bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Reuse of Pretreated Red Mud and Phosphogypsum as Supplementary Cementitious Material
Authors: Dong Shuangkuai , Zhuo Qi , Chen Liangliang , Wu Fufei , Xie Lilan
Published: February 2023

The combination of red mud (RM) and phosphogypsum (PG) can exert the alkalinity of RM and the acidity of PG as a calcium source to promote the gel hardening of composite cementitious material, which effectively improves the reutilization efficiency of RM and. In this study, the effects of the ratio and content of pretreated RM and PG on the non-evaporated water, porosity, hydration products, mechanical properties, pore size distribution, and microstructure of composite cementitious materials were investigated. The results show that, with the incorporation of PG, RM, PG, and RM, the non-evaporable water content, reaction degree, compressive strength, and flexural strength show a downward trend after rising first, and their values reach the maximum with 10% PG and 10% RM, which are higher than a pure cement system, while 70% PG, 70% RM, 70% RM + 10% PG, and 70% PG + 10% RM have the reverse effect. The results of hydration products, pore size distributions, and microstructure indicate that adding an appropriate dosage of RM and PG can efficaciously improve the compactness of cement systems. Nevertheless, the research results can contribute to using the combination of PG and RM to manufacture sustainable cementitious materials with good performance, and achieve the purpose of environmental protection and industrial solid waste resource recycling.
Impact of Green Innovation, Sustainable Economic Growth, and Carbon Emission on Public Health: New Evidence of Non-Linear ARDL Estimation
Authors: Aziz Ghazala
Published: February 2023

This study examines the impact of green innovation, sustainable economic growth, and carbon emission on public health issues in Saudi Arabia. As Saudi Arabia is struggling to increase human development that also incorporates public health, it is important to understand the determinant factors and significant solutions to curtail public health issues. The study pioneers investigation into the role of green innovation aimed at countering public health problems caused by environmental damage. For econometric estimates, a non-linear autoregressive distributed lagged approach is used, which confirms that economic growth and carbon emissions are the main sources of public health issues in Saudi Arabia. Further, the empirical results demonstrate that greater attention to green innovation, education, and health spending plays a significant role in minimizing health issues. The positive shock in green innovation is helpful in terms of reducing public health issues. The findings are significant for policy suggestions; some recommendations are as follows: (i) The Saudi government needs to enhance funding in research and development to increase green innovation within the country. (ii) Education and health sector should be improved and increase it outreach throughout the country.
Integrating Family Farming into School Feeding: A Systematic Review of Challenges and Potential Solutions
Authors: Chaves Viviany Moura , Rocha Cecília , Gomes Sávio Marcelino , Jacob Michelle Cristine Medeiros , da Costa João Bosco Araújo
Published: February 2023

Family farming is strengthening its strategic role in school nutrition, but coordinating between school feeding programs and the agricultural sector has proven to be challenging. The goal of this review was to identify the problems that school feeding programs face in acquiring food from family farms. We selected studies from Web of Science, Medline/PubMed, and Scopus and evaluated their methodological quality. Out of 338 studies identified, 37 were considered relevant. We used PRISMA to guide the review process, and we chose not to limit the year or design of the study because it was important to include the largest amount of existing evidence on the topic. We summarized the main conclusions in six categories: local food production, marketing, and logistics channels, legislation, financial costs, communication and coordination, and quality of school menus. In general, the most critical problems emerge from the most fragile point, which is family farming, particularly in the production and support of food, and are influenced by the network of actors, markets, and governments involved. The main problems stem from the lack of investment in family farming and inefficient logistics, which can negatively impact the quality of school meals. Viable solutions include strategies that promote investment in agricultural policies and the organization of family farmers.
Opportunities and Challenges for the Creation and Governance of Productive Landscapes in Urban Transformations: The Case of Klosterøya Urban Fruit Forest Park
Authors: Tomprou Maria Olga
Published: February 2023

Former industrial areas in Europe are being redeveloped into residential and recreational spaces, often including sustainability initiatives. This study explores how the co-governance and management of a productive urban open space contributes to sustainable transformations, and aims to identify the opportunities and challenges that multi-actor design teams face when co-designing sustainable solutions. To achieve this goal, the landscape design process in Klosterøya urban park in Skien municipality, Norway, a privately owned yet publicly regulated park, is used as a case study in co-governance and analysed using the theoretical combined governance and management model developed. Data were collected through the observations of project meetings, document analysis and semi-structured interviews with the multi-actor design team. The results indicated that the working method, through co-creation, produced opportunities for sustainable urban agriculture, enhanced biodiversity, testbeds and water and resource circularities in the landscape, while ensuring a learning process and users’ involvement. Willingness to invest due to the lack of technical knowledge and soil contamination are revealed as key challenges. Conclusions emphasise the significance of co-creative landscape practices for productive urban open spaces and sustainable urban transformations, providing insights for an informed analysis of co-governance cases through the combined governance and management model.
Improving Cyclists’ Safety Using Intelligent Situational Awareness System
Authors: Nourbakhshrezaei Amirhossein , Jadidi Mojgan , Sohn Gunho
Published: February 2023

