bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Effects of Migration on Unemployment: New Evidence from the Asian Countries
Authors: Huynh Hai Hien , Vo Duc Hong
Published: July 2023

Asian countries have emerged as a new force in the global economy for the past three decades. However, these Asian countries have experienced fundamental problems arising from migration and unemployment. While the effects of migration on unemployment have been extensively investigated for the EU and OECD countries, these effects in the context of the Asian nations have largely been under-examined. This paper investigates the impacts of migration on unemployment in 47 Asian countries for the 1990–2020 period. Various estimation techniques are used in this study, including fixed-effects and random-effects models, as well as generalized least squares and generalized method of moments (GMM). The empirical findings show that migration reduces unemployment in Asian countries when all 47 countries are jointly considered. However, when countries are separated into different groups based on income levels, migration increases unemployment in low-income and low-middle-income countries such as India, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Vietnam. Economic growth is also shown to reduce unemployment in Asian countries, regardless of the estimation techniques. Policy implications have emerged based on our analysis, including a major reform in education for low-income and low–middle-income countries to ensure that workers in these countries are ready for jobs when facing a flow of migration workers who migrate for a better economic outcome.
How Can We Promote Smartphone Leasing via a Buyback Program?
Authors: Tian Gaidi , Li Chunfa
Published: July 2023

Leasing is an important sustainable PSS model of recycling smartphones, and they have emerged as a crucial component of retailers’ business evolution in recent times. Using hybrid selling–leasing transformations, retailers not only provide selling services but also leasing services, which not only increases revenue sources but also triggers internal competition. Due to this, retailers are reluctant to promote smartphone leasing. How can we enhance retailers’ motivation to promote smartphone leasing? This paper aims to answer this question by exploring the potential of a manufacturer’s buyback program and analyzing three price decision models: pure selling (S), hybrid selling–leasing without a buyback program (SL), and hybrid selling–leasing with a buyback program (HSL). The results show that (1) when consumers’ acceptance of leasing is moderate, retailers can benefit from hybrid selling–leasing transformation. (2) If the manufacturer chooses to buy back used leasing smartphones from the retailer, it is advisable to set a high buyback price that is at least equal to their residual value. (3) The buyback program can increase consumers’ leasing demand and manufacturer’s profits, as well as decrease the environmental impact of the supply chain system. More importantly, it has the potential to drive retailers to conduct hybrid selling–leasing transformation and can establish a positive correlation between retailers’ profits and consumers’ acceptance of leasing. This means that buyback programs can promote smartphone leasing and can be beneficial for smartphone recycling and urban sustainable development.
Impact of Carbon Intensity Indicator on the Vessels’ Operation and Analysis of Onboard Operational Measures
Authors: Rauca Livia , Batrinca Ghiorghe
Published: July 2023

The new carbon intensity indicator (CII) is an operational tool that is part of SEEMP III and came into force on 1 January 2023. It is a measure of a vessel’s efficiency in CO2 emitted per deadweight nautical mile and is aimed at supporting the decarbonization of maritime transportation. There are studies indicating that no matter which CII option is applied, the overall CO2 emissions can increase, and maybe the proposal of a new CII is required. It has been suggested that an average CII could be calculated for an entire company rather than for each individual ship. This case study analyzed the 1-year calendar routes of four vessels (one container carrier, two bulk carriers, and one tanker vessel); the CII results were evaluated, and further operational measures were applied to improve the CII rating. It was observed that CII is highly dependent on idle and laden voyages, and very good cooperation between shipowners and charterers is a must. The anchor/drifting and port times must be reduced to the minimum, and vessels’ schedules should be adjusted for just-in-time arrival to optimize the speed between ports. That requires the voyage planning to be evaluated and adjusted based on port operations.
Study on Liking and Disliking in the Historical Urban Landscape of Ibarra, Ecuador
Authors: Briceño-Avila Morella , Ponsot-Balaguer Ernesto Antonio , Rondón-González Alfonso
Published: July 2023

This article presents the results of a study on opinions on the elements and spaces of the historical urban landscape in Ibarra, Ecuador. This research aimed to propose an objective way of interpreting historical landscapes based on the opinions of people who frequent those places. Our hypothesis was that personal characteristics (e.g., age, gender, educational level, and frequency of visits) condition people’s judgments of urban landscapes, and we aimed to establish which of these characteristics were the most influential. A survey was conducted in the place of study, and passers-by were asked to mention three elements and spaces that they liked or disliked. The methodology had two parts: a descriptive statistical analysis that was used to locate each point on a map and a logistic regression model to study the relationships between people’s opinions and their personal characteristics. The results show that (1) it was possible to demonstrate the elements and spaces that were liked and disliked in proportion graphs and planimetry and (2) that an explanatory analysis of opinions could be carried out using a logistic regression model to study significant characteristics. We found that the frequency of visits was the most significant characteristic for the elements and spaces that were disliked. We also concluded that the results of this study could provide objective tools for obtaining the opinions of people and combining them with planimetry. Additionally, the results could be used to establish priorities for urban authorities regarding improvements and interventions for elements and spaces that people like or dislike.
Supply Chain in the Digital Age: A Scientometric–Thematic Literature Review
Authors: Tubis Agnieszka A. , Grzybowska Katarzyna , Król Bartosz
Published: July 2023

