bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Sea Level Variability in the Red Sea: A Persistent East–West Pattern
Authors: Abdulla Cheriyeri , Al-Subhi Abdullah
Published: June 2020

Based on 26 years of satellite altimetry, this study reveals the presence of a persistent east–west pattern in the sea level of the Red Sea, which is visible throughout the years when considering the east–west difference in sea level. This eastern–western (EW) difference is positive during winter when a higher sea level is observed at the eastern coast of the Red Sea and the opposite occurs during summer. May and October are transition months that show a mixed pattern in the sea level difference. The EW difference in the southern Red Sea has a slightly higher range compared to that of the northern region during summer, by an average of 0.2 cm. Wavelet analysis shows a significant annual cycle along with other signals of lower magnitude for both the northern and southern Red Sea. Removing the annual cycle reveals two energy peaks with periodicities of <12 months and 3–7 years, representing the intraseasonal and El Nino—Southern Oscillation (ENSO) signals, respectively. Empirical Orthogonal Function (EOF) analysis shows that EOF1 corresponds to 98% of total variability, EOF2 to 1.3%, and EOF3 to 0.4%. The remote response of ENSO is evident in the variability in the atmospheric bridge, while that of the Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) and North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) is weak. Three physical mechanisms are responsible for the occurrence of this EW difference phenomenon, namely wind, buoyancy, and the polarity of eddies.
Multi-Temporal UAV Data and Object-Based Image Analysis (OBIA) for Estimation of Substrate Changes in a Post-Bleaching Scenario on a Maldivian Reef
Authors: Fallati Luca , Saponari Luca , Savini Alessandra , Marchese Fabio , Corselli Cesare , Galli Paolo
Published: June 2020

Coral reefs are declining worldwide as a result of the effects of multiple natural and anthropogenic stressors, including regional-scale temperature-induced coral bleaching. Such events have caused significant coral mortality, leading to an evident structural collapse of reefs and shifts in associated benthic communities. In this scenario, reasonable mapping techniques and best practices are critical to improving data collection to describe spatial and temporal patterns of coral reefs after a significant bleaching impact. Our study employed the potential of a consumer-grade drone, coupled with structure from motion and object-based image analysis to investigate for the first time a tool to monitor changes in substrate composition and the associated deterioration in reef environments in a Maldivian shallow-water coral reef. Three key substrate types (hard coral, coral rubble and sand) were detected with high accuracy on high-resolution orthomosaics collected from four sub-areas. Multi-temporal acquisition of UAV data allowed us to compare the classified maps over time (February 2017, November 2018) and obtain evidence of the relevant deterioration in structural complexity of flat reef environments that occurred after the 2016 mass bleaching event. We believe that our proposed methodology offers a cost-effective procedure that is well suited to generate maps for the long-term monitoring of changes in substrate type and reef complexity in shallow water.
Verifying Physiological and Biomechanical Parameters during Continuous Swimming at Speed Corresponding to Lactate Threshold
Authors: Arsoniadis Gavriil G. , Nikitakis Ioannis S. , Botonis Petros G. , Malliaros Ioannis , Toubekis Argyris G.
Published: June 2020

The purpose of this study was to verify the physiological responses and biomechanical parameters measured during 30 min of continuous swimming (T30) at intensity corresponding to lactate threshold previously calculated by an intermittent progressively increasing speed test (7 × 200 m). Fourteen competitive swimmers (18.0 (2.5) years, 67.5 (8.8) kg, 174.5 (7.7) cm) performed a 7 × 200 m front crawl test. Blood lactate concentration (BL) and oxygen uptake (VO2) were determined after each 200 m repetition, while heart rate (HR), arm-stroke rate (SR), and arm-stroke length (SL) were measured during each 200 m repetition. Using the speed vs. lactate concentration curve, the speed at lactate threshold (sLT) and parameters corresponding to sLT were calculated (BL-sLT, VO2-sLT, HR-sLT, SR-sLT, and SL-sLT). In the following day, a T30 corresponding to sLT was performed and BL-T30, VO2-T30, HR-T30, SR-T30, and SL-T30 were measured after the 10th and 30th minute, and average values were used for comparison. VO2-sLT was no different compared to VO2-T30 (p > 0.05). BL-T30, HR-T30, and SR-T30 were higher, while SL-T30 was lower compared to BL-sLT, HR-sLT, SR-sLT, and SL-sLT (p < 0.05). Continuous swimming at speed corresponding to lactate threshold may not show the same physiological and biomechanical responses as those calculated by a progressively increasing speed test of 7 × 200 m.
Treatment of Coal Fly Ash and Environmentally Friendly Use with Rubber in Cable Wires as Insulation Material
Authors: Hussain Zawar , Lizhen Gao , Moeen Muhammad
Published: June 2020

