bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Plastic Waste Management: A Review of Existing Life Cycle Assessment Studies
Authors: Alhazmi Hatem , Almansour Faris H. , Aldhafeeri Zaid
Published: May 2021

Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is a tool that can help to quantify the impacts of different processes to facilitate comparison and decision making. There are many potential methods for managing plastic waste, but it can be difficult to determine which methods are preferable in terms of environmental impact. Suitable existing LCA studies are identified through a screening process and the methodologies used and their outputs are compared. When undertaking an LCA, the researchers must define their scope and select their parameters, according to their aims and context, which leads to a wide variation in the approach taken. In this study, six parameters have been considered to analyze research progress in these fields regarding LCA, i.e., goals and scope, functional units, impact assessment categories, system boundaries, geographical context, and uncertainty analysis. These studies include the similar type of different studies considering plastic waste recycling, each taking a different approach to defining the system boundaries, revealing how the decision to include or exclude factors such as transport can have a significant impact on the outcomes. Additionally, compared to these similar studies on mixed-plastic waste management, different available options are used to quantitatively compare the impact outcomes, revealing how the context and parameter selection can affect the results. This review aims to highlight the prospect of LCA during the development of a waste management framework as an efficient waste recycling tool and recommend a research gap for the development of an improved management framework in the future.
A Quantitative Approach to Assessing the Technical and Economic Performance of Source Containment Options for Contaminated Aquifers
Authors: Casasso Alessandro , Salomone Agnese , Bianco Carlo , Prassede Giovanni , Sethi Rajandrea
Published: May 2021

The containment of contaminant plumes to protect groundwater from pollution is recognized as a frequent need in brownfield redevelopment. Plume containment can be physical, with slurry walls, jet grouting etc., or hydraulic, with wells capturing the subsurface flow that crosses the contaminated front (Pump & Treat), or a combination of both types. The choice of the most suitable technique is a difficult task, since various aspects must be taken into consideration. In this paper, we present a framework for evaluating barriers in terms of effectiveness and efficiency, along with a simplified approach for the evaluation of capital and operational costs. The contaminant mass discharge escaping from the containment system is a robust indicator of its effectiveness, and can be derived from modelling results. The abstracted water flowrate is a key indicator of the efficiency and sustainability of each option, especially in the long term. The methodology is tested in a simplified case study and in a real one, highlighting the relevance of modelling results in guiding the choice and design of contaminant source containment systems.
Socio-Economic Predictors of Hiring Live-In Migrant Care Workers to Support Community Dwelling Older Adults with Long-Term Care Needs: Recent Evidence from a Central Italian Region
Authors: Fisher Oliver , Fabbietti Paolo , Lamura Giovanni
Published: May 2021

To meet the rising demand for home care, many families in Italy hire live-in migrant care workers (MCWs). However, the reliance on MCWs to provide long-term care (LTC) and a lack of alternative formal care services raises concerns around equality in access to care. This study aimed to determine the socio-economic predictors of hiring live-in MCWs among older adults with LTC needs in Italy, the objective care burden placed on MCWs, and the financial barriers that people in need of care and informal caregivers face when hiring MCWs, analysing data from a cross-sectional questionnaire with 366 older adults with LTC needs and their primary family caregivers living in the Marche region. Binary logistic regression was used to calculate the predictors of hiring a live-in MCW. Having a primary caregiver that had a high school education or above significantly increased the odds of hiring a live-in MCW (Odds Ratio (OR) = 3.880), as did receiving a social pension (OR = 2.258). Over half (57.5 percent) of the people in need of care had difficulties in affording the costs of hiring an MCW in the past year. To increase the sustainability of the Italian MCW market and reduce socio-economic barriers to accessing care, the Italian Government should increase funding for LTC benefits and add means testing and restrictions on the use of cash-for-care allowances.
Evaluation of Rural Dwellings’ Energy-Saving Retrofit with Adaptive Thermal Comfort Theory
Authors: Cao Wen , Yang Lin , Zhang Qinyi , Chen Lihua , Wu Weidong
Published: May 2021

The purpose of energy-saving retrofit of rural dwellings is to obtain a more comfortable indoor thermal environment with reasonable investment. The utilization rate of heating and air conditioning equipment for dwellings in poor rural areas is very low, and the buildings operate in natural ventilation mode all year round. Since the existing research on energy-saving retrofit is aimed at air-conditioned buildings, the research methods and results are not applicable to rural dwellings. This paper proposes a set of energy-saving retrofit evaluation methods suitable for natural ventilation buildings and applies it to the research on energy-saving retrofit of rural dwellings in cold climate regions of China. The specific process is as follows: First, this paper analyzed the current situation using field research and established a typical building model. Second, the DesignBuilder software was used to simulate all 725 schemes. Subsequently, the three main retrofit measures (replacing the external insulation windows, setting the external wall insulation layer and setting the roof insulation layer) were analyzed separately, and the optimal parameters of each retrofit measure were obtained. Finally, the entropy weight method was used to perform a multi-objective optimization analysis on all retrofit plans. The results show that 6+12A+6-mm insulating glass windows + 50-mm external wall insulation + 90-mm roof insulation is the optimal energy-saving reconstruction scheme. Compared with the benchmark building, the energy-saving rate of the optimal scheme is increased by 23.81%, and the annual adaptive thermal discomfort degree-hours are decreased by 13.17%.
The Growth of E-Commerce Due to COVID-19 and the Need for Urban Logistics Centers Using Electric Vehicles: Bratislava Case Study
Authors: Settey Tomáš , Gnap Jozef , Beňová Dominika , Pavličko Michal , Blažeková Oľga
Published: May 2021

