bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Challenges in the Application of Glyco-Technology to Hepatitis B Virus Therapy and Diagnosis
Authors: Ouchida Tsunenori , Takamatsu Shinji , Maeda Megumi , Asuka Tatsuya , Morita Chiharu , Kondo Jumpei , Ueda Keiji , Miyoshi Eiji
Published: September 2021

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is a major pathogen that causes acute/chronic hepatitis. Continuous HBV infection can lead to the development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Although several different anti-HBV treatments are available for chronic hepatitis B patients, discontinuing these medications is difficult. Patients with chronic hepatitis B at high risk for HCC therefore require close observation. However, no suitable biomarkers for detecting high-risk groups for HCC exist, except for serum HBV-DNA, but a number of HCC biomarkers are used clinically, such as alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) and protein induced by vitamin K absence-II (PIVKA-II). Glycosylation is an important post-translational protein modification involved in many human pathologic conditions. HBV surface proteins contain various oligosaccharides, and several reports have described their biological functions. Inhibition of HBV glycosylation represents a potential novel anti-HBV therapy. It is thought that glycosylation of hepatocytes/hepatoma cells is also important for HBV infection, as it prevents HBV from infecting cells other than hepatocytes, even if the cells express the HBV receptor. In this review, we summarize considerable research regarding the relationship between HBV and glycosylation as it relates to the development of novel diagnostic tests and therapies for HBV.
Human Papillomavirus-Related Multiphenotypic Sinonasal Carcinoma—An Even Broader Tumor Entity?
Authors: Zupancic Mark , Näsman Anders
Published: September 2021

Human papillomavirus (HPV)-related multiphenotypic sinonasal carcinoma (HMSC) is a recently defined tumor subtype with apparent favorable clinical outcome despite aggressive histomorphology. However, in recent years, additional numbers of cases, with more variable features and at locations outside the sinonasal region, have complicated the definition of HMSC. Here, we have performed a systematic review of all cases described so far in order to accumulate more knowledge. We identified 127 articles published between 2013 and 2021, of which 21 presented unique cases. In total, 79 unique patient cases were identified and their clinical and micromorphological nature are herein summarized. In our opinion, better clinical follow-up data and a more detailed tumor characterization are preferably needed before HMSC can finally be justified as its own tumor entity.
Patterns of Coevolutionary Adaptations across Time and Space in Mouse Gammaretroviruses and Three Restrictive Host Factors
Authors: Boso Guney , Lam Oscar , Bamunusinghe Devinka , Oler Andrew J. , Wollenberg Kurt , Liu Qingping , Shaffer Esther , Kozak Christine A.
Published: September 2021

The classical laboratory mouse strains are genetic mosaics of three Mus musculus subspecies that occupy distinct regions of Eurasia. These strains and subspecies carry infectious and endogenous mouse leukemia viruses (MLVs) that can be pathogenic and mutagenic. MLVs evolved in concert with restrictive host factors with some under positive selection, including the XPR1 receptor for xenotropic/polytropic MLVs (X/P-MLVs) and the post-entry restriction factor Fv1. Since positive selection marks host-pathogen genetic conflicts, we examined MLVs for counter-adaptations at sites that interact with XPR1, Fv1, and the CAT1 receptor for ecotropic MLVs (E-MLVs). Results describe different co-adaptive evolutionary paths within the ranges occupied by these virus-infected subspecies. The interface of CAT1, and the otherwise variable E-MLV envelopes, is highly conserved; antiviral protection is afforded by the Fv4 restriction factor. XPR1 and X/P-MLVs variants show coordinate geographic distributions, with receptor critical sites in envelope, under positive selection but with little variation in envelope and XPR1 in mice carrying P-ERVs. The major Fv1 target in the viral capsid is under positive selection, and the distribution of Fv1 alleles is subspecies-correlated. These data document adaptive, spatial and temporal, co-evolutionary trajectories at the critical interfaces of MLVs and the host factors that restrict their replication.
Direct Metatranscriptomic Survey of the Sunflower Microbiome and Virome
Authors: Wang Ziyi , Neupane Achal , Feng Jiuhuan , Pedersen Connor , Lee Marzano Shin-Yi
Published: September 2021

Sunflowers (Helianthus annuus L.) are susceptible to multiple diseases in field production. In this study, we collected diseased sunflower leaves in fields located in South Dakota, USA, for virome investigation. The leaves showed visible symptoms on the foliage, indicating phomopsis and rust infections. To identify the viruses potentially associated with the disease diagnosed, symptomatic leaves were obtained from diseased plants. Total RNA was extracted corresponding to each disease diagnosed to generate libraries for paired-end high throughput sequencing. Short sequencing reads were assembled de novo and the contigs with similarities to viruses were identified by aligning against a custom protein database. We report the discovery of two novel mitoviruses, four novel partitiviruses, one novel victorivirus, and nine novel totiviruses based on similarities to RNA-dependent RNA polymerases and capsid proteins. Contigs similar to bean yellow mosaic virus and Sclerotinia sclerotiorum hypovirulence-associated DNA virus were also detected. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of direct metatranscriptomics discovery of viruses associated with fungal infections of sunflowers bypassing culturing. These newly discovered viruses represent a natural genetic resource from which we can further develop potential biopesticide to control sunflower diseases.
A Reverse Transcription Recombinase-Aided Amplification Method for Rapid and Point-of-Care Detection of SARS-CoV-2, including Variants
Authors: Li Fengyun , He Ping , Xiong Dongyan , Lou Yakun , Pu Qiaosheng , Zhang Haixia , Zhang Huige , Yu Junping
Published: September 2021

