bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Improving Sustainable Food Access and Availability in Rural Communities: An Assessment of Needed Resources
Authors: Sanders Catherine E. , Markosyan Tatevik , Gibson Kristin E. , Byrd Allison R. , Lamm Alexa J.
Published: April 2023

(1) Background: Extension educators are uniquely positioned to assist with sustainable community-based food environment change, especially related to obesity prevention efforts, because they are located in almost every county in the U.S. Extension educators strive to build resilient communities by improving food access and bridging various actors involved in the food systems. Needs assessments of desired educational program resources by priority populations, such as those in rural areas, are needed to ensure effective food access and nutrition literacy programs are established based on clientele needs. (2) Methods: Using a non-probability opt-in survey, data were collected from 780 rural residents in a U.S. state facing challenges with obesity rates due to lack of access to healthy, nutritious food to identify barriers to accessing fresh produce and desired educational program resources. (3) Results: The need for socioeconomic and market-based solutions within the built environment indicated educators should increase partnerships with economic resource organizations to enhance community resilience related to food access. (4) Conclusions: An increased understanding can enhance the efficacy of the resources Extension educators offer, resulting in improved food access and security by directly addressing clientele’s demonstrated needs.
Study on the Instability Mechanism of Coal and Rock Mining under a Residual Coal Pillar in Gently Inclined Short-Distance Coal Seam with the Discrete Element
Authors: Zang Chuanwei , Zhou Jia , Chen Miao , Bai Feng , Zhao Zhengyang
Published: April 2023

The collapse of overlying rocks caused by the instability of residual coal pillars during lower coal seam mining significantly impacts its safety. This paper focuses on the gentle dipping coal seam group and utilizes the discrete element method (DEM) as the basis to comprehensively consider multiple factors through orthogonal experiments. In so doing it reveals the influence mechanisms of various factors on mining at a close distance under a residual coal pillar. Firstly, the process of lower coal seam mining under residual coal pillars in gently-dipping coal seams was simulated and analyzed based on a case study at the Baoping coal mine. Comparing the evolution characteristics of coal–rock fractures, stress changes, and displacement changes during the mining process reveals the mechanism of the joint instability of the lower coal seam, interlayer rock, coal pillars, and overlying strata under the disturbed conditions of lower panel mining. Secondly, an orthogonal simulation experiment was established using the width of the coal pillar and the thickness of the lower coal seam as variables. By comparing the development process of cracks, stress distribution, and rock displacement under different conditions, the research results indicate that the width of coal pillars has an impact on the maximum amount of coal pillar subsidence, while the thickness of the underlying coal seam has an impact on the time of subsidence, when hd ≥ 4.2 m (hj/hd ≤ 4) and w ≤ 14 m (w/hm ≤ 2), a large-scale collapse of the overlying strata of the coal pillar occurs.
Investigating the Spatial Heterogeneity of Urban Heat Island Responses to Climate Change Based on Local Climate Zones
Authors: He Fei , Liu Luyun , Huang Yu , Bedra Komi Bernard , Zhang Minhuan
Published: April 2023

Global warming and the urban heat island (UHI) phenomenon have significant impacts on human activities, against which it is necessary to develop effective coping strategies. Based on the local climate zone (LCZ) system, this study used the land-cover and surface temperature data on the Chang–Zhu–Tan (CZT) urban agglomeration in China in 2006, 2010, 2016, and 2020 to analyze the impact of climate change on the land surface temperature (LST) under different land-cover types. The results illustrate that the LCZ map generated on the basis of the improved World Urban Database and Access Portal Tools (WUDAPT) is more accurate and efficient than the traditional method. The accuracy is increased by more than 15%. From 2006 to 2020, the main built-up types in the CZT urban agglomeration were the sparsely built, the large low-rise, and the compact mid-rise types. The low-plant type represents the most significant proportion of the natural types, followed by the water and the dense-tree types. The built-up types in the CZT urban agglomeration tend to be the high-rise, dense, and industrial types. Urban construction land is taken mainly from the sparsely built type of land. The average LST of the large low-rise and heavy-industry zones is significantly higher than the average LST of the three cities. The average LST values for the water and dense-tree zones are significantly lower than the other average LST values. The LST is stable in each LCZ, showing little correlation with the size of the LCZ area. Compact low-rise land use is ineffective against climate warming and inhibits economic growth. Compact high-rise and open high-rise land can not only effectively deal with climate warming but can also significantly stimulate economic growth. This paper helps us to understand the effect of land cover on climate warming and the economic benefits of LCZs in the CZT urban agglomeration and provides strategies to optimize the use of land resources.
Evaluation of Digital Transformation to Support Carbon Neutralization and Green Sustainable Development Based on the Vision of “Channel Computing Resources from the East to the West”
Authors: Wu Zhaoyang , Wang Xiaoning , Liao James Yong , Hou Hongrong , Zhao Xiaokui
Published: April 2023

