bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Analytical Parameters of a Novel Glucose Biosensor Based on Grafted PFM as a Covalent Immobilization Technique
Authors: Artigues Margalida , Gilabert-Porres Joan , Texidó Robert , Borrós Salvador , Abellà Jordi , Colominas Sergi
Published: June 2021

Bioanalytical methods, in particular electrochemical biosensors, are increasingly used in different industrial sectors due to their simplicity, low cost, and fast response. However, to be able to reliably use this type of device, it is necessary to undertake in-depth evaluation of their fundamental analytical parameters. In this work, analytical parameters of an amperometric biosensor based on covalent immobilization of glucose oxidase (GOx) were evaluated. GOx was immobilized using plasma-grafted pentafluorophenyl methacrylate (pgPFM) as an anchor onto a tailored HEMA-co-EGDA hydrogel that coats a titanium dioxide nanotubes array (TiO2NTAs). Finally, chitosan was used to protect the enzyme molecules. The biosensor offered outstanding analytical parameters: repeatability (RSD = 1.7%), reproducibility (RSD = 1.3%), accuracy (deviation = 4.8%), and robustness (RSD = 2.4%). In addition, the Ti/TiO2NTAs/ppHEMA-co-EGDA/pgPFM/GOx/Chitosan biosensor showed good long-term stability; after 20 days, it retained 89% of its initial sensitivity. Finally, glucose concentrations of different food samples were measured and compared using an official standard method (HPLC). Deviation was lower than 10% in all measured samples. Therefore, the developed biosensor can be considered to be a reliable analytical tool for quantification measurements.
Estimate the Unknown Environment with Biosonar Echoes—A Simulation Study
Authors: Tanveer Muhammad Hassan , Thomas Antony , Ahmed Waqar , Zhu Hongxiao
Published: June 2021

Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have shown great potential in various applications such as surveillance, search and rescue. To perform safe and efficient navigation, it is vitally important for a UAV to evaluate the environment accurately and promptly. In this work, we present a simulation study for the estimation of foliage distribution as a UAV equipped with biosonar navigates through a forest. Based on a simulated forest environment, foliage echoes are generated by using a bat-inspired bisonar simulator. These biosonar echoes are then used to estimate the spatial distribution of both sparsely and densely distributed tree leaves. While a simple batch processing method is able to estimate sparsely distributed leaf locations well, a wavelet scattering technique coupled with a support vector machine (SVM) classifier is shown to be effective to estimate densely distributed leaves. Our approach is validated by using multiple setups of leaf distributions in the simulated forest environment. Ninety-seven percent accuracy is obtained while estimating thickly distributed foliage.
Simultaneous Detection of Glucose and Fructose in Synthetic Musts by Multivariate Analysis of Silica-Based Amperometric Sensor Signals
Authors: Crespo-Rosa Joaquin Rafael , Foca Giorgia , Ulrici Alessandro , Pigani Laura , Zanfrognini Barbara , Cubillana-Aguilera Laura , Palacios-Santander José María , Zanardi Chiara
Published: June 2021

Silica-based electrodes which permanently include a graphite/Au nanoparticles composite were tested for non-enzymatic detection of glucose and fructose. The composite material showed an effective electrocatalytic activity, to achieve the oxidation of the two analytes at quite low potential values and with good linearity. Reduced surface passivation was observed even in presence of organic species normally constituting real samples. Electrochemical responses were systematically recorded in cyclic voltammetry and differential pulse voltammetry by analysing 99 solutions containing glucose and fructose at different concentration values. The analysed samples consisted both in glucose and fructose aqueous solutions at pH 12 and in solutions of synthetic musts of red grapes, to test the feasibility of the approach in a real frame. Multivariate exploratory analyses of the electrochemical signals were performed using the Principal Component Analysis (PCA). This gave evidence of the effectiveness of the chemometric approach to study the electrochemical sensor responses. Thanks to PCA, it was possible to highlight the different contributions of glucose and fructose to the voltammetric signal, allowing their selective determination.
Indoor Mapping of Magnetic Fields Using UAV Equipped with Fluxgate Magnetometer
Authors: Lipovský Pavol , Draganová Katarína , Novotňák Jozef , Szőke Zoltán , Fiľko Martin
Published: June 2021

Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are used nowadays in a wide range of applications, including monitoring, mapping, or surveying tasks, involving magnetic field mapping, mainly for geological and geophysical purposes. However, thanks to the integration of ultrasound-aided navigation used for indoor UAV flight planning and development in sensorics, the acquired magnetic field images can be further used, for example, to enhance indoor UAV navigation based on the physical quantities of the image or for the identification of risk areas in manufacturing or industrial halls, where workers can be exposed to high values of electromagnetic fields. The knowledge of the spatial distribution of magnetic fields can also provide valuable information from the perspective of the technical cleanliness. This paper presents results achieved with the original fluxgate magnetometer developed and specially modified for integration on the UAV. Since the magnetometer had a wider frequency range of measurement, up to 250 Hz, the DC (Direct Current) magnetic field and low frequency industrial components could be evaluated. From the obtained data, 3D magnetic field images using spline interpolation algorithms written in the Python programming language were created. The visualization of the measured magnetic field in the 3D plots offer an innovative view of the spatial distribution of the magnetic field in the area of interest.
Antennas as Precise Sensors for GNSS Reference Stations and High-Performance PNT Applications on Earth and in Space
Authors: Caizzone Stefano , Schönfeldt Miriam , Elmarissi Wahid , Circiu Mihaela-Simona
Published: June 2021

