in summer (0.96), followed by spring (0.58) and autumn (0.51). The annual AOD in Tianjin increased significantly in 2008 (approximately 0.77), and the minimum annual AOD was observed in 2020 (0.41). In summer, AOD in the 11 districts of Tianjin significantly increased from 2001 to 2010 and gradually decreased from 2011 to 2020. The occurrence frequency of AOD in the range of 0.2–0.5 was high in Tianjin accounting for almost 40% of the total proportion. In Tianjin, AOD exhibited a positive trend from 2001 to 2008 and an obvious negative growth trend from 2009 to 2020 due to anthropogenic emission. The findings are valuable for analyzing the climatological characteristics of aerosol loading and their optical properties at the district level of cities on the NCP.
Efficient Urban Runoff Quantity and Quality Modelling Using SWMM Model and Field Data in an Urban Watershed of Tehran Metropolis
Authors: Zakizadeh Fariba , Moghaddam Nia Alireza , Salajegheh Ali , Sañudo-Fontaneda Luis Angel , Alamdari Nasrin
Published: January 2022

This study aims to calibrate and validate the EPA Storm Water Management Model from field measurements of rainfall and runoff, in order to simulate the rainfall-runoff process in an urban watershed of Tehran metropolis, Iran. During and after three significant storm events, the flow rates, total suspended solids (TSS), total phosphorus (TP), and total Kjeldahl nitrogen (TKN) concentrations were measured at the outlet of the catchment, and were used in the model calibration and validation process. The performance of the SWMM model was evaluated based on the statistical criteria, as well as graphical techniques. In this study, a local sensitivity analysis was carried out to identify the key model parameters, show that “the percentage of impervious surface in each subwatershed had the most effect on the model output”. Based on the analysis of the results, SWMM model calibration and validation can be judged as satisfactory, and the goodness-of-fit indices for simulating runoff quality and quantity are placed in acceptable ranges. The adjustment obtained for the variations in the measured and simulated flow rates, pollutograph concentrations, total pollutant load, peak concentration, and the event mean concentration (EMC) confirms the considerable predictive capability of the SWMM model when it is well calibrated by using field measurements.
General Current Control of Six-Phase-Based Non-Isolated Integrated On-Board Charger with Low Order Harmonic Compensation
Authors: Abdel-Majeed Mahmoud S. , Shawier Abdullah , Abdel-Khalik Ayman S. , Hamad Mostafa S. , Sedky Mohamed M. , Elmalhy Noha A.
Published: January 2022

Electric vehicle charging technology has recently witnessed massive developments due to its significant role in the ever-growing number of electric vehicles on the market. The integrated on-board charger technology (IOBC) represents an effective and attractive solution to reduce EV size, cost, and weight. IOBC technology employs propulsion components, such as the motor and its converter, in the charging process. The main objective of IOBC is to achieve the maximum charging current with zero average/pulsating torque so that mechanical interlocking can be dispensed. Recently, some of the IOBC topologies have adopted machines with six-phase stators to exploit the many advantages of multiphase-based systems. This paper investigates the effect of the winding design, namely, chorded or un-chorded designs, as well as the winding configuration, namely, dual three-phase, asymmetrical, or symmetrical winding configurations, on the current quality of a six-phase-based non-isolated IOBC. The relation between the winding design and the induced low order harmonics in the charging current is first clarified. The required current controller structure is then proposed, which ensures balanced grid line currents with high quality, under either healthy or one-phase fault conditions. Finally, a comparative study between all available designs with the proposed current controller is carried out to validate the theoretical findings.
Academic and Administrative Role of Artificial Intelligence in Education
Authors: Ahmad Sayed Fayaz , Alam Muhammad Mansoor , Rahmat Mohd. Khairil , Mubarik Muhammad Shujaat , Hyder Syed Irfan
Published: January 2022