The long-term dependence on fossil fuels has led to an increase in carbon dioxide emissions. Global warming poses a huge risk to the sustainable development of the world, and even threatens human survival. The arrival of the carbon neutral era means that urban development is facing serious restrictions on carbon emissions. Digitization has brought profound changes to the economic and social development model, and would also change the pattern of urban competition. The goal of carbon neutrality is to change the low-carbon development model and structure, supplement it with negative carbon emissions, and comprehensively reduce greenhouse gas emissions. However, achieving the goal of carbon neutrality still faces many challenges and problems. For this reason, this paper analyzed the significance of carbon neutralization and the challenges faced by sustainable development to study the advantages of carbon neutralization under Digital Transformation (abbreviated as DT), and finally proposed the implementation path of carbon neutralization and sustainable development based on the channel of computing resources from the east to the west. The carbon emission effect before DT increased with time, while the carbon emission effect after DT decreased with time, in which the carbon emission effect after DT decreased by 47.9% compared with that before DT. The post-DT industry digitalization degree and the carbon trading system perfection degree were better than those before DT. The post-DT industry digitalization degree was 10.4% higher than that before DT, and the carbon trading system perfection degree was 9.5% higher than that before DT. In a word, DT and channeling computing resources from the east to the west can promote the realization of carbon neutrality and sustainable development.
Analysis of Carbon Footprints and Surface Quality in Green Cutting Environments for the Milling of AZ31 Magnesium Alloy
Authors: Kanan Mohammad , Zahoor Sadaf , Habib Muhammad Salman , Ehsan Sana , Rehman Mudassar , Shahzaib Muhammad , Khan Sajawal Ali , Ali Hassan , Abusaq Zaher , Hamdan Allam
Published: April 2023

This investigation delves into the effectiveness of employing vegetable-based cutting fluids and nanoparticles in milling AZ31 magnesium alloy, as part of the pursuit of ecologically sustainable manufacturing practices. The study scrutinizes three different cutting environments: (i) dry cutting; (ii) minimum quantity lubrication (MQL) with rice bran oil as the base oil and turmeric oil as an additive; and (iii) MQL with rice bran oil as the base oil, and turmeric oil and kaolinite nanoparticles as additives. Fuzzy logic was implemented to develop the design of experiments and assess the impact of these cutting environments on carbon emissions, surface quality, and microhardness. Upon conducting an analysis of variance (ANOVA), it was determined that all the three input parameters (cutting environment, cutting speed, and feed) greatly affect carbon emissions. The third cutting environment (MQL + bio-oils + kaolinite) generated the lowest carbon emissions (average of 9.21 ppm) and surface roughness value (0.3 um). Confirmatory tests validated that the output parameters predicted using the multiobjective genetic algorithm aligned well with experimental values, thus affirming the algorithm’s robustness.
Long-Term Chemical Alteration of 238Pu-Doped Borosilicate Glass in a Simulated Geological Environment with Bentonite Buffer
Authors: Zubekhina Bella , Burakov Boris , Shiryaev Andrei , Liu Xiaodong , Petrov Yury
Published: April 2023

Chemical degradation of borosilicate glass doped with 238Pu was modelled in conditions of a failed underground radwaste repository in granite host rock with bentonite buffer material after penetration of aqueous solutions at temperature of 90 °C. The total duration of the experiment exceeded two years. It is shown that wet bentonite preserved its barrier function and prevents migration of plutonium to the solution. The total amount of plutonium adsorbed on bentonite clay during the experiment did not exceed 0.02% of the initial amount of plutonium in the glass sample. Estimated accumulated dose of self-irradiation of the glass sample after the experiment varies from 3.16 × 1015 to 3.39 × 1015 α-decays per gram, which is equivalent to more than 1000 years storage of 239Pu doped sample with the same Pu content. Beishan granite remained intact, with no evidence of Pu penetration into the granite matrix along mineral grain boundaries.
Prioritization of Supply Chain Capabilities Using the FAHP Technique
Authors: Mistarihi Mahmoud Z. , Magableh Ghazi M.
Published: April 2023

With the great challenges that the latest pandemic (COVID-19) has imposed on manufacturing companies, the need to overcome and cope with such situations is becoming crucial. Supply chain resilience is one of the main aspects that enables manufacturers to cope with change and uncertainty; therefore, it is essential to develop the capabilities necessary to do so. This study aimed to ensure supply chain resilience in light of the COVID-19 pandemic through prioritizing main supply chain capabilities. After surveying (30) experts in supply chain from leading manufacturing companies in Jordan, a Fuzzy Analytic Hierarchy Process (FAHP) analysis was conducted to prioritize main supply chain capabilities that were derived from the related literature. The results of this study showed that proactive capabilities, followed by reactive capabilities, were the most dominant capabilities that could ensure supply chain resilience, while efficiency-based capabilities were the least significant. Therefore, manufacturing companies should place their focus and emphasis on reacting to this pandemic in a more systematic manner.
The Role of Multimodal Transportation in Ensuring Sustainable Territorial Development: Review of Risks and Prospects
Authors: Makarova Irina , Serikkaliyeva Azhar , Gubacheva Larysa , Mukhametdinov Eduard , Buyvol Polina , Barinov Aleksandr , Shepelev Vladimir , Mavlyautdinova Gulnaz
Published: April 2023