The digitization of logistics processes enables, among others, real-time data exchange, which is currently the driving force of the modern economy, as well as functioning supply chains. Digital transformation has been accelerated in recent years, primarily by the development of the Industry 4.0 concept. It is also perceived as a trend supporting the sustainable development of organizations and industries. The main research challenge was identifying current research directions related to the digitalization of supply chains. Therefore, this article aims to present the literature review results of the last five years (2018–2022) regarding the digitalization of supply chains. The research used the PRISMA method (The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses), and 127 articles were analyzed. On this basis, we proposed a two-level qualifications framework that includes eight core categories and sixteen subcategories. The main contributions of this work are as follows: providing a complete and up-to-date (last five years) literature review on supply chains in the digital age from a global perspective that summarizes the current state of the art in an integrated framework; and provides an indication of the two most significant challenges currently observed, which are interrelated. The first key challenge is the digital transformation of businesses and supply chains; the second is sustainable development, which focuses on the Sustainable Development Goals; reducing the complexity of the issue by providing structure and clarity (Identifying categories and subcategories as the mind map); and identifying research gaps that we will work on in the future. Based on the review, we indicate three identified research gaps: there is a lack of research assessing the use of digitalization to build supply chain resilience; there are no studies evaluating the risk of the negative impact of technologies and threats on relations integrating future supply chains; and there is a lack of research on the changing role of man in modern logistics systems.
From Ideal to Practical—A Design of Teacher Professional Development on Socioscientific Issues
Authors: Eidin Emil , Shwartz Yael
Published: July 2023

As consensus towards teaching science for citizenship grows, so grows the need to prepare science teachers to pursue this goal. Implementation of socioscientific issues (SSI) is one of the most prominent theoretical and practical frameworks developed to support scientific literacy and preparing students as informed citizens. However, implementation of SSI holds great challenges for science teachers. Longitudinal professional development (PD) programs were designed to overcome these barriers, yet at the same time many educational systems lack the resources, both in terms of budget and time to meet such intense programs. In this paper, we introduce a design of a short-term PD course that was conducted in Israel. The PD was specifically tailored for secondary school science teachers, with the goal to support them in implementing SSI. Employing an educational design research framework, we tested our PD design over a span of three consecutive years. Through an iterative design process, we were able to make modifications to the program based on data collected and analyzed from the previous year. The structure of the PD is based on four SSI aspects: (a) introduction to SSI, (b) argumentation in SSI context, (c) SSI operationalization, and (d) science communication. In this paper, we provide detailed explanations for each of these aspects, justify the changes made to the PD design, and highlight both promising and less effective strategies for engaging teachers in SSI. Ultimately, we propose a comprehensive SSI PD model that can effectively prepare teachers to take their initial steps in implementing SSI, while remaining adaptable to diverse educational systems.
For a Sustainable Future: A Survey about the 2030 Agenda among the Italian Geosciences Community
Authors: Gerbaudo Andrea , Lozar Francesca , Lasagna Manuela , Tonon Marco Davide , Egidio Elena
Published: July 2023

The combined annual Congress of the Italian Geological Society (Società Geologica Italiana, SGI) and the Italian Mineralogical and Petrological Society (Società Italiana di Mineralogia e Petrologia, SIMP), dedicated to Geosciences for a sustainable future, took place in Turin in September 2022. This was an opportunity to critically reflect on the role of geosciences for our society and planet, and the role that geoscientists have to play in the education of citizens, for the prevention of natural hazards and the conservation of cultural and natural heritage. In continuity with our previous work on the awareness of the Sustainable Development Goals among young geoscientists in Italy, the present study attempts to expand the investigated sample to include the entire Italian community of geoscientists. The aim is to highlight: (1) the most widespread opinions on the link between Earth Sciences and the Sustainable Development Goals of the UN 2030 Agenda; (2) what steps have been taken by Italian Earth Sciences departments for sustainability education and what could be the best strategies to develop sustainability related to geoscience topics. According to 229 answers to a questionnaire sent to congress participants (corresponding to 20% of the total amount), the results highlight that the Italian geocommunity (at least its younger members) has a high awareness of the implications of its work and research with sustainability issues, and, in particular, their responsibility to the environment; notwithstanding this awareness, the level of average familiarity with the 2030 Agenda and its goals is still low. In order to bridge this gap, it is recognized that there is an urgent need for sustainability education efforts in departments and the use of inter- and trans-disciplinary teaching approaches that can educate both students and practitioners to be capable of addressing the challenging issues of today.
Analysis of the Interaction Damage Mechanism and Treatment Measures for an Underpass Landslide Tunnel: A Case from Southwest China
Authors: Zhou Wangwang , Xu Xulin , Li Xiaoqing , Li Shiyun
Published: July 2023