The aim of the article is to explore the academic and administrative applications of Artificial Intelligence. Teachers have the main responsibility of teaching in any educational setting. But there are various other tasks to be performed by the teachers as well. Besides academic duty, most of the teacher’s time and educational resources are dedicated to administrative works. Artificial Intelligence Applications (AIA) are not only assisting education academically and administratively but also enhance their effectiveness. AIA provides help to teachers in various types of tasks in the shape of Learning Analytics (LA), Virtual Reality (VR), Grading/Assessments (G/A), and Admissions. It minimizes the administrative tasks of a teacher to invest more in teaching and guiding students. In the current era, where there are a lot of tasks associated with the teaching profession, AIA adds a significant contribution to enhance student learning, minimize the workload of a teacher, grade/assess the students effectively and easily, and to help in a lot of other administrative tasks. The study needs to be quantitatively checked to make it generalized and acceptable.
Sweet Boron: Boron-Containing Sugar Derivatives as Potential Agents for Boron Neutron Capture Therapy
Authors: Imperio Daniela , Panza Luigi
Published: January 2022

Boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) is a binary type of radiotherapy for the treatment of cancer. Due to recent developments of neutron accelerators and their installation in some hospitals, BNCT is on the rise worldwide and is expected to have a significant impact on patient treatments. Therefore, there is an increasing need for improved boron delivery agents. Among the many small molecules and delivery systems developed, a significant amount of recent research focused on the synthesis of boron-containing sugar and amino acid derivatives to exploit specific transport proteins, as d-glucose transporter 1 (GLUT1) and large neutral amino acid transporter (LAT1), overexpressed by tumor cells. This review will discuss the last year’s achievements in the synthesis and some biological evaluation of boronated sugars derivatives. The compounds described in this review are intrinsically asymmetric due to the presence of chiral sugar moieties, often joined to boron clusters, which are structural elements with high symmetry.
3D Texture Reconstruction of Abdominal Cavity Based on Monocular Vision SLAM for Minimally Invasive Surgery
Authors: Wu Haibin , Xu Ruotong , Xu Kaiyang , Zhao Jianbo , Zhang Yan , Wang Aili , Iwahori Yuji
Published: January 2022

The depth information of abdominal tissue surface and the position of laparoscope are very important for accurate surgical navigation in computer-aided surgery. It is difficult to determine the lesion location by empirically matching the laparoscopic visual field with the preoperative image, which is easy to cause intraoperative errors. Aiming at the complex abdominal environment, this paper constructs an improved monocular simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) system model, which can more accurately and truly reflect the abdominal cavity structure and spatial relationship. Firstly, in order to enhance the contrast between blood vessels and background, the contrast limited adaptive histogram equalization (CLAHE) algorithm is introduced to preprocess abdominal images. Secondly, combined with AKAZE algorithm, the Oriented FAST and Rotated BRIEF(ORB) algorithm is improved to extract the features of abdominal image, which improves the accuracy of extracted symmetry feature points pair and uses the RANSAC algorithm to quickly eliminate the majority of mis-matched pairs. The medical bag-of-words model is used to replace the traditional bag-of-words model to facilitate the comparison of similarity between abdominal images, which has stronger similarity calculation ability and reduces the matching time between the current abdominal image frame and the historical abdominal image frame. Finally, Poisson surface reconstruction is used to transform the point cloud into a triangular mesh surface, and the abdominal cavity texture image is superimposed on the 3D surface described by the mesh to generate the abdominal cavity inner wall texture. The surface of the abdominal cavity 3D model is smooth and has a strong sense of reality. The experimental results show that the improved SLAM system increases the registration accuracy of feature points and the densification, and the visual effect of dense point cloud reconstruction is more realistic for Hamlyn dataset. The 3D reconstruction technology creates a realistic model to identify the blood vessels, nerves and other tissues in the patient’s focal area, enabling three-dimensional visualization of the focal area, facilitating the surgeon’s observation and diagnosis, and digital simulation of the surgical operation to optimize the surgical plan.
Editorial to the Special Issue “Space Weather”
Authors: Ghamry Essam , Hamid Nurul Shazana Abdul , Li Zheng
Published: January 2022

