bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Foundations of Biology
Authors: Sikorav Jean-Louis , Braslau Alan , Goldar Arach
Published: September 2021

It is often stated that there are no laws in biology, where everything is contingent and could have been otherwise, being solely the result of historical accidents. Furthermore, the customary introduction of fundamental biological entities such as individual organisms, cells, genes, catalysts, and motors remains largely descriptive; constructive approaches involving deductive reasoning appear, in comparison, almost absent. As a consequence, both the logical content and principles of biology need to be reconsidered. The present article describes an inquiry into the foundations of biology. The foundations of biology are built in terms of elements, logic, and principles, using both the language and the general methods employed in other disciplines. This approach assumes the existence of a certain unity of human knowledge that transcends discipline boundaries. Leibniz’s principle of sufficient reason is revised through a study of the complementary concepts of symmetry and asymmetry and of necessity and contingency. This is used to explain how these concepts are involved in the elaboration of theories or laws of nature. Four fundamental theories of biology are then identified: cell theory, Darwin’s theory of natural selection, an informational theory of life (which includes Mendel’s theory of inheritance) and a physico-chemical theory of life. Atomism and deductive reasoning are shown to enter into the elaboration of the concepts of natural selection, individual living organisms, cells, and their reproduction, genes, as well as catalysts and motors. This work contributes to clarify the philosophical and logical structure of biology and its major theories. This should ultimately lead to a better understanding of the origin of life, of system and synthetic biology, and of artificial life.
Penning-Trap Searches for Lorentz and CPT Violation
Authors: Ding Yunhua , Olewiler Teague D. , Rawnak Mohammad Farhan
Published: September 2021

An overview of recent progress on testing Lorentz and CPT symmetry using Penning traps is presented. The theory of quantum electrodynamics with Lorentz-violating operators of mass dimensions up to six is summarized. Dominant shifts in the cyclotron and anomaly frequencies of the confined particles and antiparticles due to Lorentz and CPT violation are derived. Existing results of the comparisons of charge-to-mass ratios and magnetic moments involving protons, antiprotons, electrons, and positrons are used to constrain various coefficients for Lorentz violation.
Symmetric Spaces Approach to Various Cyclic Contractions and Application to Probabilistic Spaces
Authors: Rathee Savita , Gupta Priyanka , Mishra Vishnu Narayan , Abdeljawad Thabet , Mlaiki Nabil
Published: September 2021

This paper aims to prove fixed point results for cyclic compatible contraction and Hardy–Rogers cyclic contraction in symmetric spaces. Our results generalize the results of Kumari and Panthi (2016) proved for cyclic compatible contraction and modified Hardy–Rogers cyclic contraction in the generating space of a b-quasi metric family and b-dislocated metric family. After that, as an application, we prove a fixed point result in symmetric pre-probabilistic metric spaces (PPM-spaces).
An Improved Equilibrium Optimizer Algorithm and Its Application in LSTM Neural Network
Authors: Lan Pu , Xia Kewen , Pan Yongke , Fan Shurui
Published: September 2021

An improved equilibrium optimizer (EO) algorithm is proposed in this paper to address premature and slow convergence. Firstly, a highly stochastic chaotic mechanism is adopted to initialize the population for range expansion. Secondly, the capability to conduct global search to jump out of local optima is enhanced by assigning adaptive weights and setting adaptive convergence factors. In addition 25 classical benchmark functions are used to validate the algorithm. As revealed by the analysis of the accuracy, speed, and stability of convergence, the IEO algorithm proposed in this paper significantly outperforms other meta-heuristic algorithms. In practice, the distribution is asymmetric because most logging data are unlabeled. Traditional classification models have difficulty in accurately predicting the location of oil layer. In this paper, the oil layers related to oil exploration are predicted using long short-term memory (LSTM) networks. Due to the large amount of data used, however, it is difficult to adjust the parameters. For this reason, an improved equilibrium optimizer algorithm (IEO) is applied to optimize the parameters of LSTM for improved performance, while the effective IEO-LSTM is applied for oil layer prediction. As indicated by the results, the proposed model outperforms the current popular optimization algorithms including particle swarm algorithm PSO and genetic algorithm GA in terms of accuracy, absolute error, root mean square error and mean absolute error.
Relationships between Long-Term Ozone Exposure and Allergic Rhinitis and Bronchitic Symptoms in Chinese Children
Authors: Zhou Pei-En , Qian Zhengmin , McMillin Stephen , Vaughn Michael , Xie Zhong-Yue , Xu Yu-Jie , Lin Li-Zi , Hu Li-Wen , Yang Bo-Yi , Zeng Xiao-Wen , Zhang Wang-Jian , Liu Ru-Qing , Chen Gongbo , Dong Guang-Hui
Published: September 2021

