bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Mapping Remote Roads Using Artificial Intelligence and Satellite Imagery
Authors: Sloan Sean , Talkhani Raiyan R. , Huang Tao , Engert Jayden , Laurance William F.
Published: February 2024

Road building has long been under-mapped globally, arguably more than any other human activity threatening environmental integrity. Millions of kilometers of unmapped roads have challenged environmental governance and conservation in remote frontiers. Prior attempts to map roads at large scales have proven inefficient, incomplete, and unamenable to continuous road monitoring. Recent developments in automated road detection using artificial intelligence have been promising but have neglected the relatively irregular, sparse, rustic roadways characteristic of remote semi-natural areas. In response, we tested the accuracy of automated approaches to large-scale road mapping across remote rural and semi-forested areas of equatorial Asia-Pacific. Three machine learning models based on convolutional neural networks (UNet and two ResNet variants) were trained on road data derived from visual interpretations of freely available high-resolution satellite imagery. The models mapped roads with appreciable accuracies, with F1 scores of 72–81% and intersection over union scores of 43–58%. These results, as well as the purposeful simplicity and availability of our input data, support the possibility of concerted program of exhaustive, automated road mapping and monitoring across large, remote, tropical areas threatened by human encroachment.
Linking High-Resolution UAV-Based Remote Sensing Data to Long-Term Vegetation Sampling—A Novel Workflow to Study Slow Ecotone Dynamics
Authors: Döweler Fabian , Fransson Johan E. S. , Bader Martin K.-F.
Published: February 2024

Unravelling slow ecosystem migration patterns requires a fundamental understanding of the broad-scale climatic drivers, which are further modulated by fine-scale heterogeneities just outside established ecosystem boundaries. While modern Unoccupied Aerial Vehicle (UAV) remote sensing approaches enable us to monitor local scale ecotone dynamics in unprecedented detail, they are often underutilised as a temporal snapshot of the conditions on site. In this study in the Southern Alps of New Zealand, we demonstrate how the combination of multispectral and thermal data, as well as LiDAR data (2019), supplemented by three decades (1991–2021) of treeline transect data can add great value to field monitoring campaigns by putting seedling regeneration patterns at treeline into a spatially explicit context. Orthorectification and mosaicking of RGB and multispectral imagery produced spatially extensive maps of the subalpine area (~4 ha) with low spatial offset (Craigieburn: 6.14 ± 4.03 cm; Mt Faust: 5.11 ± 2.88 cm, mean ± standard error). The seven multispectral bands enabled a highly detailed delineation of six ground cover classes at treeline. Subalpine shrubs were detected with high accuracy (up to 90%), and a clear identification of the closed forest canopy (Fuscospora cliffortioides, >95%) was achieved. Two thermal imaging flights revealed the effect of existing vegetation classes on ground-level thermal conditions. UAV LiDAR data acquisition at the Craigieburn site allowed us to model vegetation height profiles for ~6000 previously classified objects and calculate annual fine-scale variation in the local solar radiation budget (20 cm resolution). At the heart of the proposed framework, an easy-to-use extrapolation procedure was used for the vegetation monitoring datasets with minimal georeferencing effort. The proposed method can satisfy the rapidly increasing demand for high spatiotemporal resolution mapping and shed further light on current treeline recruitment bottlenecks. This low-budget framework can readily be expanded to other ecotones, allowing us to gain further insights into slow ecotone dynamics in a drastically changing climate.
Weed Detection from Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Imagery Using Deep Learning—A Comparison between High-End and Low-Cost Multispectral Sensors
Authors: Seiche Anna Teresa , Wittstruck Lucas , Jarmer Thomas
Published: February 2024

In order to meet the increasing demand for crops under challenging climate conditions, efficient and sustainable cultivation strategies are becoming essential in agriculture. Targeted herbicide use reduces environmental pollution and effectively controls weeds as a major cause of yield reduction. The key requirement is a reliable weed detection system that is accessible to a wide range of end users. This research paper introduces a self-built, low-cost, multispectral camera system and evaluates it against the high-end MicaSense Altum system. Pixel-based weed and crop classification was performed on UAV datasets collected with both sensors in maize using a U-Net. The training and testing data were generated via an index-based thresholding approach followed by annotation. As a result, the F1-score for the weed class reached 82% on the Altum system and 76% on the low-cost system, with recall values of 75% and 68%, respectively. Misclassifications occurred on the low-cost system images for small weeds and overlaps, with minor oversegmentation. However, with a precision of 90%, the results show great potential for application in automated weed control. The proposed system thereby enables sustainable precision farming for the general public. In future research, its spectral properties, as well as its use on different crops with real-time on-board processing, should be further investigated.
Advancing Ultrasonic Defect Detection in High-Speed Wheels via UT-YOLO
Authors: Zhang Qian , Peng Jianping , Tian Kang , Wang Ai , Li Jinlong , Gao Xiaorong
Published: February 2024