The present Special Issue is focused on the term space weather, which has increasingly been used to describe phenomena in the near-earth space environment that impact telecommunications, transportation, electric power, satellite navigation, spacecraft design and operations, and other technologies on Earth [...]
A Novel Motif in the 3′-UTR of PRRSV-2 Is Critical for Viral Multiplication and Contributes to Enhanced Replication Ability of Highly Pathogenic or L1 PRRSV
Authors: Xiong Junyao , Cui Xingyang , Zhao Kuan , Wang Qian , Huang Xinyi , Li Dongyan , Yu Fang , Yang Yongbo , Liu Di , Tian Zhijun , Cai Xuehui , An Tongqing
Published: January 2022

Highly pathogenic porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (HP-PRRSV) with enhanced replication capability emerged in China and has become dominant epidemic strain since 2006. Up to now, the replication-regulated genes of PRRSV have not been fully clarified. Here, by swapping the genes or elements between HP-PRRSV and classical PRRSV based on infectious clones, NSP1, NSP2, NSP7, NSP9 and 3′-UTR are found to contribute to the high replication efficiency of HP-PRRSV. Further study revealed that mutations at positions 117th or 119th in the 3′-UTR are significantly related to replication efficiency, and the nucleotide at position 120th is critical for viral rescue. The motif composed by 117–120th nucleotides was quite conservative within each lineage of PRRSV; mutations in the motif of HP-PRRSV and currently epidemic lineage 1 (L1) PRRSV showed higher synthesis ability of viral negative genomic RNA, suggesting that those mutations were beneficial for viral replication. RNA structure analysis revealed that this motif maybe involved into a pseudoknot in the 3′-UTR. The results discovered a novel motif, 117–120th nucleotide in the 3′-UTR, that is critical for replication of PRRSV-2, and mutations in the motif contribute to the enhanced replicative ability of HP-PRRSV or L1 PRRSV. Our findings will help to understand the molecular basis of PRRSV replication and find the potential factors resulting in an epidemic strain of PRRSV.
Epstein–Barr Virus (EBV) Genotypes Associated with the Immunopathological Profile of People Living with HIV-1: Immunological Aspects of Primary EBV Infection
Authors: Pereira Leonn Mendes Soares , França Eliane dos Santos , Costa Iran Barros , Lima Igor Tenório , Freire Amaury Bentes Cunha , Ramos Francisco Lúzio de Paula , Monteiro Talita Antonia Furtado , Macedo Olinda , Sousa Rita Catarina Medeiros , Freitas Felipe Bonfim , Brasil Costa Igor , Vallinoto Antonio Carlos Rosário
Published: January 2022

Background: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the immunological profile of adult HIV-1+ patients coinfected with primary Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) infection who were free of antiretroviral drugs and inhabitants of the Brazilian Amazon region. Materials and methods: Primary EBV infection was screened by the semiquantitative detection of IgM and IgG anti-VCA. Genotypes were determined by conventional PCR. EBV and HIV viral load (VL) were quantified by real-time PCR. Cytokine dosage and cell quantification were performed by cytometry. Results: Only HIV-1+ individuals had primary EBV infection (7.12%). The EBV-1 genotype was the most prevalent (47.37%). The VL of HIV-1 was lower in the HIV/EBV-2 group. CD4+ T lymphocytes were inversely proportional to the VL of EBV in HIV/EBV-1/2 multi-infected patients. The HIV/EBV-2 group had the lowest cytokine levels, especially IFN-γ and IL-4. Different correlations were proposed for each coinfection. The late search for specific care related to HIV infection directly affected the cytokine profile and the number of CD8+ T lymphocytes. Symptoms were associated with the increase in VL of both viruses and cytokine profile. Conclusions: Different immunological profiles were associated with EBV genotypes in primary infection, with EBV-2 being more frequent in patients with low levels of HIV viral load. With late infection monitoring and consequent delay in the initiation of HAART, clinical changes and effects on the maintenance of the immune response were observed.
Age and Primary Vaccination Background Influence the Plasma Cell Response to Pertussis Booster Vaccination
Authors: Diks Annieck M. , Versteegen Pauline , Teodosio Cristina , Groenland Rick J. , de Mooij Bas , Buisman Anne-Marie , Torres-Valle Alba , Pérez-Andrés Martín , Orfao Alberto , Berbers Guy A. M. , van Dongen Jacques J. M. , Berkowska Magdalena A. ,   on behalf of the IMI-2 PERISCOPE Consortium
Published: January 2022