The Russian Arctic development is an investment direction, which is planned through a system of so-called “support zones” of various development degrees, it is a priority for Russia and can have a positive effect. Since integrated territorial development is associated with significant cargo flows of raw materials, materials and goods, logistics chains will include various transport modes, which will lead to the development of infrastructure (including the construction and reconstruction of seaports, the network of the railways and roads expansion) and the emergence of new international transport corridors (ITCs). A scientifically based solution to the problems of constructing a delivery route, including the location of transshipment points, logistics terminals and the rolling stock selection, will ensure the sustainable territories development through which ITCs pass. However, these tasks, which constitute the activity of organizing multimodal transportation, are associated with various types of risks, the successful solution of which, in this case, depends on the sustainable territorial development of these territories. Therefore, the research objective is to establish the relationship between the development of transport networks and the development of the Arctic region, the designation of possible prospects for the development of both multimodal transportation as a whole as a strategic event, and the contribution of each kind of transport, as well as the risks of creating and using international transport corridors, including cumulative impact on the environment. As a result of the literature analysis, we have considered the causes and consequences of the improper planning of supply chains and infrastructure, then we have indicated the role of new transport corridors in the development of territories. We have built a tree of problems in order to systematize risk situations and identify root causes and consequences. A method for calculating the cargo delivery time is proposed, taking into account the multimodality of logistics chains as well as measures that help reduce risks.
A Framework Based on Deep Learning for Predicting Multiple Safety-Critical Parameter Trends in Nuclear Power Plants
Authors: Gu Haixia , Liu Gaojun , Li Jixue , Xie Hongyun , Wen Hanguan
Published: April 2023

Operators in the main control room of a nuclear power plant have a crucial role in supervising all operations, and any human error can be fatal. By providing operators with information regarding the future trends of plant safety-critical parameters based on their actions, human errors can be detected and prevented in a timely manner. This paper proposed a Sequence-to-Sequence (Seq2Seq)-based Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) model to predict safety-critical parameters and their future trends. The PCTran was used to extract data for four typical faults and fault levels, and eighty-six parameters were selected as characteristic quantities. The training, validation, and testing sets were collected in a ratio of 13:3:1, and appropriate hyperparameters were used to construct the Seq2Seq neural network. Compared with conventional deep learning models, the results indicated that the proposed model could successfully solve the complex problem of the trend estimation of key system parameters under the influence of operator action factors in multiple abnormal operating conditions. It is believed that the proposed model can help operators reduce the risk of human-caused errors and diagnose potential accidents.
An Empirical Analysis of the Synergistic Effect of Urban Pilot Policies in China
Authors: Wen Jian , Su Shiwei
Published: April 2023

The strengthening of urban innovation capacity has emerged as the main force behind the promotion of the high-quality development in China because it is a significant carrier of regional innovation. This work uses the multi-time point difference approach to study the synergistic effect, mechanism, and heterogeneity among the pilot policies of national innovation city, low-carbon city and smart city based on the panel data of 282 cities from 2001 to 2016. The findings demonstrate that (1) The national innovative city pilot policies, low-carbon city pilot policies, and smart city pilot policies have a significant effect on the improvement of urban innovation and show a synergistic effect. (2) With the help of government investment in science and technology and the construction of an innovation platform, the pilot policies of smart cities and innovative cities show a superposition effect; in addition, through the upgrading of industrial structure, the green technology innovation, public participation, low-carbon urban pilot policy, and the innovative city present the supplementary effect. (3) From the perspective of heterogeneity, the superposition and supplementary effects of lower administrative level cities are better. The effect of policy synergy overlay is the largest in the eastern region, whereas the effect of policy synergy supplement is stronger in the eastern and western regions than in the central region. The robustness test supports the conclusion of this paper. This paper analyzes the collaborative innovation effect of urban pilot policies, which can provide ideas for the combination design of policy tools.
Effect of a Material Based on Date Palm Fibers on the Thermal Behavior of a Residential Building in the Atlantic Climate of Morocco
Authors: Belhous Mhaijiba , Boumhaout Mustapha , Oukach Soufiane , Hamdi Hassan
Published: April 2023

The potential of natural materials is becoming more and more important as concerns about the environmental impact and energy efficiency of the construction sector grow. Incorporating waste from fiber sub-products seems like a wise choice, in line with the circular economy model. Despite the fact that date palm materials have been extensively researched and developed for use in modern buildings, the potential of using date palm fibers has not been widely explored. This research intends to examine how date palm fibers thermal insulation affects a building’s thermal efficiency in an Atlantic climate. An analysis using a numerical simulation using the TRNSYS software is conducted to determine the effect of this passive approach on cooling/heating loads and indoor comfort. This technique is measured against a hypothetical reference case of homemade traditional building materials without thermal insulation. The results show that insulation with date palm fiber materials has a significant effect on the indoor air temperature and the cooling and heating loads of the house. In comparison to the reference case, the studied house achieves better comfort conditions when thermal insulation is adopted since the indoor air temperature is increased by up to 3 °C in winter and decreased by up to 5 °C in summer. In addition, annual cooling and heating requirements can be reduced by 25% and 18%, respectively, by insulating the roof and walls with date palm fiber materials. On the other hand, it allows financial savings and a reduction in CO2 emissions.
Some New Hermite–Hadamard Type Inequalities Pertaining to Generalized Multiplicative Fractional Integrals
Authors: Kashuri Artion , Sahoo Soubhagya Kumar , Aljuaid Munirah , Tariq Muhammad , De La Sen Manuel
Published: April 2023

