bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Analysis of the Spatial Distribution Characteristics of Livestock and Poultry Farming Pollution and Assessment of the Environmental Pollution Load in Anhui Province
Authors: Wu Sheng , Tang Mengmeng , Wang Yao , Ma Zhongwen , Ma Youhua
Published: April 2022

Anhui Province is located in the eastern China, in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River and Huaihe River, and contains three major basins, i.e., the Yangtze River, Huaihe River, and Xin’an River basins. Based on the statistical data of livestock and poultry quantity and farmland area in Anhui Province in 2019, ArcGIS was used to analyze the spatial distribution characteristics of the livestock and poultry excreta (LPE) pollutants in Anhui Province in order to explore the potential pollution risk posed by livestock and poultry farming to the farmland and the water environment in Anhui Province. The equivalent pollution load method was adopted to compare and assess the release of LPE pollutants in various cities and to analyze the causes. Through the calculation of the farmland carrying capacity load and early warning value of LPE and the water load of livestock and poultry pollutant release based on the equivalent pollution index method, a comprehensive assessment of the potential pollution risk posed by livestock and poultry farming on farmland and the water environment in Anhui Province was carried out. In this study, the spatial distribution of the livestock and poultry pollution in Anhui Province was analyzed, the effect of the pollution load of the livestock and poultry on the cultivated land and water environment was evaluated, and suggestions for environmental protection measures are provided. The results of this study revealed that the total pig equivalent of the livestock and poultry farming in Anhui Province was 55,068,400 and the LPE output was 47,778,600 t in 2019. The LPE pollutant output was 1,707,700 t, and the total release was 510,400 t. The release of pollutant chemical oxygen demand (COD) accounted for 71.67% of the total release. The average farmland load of the pig manure equivalent was 8.09 t/hm2 in the province. The average pollutant diffusion concentration of in the water was 31.63 mg/L. The average equivalent pollution index of LPE was 5.23, indicating a mild pollution impact on the water environment. Overall, the spatial distribution of the LPE pollutant output and pig manure equivalent farmland load in Anhui Province increased from south to north. Fuyang and Suzhou cities had a high risk of water environment pollution and should be the key regions for livestock and poultry pollution prevention and control measures. The optimization of the layout of livestock and poultry farming areas, smoothing the cycles of crop and livestock farming, and the vigorous promotion of the resource utilization of the LPE are proposed.
SeisTutor: A Custom-Tailored Intelligent Tutoring System and Sustainable Education
Authors: Singh Ninni , Gunjan Vinit Kumar , Mishra Amit Kumar , Mishra Ram Krishn , Nawaz Nishad
Published: April 2022

Education is the cornerstone of improving people’s lives and achieving global sustainability. Intelligent systems assist sustainable education with various benefits, including recommending a personalized learning environment to learners. The classroom learning environment facilitates human tutors to interact with every learner and obtain the opportunity to understand the learner’s psychology and then provide learning material (access learner previous knowledge and well-align the learning material as per learner requirement) to them accordingly. Implementing this cognitive intelligence in Intelligent Tutoring System is quite tricky. This research focused on mimicking human tutor cognitive intelligence in the computer-aided system of offering an exclusive curriculum or quality education for sustainable learners. The prime focus of this research article was to evaluate the proposed SeisTutor using Kirkpatrick four-phase evaluation model. The experimental results depict the enhanced learning gained through intelligence incorporated SeisTutor against the intelligence absence, as demonstrated.
A q-Rung Orthopair Fuzzy FUCOM Double Normalization-Based Multi-Aggregation Method for Healthcare Waste Treatment Method Selection
Authors: Saha Abhijit , Mishra Arunodaya Raj , Rani Pratibha , Hezam Ibrahim M. , Cavallaro Fausto
Published: April 2022