Before the COVID-19 pandemic there had already been an increase in individual shipment transportation including inner-city areas. During the pandemic and implementation of adopted preventive measures, it has increased by more than 100% in some cities. This presents an unsustainable development, particularly in terms of urban environment. The above-mentioned development has accelerated the research related to optimal allocation of logistics centres considering the last-mile distribution. Unfortunately, the theoretical mathematical model that finds an optimal urban logistics centre location based on the matrix of distance, number, and weight of shipments is not applicable in most cities. Therefore, the following research methodology was chosen in accordance with the approved territorial plan. The authors considered those locations in Bratislava—the capital of Slovak Republic—which are designated, or suitable for building up of an urban logistics centre. These localities were afterwards evaluated in a real-world case study employing methods of mathematical programming (linear programming), the nearest neighbour method, and the Clarke-Wright method. The presented methodology can be applied not only when deciding on the appropriate location of the city logistics centre, but also at optimizing the vehicle routing problem. Taking into account the urban logistics sustainability and the e-commerce growth, it was analysed whether the suggested location of urban logistics centre is feasible to provision examined facilities using electric vehicles. The range of considered electric vehicles of N2 category present in the market tends to be at the limits of distribution routes length for the given case study. Therefore, the article also deals with the fast-charging possibilities of vehicles during handling operations and the use of hybrid freight vehicles in city logistics.
A Methodological Approach towards Sustainable Urban Densification for Urban Sprawl Control at the Microscale: Case Study of Tanta, Egypt
Authors: Abdrabo Karim I. , Hamed Heba , Fouad Kareem A. , Shehata Mohamed , Kantoush Sameh A. , Sumi Tetsuya , Elboshy Bahaa , Osman Taher
Published: May 2021

When a high need for new residences coincides with an insufficient area of obtainable land within cities, urban sprawl occurs. Although densification is a well-known policy for controlling urban sprawl, one of the main challenges faced by researchers is that of determining urban densification potentials and priorities at the city scale. This paper aims to establish a methodology to facilitate decision-making regarding urban densification using five different methods. The proposed methodology utilizes high-quality city strategic plans (CSPs) and urban regulation documents and adopts geographic information systems (GISs) to determine and map the potential areas for densification. Multiple sustainability parameters, including environmental, economic, and social parameters, are selected, and weighted using an analytical hierarchy process (AHP) to prioritize the densification sites. The proposed method is tested in Tanta, Egypt, which has suffered due to agricultural losses of approximately 10 km2 within the last 50 years. The results credibly demonstrate the means by which to accommodate approximately 428% of the anticipated population increase in Tanta by 2027 and thereby save more than 53% of the approved deducted agricultural lands under the current urban regulations. Generally, this methodology offers a new model to optimize urban densification, which can be effective in urban management to achieve city resilience.
Framework for Long-Term Public Housing Supply Plan Focusing on Small-Scale Offsite Construction in Seoul
Authors: Hyun Hosang , Lee Young-Min , Kim Hyung-Geun , Kim Jin-Sung
Published: May 2021

The public housing demand in Seoul has been continuously increasing, but the available land for housing is insufficient. To meet the demand, the Seoul government is planning to develop small-scale housing in urban areas through various methods. Construction activities for increasing housing capacity cause negative environmental impacts, and this inevitably leads to an increase in the number of civil complaints. The complaints can be mitigated by using offsite construction (OSC) for fabricating components. However, OSC remains underdeveloped in Korea owing to concerns over high project costs. To promote OSC, the government must develop a long-term plan to secure demand for OSC. For such a plan, the number and feasibility of applicable sites in Seoul must be estimated. This study suggests a two-stage research framework: (1) estimate the number of applicable sites in Seoul using GIS and (2) conduct feasibility analyses of these sites through architectural planning. The estimated number of sites was equal to the expected supply of small-scale housing units in Seoul for 8 years, and the selected case sites were identified to be feasible. Therefore, the use of OSC for developing small-scale housing units in Seoul is reasonable. This research differs from previous studies in that the previous use of qualitative studies to promote modular construction was replaced with a quantitative analysis that included the entire Seoul area. Using the research framework, the Seoul government can develop a specific long-term plan based on the quantitative research analysis. Furthermore, manufacturers can develop plans based on the government plan and deliver returns on the higher initial costs. The contractors can reduce the higher project cost and doing so is expected to mitigate the negative perception and to promote modular construction in Korea.
Drunk Drivers’ Willingness to Use and to Pay for Designated Drivers
Authors: Jou Rong-Chang , Syu Li-Wun
Published: May 2021