Satellite navigation is more and more important in a plethora of very different application fields, ranging from bank transactions to shipping, from autonomous driving to aerial applications, such as commercial avionics as well as unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). In very precise positioning, navigation, and timing (PNT) applications, such as in reference stations and precise timing stations, it is important to characterize all errors present in the system in order to account possibly for them or calibrate them out. Antennas play an important role in this respect: they are indeed the “sensor” that capture the signal in space from global navigation satellite systems (GNSS) and thereby strongly contribute to the overall achievable performance. This paper reviews the currently available antenna technologies, targeting specifically reference stations as well as precise GNSS antennas for space applications, and, after introducing performance indicators, summarizes the currently achievable performance. Finally, open research issues are identified, and possible approaches to solve them are discussed.
Nonlinear Control Strategies for an Autonomous Wing-In-Ground-Effect Vehicle
Authors: Patria Davide , Rossi Claudio , Fernandez Ramon A. Suarez , Dominguez Sergio
Published: June 2021

Autonomous vehicles are nowadays one of the most important technologies that will be incorporated to every day life in the next few years. One of the most promising kind of vehicles in terms of efficiency and sustainability are those known as Wing-in-Ground crafts, or WIG crafts, a family of vehicles that seize the proximity of ground to achieve a flight with low drag and high lift. However, this kind of crafts lacks of a sound theory of flight that can lead to robust control solutions that guarantees safe autonomous operation in all the cruising phases.In this paper we address the problem of controlling a WIG craft in different scenarios and using different control strategies in order to compare their performance. The tested scenarios include obstacle avoidance by fly over and recovering from a random disturbance in vehicle attitude. MPC (Model Predictive Control) is tested on the complete nonlinear model, while PID, used as baseline controller, LQR (Linear Quadratic Regulator) and adaptive LQR are tested on top of a partial feedback linearization. Results show that LQR has got the best overall performance, although it is seen that different design specifications could lead to the selection of one controller or another.
Parkinson’s Disease Patient Monitoring: A Real-Time Tracking and Tremor Detection System Based on Magnetic Measurements
Authors: Milano Filippo , Cerro Gianni , Santoni Francesco , De Angelis Alessio , Miele Gianfranco , Rodio Angelo , Moschitta Antonio , Ferrigno Luigi , Carbone Paolo
Published: June 2021

Reliable diagnosis of early-stage Parkinson’s disease is an important task, since it permits the administration of a timely treatment, slowing the progression of the disease. Together with non-motor symptoms, other important signs of disease can be retrieved from the measurement of the movement trajectory and from tremor appearances. To measure these signs, the paper proposes a magnetic tracking system able to collect information about translational and vibrational movements in a spatial cubic domain, using a low-cost, low-power and highly accurate solution. These features allow the usage of the proposed technology to realize a portable monitoring system, that may be operated at home or in general practices, enabling telemedicine and preventing saturation of large neurological centers. Validation is based on three tests: movement trajectory tracking, a rest tremor test and a finger tapping test. These tests are considered in the Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale and are provided as case studies to prove the system’s capabilities to track and detect tremor frequencies. In the case of the tapping test, a preliminary classification scheme is also proposed to discriminate between healthy and ill patients. No human patients are involved in the tests, and most cases are emulated by means of a robotic arm, suitably driven to perform required tasks. Tapping test results show a classification accuracy of about 93% using a k-NN classification algorithm, while imposed tremor frequencies have been correctly detected by the system in the other two tests.
Video-Sensing Characterization for Hydrodynamic Features: Particle Tracking-Based Algorithm Supported by a Machine Learning Approach
Authors: Lay-Ekuakille Aimé , Okitadiowo John Djungha , Avoci Ugwiri Moïse , Maggi Sabino , Masciale Rita , Passarella Giuseppe
Published: June 2021

The efficient and reliable monitoring of the flow of water in open channels provides useful information for preventing water slow-downs due to the deposition of materials within the bed of the channel, which might lead to critical floods. A reliable monitoring system can thus help to protect properties and, in the most critical cases, save lives. A sensing system capable of monitoring the flow conditions and the possible geo-environmental constraints within a channel can operate using still images or video imaging. The latter approach better supports the above two features, but the acquisition of still images can display a better accuracy. To increase the accuracy of the video imaging approach, we propose an improved particle tracking algorithm for flow hydrodynamics supported by a machine learning approach based on a convolutional neural network-evolutionary fuzzy integral (CNN-EFI), with a sub-comparison performed by multi-layer perceptron (MLP). Both algorithms have been applied to process the video signals captured from a CMOS camera, which monitors the water flow of a channel that collects rain water from an upstream area to discharge it into the sea. The channel plays a key role in avoiding upstream floods that might pose a serious threat to the neighboring infrastructures and population. This combined approach displays reliable results in the field of environmental and hydrodynamic safety.
A Rapid HPLC Method for the Concurrent Determination of Several Antihypertensive Drugs from Binary and Ternary Formulations
Authors: Attimarad Mahesh , Venugopala Katharigatta N. , Sreeharsha Nagaraja , Chohan Muhammad S. , Shafi Sheeba , Nair Anroop B. , Pottathil Shinu
Published: June 2021