The worldwide pandemic caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) and its emergence of variants needs rapid and point-of-care testing methods for a broad diagnosis. The regular RT-qPCR is time-consuming and limited in central laboratories, so a broad and large-scale screening requirement calls for rapid and in situ methods. In this regard, a reverse transcription recombinase-aided amplification (RT-RAA) is proposed here for the rapid and point-of-care detection of SARS-CoV-2. A set of highly conserved primers and probes targeting more than 98% of SARS-CoV-2 strains, including currently circulating variants (four variants of concerns (VOCs) and three variants of interest (VOIs)), was used in this study. With the preferred primers, the RT-RAA assay showed a 100% specificity to SARS-CoV-2 from eight other respiratory RNA viruses. Moreover, the assay here is of a high sensitivity and 0.48 copies/μL can be detected within 25 min at a constant temperature (42 °C), which can be realized on portable equipment. Furthermore, the RT-RAA assay demonstrated its high agreement for the detection of SARS-CoV-2 in clinical specimens compared with RT-qPCR. The rapid, simple and point-of-care RT-RAA method is expected to be an appealing detection tool to detect SARS-CoV-2, including variants, in clinical diagnostic applications.
Vertical Transmission of SARS-CoV-2: A Systematic Review of Systematic Reviews
Authors: Musa Salihu S. , Bello Umar M. , Zhao Shi , Abdullahi Zainab U. , Lawan Muhammad A. , He Daihai
Published: September 2021

The COVID-19 pandemic has hugely impacted global public health and economy. The COVID-19 has also shown potential impacts on maternal perinatal and neonatal outcomes. This systematic review aimed to summarize the evidence from existing systematic reviews about the effects of SARS-CoV-2 infections on maternal perinatal and neonatal outcomes. We searched PubMed, MEDLINE, Embase, and Web of Science in accordance with PRISMA guidelines, from 1 December 2019 to 7 July 2021, for published review studies that included case reports, primary studies, clinical practice guidelines, overviews, case-control studies, and observational studies. Systematic reviews that reported the plausibility of mother-to-child transmission of COVID-19 (also known as vertical transmission), maternal perinatal and neonatal outcomes, and review studies that addressed the effect of SARS-CoV-2 infection during pregnancy were also included. We identified 947 citations, of which 69 studies were included for further analysis. Most (>70%) of the mother-to-child infection was likely due to environmental exposure, although a significant proportion (about 20%) was attributable to potential vertical transmission of SARS-CoV-2. Further results of the review indicated that the mode of delivery of pregnant women infected with SARS-CoV-2 could not increase or decrease the risk of infection for the newborns (outcomes), thereby emphasizing the significance of breastfeeding. The issue of maternal perinatal and neonatal outcomes with SARS-CoV-2 infection continues to worsen during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, increasing maternal and neonatal mortality, stillbirth, ruptured ectopic pregnancies, and maternal depression. Based on this study, we observed increasing rates of cesarean delivery from mothers with SARS-CoV-2 infection. We also found that SARS-CoV-2 could be potentially transmitted vertically during the gestation period. However, more data are needed to further investigate and follow-up, especially with reports of newborns infected with SARS-CoV-2, in order to examine a possible long-term adverse effect.
Influence of the H1 Antihistamine Mepyramine on the Antibacterial Effect of Florfenicol in Pigs
Authors: Bruer Gustav , Gödecke Daria , Kietzmann Manfred , Meißner Jessica
Published: September 2021

The effect of florfenicol against Escherichia coli (E. coli) was investigated in vivo to confirm results of an in vitro study of Bruer et al. (2019), which has shown positive effects of various antibacterial agents in combination with the antihistamine mepyramine (MEP). Therefore, pigs were treated in three different settings: An untreated control group, 10 mg/kg florfenicol (FFC) and 10 mg/kg FFC in combination with 20 mg/kg MEP. E. coli were isolated from faecal samples and analyzed in growth quantity and resistance to FFC. The FFC medication induced an increased number of resistant E. coli strains isolated from faecal samples. The number of colonies detected after cultivation of animal samples treated with 10 mg/kg FFC was higher than the number of colonies after treatment with 10 mg/kg FFC in combination with of FFC and MEP. Furthermore, the effect of both compounds was examined on bacterial susceptibility of Pasteurella multocida in vitro, where the combination of FFC with MEP resulted in a diminished minimum inhibitory concentration. We confirmed the development of bacterial resistance in the intestine as non-target tissue caused by the use of the antibacterial agent florfenicol. Moreover, the combination of FFC with an antihistamine like MEP offers a possibility to enhance the efficacy of an antibacterial treatment and modifies the effect on gut microbiota.
Protective Effects of Water Extract of Fructus Ligustri Lucidi against Oxidative Stress-Related Osteoporosis In Vivo and In Vitro
Authors: Wu Yi , Hu Yusheng , Zhao Zeguang , Xu Lina , Chen Ye , Liu Tongtong , Li Qin
Published: September 2021