Previous studies have analyzed the damage of tunnels and slopes as a single entity, ignoring the interaction effect between the tunnels and slopes, which will have an impact on the accuracy of the damage mechanism and the safety of the treatment measures. In this paper, three types of simulation models are established—the natural state, after tunnel excavation, and after reinforcement measures—considering a case study of an underpass landslide tunnel in southwest China. Based on the theory of underpass landslide tunnels and the strength reduction method, the interaction damage mechanism of this underpass landslide tunnel is revealed, and a reasonable treatment plan is proposed. The analysis results show the following: there is an obvious interaction effect between the tunnel collapse and the slope instability; a large number of mudstones common in the surrounding rock of the tunnel have rheological properties, which amplify the influence of the interaction effect of the tunnel through the landslide; and the proposed comprehensive treatment measures of “rescue inside the tunnel cave + tunnel slope treatment” have strong pertinence and effectiveness, and they fundamentally address the tunnel collapse and the slope instability of the tunnel.
Discovering Hidden Associations among Environmental Disclosure Themes Using Data Mining Approaches
Authors: Acar Ece , Sarıyer Görkem , Jain Vipul , Ramtiyal Bharti
Published: July 2023

Environmental concerns play a crucial role in sustainability and public opinion on supply chains. This is why, how, and to what extent the firms experience environmental-related actions and inform their stakeholders, which is under discussion by most researchers. This paper aims to leverage data mining and its capabilities by applying association rule mining to the environmental disclosure context. With the aim of extracting hidden relationships between environmental disclosure themes for BIST 100 firms serving the Turkish supply chain, this research implements a novel association rule mining approach and uses the Apriori algorithm. With this purpose, the environmental information of BIST 100 firms was collected manually from sustainability reports; the raw data were processed; and the following seven themes identified the representing firms’ disclosure items: environmental management, climate change, energy management, emissions management, water management, waste management, and biodiversity management. The results indicate various hidden relations between the sector and disclosures, allowing us to generate sector-based rules between environmental disclosure themes.
Improving Motivation and Learning Experience with a Virtual Tour of an Assembly Line to Learn about Productivity
Authors: Hernández-Campos Mónica , Guzmán-Arias Luis Carlos , Aguilar-Cordero José Fabián , Rojas-Muñoz Edgar , Leandro-Elizondo Ronald , Law Yuen C.
Published: July 2023

We propose the use of a Virtual Tour to substitute in-person visits to a manufacturing plant for a lecture on Enterprise Productivity at the School of Business Administration at our University. Traditionally, during this lecture, students are required to visit a production site to observe its process and apply their knowledge in a real-life scenario. However, finding businesses that are willing to participate and offer the right learning conditions has become a challenge. This situation is now worse due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In this paper, we present a prototype of a virtual tour of an assembly line in a simulated environment, where students can explore and learn about the manufacturing process of car seats. We performed a mixed method user study, with quantitative and qualitative data, to determine whether the application can help learn the intended concepts and improve the learning experience and motivation of students. Results show that the use of the virtual tour application increased motivation in learning.
The Interplay of Migrant Workers’ Working Hours, Income, and Well-Being in China
Authors: Zhang Fei , Xu Wei , Khurshid Adnan
Published: July 2023

There is a history of overwork in China, and regulations to protect workers are insufficient. This study explores the relationship between working long hours and self-rated health among rural-urban migrant workers in China. Survey data from the 2018 China Family Panel Studies (CFPS) is used to construct a simultaneous equation model, and the 3SLS method is applied. The results showed that: (1) Migrant workers had good health. However, overtime work is very common among migrant workers in China, and male migrants work more overtime. (2) Migrant laborers’ health and income are causally related, with better health leading to higher income. In contrast, the compensatory effect of income by extending working hours on health is smaller than the damage caused by overtime work for the male migrants who have more severe overtime work, resulting in a negative income effect on health. (3) The incentive effect of income on labor supply and the positive interaction effect of increasing labor hours to increase income are only reflected in the standard labor time sample. Therefore, for the heavy overwork group whose working hours have already reached the limit, income increases can no longer motivate them to extend their labor hours. Therefore, provincial and national policy transformations are needed to regularize working hours and remuneration while maintaining individual health.
Life Cycle Assessment of Craft Beer Brewing at Different Scales on a Unit Operation Basis
Authors: Salazar Tijerino María Belén , San Martín-González M. Fernanda , Velasquez Domingo Juan Antonio , Huang Jen-Yi
Published: July 2023