A rapid, synchronized liquid chromatographic method was established for the estimation of hydrochlorothiazide (HCZ), amlodipine (AMD), olmesartan (OLM), telmisartan (TEL), and irbesartan (IRB) in binary and ternary coformulations using the same chromatographic conditions. Five analytes were separated on a Zorbax C18 column using isocratic elution with a mobile phase consisting of acetonitrile, methanol, and 20 mM phosphate buffer (pH 3.5) in a ratio of 45:20:35% v/v. The analytes were detected at a wavelength of 230 nm at ambient temperature. Furthermore, the proposed liquid chromatographic procedure was validated for linearity, precision, accuracy, stability, and robustness using an experimental design. Analytes were separated with good resolution within 3.5 min. Analytes showed good linearity in a concentration satisfactory to analyze the different ratios of these analytes in the formulations. Pareto charts showed that the flow rate and mobile phase composition have a significant effect on the peak area of analytes and hence need to be carefully controlled, however, the method is robust. Finally, the different formulations consisting of HCZ, AMD, OLM, TEL, and IRB in different ratios were analyzed with high accuracy using an optimized HPLC method and compared with reported methods. Furthermore, the reported HPLC procedure is simple, rapid, and accurate and therefore can used for regular quality control of binary and ternary formulations using the same stationary and mobile phase.
The Long Shadow of Peers: Adolescent Networks and Young Adult Mental Health
Authors: Copeland Molly
Published: June 2021

Connections with peers play an important role in adolescent mental health, but their lasting impact is unclear. This study examines whether structural status and support in adolescent networks predict depressive symptoms years later. Using data from the PROSPER Peers study (n = 1017), I find that the persistent effects of networks differ based on the mental health of teens and their friends. Structures of status and support relate to young adult mental health only for individuals who experience depressive symptoms as teens. Among depressive adolescents, popularity predicts lower subsequent depressive symptoms, while high prestige predicts higher depressive symptoms in young adulthood. Embeddedness among depressed friends also predicts higher young adult depressive symptoms. Overall, findings suggest relationships with peers can set the stage for mental health for adolescents who experience depressive symptoms or have depressive friends.
Transient Reduction of FMD-Response and L-Arginine Accompanied by Increased Levels of E-Selectin, VCAM, and ICAM after Prolonged Strenuous Exercise
Authors: Nyborg Christoffer , Melsom Helene Støle , Bonnevie-Svendsen Martin , Melau Jørgen , Seljeflot Ingebjørg , Hisdal Jonny
Published: June 2021

We assessed endothelial function by flow-mediated dilatation (FMD), levels of the NO-precursor L-arginine, and markers of endothelial inflammation before, at the finish line, and one week after the Norseman Xtreme triathlon. The race is an Ironman distance triathlon with a total elevation of 5200 m. Nine male participants were included. They completed the race in 14.5 (13.4–15.3) h. FMD was significantly reduced to 3.1 (2.1–5.0)% dilatation compared to 8.7 (8.2–9.3)% dilatation before the race (p < 0.05) and was normalized one week after the race. L-arginine showed significantly reduced levels at the finish line (p < 0.05) but was normalized one week after the race. Markers of endothelial inflammation E-Selectin, VCAM-1, and ICAM-1 all showed a pattern with increased values at the finish line compared to before the race (all p < 0.05), with normalization one week after the race. In conclusion, we found acutely reduced FMD with reduced L-arginine levels and increased E-Selectin, VCAM-1, and ICAM-1 immediately after the Norseman Xtreme triathlon. Our findings indicate a transient reduced endothelial function, measured by the FMD-response, after prolonged strenuous exercise that could be explained by reduced NO-precursor L-arginine levels and increased endothelial inflammation.
Proposal of Ecotechnologies for Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) Production in Mexico: Economic, Environmental, and Social Implications
Authors: Betanzo-Torres Erick Arturo , Piñar-Álvarez María de los Ángeles , Sierra-Carmona Celia Gabriela , Santamaria Luis Enrique García , Loeza-Mejía Cecilia-Irene , Marín-Muñiz José Luis , Sandoval Herazo Luis Carlos
Published: June 2021