In the context of defect detection in high-speed railway train wheels, particularly in ultrasonic-testing B-scan images characterized by their small size and complexity, the need for a robust solution is paramount. The proposed algorithm, UT-YOLO, was meticulously designed to address the specific challenges presented by these images. UT-YOLO enhances its learning capacity, accuracy in detecting small targets, and overall processing speed by adopting optimized convolutional layers, a special layer design, and an attention mechanism. This algorithm exhibits superior performance on high-speed railway wheel UT datasets, indicating its potential. Crucially, UT-YOLO meets real-time processing requirements, positioning it as a practical solution for the dynamic and high-speed environment of railway inspections. In experimental evaluations, UT-YOLO exhibited good performance in best recall, mAP@0.5 and mAP@0.5:0.95 increased by 37%, 36%, and 43%, respectively; and its speed also met the needs of real-time performance. Moreover, an ultrasonic defect detection data set based on real wheels was created, and this research has been applied in actual scenarios and has helped to greatly improve manual detection efficiency.
COVID-19 Infection Percentage Estimation from Computed Tomography Scans: Results and Insights from the International Per-COVID-19 Challenge
Authors: Bougourzi Fares , Distante Cosimo , Dornaika Fadi , Taleb-Ahmed Abdelmalik , Hadid Abdenour , Chaudhary Suman , Yang Wanting , Qiang Yan , Anwar Talha , Breaban Mihaela Elena , Hsu Chih-Chung , Tai Shen-Chieh , Chen Shao-Ning , Tricarico Davide , Chaudhry Hafiza Ayesha Hoor , Fiandrotti Attilio , Grangetto Marco , Spatafora Maria Ausilia Napoli , Ortis Alessandro , Battiato Sebastiano
Published: February 2024

COVID-19 analysis from medical imaging is an important task that has been intensively studied in the last years due to the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. In fact, medical imaging has often been used as a complementary or main tool to recognize the infected persons. On the other hand, medical imaging has the ability to provide more details about COVID-19 infection, including its severity and spread, which makes it possible to evaluate the infection and follow-up the patient’s state. CT scans are the most informative tool for COVID-19 infection, where the evaluation of COVID-19 infection is usually performed through infection segmentation. However, segmentation is a tedious task that requires much effort and time from expert radiologists. To deal with this limitation, an efficient framework for estimating COVID-19 infection as a regression task is proposed. The goal of the Per-COVID-19 challenge is to test the efficiency of modern deep learning methods on COVID-19 infection percentage estimation (CIPE) from CT scans. Participants had to develop an efficient deep learning approach that can learn from noisy data. In addition, participants had to cope with many challenges, including those related to COVID-19 infection complexity and crossdataset scenarios. This paper provides an overview of the COVID-19 infection percentage estimation challenge (Per-COVID-19) held at MIA-COVID-2022. Details of the competition data, challenges, and evaluation metrics are presented. The best performing approaches and their results are described and discussed.
Experimental Investigation of Mode Localization’s Bifurcation Topology Transfer in Electrostatically Coupled Tuning Fork Resonators
Authors: Lyu Ming , Zhi Xiang , Yan Na , Sun Rongjian
Published: February 2024

Bifurcation topology transfer phenomena in the presence of mode localization are investigated using double-ended fixed electrostatically coupled tuning fork resonators. An analytical model is proposed for the coupled tuning fork resonators, and the effects of feedthrough capacitance on the structure are also analyzed and eliminated by means of data post-processing. Then, an open-loop experimental platform is established, when the system is in balance state, the quality factor is obtained under test as Q = 9858, and comparison of the experiment with numerical simulation results is in good agreement. Finally, with the voltage increases, the two resonators gradually exhibit nonlinear characteristics. It is worth noting that when one of the coupled resonators exhibits nonlinear vibration behavior, even though the vibration amplitude of the other resonator is lower than the critical amplitude, it still exhibits nonlinear behavior, and the results confirm the existence of the bifurcation topology transfer phenomenon in coupled resonators’ mode localization phenomenon.
Effect of Positively Charged Lipids (DOTAP) on the Insertion of Carbon Nanotubes into Liposomes and the Separation Performance of Thin-Film Nanocomposite Membranes
Authors: Zhao Jianjun , Sun Junqing , Zhang Kefeng , Wang Shan , Ding Wande , Li Zhengping
Published: February 2024

A liposome vesicle is an ideal carrier for carbon nanotubes (CNTs) serving as the water channel that allows for the fast transport of water molecules, thus enhancing membrane permeability. However, a low quantity of CNTs inserted into the liposome vesicle is an important factor that limits the further improvement of the membrane flux. In the present study, a positively charged lipid, (2,3-dioleoyloxy-propyl)-trimethylammonium-chloride (DOTAP), was introduced to 1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamineon (DOPE) liposome vesicles to tailor the vesicle charge so as to evaluate the effect of positively charged DOTAP on the insertion of CNTs into liposomes and the separation performance of thin-film nanocomposite (TFN) membranes. The results show that the addition of DOTAP increased the quantity of CNTs inserted into the liposome vesicles, as the shrinkage rate (k) and permeability (Pf) of the liposome vesicles presented an obvious increase with the increased content of DOTAP in the liposome vesicles. Moreover, it contributed to a 252.3% higher water flux for TFN membranes containing DOPE/DOTAP2:1-CNT liposomes (the mass ratio between DOPE and DOTAP was 2:1) than thin-film composite (TFC) membranes. More importantly, it presented a 106.7% higher water flux for TFN membranes containing DOPE/DOTAP4:1-CNT liposomes (the mass ratio between DOPE and DOTAP was 4:1), which originated from the greater number of water channels that the CNTs provided in the liposome vesicles. Overall, positively charged DOTAP effectively tailored the vesicle charge, which provided a better carrier for the insertion of a greater quantity of CNTs and contributed to the higher permeability of the TFN membranes.
Mapping Green View Index for Urban Parks with Varied Landscape Metrics and Distances toward the Chinese Eastern Railway Network
Authors: Mo Wei , Sun Mingyang , Liu Tong
Published: February 2024