Beer brewing is a complex process that comprises many fundamental unit operations. Over the last few years, craft brewing has become very popular, and the number of small-scale commercial brewers has drastically increased. However, due to the use of traditional beer-making methods, energy utilization in craft breweries tends to be inefficient, resulting in poor sustainability. Therefore, there is a necessity for a holistic analysis on the energy profile of craft beer brewing to evaluate its environmental performance on a unit operation basis. In this study, a gate-to-gate life cycle assessment was conducted to analyze and compare the environmental profiles of craft beer brewing, including ale and lager, at commercial (microbrewery) and pilot scales. A process simulation model was developed to estimate the electricity and/or natural gas uses of each unit operation, including heating, mashing, boiling, whirlpool, cooling, fermentation, and maturation. The model accurately predicted the steam use for pilot-scale brewing and the electricity and gas bills of a microbrewery. The beers brewed at the microbrewery scale (21.5-barrel brewhouse) had 2–11-fold lower environmental impacts than those brewed at the pilot scale (1-barrel brewhouse), and lager beer generally produced 11–32% higher impacts than ale. The fermentation and maturation steps in brewing were the major contributors to global warming and terrestrial acidification, whereas the mashing step was predominantly responsible for marine eutrophication. This study provides craft brewers with a useful tool for identifying the hotspots of energy use in their processes and developing potential improvement strategies.
Effects of Roller Compacted Concrete Incorporating Coal Bottom Ash as a Fine Aggregate Replacement
Authors: Seav Ngiseng , Kim Kyoung Su , Kim Jae Hoon , Lee Seung Woo , Kim Young Kyu
Published: July 2023

Coal bottom ash (CBA) is a by-product generated in the coal furnaces of thermal power plants. It has adverse effects on the environment and requires additional landfill storage. However, the physical appearance of CBA is similar to that of sand, with particle sizes ranging from fine to coarse aggregates. Hence, many previous studies have focused on its application instead of sand for conventional concrete and structural fill materials considering natural sand depletion. Roller compacted concrete (RCC) is a zero-slump concrete with better compressive strength than conventional concrete because of the aggregate interlock achieved due to the compactness. It uses a low cement content but requires a large amount of sand. However, the applicability of CBA to RCC is limited. The properties of CBA may vary depending on the location. Therefore, this study aims to evaluate the effect of CBA as a sand replacement in RCC in terms of strength and long-term performance by conducting an empirical experiment under given conditions. Initially, a comprehensive literature review of various concrete strengths using CBA as sand replacement is provided. Thereafter, details related to the experiments on the strength and durability of the given CBA are presented. The results show that the RCC strength improves when CBA increases owing to the good gradation and low percentage of calcium oxide. Furthermore, the samples displayed acceptable freeze–thaw resistance values, but the scaling resistance values were small, owing to the high-water absorption. Therefore, CBA can be used in RCC as sand for improved structural performance, while additional research should be conducted to improve its long-term performance.
Deviation of Geodesics, Particle Trajectories and the Propagation of Radiation in Gravitational Waves in Shapovalov Type III Wave Spacetimes
Authors: Osetrin Konstantin , Osetrin Evgeny , Osetrina Elena
Published: July 2023

A class of exact (non-perturbative) models of strong gravitational waves based on Shapovalov type III spacetimes and Einstein’s vacuum equations is obtained. Exact solutions are found for the trajectories of particles and radiation in a gravitational wave in privileged coordinate systems. Exact solutions are obtained for the equations of geodesic deviation and tidal acceleration of particles in a gravitational wave in privileged coordinate systems. An explicit analytical law of transition from a privileged coordinate system to a synchronous reference system associated with a freely falling observer with an explicit selection of time and spatial coordinates is obtained. An explicit form of the metric of a gravitational wave in a synchronous frame of reference is obtained. For a synchronous frame of reference, the trajectories of particles and radiation, the deviation of geodesics, and tidal accelerations in a gravitational wave are obtained. The presented methods and approaches are applicable both to Einstein’s general theory of relativity and to modified theories of gravity.
A Proposal to the ‘12 vs. 32 Puzzle’
Authors: Li Qiang , Feng Wei , Wang Guo-Li
Published: July 2023

We reconsider the semileptonic decays of B→D1(′)lν¯l. The previous theoretical calculations predict a significantly smaller rate for the semileptonic decay of B to D1′(Jl=12) compared with that to the D1(Jl=32), which is not consistent with the current experimental data. This conflict is known as the so-called ‘12 vs. 32 puzzle’. In this work, we propose a simple scheme to fix this problem, where we suppose the strong eigenstates D1(′) that do not coincide with the eigenstate of the weak interaction, since no experimental results show that the weak and the strong interactions have to share the same eigenstates. Within the framework of this tentative scheme, meson B first weakly decays to the weak eigenstates Dα(β) and then the latter are detected as the D1(′) by the strong decay products D*π. We predict that there exist two new particles Dα(β) with JP=1+, which were not previously identified. The good performance of the new scheme in describing the experimental data may hint at new symmetry in the weak decays of Bq to 1+ heavy–light mesons. To test the scheme proposed here, we suggest an experiment to detect the difference in the invariant mass spectra of D1 that is reconstructed from the B weak decay and from the strong decay products.
A Transmuted Modified Power-Generated Family of Distributions with Practice on Submodels in Insurance and Reliability
Authors: Naz Sidra , Al-Essa Laila A. , Bakouch Hassan S. , Chesneau Christophe
Published: July 2023

