bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Spatiotemporal Evolution Characteristics and Driving Factors of Water-Energy-Food-Carbon System Vulnerability: A Case Study of the Yellow River Basin, China
Authors: Tong Lei , Luo Mengdie
Published: January 2024

With the growing influences of anthropogenic activities and climatic change, the problem concerning the vulnerability of the Water-Energy-Food-Carbon (WEFC) system in the Yellow River Basin is prominent. Using the VSD framework, the WEFC system vulnerability evaluation index system was constructed with 60 cities in the Yellow River Basin as the samples, and the WEFC system vulnerability of each city was measured from 2010 to 2019. Kernel density estimation, Theil index, and spatial correlation analysis were employed to investigate spatio-temporal evolution characteristics. Geodetector was utilized to analyze the driving factors of WEFC system vulnerability. The results demonstrate that: (1) The vulnerability of the WEFC system in the Yellow River Basin tends to decrease, with a spatial pattern of “low in the middle and high on both sides”; the vulnerability is largest in the upper and lower reaches, while smallest in the middle reaches. (2) The spatial difference in vulnerability narrows in the middle and lower reaches, while expanding in the upper reaches. The differences among the three major regions mainly originate from within the region, with the upper reaches having the largest difference and contribution; the vulnerability is featured with a significant spatial correlation, with the upper and lower reaches cities mostly displaying a “high-high” agglomeration and the middle reaches mainly showing a “low-low” one. (3) Factors, including the carbon and ecological carrying capacity coefficient, water resource development and utilization rate, and urbanization rate, mainly influence the WEFC system vulnerability; the spatial heterogeneity of core drivers at the regional scale is obvious, with the upper reaches regions being more strongly influenced by factors of the water resources system, while the middle and lower reaches regions are more sensitive to factors concerning industrial pollution of the energy subsystem. The explanatory power of carbon ecological carrying capacity reaches its peak in the middle reaches. The interaction of factors increases the strength of the impact on vulnerability. This study provides decision support and policy suggestions for achieving a balanced and coordinated development of water resource utilization, energy development, food production, and carbon cycle system in the Yellow River Basin. Investigating WEFC system vulnerability to support SDG 11 provided valuable insights and policy strategies for building cities that are inclusive, secure, resource-efficient, and resilient in the face of climate change and disaster risks.
Using the Degree-Day Method to Analyze Central Heating Energy Consumption in Cities of Northern China
Authors: Song Yangyi , Du Ao , Cui Tong
Published: January 2024

In the context of global population growth and energy scarcity, building energy consumption has become a critical issue with implications for the sustainable development of human society. Winter heating consumption constitutes a large portion of total energy used in buildings, especially in regions with cold climates. This paper employs the degree-day method to analyze the energy consumption of central heating in northern Chinese cities. The study sample consists of 60 target cities, including 30 located in severe cold regions and the remaining 30 in cold regions. By utilizing heating energy consumption and climate data from 2019, the relationships between heating intensity (kWh/m2) and heating degree days (HDDs) are established for the selected cities. Additionally, statistical analysis and model comparisons are conducted. The results show strong positive correlations between heating intensity and HDDs in both severe cold regions and cold regions, with the actual heating base temperatures for the two regions being 21 °C and 22.3 °C, respectively. Moreover, the deviation index of heating intensity is introduced to analyze the energy consumption characteristics of central heating in northern cities from three perspectives: city size, level of heating development, and geographical regions. The analysis suggests that cities with large population, strong economies, and high levels of development exhibit better energy-saving performance. Lastly, several improvement suggestions are proposed to address the potential problems related to energy conservation of central heating systems in cities of northern China.
Vehicle Relocation in One-Way Carsharing: A Review
Authors: Eliyan Afnan Fayez , Kerbache Laoucine
Published: January 2024

Carsharing has become increasingly popular in recent years as a sustainable transportation solution, offering individuals access to shared vehicles on a short-term basis. One-way carsharing, in particular, presents unique challenges due to its flexible nature, allowing users to pick up and drop off vehicles at different locations within a designated service area. This flexibility increases the service ridership but comes at the expense of vehicle imbalance among the stations, as some stations may have excess vehicles while other stations have vehicle shortages. Therefore, carsharing companies need to decide on strategies to ensure a balanced distribution of vehicles among the stations. This is essential as unbalanced vehicle distribution can lead to an unavailability of vehicles when needed or, conversely, result in an increased number of unnecessary rebalancing trips, thereby exacerbating traffic congestion and environmental pollution. Such issues can potentially undermine the overall contribution of carsharing to urban sustainability. To this end, this paper reviews the vehicle imbalance problem that arises in this field and the solution algorithms that solve them.
Glass Fibre Composites Recycling Using the Fluidised Bed: A Comparative Study into the Carbon Footprint in the UK
Authors: Pender Kyle , Yang Liu
Published: January 2024