There is significant interaction between the class of symmetric functions and other types of functions. The multiplicative convex function class, which is intimately related to the idea of symmetry, is one of them. In this paper, we obtain some new generalized multiplicative fractional Hermite–Hadamard type inequalities for multiplicative convex functions and for their product. Additionally, we derive a number of inequalities for multiplicative convex functions related to generalized multiplicative fractional integrals utilising a novel identity as an auxiliary result. We provide some examples for the appropriate selections of multiplicative convex functions and their graphical representations to verify the authenticity of our main results.
Numerical Simulation for a Hybrid Variable-Order Multi-Vaccination COVID-19 Mathematical Model
Authors: Sweilam Nasser , Al-Mekhlafi Seham , Salama Reem , Assiri Tagreed
Published: April 2023

In this paper, a hybrid variable-order mathematical model for multi-vaccination COVID-19 is analyzed. The hybrid variable-order derivative is defined as a linear combination of the variable-order integral of Riemann–Liouville and the variable-order Caputo derivative. A symmetry parameter σ is presented in order to be consistent with the physical model problem. The existence, uniqueness, boundedness and positivity of the proposed model are given. Moreover, the stability of the proposed model is discussed. The theta finite difference method with the discretization of the hybrid variable-order operator is developed for solving numerically the model problem. This method can be explicit or fully implicit with a large stability region depending on values of the factor Θ. The convergence and stability analysis of the proposed method are proved. Moreover, the fourth order generalized Runge–Kutta method is also used to study the proposed model. Comparative studies and numerical examples are presented. We found that the proposed model is also more general than the model in the previous study; the results obtained by the proposed method are more stable than previous research in this area.
AutoEncoder and LightGBM for Credit Card Fraud Detection Problems
Authors: Du Haichao , Lv Li , Guo An , Wang Hongliang
Published: April 2023

This paper proposes a method called autoencoder with probabilistic LightGBM (AED-LGB) for detecting credit card frauds. This deep learning-based AED-LGB algorithm first extracts low-dimensional feature data from high-dimensional bank credit card feature data using the characteristics of an autoencoder which has a symmetrical network structure, enhancing the ability of feature representation learning. The credit card fraud dataset comes from a real dataset anonymized by a bank and is highly imbalanced, with normal data far greater than fraud data. For this situation, the smote algorithm is used to resample the data before putting the extracted feature data into LightGBM, making the amount of fraud data and non-fraud data equal. After comparing the resampled and non-resampled data, it was found that the performance of the AED-LGB algorithm was not improved after resampling, and it was concluded that the AED-LGB algorithm is more suitable for imbalanced data. Finally, the AED-LGB algorithm is comparable with other commonly used machine learning algorithms, such as KNN and LightGBM, and it has an overall improvement of 2% in terms of the ACC index compared to LightGBM and KNN. When the threshold is set to 0.2, the MCC index of AED-LGB is 4% higher than that of the second-highest LightGBM algorithm and 30% higher than that of KNN. It shows that the AED-LGB algorithm has higher performance in accuracy, true positive rate, true negative rate, and Matthew’s correlation coefficient.
Superradiant (In)stability, Greybody Radiation, and Quasinormal Modes of Rotating Black Holes in Non-Linear Maxwell f(R) Gravity
Authors: Kanzi Sara , Sakallı İzzet , Pourhassan Behnam
Published: April 2023

This work is dedicated to the investigation of the superradiant stability of a rotating black hole derived from the nonlinear Maxwell theory of gravity, f(R). The evaluation of stability and instability in this study will be based on the absence and presence of the magnetic field, respectively, when the magnetic field constant is c4=0 and c4≠0. For the black hole under discussion, analyses of the greybody factors (GFs) and quasi-normal modes (QNMs) are also carried out. To this end, we first consider the Klein–Gordon equation for the scalar waves propagating in the black hole’s geometry. The resulting radial equation is then reduced to a one-dimensional Schrödinger-like wave equation with effective potential energy. The effects of the nonlinear Maxwell f(R) gravity theory parameters (q, c, and c4) on the effective potential, GFs, and QNMs are examined. The results demonstrate that, although the parameters q, c, and c4 all influence the effective potential, they do not affect the GFs and QNMs. All results are presented and summarized using appropriate graphics and tables.
Properties of Differential Equations Related to Degenerate q-Tangent Numbers and Polynomials
Authors: Kang Jung-Yoog
Published: April 2023

In this paper, we construct degenerate q-tangent numbers and polynomials and determine their related properties. Based on these numbers and polynomials, we also confirm that the structure of the approximate root changes according to changes in q and h. We find differential equations that have degenerate q-tangent polynomials as solutions and also find differential equations that have other polynomials as coefficients, confirming the relationships among these.
Customer Attitude toward Digital Wallet Services
Authors: Ilieva Galina , Yankova Tania , Dzhabarova Yulia , Ruseva Margarita , Angelov Delian , Klisarova-Belcheva Stanislava
Published: April 2023