Energy demand is increasing all over the world, and to fulfill this need, more energy is required to be produced. Coal power plants produce around 39% of energy, but during energy production, these coal power plants also generate waste in the form of coal fly ash (CFA). The reuse of CFA is the only solution to control this waste; fly ash can be used in different products. Therefore, this study utilizes CFA with rubber as filler materials in the rubber industry. There are different techniques (such as nozzle design technology, air classifier, and optimization of CFA to convert crushed fly ash into valuable microparticles. Treated CFA is applied to produce medium voltage insulated cables and fire resistance cables with different kinds of rubber, such as styrene–butadiene and Ethylene–propylene. The study found that by applying CFA in insulated cables, the elongation at break increased by 50%, and volume resistance 2.2 × 1016 Ω·cm, insulation resistance increased 70% by using CFA with magnesium in the recipe of insulated cables. The CFA increased the collection rate of cleaning by 30% using this technology, and product life expectancy increased by 5–20%.
Sustainable Wine Tourism Development: Case Studies from the Greek Region of Peloponnese
Authors: Karagiannis Dimitris , Metaxas Theodore
Published: June 2020

Even though Greece has had an agriculture-oriented economy for decades, recently it has relied heavily on tourism, which now constitutes 30% of the national GDP. Successful developmental synergies of tertiary and primary sectors are still in question. Sustainability practices are still in their infant stage in both sectors of the economy, preventing development. This paper aims to study the relationship between tourism and sustainability in wine-related enterprises in Greece. This is achieved through an examination of the successful business practices of Greek wineries from the leading wine-producing region of the Peloponnese and the impact of sustainability toward their operational practices. Many studies have related sustainability to the wine industry and have recognized that for most wine-related practitioners, the first priority is leaving the land in a better shape for the next generation. The study focuses on illustrative successful Greek wineries that participate in the “Peloponnesian wine routes” cluster. Data were gathered from multiple sources, including secondary data, company records, internet information, face-to-face interviews and on-site observations. The analysis of data revealed a number of aspects between the sustainable wine tourism business practices explored and the way that innovation has evolved. Further studies on common denominators and distinguishing criteria between sustainable business practices would be valuable to researchers and practitioners, destination management organizations and regional development policy makers.
Intelligent Control System of an Ecological Engineering Project for Carbon Sequestration in Coastal Mariculture Environments in China
Authors: Fan Wei , Xiao Canbo , Li Peiliang , Zhang Zhujun , Lin Tiancheng , Pan Yiwen , Di Yanan , Chen Ying
Published: June 2020

As an ecological engineering project, artificial upwelling can enhance seaweed growth in the oligotrophic sea area by lifting bottom water, which is rich in nutrients, to the surface and thereby increase coastal carbon sequestration. Generally, engineering projects producing artificial upwelling occur far away from land and are self-powered using offshore solar energy or wind energy. The key to successfully implementing such engineering projects is to produce artificial upwelling with limited energy. With this in mind, an intelligent control system is designed for the energy management of the artificial upwelling engineering project that operates at AoShan Bay in Qingdao, China. This engineering project uses artificial upwelling to assist in the cultivation of macroalgae. The intelligent control system can automatically produce upwelling according to the battery condition and guarantee safety during operation. Meanwhile, users can monitor the system in real time with a Cloud platform. The functioning of the system and the effect of upwelling are confirmed by a sea trial. This research provides guidelines and technical support for the future design of intelligent control systems mounted on artificial upwelling engineering projects.
Education for Sustainability in Practice: A Review of Current Strategies within Italian Universities
Authors: Sonetti Giulia , Barioglio Caterina , Campobenedetto Daniele
Published: June 2020

Universities play a crucial role in the short-term implementation of education for sustainable development goals (SDGs). The fourth SDG aims to “ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and to promote lifelong learning opportunities for all”. Indeed, SDG4 is not intended as a goal in itself, but rather, a tool to achieve different goals and explore the best practices, via deductive-theoretical or inductive-experiential methods. Still, current literature on education for SDGs does not always consider the infrastructural and practical factors affecting the success or the failure of the practices mentioned above. The main purpose of this paper is to organize and describe a set of ongoing education for sustainability strategies that took place from 2016 to 2019 in Italian universities. Eighteen best practices have been collected after a national call by the Italian Network of Sustainable Universities (RUS), that aimed to map the current landscape of SDGs-related actions. Data have been analyzed based on the qualitative description provided by each university, according to four criteria: trigger, course type, approach (top-down/bottom-up) and declared mission. Results are depicted as a map of the current Italian higher education system, where a predominant mission (teaching) and a prevalent driver (top-down) have been found as the frequent features of SDGs educational initiatives. Further developments highlight the value of this first country-wide mapping of the Italian Higher Education Institutions implementing SDGs in their activities, that can avoid the isolation of individual experiences and, most importantly, can suggest some comparability and transferability criteria for similar cases.
Integrated Innovation: Applying Systems Thinking to Sustainable Innovation and Transformation
Authors: Visser Wayne
Published: June 2020