Conventional aquaculture (ACUA-C) in Mexico is an activity that maintains an annual growth rate of 6%. Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) aquaculture is the predominant aquaculture in the country with 4623 farms, most of which operate with semi-intensive (SIS) and extensive (ES) production systems, discharging untreated wastewater that negatively impacts the environment. To address this problem, new ecotechnologies such as biofloc (BFT), recirculation systems for aquaculture (RAS), constructed wetlands (CWs) for water treatment, and aquaponics (AS) have emerged to mitigate the environmental impacts of untreated wastewater. The objective of this work is to evaluate the feasibility of tilapia farming with BFT, RAS, CW, and AS ecotechnologies through an economic and financial feasibility analysis, considering their environmental and social implications in a Mexican aquaculture farm located in the state of Veracruz. Open interviews, direct observation, and diagnosis of the semi-intensive tilapia system was carried out between 15 May 2019 and 15 February 2020 in order to calculate, design, and theoretically evaluate the four ecotechnological alternatives (TBF, RAS, CW, and AS). Economic (13), environmental (10), and social (5) variables were applied, making use of the same facilities. The results reveal that the four ecotechnologies implemented in an SIS are economically viable and environmentally acceptable, especially in water management, in addition to being socially feasible. It is concluded that BFT offers an alternative to the producer by having a lower additional cost to improve problems, despite the possible complexity of operation and energy requirements to manage wastewater treatment. The technological transition to BFT is recommended to solve the problem of sustainable water management.
Analysis on the Trend and Factors of Total Factor Productivity of Agricultural Export Enterprises in China
Authors: Fan Qinqin , Mu Tianyuan , Jia Wei
Published: June 2021

There is an “export productivity paradox” in Chinese enterprises, which has been confirmed in agricultural enterprises. This paper attempts to explain this phenomenon from the perspective of the components of TFP. This paper uses the SFA-Malmquist method to decompose and compare the TFP of China’s agricultural export enterprises based on the data of the state-level leading agricultural enterprises from 2016 to 2017. The conclusions are as follows: firstly, China’s agricultural TFP shows a negative growth trend, and the growth rate of TFP of agricultural export enterprises is less than that of agricultural non-exported enterprises; secondly, the growth rate of TFP of grain and animal husbandry export enterprises is less than that of non-export enterprises; the growth rate of TFP of private agricultural export enterprises is lower than that of non-export enterprises of the same type; the growth rate of TFP of export enterprises in eastern and western regions is lower than that of non-export enterprises; and thirdly, technical progress is an important reason for the change of TFP of China’s agricultural enterprises. However, compared with agricultural non-exported enterprises, improving the technical efficiency of enterprises can more promote the TFP of agricultural export enterprises.
Participatory Varietal Selection for Promising Rice Lines
Authors: Aristya Vina , Trisyono Y. , Mulyo Jangkung , Taryono Taryono
Published: June 2021

The purpose of rice breeding is to create varieties that are well adapted, highly productive, and acceptable to farmers. However, rice productivity is limited as a result of combined biotic stresses (pests/diseases). This study combines assessment by farmers with the evaluation by breeders with respect to promising rice lines within a range of environments. The aim is to investigate farmers’ preferences and to characterize the yield of promising rice lines, as well as their resistance to pests/diseases by consulting 120 farmers and breeders. This study used an oversite design replicated three times with thirteen promising lines and two varieties, which were all evaluated at farmers’ fields between December 2019 and May 2020. The Importance Performance Analysis was used to compare line performance and farmers’ expectations. Lines Gamapadi-2 and Gamapadi-4 had the highest acceptability scores based on the farmers’ preferences. The yield performances were evaluated using the Finlay–Wilkinson test and the genotypes were evaluated using environmental models (GGE biplot) to determine the most stable lines to be recommended for large-scale planting. The Finlay–Wilkinson and GGE biplot conclusion analyses also showed that the Gamapadi-2 and Gamapadi-4 lines exhibited high potential yield and stability, as well as indications of specific advantages. The results for both lines in all locations indicated no symptoms of brown planthoppers or bacterial leaf blight due to its absence during the field research. These lines in all age ranges at two sites showed no symptoms of leaf blast.
Process Design Guided by Life Cycle Assessment to Reduce Greenhouse Gas-Related Environmental Impacts of Food Processing
Authors: Frampton Dion M. F. , Haque Nawshad , Verrelli David I. , Dumsday Geoff J. , Lee-Chang Kim Jye
Published: June 2021

Food processing can generate large amounts of carbohydrate-rich waste that inevitably has environmental and social impacts. Meanwhile, certain heterotrophic marine microorganisms, including algae and thraustochytrids, have the potential to convert carbohydrate-rich substrates into oil-rich biomass over relatively short time frames. To assess the merits of this apparent synergy, an initial conceptual process was developed based on the use of raw potato processing waste as feed in an algal bioreactor to produce bio-oil for further use within the food industry. A practical flowsheet was established with a conventional 200 kL bioreactor whereby the unit processes were identified, the mass balance developed, and estimates made of the various material and energy demands. These inputs were used to develop a baseline life cycle assessment (LCA) model and to identify opportunities for reducing environmental impacts. With the functional unit (FU) being 1 tonne cooking oil, the baseline configuration had a greenhouse gas (GHG) footprint of 2.4 t CO2-e/FU, which is comparable to conventional process routes. More detailed LCA revealed that electricity for stirring the bioreactor contributed approximately 78% of the total GHG footprint. By adjusting the operating conditions, the most promising scenario produced 0.85 t CO2-e/FU—approximately four times less than the conventional process—and shows the potential advantages of applying LCA as a tool to develop and design a new production process.
A Qualitative and Quantitative Study on Critical Thinking in Social Education Degree Students
Authors: García-Moro Francisco José , Gómez-Baya Diego , Muñoz-Silva Alicia , Martín-Romero Nuria
Published: June 2021