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), over 1.35 million people died in road traffic-related accidents worldwide in 2020 of which 41,000 are related to the cyclists. Bike safety is one of the most serious issues facing urban riders. According to Statistics Canada, this number represents 1654 cyclist deaths in Canada, an average of 74 deaths each year from 2006 to 2017. Cyclists are a critical component in traffic collisions, where they face a greater risk of serious injury or death. As a result, they are classified as vulnerable road users. To avoid this, the need for intelligent transportation systems (ITSs) that increase susceptible cyclists’ awareness of their surroundings is becoming apparent. As a result, we proposed a situational awareness system as part of ITS to enhance bike safety through the employment of three layers of applications: (1) the users tier (mobile application), (2) the virtual private server (VPS) and processing system, and (3) the database management system (DMS). These decision support systems (DSSs) improve vulnerable road users’ situational awareness by identifying high-risk regions for cyclists or motorcyclists using static and dynamic data and then notifying vulnerable road users. The suggested situational awareness system collects and integrates incoming data, prioritizes criteria, and notifies users based on a static hot-spot map produced from accident locations and dynamic data, such as traffic flow, weather conditions, and the user’s speed. The developed work made use of both single threading (for requests from less than 1000 users) and multi-threading (for requests from more than 1000 users), resulting in a highly scalable system based on an open source platform for higher numbers of requests.
Effects of Yellow River Water Management Policies on Annual Irrigation Water Usage from Canals and Groundwater in Yucheng City, China
Authors: Lu Qingshui , Jing Kaikun , Li Xuepeng , Song Xinzhi , Zhao Cong , Du Shunxiang
Published: February 2023

The Yellow River Water Allocation Management Method was put into place in 1998 to decrease the Yellow River water amount used by upstream areas and provide more water to downstream regions. Rainfall and Yellow River’s infiltration are the main groundwater supply in the downstream area of Yellow River. The groundwater table in the downstream area has continued to decrease since 1979, and the extracted groundwater for irrigation is the main reason for this. Whether the increased river water amount could improve the decreased groundwater level is uncertain. Therefore, we used remote sensing images, groundwater level observations, meteorological data, and unit mean irrigation rate to identify the irrigation events for river water and groundwater, estimate the annual river water irrigation amount and groundwater irrigation amount, and analyze the effects of river water allocation on the groundwater table. Our analysis showed that the area of double-irrigated farmland (farmland that could be irrigated by both groundwater and river water) tended to decrease, while well-irrigated farmland area (farmland that could only be irrigated by groundwater) remained unchanged during the study period. The number of annual irrigation events tended to increase, and the usage of river water remained consistent throughout this period. The increased number of well irrigation events caused annual groundwater usage for irrigation to increase. However, the usage of river water for irrigation remained stable. The increased usage of groundwater for irrigation led the groundwater table to continually decrease from 1998 to 2019. This indicates that there are shortcomings to the current water allocation policy, and that further improvements are needed to prevent continued decrease in groundwater levels.
Climate Change, Farm Irrigation Facilities, and Agriculture Total Factor Productivity: Evidence from China
Authors: Li Hai , Liu Hui
Published: February 2023

Due to the trend of global warming, individuals from all walks of life have paid close attention to how climate change affects food security. China is a sizable nation with a rich climate and a diverse range of food crops that are of interest to researchers. Additionally, there is little mention of agricultural technology and farm irrigation facilities in academic research on climate change and agricultural economic growth in China. As a result, this study uses the SBM model, panel fixed effect model, and SYS-GMM model to examine the development trend of climate change and food security based on the panel data of Chinese provinces from 2000 to 2020. The study found that China has maintained an average annual growth rate of 4.3% in agricultural total factor productivity (TFP) in recent years, despite the impact of extreme weather. The average annual precipitation has a depressing influence on the TFP in agriculture, while the average annual temperature has the opposite effect. The farm irrigation facilities and agricultural technology’s moderating impact is mostly shown in how well they attenuate the impact of climate change on the TFP in agriculture. Food crops have thereby improved their ability to survive natural risks and attain higher yields as a result of advancements in agricultural technology and increasing investment in contemporary farm irrigation facilities. The study’s conclusions are used in the article to make the suggestion that strengthening climate change adaptation is necessary to ensure food security. The strategic policy of “storing grain in technology and storing grain in the soil” and the advancement of contemporary agricultural technology must be put into reality while the management system for grain reserves is being improved.
Effect of Biochar Application on Soil Fertility, Nitrogen Use Efficiency and Balance in Coastal Salt-Affected Soil under Barley–Maize Rotation
Authors: Tang Chong , Yang Jingsong , Xie Wenping , Yao Rongjiang , Wang Xiangping
Published: February 2023