While drunk driving accidents, which are a serious problem in Taiwan, have decreased in recent years, cases of drunk driving continue to emerge endlessly, and are a source of traffic risks even when the accidents cause no injuries. In order to prevent drunk driving and reduce car accidents, the government has made laws stricter, and has vigorously promoted “designated drivers”. As the concept of designated drivers is not common in Taiwan, this study mainly explores drunk drivers’ understanding of designated drivers in Nantou County and Taichung City, and investigates the willingness of drunk drivers to use and to pay for designated driving services. This study conducted a questionnaire survey on the drunk drivers of the drunk driving and traffic safety training course held at the Motor Vehicles Office. Double-hurdle and tobit models were applied to investigate the issues mentioned above. According to the test results, the tobit model was superior to the double-hurdle model. The estimation results indicated that distance, age, income, family conditions, and drinking habits influence the willingness to use and to pay for designated drivers. Gender, age, family background, and experience in designated driving cause differences in the willingness to use designated drivers in the two regions. It is expected that the conclusion of this study could provide a direction and reference for the future improvement of designated driving services.
Manure Flushing vs. Scraping in Dairy Freestall Lanes Reduces Gaseous Emissions
Authors: Ross Elizabeth G. , Peterson Carlyn B. , Zhao Yongjing , Pan Yuee , Mitloehner Frank M.
Published: May 2021

The objective of the present study was to mitigate ammonia (NH3), greenhouse gases (GHGs), and other air pollutants from lactating dairy cattle waste using different freestall management techniques. For the present study, cows were housed in an environmental chamber from which waste was removed by either flushing or scraping at two different frequencies. The four treatments used were (1) flushing three times a day (F3), (2) flushing six times a day (F6), (3) scraping three times a day (S3), and (4) scraping six times a day (S6). Flushing freestall lanes to remove manure while cows are out of the barn during milking is an industry standard in California. Gas emissions were measured with a mobile agricultural air quality lab connected to the environmental chamber. Ammonia and hydrogen sulfide (H2S) emissions were decreased (p < 0.001 and p < 0.05) in the flushing vs. scraping treatments, respectively. Scraping increased NH3 emissions by 175 and 152% for S3 and S6, respectively vs. F3. Ethanol (EtOH) emissions were increased (p < 0.001) when the frequency of either scraping or flushing was increased from 3 to 6 times but were similar between scraping and flushing treatments. Methane emissions for the F3 vs. other treatments, were decreased (p < 0.001). Removal of dairy manure by scraping has the potential to increase gaseous emissions such as NH3 and GHGs.
Rating Regulatory Mechanism Effect Promotion under the Environmental Issuance Effects: Based on the Incentive Difference Hotelling Model
Authors: Zhao Hanyi , Tian Yixiang , Zhou Xiangyun , Zhang Luping , Meng Wei
Published: May 2021

Issuance effects are regarded as one of the most important aspects referring to the regulatory guidelines of green corporate bond ratings. This paper developed a new incentive difference Hotelling model, considering four major factors, i.e., the direct effect of issuance, the indirect effect of issuance, the reputation of rating agencies and the regulatory penalties. In this model, how the direct effect and the indirect effect impact the dual rating mechanism and the integrated rating mechanism was discussed. Numerical experiments were conducted to explore the regulatory effects on the two defined mechanisms in different situations. The results demonstrate that under each mechanism, the direct and indirect effects of issuance indirectly improve the effectiveness and efficiency of regulation by increasing the environmental benefit information content in the rating information, and the indirect effect has a greater impact. Moreover, it provides specific recommendations for the design of a regulatory regime.
Strategic Analysis of Dual-Channel Green Supply Chain with an Unreliable and Competitive Supplier
Authors: Lan Chongfeng , Miao Zhongzhen , Ji Huanyong
Published: May 2021

With the increasing public awareness of environmental issues, green production has become an important issue for supply chain management. This study proposes an analytical model to investigate the dual-channel green supply chain decisions of a retailer and a competitive supplier; the latter suffers from unreliable production yield. The retailer’s environmental responsibility is considered as a two-echelon supply chain in which the retailer promotes the green product in their marketplace through green marketing. This problem is analyzed and modeled under three available channel strategies, considered in the order in which channel selections are made: a single online channel strategy, a single retail channel strategy, and a dual-channel strategy. The results show that the wholesale price of the manufacturer and the green-marketing effect of the retailer increase with the improvement in the level of the green production technology. Interestingly, the result reveals that a retailer’s expected profit is unimodal in the production technology level under the dual-channel strategy, which suggests that the retailer may not be incentivized to encourage the manufacturer to improve its production technology once a threshold has been reached. Further, we develop the channel selection: the retailer is strictly better off in the single retail channel scenario than that in the dual-channel scenario; however, while the unreliable supplier is better off in the single online channel scenario than that in the single retail channel scenario, its best option is still the dual-channel strategy. Additionally, numerical results illustrate that the expected profits of supply chain parties decrease with the improvement in customer acceptance of the online channel.
Understanding of Multicultural Sustainability through Mutual Acceptance: Voices from Intercultural Teachers’ Previous Early Education
Authors: Huda Miftachul , Mustafa Mazlina Che , Mohamed Ahmad Kilani
Published: May 2021