Critical thinking is present in the educational intentions in higher education with more or less programmatic development. In the training of social educators, such thinking is considered a fundamental pillar for a good performance of their functions in the social field. By means of qualitative and quantitative instruments, we set ourselves the objective of knowing the opinions of 72 Social Education degree students of the University of Huelva (Spain) about critical thinking, higher education, and their position on the subject. The results obtained showed that students have an approximate general knowledge of what critical thinking is, but a clear lack of knowledge of how it is developed. In addition, it is observed that there is a great contradiction between what they say and what they actually do, as, although they value its development in the degree and professional performance, they do not develop or commit themselves de facto to this competence. Moreover, they recognize that the university is a context that favors critical competence, but at the same time they are very critical about the teachings offered in this regard.
Pending Issues on Professionals’ Well-Being: The Living and Working Together in Organization Perspective
Authors: Gazzaroli Diletta , Gozzoli Caterina
Published: June 2021

Evolving research has increasingly recognized the crucial role of workers’ well-being in contributing to organizational effectiveness and survival, also studying the different factors that can influence it. This paper explores how the construct of living and working together in organizations (LWTO) can face two current organizational challenges in terms of well-being: 1. keeping a balance between performance and organizational quality of life; 2. managing the relationship with others’ differences. Thus, LTWO is understood as the possibility (or absence) of a good exchange between workers (identity and otherness), related to a clear and shared work purpose within a specific organizational culture of difference that allows diversity of expression through generative conflict. We tested our model using the exploratory structural equation modeling methodology with EQS-6.3. Our results show how well-being is in fact influenced by LWTO and highlights in particular the central role played by work purpose.
Spatial Layout and Coupling of Urban Cultural Relics: Analyzing Historical Sites and Commercial Facilities in District III of Shaoxing
Authors: Zhou Xuewen , Zhang Xiaoxia , Dai Zhimei , Hermaputi Roosmayri Lovina , Hua Chen , Li Yonghua
Published: June 2021

Exploring the spatial coupling relationship between cultural relics and historic sites and their surroundings can provide reasonable suggestions for the layout and development of commercial facilities and hold crucial significance for improving the management and maintenance of cultural relics and historical sites, as well as enhancing their attractiveness to the public. We chose District III of Shaoxing City as the research area based on the point of interest and road network data. This study analyzed the scale and accessibility of cultural relics and historic sites (CRHSs) as well as their surrounding commercial facilities, and then objectively evaluated their spatial layout and coupling relationship by employing kernel density estimation, standard deviation ellipse, network analysis, inverse distance weight and the spatial correlation analysis method. The results show that: (1) from the perspective of spatial layout, the distribution of CRHSs has a positive and strong correlation with the distribution of road networks; (2) there are noticeable variations in the number of industrial facilities surrounding various CRHSs, closely related to the protection grade of CRHSs; (3) the accessibility of commercial facilities surrounding CRHS varies significantly—commercial facilities surrounding CRHSs located within central District III of Shaoxing City have good accessibility, whereas those of the peripheral areas have comparatively poor accessibility; and (4) the accessibility of commercial facilities surrounding CRHSs in different administrative districts varies, showing an extremely uneven pattern.
Systematic Stakeholder Inclusion in Digital Agriculture: A Framework and Application to Canada
Authors: Ebrahimi Hassan P. , Schillo R. Sandra , Bronson Kelly
Published: June 2021

This study provides a model that supports systematic stakeholder inclusion in agricultural technology. Building on the Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI) literature and attempting to add precision to the conversation around inclusion in technology design and governance, this study develops a framework for determining which stakeholder groups to engage in RRI processes. We developed the model using a specific industry case study: identifying the relevant stakeholders in the Canadian digital agriculture ecosystem. The study uses literature and news article analysis to map stakeholders in the Canadian digital agricultural sector as a test case for the model. The study proposes a systematic framework which categorises stakeholders into individuals, industrial and societal groups with both direct engagement and supportive roles in digital agriculture. These groups are then plotted against three levels of impact or power in the agri-food system: micro, meso and macro.
Quasi-Ordinarization Transform of a Numerical Semigroup
Authors: Bras-Amorós Maria , Pérez-Rosés Hebert , Serradilla-Merinero José Miguel
Published: June 2021