Coastal lands are often affected by salinization, which leads to a deterioration of soil structure and a decrease in land productivity. As a widely used soil amendment, biochar has been proven to improve poor soil properties and promote crop growth and N adsorption and utilization. However, the effects of biochar on soil fertility, N use efficiency (NUE) and balance in coastal salt-affected soil have rarely been reported. Therefore, we conducted a field micro-plot experiment to study the improvement effects of different biochar rates (0, 13.5, 20.25 and 27 t/ha, corresponding to CK, B1, B2 and B3 treatments, respectively) on coastal salt-affected soil. The results showed that biochar application increased soil water content (SWC) in seasons with abundant rainfall but decreased SWC in seasons with strong evaporation, and the increase or decrease in SWC was greater with the increase in biochar rates. Biochar application increased soil salinity and decreased soil pH, although high rates of biochar increased soil salinity to a lesser extent, while low rates of biochar decreased soil pH most. Biochar application was able to reduce soil bulk density, while B1and B2 treatments decreased it to a higher degree. Moreover, biochar application increased soil macro-aggregates (>0.25 mm) and organic matter, while B2 and B3 treatments increased it to a higher degree. Biochar application improved soil fertility to an extent that crop grain increased yield by 2.84~19.88% in barley season and 12.27~16.74% in maize season. Meanwhile, biochar application also increased NUE because it promoted the increase of yield. In particular, the calculation of N balance between soil and plant systems suggested that biochar application could reduce the apparent N loss during crop planting, and B1 treatment was better at reducing apparent N loss. Overall, our study indicates that biochar application has great potential to improve poor physicochemical properties and N nutrient utilization in coastal salt-affected soil. More importantly, we suggest that biochar application rates should be controlled in coastal salt-affected soil.
Added Value on a Day in the Pandemic in Tourist Attractions in the Polish–Czech Borderland as a Green Economy Initiative
Authors: Pol Małgorzata , Rutkowska Małgorzata , Tutaj Jerzy
Published: February 2023

This study documents customer behavior in the travel services market before and during the COVID-19 pandemic (C-19). We offer theory-based and research-based insights that demonstrate customer value propositions during a pandemic and help predict future behavior for green tourism development. This article aim is to identify the relationship between the situation in tourism during the pandemic, customer behavior, and the added value that historical sites in Poland and the Czech Republic introduced or should introduce in the green economy. The topic is important because the situation during the pandemic showed the lack of a quick response, which is only possible if you have prepared scenarios for the crisis. This study discusses the marketing factors of creating value and analyzes the value strategy for individual clients. The authors of this study analyzed various stages in the customer life cycles in the company and the level of their profitability, taking into account the principles of the green economy (sustainable development) in the example of cultural facilities, i.e., Książ Castle in Poland and the Kuks Complex in the Czech Republic. Literature studies were used in this study, followed by the questionnaire method. The test results are presented in tabular form and supplemented with graphical forms.
Study towards Integrating Secondary Forests into Future Land Use Development in Singapore for Biodiversity Objectives
Authors: Wu Yitong
Published: February 2023

With past and continued loss of secondary forests in urban areas, this paper aims to assess the current distribution of secondary forests and evaluate the ecological values of secondary forests in terms of patch sizes, plant density and biodiversity values by using the analysis tools of GIS and FRAGSTATS. According to the analysis in this paper, over 1782 ha of secondary forest cover in Singapore has been lost due to the urbanization, such as residential and infrastructure development, in the past decade. It is estimated that about 7331 ha of secondary forests are planned to be cleared for new development. The future loss of secondary forests is about 1.2 times larger than the entire area of all parks and nature reserves in Singapore. It is shown that secondary forests became more fragmented compared with 2011, and more than 80% of patches are smaller than 1 ha. Most of the secondary forests’ patches are with high plant density and high biodiversity values in terms of ecological connection. Discussions towards the improvement of biodiversity and phase development planning for secondary forests in a tropical high-density city are addressed in this paper. There is lots of potential to integrate secondary forests into future land use developments for improving biodiversity based on the literature review and analysis results.
Production Strategy Optimization of Integrated Exploitation for Multiple Deposits Considering Carbon Quota
Authors: Gu Yingyu , Li Guoqing , Hou Jie , Fan Chunchao , Qiang Xingbang , Bai Bin , Zhang Yongfang
Published: February 2023

Nowadays, the mining industry actively advocates and practices the concept of green and integrated exploitation to realize the sustainable development of resources with low-carbon emissions. The certain carbon quota for mining companies limits the production capacity and resource utilization efficiency. The integrated exploitation of multiple deposits could coordinate resource allocation and operation facilities, which would reduce capital expenditure and operating costs for the mining company from a systematic perspective. In this condition, some deposits located nearby could be treated as one entity to make plans and optimize. An optimization framework is proposed based on the analysis of the characteristics and advantages of integrated exploitation. A new mathematical programming model is presented to optimize production capacity and extracted ore grade for each deposit considering constraints of maximum and minimum mining capacity, extracted ore grade and concentrated ore grade requirement, and metal output target, which has a significant influence on the economic benefit and resource utilization rate for a mining company. The model is verified using the data collected from three deposits of a gold mining company in China to demonstrate its ability to optimize the allocation of production capacity and improve the technical and economic effect of mining under the limitation of carbon quota. The sensitivity analysis of some key parameters is carried out to generate a series of integrated exploitation schemes under different production and operation conditions, which is useful for the mining company to make decisions in different situations.
Analysis of Symmetric Electromagnetic Components Using Magnetic Group Theory
Authors: Dmitriev Victor , Zografopoulos Dimitrios C. , Matos Luis P. V.
Published: February 2023

