bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Carbamoylase-Based Bioassay for the Detection of Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning Toxins
Authors: Raposo Mariana , Botelho Maria João , Costa Sara T. , Gomes Maria Teresa S. R. , Rudnitskaya Alisa
Published: January 2020

Out of control proliferation of toxic phytoplankton, called harmful algal blooms (HABs), have a significant economic impact on bivalve aquaculture and harvesting in coastal waters. Some phytotoxins, such as paralytic shellfish toxins (PSTs), are of concern due to the life-threatening symptoms they can cause. Development of rapid and low-cost screening tools would be a welcome addition to the laboratory methodologies employed in routine monitoring programs. However, most of the assays and biosensors for the screening of PSTs, are restricted to a single target, saxitoxin (STX), which is the most potent PST. The present study aimed at developing an assay for the detection of N-sulfocarbamoyl PST—GTX5, which is one of the most abundant toxins in bivalves during G. catenatum blooms as found on the Portuguese coast. Enzymatic assay employing PSTs’ transforming enzyme—carbamoylase—was proposed. Carbamoylase was extracted and purified from the surf clam S. solida. Carbamoylase displayed similar specificity to both carbamate (STX) and N-sulfocarbamate toxins (GTX5 and C1+2) converting them into decarbamoyl saxitoxin (dcSTX) and decarbamoyl gonyautoxins 2+3 (dcGTX2+3), respectively. The enzymatic assay involved hydrolysis of GTX5 by carbamoylase and quantification of the product of enzymatic reaction, dcSTX, using a potentiometric chemical sensor. A potentiometric sensor with plasticized PVC membrane that displayed sensitivity to dcSTX and selectivity in the presence of GTX5 was employed. Enzymatic assay allowed determination of GTX5 in the concentration range from 0.43 to 3.30 µmolL−1, which encompasses levels of GTX5 in contaminated bivalve extracts with toxicities above PSTs regulatory limits. The feasibility of the carbamoylase-based potentiometric assay for detection of GTX5 was demonstrated.
Design and Implementation of a Smart Traffic Signal Control System for Smart City Applications
Authors: Lee Wei-Hsun , Chiu Chi-Yi
Published: January 2020

Infrastructure supporting vehicular network (V2X) capability is the key factor to the success of smart city because it enables many smart transportation services. In order to reduce the traffic congestion and improve the public transport efficiency, many intelligent transportation systems (ITS) need to be developed. In this paper, a smart traffic signal control (STSC) system is designed and implemented, it supports several smart city transportation applications including emergency vehicle signal preemption (EVSP), public transport signal priority (TSP), adaptive traffic signal control (ATSC), eco-driving supporting, and message broadcasting. The roadside unit (RSU) controller is the core of the proposed STSC system, where the system architecture, middleware, control algorithms, and peripheral modules are detailed discussed in this paper. It is compatible with existed traffic signal controller so that it can be fast and cost−effectively deployed. A new traffic signal scheme is specially designed for the EVSP scenario, it can inform all the drivers near the intersection regarding which direction the emergency vehicle (EV) is approaching, smoothing the traffic flow, and enhancing the safety. EVSP scenario and the related control algorithms are implemented in this work; integration test and field test are performed to demonstrate the STSC system.
Effect of Cultivar on Chlorophyll Meter and Canopy Reflectance Measurements in Cucumber
Authors: de Souza Romina , Grasso Rafael , Peña-Fleitas M. Teresa , Gallardo Marisa , Thompson Rodney B. , Padilla Francisco M.
Published: January 2020

Optical sensors can be used to assess crop N status to assist with N fertilizer management. Differences between cultivars may affect optical sensor measurement. Cultivar effects on measurements made with the SPAD-502 (Soil Plant Analysis Development) meter and the MC-100 (Chlorophyll Concentration Meter), and of several vegetation indices measured with the Crop Circle ACS470 canopy reflectance sensor, were assessed. A cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) crop was grown in a greenhouse, with three cultivars. Each cultivar received three N treatments, of increasing N concentration, being deficient (N1), sufficient (N2) and excessive (N3). There were significant differences between cultivars in the measurements made with both chlorophyll meters, particularly when N supply was sufficient and excessive (N2 and N3 treatments, respectively). There were no consistent differences between cultivars in vegetation indices. Optical sensor measurements were strongly linearly related to leaf N content in each of the three cultivars. The lack of a consistent effect of cultivar on the relationship with leaf N content suggests that a unique equation to estimate leaf N content from vegetation indices can be applied to all three cultivars. Results of chlorophyll meter measurements suggest that care should be taken when using sufficiency values, determined for a particular cultivar
Air-Coupled Reception of a Slow Ultrasonic A0 Mode Wave Propagating in Thin Plastic Film
Authors: Kazys Rymantas J. , Vilpisauskas Almantas
Published: January 2020