Pertussis is a vaccine-preventable disease caused by the bacterium Bordetella pertussis. Over the past years, the incidence and mortality of pertussis increased significantly. A possible cause is the switch from whole-cell to acellular pertussis vaccines, although other factors may also contribute. Here, we applied high-dimensional flow cytometry to investigate changes in B cells in individuals of different ages and distinct priming backgrounds upon administration of an acellular pertussis booster vaccine. Participants were divided over four age cohorts. We compared longitudinal kinetics within each cohort and between the different cohorts. Changes in the B-cell compartment were correlated to numbers of vaccine-specific B- and plasma cells and serum Ig levels. Expansion and maturation of plasma cells 7 days postvaccination was the most prominent cellular change in all age groups and was most pronounced for more mature IgG1+ plasma cells. Plasma cell responses were stronger in individuals primed with whole-cell vaccine than in individuals primed with acellular vaccine. Moreover, IgG1+ and IgA1+ plasma cell expansion correlated with FHA-, Prn-, or PT- specific serum IgG or IgA levels. Our study indicates plasma cells as a potential early cellular marker of an immune response and contributes to understanding differences in immune responses between age groups and primary vaccination backgrounds.
Plant-Based Vaccines in Combat against Coronavirus Diseases
Authors: Ortega-Berlanga Benita , Pniewski Tomasz
Published: January 2022

Coronavirus (CoV) diseases, including Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) have gained in importance worldwide, especially with the current COVID-19 pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2. Due to the huge global demand, various types of vaccines have been developed, such as more traditional attenuated or inactivated viruses, subunit and VLP-based vaccines, as well as novel DNA and RNA vaccines. Nonetheless, emerging new COVID-19 variants are necessitating continuous research on vaccines, including these produced in plants, either via stable expression in transgenic or transplastomic plants or transient expression using viral vectors or agroinfection. Plant systems provide low cost, high scalability, safety and capacity to produce multimeric or glycosylated proteins. To date, from among CoVs antigens, spike and capsid proteins have been produced in plants, mostly using transient expression systems, at the additional advantage of rapid production. Immunogenicity of plant-produced CoVs proteins was positively evaluated after injection of purified antigens. However, this review indicates that plant-produced CoVs proteins or their carrier-fused immunodominant epitopes can be potentially applied also as mucosal vaccines, either after purification to be administered to particular membranes (nasal, bronchus mucosa) associated with the respiratory system, or as oral vaccines obtained from partly processed plant tissue.
The Population-Wide Risk-Benefit Profile of Extending the Primary COVID-19 Vaccine Course Compared with an mRNA Booster Dose Program
Authors: Shiri Tinevimbo , Evans Marc , Talarico Carla A. , Morgan Angharad R. , Mussad Maaz , Buck Philip O. , McEwan Phil , Strain William David
Published: January 2022