We discuss a method of analysis of symmetric electromagnetic components with magnetic media based on magnetic group theory. In this description, some of the irreducible corepresentations assume complex values exp(iθ) with the real parameter θ. A possible physical interpretation of this parameter is given. We demonstrate the application of the symmetry-adapted linear combination method combined with the corepresentation theory to the problem of current modes in an array of magnetized graphene elements where Faraday and Kerr effects can exist. The elements are described by the magnetic symmetry C4 or C4v(C4). The scattering matrix of the array and its eigensolutions are defined and analyzed and some numerical simulations are presented as well. An example of a waveguide described by symmetry C4v(C2v) with a specific type of degeneracy is also discussed.
Noncommutative Correction to the Entropy of Charged BTZ Black Hole
Authors: Jurić Tajron , Požar Filip
Published: February 2023

Noncommutative geometry is an established potential candidate for including quantum phenomena in gravitation. We outlined the formalism of Hopf algebras and its connection to the algebra of infinitesimal diffeomorphisms. Using a Drinfeld twist, we deformed spacetime symmetries, algebra of vector fields and differential forms, leading to a formulation of noncommutative Einstein equations. We studied a concrete example of charged BTZ spacetime and deformations steaming from the so-called angular twist. The entropy of the noncommutative charged BTZ black hole was obtained using the brick-wall method. We used a charged scalar field as a probe and obtained its spectrum and density of states via WKB approximation. We provide the method used to calculate corrections to the Bekenstein–Hawking entropy in higher orders in WKB, but we present the final result in the lowest WKB order. The result is that, even in the lowest order in WKB, the entropy, in general, contains higher powers in ℏ, and it has logarithmic corrections and polynomials of logarithms of the black hole area.
Anatomic Comparison of Contralateral Maxillary Second Molars Using High-Resolution Micro-CT
Authors: Dandache Ghassan , Aksoy Umut , Ozel Mehmet Birol , Orhan Kaan
Published: February 2023

The present study aimed to measure and compare anatomic parameters in contralateral maxillary second molars. A total of 18 intact maxillary second molar pairs (n = 36) extracted from 18 patients were scanned with micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) and then reconstructed. Axial, sagittal, and cross-sectional slices were used to analyze the parameters (lengths, widths, and thicknesses) and evaluate the symmetry of the right and left sides. The number of root canals and their internal patterns were classified following Vertucci’s classification. The number of lateral canals and their locations were also noted. Contralateral second molar pairs demonstrated a high degree of similarity in terms of the linear measurements (lengths, widths, and thicknesses). The root canal anatomy configuration symmetry of mesiobuccal, distobuccal, and palatal roots according to Vertucci’s classification were 41.1%, 88.2%, and 94.4%, respectively. In total, 41.6% of mesiobuccal roots, 2.7% of distobuccal roots, and 30.6% of palatal roots had at least one lateral canal. The apical third (38.7%) was the most frequent location of lateral canals, followed by the middle third (32.3%) of the root. This study provides insight into the anatomy of the root canals of contralateral maxillary second molars, which is valuable for both practitioners and researchers.
New High-Pressure Structures of Transition Metal Carbonates with O3C–CO3 Orthooxalate Groups
Authors: Sagatov Nursultan E. , Sagatova Dinara N. , Gavryushkin Pavel N. , Litasov Konstantin D.
Published: February 2023

Based on the density functional theory and crystal structure prediction approaches, we found a novel high-pressure structure of Fe2CO4-P1¯. It is characterized by the presence of ethane-like O3C–CO3 groups or so-called orthooxalate groups. The formation of such O3C–CO3 groups has been proposed earlier in melts and aqueous carbonate solutions, but no such examples were known in inorganic crystalline materials. We found that this structure is dynamically and thermally stable at pressures of 50 GPa. Similar structures were also predicted to be dynamically stable for Mn2CO4, Ni2CO4, and Co2CO4. In addition, FeCO3 was found to transform into a similar structure with O3C–CO3 orthooxalate groups at a pressure above 275 GPa. Additionally, for the first time, we describe the self-diffusion of metal atoms in carbonates at high pressure and at high temperatures. The prediction of novel carbonate structures extends the crystal chemistry of inorganic carbonates beyond the established ones with [CO3] triangles, [C2O5] pyro-groups, and [CO4] tetrahedra.
Efficient I/O Merging Scheme for Distributed File Systems
Authors: An Byoung Chul , Sung Hanul
Published: February 2023

Recently, decentralized file systems are widely used to overcome centralized file systems’ load asymmetry between nodes and the scalability problem. Due to the lack of a metadata server, decentralized systems require more RPC requests to control metadata processing between clients and servers, which adversely impacts the I/O performance and traffic imbalance by increasing RPC latency. In this paper, we propose an efficient I/O scheme to reduce the RPC overhead in decentralized file systems. Instead of sending a single RPC request at a time, we enqueued the RPCs in the global queue and merged them into larger RPC requests, thus avoiding excessive RPC latency overheads. The experimental results showed that our scheme improves write and read performance by up to 13% and 16%, respectively, compared with those of the original.
Model of Threats to the Integrity and Availability of Information Processed in Cyberspace
Authors: Egoshin Nikolay Sergeevich , Konev Anton Aleksandrovich , Shelupanov Aleksandr Aleksandrovich
Published: February 2023

