bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
How Do Institutional Quality, Natural Resources, Renewable Energy, and Financial Development Reduce Ecological Footprint without Hindering Economic Growth Trajectory? Evidence from China
Authors: Makhdum Muhammad Sohail Amjad , Usman Muhammad , Kousar Rakhshanda , Cifuentes-Faura Javier , Radulescu Magdalena , Balsalobre-Lorente Daniel
Published: October 2022

Institutional quality, financial development, and natural resources primarily determine how economic representatives support their operational and production behaviors towards escalating the renewable energy share in the whole energy mix and protecting ecological quality. In this way, this paper is the first to investigate the influence of institutional quality, natural resources, financial development, and renewable energy on economic growth and the environment simultaneously in China from 1996 to 2020. The cointegration approaches verify the presence of a long-run association between the selected variables. The autoregressive distributed lag model outcomes reveal that institutional quality and renewable energy utilization greatly diminish ecological footprint. At the same time, other prospective indicators such as financial expansion and natural resources significantly enhance ecological footprint levels in the short- and long-run. Furthermore, institutional quality, financial expansion, renewable energy, and natural resources significantly trigger economic growth. Besides this, this study has revealed the unidirectional causal association from institutional quality and financial expansion to ecological footprint. In contrast, bidirectional causality occurs between renewable energy, natural resources, ecological footprint, and economic growth. The current research results offer some policy implications that will help to reduce the detrimental influence of environmental deprivation, without hindering the economic growth trajectory in the case of China.
A Decision Model for Supplier Selection Criteria in Healthcare Enterprises with Dematel ANP Method
Authors: Göncü Kadir Kaan , Çetin Onur
Published: October 2022

The supplier selection decision, within the scope of supply chain management (SCM), is one of the key decisions that plays an important role in the success of the business. The supplier selection problem, which aims to determine the most suitable suppliers in line with the demands of the enterprises, can be defined as a Multi-Criteria Decision Making (MCDM) problem that includes both quantitative and non-quantitative criteria. While there is a large body of literature on supplier selection studies using MCDM methods, the number of studies in the health sector is relatively low compared to other sectors. Although much research can be found regarding the application of MCDM techniques in clinical operations, less research has been conducted on the problem of supplier selection in healthcare services, which has a high complexity level. The main purpose of the study is to develop a holistic MCDM model as a decision support system for supplier selection in the health sector. The decision-making trial and evaluation laboratory (DEMATEL) and Analytical Network Process (ANP) methods were used together to analyze the model. The main criteria used in the study are price, quality, logistics, sustainability, and occupational health and safety (OHS). As sustainability and OHS rarely exist in supplier selection studies in the health sector, this holistic model can contribute to the literature in that aspect. According to the findings and the main criteria ranking, the most important criteria, emerged as price, quality, sustainability, OHS, technique, and logistics. The results indicate the importance of sustainability in supplier selection in the health sector. The method proposed in this study may help health managers as a support system for making purchasing decisions.
Realizing Smart Safety Management in the Era of Safety 4.0: A New Method towards Sustainable Safety
Authors: Huang Xi , Wang Bing , Wu Chao
Published: October 2022

Safety 4.0 is a new stage of safety science coincident with the development of Industry 4.0. In Safety 4.0, safety researchers and professionals attach importance to the perspective of safety information and emerging technologies in safety management, and thus promote a new concept: smart safety management (SSM). However, there are still many gaps in its fundamental theory, and there are few fundamental studies on the concept and essence of SSM. In order to fill these gaps, this paper introduces a theoretical study on the method of SSM. Firstly, in order to clarify the concept of smartness in the era of information, we elaborate the smartness performance of artificial entities and the essence of smart safety capability on the basis of analyzing the smartness performance of smart safety entities (SSEs). Then, we review the new characteristics and requirements of organizational safety management research and practice in the era of Safety 4.0; on this basis, we propose the definition and connotation of SSM in the era of Safety 4.0, and elaborate the specific content of the SSM method. Specifically, we divide SSM into four modules, safety information processing, safety action, inspiring awareness of safety and internal optimization, and thus build the content model of SSM. By expounding the contents and steps of the four modules, we further elaborate how to conduct SSM in industrial organizations. Then, we propose a SSM ecosystem for realizing sustainable safety in industrial organizations and analyze the approaches to realizing SSM in coal mine safety production. Finally, we analyze the significance of SSM in supporting sustainable safety and discuss the practical challenges that SSM may encounter in the future. The results show that SSM is a method based on safety intelligence, and it can support sustainable safety through the four aspects of comprehensive function, safety predictability, safety awareness and continuous optimalization.
Going ESG: The Economic Value of Adopting an ESG Policy
Authors: Finger Maya , Rosenboim Mosi
Published: October 2022

Does having an environmental, social, and governance (ESG) policy have an impact on stakeholders? This research presents a unique model that allows us to measure the economic value of adopting an ESG policy for financial institutions’ stakeholders. Using the results of a questionnaire distributed among financial institution employees and customers, we find that, on average, employees are willing to forgo 11% of their salary to work for a company that has adopted and implemented such a policy. In addition, customers are willing to pay 47% more in management fees to do business with financial institutions that have such a policy. To our knowledge, this is the first study that quantifies the benefits for financial institutions stakeholders of adopting an ESG policy.
Sustainable Multipath Routing for Improving Cross-Layer Performance in MANET Using an Energy Centric Tunicate Swarm Algorithm
Authors: Sudha M. N. , Balamurugan Velan , Lai Wen-Cheng , Divakarachari Parameshachari Bidare
Published: October 2022