Fructus Ligustri Lucidi (FLL) is the fruit of Ligustrum lucidum Ait and is a component of many kidney-tonifying traditional Chinese medicine formulae for treating osteoporosis. Accumulating evidence has linked oxidative stress with the progression of bone diseases. The present study aimed to identify the effects of FLL on oxidative stress-related osteoporosis in vivo and in vitro. To construct animal models, we utilized d-galactose (D-gal) injection to induce oxidative stress combined with a low calcium (the exact percentage in the diet was 0.1%) diet. Thirteen-week-old Kunming female mice were gavaged with water extract of FLL for 20 days. Then, eight-month-old Kunming female mice were treated with FLL under standard administration and diet as the aged group. In vitro, MC3T3-E1 cells stimulated by H2O2 were treated with FLL for 24 h. The micro-CT results showed that the modeling approach combining oxidative stress with a low calcium diet caused low conversion type osteoporosis in mice. FLL exerted a prominent effect on preventing osteoporosis by inhibiting oxidative stress, increasing bone mineral density (BMD), improving bone microstructure, and promoting osteoblast proliferation and osteoprotegerin (OPG) protein expression; however, FLL had no therapeutic effect on bone loss in aged mice. In conclusion, FLL showed outstanding anti-bone loss ability both in vivo and in vitro and could probably be developed as a prophylactic agent for osteoporosis.
Exploring the Regulation Reliability of a Pumped Storage Power Plant in a Wind–Solar Hybrid Power Generation System
Authors: Xu Beibei , Zhang Jingjing , Egusquiza Mònica , Zhang Junzhi , Chen Diyi , Egusquiza Eduard
Published: September 2021

In the coming decades, the proportion of wind–solar energy in power system significantly increases, resulting to uncertainties of power fluctuation in abundant wind–solar energy regions. The flexibility operation of Pumped Storage Power Plants (PSPPs) has already been widely recognized to regulate wind–solar power fluctuations; however, less is known about the regulation reliability of the PSPP affected by them. It is a challenge, since various uncertainties exist during this regulation process. Here, a mathematical model with a solar–wind–hydro hybrid power generation system is adopted to investigate the regulation reliability of PSPP. The uncertainties and limitations of model parameters are considered during this process. Five regulation indexes, i.e., rise time, settling time, peak value, peak time and overshoot of the reactive power generator terminal voltage, guide vane opening and angular velocity, are extracted to evaluate the PSSP’s regulation quality. Finally, the PSPP reliability probability affected by parametric uncertainties is presented. The obtained results show that the inertia coefficient is the most sensitivity parameters for the settling time, peak value and peak time with sensitivity index 33.7%, 72.55% and 71.59%, respectively. The corresponding total contribution rate of the top 10 sensitive parameters are 74.45%, 93.45% and 87.15%, respectively. Despite some types of uncertainties not being considered, the results of this research are important for the regulation reliability evaluation of PSPPs in suppressing power fluctuations of wind and solar generation.
Data- and Model-Based Discharge Hindcasting over a Subtropical River Basin
Authors: Billah Khondoker , Le Tuan B. , Sharif Hatim O.
Published: September 2021

This study aims to evaluate the performance of the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT), a simple Auto-Regressive with eXogenous input (ARX) model, and a gene expression programming (GEP)-based model in one-day-ahead discharge prediction for the upper Kentucky River Basin. Calibration of the models were carried out for the period of 2002–2005 using daily flow at a stream gauging station unaffected by the flow regulation. Validation of the calibrated models were executed for the period of 2008–2010 at the same gauging station along with another station 88 km downstream. GEP provided the best calibration (coefficient of determination (R) value 0.94 and Nash-Sutcliffe Efficiency (NSE) value of 0.88) and validation (R values of 0.93 and 0.93, NSE values of 0.87 and 0.87, respectively) results at the two gauging stations. While SWAT performed reasonably well in calibration (R value 0.85 and NSE value 0.72), its performance somewhat degraded in validation (R values of 0.85 and 0.82, NSE values of 0.65 and 0.65, for the two stations). ARX performed very well in calibration (R value 0.92, NSE value 0.82) and reasonably well in validation (R values of 0.88 and 0.92, NSE values of 0.76 and 0.85) at the two stations. Research results suggest that sophisticated hydrological models could be outperformed by simple data-driven models and GEP has the advantage to generate functional relationships that allows investigation of the complex nonlinear interrelationships among the input variables.
Photocatalytic Dye Degradation and Biological Activities of Cu-Doped ZnSe Nanoparticles and Their Insights
Authors: Beena V. , Rayar S. L. , Ajitha S. , Ahmad Awais , Iftikhar Faiza Jan , Abualnaja Khamael M. , Alomar Taghrid S. , Ouladsmne Mohmed , Ali Shafaqat
Published: September 2021

Environmental nanotechnology has received much attention owing to its implications on environmental ecosystem, and thus is promising for the elimination of toxic elements from the aquatic surface. This work focuses on Cu-doped ZnSe nanoparticles using the co-precipitation method. The synthesized Cu-doped ZnSe nanoparticles were examined for structural, optical, and morphological properties with the help of XRD, FTIR, UV/vis diffuse reflection spectroscopy (DRS), FESEM, TEM, and XPS. The synthesized Cu-doped ZnSe nanoparticles revealed the presence of Cu2+ in the ZnSe lattice, which has been shown to take a predominant role for enhanced catalysis in the Cu-doped ZnSe nanoparticles. The synthesized Cu-doped ZnSe nanoparticles were investigated for their catalytic and antibacterial activities. The 0.1 M copper-doped ZnSe nanoparticles exhibited the highest rate of degradation against the methyl orange dye, which was found to be 87%. A pseudo-first-order kinetics was followed by Cu-doped ZnSe nanoparticles with a rate constant of 0.1334 min−1. The gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria were used for investigating the anti-bacterial activity of the Cu-doped ZnSe nanoparticles. The Cu-doped ZnSe nanoparticles exhibited enhanced photocatalytic and antibacterial activity.
Toward the Adoption of Anaerobic Digestion Technology through Low-Cost Biodigesters: A Case Study of Non-Centrifugal Cane Sugar Producers in Colombia
Authors: Mendieta Oscar , Castro Liliana , Vera Erik , Rodríguez Jader , Escalante Humberto
Published: September 2021