The UK has no established process for recycling waste glass fibre-reinforced thermosets that are widely used within wind blade structures. Consequently, these materials are typically disposed of in landfills or undergo energy recovery in waste facilities. This study investigates the carbon footprint of the fluidised bed process for recycling glass fibre composite waste, considering the present and future scenarios of composite waste management in the UK. The impact was compared to conventional disposal routes and other prominent recycling technologies, such as cement kiln co-processing and mechanical recycling, by developing energy and material flow models for each waste treatment strategy. Variables, such as the type of waste, the quantity of recycling facilities in the UK, and waste haulage distance, were examined to inform the lowest impact deployment of recycling technologies. Cement kiln co-processing, mechanical, and fluidised bed recycling technologies reduced the global warming potential of processing wind blade waste compared with conventional disposal routes, with impacts of −0.25, −1.25, and −0.57 kg CO2e/kg GRP waste, respectively. Mechanical recycling had the lowest global warming potential resulting from low greenhouse gas emissions associated with the process itself and potentially high offsets by replacing glass fibre in the production of moulding compound. Composite wind turbine blade waste was found to be a particularly promising feedstock for the fluidised bed process due to relatively low resin content diminishing direct greenhouse gas emissions during thermal decomposition, as well as high material recovery offsets due to the high glass fibre content of this waste stream.
Temperature-Dependent Phase Variations in Van Der Waals CdPS3 Revealed by Raman Spectroscopy
Authors: Rahman Sharidya , Ngyuen Hieu , Macdonald Daniel , Lu Yuerui
Published: January 2024

In addition to graphene, the transition metal dichalcogenides, black phosphorus and multiple other layered materials have undergone immense investigations. Among them, metal thiophosphates (MPSx) have emerged as a promising material for various applications. While several layered metal thiophosphates with general-formula MPSx have been scrutinized extensively, van der Waals (vdW) CdPS3 has been overlooked in the literature. Here we report on the extensive Raman scattering of layered CdPS3, showing structural phase transition at a low temperature. The emergence of multiple new peaks at low frequency and a significant shift in peak position with temperature implied a probable change in crystal symmetry from trigonal D3d to triclinic Ci below the phase transition temperature, TK~180 K. In addition, we also showed a p-type performance of CdPS3 FET fabricated using Au electrodes. This work adds CdPS3 to the list of potential layered materials for energy application.
A Deep-Reinforcement-Learning-Based Digital Twin for Manufacturing Process Optimization
Authors: Khdoudi Abdelmoula , Masrour Tawfik , El Hassani Ibtissam , El Mazgualdi Choumicha
Published: January 2024

In the context of Industry 4.0 and smart manufacturing, production factories are increasingly focusing on process optimization, high product customization, quality improvement, cost reduction, and energy saving by implementing a new type of digital solutions that are mainly driven by Internet of Things (IoT), artificial intelligence, big data, and cloud computing. By the adoption of the cyber–physical systems (CPSs) concept, today’s factories are gaining in synergy between the physical and the cyber worlds. As a fast-spreading concept, a digital twin is considered today as a robust solution for decision-making support and optimization. Alongside these benefits, sectors are still working to adopt this technology because of the complexity of modeling manufacturing operations as digital twins. In addition, attempting to use a digital twin for fully automatic decision-making adds yet another layer of complexity. This paper presents our framework for the implementation of a full-duplex (data and decisions) specific-purpose digital twin system for autonomous process control, with plastic injection molding as a practical use-case. Our approach is based on a combination of supervised learning and deep reinforcement learning models that allows for an automated updating of the virtual representation of the system, in addition to an intelligent decision-making process for operational metrics optimization. The suggested method allows for improvements in the product quality while lowering costs. The outcomes demonstrate how the suggested structure can produce high-quality output with the least amount of human involvement. This study shows how the digital twin technology can improve the productivity and effectiveness of production processes and advances the use of the technology in the industrial sector.
6G Goal-Oriented Communications: How to Coexist with Legacy Systems?
Authors: Merluzzi Mattia , Filippou Miltiadis C. , Gomes Baltar Leonardo , Mueck Markus Dominik , Calvanese Strinati Emilio
Published: January 2024

6G will connect heterogeneous intelligent agents to make them natively operate complex cooperative tasks. When connecting intelligence, two main research questions arise to identify how artificial intelligence and machine learning models behave depending on (i) their input data quality, affected by errors induced by interference and additive noise during wireless communication; (ii) their contextual effectiveness and resilience to interpret and exploit the meaning behind the data. Both questions are within the realm of semantic and goal-oriented communications. With this paper, we investigate how to effectively share communication spectrum resources between a legacy communication system (i.e., data-oriented) and a new goal-oriented edge intelligence one. Specifically, we address the scenario of an enhanced Mobile Broadband (eMBB) service, i.e., a user uploading a video stream to a radio access point, interfering with an edge inference system, in which a user uploads images to a Mobile Edge Host that runs a classification task. Our objective is to achieve, through cooperation, the highest eMBB service data rate, subject to a targeted goal effectiveness of the edge inference service, namely the probability of confident inference on time. We first formalize a general definition of a goal in the context of wireless communications. This includes the goal effectiveness, (i.e., the goal achievability rate, or the probability of achieving the goal), as well as goal cost (i.e., the network resource consumption needed to achieve the goal with target effectiveness). We argue and show, through numerical evaluations, that communication reliability and goal effectiveness are not straightforwardly linked. Then, after a performance evaluation aiming to clarify the difference between communication performance and goal effectiveness, a long-term optimization problem is formulated and solved via Lyapunov stochastic network optimization tools to guarantee the desired target performance. Finally, our numerical results assess the advantages of the proposed optimization and the superiority of the goal-oriented strategy against baseline 5G-compliant legacy approaches, under both stationary and non-stationary communication (and computation) environments.
In Vitro Metabolism and In Vivo Pharmacokinetics Profiles of Hydroxy-α-Sanshool
Authors: Meng Jie , Qian Die , Li Ruo-Lan , Peng Wei , Ai Li
Published: January 2024