Generally, battery power is a valuable resource for mobile devices in a Mobile Ad Hoc Network (MANET). Therefore, energy efficiency and network lifetime should be taken into account when developing control strategies. However, designing an energy-efficient routing mechanism necessitates consideration of many nodes from many layers, such as remaining energy, overall traffic load, and channel assumptions. The traditional layered strategy is unsuccessful in dealing with power-related issues that might affect all layers of the stack. In this paper, the Energy Centric Tunicate Swarm Algorithm (ECTSA) is proposed to perform the cross-layer routing over MANET. The fitness metrics considered in the ECTSA to improve the cross-layer routing are residual energy, communication cost, Data Success Rate (DSR), and mobility. Additionally, an Adaptive Competition Window (ACW) adjustment is used for minimizing the energy consumption caused by the contentions. The performance of the proposed ECTSA is analyzed by means of energy consumption, Packet Delivery Ratio (PDR), End-to-End Delay (EED), and routing overhead. Next, the existing techniques, namely, CEELBRP and EECRP-PSO, are used to evaluate the efficiency of the ECTSA method. The energy consumption of the ECTSA is 7.1 joules and prolongs the network lifetime up to 1603 s for 50 nodes, which is better when compared to the existing CEELBRP and EECRP-PSO techniques.
The Impact of the Neighborhood Built Environment on the Walking Activity of Older Adults: A Multi-Scale Spatial Heterogeneity Analysis
Authors: Jia Qinglin , Zhang Tao , Cheng Long , Cheng Gang , Jin Minjie
Published: October 2022

Walking, as a major mode of travel or activity among older adults, deserves more attention in research on travel behavior related to the neighborhood built environment. However, most previous research has examined global relationships or assumed that all spatial scales are identical rather than focusing on the intensity of spatial scale differences between explanatory variables and travel behavior. Therefore, this paper employs a multi-scale, geographically weighted regression model to analyze the effect of the neighborhood built environment on the walking activities of 863 older adults in Taiyuan, China, using survey data. The results indicate that the influence intensity of the explanatory variables is determined, in descending order, by the number of retail establishments, the number of pedestrian crossings, the number of restaurants, the residential density, the land use combination, the number of recreation facilities, and the location and the number of bus stops. Moreover, the spatial scales of the number of recreation and public service facilities are greater than those of the other explanatory variables. This research can contribute to a better understanding of the relationships between the built environment of a neighborhood and walking activities and provide case support for the sustainable development of age-friendly transportation services.
Analysis of the Ecosystem Characteristics and Ecological Carrying Capacity of the Main Commercial Fish in the Artificial Reef Ecosystem in Laizhou Bay Using the Ecopath Model
Authors: Yuan Yang , Feng Jie , Xian Weiwei , Zhang Hui
Published: October 2022

In this study, we constructed an Ecopath model of the artificial reef ecosystem in Laizhou Bay, with special emphasis on the stock enhancement opportunities. Laizhou Bay is the largest semi-enclosed bay in the Bohai Sea, China, where multiple factors, especially overfishing, have led to the decline of many commercial marine fish stocks. Artificial oyster reefs were developed in 2011 in this region, providing shelter, feeding, and breeding sites for marine organisms. Additionally, stock enhancement by release can be used to replenish fishery species resources. Ad hoc stock enhancement, however, can fail to bring economic benefits and may impact ecosystem stability. Therefore, we estimated the ecological carrying capacity of the three main economic fish species in Laizhou Bay, including black rockfish (Sebastes schlegelii), fat greening (Hexagrammos otakii), and Chinese seabass (Lateolabrax maculatus) before release to ensure the sustainable use of fishery resources. The Ecopath model in Laizhou Bay was divided into 17 functional groups based on commercial relevance, dietary similarity, and habitat needs of the species present in the area. The ecological parameters, such as the ratio of total primary productivity to total respiration (1.205), connectance index (0.207), and system omnivory index (0.090) indicated that the artificial reef ecosystem in Laizhou Bay has a relatively simple food web structure. The ecological carrying capacities of S. schlegelii, H. otakii, and L. maculatus were assessed at 0.4676 t/km2, 0.5472 t/km2, and 0.3275 t/km2, respectively. This study provides a reference for the formulation of fishery strategies to maintain ecosystem stability and biodiversity and to maximize fishery returns and sustainability in Laizhou Bay.
Improving the Efficiency and Sustainability of Intelligent Electricity Inspection: IMFO-ELM Algorithm for Load Forecasting
Authors: Tian Xuesong , Zou Yuping , Wang Xin , Tseng Minglang , Li Hua , Zhang Huijuan
Published: October 2022