The vaccination program is reducing the burden of COVID-19. However, recently, COVID-19 infections have been increasing across Europe, providing evidence that vaccine efficacy is waning. Consequently, booster doses are required to restore immunity levels. However, the relative risk–benefit ratio of boosters, compared to pursuing a primary course in the unvaccinated population, remains uncertain. In this study, a susceptible-exposed-infectious-recovered (SEIR) transmission model of SARS-CoV-2 was used to investigate the impact of COVID-19 vaccine waning on disease burden, the benefit of a booster vaccine program compared to targeting the unvaccinated population, and the population-wide risk–benefit profile of vaccination. Our data demonstrates that the rate of vaccine efficacy waning has a significant impact on COVID-19 hospitalisations with the greatest effect in populations with lower vaccination coverage. There was greater benefit associated with a booster vaccination strategy compared to targeting the unvaccinated population, once >50% of the population had received their primary vaccination course. The population benefits of vaccination (reduced hospitalisations, long-COVID and deaths) outweighed the risks of myocarditis/pericarditis by an order of magnitude. Vaccination is important in ending the COVID-19 pandemic sooner, and the reduction in hospitalisations, death and long-COVID associated with vaccination significantly outweigh any risks. Despite these obvious benefits some people are vaccine reluctant, and as such remain unvaccinated. However, when most of a population have been vaccinated, a focus on a booster vaccine strategy for this group is likely to offer greater value, than targeting the proportion of the population who choose to remain unvaccinated.
Reduced Titers of Circulating Anti-SARS-CoV-2 Antibodies and Risk of COVID-19 Infection in Healthcare Workers during the Nine Months after Immunization with the BNT162b2 mRNA Vaccine
Authors: Coppeta Luca , Ferrari Cristiana , Somma Giuseppina , Mazza Andrea , D’Ancona Umberto , Marcuccilli Fabbio , Grelli Sandro , Aurilio Marco Trabucco , Pietroiusti Antonio , Magrini Andrea , Rizza Stefano
Published: January 2022

The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic has had a tremendous impact on health services; hundreds of thousands of healthcare workers (HCWs) have died from coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The introduction of the BNT162b2 mRNA vaccine in Italy provided recipients with significant protection against COVID-19 within one to two weeks after the administration of the second of the two recommended doses. While the vaccine induces a robust T cell response, the protective role of factors and pathways other than those related to memory B cell responses to specific SARS-CoV-2 antigens remains unclear. This retrospective study aimed to evaluate the determinants of serological protection in a group of vaccinated HCWs (n = 793) by evaluating circulating levels of antiviral spike receptor-binding domain (S-RBD) antibodies during the nine-month period following vaccination. We found that 99.5% of the HCWs who received the two doses of the BNT162b2 vaccine developed protective antibodies that were maintained at detectable levels for as long as 250 days after the second dose of the vaccine. Multivariate analysis was performed on anti-S-RBD titers in a subgroup of participants (n = 173) that were evaluated twice during this period. The results of this analysis reveal that the antibody titer observed at the second time point was significantly related to the magnitude of the primary response, the time that had elapsed between the first and the second evaluation, and a previous history of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Of importance is the finding that despite waning antibody titers following vaccination, none of the study participants contracted severe COVID-19 during the observational period.
Features of the behavior of consumers of different generations when making e-commerce purchases
Authors:   FSBEI HE Plekhanov Russian University of Economics, Zaitseva Kristina Dmitrievna , Aleksandr Fedorovich Aleksandr Fedorovich ,   Basic Department of Trade Policy, FSBEI HE Plekhanov Russian University of Economics
Published: January 2022

Currently, e-commerce is playing an increasing role in the modern world, developing and increasing its pace faster than traditional trade. The number of consumers choosing digital technologies when making purchases is also growing, which determines the importance of segmenting shoppers in the activities of online stores. One of the factors determining consumer choice is the attribution of buyers to one generation or another. This article examines the impact of generations of consumers on e-commerce sales.
Analysis of the development problems of small and medium-sized businesses in the Russian Federation at the present stage and ways to solve them
Authors:   Russian University of Cooperation, Pyastolov Oleg Aleksandrovich , Khozyainova Oksana Vitalievna ,   Department of Economic and Information Security, Customs, Russian University of Cooperation, Marchenko Mariya Igorevna ,   Department of Economic and Information Security, Customs, Russian University of Cooperation, Churilova Arina Sergeevna ,   Department of Economic and Information Security, Customs, Russian University of Cooperation
Published: January 2022