The goal of this study is to examine and identify the factors influencing customer attitude toward and intention to use digital wallets (electronic wallets, e-wallets) during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. A total of 257 correctly fulfilled questionnaires from an online survey were summarized. The main features of e-wallet payment systems were classified with a focus on consumer satisfaction via the integration of classic and modern data analysis methods. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) was preferred to reveal the dependencies between the variables from e-wallets users’ perspective. The designed model can discover and explain the underlying relationships that determine the e-wallets’ adoption mechanism. The obtained results lead to specific recommendations to stakeholders in the value chain of payment processing. Financial regulatory authorities could employ the presented results in planning the development of payment systems. E-commerce marketers could utilize the proposed methodology to assess, compare and select an alternative way for order payment. E-wallet service providers could establish a reliable multi-criteria system for the evaluation of digital wallet adoption. Being aware of the most important components of e-wallets value, managers can more effectively run and control payment platforms, enhance customer experience, and thus improve the company’s competitiveness. As the perceived value of customer satisfaction is subjective and dynamic, measurements and data analysis should be conducted periodically.
Advanced Research on Animal Venoms in China
Authors: Lai Ren , Lu Qiumin
Published: April 2023

For millennia, scientists, researchers, and the general public have been intrigued by animal venoms due to their potent effects and paradoxical ability to both harm and heal [...]
Analysis of the Effect of Plutella xylostella Polycalin and ABCC2 Transporter on Cry1Ac Susceptibility by CRISPR/Cas9-Mediated Knockout
Authors: Xiong Lei , Liu Zhaoxia , Li Jingge , Yao Shuyuan , Li Zeyun , Chen Xuanhao , Shen Lingling , Zhang Zhen , Li Yongbin , Hou Qing , Zhang Yuhang , You Minsheng , Yuchi Zhiguang , You Shijun
Published: April 2023

Many insects, including the Plutella xylostella (L.), have developed varying degrees of resistance to many insecticides, including Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) toxins, the bioinsecticides derived from Bt. The polycalin protein is one of the potential receptors for Bt toxins, and previous studies have confirmed that the Cry1Ac toxin can bind to the polycalin protein of P. xylostella, but whether polycalin is associated with the resistance of Bt toxins remains controversial. In this study, we compared the midgut of larvae from Cry1Ac-susceptible and -resistant strains, and found that the expression of the Pxpolycalin gene was largely reduced in the midgut of the resistant strains. Moreover, the spatial and temporal expression patterns of Pxpolycalin showed that it was mainly expressed in the larval stage and midgut tissue. However, genetic linkage experiments showed that the Pxpolycalin gene and its transcript level were not linked to Cry1Ac resistance, whereas both the PxABCC2 gene and its transcript levels were linked to Cry1Ac resistance. The larvae fed on a diet containing the Cry1Ac toxin showed no significant change in the expression of the Pxpolycalin gene in a short term. Furthermore, the knockout of polycalin and ATP-binding cassette transporter subfamily C2 (ABCC2) genes separately by CRISPR/Cas9 technology resulted in resistance to decreased susceptibility to Cry1Ac toxin. Our results provide new insights into the potential role of polycalin and ABCC2 proteins in Cry1Ac resistance and the mechanism underlying the resistance of insects to Bt toxins.
Botulinum Toxin Type A for the Treatment of Auriculotemporal Neuralgia—A Case Series
Authors: Tereshko Yan , Belgrado Enrico , Lettieri Christian , Gigli Gian , Valente Mariarosaria
Published: April 2023

Auriculotemporal neuralgia is a rare pain disorder in which anesthetic nerve blockade is usually effective but not always resolutive. Botulinum toxin type A has proven to be effective in treating neuropathic pain, and patients with auriculotemporal neuralgia could also benefit from this treatment. We described nine patients with auriculotemporal neuralgia treated with botulinum toxin type A in the territory of auriculotemporal nerve innervation. We compared the basal NRS and Penn facial pain scale scores with those obtained 1 month after BoNT/A injections. Both Penn facial pain scale (96.67 ± 24.61 vs. 45.11 ± 36.70, p 0.004; mean reduction 52.57 ± 36.50) and NRS scores (8.11 ± 1.27 vs. 4.22 ± 2.95, p 0.009; mean reduction 3.89 ± 2.52) improved significantly at one month after treatment. The mean duration of the effect of BoNT/A on pain was 95.00 ± 53.03 days and no adverse effects were reported.
Comparing Clinical Outcomes of COVID-19 and Influenza-Induced Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome: A Propensity-Matched Analysis
Authors: Virk Shiza , Quazi Mohammed A. , Nasrullah Adeel , Shah Aaisha , Kudron Evan , Chourasia Prabal , Javed Anam , Jain Priyanka , Gangu Karthik , Cheema Tariq , DiSilvio Briana , Sheikh Abu Baker
Published: April 2023

Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is one the leading causes of mortality and morbidity in patients with COVID-19 and Influenza, with only small number of studies comparing these two viral illnesses in the setting of ARDS. Given the pathogenic differences in the two viruses, this study shows trends in national hospitalization and outcomes associated with COVID-19- and Influenza-related ARDS. To evaluate and compare the risk factors and rates of the adverse clinical outcomes in patients with COVID-19 associated ARDS (C-ARDS) relative to Influenza-related ARDS (I-ARDS), we utilized the National Inpatient Sample (NIS) database 2020. Our sample includes 106,720 patients hospitalized with either C-ARDS or I-ARDS between January and December 2020, of which 103,845 (97.3%) had C-ARDS and 2875 (2.7%) had I-ARDS. Propensity-matched analysis demonstrated a significantly higher in-hospital mortality (aOR 3.2, 95% CI 2.5–4.2, p < 0.001), longer mean length of stay (18.7 days vs. 14.5 days, p < 0.001), higher likelihood of requiring vasopressors (aOR 1.7, 95% CI 2.5–4.2) and invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV) (aOR 1.6, 95% CI 1.3–2.1) in C-ARDS patients. Our study shows that COVID-19-related ARDS patients had a higher rate of complications, including higher in-hospital mortality and a higher need for vasopressors and invasive mechanical ventilation relative to Influenza-related ARDS; however, it also showed an increased utilization of mechanical circulatory support and non-invasive ventilation in Influenza-related ARDS. It emphasizes the need for early detection and management of COVID-19.
Identification of B-Cell Linear Epitopes in the Nucleocapsid (N) Protein B-Cell Linear Epitopes Conserved among the Main SARS-CoV-2 Variants
Authors: Rodrigues-da-Silva Rodrigo N. , Conte Fernando P. , da Silva Gustavo , Carneiro-Alencar Ana L. , Gomes Paula R. , Kuriyama Sergio N. , Neto Antonio A. F. , Lima-Junior Josué C.
Published: April 2023