Numerous studies have demonstrated that exposure to ambient ozone (O3) could have adverse effects on children’s respiratory health. However, previous studies mainly focused on asthma and wheezing. Evidence for allergic rhinitis and bronchitic symptoms (e.g., persistent cough and phlegm) associated with O3 is limited, and results from existing studies are inconsistent. This study included a total of 59,754 children from the seven northeastern cities study (SNEC), who were aged 2 to 17 years and from 94 kindergarten, elementary and middle schools. Information on doctor-diagnosed allergic rhinitis (AR), persistent cough, and persistent phlegm was collected during 2012–2013 using a standardized questionnaire developed by the American Thoracic Society (ATS). Information for potential confounders was also collected via questionnaire. Individuals’ exposure to ambient ozone (O3) during the four years before the investigation was estimated using a satellite-based random forest model. A higher level of O3 was significantly associated with increased risk of AR and bronchitic symptoms. After controlling for potential confounders, the OR (95% CI) were 1.13 (1.07–1.18), 1.10 (1.06–1.16), and 1.12 (1.05–1.20) for AR, persistent cough, and persistent phlegm, respectively, associated with each interquartile range (IQR) rise in O3 concentration. Interaction analyses showed stronger adverse effects of O3 on AR in children aged 7–17 years than those aged 2–6 years, while the adverse association of O3 with cough was more prominent in females and children aged 7–12 years than in males and children aged 2–6 and 13–17 years. This study showed that long-term exposure to ambient O3 was significantly associated with higher risk of AR and bronchitic symptoms in children, and the association varies across age and gender. Our findings contribute additional evidence for the importance of controlling O3 pollution and protecting children from O3 exposure.
Ageratina adenophora Disrupts the Intestinal Structure and Immune Barrier Integrity in Rats
Authors: Cui Yujing , Okyere Samuel Kumi , Gao Pei , Wen Juan , Cao Suizhong , Wang Ya , Deng Junliang , Hu Yanchun
Published: September 2021

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of Ageratina adenophora on the intestines morphology and integrity in rat. Rats were randomly divided into two groups and were fed with 10 g/100 g body weight (BW) basal diet and 10 g/100 g BW experimental diet, which was a mixture of A. adenophora powder and basal diet in a 3:7 ratio. The feeding experiment lasted for 60 days. At days 28 and 60 of the experiment, eight rats/group/timepoint were randomly selected, weighed, and sacrificed, then blood and intestinal tissues were collected and stored for further analysis. The results showed that Ageratina adenophora caused pathological changes and injury in the intestine, elevated serum diamine oxidase (DAO), D-lactate (D-LA), and secretory immunoglobulin A (sIgA) levels, reduced occludin levels in intestinal tissues, as well as increased the count of intraepithelial leukocytes (IELs) and lamina propria leukocytes (LPLs) in the intestine (p < 0.05 or p < 0.01). In addition, the mRNA and protein (ELISA) expressions of pro-inflammation cytokines (IL-1β, IL-2, TNF-α, and IFN-ϒ) were elevated in the Ageratina adenophora treatment groups, whereas anti-inflammatory cytokines such as IL-4 and IL-10 were reduced (p < 0.01 or p < 0.05). Therefore, the results obtained in this study indicated that Ageratina adenophora impaired intestinal function in rats by damaging the intestine structure and integrity, and also triggered an inflammation immune response that led to intestinal immune barrier dysfunction.
Influence of H2O2-Induced Oxidative Stress on In Vitro Growth and Moniliformin and Fumonisins Accumulation by Fusarium proliferatum and Fusarium subglutinans
Authors: Ferrigo Davide , Scarpino Valentina , Vanara Francesca , Causin Roberto , Raiola Alessandro , Blandino Massimo
Published: September 2021

Fusarium proliferatum and Fusarium subglutinans are common pathogens of maize which are known to produce mycotoxins, including moniliformin (MON) and fumonisins (FBs). Fungal secondary metabolism and response to oxidative stress are interlaced, where hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) plays a pivotal role in the modulation of mycotoxin production. The objective of this study is to examine the effect of H2O2-induced oxidative stress on fungal growth, as well as MON and FBs production, in different isolates of these fungi. When these isolates were cultured in the presence of 1, 2, 5, and 10 mM H2O2, the fungal biomass of F. subglutinans isolates showed a strong sensitivity to increasing oxidative conditions (27–58% reduction), whereas F. proliferatum isolates were not affected or even slightly improved (45% increase). H2O2 treatment at the lower concentration of 1 mM caused an almost total disappearance of MON and a strong reduction of FBs content in the two fungal species and isolates tested. The catalase activity, surveyed due to its crucial role as an H2O2 scavenger, showed no significant changes at 1 mM H2O2 treatment, thus indicating a lack of correlation with MON and FB changes. H2O2 treatment was also able to reduce MON and FB content in certified maize material, and the same behavior was observed in the presence and absence of these fungi, highlighting a direct effect of H2O2 on the stability of these mycotoxins. Taken together, these data provide insights into the role of H2O2 which, when increased under stress conditions, could affect the vegetative response and mycotoxin production (and degradation) of these fungi.
Proteomic Identification and Quantification of Snake Venom Biomarkers in Venom and Plasma Extracellular Vesicles
Authors: Willard Nicholas Kevin , Salazar Emelyn , Oyervides Fabiola Alejandra , Wiebe Cierra Siobhrie , Ocheltree Jack Sutton , Cortez Mario , Perez Ricardo Pedro , Markowitz Harry , Iliuk Anton , Sanchez Elda Eliza , Suntravat Montamas , Galan Jacob Anthony
Published: September 2021

The global exploration of snakebites requires the use of quantitative omics approaches to characterize snake venom as it enters into the systemic circulation. These omics approaches give insights into the venom proteome, but a further exploration is warranted to analyze the venom-reactome for the identification of snake venom biomarkers. The recent discovery of extracellular vesicles (EVs), and their critical cellular functions, has presented them as intriguing sources for biomarker discovery and disease diagnosis. Herein, we purified EV’s from the snake venom (svEVs) of Crotalus atrox and C. oreganus helleri, and from plasma of BALB/c mice injected with venom from each snake using EVtrap in conjunction with quantitative mass spectrometry for the proteomic identification and quantification of svEVs and plasma biomarkers. Snake venom EVs from C. atrox and C. o. helleri were highly enriched in 5′ nucleosidase, L-amino acid oxidase, and metalloproteinases. In mouse plasma EVs, a bioinformatic analysis for revealed upregulated responses involved with cytochrome P450, lipid metabolism, acute phase inflammation immune, and heat shock responses, while downregulated proteins were associated with mitochondrial electron transport, NADH, TCA, cortical cytoskeleton, reticulum stress, and oxidative reduction. Altogether, this analysis will provide direct evidence for svEVs composition and observation of the physiological changes of an envenomated organism.
Wickerhamomyces Yeast Killer Toxins’ Medical Applications
Authors: Giovati Laura , Ciociola Tecla , De Simone Tiziano , Conti Stefania , Magliani Walter
Published: September 2021