Hydroxy-α-sanshool (HAS) is the predominant active compound in Zanthoxylum bungeanum Maxim (ZBM). Our present work was aimed to explore the in vitro metabolism characteristics, and in vivo pharmacokinetic (PK) profile of HAS. Plasma (human), liver microsomes, and hepatocytes (human, monkey, dog, mouse, and rat) were collected for HAS metabolism studies in vitro and HAS elimination rates in liver microsomes and hepatocytes of different species were investigated. In addition, five recombinant human CYP enzymes were used to identify CYP isoforms of HAS. Finally, the PK properties of HAS in rats in vivo were studied by oral administration (p.o.). The results showed that HAS stably metabolized in human and rat liver microsomes and human hepatocytes, and the binding of HAS to human plasma proteins was nonspecific; HAS has strong inhibitory effects on CYP2C9 and CYP2D6 of human liver microsomes. In addition, in vivo PK study, HAS is rapidly absorbed in rats after oral administration. In conclusion, the in vivo and in vitro metabolic studies of HAS in this study provide data support for its further development and application, and the metabolic profiles of different species can be used as a reference for its safety evaluation.
Selected Milestones in Antiviral Drug Development
Authors: De Clercq Erik
Published: January 2024

This review article will describe the (wide) variety of approaches that I envisaged to develop a specific therapy for viral infections: (i) interferon and its inducers, (ii) HSV, VZV and CMV inhibitors, (iii) NRTIs (nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors), NtRTIs (nucleotide reverse transcriptase inhibitors) and NNRTIs (non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors) as HIV inhibitors, (iv) NtRTIs as HBV inhibitors, and finally, (v) the transition of an HIV inhibitor to a stem cell mobilizer, as exemplified by AMD-3100 (Mozobil®).
Molecular Amplification and Cell Culturing Efficiency for Enteroviruses’ Detection in Cerebrospinal Fluids of Algerian Patients Suffering from Meningitis
Authors: Rai Abdelwahab , Ammi Zohra , Anes-Boulahbal Dahbia Leila , Assadi Aymen Amin , Amrane Abdeltif , Baaloudj Oussama , Mouni Lotfi
Published: January 2024

Enteroviruses (EVs) represent a major cause of viral meningitis, being responsible for nearly 1 billion infections each year worldwide. Several techniques were developed to obtain better diagnostic results of EV infections. Herein, we evaluated the efficiency of EV detection through isolation on both Rhabdomyosarcoma (RD) and Vero cell line cultures, conventional reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and real-time RT-PCR. Thus, 50 cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples belonging to patients suspected to have viral meningitis in northern Algeria were collected, anonymously numbered from 1 to 50 and subjected to the above-mentioned techniques for EV detection. Using real-time RT-PCR, 34 CSF samples were revealed to be positive for viral origin of meningitis (68%). Thirteen of them were positive when the conventional RT-PCR was used (26%), and only three samples gave positive results when the cell culture technique was used (6%). Surprisingly, two cell culture-positive CSF samples, namely, 31 and 39, were negative using RT-PCR directly on the original samples. However, they turned to be positive when amplification was carried out on their corresponding cell culture supernatant. The cell-cultured viral isolates were then identified by sequencing their viral genome’s VP1 regions. All of them were revealed to belong to the echovirus 27 strain. This investigation demonstrates that RT-PCR techniques are often more sensitive, accurate and much faster, providing reliable results within a clinically acceptable timeframe. However, viral isolation on cell cultures remains crucial to obtain enough viral load for serological tests or even to avoid the rare, but existing, false negative PCR.
Updated Insights into the Phylogenetics, Phylodynamics, and Genetic Diversity of Nipah Virus (NiV)
Authors: de Campos Gabriel Montenegro , Cella Eleonora , Kashima Simone , Alcântara Luiz Carlos Júnior , Sampaio Sandra Coccuzzo , Elias Maria Carolina , Giovanetti Marta , Slavov Svetoslav Nanev
Published: January 2024