Depending on their motivation, offenders have different goals, and disclosure of information is not always such a goal. It often happens that the purpose of the offender is to disrupt the normal operation of the system. This can be achieved both by acting directly on the information and by acting on the elements of the system. Actions of this kind lead to a violation of integrity and availability, but not confidentiality. It follows that the process of forming a threat model for the integrity and availability of information differs from a similar process for confidentiality threats. The purpose of this study is to develop an information integrity threat model that focuses on threats disrupting the normal operation of the system. The research methodology is based on the methods of system analysis, graph theory, discrete mathematics, and automata theory. As a result of the research, we proposed a model of threats to the integrity and availability of information. The proposed threat model differs from analogues by a high level of abstraction without reference to the subject area and identification of threats to the availability of information as a subset of threats to the integrity of the information transmission channel.
Natural Convection Heat Transfer from an Isothermal Plate
Authors: Jaffer Aubrey
Published: February 2023

Using boundary-layer theory, natural convection heat transfer formulas that are accurate over a wide range of Rayleigh numbers (Ra) were developed in the 1970s and 1980s for vertical and downward-facing plates. A comprehensive formula for upward-facing plates remained unsolved because they do not form conventional boundary-layers. From the thermodynamic constraints on heat-engine efficiency, the novel approach presented here derives formulas for natural convection heat transfer from isothermal plates. The union of four peer-reviewed data-sets spanning 1<Ra<1012 has 5.4% root-mean-squared relative error (RMSRE) from the new upward-facing heat transfer formula. Applied to downward-facing plates, this novel approach outperforms the Schulenberg (1985) formula’s 4.6% RMSRE with 3.8% on four peer-reviewed data-sets spanning 106<Ra<1012. The introduction of the harmonic mean as the characteristic length metric for vertical and downward-facing plates extends those rectangular plate formulas to other convex shapes, achieving 3.8% RMSRE on vertical disk convection from Hassani and Hollands (1987) and 3.2% from Kobus and Wedekind (1995).
Effect of Plasma-Activated Water Bubbles on Fusarium graminearum, Deoxynivalenol, and Germination of Naturally Infected Barley during Steeping
Authors: Feizollahi Ehsan , Basu Urmila , Fredua-Agyeman Rudolph , Jeganathan Brasathe , Tonoyan Lusine , Strelkov Stephen E. , Vasanthan Thava , Siraki Arno G. , Roopesh M. S.
Published: February 2023

Contamination of barley by deoxynivalenol (DON), a mycotoxin produced by Fusarium graminearum, causes considerable financial loss to the grain and malting industries. In this study, two atmospheric cold plasma (ACP) reactors were used to produce plasma-activated water (PAW) bubbles. The potential of PAW bubbles for the steeping of naturally infected barley (NIB) during the malting process was investigated. The PAW bubbles produced by treating water for 30 min using a bubble spark discharge (BSD) at low temperature resulted in the greatest concentration of oxygen-nitrogen reactive species (RONS). This treatment resulted in 57.3% DON degradation compared with 36.9% in the control sample; however, the same treatment reduced germination significantly (p < 0.05). Direct BSD ACP treatment for 20 min at low temperature and indirect treatment for 30 min increased the percentage of germinated rootlets of the seedlings compared with the control. Considering both the DON reduction and germination improvement of barley seeds, continuous jet ACP treatment for 30 min performed better than the other treatments used in this study. At higher temperature of PAW bubbles, the concentration of RONS was significantly (p < 0.05) reduced. Based on quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) analysis and fungal culture tests, the PAW bubble treatment did not significantly reduce infection of NIB. Nonetheless, this study provides useful information for the malting industry for PAW treatment optimization and its use in barley steeping for DON reduction and germination improvement.
Kidney Function, Male Gender, and Aneurysm Diameter Are Predictors of Acute Kidney Injury in Patients with Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms Treated Endovascularly
Authors: Antoń Bartłomiej , Nazarewski Sławomir , Małyszko Jolanta
Published: February 2023

Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is a degenerative disease of the aortic wall with potentially fatal complications. The widespread adoption of endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR), which is less invasive and equally (if not more) effective for abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA), is due to the obvious advantages of the procedure compared to the traditional open repair. As the popularity of endovascular procedures grows, related complications become more evident, with kidney damage being one of them. Although acute kidney injury following EVAR is relatively common, its true incidence is still uncertain. The purpose of this study was to assess the incidence of acute kidney injury among patients treated with endovascular repair of ruptured AAA. In addition, we aimed to determine the predictors of PC-AKI in patients with abdominal aortic aneurysm treated with EVAR. Patients and Methods: We retrospectively analyzed a prospective registry of abdominal aortic aneurysm of 247 patients operated endovascularly at a single center between 2015 and 2021. Due to a lack of clinical data, data of 192 patients were reviewed for postcontrast acute kidney injury. Additional comorbidities were included in this study: hypertension, diabetes mellitus, atrial fibrillation, chronic coronary syndrome, COPD, and chronic kidney disease. Follow-up examinations were performed before the procedure and 48 h after contrast administration. Results: The group of 36 patients developed PC-AKI, which is 19% of the entire study population. Hypertension, diabetes, chronic kidney disease, male gender, and incidence of PC-AKI were more prevalent in patients with higher aortic aneurysm diameter ≥67 mm. In multiple regression analyses, independent predictors of PC-AKI were serum creatinine, chronic kidney disease, male gender, and aortic aneurysm diameter ≥67 mm. Conclusions: One of the major complications after EVAR is acute kidney injury, which is linked to higher death and morbidity rates. Independent risk factors for postcontrast acute kidney injury were chronic kidney disease, male gender, and aortic diameter. Only aortic diameter could be modifiable risk factor, and earlier surgery could be considered to yield better outcomes. More research is critically needed to determine how AKI affects long-term outcomes and to look at preventive options.
Self-Enrichment in Globular Clusters: The Crucial Role Played by Oxygen
Authors: Huerta-Martinez Erendira , Gavetti Claudio , Ventura Paolo
Published: February 2023