The Chinese Eastern Railway (CER) has been identified as a heritage site that has witnessed industrial and social developments and changes over the past 100 years. Many old infrastructures have transitioned from civil use to historical conservation, but the spatial distributions and driving forces of ecosystem service functions provided by local ecological infrastructures are still unclear. The green view index (GVI) is a flexible parameter that measures the ratio of pixels accounted for by greeneries to those in an intact street view image; hence, it is widely recognized as a reliable variable for assessing the magnitude of ecosystem services provided by ecological infrastructures at a regional scale. In this study, a total of 42 urban parks were selected from regions covered by CER routes and adjacent cities without its involvement. No difference in GVI was found among cities regardless of distance from CER routes, and the distance of a park to the nearest CER line was found to have only indirect and negative effects on GVI. Correlation analysis indicated that the logarithms of both green and blue space areas had positive relationships with GVI. Regression analysis indicated that the logarithm of the blue space area, together with elevation and longitude, had positive effects on GVI, while latitude resulted in a negative effect. Overall, low GVI values (~6.0%) in the parks of Tsitsihar resulted from the effect of high closeness with the CER route, and high GVI values (over ~40%) in the parks of Changchun were indicated by the joint characteristics of local landscape metrics.
Will Allotment Gardening Save Us Again? Allotment Gardens during a COVID-19 Pandemic in a City with a Shortage of Plots
Authors: Kacprzak Ewa , Szczepańska Magdalena
Published: February 2024

Allotment gardening as element of green infrastructure and integral part of urban agriculture supports the city’s sustainable development and builds urban resilience. The COVID-19 pandemic provided an opportunity to revisit allotment gardening in a situation of unprecedented health crisis. Therefore, this study aims to recognise the importance of allotment gardens during the COVID-19 pandemic in Poznań (Poland), a city with a ‘famine of plots’ observed for years. A survey was conducted among allotment holders who had acquired plots during the course of the pandemic and in-depth interviews were conducted with the president of the Polish Allotment Federation of Poznań and the managers of the allotment gardens wherein we had identified the highest proportion of new allotment holders. Information was collected during field research, also using available statistical data. The methods used included desk research and a case study, interviews and a survey. The results of the study show that the pandemic caused a renaissance in allotment gardening. The increased interest in allotments triggered an increase in their price, thus further restricting access. A generational change in the allotment community was also noted, with young people appearing on allotments. However, the survey showed no change in the use of allotments: recreation is still their dominant function, with allotment holders focusing on cleaning and renovation work. For new allotment holders, the plot was a green refuge in times of isolation, a place for contact with nature, loved ones and family, and a safe space for relaxation. Our research indicates that allotment holders also appreciated its positive impact on their physical and mental health.. Moreover, the study indicates that despite the long-standing shortage of allotments in the city, only restorative allotment gardens are being created.
Rest Grazing from the Critical Period of Soil Thawing in Alpine Meadow of Tibetan Plateau Is Conducive to the Sexual Reproduction of Polygonum viviparum
Authors: Bai Meimei , Xu Jingjing , Wei Kongtao , Jing Yuanyuan , Xu Changlin , Yu Xiaojun
Published: February 2024

(1) Background: The most important management measure and utilization method for grassland is grazing. The suitable beginning period of spring rest grazing in the alpine meadow was selected to provide a theoretical basis for more scientific management and sustainable utilization. The experimental site is located in the cold-season pasture of an alpine meadow, which is located in the eastern part of the Qinghai Tibet Plateau. (2) Methods: We set up five treatments with the critical soil thawing period, the late soil thawing period, the grass reviving early period, the grass reviving late period with local traditional rest grazing period as the start time of rest grazing, and the grass withering period as the end time of rest grazing, recorded as P1, P2, P3, P4, and P5 (CK, control check). We studied the reproductive characteristics of the dominant plant, Polygonum viviparum, during different rest grazing periods. (3) Results: The results showed that, in general, P. viviparum was mainly involved in asexual reproduction and tended to have sexual reproduction with the rest of the grazing in advance. The biomass proportion of sexual reproduction organs and asexual reproduction organs in P1 were higher than those of other treatments, which were 704% and 20% higher than P5 (CK), respectively. The seed yields of P1 were 135%, 535%, 690%, and 1269% higher than P2–P5, respectively. The indices of P. viviparum seed quality in P5 were lower than those of the other treatments. The seed length, seed size, seed setting rate, and satiety grain weight ratio of P1 were higher than those of other treatments. We use the TOPSIS (Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to an Ideal Solution) analysis method to comprehensively evaluate the indicators of the five plots. (4) Conclusions: It was concluded that the rest of the grazing from the critical period of soil thawing was conducive to the growth and sexual (seed) reproduction of P. viviparum. Therefore, the resting grazing period of alpine meadows in spring should start with the critical period of soil thawing.
Integrating Meteorological and Remote Sensing Data to Simulate Cropland Nocturnal Evapotranspiration Using Machine Learning
Authors: Huang Jiaojiao , Zhang Sha , Zhang Jiahua , Zheng Xin , Meng Xianye , Yang Shanshan , Bai Yun
Published: February 2024