Electricity inspection is important to support sustainable development and is core to the marketing of electric power. In addition, it contributes to the effective management of power companies and to their financial performance. Continuous improvement in the penetration rate of new energy generation can improve environmental standards and promote sustainable development, but creates challenges for electricity inspection. Traditional electricity inspection methods are time-consuming and quite inefficient, which hinders the sustainable development of power firms. In this paper, a load-forecasting model based on an improved moth-flame-algorithm-optimized extreme learning machine (IMFO-ELM) is proposed for use in electricity inspection. A chaotic map and improved linear decreasing weight are introduced to improve the convergence ability of the traditional moth-flame algorithm to obtain optimal parameters for the ELM. Abnormal data points are screened out to determine the causes of abnormal occurrences by analyzing the model prediction results and the user’s actual power consumption. The results show that, compared with existing PSO-ELM and MFO-ELM models, the root mean square error of the proposed model is reduced by at least 1.92% under the same conditions, which supports application of the IMFO-ELM model in electricity inspection. The proposed power-load-forecasting-based abnormal data detection method can improve the efficiency of electricity inspection, enhance user experience, contribute to the intelligence level of power firms and promote their sustainable development.
Screw Motion via Matrix Algebra in Three-Dimensional Generalized Space
Authors: Savcı Ümit Ziya
Published: October 2022

This paper aims to investigate the screw motion in generalized space. For this purpose, firstly, the change in the screw coordinates is analyzed according to the motion of the reference frames. Moreover, the special cases of this change, such as pure rotation and translation, are discussed. Matrix multiplication and the properties of dual numbers are used to obtain dual orthogonal matrices, which are used to simplify the manipulation of screw motion in generalized space. In addition, the dual angular velocity matrix is calculated and shows that the exponential of this matrix can represent the screw displacement in the generalized space. Finally, to support our results, we give two examples of screw motion, the rotation part of which is elliptical and hyperbolic.
On the Separation Principle in Dynamic Output Controller Design for Uncertain Linear Systems
Authors: Krokavec Dušan , Filasová Anna
Published: October 2022

In this paper, the problem of designing the improper dynamic output controllers for uncertain linear multi-input/multi-output continuous-time systems is considered. In the principal part, the system state coordinate transform is outlined and matrix variable structures are found, defining the solution based on the structured linear matrix inequalities and linear matrix equality. Of principal novelty is the framework related to the system uncertainties with newly introduced inequality structures and their partial factorization. The main results are shown in detail by the example to characterize potential application of the method for quadratic stabilization of uncertain linear systems by the improper dynamic output controllers.
Quantifying Raptors’ Flight Behavior to Assess Collision Risk and Avoidance Behavior to Wind Turbines
Authors: Linder Anne Cathrine , Lyhne Henriette , Laubek Bjarke , Bruhn Dan , Pertoldi Cino
Published: October 2022

Some wind farms have implemented automated camera-based monitoring systems, e.g., IdentiFlight to mitigate the impact of wind turbines on protected birds. These systems have promoted the collection of large amounts of unique data that can be used to describe flight behavior in a novel way. The aim of this study was to evaluate how this unique data can be used to create a robust quantitative behavioral analysis, that can be used to identify risk-prone flight behavior and avoidance behavior and thereby used to assess collision risk in the future. This was achieved through a case study at a wind farm on the Swedish island Gotland, where golden eagles (Aquila chrysaetos), white-tailed eagles (Haliaeetus albicilla), and red kites (Milvus milvus), were chosen as the bird species. These three species are generally rare breeds in Europe and have also been shown to be particularly vulnerable to collisions with wind turbines. The results demonstrate that data from the IdentiFlight system can be used to identify risk-prone flight behaviors, e.g., tortuous flight and foraging behavior. Moreover, it was found that these flight behaviors were affected by both weather conditions, but also their distance to the nearest wind turbine. This data can, thus, be used to evaluate collision risk and avoidance behavior. This study presents a promising framework for future research, demonstrating how data from camera-based monitoring systems can be utilized to quantitatively describe risk-prone behavior and thereby assess collision risk and avoidance behavior.
Generalized Cyclic p-Contractions and p-Contraction Pairs Some Properties of Asymptotic Regularity Best Proximity Points, Fixed Points
Authors: De la Sen Manuel , Ibeas Asier
Published: October 2022

This paper studies a general p-contractive condition of a self-mapping T on X, where X ,d is either a metric space or a dislocated metric space, which combines the contribution to the upper-bound of dTx , Ty, where x and y are arbitrary elements in X of a weighted combination of the distances dx,y , dx,Tx,dy,Ty,dx,Ty,dy,Tx, dx,Tx−dy,Ty and dx,Ty−dy,Tx. The asymptotic regularity of the self-mapping T on X and the convergence of Cauchy sequences to a unique fixed point are also discussed if X,d is complete. Subsequently, T, S generalized cyclic p-contraction pairs are discussed on a pair of non-empty, in general, disjoint subsets of X. The proposed contraction involves a combination of several distances associated with the T, S-pair. Some properties demonstrated are: (a) the asymptotic convergence of the relevant sequences to best proximity points of both sets is proved; (b) the best proximity points are unique if the involved subsets are closed and convex, the metric is norm induced, or the metric space is a uniformly convex Banach space. It can be pointed out that both metric and a metric-like (or dislocated metric) possess the symmetry property since their respective distance values for any given pair of elements of the corresponding space are identical after exchanging the roles of both elements.
Assessment of the Toxic Effects of Heavy Metals on Waterbirds and Their Prey Species in Freshwater Habitats
Authors: Pandiyan Jeganathan , Poiyamozhi Arumugam , Mahboob Shahid , Al-Ghanim Khalid , Al-Misned Fahad , Ahmed Zubair , Manzoor Irfan , Govindarajan Marimuthu
Published: October 2022