In this study, we present the notion of the quasi-ordinarization transform of a numerical semigroup. The set of all semigroups of a fixed genus can be organized in a forest whose roots are all the quasi-ordinary semigroups of the same genus. This way, we approach the conjecture on the increasingness of the cardinalities of the sets of numerical semigroups of each given genus. We analyze the number of nodes at each depth in the forest and propose new conjectures. Some properties of the quasi-ordinarization transform are presented, as well as some relations between the ordinarization and quasi-ordinarization transforms.
Abundant Traveling Wave and Numerical Solutions of Weakly Dispersive Long Waves Model
Authors: Li Wu , Akinyemi Lanre , Lu Dianchen , Khater Mostafa M. A.
Published: June 2021

In this article, plenty of wave solutions of the (2 + 1)-dimensional Kadomtsev–Petviashvili–Benjamin–Bona–Mahony ((2 + 1)-D KP-BBM) model are constructed by employing two recent analytical schemes (a modified direct algebraic (MDA) method and modified Kudryashov (MK) method). From the point of view of group theory, the proposed analytical methods in our article are based on symmetry, and effectively solve those problems which actually possess explicit or implicit symmetry. This model is a vital model in shallow water phenomena where it demonstrates the wave surface propagating in both directions. The obtained analytical solutions are explained by plotting them through 3D, 2D, and contour sketches. These solutions’ accuracy is also tested by calculating the absolute error between them and evaluated numerical results by the Adomian decomposition (AD) method and variational iteration (VI) method. The considered numerical schemes were applied based on constructed initial and boundary conditions through the obtained analytical solutions via the MDA, and MK methods which show the synchronization between computational and numerical obtained solutions. This coincidence between the obtained solutions is explained through two-dimensional and distribution plots. The applied methods’ symmetry is shown through comparing their obtained results and showing the matching between both obtained solutions (analytical and numerical).
Combined Effects of Temperature and Toxic Algal Abundance on Paralytic Shellfish Toxic Accumulation, Tissue Distribution and Elimination Dynamics in Mussels Mytilus coruscus
Authors: Tang Yunyu , Zhang Haiyan , Wang Yu , Fan Chengqi , Shen Xiaosheng
Published: June 2021

This study assessed the impact of increasing seawater surface temperature (SST) and toxic algal abundance (TAA) on the accumulation, tissue distribution and elimination dynamics of paralytic shellfish toxins (PSTs) in mussels. Mytilus coruscus were fed with the PSTs-producing dinoflagellate A. catenella under four simulated environment conditions. The maximum PSTs concentration was determined to be 3548 µg STX eq.kg−1, which was four times higher than the EU regulatory limit. The increasing SST caused a significant decline in PSTs levels in mussels with rapid elimination rates, whereas high TAA increased the PSTs concentration. As a result, the PSTs toxicity levels decreased under the combined condition. Additionally, toxin burdens were assessed within shellfish tissues, with the highest levels quantified in the hepatopancreas. It is noteworthy that the toxin burden shifted towards the mantle from gill, muscle and gonad at the 17th day. Moreover, variability of PSTs was measured, and was associated with changes in each environmental factor. Hence, this study primarily illustrates the combined effects of SST and TAA on PSTs toxicity, showing that increasing environmental temperature is of benefit to lower PSTs toxicity with rapid elimination rates.
African Swine Fever Virus Ubiquitin-Conjugating Enzyme Is an Immunomodulator Targeting NF-κB Activation
Authors: Barrado-Gil Lucía , del Puerto Ana , Galindo Inmaculada , Cuesta-Geijo Miguel Ángel , García-Dorival Isabel , de Motes Carlos Maluquer , Alonso Covadonga
Published: June 2021

African swine fever virus (ASFV) is an acute and persistent swine virus with a high economic burden that encodes multiple genes to evade host immune response. In this work, we have revealed that early viral protein UBCv1, the only known conjugating enzyme encoded by a virus, modulates innate immune and inflammatory signaling. Transient overexpression of UBCv1 impaired activation of NF-κB and AP-1 transcription factors induced by several agonists of these pathways. In contrast, activation of IRF3 and ISRE signaling upon stimulation with TRIFΔRIP, cGAS/STING or RIG-I-CARD remained unaltered. Experiments aimed at mapping UBCv1 inhibitory activity indicated that this viral protein acts upstream or at the level step of IKKβ. In agreement with this, UBCv1 was able to block p65 nuclear translocation upon cytokine stimulation, a key event in NF-ĸB signaling. Additionally, A549 stably transduced for UBCv1 showed a significant decrease in the levels of NF-ĸB dependent genes. Interestingly, despite the well-defined capacity of UBCv1 to conjugate ubiquitin chains, a mutant disabled for ubiquitylation activity retained similar immunomodulatory activity as the wild-type enzyme, suggesting that the two functions are segregated. Altogether these data suggest that ASFV UBCv1 manipulates the innate immune response targeting the NF-κB and AP-1 pathways and opens new questions about the multifunctionality of this enzyme.
Emerging Hepatotropic Viruses in Cats: A Brief Review
Authors: Capozza Paolo , Decaro Nicola , Beikpour Farzad , Buonavoglia Canio , Martella Vito
Published: June 2021