Anaerobic digestion using low-cost biodigesters (LCB) is a promising alternative for Colombian producers of non-centrifugal cane sugar (NCS). Since the integration of anaerobic digestion technology in this agro-industry is novel, it is critical to understand the factors that affect the acceptance behavior of such technology by NCS producers to develop future policies that promote the adoption of sustainable energy alternatives. This study aimed to analyze NCS producers’ behavioral intention to use LCB by utilizing an extended technology acceptance model (TAM). Data from a survey of 182 producers were used to evaluate the proposed model empirically. The extended TAM accounted for 78% of the variance in producers’ behavioral intention to use LCB. Thus, LCB acceptability could be fairly precisely predicted on the basis of producers’ intentions. This study’s findings contribute to research on the TAM and provide a better understanding of the factors influencing NCS producers’ behavioral intention to use LCB. Furthermore, this approach can assist policymakers at the local and global levels, given that NCS is produced in various developing countries worldwide.
Contemporary Trends in River Flow, Suspended Sediment Load, and Soil/Gully Erosion in the South of the Boreal Forest Zone of European Russia: The Vyatka River Basin
Authors: Gusarov Artyom V. , Sharifullin Aidar G. , Beylich Achim A.
Published: September 2021

Recent decades in the north of the East European Plain have been characterized by significant changes in climate and land use/cover, especially after the collapse of the USSR in 1991. At the same time, the hydrological consequences of these changes, especially changes in erosion processes and river sediment load, have been studied insufficiently. This paper partially covers this existing knowledge gap using the example of the Vyatka River basin. Draining an area of 129,000 km2, the Vyatka River is among the largest rivers in the boreal forest zone of European Russia. Cultivated land occupies about one-fifth of the river basin area; about three-fourths is covered by taiga forest vegetation. The results of state long-term hydrometeorological monitoring and information on land use/cover made it possible to reveal contemporary (since the 1960s) hydrological and erosion-intensity trends and their drivers within the greater (96%) part of the river basin. There has been a statistically insignificant increase in water discharge in the Vyatka River basin during recent decades. This is due to a statistically insignificant increase (for the entire basin studied) in the spring snowmelt-induced floodwater flow and a statistically significant rise in the discharge in the year’s warm and cold seasons. The main reason for the detected trends is increased precipitation, including heavy rainfall during the warm season. In contrast to this, the total annual suspended sediment load of the river (especially that which was snowmelt-induced) and, consequently, soil/gully erosion intensity have experienced a significant decrease in recent decades (up to 58% between 1960–1980 and 2010–2018). Land-use/-cover changes (a reduction of cultivated land area and agricultural machinery, a decline of livestock in pastures) following the collapse of the Soviet Union are considered the main reasons for this decrease. The most noticeable changes in water discharge, suspended sediment load, and erosion intensity were observed in the most agriculturally developed southwest and south parts of the Vyatka River basin. All the above trends may be considered with a high probability to be representative for the south sector of the taiga zone of the East European Plain.
Genetic Signature of a Past Anthropogenic Transportation of a Far-Eastern Endemic Cladoceran (Crustacea: Daphniidae) to the Volga Basin
Authors: Karabanov Dmitry P. , Garibian Petr G. , Bekker Eugeniya I. , Sabitova Rimma Z. , Kotov Alexey A.
Published: September 2021

Most studies of water flea (Crustacea: Cladocera) invasions are concentrated on a few taxa with an obvious harmful influence on native ecosystems, while our knowledge of cases of anthropogenic introduction with not-so-obvious consequences, in most other taxa, is poor. We found in the Volga basin (European Russia) a population that contained D. curvirostris Eylmann, 1887 and its hybrids with D. korovchinskyi Kotov et al. 2021. The latter taxon is endemic to the Far East and it has appeared in the Volga basin as a result of past human-mediated transportation. The population from Bakhilovo is represented by two strongly different groups of the COI haplotypes belonging, respectively, to (1) D. curvirostris and (2) D. korovchinskyi. We detected SNPs in the position 60 of the HSP-90ex3 locus and in the 195 positions of 28S rRNA locus, which differentiate two species. Part of the specimens from Bakhilovo belonged to D. curvirostris s.str., demonstrating homozygote SNP sites in two loci, but two specimens had heterozygote SNP sites in both nuclear loci. They belong to D. curvirostris x korovchinskyi hybrids. Most morphological traits of the females were characteristic of D. curvirostris. We found in some specimens some characters which could suggest their hybrid status, but this opinion is a hypothesis only, which needs to be checked on more ample material. The exact hybrid system in this pond is not known. Moreover, we have no evidences of sexual reproduction of the hybrids; they could reproduce by parthenogenesis only as is known for hybrids of the D. pulex group, or continuously crossing with parents like some members of D. longispina group. However, poor parental D. korovchinskyi was not detected in the pond either morphologically or genetically. The exact vector of its past anthropogenic transportation to the Volga is unknown. Most probably, just ephippia of D. korovchinskyi were translocated replaced from the Khabarovsk Territory to the Samara Area somehow. This is the first report on hybrids within the D. curvirostris species complex. Here, we demonstrated that accurate studies with deep resolution increase the number of revealed cryptic invasions. We expect that the number of revealed cases of cryptic interspecific invasions will grow rapidly.
Copper and Zinc Removal Efficiency of Two Reactive Filter Media Treating Motorway Runoff—Model for Service Life Estimation
Authors: Rodríguez-Gómez Raúl , Renman Agnieszka , Mahmoudzadeh Batoul , Renman Gunno
Published: September 2021