Evapotranspiration (ET) represents a significant component of the global water flux cycle, yet nocturnal evapotranspiration (ETn) is often neglected, leading to underestimation of global evapotranspiration. As for cropland, accurate modeling of ETn is essential for rational water management and is important for sustainable agriculture development. We used random forest (RF) to simulate ETn at 16 globally distributed cropland eddy covariance flux sites along with remote sensing and meteorological factors. The recursive feature elimination method was used to remove unimportant variables. We also simulated the ETn of C3 and C4 crops separately. The trained RF resulted in a determination coefficient (R2) (root mean square error (RMSE)) of 0.82 (7.30 W m−2) on the testing dataset. C3 and C4 crops on the testing dataset resulted in an R2 (RMSE) of 0.86 (5.59 W m−2) and 0.55 (4.86 W m−2) for the two types of crops. We also showed that net radiation is the dominant factor in regulating ETn, followed by 2 m horizontal wind speed and vapor pressure deficit (VPD), and these three meteorological factors showed a significant positive correlation with ETn. This research demonstrates that RF can simulate ETn from crops economically and accurately, providing a methodological basis for improving global ETn simulations.
Sustainability in Hybrid Technologies for Heritage Preservation: A Scientometric Study
Authors: Ariza-Colpas Paola Patricia , Piñeres-Melo Marlon Alberto , Morales-Ortega Roberto-Cesar , Rodríguez-Bonilla Andrés Felipe , Butt-Aziz Shariq , Naz Sumera , Contreras-Chinchilla Leidys del Carmen , Romero-Mestre Maribel , Vacca Ascanio Ronald Alexander
Published: February 2024

The use of augmented reality applied to museums to preserve and communicate cultural heritage sustainably is a topic of increasing relevance today. Museums play an essential role in preserving and disseminating culture and history, and augmented reality has emerged as a powerful technological tool to enrich the visitor experience and ensure the sustainable preservation of cultural heritage. The fundamental objective of this literature review is to explore and understand the key contributions that are being made in the field of augmented reality applied to museums, with a focus on sustainability. The literature related to this topic is dispersed in various sources of information, which motivates the need to carry out a detailed and systematic analysis incorporating sustainability aspects. To carry out this analysis, the metaphor of the “tree of science” is used. This metaphor provides a structured approach that is applied in two complementary ways. Firstly, it focuses on collecting and analyzing scientometric statistics that cover data on countries, authors, academic institutions, and research centers involved in developing augmented reality applications for museums with sustainable methodologies. This quantitative perspective offers a global view of the contributions and their geographical scope including their sustainability impact. Secondly, an evolutionary analysis based on the “tree of science” is carried out. This historical approach examines the origin and evolution of contributions in the field of augmented reality applied to museums, from its first manifestations to the most recent innovations, with an emphasis on sustainable practices. This historical approach is essential to understanding the trajectory and development of augmented reality applications in the museum context and their role in promoting sustainable cultural heritage preservation. This review aims to provide a complete and contextualized view of the use of augmented reality in museums for the sustainable preservation and communication of cultural heritage. Through a multidimensional approach encompassing scientometric statistics and historical analysis, we seek to shed light on this technology’s most significant contributions and evolution in the museum sector, with a particular focus on sustainability.
Analysis of the Influence of Fund Allocation and Sustainable Academic Efficiency Based on a Transformation of Public Goods in Higher Education
Authors: Chang Dian-Fu , Chang Angel
Published: February 2024

The allocation of funding for higher education typically focuses on competition in neoliberal mechanisms. Surprisingly, much less attention has been paid to considering the effect of fund allocations for sustainable development through public goods purposes in neoliberal contexts. This study aims to examine specific funding schemes and determine the influential factors impacting funding for teaching, research, and public goods transformation. Taking Taiwan’s Higher Education Sprout Project (HESP) as an example, we explored the effect of policy initiatives on public goods transformation towards sustainable development. The data were collected from the Ministry of Education and Scopus databases. First, a regression analysis was conducted to determine which factors influence the effect of funding allocations in academic institutes. Second, we used a logistic regression to detect the effects of the system and the sector. Third, we used partial least square structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) to explore the causal effects among the selected impact variables on expected outcomes. Finally, we used the bootstrap method to demonstrate the model’s robustness. Our study found that only diversity was shown in private technology groups receiving less HESP funding, while it did not widen the differences in the sector and system in the transformation process. Our findings suggest that funding allocations will not affect teaching and research based on sectors and systems. In contrast, this study demonstrates that transforming public goods through special funding can play a critical role in leading sustainable development in higher education.
What Does a KAP Survey Reveal about the Awareness Regarding Leishmaniasis among the Community of an Endemic Area in Sri Lanka?
Authors: Manamperi Mayumi , Kandegedara P. , Zoysa G. I. C. L. De , Jayamanna J. M. A. I. K. , Perera E. G. , Wijegunawardana N. D. Asha Dilrukshi
Published: February 2024