Possible implications and applications of the yeast killer phenomenon in the fight against infectious diseases are reviewed, with particular reference to some wide-spectrum killer toxins (KTs) produced by Wickerhamomyces anomalus and other related species. A perspective on the applications of these KTs in the medical field is provided considering (1) a direct use of killer strains, in particular in the symbiotic control of arthropod-borne diseases; (2) a direct use of KTs as experimental therapeutic agents; (3) the production, through the idiotypic network, of immunological derivatives of KTs and their use as potential anti-infective therapeutics. Studies on immunological derivatives of KTs in the context of vaccine development are also described.
The Effect of Fluctuating Incubation Temperatures on West Nile Virus Infection in Culex Mosquitoes
Authors: McGregor Bethany L. , Kenney Joan L. , Connelly C. Roxanne
Published: September 2021

Temperature plays a significant role in the vector competence, extrinsic incubation period, and intensity of infection of arboviruses within mosquito vectors. Most laboratory infection studies use static incubation temperatures that may not accurately reflect daily temperature ranges (DTR) to which mosquitoes are exposed. This could potentially compromise the application of results to real world scenarios. We evaluated the effect of fluctuating DTR versus static temperature treatments on the infection, dissemination, and transmission rates and viral titers of Culex tarsalis and Culex quinquefasciatus mosquitoes for West Nile virus. Two DTR regimens were tested including an 11 and 15 °C range, both fluctuating around an average temperature of 28 °C. Overall, no significant differences were found between DTR and static treatments for infection, dissemination, or transmission rates for either species. However, significant treatment differences were identified for both Cx. tarsalis and Cx. quinquefasciatus viral titers. These effects were species-specific and most prominent later in the infection. These results indicate that future studies on WNV infections in Culex mosquitoes should consider employing realistic DTRs to reflect interactions most accurately between the virus, vector, and environment.
Embryonic and Neonatal Mouse Cochleae Are Susceptible to Zika Virus Infection
Authors: Munnamalai Vidhya , Sammudin Nabilah H. , Young Caryl A. , Thawani Ankita , Kuhn Richard J. , Fekete Donna M.
Published: September 2021

Congenital Zika Syndrome (CZS) is caused by vertical transmission of Zika virus (ZIKV) to the gestating human fetus. A subset of CZS microcephalic infants present with reduced otoacoustic emissions; this test screens for hearing loss originating in the cochlea. This observation leads to the question of whether mammalian cochlear tissues are susceptible to infection by ZIKV during development. To address this question using a mouse model, the sensory cochlea was explanted at proliferative, newly post-mitotic or maturing stages. ZIKV was added for the first 24 h and organs cultured for up to 6 days to allow for cell differentiation. Results showed that ZIKV can robustly infect proliferating sensory progenitors, as well as post-mitotic hair cells and supporting cells. Virus neutralization using ZIKV-117 antibody blocked cochlear infection. AXL is a cell surface molecule known to enhance the attachment of flavivirus to host cells. While Axl mRNA is widely expressed in embryonic cochlear tissues susceptible to ZIKV infection, it is selectively downregulated in the post-mitotic sensory organ by E15.5, even though these cells remain infectible. These findings may offer insights into which target cells could potentially contribute to hearing loss resulting from fetal exposure to ZIKV in humans.
Mouse Papillomavirus L1 and L2 Are Dispensable for Viral Infection and Persistence at Both Cutaneous and Mucosal Tissues
Authors: Brendle Sarah , Li Jingwei J. , Cladel Nancy M. , Shearer Debra A. , Budgeon Lynn R. , Balogh Karla K. , Atkins Hannah , Costa-Fujishima Marina , Lopez Paul , Christensen Neil D. , Doorbar John , Murooka Thomas T. , Hu Jiafen
Published: September 2021

Papillomavirus L1 and L2, the major and minor capsid proteins, play significant roles in viral assembly, entry, and propagation. In the current study, we investigate the impact of L1 and L2 on viral life cycle and tumor growth with a newly established mouse papillomavirus (MmuPV1) infection model. MmuPV1 L1 knockout, L2 knockout, and L1 plus L2 knockout mutant genomes (designated as L1ATGko-4m, L2ATGko, and L1-L2ATGko respectively) were generated. The mutants were examined for their ability to generate lesions in athymic nude mice. Viral activities were examined by qPCR, immunohistochemistry (IHC), in situ hybridization (ISH), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analyses. We demonstrated that viral DNA replication and tumor growth occurred at both cutaneous and mucosal sites infected with each of the mutants. Infections involving L1ATGko-4m, L2ATGko, and L1-L2ATGko mutant genomes generally resulted in smaller tumor sizes compared to infection with the wild type. The L1 protein was absent in L1ATGko-4m and L1-L2ATGko mutant-treated tissues, even though viral transcripts and E4 protein expression were robust. Therefore, L1 is not essential for MmuPV1-induced tumor growth, and this finding parallels our previous observations in the rabbit papillomavirus model. Very few viral particles were detected in L2ATGko mutant-infected tissues. Interestingly, the localization of L1 in lesions induced by L2ATGko was primarily cytoplasmic rather than nuclear. The findings support the hypothesis that the L2 gene influences the expression, location, transport, and assembly of the L1 protein in vivo.
Hypericin Inhibit Alpha-Coronavirus Replication by Targeting 3CL Protease
Authors: Zhang Yue , Chen Huijie , Zou Mengmeng , Oerlemans Rick , Shao Changhao , Ren Yudong , Zhang Ruili , Huang Xiaodan , Li Guangxing , Cong Yingying
Published: September 2021

The porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) is an Alphacoronavirus (α-CoV) that causes high mortality in infected piglets, resulting in serious economic losses in the farming industry. Hypericin is a dianthrone compound that has been shown as an antiviral activity on several viruses. Here, we first evaluated the antiviral effect of hypericin in PEDV and found the viral replication and egression were significantly reduced with hypericin post-treatment. As hypericin has been shown in SARS-CoV-2 that it is bound to viral 3CLpro, we thus established a molecular docking between hypericin and PEDV 3CLpro using different software and found hypericin bound to 3CLpro through two pockets. These binding pockets were further verified by another docking between hypericin and PEDV 3CLpro pocket mutants, and the fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) assay confirmed that hypericin inhibits the PEDV 3CLpro activity. Moreover, the alignments of α-CoV 3CLpro sequences or crystal structure revealed that the pockets mediating hypericin and PEDV 3CLpro binding were highly conserved, especially in transmissible gastroenteritis virus (TGEV). We then validated the anti-TGEV effect of hypericin through viral replication and egression. Overall, our results push forward that hypericin was for the first time shown to have an inhibitory effect on PEDV and TGEV by targeting 3CLpro, and it deserves further attention as not only a pan-anti-α-CoV compound but potentially also as a compound of other coronaviral infections.
Compassionate Use of GC5131 (Hyperimmunoglobulin) Therapy in Critically Ill Patients Diagnosed with COVID-19: A Case Series and Review of Literature
Authors: Choi Sunha , Hwang Soyoon , Kwon Kitae
Published: September 2021

Presently, the use of convalescent plasma and hyperimmunoglobulin obtained from individuals who have recovered from coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has proved to potentially provide passive antibody-based immunity, thereby leading to several clinical trials to develop an immune-based COVID-19 treatment. However, the therapeutic efficacy of hyperimmunoglobulin in critically ill patients with COVID-19 remains unknown. On 23 October 2020, we first administered GC5131 in a compassionate-use program to critically ill patients at the Kyungpook National University, Chilgok Hospital, Korea. Since then, five more critically ill patients were treated with GC5131 in this compassionate-use program in our hospital up until 17 December 2020. We retrospectively reviewed the clinical responses of six critically ill patients diagnosed with COVID-19 who received the hyperimmunoglobulin concentrate, GC5131, which was produced by the Green Cross Corporation. After the administration of GC5131, five patients died due to an exacerbation of COVID-19 pneumonia. GC5131 was ineffective when administered to critically ill patients with COVID-19. Nevertheless, we propose that to expect a therapeutic effect from GC5131, it should be administered as early as possible to avoid the excessive inflammatory response phase in patients with severe and advanced COVID-19 infection. This step was difficult to achieve in the real world due to the time required for decision making and the process of the compassionate-use program.
Disruption of the Interaction between ORF33 and the Conserved Carboxyl-Terminus of ORF45 Abolishes Progeny Virion Production of Kaposi Sarcoma-Associated Herpesvirus
Authors: Gillen Joseph , Zhu Fanxiu
Published: September 2021

The Open Reading Frame 45 (ORF45) of Kaposi sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) is a gammaherpesvirus-specific, immediate-early, tegument protein required for efficient viral replication and virion production. We have previously shown that ORF45 interacts with the conserved herpesviral protein ORF33 through the highly conserved C-terminal 19 amino acids (C19) of ORF45. Because the deletion of C19 abolished ORF33 accumulation and viral production, we reasoned that this interaction could be critical for viral production and explored as an antiviral target for gammaherpesviruses. In work described in this article, we characterize this interaction in further detail, first by revealing that this interaction is conserved among gammaherpesviruses, then by identifying residues in C19 critical for its interaction with and stabilization of ORF33. More importantly, we show that disruption of the interaction, either by mutating key residues (W403A or W405A) in C19 or by using competing cell penetration peptide TAT-C19, dramatically reduce the yield of KSHV progeny viruses. Our results not only reveal critical roles of this interaction to viral production but also provide a proof of concept for targeting the ORF33-ORF45 interaction as a novel antiviral strategy against KSHV and other gammaherpesviruses.
Type I Interferon Induction and Exhaustion during Viral Infection: Plasmacytoid Dendritic Cells and Emerging COVID-19 Findings
Authors: Greene Trever T. , Zuniga Elina I.
Published: September 2021

