bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Hawking Radiation and Black Hole Gravitational Back Reaction—A Quantum Geometrodynamical Simplified Model
Authors: Marto João
Published: August 2021

The purpose of this paper is to analyse the back reaction problem, between Hawking radiation and the black hole, in a simplified model for the black hole evaporation in the quantum geometrodynamics context. The idea is to transcribe the most important characteristics of the Wheeler-DeWitt equation into a Schrödinger’s type of equation. Subsequently, we consider Hawking radiation and black hole quantum states evolution under the influence of a potential that includes back reaction. Finally, entropy is estimated as a measure of the entanglement between the black hole and Hawking radiation states in this model.
5G and 6G Broadband Cellular Network Technologies as Enablers of New Avenues for Behavioral Influence with Examples from Reduced Rural-Urban Digital Divide
Authors: Oinas-Kukkonen Harri , Karppinen Pasi , Kekkonen Markku
Published: August 2021

Two of the key information technologies with very high expectations to change our contemporary society are the fifth generation broadband cellular network technologies, which are already emerging to markets, and the foreseen sixth generation broadband cellular network technologies currently under research and development. The core promise of these next generation technologies lies especially in lower latency for providing users feedback on their behavior; thus, growing opportunities for influencing users in their everyday contexts. This viewpoint article seeks to discuss how these opportunities may impact future information technology in general and especially persuasive design and research before 2030. In addition, we will address challenges regarding the promise of 5G and 6G technologies. Information and communication technology can support individuals’ behavioral change only if they can access the technology. In this article, we will exemplify this by presenting possible ways to minimize the digital divide between rural and urban areas, wherein lies a general danger that the divide would increase further.
Plant-Produced Glycosylated and In Vivo Deglycosylated Receptor Binding Domain Proteins of SARS-CoV-2 Induce Potent Neutralizing Responses in Mice
Authors: Mamedov Tarlan , Yuksel Damla , Ilgın Merve , Gurbuzaslan Irem , Gulec Burcu , Yetiskin Hazel , Uygut Muhammet Ali , Islam Pavel Shaikh Terkis , Ozdarendeli Aykut , Mammadova Gulshan , Say Deniz , Hasanova Gulnara
Published: August 2021

The COVID-19 pandemic, caused by SARS-CoV-2, has rapidly spread to more than 222 countries and has put global public health at high risk. The world urgently needs cost-effective and safe SARS-CoV-2 vaccines, antiviral, and therapeutic drugs to control it. In this study, we engineered the receptor binding domain (RBD) of the SARS-CoV-2 spike (S) protein and produced it in the plant Nicotiana benthamiana in a glycosylated and deglycosylated form. Expression levels of both glycosylated (gRBD) and deglycosylated (dRBD) RBD were greater than 45 mg/kg fresh weight. The purification yields were 22 mg of pure protein/kg of plant biomass for gRBD and 20 mg for dRBD, which would be sufficient for commercialization of these vaccine candidates. The purified plant-produced RBD protein was recognized by an S protein-specific monoclonal antibody, demonstrating specific reactivity of the antibody to the plant-produced RBD proteins. The SARS-CoV-2 RBD showed specific binding to angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), the SARS-CoV-2 receptor. In mice, the plant-produced RBD antigens elicited high titers of antibodies with a potent virus-neutralizing activity. To our knowledge, this is the first report demonstrating that mice immunized with plant-produced deglycosylated RBD form elicited high titer of RBD-specific antibodies with potent neutralizing activity against SARS-CoV-2 infection. Thus, obtained data support that plant-produced glycosylated and in vivo deglycosylated RBD antigens, developed in this study, are promising vaccine candidates for the prevention of COVID-19.
Hepatitis C Virus Vaccine Research: Time to Put Up or Shut Up
Authors: Hartlage Alex S. , Kapoor Amit
Published: August 2021

Unless urgently needed to prevent a pandemic, the development of a viral vaccine should follow a rigorous scientific approach. Each vaccine candidate should be designed considering the in-depth knowledge of protective immunity, followed by preclinical studies to assess immunogenicity and safety, and lastly, the evaluation of selected vaccines in human clinical trials. The recently concluded first phase II clinical trial of a human hepatitis C virus (HCV) vaccine followed this approach. Still, despite promising preclinical results, it failed to protect against chronic infection, raising grave concerns about our understanding of protective immunity. This setback, combined with the lack of HCV animal models and availability of new highly effective antivirals, has fueled ongoing discussions of using a controlled human infection model (CHIM) to test new HCV vaccine candidates. Before taking on such an approach, however, we must carefully weigh all the ethical and health consequences of human infection in the absence of a complete understanding of HCV immunity and pathogenesis. We know that there are significant gaps in our knowledge of adaptive immunity necessary to prevent chronic HCV infection. This review discusses our current understanding of HCV immunity and the critical gaps that should be filled before embarking upon new HCV vaccine trials. We discuss the importance of T cells, neutralizing antibodies, and HCV genetic diversity. We address if and how the animal HCV-like viruses can be used for conceptualizing effective HCV vaccines and what we have learned so far from these HCV surrogates. Finally, we propose a logical but narrow path forward for HCV vaccine development.
Longitudinal Assessment of Cytokine Expression and Plasminogen Activation in Hantavirus Cardiopulmonary Syndrome Reveals Immune Regulatory Dysfunction in End-Stage Disease
Authors: Simons Peter , Guo Yan , Bondu Virginie , Tigert Susan L. , Harkins Michelle , Goodfellow Samuel , Tompkins Cana , Chabot-Richards Devon , Yang Xuexian O. , Bosc Laura Gonzalez , Bradfute Steven , Lawrence Daniel A. , Buranda Tione
Published: August 2021