At low frequencies, in thin plates the phase velocity of the guided A0 mode can become slower than that of the ultrasound velocity in air. Such waves do not excite leaky waves in the surrounding air, and therefore, it is impossible to excite and receive them by conventional air-coupled methods. The objective of this research was the development of an air-coupled technique for the reception of slow A0 mode in thin plastic films. This study demonstrates the feasibility of picking up a subsonic A0 mode in plastic films by air-coupled ultrasonic arrays. The air-coupled reception was based on an evanescent wave in air accompanying the propagating A0 mode in a film. The efficiency of the reception was enhanced by using a virtual array which was arranged from the data collected by a single air-coupled receiver. The signals measured at the points corresponding to the positions of the phase-matched array were recorded and processed. The transmitting array excited not only the A0 mode in the film, but also a direct wave in air. This wave propagated at ultrasound velocity in air and was faster than the evanescent wave. For efficient reception of the A0 mode, the additional signal-processing procedure based on the application of the 2D Fourier transform in a spatial–temporal domain. The obtained results can be useful for the development of novel air-coupled ultrasonic non-destructive testing techniques.
Real-Time Dynamic 3D Shape Reconstruction with SWIR InGaAs Camera
Authors: Fei Cheng , Ma Yanyang , Jiang Shan , Liu Junliang , Sun Baoqing , Li Yongfu , Gu Yi , Zhao Xian , Fang Jiaxiong
Published: January 2020

In this paper, a real-time, dynamic three-dimensional (3D) shape reconstruction scheme based on the Fourier-transform profilometry (FTP) method is achieved with a short-wave infrared (SWIR) indium gallium arsenide (InGaAs) camera for monitoring applications in low illumination environments. A SWIR 3D shape reconstruction system is built for generating and acquiring the SWIR two-dimensional (2D) fringe pattern of the target. The depth information of the target is reconstructed by employing an improved FTP method, which has the advantages of high reconstruction accuracy and speed. The maximum error in depth for static 3D shape reconstruction is 1.15 mm for a plastic model with a maximum depth of 36 mm. Meanwhile, a real-time 3D shape reconstruction with a frame rate of 25 Hz can be realized by this system, which has great application prospects in real-time dynamic 3D shape reconstruction, such as low illumination monitoring. In addition, for real-time dynamic 3D shape reconstruction, without considering the edge areas, the maximum error in depth among all frames is 1.42 mm for a hemisphere with a depth of 35 mm, and the maximum error of the average of all frames in depth is 0.52 mm.
Acknowledgement to Reviewers of Scientia Pharmaceutica in 2019
Authors: Scientia Pharmaceutica Editorial Office
Published: January 2020

The editorial team greatly appreciates the reviewers who have dedicated their considerable time and expertise to the journal’s rigorous editorial process over the past 12 months, regardless of whether the papers are finally published or not. [...]
Recent Advances in In Vivo SPME Sampling
Authors: Riboni Nicolò , Fornari Fabio , Bianchi Federica , Careri Maria
Published: January 2020

In vivo solid-phase microextraction (SPME) has been recently proposed for the extraction, clean-up and preconcentration of analytes of biological and clinical concern. Bioanalysis can be performed by sampling exo- or endogenous compounds directly in living organisms with minimum invasiveness. In this context, innovative and miniaturized devices characterized by both commercial and lab-made coatings for in vivo SPME tissue sampling have been proposed, thus assessing the feasibility of this technique for biomarker discovery, metabolomics studies or for evaluating the environmental conditions to which organisms can be exposed. Finally, the possibility of directly interfacing SPME to mass spectrometers represents a valuable tool for the rapid quali- and quantitative analysis of complex matrices. This review article provides a survey of in vivo SPME applications focusing on the extraction of tissues, cells and simple organisms. This survey will attempt to cover the state-of- the-art from 2014 up to 2019.
Evaluation of Climatic and Anthropogenic Impacts on Dust Erodibility: A Case Study in Xilingol Grassland, China
Authors: Wu Jing , Kurosaki Yasunori , Du Chunling
Published: January 2020

Aeolian dust is dependent on erosivity (i.e., wind speed) and erodibility (i.e., land surface conditions). The effect of erodibility on dust occurrence remains poorly understood. In this study, we proposed a composite erodibility index (dust occurrence ratio, DOR) and examined its interannual variation at a typical steppe site (Abaga-Qi) in Xilingol Grassland, China, during spring of 1974–2018. Variation in DOR is mainly responsible for dust occurrence (R2 = 0.80, p-value < 0.001). During 2001–2018, DOR values were notably higher than those during 1974–2000. There was also a general declining trend with fluctuations. This indicates that the land surface conditions became vulnerable to wind erosion but was gradually reversed with the implementation of projects to combat desertification in recent years. To understand the relative climatic and anthropogenic impacts on erodibility, multiple regression was conducted between DOR and influencing factors for the period of 2001–2018. Precipitation (spring, summer, and winter) and temperature (summer, autumn, and winter), together with livestock population (June) explained 82% of the variation in DOR. Sheep and goat population made the greatest contribution. Therefore, reducing the number of sheep and goat could be an effective measure to prevent dust occurrence in Xilingol Grassland.
Relationships among Government Funding, R&D Model and Innovation Performance: A Study on the Chinese Textile Industry
Authors: Zhang Zhiying , Cheng Hua , Yu Yabin
Published: January 2020