Waterbirds may be a good indicator of harmful metal levels in aquatic environments. Waterbirds’ organs and tissues were tested for the presence of pollutants, such as metals. However, very few reports describe the use of bird feathers and their prey in metal analysis. In the present research, seven metals were measured in the tissue, kidney, liver, and feathers of the Indian pond heron, the black-crowned night heron, and their prey species, including crabs, prawns, molluscs, and fishes from a freshwater lake. Metals were examined using an ECIL-4141-double beam atomic absorption spectrophotometer (DB-AAS). Metal concentrations differed considerably in the tissue, kidney, liver, and feathers of the Indian pond heron and black-crowned night heron (p < 0.001). Indeed, this research discovered a good correlation between the metals of prey species and the tissues, kidneys, liver, and feathers of waterbirds that were tested. The regression model explained that the Cyprinus carpio influence the accumulation of metals about 98.2% in tissues, Macrobrachium rosenbergii and Cyprinus carpio around 86.3% in the kidney, the Labeo rohita almost 47.2% in the liver and Labeo rohita nearly 93.2% on the feathers of the Indian pond heron. On the other hand, the Mystus vittatus, Cyprinus carpio, Labeo rohita influence about 98.8% in tissue, the Claris batrachus and Tilapia mossambica around 93.3% in kidney, the Mystus vittatus, Cyprinus carpio, about 93.2% in liver and the freshwater crab (Travancoriana schirnerae), freshwater prawn (Macrobrachium rosenbergii) and a fish (Cyprinus carpio) nearly 93.2% in feathers in the black-crowned night heron. This research evaluated metals in the dead carcasses of waterbirds, a non-invasive biomonitoring technique for pollution. Overall, the investigation revealed that the lake is severely contaminated with metals. Therefore, the management and protection of aquatic habitats, particularly freshwater lakes, should be enhanced to rescue wild species that rely on aquatic ecosystems and to ensure that people have access to clean drinking water.
Safety and Efficacy of HU-014 in the Treatment of Post-Stroke Upper Limb Spasticity: A Phase I Pilot Study
Authors: Lee Junekyung , Chun Min Ho
Published: October 2022

Botulinum toxin type A (BTX-A) is widely used for treating post-stroke upper limb spasticity. We evaluated the safety and efficacy of HU-014 in treating post-stroke upper limb spasticity. Thirteen patients were administered with HU-014. The primary outcome was safety, including adverse events, vital signs, physical examination, laboratory tests, and antibody formation test. The secondary outcomes were changes in the Modified Ashworth Scale (MAS) score for wrist, elbow, and finger flexor; Disability Assessment Scale (DAS); Investigator’s Global Assessment (IGA) and Subject’s Global Assessment (SGA); Caregiver Burden Scale (CBS); and Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS) at weeks 4, 8, and 12 from baseline. No notable safety-related issues were reported. MAS and DAS scores were significantly decreased from those at baseline at 4, 8, and 12 weeks (p < 0.05). At weeks 4, 8, and 12, the IGA and SGA scores were 5.85 ± 0.55, 5.69 ± 0.48, and 5.62 ± 0.65 and 5.46 ± 1.20, 5.85 ± 0.38, and 5.77 ± 0.73, respectively. CBS scores decreased at all timepoints and those for cutting fingernails significantly decreased at 8 and 12 weeks compared with baseline (p < 0.05). C-SSRS scores showed that suicidal ideation in all patients was “low” at all timepoints. HU-014 is a safe treatment that can improve post-stroke upper limb spasticity.
AbobotulinumtoxinA Doses in Upper and Lower Limb Spasticity: A Systematic Literature Review
Authors: Schnitzler Alexis , Dince Clément , Freitag Andreas , Iheanacho Ike , Fahrbach Kyle , Lavoie Louis , Loze Jean-Yves , Forestier Anne , Gasq David
Published: October 2022

Disabling limb spasticity can result from stroke, traumatic brain injury or other disorders causing upper motor neuron lesions such as multiple sclerosis. Clinical studies have shown that abobotulinumtoxinA (AboBoNT-A) therapy reduces upper and lower limb spasticity in adults. However, physicians may administer potentially inadequate doses, given the lack of consensus on adjusting dose according to muscle volume, the wide dose ranges in the summary of product characteristics or cited in the published literature, and/or the high quantity of toxin available for injection. Against this background, a systematic literature review based on searches of MEDLINE and Embase (via Ovid SP) and three relevant conferences (2018 to 2020) was conducted in November 2020 to examine AboBoNT-A doses given to adults for upper or lower limb muscles affected by spasticity of any etiology in clinical and real-world evidence studies. From the 1781 unique records identified from the electronic databases and conference proceedings screened, 49 unique studies represented across 56 publications (53 full-text articles, 3 conference abstracts) were eligible for inclusion. Evidence from these studies suggested that AboBoNT-A dose given per muscle in clinical practice varies considerably, with only a slight trend toward a relationship between dose and muscle volume. Expert-based consensus is needed to inform recommendations for standardizing AboBoNT-A treatment initiation doses based on muscle volume.
Long-Term Wastewater Surveillance for SARS-CoV-2: One-Year Study in Brazil
Authors: Martins Renan Moura , Carvalho Tamara , Bittar Cintia , Quevedo Daniela Muller , Miceli Rafael Nava , Nogueira Mauricio Lacerda , Ferreira Helena Lage , Costa Paulo Inácio , Araújo João Pessoa , Spilki Fernando Rosado , Rahal Paula , Calmon Marilia Freitas
Published: October 2022

Wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) is a tool involving the analysis of wastewater for chemicals and pathogens at the community level. WBE has been shown to be an effective surveillance system for SARS-CoV-2, providing an early-warning-detection system for disease prevalence in the community via the detection of genetic materials in the wastewater. In numerous nation-states, studies have indicated the presence of SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater. Herein, we report the primary time-course monitoring of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in wastewater samples in São José do Rio Preto-SP/Brazil in order to explain the dynamics of the presence of SARS-CoV-2 RNA during one year of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic and analyze possible relationships with other environmental parameters. We performed RNA quantification of SARS-CoV-2 by RT-qPCR using N1 and N2 targets. The proportion of positive samples for every target resulted in 100% and 96.6% for N1 and N2, respectively. A mean lag of -5 days is observed between the wastewater signal and the new SARS-CoV-2-positive cases reported. A correlation was found between the air and wastewater temperatures and therefore between the SARS-CoV-2 viral titers for N1 and N2 targets. We also observed a correlation between SARS-CoV-2 viral titers and media wastewater flow for the N1 target. In addition, we observed higher viral genome copies within the wastewater samples collected on non-rainy days for the N1 target. Thus, we propose that, based on our results, monitoring raw wastewater may be a broadly applicable strategy that might contribute to resolving the pressing problem of insufficient diagnostic testing; it may represent an inexpensive and early-warning method for future COVID-19 outbreaks, mainly in lower- and middle-income countries.
The Mutability of Yeast Prions
Authors: King Chih-Yen
Published: October 2022

Prions replicate by a self-templating mechanism. Infidelity in the process can lead to the emergence of new infectious structures, referred to as variants or strains. The question of whether prions are prone to mis-templating is not completely answered. Our previous experiments with 23 variants of the yeast [PSI+] prion do not support broad mutability. However, it became clear recently that the heat shock protein Hsp104 can restrict [PSI+] strain variation. This raises the possibility that many transmutable variants of the prion may have been mistaken as faithful-propagating simply because the mutant structure was too sturdy or too frail to take root in the wild-type cell. Here, I alter the strength of Hsp104 in yeast, overexpressing wild-type Hsp104 or expressing the hypo-active Hsp104T160M mutant, and check if the new environments enable the variants to mutate. Two variants hitherto thought of as faithful-propagating are discovered to generate different structures, which are stabilized with the hypo-active chaperone. In contrast, most transmutable variants discovered in cells overexpressing Hsp104 have been correctly identified as such previously in wild-type cells without the overexpression. The majority of transmutable variants only mis-template the structure of VH, VK, or VL, which are the most frequently observed variants and do not spontaneously mutate. There are four additional variants that never give rise to different structures in all cell conditions tested. Therefore, quite a few [PSI+] variants are faithful-propagating, and even the transmutable ones do not freely evolve but can only change to limited structural types.
Detection of Apple Hammerhead Viroid, Apple Luteovirus 1 and Citrus Concave Gum-Associated Virus in Apple Propagation Materials and Orchards in the Czech Republic and Hungary
Authors: Várallyay Eva , Přibylová Jaroslava , Galbacs Zsuzsanna Nagyne , Jahan Almash , Varga Tunde , Špak Josef , Lenz Ondřej , Fránová Jana , Sedlák Jiří , Koloniuk Igor
Published: October 2022

Grafting cultivars onto rootstocks is a widely used practice by the apple industry predominantly aimed at faster fruit bearing. Using high-throughput sequencing, we revealed the presence of recently described viral agents, namely apple hammerhead viroid (AHVd), apple luteovirus 1 (ALV-1), and citrus concave gum-associated virus (CCGaV), in germplasm collections and production orchards in the Czech Republic and Hungary. The HTS results were validated with RT-(q)PCR, and Northern blotting techniques. To obtain further insight about the presence of these agents, RT-PCR based surveys were carried out and showed their widespread presence alone or in mixed infections. The pathogens were present both in production areas and in feral samples. In addition, rootstock-to-scion transmission of ALV-1 and CCGaV was confirmed using commercial rootstock materials. Phylogenetic relationships based on partial sequences of distinct variants were also investigated. Furthermore, the rosy apple aphid was found to be ALV-1-positive, suggesting that it might be a potential vector of the virus.
Next-Generation Sequencing Analysis of CpG Methylation of a Tumor Suppressor Gene SHP-1 Promoter in Stable Cell Lines and HCV-Positive Patients
Authors: Devi Priya , Engdahl Katarina , Punga Tanel , Bergqvist Anders
Published: October 2022