The possible role of viruses in feline liver disease has long remained neglected. However, in 2018, an analogue of human hepatitis B virus was identified in cats. Moreover, antibodies for human hepatitis E have been detected consistently at various prevalence rates in cats. Although the correlation between these viruses and the liver injury in cats must be clarified, hepatotropic viruses might represent an increasing risk for feline and public health.
Informative Regions In Viral Genomes
Authors: Moreno-Gallego Jaime Leonardo , Reyes Alejandro
Published: June 2021

Viruses, far from being just parasites affecting hosts’ fitness, are major players in any microbial ecosystem. In spite of their broad abundance, viruses, in particular bacteriophages, remain largely unknown since only about 20% of sequences obtained from viral community DNA surveys could be annotated by comparison with public databases. In order to shed some light into this genetic dark matter we expanded the search of orthologous groups as potential markers to viral taxonomy from bacteriophages and included eukaryotic viruses, establishing a set of 31,150 ViPhOGs (Eukaryotic Viruses and Phages Orthologous Groups). To do this, we examine the non-redundant viral diversity stored in public databases, predict proteins in genomes lacking such information, and used all annotated and predicted proteins to identify potential protein domains. The clustering of domains and unannotated regions into orthologous groups was done using cogSoft. Finally, we employed a random forest implementation to classify genomes into their taxonomy and found that the presence or absence of ViPhOGs is significantly associated with their taxonomy. Furthermore, we established a set of 1457 ViPhOGs that given their importance for the classification could be considered as markers or signatures for the different taxonomic groups defined by the ICTV at the order, family, and genus levels.
Discovery of Known and Novel Viruses in Wild and Cultivated Blueberry in Florida through Viral Metagenomic Approaches
Authors: Saad Norsazilawati , Olmstead James W. , Varsani Arvind , Polston Jane E. , Jones Jeffrey B. , Folimonova Svetlana Y. , Harmon Philip F.
Published: June 2021

Southern highbush blueberry (interspecific hybrids of Vaccinium corymbosum L.) is cultivated near wild V. corymbosum as well as closely related species in Florida, USA. The expansion of blueberry cultivation into new areas in Florida and deployment of new cultivars containing viruses can potentially increase the diversity of viruses in wild and cultivated V. corymbosum. In this study, viral diversity in wild and cultivated blueberries (V. corymbosum) is described using a metagenomic approach. RNA viromes from V. corymbosum plants collected from six locations (two cultivated and four wild) in North Central Florida were generated by high throughput sequencing (HTS) and analyzed using a bioinformatic analysis pipeline. De novo assembled contigs obtained from viromes of both commercial and wild sites produced sequences with similarities to plant virus species from a diverse range of families (Amalgaviridae, Caulimoviridae, Endornaviridae, Ophioviridae, Phenuiviridae, and Virgaviridae). In addition, this study has enabled the identification of blueberry latent virus (BlLV) and blueberry mosaic associated ophiovirus (BlMaV) for the first time in Florida, as well as a tentative novel tepovirus (blueberry virus T) (BlVT) in blueberry. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study that compares viral diversity in wild and cultivated blueberry using a metagenomic approach.
Photogrammetry for Free Surface Flow Velocity Measurement: From Laboratory to Field Measurements
Authors: Trieu Hang , Bergström Per , Sjödahl Mikael , Hellström J. Gunnar I. , Andreasson Patrik , Lycksam Henrik
Published: June 2021

This study describes a multi-camera photogrammetric approach to measure the 3D velocity of free surface flow. The properties of the camera system and particle tracking velocimetry (PTV) algorithm were first investigated in a measurement of a laboratory open channel flow to prepare for field measurements. The in situ camera calibration methods corresponding to the two measurement situations were applied to mitigate the instability of the camera mechanism and camera geometry. There are two photogrammetry-based PTV algorithms presented in this study regarding different types of surface particles employed on the water flow. While the first algorithm uses the particle tracking method applied for individual particles, the second algorithm is based on correlation-based particle clustering tracking applied for clusters of small size particles. In the laboratory, reference data are provided by particle image velocimetry (PIV) and laser Doppler velocimetry (LDV). The differences in velocities measured by photogrammetry and PIV, photogrammetry and LDV are 0.1% and 3.6%, respectively. At a natural river, the change of discharges between two measurement times is found to be 15%, and the corresponding value reported regarding mass flow through a nearby hydropower plant is 20%. The outcomes reveal that the method can provide a reliable estimation of 3D surface velocity with sufficient accuracy.
Hydroclimate Trend Analysis of Upper Awash Basin, Ethiopia
Authors: Duguma Fekadu Aduna , Feyessa Fekadu Fufa , Demissie Tamene Adugna , Januszkiewicz Krystyna
Published: June 2021