The predominant techniques used for road runoff treatment are sedimentation and filtration. In filtration systems, the ability of the media to adsorb the contaminants is a finite process. Consequently, construction, operation and maintenance managers of such systems should know in advance the service life, i.e., when the used medium should be replaced, and associated costs of operation and maintenance. A batch experiment followed by a packed bed reactor (PBR) experiment addressed the kinetics of the studied media argon oxygen decarburization slag (AOD) and Polonite, followed by the development of a 1D-model to describe the change of concentration of Cu and Zn within time. The batch test results showed that Cu and Zn adsorption followed the Freundlich isotherms for AOD and Polonite. Those results coupled with the linear driving force model and the developed model resulted in good agreement between the PBR results and the simulation. The model was capable to predict (i), the service life at the hydraulic load of 0.18 m/h for AOD (Cu: 395 d; Zn: 479 d) and Polonite (Cu: 445 d; Zn: 910 d), to show (ii) the profile concentration in the PBR within time and the gradient of the concentration along the height of the reactor.
Ecosystem Services of Large Wood: Mapping the Research Gap
Authors: Poledniková Zuzana , Galia Tomáš
Published: September 2021

It is well known that large wood affects geomorphic processes and functions in rivers. It enhances the quality of the habitat but it can also cause a threat to the population. These processes and functions of the environment can be transformed into ecosystem (dis)services, which represent direct or indirect (dis)benefits that the society obtains from nature. The goal of this paper was to describe the current relations between large wood and ecosystem services and map the related knowledge gaps. Firstly, we conducted a systematic literature review that was elaborated according to the six-stage and PRISMA protocols and workflow diagram. We found 499 papers; however, only 137 were eligible for the following analyses. Secondly, we made a transformation of research information from the articles (n = 135) into ecosystem services. The highest number of ecosystem services detected in the articles belonged to the regulation and maintenance section (n = 126), followed by the provisioning (n = 15) and cultural (n = 11) sections. The detected classes with the highest frequency of studies were specific habitat creation and increased channel heterogeneity. The findings show that the number of research papers on this topic is still insufficient; however, anaylzing ecosystem services could be useful to advocate the presence of large wood in the rivers.
Salt Leaching with Brackish Water during Growing Season Improves Cotton Growth and Productivity, Water Use Efficiency and Soil Sustainability in Southern Xinjiang
Authors: Xiao Chao , Li Meng , Fan Junliang , Zhang Fucang , Li Yi , Cheng Houliang , Li Yuepeng , Hou Xianghao , Chen Junqing
Published: September 2021

Low water use efficiency and soil salinization are two main factors limiting cotton production in southern Xinjiang. A field experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of brackish water irrigation levels on cotton growth, yield and soil water–salt dynamics in southern Xinjiang, so as to provide a theoretical and experimental basis for the development and utilization of brackish water. There were three irrigation levels: W1 (75 mm + 80%ETc), W2 (150 mm + 80%ETc) and W3 (240 mm + 80%ETc) at the seeding stage (S1), seeding stage + budding stage (S2) and seeding stage + budding stage + flowering stage (S3), with an irrigation amount of 450 mm during spring as the CK (the local reference level) (10 treatments in total). The salt of the local brackish water used was 3 g·L−1. Film-mulched drip irrigation experiments were conducted to observe cotton growth, aboveground dry matter, cotton yield, soil water and salt distribution, as well as other indicators. The results showed that the irrigation applications of S3 can improve the soil moisture and salt distribution of the root zone. The salt accumulation at the harvest stage of W3S3 was reduced by 39.5% and 2.8% compared with W3S1 and W3S2, respectively. More frequent irrigation applications can reduce a soil’s total dissolved solids (TDS), avoid exceeding the salt tolerance threshold of 4.8 g kg−1 and lead to higher aboveground dry matter and cotton yields. W3S3 obtained the highest yield of 5685 kg ha−1, which was increased by 39.59%, 7.85% and 11.25% compared with W3S1, W3S2 and CK, respectively. The higher the irrigation amount, the less water use efficiency (WUE), following the order of S3 > S2 > S1 > CK at various growth stages. W3S1 obtained the lowest WUE of 0.64 kg·m−3. Comprehensively considering the effects of soil moisture retention and salt suppression, cotton growth, yield and water use efficiency, an irrigation amount of 240 mm brackish water at three growth stages, with 80%ETc for irrigation, is recommended for the sustainable production of cotton in southern Xinjiang.
The Experimental Verification of a Generalized Model of Equivalent Circuits
Authors: Lukács Zoltán , Baccilieri Dávid , Kristóf Tamás
Published: September 2021

The determination of typical parameters of electrochemical systems, e.g. the polarization or charge transfer resistances, can be critical with regard to the application of Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) if the lower frequency range is biased as a result of transport and/or adsorption/desorption processes. In such cases, the charge transfer resistance should be assessed from the higher frequency range which is typically inadequate in itself as an input for nonlinear parameter fitting. In earlier publications, an alternative mathematical treatment of both the Equivalent Circuit (EC) and of the parameter dispersion was provided using a generalized model of ECs and also a dispersion-invariant model of the electrochemical interface. In the present work, the previously presented experimental EIS results were crosschecked to verify the performance of the generalized model against a series of redox and corrosion systems. The results proved that the applied method is consistent and provides a fairly good correlation between the principal resistance data assessed by different methods.
A Framework for Demonstration Devices Used in Distance-Learning Environments
Authors: Decsi Péter , Bors Ádám , Kocsor Péter , Vörös Bálint , Horváth Barnabás , Guba Sándor , Gugolya Zoltán , Mester Sándor , Szalai István
Published: September 2021