Pathogenic New World orthohantaviruses cause hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome (HCPS), a severe immunopathogenic disease in humans manifested by pulmonary edema and respiratory distress, with case fatality rates approaching 40%. High levels of inflammatory mediators are present in the lungs and systemic circulation of HCPS patients. Previous studies have provided insights into the pathophysiology of HCPS. However, the longitudinal correlations of innate and adaptive immune responses and disease outcomes remain unresolved. This study analyzed serial immune responses in 13 HCPS cases due to Sin Nombre orthohantavirus (SNV), with 11 severe cases requiring extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) treatment and two mild cases. We measured viral load, levels of various cytokines, urokinase plasminogen activator (uPA), and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1). We found significantly elevated levels of proinflammatory cytokines and PAI-1 in five end-stage cases. There was no difference between the expression of active uPA in survivors’ and decedents’ cases. However, total uPA in decedents’ cases was significantly higher compared to survivors’. In some end-stage cases, uPA was refractory to PAI-1 inhibition as measured by zymography, where uPA and PAI-1 were strongly correlated to lymphocyte counts and IFN-γ. We also found bacterial co-infection influencing the etiology and outcome of immune response in two cases. Unsupervised Principal Component Analysis and hierarchical cluster analyses resolved separate waves of correlated immune mediators expressed in one case patient due to a sequential co-infection of bacteria and SNV. Overall, a robust proinflammatory immune response, characterized by an imbalance in T helper 17 (Th17) and regulatory T-cells (Treg) subsets, was correlated with dysregulated inflammation and mortality. Our sample size is small; however, the core differences correlated to survivors and end-stage HCPS are instructive.
The Positive Rhinovirus/Enterovirus Detection and SARS-CoV-2 Persistence beyond the Acute Infection Phase: An Intra-Household Surveillance Study
Authors: Brotons Pedro , Jordan Iolanda , Bassat Quique , Henares Desiree , Fernandez de Sevilla Mariona , Ajanovic Sara , Redin Alba , Fumado Vicky , Baro Barbara , Claverol Joana , Varo Rosauro , Cuadras Daniel , Hecht Jochen , Barrabeig Irene , Garcia-Garcia Juan Jose , Launes Cristian , Muñoz-Almagro Carmen
Published: August 2021

We aimed to assess the duration of nasopharyngeal severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) RNA persistence in adults self-confined at home after acute infection; and to identify the associations of SARS-CoV-2 persistence with respiratory virus co-detection and infection transmission. A cross-sectional intra-household study was conducted in metropolitan Barcelona (Spain) during the time period of April to June 2020. Every adult who was the first family member reported as SARS-CoV-2-positive by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) as well as their household child contacts had nasopharyngeal swabs tested by a targeted SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR and a multiplex viral respiratory panel after a 15 day minimum time lag. Four-hundred and four households (404 adults and 708 children) were enrolled. SARS-CoV-2 RNA was detected in 137 (33.9%) adults and 84 (11.9%) children. Rhinovirus/Enterovirus (RV/EV) was commonly found (83.3%) in co-infection with SARS-CoV-2 in adults. The mean duration of SARS-CoV-2 RNA presence in adults’ nasopharynx was 52 days (range 26–83 days). The persistence of SARS-CoV-2 was significantly associated with RV/EV co-infection (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 9.31; 95% CI 2.57–33.80) and SARS-CoV-2 detection in child contacts (aOR 2.08; 95% CI 1.24–3.51). Prolonged nasopharyngeal SARS-CoV-2 RNA persistence beyond the acute infection phase was frequent in adults quarantined at home during the first epidemic wave; which was associated with RV/EV co-infection and could enhance intra-household infection transmission.
Equine Parvovirus-Hepatitis Screening in Horses and Donkeys with Histopathologic Liver Abnormalities
Authors: Zehetner Verena , Cavalleri Jessika-M. V. , Klang Andrea , Hofer Martin , Preining Irina , Steinborn Ralf , Ramsauer Anna S.
Published: August 2021

There is strong evidence that equine parvovirus-hepatitis (EqPV-H) is associated with the onset of Theiler’s disease, an acute hepatic necrosis, in horses. However, the impact of this virus on other hepatopathies remains unknown. The objective of this retrospective study was to evaluate the prevalence and quantify the viral loads of EqPV-H in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded equine and donkey livers with various histopathologic abnormalities. The pathologies included cirrhosis, circulatory disorders of the liver, toxic and metabolic hepatic diseases as well as neoplastic and inflammatory diseases (n = 84). Eight normal liver samples were included for comparison as controls. EqPV-H DNA was qualitatively and quantitatively measured by real-time PCR and digital PCR, respectively. The virus was detected in two livers originating from horses diagnosed with abdominal neoplasia and liver metastasis (loads of 5 × 103 and 9.5 × 103 genome equivalents per million cells). The amount of viral nucleic acids measured indicates chronic infection or persistence of EqPV-H, which might have been facilitated by the neoplastic disease. In summary, this study did not provide evidence for EqPV-H being involved in hepatopathies other than Theiler’s disease.
Characterization of the SARS-CoV-2 Host Response in Primary Human Airway Epithelial Cells from Aged Individuals
Authors: Subramaniyan Bharathiraja , Larabee Jason L. , Bodas Manish , Moore Andrew R. , Burgett Anthony W. G. , Myers Dean A. , Georgescu Constantin , Wren Jonathan D. , Papin James F. , Walters Matthew S.
Published: August 2021

Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the causative agent of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), a global pandemic characterized by an exaggerated immune response and respiratory illness. Age (>60 years) is a significant risk factor for developing severe COVID-19. To better understand the host response of the aged airway epithelium to SARS-CoV-2 infection, we performed an in vitro study using primary human bronchial epithelial cells from donors >67 years of age differentiated on an air–liquid interface culture. We demonstrate that SARS-CoV-2 infection leads to early induction of a proinflammatory response and a delayed interferon response. In addition, we observed changes in the genes and pathways associated with cell death and senescence throughout infection. In summary, our study provides new and important insights into the temporal kinetics of the airway epithelial innate immune response to SARS-CoV-2 in older individuals.
Generation and Evaluation of Recombinant Thermostable Newcastle Disease Virus Expressing the HA of H9N2 Avian Influenza Virus
Authors: Zhang Xiaorong , Bo Zongyi , Meng Chenchen , Chen Yin , Zhang Chengcheng , Cao Yongzhong , Wu Yantao
Published: August 2021

H9N2 avian influenza virus (AIV) has become endemic in many countries, causing great economic losses when co-infected with other pathogens. So far, several live vaccines based on Newcastle disease virus (NDV) vectors expressing influenza hemagglutinin (HA) have been developed. However, the thermostable recombinant NDV is rarely reported. In this study, using a thermostable NDV rAHR09 strain as the vector, three recombinant NDVs expressing native HA, chimeric HA ectodomain with transmembrane domain/C-terminal cytoplasmic tail domain from fusion protein of NDV, and HA ectodomain were generated, designated rAHR09-HA, rAHR09-HAF, and rAHR09-HAE. The MDT value of three recombinant NDVs was above 120 h, their ICPI value was about 0.03, and the recombinant NDVs were still infectious when treated for 100 min under 56 °C, which demonstrated that the recombinant NDVs kept the lentogenic and thermostable nature of rAHR09. The immunization data showed that rAHR09-HA and rAHR09-HAF induced a higher HI antibody titer against H9N2 AIV and NDV. After being challenged with H9N2 AIV, the rAHR09-HA and rAHR09-HAF could significantly reduce the virus shedding in cloacal and tracheal swab samples. Our results suggest that rAHR09-HA and rAHR09-HAF might be vaccine candidates against H9N2 AIV.
Retrospective Study of the Upsurge of Enterovirus D68 Clade D1 among Adults (2014–2018)
Authors: Duval Maxime , Mirand Audrey , Lesens Olivier , Bay Jacques-Olivier , Caillaud Denis , Gallot Denis , Lautrette Alexandre , Montcouquiol Sylvie , Schmidt Jeannot , Egron Carole , Jugie Gwendoline , Bisseux Maxime , Archimbaud Christine , Lambert Céline , Henquell Cécile , Bailly Jean-Luc
Published: August 2021

Enterovirus D68 (EV-D68) has emerged as an agent of epidemic respiratory illness and acute flaccid myelitis in the paediatric population but data are lacking in adult patients. We performed a 4.5-year single-centre retrospective study of all patients who tested positive for EV-D68 and analysed full-length EV-D68 genomes of the predominant clades B3 and D1. Between 1 June 2014, and 31 December 2018, 73 of the 11,365 patients investigated for respiratory pathogens tested positive for EV-D68, of whom 20 (27%) were adults (median age 53.7 years [IQR 34.0–65.7]) and 53 (73%) were children (median age 1.9 years [IQR 0.2–4.0]). The proportion of adults increased from 12% in 2014 to 48% in 2018 (p = 0.01). All adults had an underlying comorbidity factor, including chronic lung disease in 12 (60%), diabetes mellitus in six (30%), and chronic heart disease in five (25%). Clade D1 infected a higher proportion of adults than clades B3 and B2 (p = 0.001). Clade D1 was more divergent than clade B3: 5 of 19 amino acid changes in the capsid proteins were located in putative antigenic sites. Adult patients with underlying conditions are more likely to present with severe complications associated with EV-D68, notably the emergent clade D1.
Exploring the Cause of Diarrhoea and Poor Growth in 8–11-Week-Old Pigs from an Australian Pig Herd Using Metagenomic Sequencing
Authors: Bhatta Tarka Raj , Chamings Anthony , Alexandersen Soren
Published: August 2021