Results from photometry and high-resolution spectroscopy have demonstrated the existence of multiple populations in globular clusters, where one or more stellar generations of stars coexist with the original population. We study the possibility that the new generation(s) of stars formed from the gas lost by intermediate mass (4–8 M⊙) stars during the asymptotic giant branch (AGB) evolution, possibly after dilution with residual pristine gas in the cluster. To this aim, we confront the chemistry of the AGB ejecta with the distribution of the chemical composition of stars in NGC 6402. We find that a satisfactory consistency between the observational evidence and the self-enrichment by AGBs hypothesis is reached if the mass-loss rates experienced for the latter stars is ∼10 times smaller than found for the solar metallicity counterparts of the same mass. We also comment on the importance of the knowledge of the oxygen abundance as a key indicator of the extent of the nucleosynthesis at which the gas from which the stars belonging to the second generation of the clusters formed, and the degree of dilution with pristine gas.
The Role of Ellagic Acid and Annona muricata in the Management of Human Papillomavirus (HPV)-Related Genital Lesions: A Systematic Review
Authors: Cai Tommaso , Rizzo Michele , Liguori Giovanni , Palumbo Michele , Palmieri Alessandro , Gallelli Luca
Published: February 2023

Background: Several reports highlighted the role of nutraceutical compounds in the prevention and management of HPV-related genital lesions both in men and women, with interesting results. Here, we reviewed the effect of ellagic acid and Annona muricata for managing HPV-related genital lesions. Methods: Relevant databases were searched by using methods recommended by the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis guidelines. The primary endpoint was the clinical cure, defined as the clinical and/or laboratory and/or histopatologically demonstrated absence of HPV-related lesions at the end of the treatment. Results: We enclosed two retrospective studies, two prospective studies and one randomized controlled trial. In men, ellagic acid and Annona muricata complex improves seminal parameters and HPV-DNA clearance. In women, it has a chemopreventive action in cervical cancer and increases the HPV viral clearance. No clinically significant adverse effects have been reported. Conclusions: In conclusion, the combination of ellagic acid and Annona muricata shows interesting and promising results in terms of HPV viral clearance and HPV related genital lesions. However, more data are necessary to confirm these results.
Host Desmin Interacts with RABV Matrix Protein and Facilitates Virus Propagation
Authors: Zhang Wen , Liu Yuming , Li Mengru , Zhu Jian , Li Xiaoning , Luo Ting Rong , Liang Jingjing
Published: February 2023

Microfilaments and microtubules, two crucial structures of cytoskeletal networks, are usurped by various viruses for their entry, egress, and/or intracellular trafficking, including the Rabies virus (RABV). Intermediate filaments (IFs) are the third major component of cytoskeletal filaments; however, little is known about the role of IFs during the RABV infection. Here, we identified the IF protein desmin as a novel host interactor with the RABV matrix protein, and we show that this physical interaction has a functional impact on the virus lifecycle. We found that the overexpression of desmin facilitates the RABV infection by increasing the progeny virus yield, and the suppression of endogenous desmin inhibits virus replication. Furthermore, we used confocal microscopy to observe that the RABV-M co-localizes with desmin in IF bundles in the BHK-21 cells. Lastly, we found that mice challenged with RABV displayed an enhanced expression of desmin in the brains of infected animals. These findings reveal a desmin/RABV-M interaction that positively regulates the virus infection and suggests that the RABV may utilize cellular IFs as tracks for the intracellular transport of viral components and efficient budding.
Antiviral RNAi Response in Culex quinquefasciatus-Derived HSU Cells
Authors: Altinli Mine , Leggewie Mayke , Schulze Jonny , Gyanwali Rashwita , Badusche Marlis , Sreenu Vattipally B. , Fuss Janina , Schnettler Esther
Published: February 2023