Distance-learning has become widespread around the world. Many training areas such as engineering require the acquisition of practical rather than theoretical knowledge. In this paper, a framework is presented in the form of four pilot projects which is used for practical laboratory measurements in a distance-learning environment. Four demonstration devices consisting of an induction motor drivetrain, a magnetorheological clutch as well as a rolling resistance and an ultrasonicsensor were built and several examples of measurements presented.The system, based on accessible and user-friendly hardware, is cost-effective, simple to program and can be adapted to suit any application.
COMPOSICIÓN Y VARIACIÓN TEMPORAL DE LA COMUNIDAD DE INSECTOS ACUÁTICOS (INSECTA) EN LA QUEBRADA SARDINEROS, AFLUENTE RIO VERDE, ALTO CAUCA, COLOMBIA
Authors: García-Alzate Carlos , Román-Valencia César , González Melissa , Barrero Ana
Published: September 2021

Se analiza la composición y la variación temporal de las comunidades de insectos acuáticos presentes en la parte baja de la quebrada Sardineros, afluente de río Verde, sistema rio Quindío en el Alto Cauca, Colombia. Se colectaron 2743 individuos en bajas lluvias y1020 en altas lluvias. Dipteray Trichoptera fueron los más abundantes en ambos periodos. Los índices de diversidad de Shannon-Wiener, dominancia de Simpson fueron bajas en ambos periodos climáticos, mientras la riqueza de Margalef fue alta. Los índices indicaron que la diversidad fue baja como consecuencia de la disminución del oxígeno disuelto y el aumento de la conductividad, durante el periodo de altas lluvias, lo cual contribuyo a la disminución de la calidad del agua que paso de ser buena (BMWP/Col: 191) durante las bajas lluvias a aceptable (BMWP/Col: 65) en altas lluvias. La prueba Hotelling's T-Squared corroboró las diferencias significativas en la estructura de la comunidad entre épocas (P=0,042, F=4,6) y la prueba de proporciones explico el cambio en la estructura del 74% de las familias de insectos analizadas; a partir de estos resultados se propone que la estacionalidad fue la variable que mas influyo en abundancia y diversidad de insectos acuáticos.
REGISTRO Y DISTRIBUCIÓN DE UNA POBLACIÓN INTRODUCIDA DE CHIGÜIROS Hydrochoerus hidrochaeris EN EL DEPARTAMENTO DEL QUINDÍO
Authors: Botero-Botero Alvaro , Sánchez-Pachón Julián , Cárdenas-Saldarriaga Guillermo , Cardona-Claros Cindy
Published: September 2021

Se registra la presencia y distribución de una población introducida de chigüiros en el departamento del Quindío, a través de recorridos de campo y georeferenciación de sitios de presencia. Los chigüiros se encuentran distribuidos desde el valle de Maravélez hasta el sector de Piedras de Moler y en las zonas bajas de los ríos Quindío, Barragán, Espejo y Roble, en jurisdicción de los municipios de La Tebaida, Montenegro y Quimbaya. La composición de los grupos es pequeña (no superior a tres individuos), hallándose en mayor proporción individuos solitarios. Se registra la presencia de individuos juveniles que indica que la población se está reproduciendo. Hacemos un llamado de atención a las autoridades ambientales para que evalúen el impacto de la introducción de este mamífero en los ecosistema salto-andinosneo tropicales.
Uso de probióticos y ácidos orgánicos como estimulantes del desarrollo de aves de engorde: artículo de revisión
Authors: Iñiguez Heredia Franklin Alfredo , Espinoza Bustamante Xavier Esteban , Galarza Molina Enmanuel Leonardo
Published: September 2021

Se plantea un análisis del uso de probióticos y acidificantes como alternativa al uso de antibióticos. La producción avícola tiene gran importancia por la gran demanda de carne para abastecer las necesidades de proteína, el rubro de producción puede significar hasta un 78% en costos, se tiende a encontrar alternativas para maximizar el rendimiento encontrándose como opciones viables productos como prebióticos, probióticos, acidificantes y enzimas utilizados como aditivos sea en el agua de bebida o en el alimento; a los probióticos se los considera como parte de los aditivos, proyectando su uso a futuro muy prometedor tomando en cuenta la intensidad de los sistemas de producción y a las ventajas que estos prometen en el balance microbiológico estos fortalecen los procesos a nivel del tracto gastrointestinal al lograr reducir el pH permiten un medio adecuado para que se desarrollen principalmente Lactobacillus, al utilizar prebióticos estos ayudaran a los probióticos   nutriéndolos   y   permitiendo  su fortalecimiento, los ácidos orgánicos mejoran los procesos digestivos, reducen el pH del tracto digestivo incrementando la proliferación de lactobacilos y disminuyendo la flora patógena. De esta manera la integridad intestinal es definida como el funcionamiento óptimo del intestino, permitiendo un mejoramiento de los parámetros zootécnicos, los problemas intestinales se evidencian en el aparato digestivo, haciendo que la energía destinada para la producción, sea enviada a las funciones de defensa, el presente artículo de revisión establece una recopilación de estudios con la finalidad de establecer un criterio de alternativas viables para reemplazar a los antibióticos.
Eficiencia de humedales artificiales de totora y berros sobre efluentes de granja porcícola, Perú
Authors: Sánchez Araujo Víctor Guillermo , Palomino Pastrana Pedro Antonio , Malpartida Yapias Rafael Julián
Published: September 2021