Despite allusions to systemic elements in the conception of innovation more generally, and sustainable innovation in particular, the literature generally fails to capture many of the insights that systems science can bring to our understanding of these subjects. This concept paper elaborates five principles of integrated innovation—diversity, aspiration, networks, convergence and emergence—and describes five stages of integrated innovation: intention, ideation, invention, synovation and transformation.
Corporate Social Responsibility and Social Media: Comparison between Developing and Developed Countries
Authors: Kvasničková Stanislavská Lucie , Pilař Ladislav , Margarisová Klára , Kvasnička Roman
Published: June 2020

Social media allow companies to engage with their interest groups, thus enabling them to solidify corporate social responsibility (CSR) policies. The concept of CSR is now well-established for companies in Western countries, and CSR is becoming an increasingly popular topic in developing countries. This study investigated differences in the perception of the term ‘CSR’ on Instagram between developing and developed countries. We analysed 113,628 Instagram messages from 38,590 unique users worldwide. The data were recorded between 19 November 2017 and 11 December 2018. In both developed and developing countries, charity and social good were common features. On the contrary, a difference was identified in the area of sustainability, which is an important part of communication in developed countries, and the area of education, which is an important part of communication in developing countries. Community analysis revealed four dominant communities in developed countries: (1) philanthropic responsibility, (2) environmental sustainability, (3) pleasure from working and (4) start-ups with CSR; and three in developing countries: (1) social and environmental responsibility, (2) philanthropic responsibility and (3) reputation management. These results could facilitate the strategic management of CSR to adapt communication to local environments and company contexts. Our findings could allow managers to focus CSR activities on relevant issues in developing countries and thus differentiate their CSR communication from competing organizations.
Vietnamese Consumers’ Preferences for Functional Milk Powder Attributes: A Segmentation-Based Conjoint Study with Educated Consumers
Authors: Phan Trong , Bremer Phil , Mirosa Miranda
Published: June 2020

This paper investigated Vietnamese consumers’ preferences for functional milk powder products to determine if there were differences in market segments. A Qualtrics survey and a 1000minds choice-based conjoint survey were completed by 272 participants, predominantly 18-30-year-old males with high education levels and above average incomes. Firstly, general perceptions of the use of functional foods to maintain health were determined, with results revealing that participants believed in the benefits the foods claim to provide. Secondly, participants’ tradeoffs for specific extrinsic functional milk powder attributes were determined by examining the relative importance they placed on a range of attributes. Participants prioritized a quality stamp attribute and preferred that this was obtained from an international certification body. Finally, a two-step cluster analysis and multinomial logistic regression was used to profile the participants and analyze relationships between socio-demographic data and the four resulting segments (i.e., Food Safety Concerned, Price Sensitive, Premium Product Focused, and Nutrition Focused). The largest of these segments was Food Safety Concerned (46.3%) with males significantly less likely than females to be in this segment. Given the limited literature on Vietnamese consumers’ decision-making processes, this study is an important contribution to this topic, as well as providing information about market opportunities.
Sustainable Tourism Development in Protected Areas of Rivers and Water Sources: A Case Study of Jiuqu Stream in China
Authors: Hsu Chin-Hsien , Lin Hsiao-Hsien , Jhang Shangwun
Published: June 2020

This paper discusses the status quo of tourism and policy development regarding the Jiuqu Stream in China from different stakeholder perspectives. By combining field investigations, questionnaires, and statistical examinations of collected data, 812 samples were analyzed using multivariate analysis. The results indicate that increased visibility, employment opportunities, and real estate values in the scenic areas along the river will attract residents to return for future development, while public safety and conservation policies, featured architecture and tourism signage planning, increased cost of living, and waste and pollution will cause disincentives. Visitors will be attracted by the natural and ecological features, transportation planning, unique local culture, and events. Recreational facilities and architectural planning, merchandise lacking characteristics, tourist consumer expenditure, smoke and pollution from motor vehicles, and how it feels to interact with residents will influence the desire to visit the place. Development of an area should consider the different needs of every stakeholder in terms of recreational facilities, local infrastructure, expenditure and income, public safety and health, waste disposal, ecology and environmental conservation, tourism, and the quality of life.
Abandoned Industrial Areas with Critical Environmental Pollution: Evaluation Model and Stigma Effect
Authors: Del Giudice Vincenzo , De Paola Pierfrancesco , Bevilacqua Paolo , Pino Alessio , Del Giudice Francesco Paolo
Published: June 2020

The paper illustrates the phases and results of an evaluation model applied to abandoned industrial areas affected by critical environmental pollution. The main aim is to provide the economic evaluation of the impacts of critical environmental pollution on the market value of the areas, in anticipation of their future requalification and refunctionalization. Firstly, two mass appraisal models are applied: a regressive model in order to isolate the effects of real estate valorization generated by the requalification interventions of the abandoned steel mill areas of Bagnoli in Naples (Italy); an autoregressive model in relation to the chronology of the interventions and the real estate market dynamics, in order to predict values and costs of the building products to be realized on the areas. Subsequently, using the Ellwood model, the irreversible damage suffered by the areas in question due to the effect of critical environmental pollution is estimated. This irreversible damage corresponds to a “stigma” effect, or a loss to property value due to the presence of a risk perception-driven market resistance: for the abandoned steel mill areas of Bagnoli the reduction in the market value is equal to 28.63% approximately. The state of contamination of the areas is also described, estimating the related environmental remediation costs as a “deduction” to be applied to the “capital value” of the areas.
Parametric Study of Local Site Response for Bedrock Ground Motion to Earthquake in Phuentsholing, Bhutan
Authors: Tempa Karma , Sarkar Raju , Dikshit Abhirup , Pradhan Biswajeet , Simonelli Armando Lucio , Acharya Saroj , Alamri Abdullah M.
Published: June 2020