The objective of this article was to examine multicultural sustainability with reference to appropriate manners suitable for creating an atmosphere of mutual acceptability. The focus was on previous early education among the intercultural teachers. The participants included ten teachers, five Muslims and five non-Muslim, with intercultural backgrounds, who were selected to be involved in this study. A structured interview was employed, and a thematic analysis was performed on the basis of the research findings. The findings revealed that there were several themes resulting from conducted interviews that were centered around understandings of multicultural sustainability based on learning experiences in previous early education. When evaluating the intercultural awareness of mutual acceptability within the context of a multicultural background, among the themes operating as key strategic elements for achieving multicultural sustainability through mutual acceptance were situational experience, mutual understanding, mutual trust, and awareness of mutual responsibility with a view to maintaining intercultural relations. This study contributes to the expansion of strategies employed by intercultural teachers in a modern context, with respect to a meaningful concern for acceptance in ensuring the achievement of multicultural adaptability.
Approximation of Linearized Systems to a Class of Nonlinear Systems Based on Dynamic Linearization
Authors: Rodríguez Raquel S. , Gonzalez Avalos Gilberto , Barrera Gallegos Noe , Ayala-Jaimes Gerardo , Padilla Garcia Aaron
Published: May 2021

An alternative method to analyze a class of nonlinear systems in a bond graph approach is proposed. It is well known that the analysis and synthesis of nonlinear systems is not a simple task. Hence, a first step can be to linearize this nonlinear system on an operation point. A methodology to obtain linearization for consecutive points along a trajectory in the physical domain is proposed. This type of linearization determines a group of linearized systems, which is an approximation close enough to original nonlinear dynamic and in this paper is called dynamic linearization. Dynamic linearization through a lemma and a procedure is established. Therefore, linearized bond graph models can be considered symmetric with respect to nonlinear system models. The proposed methodology is applied to a DC motor as a case study. In order to show the effectiveness of the dynamic linearization, simulation results are shown.
Pathogenic Role of Epstein–Barr Virus in Lung Cancers
Authors: Becnel David , Abdelghani Ramsy , Nanbo Asuka , Avilala Janardhan , Kahn Jacob , Li Li , Lin Zhen
Published: May 2021

Human oncogenic viruses account for at least 12% of total cancer cases worldwide. Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) is the first identified human oncogenic virus and it alone causes ~200,000 cancer cases and ~1.8% of total cancer-related death annually. Over the past 40 years, increasing lines of evidence have supported a causal link between EBV infection and a subgroup of lung cancers (LCs). In this article, we review the current understanding of the EBV-LC association and the etiological role of EBV in lung carcinogenesis. We also discuss the clinical impact of the knowledge gained from previous research, challenges, and future directions in this field. Given the high clinical relevance of EBV-LC association, there is an urgent need for further investigation on this topic.
Bladder Cancer Immunotherapy by BCG Is Associated with a Significantly Reduced Risk of Alzheimer’s Disease and Parkinson’s Disease
Authors: Klinger Danielle , Hill Brian L. , Barda Noam , Halperin Eran , Gofrit Ofer N. , Greenblatt Charles L. , Rappoport Nadav , Linial Michal , Bercovier Hervé
Published: May 2021

Bacillus Calmette–Guerin (BCG) is a live attenuated form of Mycobacterium bovis that was developed 100 years ago as a vaccine against tuberculosis (TB) and has been used ever since to vaccinate children globally. It has also been used as the first-line treatment in patients with nonmuscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC), through repeated intravesical applications. Numerous studies have shown that BCG induces off-target immune effects in various pathologies. Accumulating data argue for the critical role of the immune system in the course of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and Parkinson’s disease (PD). In this study, we tested whether repeated exposure to BCG during the treatment of NMIBC is associated with the risk of developing AD and PD. We presented a multi-center retrospective cohort study with patient data collected between 2000 and 2019 that included 12,185 bladder cancer (BC) patients, of which 2301 BCG-treated patients met all inclusion criteria, with a follow-up of 3.5 to 7 years. We considered the diagnosis date of AD and nonvascular dementia cases for BC patients. The BC patients were partitioned into those who underwent a transurethral resection of the bladder tumor followed by BCG therapy, and a disjoint group that had not received such treatment. By applying Cox proportional hazards (PH) regression and competing for risk analyses, we found that BCG treatment was associated with a significantly reduced risk of developing AD, especially in the population aged 75 years or older. The older population (≥75 years, 1578 BCG treated, and 5147 controls) showed a hazard ratio (HR) of 0.726 (95% CI: 0.529–0.996; p-value = 0.0473). While in a hospital-based cohort, BCG treatment resulted in an HR of 0.416 (95% CI: 0.203–0.853; p-value = 0.017), indicating a 58% lower risk of developing AD. The risk of developing PD showed the same trend with a 28% reduction in BCG-treated patients, while no BCG beneficial effect was observed for other age-related events such as Type 2 diabetes (T2D) and stroke. We attributed BCG’s beneficial effect on neurodegenerative diseases to a possible activation of long-term nonspecific immune effects. We proposed a prospective study in elderly people for testing intradermic BCG inoculation as a potential protective agent against AD and PD.
Zoonotic Disease Management and Infection Control Practices Among Veterinarians in the United Arab Emirates
Authors: Habib Ihab , Alshehhi Zainab
Published: May 2021