Nipah virus (NiV), a biosafety level 4 agent, was first identified in human clinical cases during an outbreak in 1998 in Malaysia and Singapore. While flying foxes are the primary host and viral vector, the infection is associated with a severe clinical presentation in humans, resulting in a high mortality rate. Therefore, NiV is considered a virus with an elevated epidemic potential which is further underscored by its recent emergence (September 2023) as an outbreak in India. Given the situation, it is paramount to understand the molecular dynamics of the virus to shed more light on its evolution and prevent potential future outbreaks. In this study, we conducted Bayesian phylogenetic analysis on all available NiV complete genomes, including partial N-gene NiV sequences (≥1000 bp) in public databases since the first human case, registered in 1998. We observed the distribution of genomes into three main clades corresponding to the genotypes Malaysia, Bangladesh and India, with the Malaysian clade being the oldest in evolutionary terms. The Bayesian skyline plot showed a recent increase in the viral population size since 2019. Protein analysis showed the presence of specific protein families (Hendra_C) in bats that might keep the infection in an asymptomatic state in bats, which also serve as viral vectors. Our results further indicate a shortage of complete NiV genomes, which would be instrumental in gaining a better understanding of NiV’s molecular evolution and preventing future outbreaks. Our investigation also underscores the critical need to strengthen genomic surveillance based on complete NiV genomes that will aid thorough genetic characterization of the circulating NiV strains and the phylogenetic relationships between the henipaviruses. This approach will better prepare us to tackle the challenges posed by the NiV virus and other emerging viruses.
Assessing the Risk of Dengue Virus Local Transmission: Study on Vector Competence of Italian Aedes albopictus
Authors: Fortuna Claudia , Severini Francesco , Marsili Giulia , Toma Luciano , Amendola Antonello , Venturi Giulietta , Argentini Claudio , Casale Francesca , Bernardini Ilaria , Boccolini Daniela , Fiorentini Cristiano , Hapuarachchi Hapuarachchige Chanditha , Montarsi Fabrizio , Di Luca Marco
Published: January 2024

The frequency of locally transmitted dengue virus (DENV) infections has increased in Europe in recent years, facilitated by the invasive mosquito species Aedes albopictus, which is well established in a large area of Europe. In Italy, the first indigenous dengue outbreak was reported in August 2020 with 11 locally acquired cases in the Veneto region (northeast Italy), caused by a DENV-1 viral strain closely related to a previously described strain circulating in Singapore and China. In this study, we evaluated the vector competence of two Italian populations of Ae. albopictus compared to an Ae. aegypti lab colony. We performed experimental infections using a DENV-1 strain that is phylogenetically close to the strain responsible for the 2020 Italian autochthonous outbreak. Our results showed that local Ae. albopictus is susceptible to infection and is able to transmit the virus, confirming the relevant risk of possible outbreaks starting from an imported case.
Association between COVID-19 Vaccination and SARS-CoV-2 Infection among Household Contacts of Infected Individuals: A Prospective Household Study in England
Authors: Muhsen Khitam , Waight Pauline A. , Kirsebom Freja , Andrews Nick , Letley Louise , Gower Charlotte M. , Skarnes Catriona , Quinot Catherine , Lunt Rachel , Bernal Jamie Lopez , Flasche Stefan , Miller Elizabeth
Published: January 2024

Background: We investigated whether COVID-19 vaccination reduced SARS-CoV-2 infection risk among adult household contacts of COVID-19 index cases during the Alpha, Delta, and Omicron waves in England. Methods: Between February 2021 and February 2022, SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR nasal swabs were collected from COVID-19-confirmed index cases aged ≥20 years and their household contacts at enrolment and three and seven days thereafter. Generalized Estimating Equations models were fitted with SARS-CoV-2 positivity as the outcome and household contacts’ vaccination status as the main exposure while adjusting for confounders. Results: SARS-CoV-2 infection was confirmed in 238/472 household contacts (50.4%) aged ≥20 years. The adjusted relative risk (95% confidence interval) of infection in vaccinated versus unvaccinated household contacts was 0.50 (0.35–0.72) and 0.69 (0.53–0.90) for receipt of two doses 8–90 and >90 days ago, respectively, and 0.34 (0.23–0.50) for vaccination with three doses 8–151 days ago. Primary vaccination protected household contacts against infection during the Alpha and Delta waves, but only three doses protected during the Omicron wave. Vaccination with three doses in the index case independently reduced contacts’ infection risk: 0.45 (0.23–0.89). Conclusions: Vaccination of household contacts reduces their risk of infection under conditions of household exposure though, for Omicron, only after a booster dose.
Modelling the Cost-Effectiveness of Hepatitis A in South Africa
Authors: Patterson Jenna , Cleary Susan , Norman Jared , Van Zyl Heiletjé , Awine Timothy , Mayet Saadiyah , Kagina Benjamin , Muloiwa Rudzani , Hussey Gregory , Silal Sheetal
Published: January 2024