Diarrhoea and poor growth among growing pigs is responsible for significant economic losses in pig herds globally and can have a wide range of possible aetiologies. Next generation sequencing (NGS) technologies are useful for the detection and characterisation of diverse groups of viruses and bacteria and can thereby provide a better understanding of complex interactions among microorganisms potentially causing clinical disease. Here, we used a metagenomics approach to identify and characterise the possible pathogens in colon and lung samples from pigs with diarrhoea and poor growth in an Australian pig herd. We identified and characterized a wide diversity of porcine viruses including RNA viruses, in particular several picornaviruses—porcine sapelovirus (PSV), enterovirus G (EV-G), and porcine teschovirus (PTV), and a porcine astrovirus (PAstV). Single stranded DNA viruses were also detected and included parvoviruses like porcine bocavirus (PBoV) and porcine parvovirus 2 (PPV2), porcine parvovirus 7 (PPV7), porcine bufa virus (PBuV), and porcine adeno-associated virus (AAV). We also detected single stranded circular DNA viruses such as porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) at very low abundance and torque teno sus viruses (TTSuVk2a and TTSuVk2b). Some of the viruses detected here may have had an evolutionary past including recombination events, which may be of importance and potential involvement in clinical disease in the pigs. In addition, our metagenomics data found evidence of the presence of the bacteria Lawsonia intracellularis, Brachyspira spp., and Campylobacter spp. that may, together with these viruses, have contributed to the development of clinical disease and poor growth.
Human Transbodies to Reverse Transcriptase Connection Subdomain of HIV-1 Gag-Pol Polyprotein Reduce Infectiousness of the Virus Progeny
Authors: Seesuay Watee , Phanthong Siratcha , Densumite Jaslan , Mahasongkram Kodchakorn , Sookrung Nitat , Chaicumpa Wanpen
Published: August 2021

HIV-1 progeny are released from infected cells as immature particles that are unable to infect new cells. Gag-Pol polyprotein dimerization via the reverse transcriptase connection domain (RTCDs) is pivotal for proper activation of the virus protease (PR protein) in an early event of the progeny virus maturation process. Thus, the RTCD is a potential therapeutic target for a broadly effective anti-HIV agent through impediment of virus maturation. In this study, human single-chain antibodies (HuscFvs) that bound to HIV-1 RTCD were generated using phage display technology. Computerized simulation guided the selection of the transformed Escherichia coli-derived HuscFvs that bound to the RTCD dimer interface. The selected HuscFvs were linked molecularly to human-derived-cell-penetrating peptide (CPP) to make them cell-penetrable (i.e., become transbodies). The CPP-HuscFvs/transbodies produced by a selected transformed E. coli clone were tested for anti-HIV-1 activity. CPP-HuscFvs of transformed E. coli clone 11 (CPP-HuscFv11) that presumptively bound at the RTCD dimer interface effectively reduced reverse transcriptase activity in the newly released virus progeny. Infectiousness of the progeny viruses obtained from CPP-HuscFv11-treated cells were reduced by a similar magnitude to those obtained from protease/reverse transcriptase inhibitor-treated cells, indicating anti-HIV-1 activity of the transbodies. The CPP-HuscFv11/transbodies to HIV-1 RTCD could be an alternative, anti-retroviral agent for long-term HIV-1 treatment.
Staphylococcus aureus Protection-Related Type 3 Cell-Mediated Immune Response Elicited by Recombinant Proteins and GM-CSF DNA Vaccine
Authors: Santos Kamila R. , Souza Fernando N. , Ramos-Sanchez Eduardo M. , Batista Camila F. , Reis Luiza C. , Fotoran Wesley F. , Heinemann Marcos B. , Goto Hiro , Gidlund Magnus , Cunha Adriano F. , Faria Angélica Rosa , Andrade Hélida M. , Lage Andrey P. , Cerqueira Mônica M. O. P. , Della Libera Alice M. M. P.
Published: August 2021

Staphylococcus aureus mastitis remains a major challenge for dairy farming. Here, 24 mice were immunized and divided into four groups: G1: control; G2: Granulocyte Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor (GM-CSF) DNA vaccine; G3: F0F1 ATP synthase subunit α (SAS), succinyl-diaminopimelate (SDD), and cysteinyl-tRNA synthetase (CTS) recombinant proteins; and G4: SAS+SDD+CTS plus GM-CSF DNA vaccine. The lymphocyte subpopulations, and the intracellular interleukin-17A (IL-17A) and interferon-γ production in the draining lymph node cells were immunophenotyped by flow cytometry. The immunophenotyping and lymphocyte proliferation was determined in spleen cells cultured with and without S. aureus stimulus. Immunization with S. aureus recombinant proteins generated memory cells in draining lymph nodes. Immunization with the three recombinant proteins plus GM-CSF DNA led to an increase in the percentage of IL-17A+ cells among overall CD44+ (memory), T CD4+, CD4+ T CD44+ CD27−, γδ TCR, γδ TCR+ CD44+ CD27+, and TCRVγ4+ cells. Vaccination with S. aureus recombinant proteins associated with GM-CSF DNA vaccine downregulated TH2 immunity. Immunization with the three recombinant proteins plus the GM-CSF DNA led to a proliferation of overall memory T, CD4+, and CD4+ TEM cells upon S. aureus stimulus. This approach fostered type 3 immunity, suggesting the development of a protective immune response against S. aureus.
Validating Circular Performance Indicators: The Interface between Circular Economy and Stakeholders
Authors: Nika Chrysanthi-Elisabeth , Expósito Alfonso , Kisser Johannes , Bertino Gaetano , Oral Hasan Volkan , Dehghanian Kaveh , Vasilaki Vasileia , Iacovidou Eleni , Fatone Francesco , Atanasova Nataša , Katsou Evina
Published: August 2021