Culex spp. mosquitoes are important vectors of viruses, such as West Nile virus, Eastern equine encephalitis virus and Rift valley fever virus. However, their interactions with innate antiviral immunity, especially RNA interference (RNAi), are not well known. Most research on RNAi pathways in mosquitoes is focused on the tropical vector mosquito Aedes aegypti. Here, we investigated the production of arbovirus-specific small RNAs in Cx. quinquefasciatus-derived HSU cells. Furthermore, by silencing RNAi-related proteins, we investigated the antiviral role of these proteins for two different arboviruses: Semliki Forest virus (SFV) and Bunyamwera orthobunyavirus (BUNV). Our results showed an expansion of Ago2 and Piwi6 in Cx. quinquefasciatus compared to Ae. aegypti. While silencing Ago2a and Ago2b increased BUNV replication, only Ago2b showed antiviral activity against SFV. Our results suggest differences in the function of Cx. quinquefasciatus and Ae. aegypti RNAi proteins and highlight the virus-specific function of these proteins in Cx. quinquefasciatus.
Safety and Efficacy of Outpatient Treatments for COVID-19: Real-Life Data from a Regionwide Cohort of High-Risk Patients in Tuscany, Italy (the FEDERATE Cohort)
Authors: Manciulli Tommaso , Spinicci Michele , Rossetti Barbara , Antonello Roberta Maria , Lagi Filippo , Barbiero Anna , Chechi Flavia , Formica Giuseppe , Francalanci Emanuela , Alesi Mirco , Gaggioli Samuele , Modi Giulia , Modica Sara , Paggi Riccardo , Costa Cecilia , Morea Alessandra , Paglicci Lorenzo , Rancan Ilaria , Amadori Francesco , Tamborrino Agnese , Tilli Marta , Bandini Giulia , Pignone Alberto Moggi , Valoriani Beatrice , Montagnani Francesca , Tumbarello Mario , Blanc Pierluigi , Di Pietro Massimo , Galli Luisa , Aquilini Donatella , Vincenti Antonella , Sani Spartaco , Nencioni Cesira , Luchi Sauro , Tacconi Danilo , Zammarchi Lorenzo , Bartoloni Alessandro
Published: February 2023

Early COVID-19 treatments can prevent progression to severe disease. However, real-life data are still limited, and studies are warranted to monitor the efficacy and tolerability of these drugs. We retrospectively enrolled outpatients receiving early treatment for COVID-19 in 11 infectious diseases units in the Tuscany region of Italy between 1 January and 31 March 2022, when Omicron sublineages BA.1 and BA.2 were circulating. Eligible COVID-19 patients were treated with sotrovimab (SOT), remdesivir (RMD), nirmatrelvir/ritonavir (NRM/r), or molnupiravir (MOL). We gathered demographic and clinical features, 28-day outcomes (hospitalization or death), and drugs tolerability. A total of 781 patients (median age 69.9, 66% boosted for SARS-CoV-2) met the inclusion criteria, of whom 314 were treated with SOT (40.2%), 205 with MOL (26.3%), 142 with RMD (18.2%), and 120 with NRM/r (15.4%). Overall, 28-day hospitalization and death occurred in 18/781 (2.3%) and 3/781 (0.3%), respectively. Multivariable Cox regression showed that patients receiving SOT had a reduced risk of meeting the composite outcome (28-day hospitalization and/or death) in comparison to the RMD cohort, while no significant differences were evidenced for the MOL and NRM/r groups in comparison to the RMD group. Other predictors of negative outcomes included cancer, chronic kidney disease, and a time between symptoms onset and treatment administration > 3 days. All treatments showed good safety and tolerability, with only eight patients (1%) whose treatment was interrupted due to intolerance. In the first Italian multicenter study presenting real-life data on COVID-19 early treatments, all regimens demonstrated good safety and efficacy. SOT showed a reduced risk of progression versus RMD. No significant differences of outcome were observed in preventing 28-day hospitalization and death among patients treated with RMD, MOL, and NRM/r.
I329L: A Dual Action Viral Antagonist of TLR Activation Encoded by the African Swine Fever Virus (ASFV)
Authors: Correia Sílvia , Moura Pedro Luís , Ventura Sónia , Leitão Alexandre , Parkhouse Robert Michael Evans
Published: February 2023

The African Swine Fever Virus (ASFV) is an economically important, large DNA virus which causes a highly contagious and frequently fatal disease in domestic pigs. Due to the acute nature of the infection and the complexity of the protective porcine anti-ASFV response, there is no accepted vaccine in use. As resistance to ASFV is known to correlate with a robust IFN response, the virus is predicted to have evolved strategies to inhibit innate immunity by modulating the IFN response. The deletion of virus host evasion gene(s) inhibiting IFN is a logical solution to develop an attenuated virus vaccine. One such candidate, the ASFV ORF I329L gene, is highly conserved in pathogenic and non-pathogenic virus isolates and in this study we confirm and extend the conclusion that it has evolved for the inhibition of innate immunity initiated through Toll-like receptors (TLRs). Specifically, the ASFV I329L extracellular (ECD) and intracellular (ICD) domains inhibit TLR signalling by two entirely different mechanisms. Bioinformatics modelling suggests that the ECD inhibits several TLR signalling pathways through a short sequence homologous to the conserved TLR dimerization domain, here termed the putative dimerization domain (PDD). Remarkably, both full length and PDD constructs of I329L were demonstrated to inhibit activation, not only of TLR3, but also TLR4, TLR5, TLR8 and TLR9. Additionally, the demonstration of a weak association of I329L with TLR3 is consistent with the formation of a non-signalling I329L-TLR3 heterodimer, perhaps mediated through the PDD of I329L. Finally, the ICD associates with TRIF, thereby impacting on both TLR3 and TLR4 signalling. Thus, I329L offers potential as a general inhibitor of TLR responses and is a rational candidate for construction and testing of an I329L deletion mutant vaccine.
SARS-CoV-2 Omicron Subvariants Balance Host Cell Membrane, Receptor, and Antibody Docking via an Overlapping Target Site
Authors: Overduin Michael , Bhat Rakesh K. , Kervin Troy A.
Published: February 2023