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is the major causative pathogen associated with hepatocellular carcinoma and liver cirrhosis. The main virion component, the Core (C) protein, is involved in multiple aspects of HCV pathology including oncogenesis and immune evasion. In this study, we established a next-generation bisulfite sequencing (NGS-BS) protocol to analyze the CpG methylation profile at the tumor suppressor gene SHP-1 P2 promoter as a model system. Our data show that HCV C protein expression in the immortalized T cells correlated with a specific CpG methylation profile at the SHP-1 P2. The NGS-BS on HCV-positive (HCV+) patient-derived PBMCs revealed a considerably different CpG methylation profile compared to the HCV C protein immortalized T cells. Notably, the CpG methylation profile was very similar in healthy and HCV+ PBMCs, suggesting that the SHP-1 P2 CpG methylation profile is not altered in the HCV+ individuals. Collectively, the NGS-BS is a highly sensitive method that can be used to quantitatively characterize the CpG methylation status at the level of individual CpG position and also allows the characterization of cis-acting effects on epigenetic regulation.
Borna Disease Virus 1 Phosphoprotein Forms a Tetramer and Interacts with Host Factors Involved in DNA Double-Strand Break Repair and mRNA Processing
Authors: Tarbouriech Nicolas , Chenavier Florian , Kawasaki Junna , Bachiri Kamel , Bourhis Jean-Marie , Legrand Pierre , Freslon Lily L. , Laurent Estelle M. N. , Suberbielle Elsa , Ruigrok Rob W. H. , Tomonaga Keizo , Gonzalez-Dunia Daniel , Horie Masayuki , Coyaud Etienne , Crépin Thibaut
Published: October 2022

Determining the structural organisation of viral replication complexes and unravelling the impact of infection on cellular homeostasis represent important challenges in virology. This may prove particularly useful when confronted with viruses that pose a significant threat to human health, that appear unique within their family, or for which knowledge is scarce. Among Mononegavirales, bornaviruses (family Bornaviridae) stand out due to their compact genomes and their nuclear localisation for replication. The recent recognition of the zoonotic potential of several orthobornaviruses has sparked a surge of interest in improving our knowledge on this viral family. In this work, we provide a complete analysis of the structural organisation of Borna disease virus 1 (BoDV-1) phosphoprotein (P), an important cofactor for polymerase activity. Using X-ray diffusion and diffraction experiments, we revealed that BoDV-1 P adopts a long coiled-coil α-helical structure split into two parts by an original β-strand twist motif, which is highly conserved across the members of whole Orthobornavirus genus and may regulate viral replication. In parallel, we used BioID to determine the proximal interactome of P in living cells. We confirmed previously known interactors and identified novel proteins linked to several biological processes such as DNA repair or mRNA metabolism. Altogether, our study provides important structure/function cues, which may improve our understanding of BoDV-1 pathogenesis.
Special Issue “SARS-CoV-2 Innate and Adaptive Immune Responses”
Authors: Planes Rémi , Bahraoui Elmostafa
Published: October 2022

Since the end of 2019, humanity has been facing the emergence of a new large positive-sense, single-stranded RNA virus called severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), which causes a respiratory disease with substantial morbidity and mortality called coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) [...]
Antibody-Based Immunotherapies as a Tool for Tackling Multidrug-Resistant Bacterial Infections
Authors: Seixas António M. M. , Sousa Sílvia A. , Leitão Jorge H.
Published: October 2022

The discovery of antimicrobials is an outstanding achievement of mankind that led to the development of modern medicine. However, increasing antimicrobial resistance observed worldwide is rendering commercially available antimicrobials ineffective. This problem results from the bacterial ability to adapt to selective pressure, leading to the development or acquisition of multiple types of resistance mechanisms that can severely affect the efficacy of antimicrobials. The misuse, over-prescription, and poor treatment adherence by patients are factors strongly aggravating this issue, with an epidemic of infections untreatable by first-line therapies occurring over decades. Alternatives are required to tackle this problem, and immunotherapies are emerging as pathogen-specific and nonresistance-generating alternatives to antimicrobials. In this work, four types of antibody formats and their potential for the development of antibody-based immunotherapies against bacteria are discussed. These antibody isotypes include conventional mammalian polyclonal antibodies that are used for the neutralization of toxins; conventional mammalian monoclonal antibodies that currently have 100 IgG mAbs approved for therapeutic use; immunoglobulin Y found in birds and an excellent source of high-quality polyclonal antibodies able to be purified noninvasively from egg yolks; and single domain antibodies (also known as nanobodies), a recently discovered antibody format (found in camelids and nurse sharks) that allows for a low-cost synthesis in microbial systems, access to hidden or hard-to-reach epitopes, and exhibits a high modularity for the development of complex structures.
Safety and Viral Shedding of Live Attenuated Influenza Vaccine (LAIV) in Chinese Healthy Juveniles and Adults: A Phase Ⅰ Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study
Authors: Li Li , Shi Nianmin , Xu Na , Wang Haibin , Zhao Hui , Xu Haidong , Liu Dawei , Zhang Zheng , Li Shuping , Zhang Junnan , Guo Chunhui , Huo Jinglei , Zhao Menghan , Luo Fengji , Yang Liqing , Bai Yunhua , Lu Qiang , Zhang Yusong , Zhong Yi , Gao Wenhui
Published: October 2022