The development and application of appropriate Circular Economy indicators is an issue that concerns both the scientific and the business community, as well as decision makers. The existing gap between research, policy and practice could be bridged by using a dynamic indicators selection approach that combines both expert and participatory practices. This study aims to develop such a novel approach for the selection of indicators based on views and needs of practitioners, whilst considering the complex interdependencies of the indicators and determining their importance. Twenty circularity indicators for the Water-Energy-Food-Ecosystems nexus are selected and ranked by different stakeholders. The interrelationships of the indicators are identified using the Interpretive Structural Model, resulting in six levels of importance. Cross-impact matrix multiplication applied to classification (MICMAC) analysis further enabled the classification of the twenty indicators into four categories based on their driving and dependence power. The results indicate that seven indicators—one related to regeneration of natural environment principle, four related to keep resources in use, and two related to design out negative externalities—are the driving indicators to Circular Economy. The approach can be applied to other sets of indicators as well, enabling their prioritization and implementation with other systems.
Special Issue: Past and Future Trends and Variability in Hydro-Climatic Processes
Authors: Bonsal Barrie R. , Dibike Yonas B. , Peters Daniel L. , Shrestha Rajesh R.
Published: August 2021

The earth has vast amounts of surface and sub-surface freshwater in the form of lakes, reservoirs, rivers, wetlands, soil water, groundwater, as well as water stored in snowpacks, glaciers, and permafrost [...]
Evaluation of Rainfall-Triggered Debris Flows under the Impact of Extreme Events: A Chenyulan Watershed Case Study, Taiwan
Authors: Chen Jinn-Chyi , Huang Wen-Shun
Published: August 2021

This study examined the conditions that lead to debris flows, and their association with the rainfall return period (T) and the probability of debris flow occurrence (P) in the Chenyulan watershed, central Taiwan. Several extreme events have occurred in the Chenyulan watershed in the past, including the Chi-Chi earthquake and extreme rainfall events. The T for three rainfall indexes (i.e., the maximum hourly rainfall depth (Im), the maximum 24-h rainfall amount (Rd), and RI (RI = Im× Rd)) were analyzed, and the T associated with the triggering of debris flows is presented. The P–T relationship can be determined using three indexes, Im, Rd, and RI; how it is affected and unaffected by extreme events was developed. Models for evaluating P using the three rainfall indexes were proposed and used to evaluate P between 2009 and 2020 (i.e., after the extreme rainfall event of Typhoon Morakot in 2009). The results of this study showed that the P‒T relationship, using the RI or Rd index, was reasonable for predicting the probability of debris flow occurrence.
Exploring the Potential of Zoning Regulation for Reducing Ice-Jam Flood Risk Using a Stochastic Modelling Framework
Authors: Das Apurba , Lindenschmidt Karl-Erich
Published: August 2021

Ice-jam floods pose a serious threat to many riverside communities in cold regions. Ice-jam-related flooding can cause loss of human life, millions of dollars in property damage, and adverse impacts on ecology. An effective flood management strategy is necessary to reduce the overall risk in flood-prone areas. Most of these strategies require a detailed risk-based management study to assess their effectiveness in reducing flood risk. Zoning regulation is a sustainable measure to reduce overall flood risk for a flood-prone area. Zoning regulation is a specified area in a floodplain where certain restrictions apply to different land uses (e.g., development or business). A stochastic framework was introduced to evaluate the effectiveness of a potential zoning regulation. A stochastic framework encompasses the impacts of all the possible expected floods instead of a more traditional approach where a single design flood is incorporated. The downtown area of Fort McMurray along the Athabasca River was selected to explore the impact of zoning regulation on reducing expected annual damages (EAD) from ice-jam flooding. The results show that a hypothetical zoning regulation for a certain area in the town of Fort McMurray (TFM) can be effective in substantially reducing the level of EAD. A global sensitivity analysis was also applied to understand the impacts of model inputs on ice-jam flood risk using a regional sensitivity method. The results show that model boundary conditions such as river discharge, the inflowing volume of ice and ice-jam toe locations are highly sensitive to ice-jam flood risk.
Numerical Investigation of Turbine Blades with Leading-Edge Tubercles in Uniform Current
Authors: Chen Shuling , Liu Yan , Han Changzhi , Yan Shiqiang , Hong Zhichao
Published: August 2021

Inspired by the tubercles on humpback whale flippers, leading-edge tubercles have been incorporated into the design of wings and turbine blades in an attempt to improve their hydrodynamic performance. Although promising improvements, especially in terms of the stall performance, have been demonstrated in the limited research that exists to date, the effectiveness of the leading-edge tubercles seems to be influenced by the base blade. This paper focuses on the introduction of sinusoidal leading-edge tubercles to a base blade developed from the classic NACA0018 airfoil, and numerically investigates the effectiveness of leading-edge tubercles on the hydrodynamics associated with the blade in uniform current with different attack angles. Both the macroscopic parameters, such as the lift and drag forces, and the micro-scale flow characteristics, including the vortex and flow separation, are analyzed. The results indicate that the leading-edge tubercles brings a significant influence on the hydrodynamic forces acting on the blade when subjected to an attack angle greater than 15°. This study also reveals the important role of the turbulence and flow separation on hydrodynamic loading on the blade and the considerable influence of the tubercles on such micro-scale flow characteristics. Although the conditions applied in this work are relatively ideal (e.g., the blade is fixed in a uniform flow and the end effect is ignored), the satisfactory agreement between the numerical and corresponding experimental data implies that the results are acceptable. This work builds a good reference for our future work on the hydrodynamic performance of tidal turbines which adopt this kind of blade for operating in both uniform and shearing currents.
Probabilistic Evaluation and Filtering of Image Velocimetry Measurements
Authors: Rozos Evangelos , Mazi Katerina , Koussis Antonis D.
Published: August 2021