Type I Interferons (IFN-I) are a family of potent antiviral cytokines that act through the direct restriction of viral replication and by enhancing antiviral immunity. However, these powerful cytokines are a caged lion, as excessive and sustained IFN-I production can drive immunopathology during infection, and aberrant IFN-I production is a feature of several types of autoimmunity. As specialized producers of IFN-I plasmacytoid (p), dendritic cells (DCs) can secrete superb quantities and a wide breadth of IFN-I isoforms immediately after infection or stimulation, and are the focus of this review. Notably, a few days after viral infection pDCs tune down their capacity for IFN-I production, producing less cytokines in response to both the ongoing infection and unrelated secondary stimulations. This process, hereby referred to as “pDC exhaustion”, favors viral persistence and associates with reduced innate responses and increased susceptibility to secondary opportunistic infections. On the other hand, pDC exhaustion may be a compromise to avoid IFN-I driven immunopathology. In this review we reflect on the mechanisms that initially induce IFN-I and subsequently silence their production by pDCs during a viral infection. While these processes have been long studied across numerous viral infection models, the 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has brought their discussion back to the fore, and so we also discuss emerging results related to pDC-IFN-I production in the context of COVID-19.
In Tribute to Stefan Kunz
Authors: Perez Mar
Published: September 2021

We do not always remember the exact moment in which we first met our friends [...]
RNA Origami: Packaging a Segmented Genome in Orbivirus Assembly and Replication
Authors: Sung Po-Yu , Roy Polly
Published: September 2021

Understanding how viruses with multi-segmented genomes incorporate one copy of each segment into their capsids remains an intriguing question. Here, we review our recent progress and describe the advancements made in understanding the genome packaging mechanism of a model nonenveloped virus, Bluetongue virus (BTV), with a 10-segment (S1–S10) double-strand RNA (dsRNA) genome. BTV (multiple serotypes), a member of the Orbivirus genus in the Reoviridae family, is a notable pathogen for livestock and is responsible for significant economic losses worldwide. This has enabled the creation of an extensive set of reagents and assays, including reverse genetics, cell-free RNA packaging, and bespoke bioinformatics approaches, which can be directed to address the packaging question. Our studies have shown that (i) UTRs enable the conformation of each segment necessary for the next level of RNA–RNA interaction; (ii) a specific order of intersegment interactions leads to a complex RNA network containing all the active components in sorting and packaging; (iii) networked segments are recruited into nascent assembling capsids; and (iv) select capsid proteins might be involved in the packaging process. The key features of genome packaging mechanisms for BTV and related dsRNA viruses are novel and open up new avenues of potential intervention.
Reporting of Acute Inflammatory Neuropathies with COVID-19 Vaccines: Subgroup Disproportionality Analyses in VigiBase
Authors: Noseda Roberta , Ripellino Paolo , Ghidossi Sara , Bertoli Raffaela , Ceschi Alessandro
Published: September 2021

Since marketing authorization, cases of neuralgic amyotrophy (NA), facial paralysis/Bell’s palsy (FP/BP), and Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) were reported with COVID-19 vaccines of different technologies. This study aimed to assess whether NA, FP/BP, and GBS were more frequently reported in VigiBase with COVID-19 vaccines (of any technologies) than with other viral vaccines, over the full database and across potential risk groups by sex and age. The reporting odds ratio (ROR) with 95% confidence interval (95% CI) was used as the measure of disproportionality and subgroup disproportionality analyses were performed by sex and age. Out of 808,906 safety reports with COVID-19 vaccines, 57 (0.01%) reported NA, 3320 (0.4%) FP/BP, and 632 (0.1%) GBS. There were not signals of disproportionate reporting for NA and GBS with COVID-19 vaccines against other viral vaccines. FP/BP was disproportionately more frequently reported with COVID-19 vaccines than with other viral vaccines over the full database (ROR 1.12, 95%CI 1.07–1.17), in males (ROR 1.65, 95%CI 1.54–1.78) and in age subgroups 65–74 years (ROR 1.21, 95%CI 1.05–1.39) and ≥75 years (ROR 1.84, 95%CI 1.52–2.22). Albeit not proving causation, these findings might support clinicians in decision-making for patients potentially at risk for developing an acute inflammatory neuropathy with COVID-19 vaccines.
Vaccine Hesitancy and Refusal: Behavioral Evidence from Rural Northern Nigeria
Authors: Sato Ryoko , Takasaki Yoshito
Published: September 2021

It is widely believed that vaccine hesitancy is prevalent in African countries, although this belief is without rigorous evidence. Our field experiment in rural northern Nigeria behaviorally measured the prevalence of vaccine hesitancy—the non-uptake of vaccines despite their availability due to non-monetary factors directly associated with vaccination. We randomly assigned two tasks to women: answering a short survey at their house vs. additionally receiving a free tetanus vaccine by submitting a voucher. The differences in their completion rates captured vaccine hesitancy, showing the rate to be about 13%. Our study reveals that absolute refusers with negative willingness to pay (WTP) for vaccines, who are likely to have strong misperceptions or a distrust of vaccines, account for about half of vaccine hesitaters, while floating refusers with zero or weakly positive WTP, who are likely to be indifferent about vaccines, account for the other half. A simple intervention, such as a door-to-door vaccination campaign, is likely to be effective for floating refusers, while interventions for absolute refusers need to effectively change their misperceptions or distrust of vaccines.
Retrofitting of Pressurized Sand Traps in Hydropower Plants
Authors: Richter Wolfgang , Vereide Kaspar , Mauko Gašper , Havrevoll Ola H. , Schneider Josef , Zenz Gerald
Published: September 2021