The textile industry is a traditional pillar industry of the national economy in China. The strategic goal of Chinese innovation is to upgrade and transform traditional industries and make them develop in coordination with high-tech industries, so as to realize sustainable industrial development. At the core of industrial sustainable development, the innovation of the textile industry in China has become an important issue worthy of attention. Based on resource-based theory and signal transfer theory, the relationship between government funding, R&D models and the innovation performance of the Chinese textile industry is studied. The results show that government funding has a significant, direct promoting effect on the internal R&D and science-based cooperation of enterprises. Government funding indirectly promotes market-based cooperation through internal R&D. The promoting effect of internal R&D on innovation performance is greater than that of cooperative R&D. Internal R&D and cooperative R&D have more promoting effects on R&D reserve performance than those on market performance. Government funding indirectly promotes innovation performance through the mediation of internal R&D and science-based cooperation. The threshold effect of cooperative R&D indicates that only when the cooperative R&D intensity exceeds the threshold can government funding foster innovation performance more effectively. The conclusions can provide theoretical guidance for the formulation of innovation policy.
Freeway Short-Term Travel Speed Prediction Based on Data Collection Time-Horizons: A Fast Forest Quantile Regression Approach
Authors: Zahid Muhammad , Chen Yangzhou , Jamal Arshad , Mamadou Coulibaly Zie
Published: January 2020

Short-term traffic speed prediction is vital for proactive traffic control, and is one of the integral components of an intelligent transportation system (ITS). Accurate prediction of short-term travel speed has numerous applications for traffic monitoring, route planning, as well as helping to relieve traffic congestion. Previous studies have attempted to approach this problem using statistical and conventional artificial intelligence (AI) methods without accounting for influence of data collection time-horizons. However, statistical methods have received widespread criticism concerning prediction accuracy performance, while traditional AI approaches have too shallow architecture to capture non-linear stochastics variations in traffic flow. Hence, this study aims to explore prediction of short-term traffic speed at multiple time-ahead intervals using data collected from loop detectors. A fast forest quantile regression (FFQR) via hyperparameters optimization was introduced for predicting short-term traffic speed prediction. FFQR is an ensemble machine learning model that combines several regression trees to improve speed prediction accuracy. The accuracy of short-term traffic speed prediction was compared using the FFQR model at different data collection time-horizons. Prediction results demonstrated the adequacy and robustness of the proposed approach under different scenarios. It was concluded that prediction performance of FFQR was significantly enhanced and robust, particularly at time intervals larger than 5 min. The findings also revealed that speed prediction error (in terms of quantiles loss) ranged between 0.58 and 1.18.
Logistic Modeling of the Last Mile: Case Study Santiago, Chile
Authors: Urzúa-Morales Juan Guillermo , Sepulveda-Rojas Juan Pedro , Alfaro Miguel , Fuertes Guillermo , Ternero Rodrigo , Vargas Manuel
Published: January 2020

This research proposes a new distribution system of goods in the historical center of the city of Santiago, Chile. For the design of the urban logistic system, the methodology city logistics and last mile are used. This design incorporates to the freight transport flexible solutions that improve the efficiency of the distribution process and trade supply, minimizing the environmental impact of the atmospheric pollution (AP). The proposal was made through the data collection, the characterization of the sector and the diagnosis of the urban logistics processes. The analysis of the factors allowed to evaluate the costs of the AP negative externalities. The causes were used as design criteria for the proposals, with the aim of improving the quality of life of the city users. The physical location selection of the Cross-Docking was made through an optimization model of maximum coverage. The optimization algorithm of the nearest neighbor was proposed for vehicle routing. The analytic hierarchy process (AHP) was used to generate a ranking of the best non-polluting vehicles to be used in the zone. Finally, the results obtained allowed a 53 ton decrease in carbon dioxide in the square kilometer and reduced 1103 h of interruptions per year in the vehicular congestion of the sector.
Construction of Bid Evaluation Index System in Government Public Project Green Procurement in China Based on D-S Evidence Theory
Authors: Zhang Yi
Published: January 2020

It is of great theoretical and practical significance to construct a bid evaluation index system characterized by green for government public project green procurement. With the combination of sustainable development theory and system theory, and with the goal of government public project procurement as the guide, this paper uses the documentary research method, questionnaire survey method, and expert consultation method to analyze the influential factors of bid evaluation for government public project procurement with the perspective of green development from the aspects of qualification, economy, technology, management, and public welfare and to construct the bid evaluation index system for government public project green procurement; based on Dempster-Shafer evidence theory, using the D-S evidence synthesis method to construct a comprehensive judgment matrix for group decision-making (which effectively solves the problem of synthesizing expert opinions), and combined with the analytic hierarchy process, the index weights are determined. Ultimately, a bid evaluation index system for government public project green procurement is obtained, including 5 first-level indexes, 18 secondary indexes, and 56 tertiary indexes, providing theoretical guidance for the government to implement green procurement in the field of public projects.
Success Criteria Evaluation for a Sustainable and Affordable Housing Model: A Case for Improving Household Welfare in Nigeria Cities
Authors: Saidu Aliyu Ibrahim , Yeom Chunho
Published: January 2020