The purpose of this work is to consider small and medium-sized businesses as an important element of the economic activity of the population of the Russian Federation. This paper analyzes the statistical changes in the number of small and medium-sized enterprises in the Russian Federation for the period 2017–2020, the dynamics of employment of small and medium-sized businesses, as well as the structure of small and medium-sized enterprises in the federal districts and performance indicators. The relevance of the study lies in the fact that small and medium-sized businesses have developed problems in their work, which now require a comprehensive analysis to improve the efficiency of the functioning of entrepreneurship in the Russian Federation. On the basis of the conducted research, conclusions about the reduction of small and medium-sized businesses in the Russian Federation were made, and the prospects for the development of the system of state support for small and medium-sized businesses were presented.
International graduates’ experiences of reflection in postgraduate training: a cross-sectional survey
Authors: Emery Laura , Jackson Ben , Oliver Phillip , Mitchell Caroline
Published: January 2022

Background

Reflection is a key component of postgraduate training in general practice. International medical graduates (IMG) are thought to be less familiar with reflection, with international medical schools favouring more didactic methods of education.

Aim

To explore IMGs’ experiences of reflection prior to and during GP training and the support available for developing skills in reflection.

Design & setting

A cross sectional survey was sent to IMGs undertaking GP training in 12 of the 14 UK regions, from March to April 2021.

Method

A pre-tested self-administered online questionnaire was used to collect data on experiences of reflection, both prior to and during GP training, and the support available for developing skills in reflection.

Results

In total, 485 of 3413 IMG trainees completed the questionnaire (14.2% response rate, representative of national demographics). Of these, 79.8% of participants reported no experience of reflection as an undergraduate and 36.9% reported no formal training in reflection during GP training. The majority (69.7%) of participants agreed that reflection was beneficial for their training and 58.3% reported that the best support in reflection came from their supervisors. Experience of reflection, opinions on the benefits, and best sources of support all varied by where the responders' primary medical qualification (PMQ) was obtained (all P values<0.01).

Conclusion

Most IMGs have not experienced reflection prior to commencing UK GP training. There is diversity in experience and culture within this group that must be considered when tailoring educational interventions to support IMGs in their transition to UK GP training.
ACOUSTIC INTENSIFICATION OF PROCESSES IN THE PLASMA OF THE GLOW DISCHARGE FOR TECHNOLOGICAL PROCESSES
Authors: Fadeev Sergei , Shaidullin Linar , Kadirmetov Anvar
Published: January 2022

In order to technological use in the preparation and application of plasma coatings, the mutual influence of acoustic impact on low-temperature plasma was conducted, the experimental methodology and the results of the study in the pipe at the resonant excitation frequency are given. The nonlinearity of sound oscillations was found and their amplification by increasing the pressure, which can be used to intensify the processes of plasma coatings.
THE ABILITY OF THE MAIN ROAD TRAIN TO OVERCOME STEEP ROAD CLIMBS
Authors: Volkov Vladimir , Lebedev Evgenii , Nabatnikova Elena
Published: January 2022

The analysis of changes in the dynamic characteristics of the transport operation of a trunk road train in road conditions with overcoming sections of obstructed traffic characterized by the presence of steep ascents is considered. The solution of the problem under consideration is presented in the variants of determining the maximum angle of elevation of the road that can be overcome by a road train with the specified operational characteristics and the cost of engine power spent on overcoming these road sections.
DESTROYING EFFECTS OF TRUCK TIRES ON THE DESIGN OF ROADWEAR
Authors: Pryadkin Vladimir , Artemov Artem , Kolyadin Pavel , Kolcov A.
Published: January 2022