Unlined pressure tunnels in sound rock, combined with pressurized sand traps at the downstream end, allow for low-cost construction of hydropower tunnel systems. This design concept is utilized in hydropower plants across the world. Currently, many such power plants are being upgraded with higher installed capacity, which may result in challenges with the sand trap efficiency. A physical scale model test, accompanied by 3D CFD simulations of a case study pressurized sand trap, has been studied for economic retrofitting. The geometric model scale is 1:36.67 while the velocity scale and sediment scale are 1:1 (same average flow velocity and sediment size in model and prototype). This is currently an uncommon scaling approach but with several advantages, as presented in this paper. Various options for retrofitting were investigated. A combined structure of ramp and ribs was found to significantly improve the sediment trap efficiency. The main novelties from this work are the proposed design of the combined ramp and rib structure. Secondary results include an efficient setup for physical scale models of pressurized sand traps and a methodology that combines the benefits of 3D CFD simulations with physical scale models testing for sand trap engineering and design.
Operation Rule Derivation of Hydropower Reservoirs by Support Vector Machine Based on Grey Relational Analysis
Authors: Zhu Yuxin , Zhou Jianzhong , Qiu Hongya , Li Juncong , Zhang Qianyi
Published: September 2021

In practical applications, the rational operation rule derivation can lead to significant improvements in the middle and long-term joint operation of cascade hydropower stations. The key issue of actual optimal operation is to select effective attributions from the deterministic optimal operation results, however, there is still no general and mature method to solve this problem. Firstly, the joint optimal operation model of hydropower reservoirs considering backwater effects are established. Then, the dynamic programming and progressive optimality algorithm are applied to solve the joint optimal operation model and the deterministic optimization results are obtained. Finally, the grey relational analysis method is applied to select more effective factors from the obtained results as the input of a support vector machine for further operation rule derivation. The Xi Luo-du and Xiang Jia-ba cascade reservoirs in the upper Yangtze river of China are selected as a case study. The results show that the proposed method can obtain better input factors to improve the performance of SVM, and smallest value of root mean square error by the proposed method of Xi Luo-du and Xiang Jia-ba are 94.33 and 21.32, respectively. The absolute error of hydropower generation for Xi Luo-du and Xiang Jia-ba are 2.57 and 0.42, respectively. Generally, this study provides a well and promising alternative tool to guide the joint operation of hydropower reservoir systems.
The Narrative of Indonesian Cultural Heritage: Peranakan Houses in Pecinan Lasem, Indonesia
Authors: Eka Darmayanti Tessa , Bahauddin Azizi
Published: September 2021

A narrative involves the process of telling all experiences related to culture and can form a new understanding of the object of research, so that a narrative affects the way people perceive historical buildings. The article focuses on narrating the historical building in Chinatown Peranakan houses in Chinatown, Lasem, intending to provide an overview of cultural acculturation, as well as the problems that occur in the Peranakan houses. This qualitative study is based on researcherâ€™s experiences and exploratiory literature. Interview has been made and visual documentation has been taken during repeatedly observation start form December 2017 until December 2019. The discussion findings show that the Peranakan houses in Lasem have richness in cultural influence, such as Chinese, Javanese, and European, but unfortunately need serious attention from the owner, the surrounding community as well as the government. The houses are experienced being abandoned, destroyed, used on but suffer from over-decoration and are unfortunate in the event of exploitation. Thus the implementation of preservation and conservation properly should be carried out to avoid the shortage or even loss the identity.
The Phylogenetic Position of Crenea in the Lythraceae Based on Molecular Evidence, and the Transfer of Its Two Species to Ammannia
Authors: Graham Shirley A. , Inglis Peter W. , Cavalcanti Taciana B.
Published: September 2021

Crenea Aubl. (Lythraceae) is a ditypic genus of subshrubs occurring in mangrove vegetation on the coasts of northern South America. Phylogenetic analyses based on morphology have offered unresolved and conflicting phylogenetic positions for the genus in the family. This study presents the first molecular sequences for Crenea, from nrITS, rbcL, trnL, trnL-F, and matK regions. Molecular phylogenetic analyses find full support for Crenea within Ammannia L., a relationship not previously recognized. Ammannia is a globally distributed genus of terrestrial to amphibious herbs mostly occurring in freshwater marshes and wetlands. It was recently reconfigured based on phylogenetic evidence to include the genera Nesaea Comm. ex Kunth and Hionanthera A. Fern. & Diniz. The transfer of Crenea to Ammannia further extends the morphological, ecological, and biogeographical diversity of Ammannia and provides the final evidence defining Ammannia as a monophyletic lineage of the Lythraceae. A revised circumscription of Ammannia s.l. adds several new morphological character states and the first species in the genus restricted to mangrove vegetation. Two changes in taxonomic status are made: Ammannia maritima (Aubl.) S. A. Graham, P. W. Inglis, & T. B. Cavalc., comb. nov., and Ammannia patentinervius (Koehne) S. A. Graham, P. W. Inglis, & T. B. Cavalc., comb. nov. The new combinations are described, a list of exsiccatae examined is provided, and the effects of the reconfiguration to the morphology and biogeography of the genus are detailed.
Some Ions of TNAZ - A DFT Study
Authors: Türker Lemi
Published: September 2021

TNAZ is a thermally stable high energy explosive molecule. In the present study, some ionic forms of it have been investigated within the limitations of density functional theory at the level of UB3LYP/6-311++G(d,p). Various properties (including structural, electronic, spectral and quantum chemical) are obtained and discussed.
Text Creation in Novel Narrative
Authors: P Sudalaimani
Published: September 2021