The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends the consideration of introducing routine hepatitis A vaccination into national immunization schedules for children ≥ 1 years old in countries with intermediate HAV endemicity. Recent data suggest that South Africa is transitioning from high to intermediate HAV endemicity, thus it is important to consider the impact and cost of potential routine hepatitis A vaccination strategies in the country. An age-structured compartmental model of hepatitis A transmission was calibrated with available data from South Africa, incorporating direct costs of hepatitis A treatment and vaccination. We used the calibrated model to evaluate the impact and costs of several childhood hepatitis A vaccination scenarios from 2023 to 2030. We assessed how each scenario impacted the burden of hepatitis A (symptomatic hepatitis A cases and mortality) as well as calculated the incremental cost per DALY averted as compared to the South African cost-effectiveness threshold. All costs and outcomes were discounted at 5%. For the modelled scenarios, the median estimated cost of the different vaccination strategies ranged from USD 1.71 billion to USD 2.85 billion over the period of 2023 to 2030, with the cost increasing for each successive scenario and approximately 39–52% of costs being due to vaccination. Scenario 1, which represented the administration of one dose of the hepatitis A vaccine in children < 2 years old, requires approximately 5.3 million vaccine doses over 2023–2030 and is projected to avert a total of 136,042 symptomatic cases [IQR: 88,842–221,483] and 31,106 [IQR: 22,975–36,742] deaths due to hepatitis A over the period of 2023 to 2030. The model projects that Scenario 1 would avert 8741 DALYs over the period of 2023 to 2030; however, it is not cost-effective against the South African cost-effectiveness threshold with an ICER per DALY averted of USD 21,006. While Scenario 3 and 4 included the administration of more vaccine doses and averted more symptomatic cases of hepatitis A, these scenarios were absolutely dominated owing to the population being infected before vaccination through the mass campaigns at older ages. The model was highly sensitive to variation of access to liver transplant in South Africa. When increasing the access to liver transplant to 100% for the baseline and Scenario 1, the ICER for Scenario 1 becomes cost-effective against the CET (ICER = USD 2425). Given these findings, we recommend further research is conducted to understand the access to liver transplants in South Africa and better estimate the cost of liver transplant care for hepatitis A patients. The modelling presented in this paper has been used to develop a user-friendly application for vaccine policy makers to further interrogate the model outcomes and consider the costs and benefits of introducing routine hepatitis A vaccination in South Africa.
Community-Engaged Research: COVID-19 Testing, Infection, and Vaccination among Underserved Minority Communities in Miami, Florida
Authors: Martin Haley R. , Brown David R. , Fluney Eileen , Trepka Mary Jo , Marty Aileen M. , Roldan Eneida O. , Liu Qingyun , Barbieri Manuel A. , Baum Marianna K.
Published: January 2024

Community collaboration is a cornerstone of modern public health efforts. This work aimed to use community-engaged research to explore COVID-19 vaccination, testing, and infection in a minoritized community. This study was conducted in Miami, Florida, from March 2021 to February 2022 in community partner sites and the Miami Adult Studies on HIV (MASH) cohort. Sociodemographic characteristics, vaccination and testing beliefs, and COVID-19 challenges were self-reported. COVID-19 vaccinations were verified with medical records, testing history was self-reported, and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 positivity was determined via real-time reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction (rt-PCR). Of 1689 participants, the median age was 57, 51% were male, 49% were non-Hispanic Black, 66% reported an income < USD 15,000/year, and 75.9% received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. Belief that COVID-19 vaccination is effective was associated with lower odds of COVID-19 positivity and was the strongest predictor of vaccination. Challenges accessing health care, housing, food, and transportation were associated with lower odds of vaccination. Employment, health insurance, higher education, and greater perceived test accuracy were associated with greater odds of COVID-19 testing. Social determinants of health and the belief that vaccines are effective and tests are accurate predicted behaviors and thus should be considered during public health crises in vulnerable communities.
Spatial Analysis of Determinants of COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy in Portugal
Authors: Pinto de Carvalho Constança , Ribeiro Manuel , Godinho Simões Diogo , Pita Ferreira Patrícia , Azevedo Leonardo , Gonçalves-Sá Joana , Mesquita Sara , Gonçalves Licínio , Pinto Leite Pedro , Peralta-Santos André
Published: January 2024

Vaccine hesitancy tends to exhibit geographical patterns and is often associated with social deprivation and migrant status. We aimed to estimate COVID-19 vaccination hesitancy in a high-vaccination-acceptance country, Portugal, and determine its association with sociodemographic risk factors. We used the Registry of National Health System Users to determine the eligible population and the Vaccination Registry to determine individuals without COVID-19 vaccine doses. Individuals older than five with no COVID-19 vaccine dose administered by 31 March 2022 were considered hesitant. We calculated hesitancy rates by municipality, gender, and age group for all municipalities in mainland Portugal. We used the spatial statistical scan method to identify spatial clusters and the Besag, Yorke, and Mollié (BYM) model to estimate the effect of age, gender, social deprivation, and migrant proportion across all mainland municipalities. The eligible population was 9,852,283, with 1,212,565 (12%) COVID-19 vaccine-hesitant individuals. We found high-hesitancy spatial clusters in the Lisbon metropolitan area and the country’s southwest. Our model showed that municipalities with higher proportions of migrants are associated with an increased relative risk (RR) of vaccine hesitancy (RR = 8.0; CI 95% 4.6; 14.0). Social deprivation and gender were not associated with vaccine hesitancy rates. We found COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy has a heterogeneous distribution across Portugal and has a strong association with the proportion of migrants per municipality.
Heterologous Booster Immunization Based on Inactivated SARS-CoV-2 Vaccine Enhances Humoral Immunity and Promotes BCR Repertoire Development
Authors: Li Xinghang , Zeng Fengyuan , Yue Rong , Ma Danjing , Meng Ziyan , Li Qi , Zhang Zhenxiao , Zhang Haobo , Liao Yuansheng , Liao Yun , Jiang Guorun , Zhao Heng , Yu Li , Li Dandan , Zhang Ying , Liu Longding , Li Qihan
Published: January 2024