This study was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study to evaluate the safety and viral shedding of live attenuated influenza vaccine (LAIV) in Chinese healthy juveniles and adults. A total of 80 Eligible volunteers were divided into two age groups (≥18 and 3–17 years old). Volunteers were randomly and equally assigned to the experimental group and placebo-controlled group by ratio of 3:1 in each age group. Vaccination was carried out in steps. Totally, 34 (56.67%) adverse events and 24 (40.00%) adverse reactions of the LAIV group were reported. Most adverse reactions were grade 1 and grade 2, and the incidence of adverse reactions that grade 3 was 5%. The most common local reaction was runny nose/nasal congestion (n = 4, 6.67%). And the most common general reaction was fever (n = 10, 16.67%). There were no statistically significant differences in the incidence of total adverse reactions, different grades of adverse reactions, and symptoms between the experimental group and placebo-controlled group. No severe adverse events were reported. Three subjects (5.00%) had been detected vaccine strains on the 3rd day after LAIV vaccination; one was type B and the other two were H3N2. Four subjects (6.67%) had been detected with vaccine strains on the 7th day after LAIV vaccination, all were H3N2. There were no subjects detected carrying the influenza virus on the 15th day after vaccination. There were no statistically significant differences in the positive rate of vaccine strains of influenza virus between the experimental group and placebo-controlled group. The vaccine was well tolerated and not associated with increased rates in adverse reactions or the occurrence of severe adverse events. Pathogenicity of shed vaccine virus to surrounding people was not observed. Thus, Phase Ⅱ study can be carried out as scheduled.
The Effect of Dexamethasone Treatment on COVID-19 Prognosis in Cancer Patients
Authors: Souan Lina , Al-Khairy Zienab , Al-Binni Maysaa’ Adnan , Battah Abdelkader , Sughayer Maher A.
Published: October 2022

Background: Dexamethasone is used to treat cancer, relieve chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting, enhance cancer patients’ appetites, and treat COVID-19 patients. There is little evidence of the impact of a dexamethasone treatment plan on the severity of COVID-19 infections in cancer patients. This study explores whether dexamethasone treatment plan influences the severity of COVID-19 in dexamethasone-treated cancer patients. Methods: The medical records of 108 cancer patients receiving dexamethasone at King Hussein Cancer Center with a COVID-19 infection and 343 without corticosteroid treatment were reviewed. Patients on dexamethasone within seven days before infection, after infection, or both were included. Ventilation support, hospitalization, and mortality within 28 days of a COVID-19 diagnosis were key severity factors. Results: We found that dexamethasone before a COVID-19 infection increased the risk of requiring ventilation assistance and mortality within 28 days by a factor of 5.8 (2.8–12.0) relative to control (p < 0.005). Continuing dexamethasone treatment after a COVID-19 infection, or starting it after infection, had a risk factor equivalent to control. Conclusion: Our data showed that dexamethasone therapy protocol affected COVID-19 prognoses in cancer patients, and it is preferable to not discontinue therapy after infection. A rigorous prospective comparison between early and late dexamethasone dosing is needed to determine the best protocol for treatment.
Streambed Median Grain Size (D50) across the Contiguous U.S.
Authors: Jha Manoj K. , Asamen Dawit M. , Allen Peter M. , Arnold Jeffrey G. , White Michael J. , Bieger Katrin
Published: October 2022

The streambed median grain size (D50) has been an integral part of many sediment transport and stream power equations seeking to characterize stream channel stability conditions. However, its previous usage is constrained by regional applicability, localization of datasets, and a limited number of data points. This study uses a large and geographically diverse data set (n > 2400), from five published sources, to present quantitative information and assess the distribution of D50 data across the contiguous U.S. Spatial distribution was analyzed based on the three regional frameworks: Physiographic Provinces, Level III Ecoregions, and Hydrologic Landscape Regions (HLRs). Gravel was found to be the dominant streambed material in most Physiographic Provinces. Regions with a humid climate, permeable soil, and plateaus exhibit a higher average D50 than regions with other climate, geologic texture, and landscape forms. Further analysis of all data across the U.S. using smoothed spatial maps showed the dominance of sand and fine gravel in streams located in the central and southern U.S., and the dominance of coarse gravel and cobbles in the northeastern U.S.
Distributions and Influencing Factors of Carbonate Species in Bohai Bay and Relevant Rivers Flowing into the Bay in Summer 2020
Authors: Yuan Xiaolong , Wu Xi , Sun Jun
Published: October 2022

The distributions of pH, total alkalinity (Alk), dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) and the partial pressure of carbon dioxide (pCO2) were investigated in Bohai Bay in northeastern China during summer 2020. The CO2 air–sea fluxes were also estimated for that summer. The results of the survey showed that the distributions of Alk and DIC in surface and bottom seawater were generally consistent, with the maximum values of DIC and Alk appearing at the same station, station BHB33 at the surface and station BHB35 at the bottom, which were in the middle of the bay. The minimum values of pH and the maximums value of pCO2 were both located at station HH2 at the surface and station HH3 at the bottom, which were near the mouth of the Haihe River. Bohai Bay was estimated as a source of CO2 in summer 2020. Carbonate species presented significant correlations with biochemical parameters, such as chlorophyll α (Chl-α), dissolved oxygen (DO) and nutrients. In addition, terrestrial inputs and human activities, together with the poor hydrodynamics of Bohai Bay are also the main factors influencing the carbonate species in Bohai Bay.
Applying Electrical Resistivity Tomography and Biological Methods to Assess the Hyporheic Zone Water Exchanges in Two Mediterranean Stream Reaches
Authors: Iepure Sanda , Gomez-Ortiz David , Lillo Javier , Rasines-Ladero Rubén , Lorenzo Tiziana Di
Published: October 2022