Exposition (SASATSGS) is a knowledge-based field used to explain the various elements and functions of story description. Morphology is the basis of exposition.  The basis of exposition is the subtle units invisible to the language. The expositioners have developed some basic definitions for the creation of panual. The narrative or the story can be constructed by combining the events with the narrative. Through this, the narrator easily reaches the reader.  Story programs can be integrated into time and causality. Novelists often rely on programs to build stories. Some people set up story shows in a linear manner in chronological order.  Modern novelists have set up programs through causal communication. In this manner, the programmes have been dissolved. The reader with reading experience learns the causal connection and understands the story. Sundara Ramasamy, Jayamohan and Shobashakti have successfully set up the programmes of the story in a time-based series. The reader who reads their novels easily identifies the operating system of the story. In Nakulan's novel Dogs, a causal sequence has been adopted to coordinate the programmes. The reader who reads this could not immediately understand the flow of the story.  They are a slightly difficult series.  Charu Nivedita's novel 'Dekam' and MG Suresh's 'Spider' are in a causal sequence. Sundara Ramasamy and Shobashakti are seen in their novels in the same programme. Novels are divided into small elements based on the definition review and innovative results are available.
IRNSS/NavIC: Indigenous Indian Satellite Navigation Programme
Authors: Soma P
Published: September 2021

India has a vibrant space programme, and over years has successfully operationalized communication and remote sensing satellites for the benefit of the country. In order to achieve self-reliance in satellite-based navigation service over Indian region, Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) has initiated the NavIC (Navigation with Indian Constellation) Programme. NavIC is developed to give PNT (Position, Navigation and Time) services for users over Indian region and its neighbourhood with positional accuracy of 20 m and 10 Nano seconds time accuracy. It provides navigation services to Indian landmass and also it extends its service to 1500 km beyond the geopolitical boundary. This paper provides the overview about the IRNSS and its salient features.
Visualization of Penetration and Reaction of Aldehyde Tanning Agent in Leather using Fluorescence Technique
Authors: Song Ying , Wu Siqi , Wang Ya-nan , Yi Yudan , Zeng Yunhang , Shi Bi
Published: September 2021

Penetration and reaction of tanning agents in leather greatly influence tanning performance and leather quality. Aldehyde tanning agents are widely used in leather manufacture, but their penetration and reaction in leather cannot be detected easily. Considering the fact that aldehyde can form a fluorescent Schiff base with amino groups of collagen, we visualized the distribution and reactivity of typical aldehyde tanning agents in leather during tanning process using a fluorescence microscope. The results showed that glutaraldehyde in leather was easily observed under the fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC) filter system. The fluorescence intensity of pelt/leather gradually increased with penetrating of glutaraldehyde, basifying and heating, which was consistent with the formation of Schiff base and the increase in Ts of pelt/leather. Oxidized sodium alginate and dialdehyde sodium carboxymethyl cellulose in leathers were also detected using a fluorescence microscope because the aldehyde group of the two tanning agents formed a fluorescent Schiff base with amino groups of collagen. The oxazolidine tanned leather and the tetrakis hydroxymethyl phosphonium tanned leather emitted little fluorescence because they crosslinked collagen with hydroxymethyl group. These results indicate the fluorescent technique is useful to visualize the penetration and reaction of aldehyde tanning agents that crosslink collagen with aldehyde groups.
Harşit Çayı (Giresun, Türkiye) Epilitik Alglerinin Mevsimsel Değişimi Üzerine Bir Araştırma
Authors: TEMİZEL Bengü , SOYLU Elif Neyran
Published: September 2021

Harşit Çayı'nın epilitik diyatomelerinin kompozisyonu ve mevsimsel değişimleri, Eylül 2018 ile Ağustos 2020 arasında beş istasyondan toplanan örnekler kullanılarak incelenmiştir. Belirlenen beş istasyondan periyodik olarak alınan taş örneklerinin sayımı ve teşhisleri yapılmıştır. Böylece alglerin mevsimsel değişimleri belirlenmiştir. Harşit Çayı epilitik alglerinde Bacillariophyta (54 takson), Chlorophyta (7 takson), Cyanobacteria (4 takson), Charophyta (1 takson) ve Cryptophyta (1 takson) divisiosuna ait toplam 67 takson tespit edilmiştir. Ayrıca bu beş istasyondan alınan su örneklerinden sıcaklık, pH, elektriksel iletkenlik ve TDS ölçümleri de aylık olarak hesaplanmıştır.
Prohibiting an activity when it cannot be managed by law
Authors: Nguyen Luan Thanh
Published: September 2021

Activities which are of sensitive and complex socio-economic characteristics have always been the principal focus of the legal system in every nation. “Prohibiting a sensitive and complex socio-economic activity when it cannot be managed by law’’ is a legislative trend in Vietnam which will be further clarified in the article by analyzing the activities that have been banned or just stopped at the level of banning proposals in Vietnam, namely debt collection, and sale and purchase of land in the suburbs of special urban areas. On the basis of analyzing the main causes leading to this legislative trend, the article will also propose solutions with a view to surmounting the current drawbacks and improve the Vietnamese legal system in the direction of democracy and transparency, which will contribute to the sustainable development of the economy and society.
The drug trafficking in the northwest of Minas Gerais
Authors: Machado Bruno Amaral , Guimarães Karla Barbosa , Oliveira Marcus Vinicius Berno Nunes de
Published: September 2021

The article intends to analyze the data collected in 21 files concerning the charges for drug trafficking in 2017, in the State Justice of Unaí (Minas Gerais, Brazil). The research is based on a retrospective flux analysis that evidenced the data concerning the cases and the profile of the defendants. The hypothesis is that the criminal justice system is selective and focuses on the prosecution of the people involved in small drug dealing activities, what is inferred from the profiles of the cases and defendants brought to the State local Justice. It was detected that 100% of the cases initiated in the flagrante delicto. Among that, 58% departed of previous anonymous notice brought to the Police and 21% as a consequence of the Military Police patrol routine. Another important data is that in 86% of the criminal files just one defendant was accused. In summary, the defendants are men (87%), black (71%), mostly inhabitants of the town (62.5%), between 18 and 24 years old (54.16%). In 46% of the cases the defendant did not have even basic education and none of the defendants completed high school. The conclusions of our investigation confirm the results of the research field concerning the prosecution of drug trafficking in the criminal justice system in Brazil.
Kentsel Yeşil Alan Sistem Kurgulanmasına Yönelik Bir Model Önerisi
Authors: GÜLTÜRK DOĞRUYOL Pınar , ŞİŞMAN Elif Ebru
Published: September 2021