La investigación se realizó para evaluar la eficiencia de humedales artificiales  de Shoenoplectus californicus (totora) y Nasturtion officinale (berros) sobre los contaminantes de efluentes de granja de porcinos en Huancavelica. Para determinar la eficiencia de cantidad de la materia orgánica removida por los humedales artificiales se determinó la demanda química de oxígeno (DQO) y oxígeno disuelto (OD), para esto se utilizó el digestor y el colorímetro portátil Hach DR900. Los resultados obtenidos de la eficiencia del humedal artificial de la totora al ingreso y salida fue de 559.45 mg/l y 118.15 mg/l de DQO, de 1.11 a 8.25 mg/l OD, de 843.19 a 534.98 mg/l de conductividad eléctrica, 13.49 a 13.49 ºC de temperatura, 6.74 a 7.36 de pH, y para el humedal artificial de berros fue de 559.45 mg/l y 118.00 mg/l de DQO, 1.11  a 3.07 mg/l  OD, 843.19  a 642.48mg/l de conductividad eléctrica, 13.49  a 13.32 ºC de temperatura, 6.74 a 7.29 de pH respectivamente. En conclusión, la eficiencia de los humedales artificiales de Schoenoplectus californicus (totora) es de 78.88 % y Nasturtion officinale (berros) 78.91%, en la remoción de contaminantes del efluente de la granja de porcinos en Huancavelica.
Tratamiento de aguas residuales domesticas mediante reactor anaerobio para la reutilización del efluente en cultivos agrícolas
Authors: Córdova Mendoza Pedro , Barrios Mendoza Teresa Oriele , Córdova Barrios Isis Cristel , Navarrete Velarde Raúl Antonio
Published: September 2021

El objetivo de  la  investigación  fue evaluar el tratamiento de  aguas residuales domesticas mediante reactor anaerobio y su influencia significativa  en la reutilización del efluente en cultivos agrícolas. La investigación realizada fue de tipo experimental, nivel descriptivo- explicativo, investigación aplicada. Como resultados se obtuvo que la norma DS N°003-2002-PRODUCE, establece los límites máximos permisibles y valores referenciales    para    la    actividad     en la reutilización con un pH entre 6-8, temperatura <35°C, se dispuso de la toma de muestra de la laguna de oxidación de Cachiche, como lo indica las coordenadas UTM, la biomasa anaerobia fue obtenido de Yaurilla-Parcona, se analizó el afluente tabla 5 y tabla 6, en las fechas  indicadas a horas 8:00 am., (06.02.2021), y a horas 10:00 am., (02.04.2021), Discusión se evidenciaron que los resultados de caracterización ARD-010-A  y  ARD- 020-B, influenciaron en la  reutilización  del efluente en cultivos agrícolas. Para finalizar se tiene que la reutilización del efluente en cultivos  agrícolas  depende del  tratamiento  con  reactor  anaerobio en el tratamiento de aguas residuales se obtuvieron para las 32 horas con pH de 7.7; solidos suspendidos 38 mg/l y para los coliformes termo tolerantes un valor 890 NMP/100ml; valores que se encuentran por debajo de los estándares de calidad ambiental ECA AGUA para su reusó en la Categoría 3: Riego de vegetales y bebida de animales del DECRETO SUPREMO N° 004-2017-MINAM.
Efecto histoprotector de Aloe vera L. “sábila” en ratas con daño gástrico provocado por indometacina
Authors: Gonzales Llontop Luis , Chotón Calvo Mariel , Chico Ruiz Julio
Published: September 2021

Se evaluó el efecto histoprotector de Aloe vera L. “sábila” en  ratas con daño gástrico provocado por indometacina. Sé utilizó 50 ratas,  de 4 meses de edad y de 250 g de peso promedio. Los animales se distribuyeron en grupo de diez para cada uno de los tratamientos. El grupo 1 (testigo) recibió SSF (0, 9%), el grupo 2 (control) se administró indometacina (20 mg/kg), y los grupos problema (3, 4 y 5) recibieron una, dos y tres dosis de sábila (50 mg/kg), respectivamente. La primera dosis se administró a las 4 horas procedentes a la  indometacina  y las demás dosis  con  sucesiones de 4 horas. Transcurrida una hora fueron anestesiadas y sacrificadas. En los niveles de lesiones gástricas macroscópicas   y   microscópicas se hallaron  significativamente diferencias entre el grupo control (p< 0.001) y los grupos problema. En los grupos  tratados  con  A. vera L. (p>0.05) no se encontró diferencias significativas. En nuestras condiciones experimentales la aplicación de un extracto de sábila en ratas con daño gástrico presentó efecto histoprotector.
Efecto de la temperatura y precipitacion sobre la agricultura en la cuenca Coata-Puno, Perú
Authors: Caira Mamani Cirilo Mario , Lopez Loayza Candida , Carhuarupay Molleda Yakov Felipe
Published: September 2021

El cambio climático viene alterando las condiciones del clima en la cuenca del río Coata, siendo las temperaturas extremas  y las precipitaciones pluviales  las  variables más sensibles; por ende, se investiga el efecto de la temperatura  y  precipitación sobre la agricultura en la cuenca Coata, con el objetivo de evaluar el comportamiento de las variables climáticas durante el periodo 2015-2016 y su efecto en la actividad agrícola del altiplano. Para tal efecto se ha trabajado con las series históricas de temperaturas extremas y precipitaciones pluviales de