The hyporheic zone (HZ) is a critical area of all river ecosystems. It is the area beneath the stream and adjacent to the stream, where the surface water and groundwater are mixed. The HZ extends both vertically and laterally depending on the sediment configuration, namely their porosity and permeability. This influences the hyporheic communities’ structural pattern and their active dispersal among distinct rivers compartments and alluvial aquifers. It is still difficult to assess the spatial extent of the HZ and the distribution of the mixing zones. This study applies time-lapse images obtained using electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) of 20 m wide and 5 m deep alluvial streams, with regards to the structural pattern of hyporheic communities represented by cyclopoids and ostracods, in order to assess the extent of the HZ in the riverbed and the parafluvial sediment configurations. The ERT images obtained at the hyporheic Site 1 are characterized by alluvial deposits dominated by coarse and very coarse sands with resistivity values ranging from ~20 to 80 Ohm.m, indicating a permeable zone up to ~0.5 m thick and extending laterally for ca. 5 m from the channel and associated with the hyporheic zone. The sediment configurations, texture, and structure indicate an active surface–hyporheic water exchange and low water retention into the sediments. This is also indicated by the hyporheic copepods and ostracods communities’ structure formed by a mixture of non-stygobites (five species) and stygobites (two species). A low-resistivity (<70 Ohm.m) permeable zone located 2.3 m below the streambed and unconnected with the river channel was also detected and associated with the associated alluvial aquifer. In contrast, the resistivity image at Site 2 dominated by coarse, medium, and very fine sands, shows a low-permeability zone in the upper ~0.5 m of the profile, with a resistivity value ranging from ~45 to 80 Ohm.m, indicating a reduced HZ extension in both vertical and lateral dimensions. Here the sediment configurations indicate that the water retention and interaction with the sediment is higher, reflected by more diverse hyporheic communities and with highly abundant stygobite species. The two examples show that non-invasive ERT images and biological assessments provide complementary and valuable information about the characterization of the sub-channel architecture and its potential hydraulic connection to the floodplain aquifer.
Assessment of a Multi-Layer Aquifer Vulnerability Using a Multi-Parameter Decision-Making Method in Mosha Plain, Iran
Authors: Nikpeyman Yaser , Nikpeyman Vahid , Derakhshani Reza , Raoof Amir
Published: October 2022

In recent decades, there has been a growing emphasis on assessing aquifer vulnerability. Given the availability of spatial data and the GIS advantages, mapping the groundwater vulnerability has become a common tool for protecting and managing groundwater resources. Here, we applied the GIS indexing and an overlay method to explore a combination of the potential contamination factors needed to assess groundwater vulnerability in the Mosha aquifer. The data from a borehole data logger and chemical analysis of spring water show groundwater responses to the surface contaminating sources. To assess the aquifer vulnerability, the potential contaminating sources were classified into three groups, namely (1) geological characteristics such as lithology and structural geology features; (2) the infrastructures induced by human activities such as roads, water wells, and pit latrines; and (3) land use. By considering these components, the risk maps were produced. Our findings indicate that the aquifer is very responsive to the anthropogenic contaminants that may leak into the aquifer from urbanized areas. Additionally, roads and pit latrines can significantly release pollutants into the environment that may eventually leak into the aquifer and contaminate the underlying groundwater resources.
Analysis of pharmacotherapy in senile patients in the intensive care unit: polypharmacy and irrational drug combinations
Authors:   FSAEI HE Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia, Moscow, Russia, Gorbacheva A. A. , Zyryanov S. K. ,   FSAEI HE Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia, Moscow, Russia, Butranova O. I. ,   FSAEI HE Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia, Moscow, Russia
Published: October 2022

The purpose of the study: to analyze the pharmacotherapy of senile patients in the intensive care unit (ICU).
Dydrogesterone: assessment of medical technology to preserve pregnancy
Authors:   FSBEI HE Kirov State Medical University of the Ministry of Health of Russia, Kirov, Vinogradova E.Yu. , Zhuravlev N.A. ,   FSBEI HE Kirov State Medical University of the Ministry of Health of Russia, Kirov
Published: October 2022

The purpose of the work: to identify clinical and pharmacological aspects of the use of dydrogesterone in the practice of a gynecologist.
Intangible resources as a tool to increase the company's competitiveness
Authors:   Basic Department of Economic Analysis and Corporate Management of Production and Export of High-Technological Products of Rostec State Corporation, Plekhanov Russian University of Economics, Moscow, Sizova D. A. , Sizova T. V., ,   Basic Department of Economic Analysis and Corporate Management of Production and Export of High-Technological Products of Rostec State Corporation, Plekhanov Russian University of Economics, Moscow, Volobuev N. A. ,   Basic Department of Economic Analysis and Corporate Management of Production and Export of High-Technological Products of Rostec State Corporation, Plekhanov Russian University of Economics, Moscow
Published: October 2022

Development of intangible resources by trade organizations is becoming one of the most important tools for managing competitiveness in the current economic environment. Companies are improving, developing new marketing solutions, creating new formats of work with the consumer, and increasing their digital presence in the market.