The recent technological advances in remote sensing (e.g., unmanned aerial vehicles, digital image acquisition, etc.) have vastly improved the applicability of image velocimetry in hydrological studies. Thus, image velocimetry has become an established technique with an acceptable error for practical applications (the error can be lower than 10%). The main source of errors has been attributed to incomplete intrinsic and extrinsic camera calibration, to non-constant frame rate and to spurious low velocities due to moving objects that are irrelevant to the streamflow. Some researchers have even employed probabilistic approaches (Monte Carlo simulations) to analyze the uncertainty introduced during the camera calibration procedure. On the other hand, the endogenous uncertainty of the image velocimetry algorithms per se has received little attention. In this study, a probabilistic approach is employed to systematically analyze this uncertainty. It is argued that this analysis may not only improve the performance of the image velocimetry methods but it can also provide information regarding the impact of the video recording conditions (e.g., low density of features, oblique camera angle, low resolution, etc.) on the accuracy of the estimated values. The suggested method has been tested in six case studies of which the data have been previously made publicly available by independent researchers.
Resistance Analysis of Morphologies in Headwater Mountain Streams
Authors: Cedillo Sebastián , Sánchez-Cordero Esteban , Timbe Luis , Samaniego Esteban , Alvarado Andrés
Published: August 2021

River flow velocity is determined by the energy available for flow motion and the energy fraction lost by flow resistance. We compared the performance of different equations for the Darcy-Weisbach resistance coefficient (f) and empirical equations to predict flow velocity. The set of equations was tested using data from the Quinuas headwater mountain river in the Andean region. The data was collected in three Cascades, two Step-pools, and one Plane-bed covering a wide range of velocity magnitudes. The results reveal that nondimensional hydraulic geometry equations (NDHG) with a Nash-Sutcliffe efficiency index (EF) varying from 0.6–0.85 provide the most accurate velocity prediction. Furthermore, the study proposes a methodology applicable to all morphologies for defining the NDHG parameters using easily measured field data. The results show an improvement in predictability with EF values in the range of 0.81–0.86. Moreover, the methodology was tested against data from the literature, which was not divided into morphologies providing EF values of around 0.9. The authors encourage the application of the presented methodology to other reaches to obtain additional data about the NDHG parameters. Our findings suggest that those parameters could be related to reach characteristics (e.g., certain characteristic grain size), and in that case, the methodology could be useful in ungauged streams.
Optimization of Multi-Quality Water Networks: Can Simple Optimization Heuristics Compete with Nonlinear Solvers?
Authors: Housh Mashor
Published: August 2021

Optimal management of water systems tends to be very complex, especially when water quality aspects are included. This paper addresses the management of multi-quality water networks over a fixed time horizon. The problem is formulated as an optimization program that minimizes cost by determining the optimal flow distribution that satisfies the water quantity and quality requirement in the demand nodes. The resulted model is nonlinear and non-convex due to bilinear terms in the mass balance equations of blending multi-quality flow. This results in several local optima, making the process of solving large-scale problems to global optimality very challenging. One classical approach to deal with this challenge is to use a multi-start procedure in which off-the-shelf local optimization solvers are initialized with several random initial points. Then the final optimal solution is considered as the lowest objective value over the different runs. This will lead to a cumbersome and slow solution process for large-scale problems. In light of the above, this study supports using ultra-fast simple optimization heuristics, which despite their moderate accuracy, can still reach the optimum solution when run many times using a multi-start procedure. As such, the final solution from simple optimization heuristics can compete with off-the-shelf nonlinear solvers in terms of accuracy and efficiency. The paper presents a simple optimization heuristic, which is specially tailored for the problem and compares its performance with a state-of-the-art nonlinear solver on large-scale systems.
TRANSFORMATION OF THE SETTLEMENT STRUCTURE OF THE “MOSCOW –SAINT-PETERSBURG” MACROREGION. CASE STUDY OF NOVGOROD REGION
Authors: Pekshin D.
Published: August 2021

The article is devoted to the process of transformation of the spatial structure of the analytical Russian inter-capital space in the context of global settlement. The emergence of the phenomenon of inter-agglomeration territories is substantiated. A method for determining inter-agglomeration territories through the paths of isochronous transport accessibility of settlements is proposed. The main problems and trends in the development of demographically decreasing territories in the zone of inter-agglomeration influence are outlined. The main historical stages and factors of the restructuring of the settlement system of the macro-region "Moscow-St. Petersburg" in the XVII-XXI centuries are considered. The assessment of social assistance based on data on the transport accessibility of settlements has been carried out. The analysis of the spatial area of settlement of the Novgorod region of the geographic visualization of the database has been carried out. It includes data on the population and the geographical coordinates of the settlements of Russia. The comparison of historical fragments of the settlement structure and their current state is performed on the basis of historical maps and data on the population census. The issue of preserving sustainable spaces in the context of urbanization processes and in connection with modern challenges and threats to the functioning of the city is considered. Competitive advantages and factors of development of inter-agglomeration territories are indicated. The main scenarios of the development of the settlement system of the inter-capital region are considered on the example of the Novgorod region.
CRAWLER-MASTIC ASPHALT CONCRETE WITH THE USE OF BITUMEN MODIFIED BY SEVILEEN
Authors: Navolokina S. , Yadykina V. , Gridchin Anatoliy
Published: August 2021