Earthquakes, when it comes to natural calamities, are characteristically devastating and pose serious threats to buildings in urban areas. Out of multiple seismic regions in the Himalayas, Bhutan Himalaya is one that reigns prominent. Bhutan has seen several moderate-sized earthquakes in the past century and various recent works show that a major earthquake like the 2015 Nepal earthquake is impending. The southwestern city of Bhutan, Phuentsholing is one of the most populated regions in the country and the present study aims to explore the area using geophysical methods (Multispectral Analysis of Surface Waves (MASW)) for understanding possibilities pertaining to infrastructural development. The work involved a geophysical study on eight different sites in the study region which fall under the local area plan of Phuentsholing City. The geophysical study helps to discern shear wave velocity which indicates the soil profile of a region along with possible seismic hazard during an earthquake event, essential for understanding the withstanding power of the infrastructure foundation. The acquired shear wave velocity by MASW indicates visco-elastic soil profile down to a depth of 22.2 m, and it ranged from 350 to 600 m/s. A site response analysis to understand the correlation of bedrock rigidness to the corresponding depth was conducted using EERA (Equivalent-linear Earthquake Site Response Analysis) software. The amplification factors are presented for each site and maximum amplification factors are highlighted. These results have led to a clear indication of how the bedrock characteristics influence the surface ground motion parameters for the corresponding structure period. The results infer that the future constructional activity in the city should not be limited to two- to five-story buildings as per present practice. Apart from it, a parametric study was initiated to uncover whatever effects rigid bedrock has upon hazard parameters for various depths of soil profile up to 30 m, 40 m, 60 m, 80 m, 100 m, 120 m, 140 m, 160 m, 180 m and 200 m from the ground surface. The overriding purpose of doing said parametric study is centered upon helping the stack holders who can use the data for future development. Such a study is the first of its kind for the Bhutan region, which suffers from the unavailability of national seismic code, and this is a preliminary step towards achieving it.
Social Representations of “Rounding Up” as a Cause-Related Marketing Practice: A Study of Mexican Millennials
Authors: Castillo-Villar Fernando Rey , Cavazos-Arroyo Judith
Published: June 2020

Nowadays, companies are relying more and more on cause-related marketing (CRM) as an effective corporate social responsibility practice to achieve marketing objectives by consumers’ participation in donations. Specifically, the current study is focused on exploring millennials’ (born between 1980 and 2000) beliefs and understandings of a CRM practice that has received scant attention from marketing scholars despite its effectiveness in raising money: rounding up. For methodological purposes, a structural approach to the theory of social representations is adopted as it facilitates the analysis of interpretations and shared meanings held by a social group about a specific social phenomenon. Thus, drawing on this theoretical approach, the method of free-word associations was chosen and applied to 300 Mexican millennials. Findings indicate that millennials understand the purpose and nature of rounding up and, hence, they are willing to donate money through this practice. However, the mistrust of companies’ practices and intentions by millennials (e.g., tax evasion and misuse of money) affect the credibility of rounding up. Therefore, companies must implement practices to enhance awareness, transparency, and trust in their rounding-up practices.
The Role of Social Farming in the Socio-Economic Development of Highly Marginal Regions: An Investigation in Calabria
Authors: Musolino Dario , Distaso Alba , Marcianò Claudio
Published: June 2020

This paper focuses on social farming, a new “branch” which includes activities that make use of agricultural, rural and natural resources in order to produce food and social services. It investigates the case of Calabria, one of the least developed regions in Italy and in Europe, which suffers from several serious problems; for example, the low level of accessibility, and the presence of the Mafia organisations. We wondered whether in such a region social farming can make a significant contribution to its social and economic development. Using the data collected by means of a qualitative investigation of some of the most important Calabrian social farms, we studied their characteristics, their strategies, their social mission, and their role in the local socio-economic context. We found that most of them are successful, in both economic and social terms, and their role in the local community is positive. Moreover, they are making a valuable contribution to the cultural change required to overcome the predominance of the Mafia.
Co-Creation of Knowledge for Ecosystem Services Approach to Spatial Planning in the Basque Country
Authors: Peña Lorena , Fernández de Manuel Beatriz , Méndez-Fernández Leire , Viota María , Ametzaga-Arregi Ibone , Onaindia Miren
Published: June 2020