Leishmaniasis is one of the neglected tropical diseases. Studies show that the poor knowledge about epidemiological aspects of leishmaniasis within communities causes the collapse of existing disease control programs. Therefore, the present study focuses on a detailed survey of the existing awareness among the threatened population in the Medawachchiya Public Health Inspector’s (PHI) Area in the Anuradhapura District, Sri Lanka, aiming to assist the health staff to organize community-based vector control programs effectively in the future. Assessment of the awareness of residents of two hundred and seventy households (n = 270) from 10 Grama Niladhari Divisions (GNDs) was carried out by using a structured questionnaire. Among 143 females and 134 males, only 75.1% had knowledge about the disease, 5.8% (n = 16) of the participants knew only about the vector, and 28.9% (n = 80) knew about control methods. The study showed a considerable lack of awareness about the disease among the studied population. The study found that age and education levels had significant impacts on knowledge, attitudes, and practices. However, factors like gender, marital status, occupation, income, and expenses did not show significant correlations. The present study suggests huge scope for greater achievements in community-related vector control methods by implementing a continuous educational program.
IDV Typer: An Automated Tool for Lineage Typing of Influenza D Viruses Based on Return Time Distribution
Authors: Limaye Sanket , Shelke Anant , Kale Mohan M. , Kulkarni-Kale Urmila , Kuchipudi Suresh V.
Published: February 2024

Influenza D virus (IDV) is the most recent addition to the Orthomyxoviridae family and cattle serve as the primary reservoir. IDV has been implicated in Bovine Respiratory Disease Complex (BRDC), and there is serological evidence of human infection of IDV. Evolutionary changes in the IDV genome have resulted in the expansion of genetic diversity and the emergence of multiple lineages that might expand the host tropism and potentially increase the pathogenicity to animals and humans. Therefore, there is an urgent need for automated, accurate and rapid typing tools for IDV lineage typing. Currently, IDV lineage typing is carried out using BLAST-based searches and alignment-based molecular phylogeny of the hemagglutinin-esterase fusion (HEF) gene sequences, and lineage is assigned to query sequences based on sequence similarity (BLAST search) and proximity to the reference lineages in the tree topology, respectively. To minimize human intervention and lineage typing time, we developed IDV Typer server, implementing alignment-free method based on return time distribution (RTD) of k-mers. Lineages are assigned using HEF gene sequences. The server performs with 100% sensitivity and specificity. The IDV Typer server is the first application of an RTD-based alignment-free method for typing animal viruses.
Evolution of Virology: Science History through Milestones and Technological Advancements
Authors: Zuo Kunlan , Gao Wanying , Wu Zongzhen , Zhang Lei , Wang Jiafeng , Yuan Xuefan , Li Chun , Xiang Qiangyu , Lu Lu , Liu Huan
Published: February 2024

The history of virology, which is marked by transformative breakthroughs, spans microbiology, biochemistry, genetics, and molecular biology. From the development of Jenner’s smallpox vaccine in 1796 to 20th-century innovations such as ultrafiltration and electron microscopy, the field of virology has undergone significant development. In 1898, Beijerinck laid the conceptual foundation for virology, marking a pivotal moment in the evolution of the discipline. Advancements in influenza A virus research in 1933 by Richard Shope furthered our understanding of respiratory pathogens. Additionally, in 1935, Stanley’s determination of viruses as solid particles provided substantial progress in the field of virology. Key milestones include elucidation of reverse transcriptase by Baltimore and Temin in 1970, late 20th-century revelations linking viruses and cancer, and the discovery of HIV by Sinoussi, Montagnier, and Gallo in 1983, which has since shaped AIDS research. In the 21st century, breakthroughs such as gene technology, mRNA vaccines, and phage display tools were achieved in virology, demonstrating its potential for integration with molecular biology. The achievements of COVID-19 vaccines highlight the adaptability of virology to global health.
Integration of Hepatitis C and Addiction Treatment in People Who Inject Drugs: The San Patrignano HCV-Free and Drug-Free Experience
Authors: Piselli Pierluca , Boschini Antonio , Gianfreda Romina , Nappo Alessandra , Cimaglia Claudia , Scarfò Gianpaolo , Smacchia Camillo , Paoletti Raffaella , Duehren Sarah , Girardi Enrico
Published: February 2024