Heavy traffic reduces the strength characteristics of asphalt concrete, causes peeling on the pavement. Crushed stone-mastic asphalt concrete is designed for the device of the upper layers of the coating on roads with high traffic intensity. The use of polymerasfalt concrete on a modified binder can lead to an improvement in the physical and mechanical characteristics of asphalt concrete and increase its re-sistance to climatic influences. The main aspects of improving the quality of crushed stone-mastic as-phalt concrete (SMA) due to the use of a binder modified with sevilen (SEVA) are discussed. The effect of bitumen containing sevilen with 22 and 29 % vinyl acetate groups on the properties of crushed stone-mastic asphalt concrete has been investigated. Analysis of the results showes that the use of modified binders has a positive effect on the entire complex of physical and mechanical parameters of polymer asphalt concrete. An increase in the strength of the samples at 20 and 50 °C, a decrease in this indicator at 0 °C is established. The indicators of water and heat resistance, shear resistance and crack resistance are also improved, which should have a positive effect on the durability of the road surface. Rational concentrations of polymer additives and the amount of vinyl acetate groups in its composition have been established. The adhesion of the binder to the mineral part of the asphalt con-crete mixture is estimated. The index of sensitivity to temperature differences of asphalt concrete sam-ples is considered due to the fact that asphalt concrete is a material that reacts to temperature fluctua-tions in the external environment. The analysis of the results of the tests carried out demonstrates that the use of modified binders has a positive effect on the entire complex of physical and mechanical pa-rameters of polymer asphalt concrete.
The Vedic truths in the Thiruppavai An analysis
Authors: P Sivashakthi
Published: August 2021

Tiruppavai is the largest treasury for Tamil in Vaishnava bhakti literature. Tiruppavai is the hymn sings of the sleeping living entity to reach the Supreme Soul. It is said to explain the thought of God, the service to the Lord, the reaching of God, and the blessings of The Lord. This article illustrates that a devotional literature for women in world literature is Tiruppavai.
Strategy for Abolishing Barriers to Women Participation in Labor Force
Authors: Gunawan Tendy
Published: August 2021

The female labor force participation rate has not moved from 50-55% in the last ten years, and this condition has been exacerbated by the covid-19 pandemic. This study looks at the various challenges for women in entering the world of work, maintaining jobs and building careers, and what strategies stakeholders can take to remove various barriers to women's labor force participation. The strategic recommendations include affirmative actions and policies that could be taken by policy makers and companies to remove barriers to women's participation in the workforce. The study is based on literature reviews of various studies and surveys conducted by the ILO in 2010-2020, especially regarding women in the world of work.
Abram alas no Recital dos Sisudos
Authors: Lino Patrícia
Published: August 2021

Abram alas no Recital dos Sisudos
Magnetic particle imaging using linear magnetization response-driven harmonic signal of magnetoresistive sensor
Authors: Trisnanto Suko Bagus , Kasajima Tamon , Akushichi Taiju , Takemura Yasushi
Published: August 2021

We achieved a harmonic-rich signal from linear magnetization responses of magnetic nanoparticles under 40 μT/μ
0 excitation field to facilitate magnetic particle imaging (MPI). In contrast, large harmonic responses are typically attributed to the nonlinear field-dependent magnetization characteristics of the particles, thus questioning technical and clinical issues toward a human-sized MPI scanner. By using a magnetoresistive sensor, we propose a strategy to exploit the linear responses of the tracers at low field regime where the standard MPI may struggle with spatial signal decoding. The achieved high-contrast images of a solid ferucarbotran phantom bring new expectation toward clinical use of MPI.
Holistic Work Engagement pada Tenaga Kesehatan di Kota Jakarta Barat: Pengaruh Digital Quotient, Authentic Leadership, dan Perceived Organizational Support selama Covid-19
Authors:   Jurusan Manajemen, Universitas Bina Nusantara, Jakarta Barat, Trisnawati Adellia Anggun , Sianto Kerin ,   Jurusan Manajemen, Universitas Bina Nusantara, Jakarta Barat, Seansyah Lady Aldli ,   Jurusan Manajemen, Universitas Bina Nusantara, Jakarta Barat, Saputra Nopriadi ,   Jurusan Manajemen, Universitas Bina Nusantara, Jakarta Barat
Published: August 2021