Sustainable development has to be based on scientific knowledge, social agreements, and political decisions. This study aimed to analyse the implementation of the ecosystem services approach (ESA) in the spatial planning of the Basque Country, via the co-creation of knowledge. This paper uses a proposal for a regional green infrastructure (GI) to examine the co-creation of knowledge process. It addresses the community of practice; a process of co-creation of knowledge through workshops and meeting, SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats) analysis using an online survey, and mapping and identification of the multifunctional areas that provide ecosystem services (ES) to develop a GI. Results indicate that ESA has been included in spatial planning actions at different scales (biosphere reserve, metropolitan area, and region). This subsequently created an avenue for understanding the political necessities at play, so that scientists can develop useful tools for sustainable development. The findings also draw attention to the importance of establishing a constructive and mutually comprehensible dialogue between politicians, technical experts and scientists. For ES to be part of spatial planning, ESA has to be taken into account at the beginning of the planning process. We conclude that building bridges between science and spatial planning can help establish science-based management guidelines and tools that help enhance the sustainability of the territory.
The Paradox of “Eyes on the Street”: Pedestrian Density and Fear of Crime in Yaoundé, Cameroon
Authors: Tchinda Paul Emile , Kim Seung-Nam
Published: June 2020

Most studies highlighting the link between the urban environment and fear of crime (FoC) have focused on less populated spaces in urban areas, and concluded that the presence of activities and people in a space makes its users more confident. This study analyses the paradoxical phenomenon of FoC in occupied public spaces in the setting of Yaoundé, Cameroon. To this end, this study analyses the relationship between intersection level, pedestrian density and perceived FoC. The results of the multi-level binary logistic regression demonstrate that women, vulnerable age groups, people with a weak sense of community and high-income people tend to express a higher level of FoC. Among the major FoC theories, these results confirm the theories of physical vulnerability and social networks and invalidate the theory of social vulnerability in the local context. The results also reveal that the relationship between “pedestrian density” and FoC seems to be a convex curve with the minimum value, implying that the concept of ‘eyes on the street’ is not valid in places where pedestrian density exceeds a specific threshold. This suggests that policy makers and planners should consider pedestrian density when designing public spaces, not only to secure wellbeing, but also due to the impact it can have on perceived FoC among those who use such spaces.
Semi-Supervised Learning Method of U-Net Deep Learning Network for Blood Vessel Segmentation in Retinal Images
Authors: Chen Dali , Ao Yingying , Liu Shixin
Published: June 2020

Blood vessel segmentation methods based on deep neural networks have achieved satisfactory results. However, these methods are usually supervised learning methods, which require large numbers of retinal images with high quality pixel-level ground-truth labels. In practice, the task of labeling these retinal images is very costly, financially and in human effort. To deal with these problems, we propose a semi-supervised learning method which can be used in blood vessel segmentation with limited labeled data. In this method, we use the improved U-Net deep learning network to segment the blood vessel tree. On this basis, we implement the U-Net network-based training dataset updating strategy. A large number of experiments are presented to analyze the segmentation performance of the proposed semi-supervised learning method. The experiment results demonstrate that the proposed methodology is able to avoid the problems of insufficient hand-labels, and achieve satisfactory performance.
Braille Recognition for Reducing Asymmetric Communication between the Blind and Non-Blind
Authors: Hsu Bi-Min
Published: June 2020

Assistive braille technology has existed for many years with the purpose of aiding the blind in performing common tasks such as reading, writing, and communicating with others. Such technologies are aimed towards helping those who are visually impaired to better adapt to the visual world. However, an obvious gap exists in current technology when it comes to symmetric two-way communication between the blind and non-blind, as little technology allows non-blind individuals to understand the braille system. This research presents a novel approach to convert images of braille into English text by employing a convolutional neural network (CNN) model and a ratio character segmentation algorithm (RCSA). Further, a new dataset was constructed, containing a total of 26,724 labeled braille images, which consists of 37 braille symbols that correspond to 71 different English characters, including the alphabet, punctuation, and numbers. The performance of the CNN model yielded a prediction accuracy of 98.73% on the test set. The functionality performance of this artificial intelligence (AI) based recognition system could be tested through accessible user interfaces in the future.
Combining Different In Vitro Bioassays to Evaluate Genotoxicity of Water-Accommodated Fractions from Petroleum Products
Authors: Johann Sarah , Goßen Mira , Behnisch Peter A. , Hollert Henner , Seiler Thomas-Benjamin
Published: June 2020