The Awash River basin is classified into the upper basin, middle basin, and lower basin. The upper basin is the most irrigated and socio-economically important, wherein early and modern agriculture started. This study aimed to assess the upper basin’s hydroclimate variability under climate change from 1991 to 2015 following the county’s land-use policy change. Distinguished topographical settings, namely, lowland, midland, and highland, are used for upper Awash basin hydroclimate trend analysis. Lowland stations revealed a nonsignificant seasonal and annual increasing trend except for the Autumn season. Midland stations showed a decreased seasonal rainfall. Except for Sendafa, the increased station, the highland area exhibited an annual decreasing trend. The Awash-Hombole and Mojo main tributaries are used for the evaluation of basin streamflow. The Awash-Hombole main tributary resulted in annually growing trends during the summer season. Mojo main tributary resulted in a significantly decreasing trend during the spring, summer, and autumn seasons with a 99% level of significance. Therefore, following the basin’s topographic nature, the change of hydroclimatic elements, mainly of the rainfall and streamflow, is observed. Accordingly, its hydroclimate variated by 11 and 38% with precipitation and streamflow, respectively, from the mean value within the study time series.
Effect of Groove Shape on Head Loss and Filtration Performance of Disc Filters
Authors: Lee Sang-ik , Choi Jin-Yong , Choi Won
Published: June 2021

To analyze the effect of a groove cross-sectional shape on disc filters, a head loss analysis and filtration performance test were conducted using disc filters with different groove shapes (semi-elliptical- and trapezoidal-shaped grooves). Furthermore, the groove shapes were analyzed using field emission scanning electron microscopy and the relationship between flow rate and head loss was derived from the head loss test. Even if the filters were designed with the same mesh standard, the sectional areas of the grooves were different depending on the shape. Therefore, the head loss was compared under the condition that the grooves have the same sectional area by applying the relationship between head loss and sectional area, and a smaller head loss was observed in the semi-elliptical-shaped groove. Additionally, the semi-elliptical-groove-shaped disc filter was evaluated to sufficiently filter the soil particles corresponding to the 120 mesh standard. Therefore, an optimum disc filter can be designed by considering the cross-sectional shape of the disc groove to reduce energy consumption and provide stable filtration. The elliptical groove shape, which is hydraulically advantageous, is preferred for the disc filter design.
Aquifer Depletion in the Arlit Mining Area (Tim Mersoï Basin, North Niger)
Authors: Dobi Farida Boubé , Kouakou Eugène Koffi , Nazoumou Yahaya , Abdou Boko Boubacar , Edimo Sophie Ngomune , Maina Fadji Zaouna , Konaté Moussa
Published: June 2021

Located in northwestern Niger, the Tim Mersoï Basin (TMB) is an important mining region in the scale of West Africa. Groundwater is considered the main source of fresh water in the basin, especially for mining activities. It, therefore, appears essential to monitor their responses to these activities. However, no study has been carried out in the Tim Mersoï Basin. This study aims to evaluate the groundwater storage changes (GWSC) of the TMB and to analyze the spatio-temporal evolution of the Tarat aquifer under the effect of mining activities in the Arlit region. For this purpose, Gravity Recovery And Climate Experiment (GRACE), Global Land Data Assimilation System (GLDAS), and in-situ data were used. The results show a variation of the GWS from 2002 to 2019 of about −0.1310 cm/year on the scale of the basin and −0.0109 cm/year in the Arlit mining area. The GWSC at the basin scale and the one at the Arlit region scale were shown to be linked with an RMSE between the two datasets of 0.79. This shows the potential of GRACE for contextualizing studies in small areas. The study also highlighted that the groundwater flow direction was highly modified; the drawdown of the Tarat water table was more than 50 m in the areas heavily impacted by mining activities, with an increasing intensity from the northwest to the southeast of Arlit.
Water Quality Assessments for Urban Water Environment
Authors: Kumar Pankaj
Published: June 2021

Since ages, human societies have witnessed the intrinsic connection between their all-encompassing development and freshwater resources [...]
Investigation on P-Glycoprotein Function and Its Interacting Proteins under Simulated Microgravity
Authors: Li Yujuan , Huang Lili , Iqbal Javed , Deng Yulin
Published: June 2021

P-glycoprotein (P-gp) could maintain stability of the nerve system by effluxing toxins out of the blood-brain barrier. Whether it plays a very important role in drug brain distribution during space travel is not yet known. The present study was aimed at investigating P-gp function, expression, and its interacting proteins in a rat brain under simulated microgravity (SMG) by comparative proteomics approach. Rats were tail-suspended to induce short- (7-day) and long-term (21-day) microgravity. P-gp function was assessed by measuring the P-gp ATPase activity and the brain-to-plasma concentration ratio of rhodamine 123. P-gp expression was evaluated by Western blot. 21d-SMG significantly enhanced P-gp efflux activity and expression in rats. Label-free proteomics strategy identified 26 common differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) interacting with P-gp in 7d- and 21d-SMG groups. Most of the DEPs mainly regulated ATP hydrolysis coupled transmembrane transport and so on. Interaction analysis showed that P-gp might potentially interact with heat shock proteins, sodium/potassium ATP enzyme, ATP synthase, microtubule-associated proteins, and vesicle fusion ATPase. The present study firstly reported P-gp function, expression, and its potentially interacting proteins exposed to simulated microgravity. These findings might be helpful not only for further study on nerve system stability but also for the safe and effective use of P-gp substrate drugs during space travel.