Abstract Purpose: This study aimed to determine the impact of digital quotient, authentic leadership, and perceived organizational support on work engagement of employees who work in the health industry during this COVID-19 in West Jakarta. Research methodology: The methods in this research were quantitative and survey. We obtained primary data through the questionnaire distribution with 391 respondents of health care workers who work in West Jakarta. This study used multiple regression techniques as the data analysis technique. Results: The study results indicate that digital quotient, authentic leadership, and perceived organizational support influence work engagement. Limitations: Only digital quotient, authentic leadership, perceived organizational support, work engagement variables, and health care workers in West Jakarta were assessed in this research. Contribution: This study shows the level of work engagement, digital quotient, authentic leadership, perceived organizational support and how digital quotient, authentic leadership, and perceived organizational support affect work engagement. Employers or organizations can use this research to improve their employees' work engagement by noticing their employee's level of digital quotient and implementing authentic leadership and perceived organizational support.
The role of traditional institutions in implementing the empowerment policy of Oetulu village, Musi district, Timor Tengah Utara regency
Authors:   Regional Personnel Agency, Timor Tengah Utara Regency, Indonesia, Olin Yohanes K. , Kase Petrus ,   Department of Administrative Sciences, Nusa Cendana University, Kupang, Indonesia, Toda Hendrik ,   Department of Administrative Sciences, Nusa Cendana University, Kupang, Indonesia
Published: August 2021

Abstract Purpose: This study aimed to determine the role of indigenous institutions in implementing the Oetulu village Empowerment Policy of Musi district of North Central Timor regency. Research methodology: The research method in this study was a descriptive research method with a qualitative approach. This study used policy implementation theory models from Donald Van Meter and Carl E. Van Horn (1975)). Results: Six variables affect the implementation, namely: First, policy standards in the form of rules related to indigenous institutions in Oetulu village have been flawed at the formulation stage. Second, the human resources of Oetulu village indigenous institutions are not utilized by the Village Government. Third, communication between organizations and strengthening activities is still not effective. Fourth, the implementing agent has an open level of communication both vertically and horizontally, but this communication is constrained at the vertical level. Fifth, economic conditions in the jurisdiction or implementing organization are not enough to support the implementation of the policy and. Sixth, the disposition of the implementer. Limitations: This research only discusses the role of indigenous institutions in implementing the community empowerment policy of Oetulu village, Musi district of North Central Timor regency. Contribution: This research becomes scientific information for public administration science.
A case study on the quality of healthcare in Uganda: Examining the effectiveness, safety, patient-centred and timeliness of district healthcare facilities
Authors:   Department of Public Administration and Management, Faculty of Management Sciences, Lira University, Lira, Uganda, Mwesigwa David , Wahid Khalid Abdul ,   Faculty of Information Management, Universiti Teknologi MARA Kelantan Branch, Kelantan, Malaysia, Sohheng Nipon ,   Faculty of Political Sciences, Ramkhamheang University, Bangkok, Thailand
Published: August 2021

Abstract Purpose: This study aims to examine the quality of healthcare in Uganda in terms of effectiveness, safety, patient-centred and timeliness of District Healthcare Facilities. Research methodology: This study took a case study design involving an intensive, descriptive, and holistic analysis of PHFs in the Hoima district. Case study research involves studying a single entity in depth so as to understand the larger cases; to describe and explain rather than predict. Results: The main factors affecting the quality of healthcare were; National health system, overall working environment, national budgetary allocation to the health sector, and collaboration between health centres and hospitals. Enhancing the quality of healthcare requires addressing the aforesaid as well as engaging with the LLGAs. Limitations: This study only covers one district local government in a country where there are over 100 districts hence limiting the notion of generalization of results. Contribution: This study contributes to understanding health-related issues from the perspective of quality, which is very key in health service delivery.
Mathematical Modeling of Oxygen Transport in Retinal Layers
Authors:   Assistant Professor Department of Applied Science, Shri Bhawani Niketan Institue of Technology & Management Jaipur ,India., Kumar Aadesh , avtar Dr. Ram ,   Department of Mathematics HBTU Kanpur U.P. India., Seth Dr. Deepti ,   Assistant Professor Department of Applied Science ,KIET Ghaziabad, U.P. , India.
Published: August 2021

The retina contains maximum oxygen ( consumption making it particular valuneric to vascular in fults, diminishing oxygen and circulation of nutrients. The goel of this paper to develop a mathematical model for quantitative analysis of transportation of oxygen and consumption in each retinal layer. Such models allows us to predict the effect of qualitatative change in retinal vasculature on oxygen supply in retinal layers. A differential equation , which used in this paper describing how the oxygen transport and cosumpt by the retinal layers.
Comparison of AC-Superconducting Multi-Phase Symmetric-Winding Topologies for Wind Power Generators with Passive PM Rotors
Authors: Tome Dany , Nilssen Robert , Nøland Jonas Kristiansen
Published: August 2021

In this paper, an AC superconducting multi-phase symmetric-winding machine is designed for a wind power generator to improve its performance and reduce losses, where four handpicked topological designs were explored and compared. In particular, it is found that using high-phase order of unique phasors further improves the performance. The iron losses are reduced, and the rippling behaviour is reduced due to the smoother airgap magnetic flux density. Furthermore, a higher LCM is achieved due to a better slot-pole combination for fractional slot concentrated windings without having space sub-harmonics. Nonetheless, it is shown that creating a smooth air gap magnetic flux density does not improve the AC hysteretic superconducting losses; thus, further analysis with another approach must be done. Moreover, it is found that the Meisner effect is present in the machine and is inversely proportional to the AC hysteretic superconducting losses. Finally, it shows that a 13-phase AC-superconducting machine can achieve a theoretical limit approaching 101.7017 Nm/kg for the torque-to-weight (TTW) ratio, outperforming a classic winding layouts.