Injection drug use represents an important contributor to hepatitis C virus (HCV) transmission, hence therapeutic communities (TCs) are promising points of care for the identification and treatment of HCV-infected persons who inject drugs (PWIDs). We evaluated the effectiveness and efficacy of an HCV micro-elimination program targeting PWIDs in the context of a drug-free TC; we applied the cascade of care (CoC) evaluation by calculating frequencies of infection diagnosis, confirmation, treatment and achievement of a sustained virological response (SVR). We also evaluated the risk of reinfection of PWIDs achieving HCV eradication by collecting follow-up virologic information of previously recovered individuals and eventual relapse in drug use, assuming the latter as a potential source of reinfection. We considered 811 PWIDs (aged 18+ years) residing in San Patrignano TC at the beginning of the observation period (January 2018–March 2022) or admitted thereafter, assessing for HCV and HIV serology and viral load by standard laboratory procedures. Ongoing infections were treated with direct-acting antivirals (DAA), according to the current national guidelines. Out of the 792 individuals tested on admission, 503 (63.5%) were found to be seropositive for antibodies against HCV. A total of 481 of these 503 individuals (95.6%) underwent HCV RNA testing. Out of the 331 participants positive for HCV RNA, 225 were ultimately prescribed a DAA treatment with a sustained viral response (SVR), which was achieved by 222 PWIDs (98.7%). Of the 222 PWIDs, 186 (83.8%) with SVR remained HCV-free on follow-up (with a median follow-up of 2.73 years after SVR ascertainment). The CoC model in our TC proved efficient in implementing HCV micro-elimination, as well as in preventing reinfection and promoting retention in the care of individuals, which aligns with the therapeutic goals of addiction treatment.
Deletion of the EP402R Gene from the Genome of African Swine Fever Vaccine Strain ASFV-G-∆I177L Provides the Potential Capability of Differentiating between Infected and Vaccinated Animals
Authors: Borca Manuel V. , Ramirez-Medina Elizabeth , Espinoza Nallely , Rai Ayushi , Spinard Edward , Velazquez-Salinas Lauro , Valladares Alyssa , Silva Ediane , Burton Leeanna , Meyers Amanda , Clark Jason , Wu Ping , Gay Cyril G. , Gladue Douglas P.
Published: February 2024

The African swine fever virus (ASFV) mutant ASFV-G-∆I177L is a safe and efficacious vaccine which induces protection against the challenge of its parental virus, the Georgia 2010 isolate. Although a genetic DIVA (differentiation between infected and vaccinated animals) assay has been developed for this vaccine, still there is not a serological DIVA test for differentiating between animals vaccinated with ASFV-G-∆I177L and those infected with wild-type viruses. In this report, we describe the development of the ASFV-G-∆I177L mutant having deleted the EP402R gene, which encodes for the viral protein responsible for mediating the hemadsorption of swine erythrocytes. The resulting virus, ASFV-G-∆I177L/∆EP402R, does not have a decreased ability to replicates in swine macrophages when compared with the parental ASFV-G-∆I177L. Domestic pigs intramuscularly (IM) inoculated with either 102 or 106 HAD50 of ASFV-G-∆I177L/∆EP402R remained clinically normal, when compared with a group of mock-vaccinated animals, indicating the absence of residual virulence. Interestingly, an infectious virus could not be detected in the blood samples of the ASFV-G-∆I177L/∆EP402R-inoculated animals in either group at any of the time points tested. Furthermore, while all of the mock-inoculated animals presented a quick and lethal clinical form of ASF after the intramuscular inoculation challenge with 102 HAD50 of highly virulent parental field isolate Georgia 2010 (ASFV-G), all of the ASFV-G-∆I177L/∆EP402R-inoculated animals were protected, remaining clinically normal until the end of the observational period. Most of the ASFV-G-∆I177L/∆EP402R-inoculated pigs developed strong virus-specific antibody responses against viral antigens, reaching maximum levels at 28 days post inoculation. Importantly, all of the sera collected at that time point in the ASFV-G-∆I177L/∆EP402R-inoculated pigs did not react in a direct ELISA coated with the recombinant EP402R protein. Conversely, the EP402R protein was readily recognized by the pool of sera from the animals immunized with recombinant live attenuated vaccine candidates ASFV-G-∆I177L, ASFV-G-∆MGF, or ASFV-G-∆9GL/∆UK. Therefore, ASFV-G-∆I177L/∆EP402R is a novel, safe and efficacious candidate with potential to be used as an antigenically DIVA vaccine.
Advances of Recombinant Adenoviral Vectors in Preclinical and Clinical Applications
Authors: Scarsella Luca , Ehrke-Schulz Eric , Paulussen Michael , Thal Serge C. , Ehrhardt Anja , Aydin Malik
Published: February 2024

Adenoviruses (Ad) have the potential to induce severe infections in vulnerable patient groups. Therefore, understanding Ad biology and antiviral processes is important to comprehend the signaling cascades during an infection and to initiate appropriate diagnostic and therapeutic interventions. In addition, Ad vector-based vaccines have revealed significant potential in generating robust immune protection and recombinant Ad vectors facilitate efficient gene transfer to treat genetic diseases and are used as oncolytic viruses to treat cancer. Continuous improvements in gene delivery capacity, coupled with advancements in production methods, have enabled widespread application in cancer therapy, vaccine development, and gene therapy on a large scale. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the virus biology, and several aspects of recombinant Ad vectors, as well as the development of Ad vector, are discussed. Moreover, we focus on those Ads that were used in preclinical and clinical applications including regenerative medicine, vaccine development, genome engineering, treatment of genetic diseases, and virotherapy in tumor treatment.
Herpes Zoster and Cardiovascular Disease: Exploring Associations and Preventive Measures through Vaccination
Authors: Yamaoka-Tojo Minako , Tojo Taiki
Published: February 2024