Due to rapid urbanization and the recent growing influx of migrants from politically fragile states, cities are now faced with an impending housing problem. In developing countries like Nigeria, the impacts of the housing problem, which include economic, social (humanitarian), and environmental crises, are evident. Recently, sustainability has become a central theme for public discussion, not only in expanding housing for the growing population but also in improving the quality of residential livelihoods of low-income households without compromising the housing needs of future generations. So far, there have been numerous studies conducted on sustainable housing in Nigeria, touching on sustainability in housing but mostly from the professionals’ point of view. Therefore, a document content analysis to generate success criteria and a survey for household validation were conducted. Results show that security ranks the highest, and other criteria of importance include accessibility, adaptability, utility, technology, community, affordability, and acceptability. Hence, the study concludes that social and environmental sustainability in housing should enhance household satisfaction by ensuring the security and welfare of its residents, adapt to its immediate environment, be acceptable, be supported with social amenity to integrate the community through participation, and, finally, manage household utility efficiently.
An Analysis of the Interactions between Adjustment Factors of Saturation Flow Rates at Signalized Intersections
Authors: Wang Yi , Rong Jian , Zhou Chenjing , Chang Xin , Liu Siyang
Published: January 2020

An insufficient functional relationship between adjustment factors and saturation flow rate (SFR) in the U.S. Highway Capacity Manual (HCM) method increases an additional prediction bias. The error of SFR predictions can reach 8–10%. To solve this problem, this paper proposes a comprehensive adjusted method that considers the effects of interactions between factors. Based on the data from 35 through lanes in Beijing and 25 shared through and left-turn lanes in Washington, DC, the interactions between lane width and percentage of heavy vehicles and proportion of left-turning vehicles were analyzed. Two comprehensive adjustment factor models were established and tested. The mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) of model 1 (considering the interaction between lane width and percentage of heavy vehicles) was 4.89% smaller than the MAPE of Chinese National Standard method (Standard Number is GB50647) at 13.64%. The MAPE of model 2 (considering the interaction between lane width and proportion of left-turning vehicles was 33.16% smaller than the MAPE of HCM method at 14.56%. This method could improve the accuracy of SFR prediction, provide support for traffic operation measures, alleviate the traffic congestion, and improve sustainable development of cities.
Cash Salary, Inside Equity, or Inside Debt?—The Determinants and Optimal Value of Compensation Structure in a Long-term Incentive Model of Banks
Authors: Ma Tianyi , Jiang Minghui , Yuan Xuchuan
Published: January 2020

The design and optimization of executive compensation structure to reduce the risk-taking of banks is one of the core topics of corporate governance theory. Especially after the 2008 global financial crisis, due to the characteristics of banks, such as systemic risk, this issue has become more important. However, though widely concerned, the determinants and design principles of compensation are not thoroughly understood. Based on our previous work, the setup of a banker’s long-term total compensation model, we continue our research by setting up a theoretical model between total compensation, bank default risk, and the structure coefficient by simulating the result using data from Wells Fargo and Co. to draw the function image. We are the first to find out the determinants of structure, that is, the working time, current age, and tenure. What is more important is that we find that increasing the weight inside debt in the total compensation is not only helpful for the reduction of the bank’s default risk, but also an increase of the banker’s total compensation. We also illustrate the influence of a number of periods. We expect our findings to offer help regarding the formulation of policies for pay contracts.
Adaptation to Climate Change: Does Traditional Ecological Knowledge Hold the Key?
Authors: Hosen Nadzirah , Nakamura Hitoshi , Hamzah Amran
Published: January 2020

The traditional knowledge of indigenous people is often neglected despite its significance in combating climate change. This study uncovers the potential of traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) from the perspective of indigenous communities in Sarawak, Malaysian Borneo, and explores how TEK helps them to observe and respond to local climate change. Data were collected through interviews and field work observations and analysed using thematic analysis based on the TEK framework. The results indicated that these communities have observed a significant increase in temperature, with uncertain weather and seasons. Consequently, drought and wildfires have had a substantial impact on their livelihoods. However, they have responded to this by managing their customary land and resources to ensure food and resource security, which provides a respectable example of the sustainable management of terrestrial and inland ecosystems. The social networks and institutions of indigenous communities enable collective action which strengthens the reciprocal relationships that they rely on when calamity strikes. Accordingly, the communities maintain their TEK through cultural festivals and oral traditions passed from one generation to another. TEK is a practical tool that helps indigenous communities adapt to climate risks and promotes socio-ecological resilience, which upholds social empowerment and sustainable resource management.
To What Extent Can the Green Belts Prevent Urban Sprawl?—A Comparative Study of Frankfurt am Main, London and Seoul
Authors: Xie Xiaoping , Kang Hanna , Behnisch Martin , Baildon Martin , Krüger Tobias
Published: January 2020