The Nucleocapsid (N) protein is highlighted as the main target for COVID-19 diagnosis by antigen detection due to its abundance in circulation early during infection. However, the effects of the described mutations in the N protein epitopes and the efficacy of antigen testing across SARS-CoV-2 variants remain controversial and poorly understood. Here, we used immunoinformatics to identify five epitopes in the SARS-CoV-2 N protein (N(34–48), N(89–104), N(185–197), N(277–287), and N(378–390)) and validate their reactivity against samples from COVID-19 convalescent patients. All identified epitopes are fully conserved in the main SARS-CoV-2 variants and highly conserved with SARS-CoV. Moreover, the epitopes N(185–197) and N(277–287) are highly conserved with MERS-CoV, while the epitopes N(34–48), N(89–104), N(277–287), and N(378–390) are lowly conserved with common cold coronaviruses (229E, NL63, OC43, HKU1). These data are in accordance with the observed conservation of amino acids recognized by the antibodies 7R98, 7N0R, and 7CR5, which are conserved in the SARS-CoV-2 variants, SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV but lowly conserved in common cold coronaviruses. Therefore, we support the antigen tests as a scalable solution for the population-level diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2, but we highlight the need to verify the cross-reactivity of these tests against the common cold coronaviruses.
An Endogenous Retrovirus Vaccine Encoding an Envelope with a Mutated Immunosuppressive Domain in Combination with Anti-PD1 Treatment Eradicates Established Tumours in Mice
Authors: Daradoumis Joana , Ragonnaud Emeline , Skandorff Isabella , Nielsen Karen Nørgaard , Bermejo Amaia Vergara , Andersson Anne-Marie , Schroedel Silke , Thirion Christian , Neukirch Lasse , Holst Peter Johannes
Published: April 2023

Endogenous retroviruses (ERVs) account for 8% of our genome, and, although they are usually silent in healthy tissues, they become reactivated and expressed in pathological conditions such as cancer. Several studies support a functional role of ERVs in tumour development and progression, specifically through their envelope (Env) protein, which contains a region described as an immunosuppressive domain (ISD). We have previously shown that targeting of the murine ERV (MelARV) Env using virus-like vaccine (VLV) technology, consisting of an adenoviral vector encoding virus-like particles (VLPs), induces protection against small tumours in mice. Here, we investigate the potency and efficacy of a novel MelARV VLV with a mutated ISD (ISDmut) that can modify the properties of the adenoviral vaccine-encoded Env protein. We show that the modification of the vaccine’s ISD significantly enhanced T-cell immunogenicity in both prime and prime-boost vaccination regimens. The modified VLV in combination with an α-PD1 checkpoint inhibitor (CPI) exhibited excellent curative efficacy against large established colorectal CT26 tumours in mice. Furthermore, only ISDmut-vaccinated mice that survived CT26 challenge were additionally protected against rechallenge with a triple-negative breast cancer cell line (4T1), showing that our modified VLV provides cross-protection against different tumour types expressing ERV-derived antigens. We envision that translating these findings and technology into human ERVs (HERVs) could provide new treatment opportunities for cancer patients with unmet medical needs.
The Burden of Cervical Conization in Privately Insured Young and Mid-Adult Women in the United States
Authors: Saxena Kunal , Sawhney Baanie , Yande Soham , Kathe Niranjan , Chatterjee Sagnik
Published: April 2023

In 2019, the United States (US) Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommended that healthcare providers engage in shared clinical decision making for adults aged 27–45 who may benefit from HPV vaccination. However, it is difficult to assess these benefits as there is a lack of data on HPV burden on young and mid-adult women. This analysis estimates the incidence of conization and the burden associated with treating pre-cancerous states related to HPV with a loop electrosurgical excision procedure (LEEP) or a cold knife conization (CKC) among commercially insured women aged 18–45. This retrospective cohort study used the IBM MarketScan commercial claims encounter database for women aged 18–45 treated with conization. We assessed the annual incidence of conization (2016–2019) and adjusted the two-year health care costs post-conization using a multivariable Generalized Linear Model (GLM)—accounting for follow-up time and other characteristics—stratified by the age groups, namely 18–26 and 27–45. The inclusion criteria were met by 6735 women, with a mean age of 33.9 years (SD = 6.2). Conization incidence was lowest for women aged 18–26 (41/100,000 to 62/100,000 women-years) and highest for women aged 31–35 (243/100,000 to 269/100,000). The GLM-adjusted, all-cause healthcare costs per patient per year were USD 7279 and USD 9249 in the 18–26 and 27–45 age groups, respectively. The adjusted costs for disease-specific care were USD 3609 and USD 4557 for women ages 18–26 and 27–45, respectively. The burden of conization and the associated costs were significant, indicating a potential healthcare benefit of HPV vaccination among young and middle-aged women.
The Factors Influencing Pregnant Women’s Selection of Media Sources to Obtain Information on COVID-19 in Japan in 2021
Authors: Komine-Aizawa Shihoko , Yamada Naotake , Haruyama Yasuo , Deguchi Masashi , Fukuda Mitsuru , Kawana Kei , Kobashi Gen , Miyagi Etsuko , Yamada Hideto , Sugiyama Takashi , Hayakawa Satoshi
Published: April 2023