Herpes zoster, induced by the reactivation of the varicella-zoster virus (VZV), is a unilaterally distributed vesicular rash that can cause multiple complications. VZV not only causes neurological problems, including postherpetic neuralgia and ocular zoster, but also causes inflammatory vasculopathy and increases the incidence of hemorrhagic or ischemic complications. Therefore, understanding the association between the development of herpes zoster and the subsequent occurrence of acute stroke or cardiovascular diseases, including myocardial infarction and heart failure, is of great interest. Conversely, many risk factors are involved in the development of herpes zoster. Recently, it has become clear that aging, insufficient immune function, and diseases related to lifestyle habits (for example, stroke and cardiovascular disease), can trigger the onset of herpes zoster. Preventing the onset of herpes zoster, which substantially reduces quality of life, will lead to lower medical costs for countries and extend healthy life expectancy for general populations. Thus, because herpes zoster is a vaccine-preventable disease, active vaccination is recommended for high-risk groups. This review summarizes the association between herpes zoster and cardiovascular disease and vaccination against herpes zoster as a useful disease management and prevention measure for cardiovascular disease.
Preparation and Modification of Biochar Derived from Agricultural Waste for Metal Adsorption from Urban Wastewater
Authors: Collivignarelli Maria Cristina , Illankoon W. A. M. A. N. , Milanese Chiara , Calatroni Silvia , Caccamo Francesca Maria , Medina-Llamas Maria , Girella Alessandro , Sorlini Sabrina
Published: February 2024

This work evaluates the efficiency of three biochar samples toward the adsorption of manganese, iron, and selenium present in a sample of urban wastewater. The biochar was produced from the pyrolysis of rice husks at 350 °C for 6 h (RHB) and subsequently modified using HCl (RHBHCl) or NaOH (RHBNaOH) to increase its surface area. The RHBNaOH sample exhibited the highest removal efficiency for the three metals. The metals’ adsorption removal efficiency for RHBNaOH was in the order Mn (76%), Se (66%), and Fe (66%), while for RHBHCl, it was Fe (59%), Mn (30%), and Se (26%). The results show that the as-prepared RHB can remove the metals, even if in low amounts (Fe (48%), Mn (3%), and Se (39%)). The adsorption removal for the three types of adsorbents follows the Langmuir isotherm model. Pseudo-first-order and pseudo-second-order models were used to determine the adsorption mechanism for each of the three adsorbents. Both models showed a good fit with R2 (>0.9) for the RHBNaOH and RHB sorption of Fe, Mn, and Se. Overall, this work demonstrates the potential of biochar for the removal of metals from real wastewater.
Study on the Contribution of Groundwater Nitrogen Pollution Sources in a Typical Section of the Wei River in China
Authors: Li Yuepeng , Liu Zhixiong , Qu Jihong , Xiao Shunyu , Wu Jiamei
Published: February 2024

Aiming to assess the groundwater nitrogen pollution problem in a typical section of the Wei River in China, the contribution of groundwater nitrogen pollution sources in the region was studied. Using Hydrus-1D to implement the simulation process of substituting points for surfaces, we calculated the volume and nitrogen concentration of the water leaching out from the bottom of the encompassing aeration zone. The results of the Hydrus-1D simulation were input as initial values into the nitrogen migration and transformation numerical model constructed using Visual MODFLOW to integrate the simulation calculations between the surface, the aeration zone, and the aquifer system. In addition, the contribution rates of different groundwater nitrogen pollution sources were calculated using the equilibrium formula combined with the groundwater nitrogen test results. The simulation results showed that the groundwater nitrogen in the southern part of the Wei River comes from two main sources: vertical infiltration and river recharge. Specifically, ammonia nitrogen vertical infiltration and river recharge contribute 95.82% and 4.18%, respectively; nitrite nitrogen vertical infiltration and river recharge contribute 92.41% and 7.59%; and nitrate nitrogen vertical infiltration and river recharge contribute 94.26% and 5.74%. According to the simulation results, an increase in the intensity of surface water pollution control is required in the study area. It is also necessary to control the use of nitrogen fertiliser on farmland in the study area and improve the utilisation rate of nitrogen fertiliser to reduce the nitrogen pollution loads from these sources.
Treatment of Slaughterhouse Wastewater through a Series System: Upflow Anaerobic Reactor and Artificial Wetland
Authors: Galindo Montero Andrés A. , Berrio Arrieta Yeison M. , Pimienta Serrano Estefany V.
Published: February 2024