A salient issue facing contemporary urban development in many countries is that the physical areas of major cities are growing at a faster rate than their populations. The popularity of the green belt concept among advocates is that it can effectively counter urban sprawl while safeguarding the countryside from urban development. This paper is intended to measure the efficacy of the green belt in preventing urban sprawl through an international comparative study in three cities of different sizes, and which have experienced different urban growth pressures, namely Frankfurt am Main (Germany), London (UK), and Seoul (South Korea). The study adopts the urban sprawl measurement methodological framework defined by Jaeger et al. to process GHSL data in order to examine the urban sprawl index in the three case study cities. This quantitative evidence-based comparative study demonstrates that the designation of green belts has failed to prevent urban sprawl both within urban centers and at a wider regional level.
Towards Sustainability in University Education. Improving University Graduates Chances of Employability by Participation in a High Achievement Academic Program
Authors: Moya Clemente Ismael , Ribes Giner Gabriela , Sanahuja Vélez Gisela
Published: January 2020

This piece of research focusses on the sustainable development goal (SDG) number four of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development: quality education. The main objective of this research was to determine whether introducing a High Achievement Academic Program (ARA Groups) at a Spanish public university could enhance its graduates’ employability. According to the existing scientific literature, some variables related to the students’ accomplishments during college are good predictors of future employability: academic performance, participation in international exchanges, and participation in traineeships. In the empirical part of this research, our objective was to compare, using descriptive and bivariate statistical analysis, the behavior of the students of the ARA Groups and the regular ones, regarding a set of variables related to the above-mentioned predictors of employability. The outcomes allow us to conclude that ARA students performed academically better and that they participated more in international exchanges. Participation in business internships did not present significant differences, although ARA students scored higher in the employers’ assessment of the internship. Our results suggest that graduates of this program will be more sought-after by companies, and therefore it contributes positively to one of the key objectives of quality higher education, which is employability, and hence to sustainable development.
Moving towards a Smarter Housing Market: The Example of Poland
Authors: Tomal Mateusz
Published: January 2020

Cities are currently undergoing vast changes, which have very significant implications for the functioning of the housing market. In particular, it should be stated that the traditional residential market, in imitation of the smart city concept, is becoming increasingly smarter. This smartness can be expressed in four dimensions: the “automatic” rental housing market; innovative digital platforms in the traditional housing market; innovative policies and housing models; and the ability to forecast demand on the housing market, which together form the so-called smart housing concept. On this basis, this study attempted to assess empirically the smartness of the residential markets in Polish provincial capitals. Firstly, after a thorough analysis of digital housing portals, official websites of Polish provincial capitals and public statistics data, the smart housing concept was operationalised in all its dimensions by defining appropriate indicators measuring its level in a given city. Then, using the zero unitarization and entropy weight methods, followed by a no-pattern synthetic measure, a comprehensive smart housing index was obtained for each city investigated. Research results showed that there is a large degree of variation in the level of smartness of the housing markets in the examined cities. Furthermore, the analysis also indicates that the economic dimension of the smart city concept and the co-working concept are the main driving forces behind the development of smart residential markets. In addition, the study reveals that the implementation of the smart housing concept has a positive impact on the quality of life of city inhabitants.
Lie Symmetry Analysis, Explicit Solutions and Conservation Laws of a Spatially Two-Dimensional Burgers–Huxley Equation
Authors: Hussain Amjad , Bano Shahida , Khan Ilyas , Baleanu Dumitru , Sooppy Nisar Kottakkaran
Published: January 2020

In this paper, we investigate a spatially two-dimensional Burgers–Huxley equation that depicts the interaction between convection effects, diffusion transport, reaction gadget, nerve proliferation in neurophysics, as well as motion in liquid crystals. We have used the Lie symmetry method to study the vector fields, optimal systems of first order, symmetry reductions, and exact solutions. Furthermore, using the power series method, a set of series solutions are obtained. Finally, conservation laws are derived using optimal systems.
Venomics and Cellular Toxicity of Thai Pit Vipers (Trimeresurus macrops and T. hageni)
Authors: Kumkate Supeecha , Chanhome Lawan , Thiangtrongjit Tipparat , Noiphrom Jureeporn , Laoungboa Panithi , Khow Orawan , Vasaruchapong Taksa , Sitprija Siravit , Chaiyabutr Narongsak , Reamtong Onrapak
Published: January 2020

The two venomous pit vipers, Trimeresurus macrops and T. hageni, are distributed throughout Thailand, although their abundance varies among different areas. No species-specific antivenom is available for their bite victims, and the only recorded treatment method is a horse antivenom raised against T. albolabris crude venom. To facilitate assessment of the cross-reactivity of heterologous antivenoms, protein profiles of T. macrops and T. hageni venoms were explored using mass-spectrometry-based proteomics. The results show that 185 and 216 proteins were identified from T. macrops and T. hageni venoms, respectively. Two major protein components in T. macrops and T. hageni venoms were snake venom serine protease and metalloproteinase. The toxicity of the venoms on human monocytes and skin fibroblasts was analyzed, and both showed a greater cytotoxic effect on fibroblasts than monocytic cells, with toxicity occurring in a dose-dependent rather than a time-dependent manner. Exploring the protein composition of snake venom leads to a better understanding of the envenoming of prey. Moreover, knowledge of pit viper venomics facilitates the selection of the optimum heterologous antivenoms for treating bite victims.
Fighting Dog-Mediated Rabies in Namibia—Implementation of a Rabies Elimination Program in the Northern Communal Areas
Authors: Athingo Rauna , Tenzin Tenzin , Shilongo Albertina , Hikufe Emmanuel , Shoombe Kenneth K. , Khaiseb Siegfried , van der Westhuizen Jolandie , Letshwenyo Moetapele , Torres Gregorio , Mettenleiter Thomas C. , Freuling Conrad M. , Müller Thomas
Published: January 2020