In this article, we propose a new transmuted modified power-generalized family of distributions constructed from the transmuted-generated and modified power-generated families. The proposed approach is flexible and provides a tradeoff between the two baseline families. For a prime study, we identify the main characteristics of the new transmuted modified power family, such as the asymptotic results, quantile function, series representation, and the various kinds of moment measures. By using the exponential distribution as the baseline, a new three-parameter lifetime distribution is constructed. The associated probability functions (density and hazard rate) are flexible and have a variety of asymmetric shapes, which make them attractive for statistical purposes. In particular, for the related probability density function, reversed-J, unimodal, and right-skewed shapes are observed. Measures relating to risk theory are also computed, such as the value at risk and the expected shortfall. By using both simulation analysis and the maximum likelihood approach, the estimation of the model parameters is evaluated. The effectiveness of the proposed model is demonstrated by two real-world cases (one in insurance and the other in reliability), and we show that it yields better fits when compared to other extended models connected to the exponential model.
Scanning Precession Electron Tomography (SPET) for Structural Analysis of Thin Films along Their Thickness
Authors: Passuti Sara , Varignon Julien , David Adrian , Boullay Philippe
Published: July 2023

Accurate structure analysis of epitaxial perovskite thin films is a fundamental step towards the ability to tune their physical properties as desired. Precession-assisted electron diffraction tomography (PEDT) has proven to be an effective technique for performing ab initio structure solutions and refinements for this class of materials. As the film thickness or the region of interest (ROI) decrease in size, the capacity to collect PEDT data with smaller electron beams is a key parameter and ROI tracking becomes a major issue. To circumvent this problem, we considered here an alternative approach to acquiring data by combining PEDT with a scan over an area, extracting the intensities collected at different positions and using them to perform accurate structure refinements. As a proof of concept, a Scanning Precession Electron Tomography (SPET) experiment is performed on a 35 nm thick perovskite PrVO3(PVO) film deposited on a SrTiO3 (STO) substrate. This way, it was possible to detect small changes in the PVO structure along the film thickness, from the variation in unit cell parameters to atomic positions. We believe that SPET has the potential to become the standard procedure for the accurate structure analysis of ROIs as small as 10 nm.
Rapid Detection of Single- and Co-Contaminant Aflatoxins and Fumonisins in Ground Maize Using Hyperspectral Imaging Techniques
Authors: Kim Yong-Kyoung , Baek Insuck , Lee Kyung-Min , Kim Geonwoo , Kim Seyeon , Kim Sung-Youn , Chan Diane , Herrman Timothy J. , Kim Namkuk , Kim Moon S.
Published: July 2023

Aflatoxins and fumonisins, commonly found in maize and maize-derived products, frequently co-occur and can cause dangerous illness in humans and animals if ingested in large amounts. Efforts are being made to develop suitable analytical methods for screening that can rapidly detect mycotoxins in order to prevent illness through early detection. A method for classifying contaminated maize by applying hyperspectral imaging techniques including reflectance in the visible and near-infrared (VNIR) and short-wave infrared (SWIR) regions, and fluorescence was investigated. Machine learning classification models in combination with different preprocessing methods were applied to screen ground maize samples for naturally occurring aflatoxin and fumonisin as single contaminants and as co-contaminants. Partial least squares–discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) and support vector machine (SVM) with the radial basis function (RBF) kernel were employed as classification models using cut-off values of each mycotoxin. The classification performance of the SVM was better than that of PLS-DA, and the highest classification accuracies for fluorescence, VNIR, and SWIR were 89.1%, 71.7%, and 95.7%, respectively. SWIR imaging with the SVM model resulted in higher classification accuracies compared to the fluorescence and VNIR models, suggesting that as an alternative to conventional wet chemical methods, the hyperspectral SWIR imaging detection model may be the more effective and efficient analytical tool for mycotoxin analysis compared to fluorescence or VNIR imaging models. These methods represent a food safety screening tool capable of rapidly detecting mycotoxins in maize or other food ingredients consumed by animals or humans.
An Extended Investigation of Unexpected Helicoverpa zea (Boddie) Survival and Ear Injury on a Transgenic Maize Hybrid Expressing Cry1A/Cry2A/Vip3A Toxins
Authors: Huang Fangneng , Niu Ying , Silva Tiago , Brown Sebe , Towles Tyler , Kerns Dawson , Jurat-Fuentes Juan Luis , Head Graham P. , Carroll Matthew , Walker Wade , Lin Shucong
Published: July 2023