Genotoxicity assessment is of high relevance for crude and refined petroleum products, since oil compounds are known to cause DNA damage with severe consequences for aquatic biota as demonstrated in long-term monitoring studies. This study aimed at the optimization and evaluation of small-scale higher-throughput assays (Ames fluctuation, micronucleus, Nrf2-CALUX®) covering different mechanistic endpoints as first screening tools for genotoxicity assessment of oils. Cells were exposed to native and chemically dispersed water-accommodated fractions (WAFs) of three oil types varying in their processing degree. Independent of an exogenous metabolic activation system, WAF compounds induced neither base exchange nor frame shift mutations in bacterial strains. However, significantly increased chromosomal aberrations in zebrafish liver (ZF-L) cells were observed. Oxidative stress was indicated for some treatments and was not correlated with observed DNA damage. Application of a chemical dispersant increased the genotoxic potential rather by the increased bioavailability of dissolved and particulate oil compounds. Nonetheless, the dispersant induced a clear oxidative stress response, indicating a relevance for general toxic stress. Results showed that the combination of different in vitro assays is important for a reliable genotoxicity assessment. Especially, the ZF-L capable of active metabolism and DNA repair seems to be a promising model for WAF testing.
Pulmonary Toxicity and Inflammatory Response of Vape Cartridges Containing Medium-Chain Triglycerides Oil and Vitamin E Acetate: Implications in the Pathogenesis of EVALI
Authors: Muthumalage Thivanka , Lucas Joseph H. , Wang Qixin , Lamb Thomas , McGraw Matthew D. , Rahman Irfan
Published: June 2020

Recently, there has been an outbreak of a condition named e-cigarette or vaping products-associated lung injury (EVALI). The primary components of vaping products include tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), vitamin E acetate (VEA) and medium-chain triglycerides (MCT), may be responsible for acute lung toxicity. Currently, little information is available on the physiological and biological effects of exposure to these products. We hypothesized that these CBD/counterfeit vape cartridges and their constituents (VEA and MCT) induce pulmonary toxicity, mediated by oxidative damage and inflammatory responses, leading to acute lung injury. We studied the potential mechanisms of CBD/counterfeit vape cartridge aerosol induced inflammatory response by evaluating the generation of reactive oxygen species by MCT, VEA, and cartridges and their effects on the inflammatory state of pulmonary epithelium and immune cells both in vitro and in vivo. Cells exposed to these aerosols generated reactive oxygen species, caused cytotoxicity, induced epithelial barrier dysfunction, and elicited an inflammatory response. Using a murine model, the parameters of acute toxicity to aerosol inhalation were assessed. Infiltration of neutrophils and lymphocytes was accompanied by significant increases in IL-6, eotaxin, and G-CSF in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF). In mouse BALF, eicosanoid inflammatory mediators, leukotrienes, were significantly increased. Plasma from e-cig users also showed increased levels of hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid (HETEs) and various eicosanoids. Exposure to CBD/counterfeit vape cartridge aerosols showed the most significant effects and toxicity compared to MCT and VEA. In addition, we determined SARS-CoV-2 related proteins and found no impact associated with aerosol exposures from these tested cartridges. Overall, this study demonstrates acute exposure to specific CBD/counterfeit vape cartridges induces in vitro cytotoxicity, barrier dysfunction, and inflammation and in vivo mouse exposure induces acute inflammation with elevated proinflammatory markers in the pathogenesis of EVALI.
Novel Ergot Alkaloids Production from Penicillium citrinum Employing Response Surface Methodology Technique
Authors: Shahid Memuna Ghafoor , Nadeem Muhammad , Gulzar Ahmed , Saleem Muhammad , Rehman Hafeez ur , Ghafoor Gul Zareen , Hayyat Muhammad Umar , Shahzad Laila , Arif Rabia , Nelofer Rubina
Published: June 2020

Ergot alkaloids are novel pharmaceutical and therapeutic agents synthesized in this study using fungal species Penicillium citrinum. To get the maximum yield of ergot alkaloids a statistical process of response surface methodology was employed using surface culture fermentation technique. Initially, the strain of Penicillium was improved using physical (ultraviolet (UV) and chemical (ethyl methane sulfonate (EMS) treatments to get the maximum yield of ergot alkaloids through surface culture fermentation technique. After improving the strain, survival rate of colonies of Penicillium citrinum treated with UV and EMS was observed. Only 2.04% living colonies were observed after 150 min of exposure of Penicillium citrinum in UV light and 3.2% living colonies were observed after 20 min of the exposure in EMS. The mutated strains of Penicillium citrinum were screened for their production of ergot alkaloids and after fermentation experiments, maximum yield was obtained from PCUV-4 and PCEMS-1 strains. After strain improvement, Plackett–Burman design (PBD) and Box–Behnken design (BBD) of RSM were employed and 10-fold yield enhancement (35.60 mg/100 mL) of ergot alkaloids was achieved. This enhancement in yield of ergot alkaloids proved the positive impacts of RSM and UV on the yield of ergot alkaloids. The study provides a cost effective, economical and sustainable process to produce medically important ergot alkaloids which can be used in various pharmaceutical formulations to treat human diseases.
Genomics of Maize Resistance to Fusarium Ear Rot and Fumonisin Contamination
Authors: Santiago Rogelio , Cao Ana , Malvar Rosa Ana , Butrón Ana
Published: June 2020