The major part of the global burden of dog-mediated rabies falls on Africa and Asia, where still an estimated 60,000 people die of the disease annually. Like in many African countries, dog-mediated rabies is a major public health concern in Namibia, costing the country an estimated 242 human deaths during the past two decades, in particular in the Northern Communal Areas (NCAs). Consequently, under the “One Health” concept, the Namibian government adopted a National Rabies Control Strategy in 2015, which strives to contribute to the global goal of ending dog-mediated human rabies deaths by 2030. A key component of this strategy was the implementation a dog rabies elimination program in the NCAs in 2016, being designed as a stepwise regional rollout strategy by building on experience gained in a pilot project area. The area of implementation covers approximately 263,376 km2 and 64 constituencies, with around 1.2 million inhabitants and estimated 93,000 dogs.
Real-Time Analysis of Individual Ebola Virus Glycoproteins Reveals Pre-Fusion, Entry-Relevant Conformational Dynamics
Authors: Durham Natasha D. , Howard Angela R. , Govindan Ramesh , Senjobe Fernando , Fels J. Maximilian , Diehl William E. , Luban Jeremy , Chandran Kartik , Munro James B.
Published: January 2020

The Ebola virus (EBOV) envelope glycoprotein (GP) mediates the fusion of the virion membrane with the membrane of susceptible target cells during infection. While proteolytic cleavage of GP by endosomal cathepsins and binding of the cellular receptor Niemann-Pick C1 protein (NPC1) are essential steps for virus entry, the detailed mechanisms by which these events promote membrane fusion remain unknown. Here, we applied single-molecule Förster resonance energy transfer (smFRET) imaging to investigate the structural dynamics of the EBOV GP trimeric ectodomain, and the functional transmembrane protein on the surface of pseudovirions. We show that in both contexts, pre-fusion GP is dynamic and samples multiple conformations. Removal of the glycan cap and NPC1 binding shift the conformational equilibrium, suggesting stabilization of conformations relevant to viral fusion. Furthermore, several neutralizing antibodies enrich alternative conformational states. This suggests that these antibodies neutralize EBOV by restricting access to GP conformations relevant to fusion. This work demonstrates previously unobserved dynamics of pre-fusion EBOV GP and presents a platform with heightened sensitivity to conformational changes for the study of GP function and antibody-mediated neutralization.
Modeling Challenges of Ebola Virus–Host Dynamics during Infection and Treatment
Authors: Chertow Daniel S. , Shekhtman Louis , Lurie Yoav , Davey Richard T. , Heller Theo , Dahari Harel
Published: January 2020

Mathematical modeling of Ebola virus (EBOV)–host dynamics during infection and treatment in vivo is in its infancy due to few studies with frequent viral kinetic data, lack of approved antiviral therapies, and limited insight into the timing of EBOV infection of cells and tissues throughout the body. Current in-host mathematical models simplify EBOV infection by assuming a single homogeneous compartment of infection. In particular, a recent modeling study assumed the liver as the largest solid organ targeted by EBOV infection and predicted that nearly all cells become refractory to infection within seven days of initial infection without antiviral treatment. We compared our observations of EBOV kinetics in multiple anatomic compartments and hepatocellular injury in a critically ill patient with Ebola virus disease (EVD) with this model’s predictions. We also explored the model’s predictions, with and without antiviral therapy, by recapitulating the model using published inputs and assumptions. Our findings highlight the challenges of modeling EBOV–host dynamics and therapeutic efficacy and emphasize the need for iterative interdisciplinary efforts to refine mathematical models that might advance understanding of EVD pathogenesis and treatment.
Prophylactic Hepatitis E Vaccines: Antigenic Analysis and Serological Evaluation
Authors: Li Yike , Huang Xiaofen , Zhang Zhigang , Li Shaowei , Zhang Jun , Xia Ningshao , Zhao Qinjian
Published: January 2020

Hepatitis E virus (HEV) infection causes sporadic outbreaks of acute hepatitis worldwide. HEV was previously considered to be restricted to resource-limited countries with poor sanitary conditions, but increasing evidence implies that HEV is also a public health problem in developed countries and regions. Fortunately, several vaccine candidates based on virus-like particles (VLPs) have progressed into the clinical development stage, and one of them has been approved in China. This review provides an overview of the current HEV vaccine pipeline and future development with the emphasis on defining the critical quality attributes for the well-characterized vaccines. The presence of clinically relevant epitopes on the VLP surface is critical for eliciting functional antibodies against HEV infection, which is the key to the mechanism of action of the prophylactic vaccines against viral infections. Therefore, the epitope-specific immunochemical assays based on monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) for HEV vaccine antigen are critical methods in the toolbox for epitope characterization and for in vitro potency assessment. Moreover, serological evaluation methods after immunization are also discussed as biomarkers for clinical performance. The vaccine efficacy surrogate assays are critical in the preclinical and clinical stages of VLP-based vaccine development.
Host Range Evolution of Potyviruses: A Global Phylogenetic Analysis
Authors: Moury Benoît , Desbiez Cécile
Published: January 2020