Slaughterhouse wastewater is characterized by high concentrations of organic matter. This creates a need to explore methods for its treatment before discharge. This study evaluated the efficiency of an integrated treatment process consisting of a laboratory-scale upflow anaerobic sludge blanket reactor and a pilot-scale horizontal subsurface flow wetland. This treatment was used for (i) the removal of organic matter through anaerobic–aerobic microbiological processes, (ii) the conversion of organic matter from hydraulic processes, and (iii) for bioremediation and phytoremediation. The treatment system was evaluated at hydraulic retention times (HRTs) of 7.5, 5.0, and 2.5 d; during the investigation, the influence of the HRTs on the removal efficiency of the system was evaluated. High efficiencies of 85% and 75% were obtained for CODT and BOD, respectively, at an HRT of 7.5 d. The highest overall efficiency for the removal of total solids was observed at an HRT of 2.5 d. The results obtained confirm the feasibility of implementing the suggested system as an alternative for the adequate and sustainable treatment of slaughterhouse wastewater, and the system can be applied to slaughterhouses with similar conditions to those in this study.
Ponds and Wetlands Landscapes of Flood Management in the Cities of the Lower Yellow River Floodplain—The Case of Huaiyang, China
Authors: Zhang Lei , Kondolf G. Mathias
Published: February 2024

As interest has increased in green infrastructure and nature-based solutions, traditional approaches to managing landscapes have emerged as providing useful models for sustainable water and land management. From local gazetteers, archives, oral histories, maps, and satellite images, we documented the historical landscapes of ponds and wetlands back to the 17th century in the historic city of Huaiyang on the lower Yellow River floodplain. Like neighboring cities, Huaiyang was protected by a ring levee. As the floodplain rapidly aggraded, cities within the levee became topographically lower than the surrounding landscape. In this context, ponds and wetlands were essential for flood and storm water retention in the low-lying city. These seasonal waterbodies alternated between drying and wetting, providing a dynamic and diverse background for native habitats and human uses. CORONA satellite images ca. 1960s show ponds and wetlands shrinking in the dry season to 35.6% of their wet season extent, while the farmed area expanded 5.3 times. The multiple uses of wetlands included dry-season farming, harvesting wetland plants, and fishing, each use adapted to the localized topographic and hydrologic conditions of the wetlands. The late 20th century saw massive transformations for modern agriculture and urbanization. Understanding the historical evolution of this landscape can provide inspiration for developing green infrastructure and resilient designs that preserve cultural diversity and sustainably manage water in an urbanizing landscape.
Geospatial Approaches to Improve Water Availability through Demand Assessment in Agriculture Based on Treated Wastewater: A Case Study of Weinstadt, Baden-Württemberg
Authors: Karmaker Sourav , Bandyopadhyay Sanchalita , Bauer Sonja
Published: February 2024

The sustainable management of water scarcity is a globally crucial issue. Germany has established efficient water management systems, but the agricultural sector still struggles with water scarcity as the demand surpasses the available water supply. In this work, the primary aim was to establish a framework for making water accessible for irrigation and additional use in households through the effective utilization of recycled water from wastewater treatment facilities. The research inquiries were focused on evaluating the changes in the CROPWAT agricultural irrigation model, determining the spatial distribution of zonal severity, estimating the capacity of urban roof catchments, and evaluating the economic value addition of retreated water from the existing wastewater treatment plant supply. According to the findings, the annual amount of water required for agriculture in the designated study location is approximately 2.9 million m3. Although there is no initial need for irrigation water, the demand for irrigation water increases during the development, active growth, and mature stages of maize, winter wheat, and wine grapes, reaching around 189 mm, 223 mm, and 63 mm, respectively. According to our observations, the annual water supply in Weinstadt is around 4 million m3. On the other hand, the compensated volume of water to the current water supply calculated from the urban roof rainfall is estimated to be 0.8 million m3, which is considered valuable from an economic standpoint. This economically efficient volume of water would reduce the current treated water supply, which indicates an opportunity for enhanced agricultural irrigation.
Participatory Analysis of Impacts of Agricultural Production Systems in a Watershed Depicting Southern Brazilian Agriculture
Authors: Troian Alexandre , Gomes Mário Conill , Tiecher Tales , Piccin Marcos Botton , Rheinheimer Danilo dos Santos , Reichert José Miguel
Published: February 2024

The objective of this study was to propose a multidimensional model capable of evaluating, in a participatory method, the pressures agricultural production systems cause to aquatic ecosystems. The model was structured with information compiled from scientific articles, doctoral theses, public documents, and field research performed with the participation of stakeholders through interviews, questionnaires, and group evaluations. The evaluation matrix combines seven criteria and twenty-five sub-criteria with different weights to evaluate two main aspects: (i) land occupation and soil management and (ii) agricultural waste production and disposal. The model was tested in 14 agricultural farms, representing four productive arrangements, in a large watershed (2400 km2) in southern Brazil. The geophysical characteristics of the site (18.3%), land use and occupation (28.2%), management practices (soil and water) (25.4%), manure and fertilizers (12.6%), pesticides (14.1%), agricultural waste and discards (1.4%) were the criteria and their respective weights used in the structure of the proposed evaluation model. The evaluation showed that the combination of the fragility of cultivated environments and the absence of conservation practices represented the greatest risks (72.9%) to maintaining the sound environmental conditions of aquatic ecosystems. For future research, it is recommended that a cost-effectiveness analysis be carried out to evaluate environmental conflicts.