The wide occurrence of resistance to Cry1A and Cry2A insecticidal toxins from Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) in the corn earworm/bollworm Helicoverpa zea (Boddie) leaves the Vip3A toxin produced during the vegetative stage of Bt as the only fully active toxin expressed in transgenic crops to control H. zea in the U.S.A. During 2021, the first unexpected survival of H. zea and injury (UXI) on a maize hybrid expressing Cry1A.105, Cry2Ab2, and Vip3Aa in Louisiana, U.S.A. were observed in two sentinel plots used for resistance monitoring. A follow-up intensive investigation was conducted with two H. zea populations established from larvae collected from the two UXI plots. The main goal of this study was to reveal if the unexpected damage was due to resistance development in the insect to the Bt toxins expressed in the maize hybrid. Diet-overlay bioassays showed that the two populations were highly resistant to Cry1A.105, moderately resistant to Cry2Ab2, but still highly susceptible to Vip3Aa when compared to a reference susceptible strain. In 10 d assays with detached ears, the larvae of the two UXI populations exhibited survival on ears expressing only Cry toxins but presented near 100% mortality on maize hybrids containing both cry and vip3A transgenes. Multiple field trials over three years demonstrated that natural H. zea populations in Louisiana were highly resistant to maize expressing only Cry toxins but remained susceptible to all tested hybrids containing cry and vip3A genes. Altogether, the results of this study suggest that the observed UXIs in Louisiana were associated with a resistance to Cry toxins but were not due to a resistance to Vip3A. The possible causes of the UXIs are discussed. The results generated and procedures adopted in this study help in determining thresholds for defining UXIs, assessing resistance risks, and documenting field resistance.
Anti-Leishmania amazonensis Activity, Cytotoxic Features, and Chemical Profile of Allium sativum (Garlic) Essential Oil
Authors: Garcia Andreza R. , Amorim Mariana M. B. , Amaral Ana Claudia F. , da Cruz Jefferson D. , Vermelho Alane B. , Nico Dirlei , Rodrigues Igor A.
Published: July 2023

Human tegumentary leishmaniasis (HTL) is a serious tropical disease caused by Leishmania amazonensis. Developing new leishmanicidal agents can help overcome current treatment challenges, such as drug resistance and toxicity. Essential oils are a source of lipophilic substances with diverse therapeutic properties. This study aimed to determine the anti-L. amazonensis activity, cytotoxicity, and chemical profile of Allium sativum essential oil (ASEO). The effect of ASEO on parasite and mammalian cells viability was evaluated using resazurin and MTT assays, respectively. The oil’s effect against intracellular amastigotes was also determined. Transmission electron microscopy was used to assess the ultrastructural changes induced by ASEO. In addition, the chemical constituents of ASEO were identified by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The cytotoxic potential was evaluated in vitro and in silico. The oil displayed IC50 of 1.76, 3.46, and 3.77 µg/mL against promastigotes, axenic, and intracellular amastigotes, respectively. Photomicrographs of treated parasites showed plasma membrane disruption, increased lipid bodies, and autophagic-like structures. ASEO chemical profiling revealed 1,2,4,6-tetrathiepane (24.84%) and diallyl disulfide (16.75%) as major components. Computational pharmacokinetics and toxicological analysis of ASEO’s major components demonstrated good oral bioavailability and better toxicological endpoints than the reference drugs. Altogether, the results suggest that ASEO could be an alternative drug candidate against HTL.
One Health Approach in Serosurvey of Toxoplasma gondii in Former Black Slave (Quilombola) Communities in Southern Brazil and Among Their Dogs
Authors: Panazzolo Giovanni Kalempa , Kmetiuk Louise Bach , Domingues Orlei José , Farinhas João Henrique , Doline Fernando Rodrigo , França Danilo Alves de , Rodrigues Nássarah Jabur Lot , Biondo Leandro Meneguelli , Giuffrida Rogério , Langoni Helio , Santarém Vamilton Alvares , Biondo Alexander Welker , Fávero Giovani Marino
Published: July 2023

Brazilian quilombos are rural semi-isolated remnant communities of former black slaves and their descendants who traditionally maintained themselves through archaic subsistence livestock and agriculture practices and historically lacked specific public health policies. Although such individuals and their dogs may be exposed to zoonotic pathogens such as Toxoplasma gondii, no study to date has assessed these human-animal populations together. Populations in four different Brazilian quilombos in southern Brazil were evaluated. Overall, 93/208 people (44.7%) and 63/100 dogs (63.0%) were seropositive for IgG anti-T. gondii antibodies by indirect immunofluorescent antibody test (IFAT), 4/208 (1.9%) human samples seropositive for IgM anti-T. gondii antibodies, with a human-dog seropositivity ratio for IgG of 0.71. Quilombola individuals ingesting game meat were 2.43-fold more likely (95% CI: 1.05–5.9) to be seropositive. No risk factors were associated with seropositivity among dogs, thus suggesting that their exposure to T. gondii was random. Surprisingly, our research group had previously found an inverted human-dog ratio for T. gondii seropositivity of 2.54 in the urban area of a nearby major city. Because consumption of raw/undercooked game meat by quilombola individuals may have contributed to higher exposure, higher overall seroprevalence among dogs may have also indicated interaction with wildlife. Although these dogs may hunt wildlife without their owners’ awareness, the higher dog seropositivity may also be related to feeding from discarded food in the community or backyard livestock animals and drinking surface water contaminated with oocysts. Thus, wildlife cannot be singled out as the reason, and future studies should consider sampling water, soil, wildlife, and livestock tissues, to fully establish the source of infection in dogs herein.
First Insight into the Seroepidemiology of Hepatitis E Virus (HEV) in Dogs, Cats, Horses, Cattle, Sheep, and Goats from Bulgaria
Authors: Tsachev Ilia , Gospodinova Krasimira , Pepovich Roman , Takova Katerina , Kundurzhiev Todor , Zahmanova Gergana , Kaneva Kristin , Baymakova Magdalena
Published: July 2023