Virus host range, i.e., the number and diversity of host species of viruses, is an important determinant of disease emergence and of the efficiency of disease control strategies. However, for plant viruses, little is known about the genetic or ecological factors involved in the evolution of host range. Using available genome sequences and host range data, we performed a phylogenetic analysis of host range evolution in the genus Potyvirus, a large group of plant RNA viruses that has undergone a radiative evolution circa 7000 years ago, contemporaneously with agriculture intensification in mid Holocene. Maximum likelihood inference based on a set of 59 potyviruses and 38 plant species showed frequent host range changes during potyvirus evolution, with 4.6 changes per plant species on average, including 3.1 host gains and 1.5 host loss. These changes were quite recent, 74% of them being inferred on the terminal branches of the potyvirus tree. The most striking result was the high frequency of correlated host gains occurring repeatedly in different branches of the potyvirus tree, which raises the question of the dependence of the molecular and/or ecological mechanisms involved in adaptation to different plant species.
Glacial Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF) Events and Water Response in A Patagonian Fjord
Authors: Ross Lauren , Pérez-Santos Iván , Parady Brigitte , Castro Leonardo , Valle-Levinson Arnoldo , Schneider Wolfgang
Published: January 2020

As a result of climate change, the frequency of glacial lake outburst floods (GLOF) is increasing in Chilean Patagonia. Yet, the impacts of the flood events on the physics and biology of fjords is still unknown. Current velocities, density, in-situ zooplankton samples, and volume backscatter (Sv) derived from an acoustic profiler were used to explore the response of circulation and zooplankton abundance in a Patagonian fjord to GLOF events in 2010 and 2014. Maximum Sv was found both during the GLOFs and in late winter to early spring of 2010 and the fall and summer of 2014. The increase in Sv in late winter and spring of 2010 corresponded to multiple zooplankton species found from in-situ net sampling. In addition, diel vertical migrations were found during this seasonal increase both qualitatively and in a spectral analysis. Concurrently with zooplankton increases, wind forcing produced a deepening of the pycnocline. Zooplankton abundance peaked in the fjord when the pycnocline depth deepened due to wind forcing and throughout the entire spring season, indicating that mixing conditions could favor secondary production. These results were corroborated by the 2014 data, which indicate that weather events in the region impact both fjord physics and ecology.
Characteristics, Main Impacts, and Stewardship of Natural and Artificial Freshwater Environments: Consequences for Biodiversity Conservation
Authors: Cantonati Marco , Poikane Sandra , Pringle Catherine M. , Stevens Lawrence E. , Turak Eren , Heino Jani , Richardson John S. , Bolpagni Rossano , Borrini Alex , Cid Núria , Čtvrtlíková Martina , Galassi Diana M. P. , Hájek Michal , Hawes Ian , Levkov Zlatko , Naselli-Flores Luigi , Saber Abdullah A. , Cicco Mattia Di , Fiasca Barbara , Hamilton Paul B. , Kubečka Jan , Segadelli Stefano , Znachor Petr
Published: January 2020

In this overview (introductory article to a special issue including 14 papers), we consider all main types of natural and artificial inland freshwater habitas (fwh). For each type, we identify the main biodiversity patterns and ecological features, human impacts on the system and environmental issues, and discuss ways to use this information to improve stewardship. Examples of selected key biodiversity/ecological features (habitat type): narrow endemics, sensitive (groundwater and GDEs); crenobionts, LIHRes (springs); unidirectional flow, nutrient spiraling (streams); naturally turbid, floodplains, large-bodied species (large rivers); depth-variation in benthic communities (lakes); endemism and diversity (ancient lakes); threatened, sensitive species (oxbow lakes, SWE); diverse, reduced littoral (reservoirs); cold-adapted species (Boreal and Arctic fwh); endemism, depauperate (Antarctic fwh); flood pulse, intermittent wetlands, biggest river basins (tropical fwh); variable hydrologic regime—periods of drying, flash floods (arid-climate fwh). Selected impacts: eutrophication and other pollution, hydrologic modifications, overexploitation, habitat destruction, invasive species, salinization. Climate change is a threat multiplier, and it is important to quantify resistance, resilience, and recovery to assess the strategic role of the different types of freshwater ecosystems and their value for biodiversity conservation. Effective conservation solutions are dependent on an understanding of connectivity between different freshwater ecosystems (including related terrestrial, coastal and marine systems).
Batch Study of Cadmium Biosorption by Carbon Dioxide Enriched Aphanothece sp. Dried Biomass
Authors: Satya Awalina , Harimawan Ardiyan , Haryani Gadis Sri , Johir Md. Abu Hasan , Vigneswaran Saravanamuthu , Ngo Huu Hao , Setiadi Tjandra
Published: January 2020