Pregnant women presumably gather information about the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) from various sources. However, it is difficult for pregnant women who are not medical professionals to source the appropriate information because of the infodemic related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, the objective of our study was to investigate how pregnant women gathered information about COVID-19 and COVID-19 vaccination. To address this issue, we conducted an online questionnaire survey between 5 October and 22 November 2021, which was approved by the Ethics Committee of Nihon University School of Medicine. We received 4962 responses after excluding 1179 insufficient answers. Our study found that age, occupation, and infection-risk anxiety influenced the selection of media for obtaining information. Pregnant women who were older, medical professionals, public servants, or educators tended to rely on specialized medical websites, whereas housewives tended to use mass media, social media, and sources with uncertain scientific evidence. Additionally, the number of weeks of gestation and the method of conception (natural or assisted reproductive conception) affected the selection of media. The accessibility of COVID-19 information for pregnant women was determined by their social background and pregnancy status. We need to continue making efforts to ensure that appropriate information is readily available to pregnant women and their families.
Heterogeneity in Vaccinal Immunity to SARS-CoV-2 Can Be Addressed by a Personalized Booster Strategy
Authors: Stoddard Madison , Yuan Lin , Sarkar Sharanya , Mangalaganesh Shruthi , Nolan Ryan , Bottino Dean , Hather Greg , Hochberg Natasha , White Laura , Chakravarty Arijit
Published: April 2023

SARS-CoV-2 vaccinations were initially shown to substantially reduce risk of severe disease and death. However, pharmacokinetic (PK) waning and rapid viral evolution degrade neutralizing antibody (nAb) binding titers, causing loss of vaccinal protection. Additionally, there is inter-individual heterogeneity in the strength and durability of the vaccinal nAb response. Here, we propose a personalized booster strategy as a potential solution to this problem. Our model-based approach incorporates inter-individual heterogeneity in nAb response to primary SARS-CoV-2 vaccination into a pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) model to project population-level heterogeneity in vaccinal protection. We further examine the impact of evolutionary immune evasion on vaccinal protection over time based on variant fold reduction in nAb potency. Our findings suggest viral evolution will decrease the effectiveness of vaccinal protection against severe disease, especially for individuals with a less durable immune response. More frequent boosting may restore vaccinal protection for individuals with a weaker immune response. Our analysis shows that the ECLIA RBD binding assay strongly predicts neutralization of sequence-matched pseudoviruses. This may be a useful tool for rapidly assessing individual immune protection. Our work suggests vaccinal protection against severe disease is not assured and identifies a potential path forward for reducing risk to immunologically vulnerable individuals.
SARS-CoV-2 RBD Conjugated to Polyglucin, Spermidine, and dsRNA Elicits a Strong Immune Response in Mice
Authors: Volosnikova Ekaterina A. , Merkuleva Iuliia A. , Esina Tatiana I. , Shcherbakov Dmitry N. , Borgoyakova Mariya B. , Isaeva Anastasiya A. , Nesmeyanova Valentina S. , Volkova Natalia V. , Belenkaya Svetlana V. , Zaykovskaya Anna V. , Pyankov Oleg V. , Starostina Ekaterina V. , Zadorozhny Alexey M. , Zaitsev Boris N. , Karpenko Larisa I. , Ilyichev Alexander A. , Danilenko Elena D.
Published: April 2023

Despite the rapid development and approval of several COVID vaccines based on the full-length spike protein, there is a need for safe, potent, and high-volume vaccines. Considering the predominance of the production of neutralizing antibodies targeting the receptor-binding domain (RBD) of S-protein after natural infection or vaccination, it makes sense to choose RBD as a vaccine immunogen. However, due to its small size, RBD exhibits relatively poor immunogenicity. Searching for novel adjuvants for RBD-based vaccine formulations is considered a good strategy for enhancing its immunogenicity. Herein, we assess the immunogenicity of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 RBD conjugated to a polyglucin:spermidine complex (PGS) and dsRNA (RBD-PGS + dsRNA) in a mouse model. BALB/c mice were immunized intramuscularly twice, with a 2-week interval, with 50 µg of RBD, RBD with Al(OH)3, or conjugated RBD. A comparative analysis of serum RBD-specific IgG and neutralizing antibody titers showed that PGS, PGS + dsRNA, and Al(OH)3 enhanced the specific humoral response in animals. There was no significant difference between the groups immunized with RBD-PGS + dsRNA and RBD with Al(OH)3. Additionally, the study of the T-cell response in animals showed that, unlike adjuvants, the RBD-PGS + dsRNA conjugate stimulates the production of specific CD4+ and CD8+ T cells in animals.
Comparison of Hemodynamic Effects of Dobutamine and Ephedrine Infusions in Isoflurane-Anesthetized Horses
Authors: Garcia Filho Sergio Grandisoli , de Andrade Felipe Silveira Rego Monteiro , dos Santos Rosana Souza Thurler , Gonçalves Lucas Alaião , Pereira Marco Aurélio Amador , de Souza Anderson Fernando , Ambrósio Aline Magalhães , Fantoni Denise Tabacchi
Published: April 2023