Recent studies have indicated that sequentially administering SARS-CoV-2 vaccines can result in increased antibody and cellular immune responses. In this study, we compared homologous and heterologous immunization strategies following two doses of inactivated vaccines in a mouse model. Our research demonstrates that heterologous sequential immunization resulted in more immune responses displayed in the lymph node germinal center, which induced a greater number of antibody-secreting cells (ASCs), resulting in enhanced humoral and cellular immune responses and increased cross-protection against five variant strains. In further single B-cell analysis, the above findings were supported by the presence of unique B-cell receptor (BCR) repertoires and diversity in CDR3 sequence profiles elicited by a heterologous booster immunization strategy.
Vitamin D Supplementation and Prior Oral Poliovirus Vaccination Decrease Odds of COVID-19 Outcomes among Adults Recently Inoculated with Inactivated Poliovirus Vaccine
Authors: Comunale Brittany A. , Hsu Yea-Jen , Larson Robin J. , Singh Aditi , Jackson-Ward Erin , Engineer Lilly D.
Published: January 2024

Background: Structural and functional commonalities between poliovirus and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) suggest that poliovirus inoculation may induce antibodies that mitigate the coronavirus disease (COVID-19). No known studies have evaluated COVID-19 risk factors in adults recently vaccinated against poliovirus. Study Objective: Among adults with no history of COVID-19 infection or vaccination, who recently received an inactivated poliovirus vaccine (IPV), we sought to determine which biological factors and social determinants of health (SDOH) may be associated with (1) testing positive for SARS-CoV-2, (2) experiencing COVID-19 symptoms, and (3) a longer duration of COVID-19 symptoms. Methods: The influence of biological factors and SDOH on SARS-CoV-2 infection and COVID-19 symptoms were evaluated among 282 adults recently inoculated with IPV. Participant-reported surveys were analyzed over 12 months post-enrollment. Bivariate and multivariate linear and logistic regression models identified associations between variables and COVID-19 outcomes. Results: Adjusting for COVID-19 vaccinations, variants, and other SDOH, secondary analyses revealed that underlying conditions, employment, vitamin D, education, and the oral poliovirus vaccination (OPV) were associated with COVID-19 outcomes. The odds of testing positive for SARS-CoV-2 and experiencing symptoms were significantly reduced among participants who took vitamin D (OR 0.12 and OR 0.09, respectively). Unemployed or part-time working participants were 72% less likely to test positive compared with full-time workers. No prior dose of OPV was one of the strongest predictors of SARS-CoV-2 infection (OR 4.36) and COVID-19 symptoms (OR 6.95). Conclusions: Findings suggest that prophylactic measures and mucosal immunity may mitigate the risk and severity of COVID-19 outcomes. Larger-scale studies may inform future policies.
Meander Line Super-Wideband Radiator for Fifth-Generation (5G) Vehicles
Authors: Palepu Narayana Rao , Kumar Jayendra , Peddakrishna Samineni
Published: January 2024

Designing antennas for vehicular communication systems presents several unique challenges due to the dynamic nature of vehicular environments, mobility, and the need for reliable connectivity. A wider bandwidth is a critical requirement of vehicular antennas. In this paper, a super-wideband FR4 epoxy-based low-cost meander line patch antenna is designed for fifth-generation (5G) vehicular mobile frequency applications. The proposed antenna is excited through a microstrip feedline on top of the substrate with a continuous ground plane. The meander line is implemented through a theoretical formula to cover upper-5G frequency range 1 (FR1) and frequency range 2 (FR2). The proposed antenna has 7.5 dBi peak gain when operated at 28 GHz. The simulated bandwidth ratio (BWR) is 9.09:1 for a −10 dB reflection coefficient covering a 53.4 GHz (6.6 GHz to 60 GHz) frequency range. The proposed antenna has a linear meander line planar structure, occupies a small area of 34 mm × 20 mm × 1.6 mm, and satisfies the bandwidth requirements of 5G millimeter-wave and sub-bands of the sixth generation for vehicular applications.
Navigating Flood Resilience: Challenges, Solutions, and Lessons Learnt from the Dominican Republic
Authors: Reynoso Vanderhorst Hamlet David , Pathirage Chaminda , Proverbs David
Published: January 2024