Kentsel alanlar günümüz koşullarına ve zamana göre değişen, yaşayan mekanlardır. Kentsel ortamlarda meydana gelen değişiklikler, öncelikle kentlerin sahip oldukları doğal, kültürel kaynaklarına yansımakta, bu durum da kent halkının fiziksel, psikolojik, sosyal yaşam şeklini yönlendirmektedir. Yaşanabilir kentsel ortamların oluşturulması ve sürdürülebilirliğinin sağlanması, tüm kentlerin ortak bileşenleri olan fiziksel ve doğal bileşenlerinin planlı bir şekilde tasarlanması ile mümkündür. Fiziksel bileşen olan yapılar ve yollar arasında, bağlayıcı bir denge elemanı olan yeşil alanlar, çeşitli araştırmalara konu olmuş; korunmaları, geliştirilmeleri yönünde stratejiler üretilmiştir. Bu çalışmada kapsamlı bir literatür araştırması yapılarak, ulusal ve uluslararası düzeyde yeşil alanlar üzerine yapılan çalışmalar araştırılmış; tanımları, sınıflandırılmaları, işlevleri, planlama politikaları, uygulanmalarına yönelik yasal mevzuatları sentezlenmiş ve tüm kent tiplerine uyarlanabilecek nitelikte yeşil alan sistem modeli geliştirilmiştir.
Ev Kadınlarının Kentsel Mekânı Sahiplenmesine Yönelik Bir Uygulama Örneği Olarak: Şehir Benim Projesi
Authors: TAŞÇI Hasan , ACAR Sevilay
Published: September 2021

Bu çalışmanın temelini, Esenler Belediyesi Kadın ve Aile Hizmetleri Müdürlüğü ile MEB Hayat Boyu Öğrenme Genel Müdürlüğü’nün iş birliğiyle hayata geçirilen, bir sosyal sorumluluk projesi olan, eğitimler aracılığı ile kadınların şehri sahiplenmesi ve toplumda şehirli davranışların kadınlar aracılığı ile yaygınlaştırılmasını hedefleyen, “Şehir Benim Projesi”, teşkil etmektedir. Katılımcılara; MEB Halk Eğitim Merkezi-örgün eğitim ortamında, altı modülden oluşan; Şehirli Olmak, Çevreyi Sevmek, Geleceği Kurmak, İyi Komşuluk, Millî Kültür Değerlerimiz, İnsanî Temel Haklar gibi konularda şehre âidiyet, şehirde yaşama kültürü ve kentsel davranış kazandırmaya yönelik eğitimler verilmiştir. Bu doğrultuda yaygın-yetişkin eğitimi uygulamaları adına teorik eğitimleri destekleyen, uygulama atölyeleri gerçekleştirilmiştir. Katılımcılar kendi yaşadıkları mahallelerinde, birlikte tespit ettikleri sorunlara, birlikte çözümler üreterek, uygulamışlardır. Merdiven boyama, çöp toplama, çiçek dikme, ağaç süsleme gibi uygulama eğitimleri ile yerel katılımcılık sağlanmıştır. Çalışmalar sırasında Esenler Yavuz Selim Mahallesi’nde bulunan merdivenli bir sokağın merdivenleri boyanmış, mahalle parkının çöpleri toplanmış, çocuk parkındaki ağaçlar süslenmiş, apartman kapı önlerine saksılarla çiçekler dikilmiş ve yaşadıkları mekânı güzelleştirmeye çalıştıkları görülmüştür. Proje kapsamında, ev kadınlarına verilen bu eğitimler ile kentsel mekânı sahiplenmelerinde, kentsel sorunlara çözümler üretmede olumlu gelişmelerin olduğu gözlenmiştir.
atuação do STF na Primeira República
Authors: Abreu Sávio da Silva , Campos Mauro Macedo , Alves Taís de Cássia Badaró
Published: September 2021

Este artigo se propõe a retratar a atuação do Supremo Tribunal Federal (STF) na Primeira República nos anos de 1914 a 1924, período em que se deu a sua afirmação institucional. Utilizando-se das perspectivas teóricas do Neoinstitucionalismo Histórico, a pesquisa analisa a recorrência das deliberações do STF para caracterizar o modus operandi em face da dinâmica institucional. Para isso toma-se como vetor explicativo a path dependency, fundada em elementos contextuais que influem sobre o pragmatismo das instituições. Esta lente analítica leva a deduções causais e, ao mesmo tempo, procura explicar como o meio histórico age sobre os indivíduos em suas ações sucessivas e acumuladas ao longo do tempo. Isto, porque as instituições colocam-se dentro de uma sincronia de causalidade em relação aos reflexos temporais, embora não se configure um determinismo. Para a concretude dos objetivos propostos são utilizadas fontes bibliográficas e documentais com análise quantitativa e qualitativa com base nos “Relatórios de Atividades do Supremo Tribunal Federal” relativos aos anos estudados, através da ferramenta do Process Tracing. Ainda de forma preliminar conclui-se que o Tribunal atuou como uma espécie de “caixa de ressonância” do processo político e social dentro do recorte de pesquisa através de seus mecanismos de ação – as tipologias processuais.