48 años de las estaciones meteorológicas seleccionadas en base a tres criterios: longitud de las series, estaciones con datos  faltantes y por la consistencia. Esta serie fueron sistematizada, corregidas y completadas en base al análisis de homogeneidad; con las pruebas  no  paramétricas  y   paramétricas  se ha determinado las  tendencias  con niveles de significancia de 0.01, 0.05 y 0.10, y análogamente la información de rendimientos de los cultivos. Los resultados muestran que las temperaturas máximas tienden a incrementar en 0.05ºC anualmente, las temperaturas medias muestran un incremento anual de 0.028ºC con evidencia leve y las mínimas no muestran cambios significativos; mientras que las precipitaciones pluviales tienden  a disminuir, y estos generan impactos significativos  en  los cultivos. Por lo tanto, no hay datos de rendimiento de los cultivos, se concluye que el cambio climático viene afectando a los parámetros de temperaturas y precipitaciones, y esto influye negativamente en el rendimiento de los cultivos del pan llevar.
From Royal Ideology to Religious Polemics: The Evolution of the Śākyan Tutelary Temple in South Asia
Authors: Shiri Yael
Published: September 2021

This article explores the evolution of a story, common to many Buddhist traditions, narrating the Bodhisattva’s presentation as an infant at the Śākyan tutelary temple. Contrary to previous readings of the story, I argue that from its earliest occurrences this story was meant to shape the image of the Bodhisattva and the Śākya clan as an eminent royal lineage. As the article suggests, this image was fashioned in light of the prominent royal dynasties of Middle Period South Asia (ca. 1st–5th c. CE), particularly the Kuṣāṇas and Sātavāhanas. However, as time elapsed and the story evolved, it accumulated additional meanings and motifs which shifted its focus from a tale of royal symbolism to a polemical story of Buddhism’s religious superiority. To illustrate the development of this narrative I analyse both literary sources, with special attention to the Mūlasarvāstivāda-vinaya, which likely contains the earliest extant literary version, and various visual sources found primarily in Āndhradeśa and the site of Kanaganahalli (Karnataka, in the Greater Āndhra region), where the story clearly carried special significance.
Les « rois anciens » du pays tamoul
Authors: Schmid Charlotte
Published: September 2021

Based on the particular case of the historiography of the Cōḻa dynasty in South India, this article ambitions to demonstrate how attention paid to texts sometimes leads to neglecting the context of their production and other types of sources that would however allow to give these texts a more historical value. Founded on the study of the Muttaraiyar that is a little-known dynasty of southern India based in the Andhra and Tamil countries between the 7th and the 9th centuries CE, it questions the doxa of the beginnings of the Cōḻa dynasty that has been developed as an identity marker of the Tamil nation-state. The analysis leads us to highlight the rupture that was introduced in the cultural history of the Tamil south when the oldest corpus of Tamil literature, the Caṅkam corpus, started to be reducing to writing.
Économie des plantes médicinales, réseaux savants et méthodes scientifiques dans le fief de Satsuma : une lecture de la Pharmacopée en questions (Shitsumon honzō 質問本草)
Authors: Mollard Nicolas
Published: September 2021

The development of nature knowledge (honzōgaku 本草学) in Satsuma domain in Southern Japan at the end of the 18th century is mainly due to the efforts of an enlightened daimyō, Shimazu Shigehide. During his reign, between 1758 and 1787, he created botanical gardens and an institute of medicine, hired physician-naturalists and conducted large-scale surveys of the flora and fauna of Southern Kyūshū and the Ryūkyū Islands. By doing so, he intended not only to nurture the scientific spirit within his domain, but also to promote economic development in order to cope with a growing rate of indebtedness. Through the analysis of Shitsumon honzō 質問本草 (Pharmacopeia in questions), a manuscript that brings together the results of botanical surveys carried out from 1781 to 1786 and involving the ryukyuan diplomatic missions in China, I will try to clarify some aspects of the evolution of nature knowledge at the end of Tokugawa period : how it was used to promote the exploitation of regional resources, what was the role of the Ryūkyū route in commercial and intellectual exchanges in East Asia, and what methods were applied to identify plant samples.
Dapingzi, la première chrétienté au coeur du Yunnan (1835-1925)
Authors: Li Guoqiang
Published: September 2021

Catholicism was introduced from southern Sichuan to the northeastern reaches of Yunnan in the late 18th century. Following the settlement of a few rare Christian communities in the regions close to Sichuan, Dapingzi was the first “Christianity”, according to the term used by the missionaries, to be established in interior Yunnan in a more central position, north of Dali. It was also here that the first large western-style church in the province was built. The article focuses on the ninety years of this Christianity under the administration of the Fathers of the Missions étrangères de Paris (MEP), from its foundation in 1835 until its transfer in 1925 to the Betharramites or “Priests of the Sacred Heart of Betharram”. This period is characterised by the development of the missions in a multi-ethnic land on the margins of the Chinese empire and by the expansionist policy of the MEP, which went hand in hand with French colonisation. After locating the exact position of Dapingzi and other toponyms used for this same Christianity, this research highlights two phases in the evolution of Dapingzi, the clandestine (1835-1873) and then the expansion (1873-1925), as well as its strategic and multifunctional position in the foundation of the missions in Western Yunnan and Tibet. In addition, the collective contribution of the missionaries to the introduction of exotic plants is presented, especially the vine and coffee tree. Finally, the article presents the particular character of the evangelisation of the native populations, the establishment of the educational system and the fabrication of “miracles” around the water from Lourdes during the plague epidemic in Dapingzi, which lasted several decades during the time of the MEP missionaries.