Recent unprecedented events worldwide, such as floods in Dubai, recurring heavy rainfall in Santo Domingo, and abrupt temperature changes in the United Kingdom (UK), underscore the tangible impacts of climate change. In response to escalating threats from natural disasters, global communities prioritise resilience and effective disaster management systems. This paper addresses best practices for managing abnormal floods, laying the foundation for the next generation of preparedness and mitigation plans. Focusing on flood risk in Santo Domingo, the study employs the Community Disaster Resilience Framework, conducting a workshop with over 100 stakeholders from government, private, and academic sectors. The assessment spans physical, economic, environmental, and social aspects, revealing common challenges in infrastructure upkeep, public awareness, urban planning, drainage, and economic disparities. The paper proposes technological solutions like predictive maintenance and smart drainage systems, emphasising the potential for implementation. Recognising the importance of community involvement and preparedness, insights from the United Kingdom guide initial steps in strategy development. The conclusions advocate for collaborative efforts among government, academia, and society to navigate the complexities of disaster management and community resilience, ultimately proposing a framework to address these challenges. Further research is suggested in expanding online platforms for disaster risk reduction education in the Caribbean region.
Modeling the Transport of Inorganic Arsenic Species through Field Soils: Irrigation and Soil Structure Effect
Authors: Rukh Shah , Akhtar Mohammad Saleem , Alshehri Fahad , Mehmood Ayaz , Malik Kouser Majeed , Almadani Sattam , Khan Ahmad , Shahab Muhammad
Published: January 2024

Dissolved arsenic (As) may appear at the tile line level through preferential flow (PF), leading to contamination of shallow water bodies. Limited work on the movement of As forms in field soils urged the need for more research. The PF of arsenate (As(V)) and arsenite (As(III)) compared to chloride (Cl) at constant flow under saturated (10 mm), slightly unsaturated (−10 mm), and unsaturated (−40 mm) pressure heads was evaluated in replicated large field columns varying in subsoil structure. A solute containing As(V), As(III), and Cl was pulsed until the Cl concentration ratio in the drainage samples reached maxima and flushed with solute-free irrigation. HYDRUS-1D software version 4.15 was utilized to fit the breakthroughs of As(V) and As(III) in the dual-porosity physical non-equilibrium model (DP-PNE). The Langmuir equation was used to fit the As(V) and As(III) sorption isotherms, and blue dye staining was used for the marking of flow paths. Dye leaching was observed up to 50 cm or deeper in the soils. Under saturated conditions (+10 mm), Kotli, Guliana, and Mansehra soils showed chemical non-equilibrium (CNE) for As(V) and As(III); however, the extent of CNE was less under unsaturated conditions (−40 mm). These results implied that these well-structured soils had enough large macropores, which cause PF, but at the same time, they were also small enough to retain water and leach solutes under unsaturated conditions (−40 mm). It is concluded that irrigation of contaminated water or dumping solid waste on well-aggregated soil may exhibit PF of dissolved As during and after rains, and additionally As(III), which is more toxic and mobile under reduced conditions, has equal or greater potential for movement.
A Comparative Study of the Driving Factors of Water Resources Use Efficiency in China’s Agricultural and Industrial Sectors
Authors: Li Jianghong , Huang Zhengwei , Zhou Lingfang , Dai Yongyu , Yang Yang
Published: January 2024

The efficient use of water resources has become an important topic in China. Research on measurement and driving factors is the foundation for improving water resources use efficiency (WRUE). In this paper, the super-efficiency slacks-based measure (SE-SBM) model is used to measure the WRUE of China from 2005 to 2021. The agricultural carbon emissions and chemical oxygen demand (COD) in industrial wastes are taken as undesirable by-products. The driving factors of WRUE are discussed with use of the Tobit regression model. The results show that China’s agricultural WRUE ranges from 1.185 in Jilin to 0.687 in Ningxia. In the industrial sector, the WRUE ranges from 1.399 in Beijing to Jiangxi 0.212. The economic structure and development level, water resources endowment, government influence and environmental regulation, agricultural planting scale and urbanization rate have impacts on WRUE. Precautionary measures need to be applied to prevent inefficient WRUE caused by the declining share of the industrial sector in the economic structure. More financial support should be focused on water-saving irrigation in agriculture and energy and resource efficiency in industry. The organizational structure and technological advantages of urbanization should also be emphasized in efforts to improve water efficiency.
Exploring Key Aspects of Sea Level Rise and Their Implications: An Overview
Authors: Elneel Leena , Zitouni M. Sami , Mukhtar Husameldin , Galli Paolo , Al-Ahmad Hussain
Published: January 2024

Sea level rise (SLR) is one of the most pressing challenges of climate change and has drawn noticeable research interest over the past few decades. Factors induced by global climate change, such as temperature increase, have resulted in both direct and indirect changes in sea levels at different spatial scales. Various climatic and non-climatic events contribute to sea level changes, posing risks to coastal and low-lying areas. Nevertheless, changes in sea level are not uniformly distributed globally due to several regional factors such as wave actions, storm surge frequencies, and tectonic land movement. The high exposure to those factors increases the vulnerability of subjected areas to SLR impacts. The impacts of events induced by climate change and SLR are reflected in biophysical, socioeconomic, and environmental aspects. Different indicator-based and model-based approaches are used to assess coastal areas’ vulnerabilities, response to impacts, and implementation of adaptation and mitigation measures. Various studies have been conducted to project future SLR impacts and evaluate implemented protection and adaptation approaches, aiding policymakers in planning effective adaptation and mitigation measures to reduce damage. This paper provides an overview of SLR and its key elements, encompassing contributing factors, impacts, and mitigation and adaptation measures, featuring a dedicated section on the Arabian Gulf, a semi-enclosed sea.
An Empirical Study of the Policy Processes behind Norway’s BEV-Olution
Authors: Figenbaum Erik
Published: January 2024