This study was conducted to assess zoonotic disease management and infection control practices (ICPs) among veterinarians in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). A questionnaire was developed in SurveyMonkey, an online tool, and was distributed by email during February–May 2020 to 470 veterinarians practicing across the UAE. A total of 110 individuals completed the survey, giving a response rate of 23.4% (110/470). Results indicate that reported hand hygiene, sharps management, barrier or isolation practices, and personal choices for personal protective equipment (PPE) in common practice scenarios varied among practitioners. The majority (>75%) of veterinarians in all practice types reported always washing their hands before eating, drinking, or smoking at work. The survey revealed that 19% and 10% of large and small animal veterinarians indicated they sterilized and reused disposable needles. Veterinarians among all practices indicated high rates (75% to 80%) of recapping needles before disposal. When handling an animal suspected of having a zoonotic disease, most (90%) of small animal veterinarians reported always using practices such as isolating the animal and removing outwear before contact with other animals. However, only half (55%) of the large animal respondents reported always isolating the animal or sterilizing all equipment used on the animal of concern. Fewer than half of the large animal (35%) and mixed practice (44%) veterinarians indicated they would always be limiting human contact with the animal of concern. All of the small animal respondents reported full compliance with PPE while performing surgery and necropsy. Among large animal veterinarians, 44% reported not using respiratory or eye protection when aiding with parturition or handling conception products. Failure to use appropriate PPE when handling blood samples was the second most common noncompliant practice among large animal (39%) veterinarians and mixed practice (41%) respondents. Our study indicates a need for continuous education regarding ICPs in the veterinary community in the UAE. Better awareness of the risk of zoonotic disease exposure and options for managing this risk and liability issues could drive the adoption of infection control practices.
Subsurface Drainage and Water-Saving Irrigation in Sustainable Agriculture
Authors: Fujimaki Haruyuki
Published: May 2021

Salinity is a major threat for the sustainability of irrigated agriculture in drylands [...]
River Management & Restoration: What River Do We Wish for
Authors: Nardini Andrea Gianni Cristoforo , Conte Giulio
Published: May 2021

In this paper we propose a new framework to support river management and restoration in a more effective way, both conceptually and operationally, in view of an increasingly challenging future. ‘Development’ almost inevitably leads to modifications of rivers. These modifications are governed (at best) by planning exercises which typically encompass multiple and generally conflicting objectives (whether explicitly or implicitly). To address the inherent conflictual nature of a decision problem, it is key to measure the degree to which the objectives are (expected to be) met. This requires that suitable evaluation indices are established and assessed. To this purpose, we point out the important role of the Value Function technique inherited from Multicriteria Analysis. One of these objectives is the “Natural value N” of the river. We notice that a lot of ambiguity exists regarding its definition. To clarify this point, we develop a reasoning that makes it possible to structure and assess it in a conceptually sounder way, while clarifying the role of the two leading concepts: the Reference Conditions and the Leitbild. With regard to the relevant decisions involved, the delineation of the fluvial space, together with the improvement of the water quality and hydrological regime, represent the key issues that a decision making process should address, particularly thinking of the expected consequences of climate change. We propose henceforth a pragmatic, structured, adaptive planning framework which harmonizes all such concepts. We believe that this proposal may provide a useful contribution to improve and optimize river management and restoration.
A Multi-Objective Decision Making System (MDMS) for a Small Agricultural Watershed Based on Meta-Heuristic Optimization Coupling Simulation
Authors: Zhang Shuifeng , Zhang Jinchi , Meng Miaojing , Chen Peixian , Liu Xin , Liu Guoliang , Gu Zheyan
Published: May 2021

[Background] The key to integrated watershed management is to take simultaneous account of environmental, economic, and social development goals; hence, a multi-objective decision making approach is required. However, our understanding and application of multi-objective decision making in watershed management remains limited. [Objective] The objective of this study was to develop a multi-objective decision making system (MDMS) that could simultaneously handle multiple problems and objectives in a small watershed based on the relationships among land, water and economy. [Methods] The MDMS was coupled with the watershed hydrological model and economic benefit evaluation model to comprehensively simulate the watershed operational process, and established a multi-objective function to minimize sediment, nitrogen, and phosphorus outputs, while maximizing the economic benefits for integrated watershed management. The MDMS also utilized an improved meta-heuristic algorithm to optimize the agricultural land use structure of the small watershed to obtain the best integrated management plan at the small watershed scale. [Results] We found that the MDMS achieved seamless connections between automatic updating, analysis, and the optimization of land use structures in the iterative process, and successfully obtained an optimal scheme from a large number of agricultural land use structure alternatives, with particularly high time efficiencies. [Conclusions] Overall, the MDMS effectively controlled the negative impacts of crop planting on the environment, and simultaneously considered the economic benefits, which might assist managers in arriving at efficient scientific decisions toward the integrated management of small agricultural watersheds.
Function of arteries and veins in conditions of simulated cardiac arrest
Authors: Kamali Shahri Seyed Mehdi , Contarino Christian , Chifari Francesco , Mahmoudi Morteza , Gelman Simon
Published: May 2021