The conventional method for cadmium removal in aqueous solutions (1–100 mg/L) is ineffective and inefficient. Therefore, a batch biosorption reactor using a local freshwater microalga (originating from an urban lake, namely, Situ Rawa Kalong-Depok) as dried biosorbent was tested. Biosorbent made from three kinds of cyanobacterium Aphanothece sp. cultivars (A0, A8, and A15) were used to eliminate cadmium (Cd2+) ions in aqueous solution (1–7 mg/L). The biosorbents were harvested from a photobioreactor system enriched with carbon dioxide gas of 0.04% (atmospheric), 8%, and 15% under continuous light illumination of about 5700–6000 lux for 14 d of cultivation. Produced dried biosorbents had Brunauer–Emmet–Teller (BET) surface area ranges of 0.571–1.846 m2/g. Biosorption of Cd2+ was pH and concentration dependent. Sorption was spontaneous (ΔG = −8.39 to −10.88 kJ/mol), exothermic (ΔH = −41.85 to −49.16 kJ/mol), and decreased randomness (ΔS = −0.102 to −0.126 kJ/mol. K) on the interface between solid and liquid phases when the process was completed. The kinetic sorption data fitted best to the pseudo-second-order model (k2 = 2.79 × 10−2, 3.96 × 10−2, and 4.54 × 10−2 g/mg.min). The dried biosorbents of A0, A8, and A15, after modeling with the Langmuir and Dubinin–Radushkevich isotherm models, indicated that cadmium binding occurred through chemisorption (qmax, D-R = 9.74 × 10−4, 4.79 × 10−3, and 9.12 × 10−3 mol/g and mean free energy of 8.45, 11.18, and 11.18 kJ/mol) on the monolayer and homogenous surface (qmax, Langmuir of 12.24, 36.90, and 60.24 mg/g). In addition, the results of SEM, EDX, and FTIR showed that there were at least nine functional groups that interacted with Cd2+ (led to bond formation) after biosorption through cation exchange mechanisms, and morphologically the surfaces changed after biosorption. Biosorbent A15 indicated the best resilient features over three cycles of sorption–desorption using 1 M HCl as the desorbing eluent. These biosorbents can be a potent and eco-friendly material for treating aqueous wastewater.
Changes in the Dynamics and Nature of Sedimentation in Mill Ponds as an Indicator of Environmental Changes in a Selected Lake Catchment (Chełmińskie Lake District, Poland)
Authors: Podgórski Zbigniew , Szatten Dawid
Published: January 2020

The article presents the changes in a hydrographic network resulting from the construction and functioning of nine water mills located in the Struga Rychnowska catchment (Poland). Two ponds (Bierzgieł and Oleszek) have been chosen for a detailed study—both with similar basin origins and morphological settings, but different morphometries, paths of water delivery and discharges from the mill, and water retention times. An attempt was made to restore the course of the deposit sedimentation process in mill pond basins on the basis of historical sources, archived cartographic materials, fieldwork, and laboratory analyses (sedimentology, palynology, and 14C dating). The studies allowed determining the scope of anthropogenic impact on the environment on the example of small river catchment, both when the ponds were in use, and afterwards. Decommissioning of water mills induced a number of serious changes in water resources. The most important of them include: the loss of water retention capacity in the Struga Rychnowska catchment, and decreased ground water level in immediate vicinity of former water reservoirs. Currently, a renewed interest in the old locations of water mills is present, in order to restore retention, and use them for the purposes of modern small hydropower plants (SHP).
CAR MANIPULATOR IMITATION MODEL IMPLEMENTED IN CAD ENVIRONMENT
Authors: Popikov P. , Zelikov Vladimir , Yakovlev Konstantin , Menyaylov K. , Shabanov Mikhail , Lysych Mikhail
Published: January 2020

The article is devoted to the problems of simulation of the working process of a truck-mounted crane using modern computer-aided design systems and applications for engineering calculations. Currently, analytical methods are mainly used to model the operation of manipulator technology, such as “manual” compilation and solution of Lagrange equations of the second order, or even simpler evaluative calculations based only on basic concepts of theoretical mechanics. However, such objects consist of many parts that are in a complex rotational motion and contact interaction with each other. If such complex systems are modeled by the indicated analytical methods, one has to introduce a number of assumptions that greatly simplify the mathematical model. The level of its adequacy is low. Also recently, numerical methods for modeling mechanisms that are implemented through programming languages by using a detailed description of the process under study are often used abroad. An alternative to these methods is the use of computer-aided design systems in which numerical methods are built-in at the core level of the program and require setting the basic geometric, dynamic and kinematic parameters of the mechanism and the environment, after which they can calculate the functioning parameters of the object under study. The process of creating a simulation model of a truck mounted crane, which is an analogue of an existing laboratory setup, has been considered. To do this, a 3D model of the manipulator in the SolidWorks CAD environment has been developed. The creation technique and the main features of the obtained simulation model have been described