In recent years, hepatitis E virus (HEV) infection has been found to be widespread among different animal species worldwide. In Bulgaria, high HEV seropositivity was found among pigs (60.3%), wild boars (40.8%), and East Balkan swine (82.5%). The aim of the present study was to establish the seroprevalence of HEV among dogs, cats, horses, cattle, sheep, and goats in Bulgaria. In total, 720 serum samples from six animal species were randomly collected: dogs—90 samples; cats—90; horses—180; cattle—180; sheep—90; and goats—90. The serum samples were collected from seven districts of the country: Burgas, Kardzhali, Pazardzhik, Plovdiv, Sliven, Smolyan, and Stara Zagora. The animal serum samples were tested for HEV antibodies using the commercial Wantai HEV-Ab ELISA kit (Beijing, China). The overall HEV seroprevalence among different animal species from Bulgaria was as follows: dogs—21.1%; cats—17.7%; horses—8.3%; cattle—7.7%; sheep—32.2%; and goats—24.4%. We found the lowest overall HEV seropositivity in Plovdiv district (6.2%; 4/64; p = 0.203) and Smolyan district (8.8%; 4/45; p = 0.129), vs. the highest in Pazardzhik district (21.6%; 29/134; p = 0.024) and Burgas district (28.8%; 26/90; p = 0.062). To the best of our knowledge, this is the first serological evidence of HEV infection in dogs, cats, horses, cattle, sheep, and goats from Bulgaria. We found high HEV seropositivity in small ruminants (sheep and goats), moderate seropositivity in pets (dogs and cats), and a low level of seropositivity in large animals (horses and cattle). Previous Bulgarian studies and the results of this research show that HEV infection is widespread among animals in our country. In this regard, the Bulgarian health authorities must carry out increased surveillance and control of HEV infection among animals in Bulgaria.
Application of High-Pressure Processing (or High Hydrostatic Pressure) for the Inactivation of Human Norovirus in Korean Traditionally Preserved Raw Crab
Authors: Roy Pantu Kumar , Jeon Eun Bi , Kim Ji Yoon , Park Shin Young
Published: July 2023

Human norovirus (HuNoV) is a common cause of outbreaks linked to food. In this study, the effectiveness of a non-thermal method known as high-pressure processing (HPP) on the viable reduction of an HuNoV GII.4 strain on raw crabs was evaluated at three different pressures (200, 400, and 600 MPa). HuNoV viability in raw crabs was investigated by using propidium monoazide/sarkosyl (PMA) as a nucleic acid intercalating dye prior to performing a real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). The effect of the HPP exposure on pH, sensory, and Hunter colors were also assessed. HuNoV was reduced in raw crabs compared with control to HPP (0.15–1.91 log) in non-PMA and (0.67–2.23 log) in PMA. HuNoV genomic titer reduction was <2 log copy number/µL) when HPP was treated for 5 min without PMA pretreatment, but it was reduced to >2 log copy number/µL after PMA. The pH and Hunter colors of the untreated and HPP-treated raw crabs were significantly different (p < 0.05), but sensory attributes were not significant. The findings indicate that PMA/RT-qPCR could be used to detect HuNoV infectivity without altering the quality of raw crabs after a 5 min treatment with HPP. Therefore, HuNoV GII.4 could be reduced up to 2.23 log in food at a commercially acceptable pressure duration of 600 MPa for 5 min.
Lipids and Transaminase in Antiretroviral-Treatment-Experienced People Living with HIV, Switching to a Doravirine-Based vs. a Rilpivirine-Based Regimen: Data from a Real-Life Setting
Authors: Maggi Paolo , Ricci Elena Delfina , Martinelli Canio Vito , De Socio Giuseppe Vittorio , Squillace Nicola , Molteni Chiara , Masiello Addolorata , Orofino Giancarlo , Menzaghi Barbara , Bellagamba Rita , Vichi Francesca , Celesia Benedetto Maurizio , Madeddu Giordano , Pellicanò Giovanni Francesco , Carleo Maria Aurora , Cascio Antonio , Parisini Andrea , Taramasso Lucia , Valsecchi Laura , Calza Leonardo , Rusconi Stefano , Sarchi Eleonora , Martini Salvatore , Bargiacchi Olivia , Falasca Katia , Cenderello Giovanni , Ferrara Sergio , Di Biagio Antonio , Bonfanti Paolo
Published: July 2023