Introduction: The study examined the behavior of vasculature in conditions of eliminated cardiac function using mathematical modeling. In addition, we addressed the question of whether the stretch-recoil capability of veins, at least in part accounts for the slower response to simulated cardiac arrest. Methods: In the first set of computational experiments, blood flow and pressure patterns in veins and arteries during the first few seconds after cardiac arrest were assessed via a validated multi-scale mathematical model of the whole cardiovascular system, comprising cardiac dynamics, arterial and venous blood flow dynamics, and microcirculation. In the second set of experiments, the effects of stretch-recoil zones of venous vessels with different diameters and velocities on blood velocity and dynamic pressure analyzed using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modeling. Results: In the first set of experiments, measurement of changes in velocity, dynamic pressure, and fluid flow revealed that the venous system responded to cardiac arrest more slowly compared to the arteries. This disparity might be due to the intrinsic characteristics of the venous system, including stretch-recoil and elastic fiber composition. In the second set of experiments, we attempted to determine the role of the stretch-recoil capability of veins in the slower response to cardiac arrest. During the second set of experiments, we found that this recoil behavior increased dynamic pressure, velocity, and blood flow. The enhancement in dynamic pressure through combining the results from both experiments yielded a 15-40% increase in maximum dynamic pressure due to stretch-recoil, depending on vein diameter under normal conditions. Conclusion: In the situation of cardiac arrest, the vein geometry changes continue, promoting smooth responses of the venous system. Moreover, the importance of such vein behavior in blood displacement may grow as the pressure on the venous side gradually decreases with time. Our experiments suggest that the driving force for venous return is the pressure difference that remains within the venous system after the energy coming from every ventricular systole spent to overcome the resistance created by arterial and capillary systems.
Fighting COVID-19 in the West Africa after experiencing the Ebola epidemic
Authors: Gholizadeh Pourya , Sanogo Moussa , Oumarou Amadou , Mohamed Maad Nasser , Cissoko Yacouba , Saliou Sow Mamadou , Pagliano Pasquale , Akouda Patassi , Soufiane Sid’Ahmed , Iknane Akory Ag , Oury Mamadou , Diallo Safiatou , Köse Şükran , Dao Sounkalo , Samadi Kafil Hossein
Published: May 2021

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) dissemination occurred from December 2019 and quickly spread to all countries. Infected patients with COVID-19 have had a wide range of symptoms, ranging from mild to severe illness. The most mortality was observed in patients with underlying disease and over 45 years. World statistics have shown that the COVID-19 outbreak is most expanded in Middle Eastern, West Asian, European, North, and South American countries, and is least expanded in African countries. Therefore, the aim of the paper was the evaluation of six African countries including Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Guinea, Togo, and Djibouti to find why this disease is least expanded in African countries. Study was conducted by Questioner for countries health organizers to define their different aspect exposure and fight with COVID-19 including epidemiology, clinical aspects of the disease, case definitions, diagnosis laboratory confirmation, and referral of cases by the portal of entry, case management, and disease prevention in these countries. According to this opinion review, due to the low international flights and low domestic travel, the spread, and prevalence of COVID-19 was low and the return of the immigrants of these countries has caused the spread of COVID-19 among these countries. Experience, preparation, and impact of previous infections epidemic such as the Ebola virus epidemic would have beneficial, which have promoted certain reflexes among people that cause low dissemination in these countries.
Rapid-deployment aortic valve replacement in high-risk patients: A case-control study
Authors: Sawadogo Adama , Bui-Duc An Vinh , D'Ostrevy Nicolas , Camilleri Lionel , Azarnoush Kasra
Published: May 2021

Introduction: Aortic valve stenosis is the most frequent cardiac valve pathology in the western world. In high-risk patients, conventional aortic valve replacement (C-AVR) carries high rates of morbidity and mortality. In the last few years, rapid-deployment valves (RDV) have been developed to reduce the surgical risks. In this work, we aimed to compare the mid-term outcomes of rapid-deployment AVR (RD-AVR) with those of the C-AVR in high-risk patients. Methods: This retrospective case-control study identified 23 high-risk patients who underwent RD-AVR between 12/2015 to 01/2018. The study group was compared with a control group of 46 patients who were retrospectively selected from a database of 687 C-AVR patients from 2016 to 2017 which matched with the study group for age and Euro SCORE II. Results: RD-AVR group presented more cardiovascular risk factors. Euro SCORE II was higher in the RD-AVR group (P=0.06). In the RD-AVR group, we observed significantly higher mean prosthetic size (P<0.001). In-hospital mortality was zero in RD-AVR group versus 2 deaths in C-AVR group. Hospital stay was longer in the RD-AVR group with statistical significance (P=0.03). In the group AVR with associated cardiac procedures, while comparing subgroups RD-AVR versus C-AVR, early mean gradient was lower in the first cited (P=0.02). The overall mean follow-up was 10.9 ± 4.3 months. Conclusion: The RD-AVR technique is reliable and lead to positive outcomes. This procedure provides a much larger size with certainly better flow through the aortic root. It is an alternative to C-AVR in patients recognized to be surgically fragile.
Comparative evaluation of compressive and flexural strength, fluoride release and bacterial adhesion of GIC modified with CPP-ACP, bioactive glass, chitosan and MDPB
Authors: Kirthika Natarajan , Vidhya Sampath , Sujatha Venkatappan , Mahalaxmi Sekar , Senthil Kumar Renganathan
Published: May 2021