Norway’s large battery electric vehicle (BEV) market and fleet are not the result of a comprehensive policy plan. Using the multiple streams (MS) framework and document analysis, it was identified that the most important Norwegian BEV policy decisions were made using inadequate policy processes that fall outside of traditional politics. This is contrary to the MS framework postulate that three independent streams of problems, policy solutions, and politics must align to pave the way for new policies. Politicians had limited information about the effects of policies they introduced in this “learning by doing process”. Impact assessments were rarely made. The decision rationale was often not documented. The future market expectation and thus the national budget consequences were low when important policy decisions were made, whereas the political gain was high. The processes were more aligned with traditional politics after 2014. The ambitious ZE vehicle targets for 2025 and the climate policy targets for 2030 locked in incentives, despite rising tax losses. In sum, these developments created the world’s largest per-capita BEV market. To avoid negative issues and keep the BEV policies’ potential to support the BEV transition, politicians should ensure that sufficient knowledge is available when making decisions about future policies. Such decisions should be taken transparently within traditional politics, be properly assessed as with EU policy processes, and regularly reviewed as with the California ZEV mandate process. The required knowledge should be developed in open-access research.
Screening as a stage in the prevention of oral mucosal diseases in patients undergoing chemotherapy for malignant growths
Authors: Makedonova Yu. А. , Shkarin V. V. , Emelyanova O. S. , Chizhikova T. V. , Venskel I. V. , Devyatchenko L. A.
Published: January 2024

Relevance. The incidence of malignant growths in the maxillofacial area has consistently increased over the years. Chemotherapy stands out as one of the most effective treatments for cancerous tumors. Chemotherapeutic drugs possess the capability to either inhibit the proliferation of malignant cells or cause damage to them. However, while acting on abnormal cells, cytostatic drugs also impact actively dividing cells in normal tissues, including the mucous membranes in the oral cavity. As a result, various complications are observed in every patient undergoing treatment for malignant neoplasms (MN), particularly chemotherapy (CT). The nature and severity of side effects undergo changes based on the specific drugs and cytostatic treatment regimen employed. Adverse reactions and side effects inherent to each drug category manifest at different points throughout a chemotherapy course and its aftermath. Oral mucosal (OM) complications, such as oral mucositis, may ensue as a consequence of CT side effects.

Materials and methods. In order to assess the effectiveness of screening for OM disorders arising as side effects of chemotherapy, a study involving 37 patients undergoing chemotherapy for an underlying condition was conducted. The screening study comprised two stages: Stage I involved a quality-of-life assessment utilizing questionnaires developed by the authors, while Stage II entailed a clinical examination of the oral mucosa. The obtained data were subjected to statistical analysis methods. Variation statistics were employed to assess the likelihood of data errors.

Results. Comprehensive OM diagnostics in patients undergoing chemotherapy for an underlying oncology condition enable the early identification of oral mucosal diseases and the prevention of complications. It is recommended to conduct a thorough clinical examination and employ toluidine blue staining during each follow-up visit. Any observed clinical or stained tissue changes, the emergence of new erythematous lesions, erosions, or ulcers may serve as indicators of malignant transformation.

Conclusion. It is advisable to incorporate screening diagnostics into each patient's dental visit to proactively prevent the onset of various pathological conditions.
Diurnal migration of birds in the Carpathian Mountains – characteristics, barrier effect and comparison with other regions in Poland
Authors: Bobreka Rafał , Wilk Tomasz , Pękowska–Król Aleksandra
Published: January 2024

Despite the development of technically advanced methods of studying bird migration, classical visual observations remain a source of valuable data allowing a broad analysis of the picture of diurnal migration at a given site. We employed visual observations to investigate the spatial
and temporal pattern of diurnal migration of birds in the Polish part of the Carpathians. During autumns 2011-2013, 28 localities distributed over the area were surveyed by experienced observers, while 12 localities were researched in spring 2015. The data collected allowed the determination
of passage intensity indices and the timing of migration for more than 100 species in autumn and about 70 species in spring. Mean passage intensity was more than 3 times higher in autumn than in spring, with the highest recorded in the first half of October and mid-March, respectively. Compared
to autumn, the peak of diurnal migration was shifted to later hours in spring. The passage occurred primarily along the N-S axis, followed by the NE-SW axis. No consistent evidence of a barrier effect of the Carpathians – expressing as a reduction in passage intensity in intra-mountain
locations or in higher elevated areas – has been detected in this study. The cluster analysis showed that the assemblage structure of migrants in the mountain regions located in the south of Poland (Carpathian Mts., Karkonosze Mts., Świętokrzyskie Mts.) were more similar
to each other than to a region situated far to the north on the Baltic coast.