Doravirine (DOR) is a newly approved non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NNRTI). We aimed to investigate, in a real-life setting, how switching to a DOR-based regimen rather than a rilpivirine (RPV)-based regimen impacted metabolic and hepatic safety. The analysis included 551 antiretroviral treatment (ART)-experienced people living with HIV (PLWH), starting RPV-based or DOR-based regimens with viral load < 200 copies/mL, baseline (T0), and at least one control visit (6-month visit, T1). We enrolled 295 PLWH in the RPV and 256 in the DOR cohort. At T1, total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein-C (LDL-C), and triglycerides significantly decreased in both DOR and RPV cohorts, while high-density lipoprotein-C (HDL-C) only decreased in RPV-treated people. Consistently, the TC/HDL-C ratio declined more markedly in the DOR (−0.36, p < 0.0001) than in the RPV cohort (−0.08, p = 0.25) (comparison p = 0.39). Similar trends were observed when excluding the PLWH on lipid-lowering treatment from the analysis. People with normal alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels showed a slight ALT increase in both cohorts, and those with baseline ALT > 40 IU/L experienced a significant decline (−14 IU/L, p = 0.008) only in the DOR cohort. Lipid profile improved in both cohorts, and there was a significant reduction in ALT in PLWH with higher-than-normal baseline levels on DOR-based ART.
Type II Grass Carp Reovirus Rapidly Invades Grass Carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella) via Nostril–Olfactory System–Brain Axis, Gill, and Skin on Head
Authors: Zhu Wentao , Qiao Meihua , Hu Meidi , Huo Xingchen , Zhang Yongan , Su Jianguo
Published: July 2023

Type II grass carp reovirus (GCRV-II) with high pathogenicity and infectivity causes severe hemorrhagic disease, which leads to extensive death in the grass carp and black carp aquaculture. However, the early invasion portal remains unclear. In this study, we explored the invasion portal, time, and pathway of GCRV-II by immersion infection in grass carp. Through the detection of the infected grass carp external body surface tissues, most of them could be detected to carry GCRV-II within 45 min except for the skin covered by scales. Further shortening the duration of infection, we proved that GCRV-II rapidly invades through the nostril (especially), gill, and skin on head at only 5 min post-immersion, rather than merely by adhesion. Subsequently, visual localization investigations of GCRV-II were conducted on the nostril, olfactory system (olfactory bulb and olfactory tract), and brain via immunofluorescence microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. We found that few viruses were located in the nostril at 5 min post-immersion infection, while a significantly increased quantity of viruses were distributed in all of the examined tissues at 45 min. Furthermore, the semi-qRT-PCR and Western blotting results of different infection times confirmed that GCRV-II invades grass carp via the nostril–olfactory system–brain axis and then viral replication unfolds. These results revealed the infection mechanism of GCRV-II in terms of the invasion portal, time, and pathway in grass carp. This study aims to understand the invasion mode of GCRV-II in grass carp, thus providing theoretical support for the prevention and control strategies of hemorrhagic disease.
Isolation, Identification, and Whole Genome Analysis of Chicken Infectious Anemia Virus in an Outbreak of Disease in Adult Layer Hens
Authors: Zeng Yueyan , Zhang Hui , Zhang Huanrong
Published: July 2023

Chicken infectious anemia (CIA) poses a significant threat to the chicken industry in China. Due to its non-specific symptoms, the disease is often overlooked. This study aimed to conduct a comprehensive analysis of the etiology and pathology of CIA in Guangxi Province, China. Three strains of the chicken infectious anemia virus (CIAV) were isolated from liver samples of diseased 20-week-old chickens. The complete genomes of these strains were sequenced, and experiments on specific pathogen-free (SPF) chicks revealed that the GX21121 strain exhibited high virulence. Histopathological examination of the deceased chickens showed liver cell necrosis, fibrous serous exudation, inflammatory cell infiltration, hemorrhage in liver tissues, and congestion in lung and renal tissues. Phylogenetic analysis of the genome revealed that the three strains had a close genetic relationship to the Heilongjiang wild-type strain (GenBank KY486144). The genetic evolution of their VP1 genes indicated that all three CIAV isolates belonged to genotype IIIc. In summary, this study demonstrated the genomic diversity of three CIAV strains in adult layer hens. The isolation and characterization of the GX21121 strain as a highly virulent isolate provide valuable information for further investigations into the etiology, molecular epidemiology, and viral evolution of CIAV.
Research on the Features of Rainfall Regime and Its Influence on Surface Runoff and Soil Erosion in the Small Watershed, the Lower Yellow River
Authors: Zhao Long , Zhang Zhe , Dong Fei , Fu Yicheng , Hou Lei , Liu Jingqiang , Wang Yibing
Published: July 2023

Rainfall has a significant impact on surface runoff and erosion in a watershed, and there is a lack of information about the features of rainfall regimes and how they affect runoff and soil erosion. In the paper, based on 59 rainfall events from 2021 to 2022 in the lower Yellow River Culai Mountain sub-watershed, various statistical analysis methods were used to preliminarily explore the rainfall regime features and their influence on surface runoff and soil erosion. The results showed that the rainfall in the watershed was divided into three regimes: Rainfall Regime I had the highest frequency of occurrence, reaching 74.58%, and Rainfall Regime III was the main power source for surface runoff and soil erosion. The paper filtered out three indicators (P, I, and I30) to analyze the degree of influence of rainfall features on surface runoff and erosion, and the results show that precipitation is the main influencing factor affecting the variation in surface runoff, and the maximum 30 min rainfall intensity is the main factor impacting the variation in sediment yield. The results can provide a theoretical basis for soil conservation, hydrological forecasting, and non-point source pollution management.