Background. This study evaluated the incorporation of casein phosphopeptide-amorphous calcium phosphate (CPP-ACP), calcium sodium phosphosilicate bioactive glass (BAG), chitosan (CH), and methacryloyloxydodecylpyridinium bromide (MDPB) on the compressive and flexural strength, fluoride (F‒ ) release, and bacterial adhesion of conventional glass-ionomer cement (C-GIC). Methods. Modifications were implemented by adding CPP-ACP, BAG, and CH to the glass powder, while MDPB-GIC was prepared by incorporating MDPB to the liquid of C-GIC. Custom-made molds were used for specimen preparation. Compressive and flexural strengths were evaluated using a universal testing machine. F‒ release was calculated with Erichrome cyanide reagent, using UV-spectrophotometry, at two time intervals of 24 hours and seven days. For bacterial adhesion, the test specimens were exposed to the bacterial suspension of Streptococcus mutans and Lactobacillus acidophilus for 4 hours, and the adherent bacteria were quantified using colorimetry as the optical density (OD). Results. The incorporation of MDPB increased the flexural strength of C-GIC, with no effect on its compressive strength. CH significantly improved the compressive and flexural strength; modifications with CPP-ACP, BAG, and MDPB significantly improved the flexural strength of C-GIC. While MDPB-GIC released significantly higher F‒ at 24 hours, CPP-ACP- and BAG-modified GICs were comparable to C-GIC on day 7. C-GIC exhibited the highest bacterial adhesion, and MDPB-GIC showed the least. The data were analyzed with one-way (ANOVA), and pairwise comparisons were made with Tukey HSD tests. Conclusion. Hence, it can be concluded that the incorporation of CPP-ACP, BAG, and CH improved the mechanical properties of C-GIC, whereas MDPB improved the resistance of C-GIC to bacterial adhesion.
Apically extruded debris associated with ProTaper Next, ProTaper Gold and TruNatomy systems: An in vitro study
Authors: Yılmaz Çırakoglu Neslihan , Özbay Yağız
Published: May 2021

Background. This research aimed to investigate and compare the amount of apically extruded debris after root canal preparation using ProTaper Next, ProTaper Gold, and TruNatomy systems. Methods. Forty-five extracted mandibular premolar teeth with single canals with similar lengths were used. The root canals were prepared using ProTaper Next (Dentsply Maillefer, Ballaigues, Switzerland), ProTaper Gold (Dentsply Maillefer, Ballaigues, Switzerland), or TruNatomy (Dentsply Maillefer, Ballaigues, Switzerland) files. Apically extruded debris during preparation was gathered into preweighed Eppendorf tubes. Then the Eppendorf tubes were incubated at 70°C for five days. The Eppendorf tubes were weighed again to determine their final weight plus the extruded debris. Results. The TRN system resulted in significantly less debris extrusion than the PTN system (P<0.05). There was no significant difference between the PTN and PTG groups and between the PTG and TRN groups (P>0.05). Conclusion. All the instrumentation systems caused apical extrusion of debris. However, the TRN system resulted in significantly less debris extrusion than the other systems.
COVID-19: Major Metabolic and Immunological Relationships in Obesity
Authors: Chaves Mariana Tolentino , Chaves Ana Paula Tolentino
Published: May 2021

Introduction: In the scenario of chronic non-communicable diseases, obesity stands out as a multifactorial disease that can cause several public health problems. Currently, about 30% of the world's population is overweight or obese. Estimates suggest that the prevalence of severe obesity in 2030 will be 11%, approximately twice the current prevalence. By 2025, Brazil will be in fifth place in the world ranking, with an estimated 18.0 million people. The appearance of the new coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2), which causes the disease COVID-19, has worsened the comorbidities of obesity. Objective: to explore, through a concise systematic review, the main metabolic and immunological relationships in obesity, especially in the presence of COVID-19. Methods: The present study followed a concise systematic review model (PRISMA). The search strategy was carried out in the databases PubMed, Embase, Ovid and Cochrane Library, Web of Science, and Scopus. The quality of the studies was based on the GRADE instrument and the risk of bias was analyzed according to the Cochrane instrument. Results: A total of 76 studies were found that were submitted to the eligibility analysis, and, after that, 15 studies of high to medium quality and with risks of bias were selected that do not compromise the scientific basis of the studies, we found that obesity is an important predictor of worsening SARS-CoV-2 pathology. There is a complex interaction between multiple metabolic, immunological and inflammatory factors that result in meta-inflammation. It has been shown that obesity causes dysfunction in the immune system, increasing susceptibility to infections and death from sepsis, and increased oxidative stress in the body. SARS-CoV-2 amplifies the inflammatory response, enabling greater propensity to alveolar thrombotic microangiopathy and pulmonary thromboembolism. Meta-inflammation and insulin resistance with hyperinsulinemia is the main baseline changes in obesity. Conclusion: In the COVID-19 scenario, obesity is an important predictor of the worsening of SARS-CoV-2 pathology, mainly due to the worsening of met inflammation.
INTERMITTENT HEMODIALYSIS, AN ALTERNATIVE TREATMENT FOR OVINE WITH ACUTE-ON-CHRONIC KIDNEY DISEASE.
Authors: Chalfun Guimaraes Okamoto Priscylla Tatiana , Holanda de Albuquerque Ana Luísa , Salgueiro Geraldes Silvano , Nanny Vieira Le Sueur André , Melchert Alessandra , Gomes Lourenço Maria Lúcia , Rezende Dadalto Carmel , Sarita da Cruz Aleixo Amanda , Picelli de Azevedo Maria Gabriela , Do Nascimento Diana , Gomes Rocha Thaís
Published: May 2021

Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) is a syndrome composed of numerous comorbidities such as the failure of excretion of toxins and nitrogenous compounds from metabolism, as well as the failure to maintain endocrine, water, electrolyte and acid-base homeostasis in all mammals. As it is a non-regenerative and progressive disease, any endogenous or exogenous insults in the organ in question will lead to the intensification of all these mentioned disorders associated with decreased urinary output. Several studies in humans and animals recommend the use of renal replacement therapy, especially in those who already have CKD, and who are in uremic syndrome. This report aims to demonstrate that the use of intermittent hemodialysis (HI) in sheep is a therapeutic alternative in those in renal failure. A six-year-old Bergamasca sheep was presented with lateral decubitus, dyspnea, dark liquid diarrhea, apathy, anorexia and pulmonary crepitation on auscultation. Laboratory tests showed azotemia and electrolyte changes such as hypocalcemia, hypokalemia, hypochloremia, isosthenuria (1,012), pyuria, glycosuria, and a protein: creatinine ratio of 0.88. In ultrasonography, the real resistivity index was above 0.54, being suggestive of loss of renal perfusion. The treatment chosen consisted of electrolytic and fluid replacement, associated with HI. After HI, the sheep showed great clinical and laboratory improvement as expected, however, despite not having survived, the histopathological findings of the necropsy pointed out segments of glomerulosclerosis, thus reinforcing the hypothesis that the animal already had a CKD which was aggravated due to the association of hypovolemia, hypotension by anesthetic drugs and the indiscriminate use of NSAIDs. Despite the death of the sheep, HI again proved to be a therapy of rapid clinical and laboratory improvement of the patient compared to conventional clinical treatment, thus being an important treatment alternative for sheep with a high impact on reproduction, production, and research.
TUMOR VENÉREO TRANSMISSÍVEL CANINO EM CAMPOS PULMONARES
Authors: Da Silva Lizardo Denis Henrique , De Maio Coelho Débora , De Souza Girodo Gabrielle
Published: May 2021

Tumor Venéreo Transmissível (TVT) ou linfossarcoma de Sticker, é uma neoplasia contagiosa que afeta canídeos ativos sexualmente, causando lesões com aspecto de couve-flor em região de órgãos sexuais ou região oronasal. O objetivo deste trabalho foi relatar um caso em que um cão, fêmea, sem raça definida, 6 meses de idade e não castrada, foi encaminhada para realização de ultrassonografia abdominal devido a queixa de perda de peso. Após os achados ultrassonográficos, foi realizado o raio X de tórax e citologia dos nódulos encontrados, onde se confirmou o diagnóstico de TVT. Este relato chama a atenção para a presença de TVT em pulmões mesmo em animais sem alteração respiratória, destacando a importância de métodos complementares para um diagnóstico acurado e tratamento eficaz em um caso com sintomatologia inespecífica e comum na clínica médica.
MICOPLASMOSE EM FELINO DOMÉSTICO, FeLV (+), RELATO DE CASO
Authors: Ferraz Alexsander , Tavares Barwaldt Eugênia , Dos Santos Pires Bruna , Moura de Lima Camila , Santos Bierhals Eduarda , De Oliveira Nobre M´´arcia , Quintana Nizoli Leandro
Published: May 2021

Mycoplasma spp. são bactérias pleomórficas que parasitam a superfície das hemácias de várias espécies domésticas, sendo o Mycoplasma haemofelis, a espécie mais frequente nos felinos. Este parasito é reponsável pela micoplasmose felina, também chamada de micoplasmose haemotrópica felina (MHF) e de anemia infecciosa felina,  que pode causar um quadro de anemia hemolítica aguda ou crônica. O objetivo deste trabalho, foi relatar o caso de um felino doméstico, apresentando na avaliação clínica, mucosas ictéricas e os linfonodos submandibulares aumentados de volume. Foi realizado teste rápido para diagnóstico de FIV/FeLV, onde constatou-se que o paciente era FeLV (+), sendo este, um fator de risco para o desenvolvimento da micoplasmose. No eritrograma, evidenciou-se diminuição do hematócrito, hemácias e hemoglobina. O exame bioquímico, indicou aumento de ALT, ureia e bilirrubina total. Para diagnóstico definitivo, foi realizado pesquisa de hemoparasitos, através da técnica de esfregaço sanguíneo corado, onde observou-se na superfície das hemácias, a presença de estruturas eosinofílicas na forma de cocos, característicos do gênero Mycoplasma.