Variants of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) are emerging rapidly and offer surfaces that are optimized for recognition of host cell membranes while also evading antibodies arising from vaccinations and previous infections. Host cell infection is a multi-step process in which spike heads engage lipid bilayers and one or more angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE-2) receptors. Here, the membrane binding surfaces of Omicron subvariants are compared using cryo-electron microscopy (cEM) structures of spike trimers from BA.2, BA.2.12.1, BA.2.13, BA.2.75, BA.3, BA.4, and BA.5 viruses. Despite significant differences around mutated sites, they all maintain strong membrane binding propensities that first appeared in BA.1. Both their closed and open states retain elevated membrane docking capacities, although the presence of more closed than open states diminishes opportunities to bind receptors while enhancing membrane engagement. The electrostatic dipoles are generally conserved. However, the BA.2.75 spike dipole is compromised, and its ACE-2 affinity is increased, and BA.3 exhibits the opposite pattern. We propose that balancing the functional imperatives of a stable, readily cleavable spike that engages both lipid bilayers and receptors while avoiding host defenses underlies betacoronavirus evolution. This provides predictive criteria for rationalizing future pandemic waves and COVID-19 transmissibility while illuminating critical sites and strategies for simultaneously combating multiple variants.
A Comparative Study of Integrated Vehicle–Seat–Human Models for the Evaluation of Ride Comfort
Authors: Koulocheris Dimitrios , Vossou Clio
Published: February 2023

In the literature the value of the driver’s head acceleration has been widely used as an objective function for the modification of the suspension and/or the seat characteristics in order to optimize the ride comfort of a vehicle. For these optimization procedures various lumped parameter Vehicle–Seat–Human models are proposed. In the present paper a Quarter Car model is integrated with three Seat–Human models with different levels of detail. The level of detail corresponds to the number of degrees of freedom used to describe the Seat–Human system. Firstly, the performance of the Quarter Car model, used as a basis, is analyzed in six excitations with different characteristics. Then, the performance of the three lumped parameter Vehicle–Seat–Human models are monitored in the same excitations. The results indicated that in the case of single disturbance excitations the Quarter Car model provided 50–75% higher values of acceleration compared with the eight degrees of freedom model. As far as the periodic excitation is concerned, the Vehicle–Seat–Human models provided values of acceleration up to eight times those of the Quarter Car model. On the other hand, in stochastic excitations the Vehicle–Seat–Human model with three degrees of freedom produced the closest results to the Quarter Car model followed by the eight degrees of freedom model. Finally, with respect to the computational efficiency it was found that an increase in the degrees of freedom of the Vehicle–Seat–Human model by one caused an increase in the CPU time from 2.1 to 2.6%, while increasing the number of the degrees of freedom by five increased the CPU time from 7.4 to 11.5% depending on the excitation.
Climate Change Impacts on Water Resources in Arid and Semi-Arid Regions: A Case Study in Saudi Arabia
Authors: El-Rawy Mustafa , Batelaan Okke , Al-Arifi Nassir , Alotaibi Ali , Abdalla Fathy , Gabr Mohamed
Published: February 2023

In the coming years, climate change is predicted to impact irrigation water demand considerably, particularly in semi-arid regions. The aim of this research is to investigate the expected adverse impacts of climate change on water irrigation management in Saudi Arabia. We focus on the influence of climate change on irrigation water requirements in the Al Quassim (97,408 ha) region. Different climate models were used for the intermediate emission SSP2-4.5 and the high emission SSP5-8.5 Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 6 (CMIP6) scenarios. The FAO-CROPWAT 8.0 model was used to calculate reference evapotranspiration (ETo) using weather data from 13 stations from 1991 to 2020 and for both the SSP2-4.5 and SSP5-8.5 scenarios for the 2040s, 2060s, 2080s, and 2100s. The findings indicated that, for the 2100s, the SSP2-4.5 and SSP5-8.5 scenarios forecast annual average ETo increases of 0.35 mm/d (6%) and 0.7 mm/d (12.0%), respectively. Net irrigation water requirement (NIWR) and growth of irrigation water requirement (GIWR) for the main crops in the Al Quassim region were assessed for the current, SSP2-4.5, and SSP5-8.5 scenarios. For SSP5-8.5, the GIWR for the 2040s, 2060s, 2080s, and 2100s are expected to increase by 2.7, 6.5, 8.5, and 12.4%, respectively, compared to the current scenario (1584.7 million m3). As a result, there will be higher deficits in 2100 under SSP5-8.5 for major crops, with deficits of 15.1%, 10.7%, 8.3%, 13.9%, and 10.7% in the crop areas of wheat, clover, maize, other vegetables, and dates, respectively. Optimal irrigation planning, crop pattern selection, and modern irrigation technologies, combined with the proposed NIWR values, can support water resources management. The findings can assist managers and policymakers in better identifying adaptation strategies for areas with similar climates.