The article presents a mathematical model of the destructive effect of a wide-profile tire on the roadway. The mathematical model makes it possible to adequately reproduce the effect of a wide-profile tire on the road surface, taking into account the load and parameters of the tire, as well as the structure of the road surface and the temperature state.
Teaching English as a Second Language to develop communicative competence of ESL Learners
Authors: Rashid Md. Harun , Hui Wang
Published: January 2022

The article discusses issues concerning the development of future English teachers' communicative competence. It considers the idea that developing communicative competence benefits not only the learner's interactive abilities from an educational standpoint, but also the learner's psycho-emotional characteristics and sociocultural development as a person. As previously stated, communicative competence refers to the ability to interact effectively with others, and competence is defined as a collection of language skills an individual possesses in order to learn a foreign language. This potential contributes to his/her ability to perform at a high level. This paper discusses the theory of communicative competence and several of its models; the significance of developing communicative competence in future English teachers; and the implications of communicative competence in English language teaching and learning. Additionally, the work suggests fundamental methodological principles for developing future English teachers' communicative competence.
Anticipation, Simultaneity/Consecutivity and Distinctive Features in Phonology
Authors: Gregová Renáta
Published: January 2022

The notion of distinctive features has had a firm position in phonology since the time of the Prague Linguistic Circle and especially that of one of its representatives, Roman Jakobson, whose well-known delimitation of a phoneme as “a bundle of distinctive features” (Jakobson, 1962, p. 421), that is, a set of simultaneous distinctive features, has inspired many scholars. Jakobson’s attempt “to analyse the distribution of distinctive features along two axes: that of simultaneity and that of successiveness” (ibid., p. 435) helped cover several phonetic and/or phonological processes and phenomena. Distinctive features, although theoretical constructs (Giegerich, 1992, p. 89), reflect phonetic, that is, articulatory and acoustic, properties of sounds. In the flow of speech, some features tend to influence the neighbouring phonemes. Sometimes speech organs produce something that the brain just ‘plans’ to produce (anticipatory speech errors). There are situations where it seems as if the successive organization of phonemes went hand in hand with the simultaneous nature of certain articulatory characteristics of those phonemes (the transgression of consonants and inherence of vowels in Romportl’s theory), or the given feature seems to be anticipated by the preceding segment. This is the case with nasalization and/or anticipatory coarticulation, as well as regressive (anticipatory) assimilation. In addition, simultaneity/consecutivity is a decisive criterion for the difference between the so-called complex segments, as specified in Feature Geometry, and simple segments (Duanmu, 2009). Moreover, the phonological opposition of simultaneity- successivity (that is, consecutivity) itself functions as a feature making a difference between segmental and suprasegmental elements in the sound system of a language, as was first mentioned by Harris (1944), later indicated by Jakobson (1962) and then fully developed by Sabol (2007, 2012).
The Role of Ramadan Fasting Values For Character Education of Elementary School Students
Authors: Kuswara Kuswara , Sumayana Yena
Published: January 2022

This article aims to study the values contained in fasting education for elementary school students. The values of education are the value of religious education, the value of moral education, social education, and cultural education values. Fasting is a religious activity that people Islam as a form of obedience to His God in addition to other services. Ramadan fasting is a refrain from eating, drinking, and having sex and other things that make it clear that fasting will not rise from dawn until sunset during Ramadan. The current phenomenon is increasingly reduced worship activities, tepo seliro, gotong royong, mutual help, and attitudes other positive attitudes such as honesty, discipline, responsibility, and tolerant living in life. Ramadan fasting not only emphasizes refraining from eating and drinking only, but training in improving faith, mental coaching, morality, and understanding the meaning of difference. In elementary school, these grades need to be instilled as a cornerstone of students in their development, especially in the aspects of personality such as: character, behavior, responsibility, discipline, and social spirit.