Food contamination with mycotoxins is a worldwide concern, because these toxins produced by several fungal species have detrimental effects on animal and/or human health. In maize, fumonisins are among the toxins with the highest threatening potential because they are mainly produced by Fusarium verticillioides, which is distributed worldwide. Plant breeding has emerged as an effective and environmentally safe method to reduce fumonisin levels in maize kernels, but although phenotypic selection has proved effective for improving resistance to fumonisin contamination, further resources should be mobilized to meet farmers’ needs. Selection based on molecular markers linked to quantitative trait loci (QTL) for resistance to fumonisin contamination or/and genotype values obtained using prediction models with markers distributed across the whole genome could speed up breeding progress. Therefore, in the current paper, previously identified genomic regions, genes, and/or pathways implicated in resistance to fumonisin accumulation will be reviewed. Studies done until now have provide many markers to be used by breeders, but to get further insight on plant mechanisms to defend against fungal infection and to limit fumonisin contamination, the genes behind those QTLs should be identified.
Langer Modification, Quantization Condition and Barrier Penetration in Quantum Mechanics
Authors: Li Bao-Fei , Zhu Tao , Wang Anzhong
Published: June 2020

The WKB approximation plays an essential role in the development of quantum mechanics and various important results have been obtained from it. In this paper, we introduce another method, the so-called uniform asymptotic approximations, which is an analytical approximation method to calculate the wave functions of the Schrödinger-like equations, and it is applicable to various problems, including cases with poles (singularities) and multiple turning points. A distinguished feature of the method is that in each order of the approximations the upper bounds of the errors are given explicitly. By properly choosing the freedom introduced in the method, the errors can be minimized, which significantly improves the accuracy of the calculations. A byproduct of the method is to provide a very clear explanation of the Langer modification encountered in the studies of the hydrogen atom and harmonic oscillator. To further test our method, we calculate (analytically) the wave functions for several exactly solvable potentials of the Schrödinger equation, and then obtain the transmission coefficients of particles over potential barriers, as well as the quantization conditions for bound states. We find that such obtained results agree with the exact ones extremely well. Possible applications of the method to other fields are also discussed.
Repurposing Therapeutics for Potential Treatment of SARS-CoV-2: A Review
Authors: Santos Jennifer , Brierley Stephanie , Gandhi Mohit J. , Cohen Michael A. , Moschella Phillip C. , Declan Arwen B. L.
Published: June 2020

The need for proven disease-specific treatments for the novel pandemic coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 necessitates a worldwide search for therapeutic options. Since the SARS-CoV-2 virus shares extensive homology with SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV, effective therapies for SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV may also have therapeutic potential for the current COVID-19 outbreak. To identify therapeutics that might be repositioned for treatment of the SARS-CoV-2 disease COVID-19, we strategically reviewed the literature to identify existing therapeutics with evidence of efficacy for the treatment of the three coronaviruses that cause severe respiratory illness (SARS-CoV, MERS-CoV, and SARS-CoV-2). Mechanistic and in vitro analyses suggest multiple promising therapeutic options with potential for repurposing to treat patients with COVID-19. Therapeutics with particularly high potential efficacy for repurposing include camostat mesylate, remdesivir, favipiravir, tocilizumab, baricitinib, convalescent plasma, and humanized monoclonal antibodies. Camostat mesylate has shown therapeutic potential, likely by preventing viral entry into epithelial cells. In early research, the targeted antivirals remdesivir and favipiravir appear to benefit patients by decreasing viral replication; clinical trials suggest that remdesivir speeds recovery from COVID-19. Tocilizumab and baricitinib appear to improve mortality by preventing a severe cytokine storm. Convalescent plasma and humanized monoclonal antibodies offer passive immunity and decreased recovery time. This review highlights potential therapeutic options that may be repurposed to treat COVID-19 and suggests opportunities for further research.
Correction: Lalani, S. and Poh, C.L. Flavonoids as Antiviral Agents for Enterovirus A71 (EV-A71). Viruses 2020, 12, 184
Authors: Lalani Salima , Poh Chit Laa
Published: June 2020

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An Assessment of the Level of Protection Against Colibacillosis Conferred by Several Autogenous and/or Commercial Vaccination Programs in Conventional Pullets upon Experimental Challenge
Authors: Koutsianos Dimitris , Gantelet Hubert , Franzo Giovanni , Lecoupeur Mathilde , Thibault Eric , Cecchinato Mattia , Koutoulis Konstantinos
Published: June 2020