The objective of this study was to compare the hemodynamic effects of dobutamine and ephedrine during the management of anesthesia-related hypotension in healthy horses. Thirteen horses underwent general anesthesia with isoflurane and were randomly divided into two different groups, one of which received a dobutamine constant rate infusion (CRI) (1 µg/kg bwt/min) and the other received an ephedrine CRI (20 µg/kg bwt/min) when hypotension (<60 mmHg) was identified, following up to 15 min after the blood pressure reached 70 mmHg. All horses were equipped with a pulmonary artery catheter and a peripheral artery catheter, and multiparameter monitoring commenced as soon as they were under mechanical ventilation. Hemodynamic parameters were recorded, while tissue perfusion markers (peripheral oxygen saturation, arterial oxygen partial pressure, arterial carbon dioxide partial pressure, arterial pH, arterial plasma bicarbonate concentration, arterial oxygen saturation, mixed venous oxygen saturation, mixed venous oxygen content, arterial oxygen content, arteriovenous oxygen difference, oxygen delivery index, oxygen consumption index, and oxygen extraction ratio), serum lactate concentration, and troponin I concentrations were analyzed before the start of infusions (T0), when the blood pressure reached 70 mmHg (T1), and 15 min after T1 (T2). The time to restore the arterial pressure was similar in both groups (p > 0.05); however, the heart rate was higher in the ephedrine group (p = 0.0098), and sinus bradyarrhythmia occurred in the dobutamine group. Furthermore, both experimental protocols increased cardiac output (p = 0.0012), cardiac index (p = 0.0013), systemic vascular resistance (p = 0.008), systemic vascular resistance index (p < 0.001), and ameliorated perfusion markers. In the dobutamine group, the pulmonary artery wedge pressure (p < 0.001) and systolic index (p = 0.003) were elevated, while the arteriovenous oxygen difference was reduced in the ephedrine group (p = 0.02). Troponin I was used as a myocardial injury indicator, and did not differ between moments or between groups (p > 0.05). We concluded that both drugs were effective and safe to treat anesthetic hypotension under the conditions of this study.
Quality Assurance and Cost Reduction in Histopathology Laboratories Using Tissue Microarrays
Authors: Gologan Daniela , Ștefan Alina Elena , Militaru Manuella , Sanda Andreea Cristina , Arjan Suzana , Mușat Sorin , Leavitt Matthew Okerlund , Stan Raluca
Published: April 2023

In the context of cost increases of both labor and consumables, cheaper and faster histopathology methods are needed. We implemented in our research laboratory the use of tissue microarrays (TMA) for the parallel processing and analysis of tissue samples. In this study, we used seven pre-processed, paraffinated biomimetic sectionable support matrices serving as “recipient” paraffin blocks to embed a total of 196 tissue cores from formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue samples (serving as “donor” paraffin blocks) from seven different rabbit organs. These tissue samples were obtained using four different processing protocols: two 6 h protocols with xylene as the transition solvent, and two using butanol instead (one 10 h in duration and the other 72 h long). While the samples from protocols 1 and 2 (with xylene) quite regularly generated peeling of some of the cores from the slides (most likely because of substandard paraffin infiltration), butanol processing performed flawlessly for both processing protocols. Our proposed technique of using TMAs in the research laboratory brings with it a significant reduction in time and consumable costs (up to 77 and 64%, respectively), but also new challenges for all the upstream processes.
Groundwater Dynamics near the Saltwater–Freshwater Interface in an Island of Seto Inland Sea
Authors: Tomozawa Yusuke , Onodera Shin-ichi , Saito Mitsuyo , Asai Kazuyoshi
Published: April 2023

Groundwater dynamics near the saltwater–freshwater interface were investigated in an island of the Seto Inland Sea, using multiple tracers (δD, δ18O, Cl−, SF6, and 14C) at two coastal groundwater monitoring wells at depths of 10–40 m. The groundwater recharge area and age were also estimated using these tracers. Additionally, bedrock groundwater at a depth of 40 m at the 2.7 m altitude was brackish and considered to be near the saltwater–freshwater interface, and a mixture of seawater (2–3.5%) and fresh groundwater (97–98%) was estimated by the Cl− concentration. Based on the δ18O of fresh groundwater estimated from the seawater mixing ratio, the recharge area was estimated to range from near to above the summit; however, this region is unlikely to be the actual recharge area, as the groundwater may be old freshwater that was recharged during a previously colder period. Groundwater dating using SF6 and 14C suggests that the fresh groundwater originated during the last glacial period (assumed 20,000 years ago) and that the 40 m deep bedrock groundwater is a mixture of old water (0–28%), 30 m deep groundwater (76–100%), and stagnant seawater (1–3%).