The prevention of avian colibacillosis has historically been investigated through vaccination, with variable outcomes. Commercial live (attenuated) and inactivated vaccines are reported to have limited efficacy in the context of heterologous challenge. Autogenous vaccination, using field isolates, is widely used, but scarcely documented. Different vaccination programs, including a live commercial vaccine and/or an inactivated autogenous vaccine, were compared for three different avian pathogenic Escherichia coli (APEC) strain (serotypes O78, O18 and O111) challenges. On the pullet farm, four groups of conventional pullets received different vaccination protocols. Group A was kept unvaccinated (control group). Group B was vaccinated three times with a live commercial O78 E. coli vaccine (at one day old, 59 and 110 days of age). Group C was immunized twice (at 79 and 110 days) with a three-valence autogenous vaccine (O78, O18 and O111). Group D was vaccinated first with the commercial vaccine (at one day old and 59 days), then with the autogenous vaccine (110 days). Birds were transferred to the experimental facility at 121 days of age and were challenged 10 days later. In each group, 20 birds were challenged with one of the three APEC strains (O78, O18, O111); in total, 80 birds were challenged by the same strains (20 per group). The recorded outcomes were: mortality rate, macroscopic lesion score in target organs and the bacterial recovery of the challenge strain from bone marrow and pooled organs. When challenged with O78 or O111 strains, birds from groups C and D proved to be significantly better protected, in terms of lesion scoring and bacteriological isolation, than those of groups A and B. With the O18 challenge, only birds of group D presented a statistically significant reduction of their lesion score. To the authors’ knowledge, this is the first report on the efficacy of an immunization program in poultry that combines commercial and autogenous vaccines.
Longitudinal Study of Mycobacterium avium Subsp. paratuberculosis Antibody Kinetics in Dairy Cattle Using Sera and Milk throughout the Lactation Period
Authors: Faruk Md. Shohel Al , Jung Young-hoon , Hur Tai-young , Lee Sang-suk , Cho Yong-il
Published: June 2020

Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP) is the causative agent of Johne’s disease in dairy cattle populations around the world. The objective of this study was to evaluate MAP antibody kinetics in serum and milk samples throughout the lactation period in dairy cattle. The samples were collected simultaneously from eight MAP-positive and two healthy MAP-negative (control group) cows. The MAP antibody was detected by using serum and milk ELISA. The serum and milk MAP antibody titers fluctuated between the positive and negative cut-off values in this study. Specifically, cattle with low MAP antibody titer (<100) showed fluctuation between the cut-off values. Variable changes of MAP antibody titer were also observed after parturition. Between the serum and milk MAP antibody titers, there was a positive correlation (R2 = 0.5358) observed throughout the assessment period. The milk MAP ELISA test had low diagnostic performance in cows with low MAP titer due to its weak correlation (R2 = 0.0198). Finally, this study suggest that the periodic MAP ELISA test is recommended for the application of Johne’s eradication program due to the fluctuating nature of MAP antibody kinetics.
Investigation of Pathogenic Bacterial Transport by Waterbirds: A Case Study of Flooded and Non-Flooded Rice Systems in Mississippi
Authors: Firth Alexandra G. , Baker Beth H. , Brooks John P. , Smith Renotta , Iglay Raymond B. , Davis J. Brian
Published: June 2020

Waterbirds may facilitate pathogen transport in rice fields from autumn to winter. This study investigated pathogen dynamics in two types of rice fields, those considered conventionally managed and a low-external-input-sustainable-agriculture (LEISA) rice system in the Mississippi Alluvial Valley, winter 2017–2018. In each system, fields were (1) left unflooded or (2) flooded from November to March. Fecal indicator and pathogenic bacteria (enterococci, Clostridium perfringens, Escherichia coli, Salmonella spp., and Campylobacter spp.) were quantified in soil before and after winter flooding, and bird fecal matter estimated on both farm types. Water samples were tested for enterococci, C. perfringens and E. coli before fields were drained. The LEISA flooded fields had greater detections of C. perfringens in the soil than conventional non-flooded fields. There was an observed decreasing trend of C. perfringens detection associated with lower bird abundances among treatment groups. All observed pathogen levels in both systems were below EPA standards. Results suggest that long-term waterbird stopovers can influence pathogen indicators in soil, but not at levels to threaten human and environmental health standards. Future studies should focus on long-term monitoring of pathogen introduction in rice fields that harbor wintering waterfowl or other waterbirds.
Direct Mass Spectrometry with Online Headspace Sample Pretreatment for Continuous Water Quality Monitoring
Authors: Lee Sun-Hong , Shin Eun-Ji , Zoh Kyung-Duk , Kang Youn-Seok , Choi Jae-Won
Published: June 2020

This study investigates the use of selected ion flow tube mass spectrometry with an automated headspace pretreatment system for the continuous surveillance of water quality at wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) and rivers. The reaction rates of the target compounds introduced using the headspace method were similar to those of the mass scan library, with a margin of error of <10%. Novel quantitative formulae were derived for the water samples of the target compounds, and the linearity of the calibration curves for both the purified and effluent matrix (0.1–2.0 mg/L) showed a coefficient of determination of 0.98–0.99 for most compounds. The detection limit for 74% of the target substances was 0.02–0.10 mg/L, and the average recoveries were 111.6% and 104.7% for the low- and high-concentration spiked samples, respectively, which are comparable to those of the headspace gas chromatography-mass spectrometry system. However, the variability in individual concentrations was still large, due to the unstable control of sample injection flow and pressure. Herein, 79% of the 28 compounds met one-tenth of the proposed method detection limit criteria for emergency operations in WWTP. Field experiments showed that the system was easy to maintain and could be used to monitor chemical accidents.