Healthcare waste (HCW) management is an intricate issue upon which numerous factors, such as technical, economic, environmental, and social factors, have an impact. A determination on the best treatment method for HCW management can be viewed as a challenging multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) problem in which various options and evaluation criteria are considered. One critical concern when assessing HCW treatment (HCWT) methods is the representation and treatment of dubious data. In this paper, we present a q-rung orthopair fuzzy full consistency method double normalization-based multi-aggregation methodology called q-ROF-FUCOM-DNMA to solve MCDM problems with q-rung orthopair fuzzy information (q-ROFI). In the proposed approach, criteria weights are estimated through the full consistency method (FUCOM) and a ranking of the alternatives is obtained through the double-normalization-based multi-aggregation (DNMA) method with q-ROFI. A HCWT method assessment issue was considered in order to clarify the relevance of the proposed approach. Five HCWT methods, including chemical disinfection, microwave disinfection, incineration, autoclaving (steam sterilization), and reverse polymerization, were considered as alternatives. The results show that autoclaving (steam sterilization) is the most efficient HCWT method. Furthermore, we performed a sensitivity analysis to determine the stability of the proposed approach. Additionally, we compared the presented approach with existing methods.
The Impact of Cement Kiln Dust and Cement on Cold Mix Asphalt Characteristics at Different Climate
Authors: Abdel-Wahed Talaat , Dulaimi Anmar , Shanbara Hayder Kamil , Al Nageim Hassan
Published: April 2022

Cold bitumen emulsion mixtures (CBEMs) are made up of the same materials that are used in hot mixes. However, asphalt emulsion and water are used in such mixes. To date, many countries are still not using these mixes as a structure layer. This can be attributed mainly to their low resistance to rainfall, long curing time and low early strength. The addition of cementitious filler to CBEMs as a clean paving material is a potential technique to achieve superior mechanical qualities. The aim of this research is to compare improved CBEMs that might be used as a wearing surface to hot mix asphalt (HMA). These improvements were carried out through the use of a combination of cement and limestone, or a combination of ordinary Portland cement (OPC) and cement kiln dust (CKD). CBEMs were prepared according to Egyptian and British gradations using different percentages of ordinary Portland cement (OPC), CKD, and limestone. This may offer a new cold bitumen emulsion mixture to be used as a structural pavement layer in such countries. The main tests performed for the assessment of the mixes in this research are indirect tensile stiffness modulus, fatigue resistance, and resistance to rutting at different temperatures (20 °C, 45 °C, and 60 °C). The results show that adding OPC to CBEMs enhanced the results in terms of ITSM, rutting and fatigue resistance. However, significant improvements were made by binary filler made of CKD and OPC to the said mechanical properties in terms of both UK and Egyptian gradations. The ITSM values for both CBEMUK6 and CBEMEg6, which contain 80% OPC + 20% CKD, improved by around 8 and 9 times in comparison to CBEMUK1 and CBEMEg1, which contain 20% OPC + 80% L.S, respectively.
Sustainable Development of Agriculture in Member States of the European Union
Authors: Kalinowska Beata , Bórawski Piotr , Bełdycka-Bórawska Aneta , Klepacki Bogdan , Perkowska Aleksandra , Rokicki Tomasz
Published: April 2022

The main aim of this study was to evaluate the sustainable development of agriculture in the member states of the European Union (EU). Sustainable development is the main objective of Polish agriculture. Sustainable development encompasses three pillars: economic, social and environmental. In recent years, Polish agriculture has undergone a considerable change to integrate and adapt the agricultural sector to the EU standards. The achievement of the sustainable development goals in European agriculture was evaluated based on the Eurostat data as well as the analysis of the literature. The discussion on sustainable development of agriculture is rich. However, little attention is paid to the measurement of sustainable development. Our intention was to fill in the gap in the literature and provide a method to evaluate sustainable development. The paper contributes to the measurement of sustainable development based on Hellwig’s method. The changes in sustainable agricultural development were assessed with an index that was normalized with the zero unitarization method. In the first step, descriptive statistics for the variables applied in the process of calculating the sustainable development index were analyzed. The taxonomic measure of development (TMD) was then calculated for the economic, social and environmental dimensions of sustainable development. In the following stage, 27 EU member states were divided into sustainable development classes based on the mean values of the TMD for each of the three pillars of sustainability. The conducted research revealed changes between the European Union countries in terms of sustainable development. In 2018, the highest values of the sustainable development index were noted in the Netherlands, Germany, France and the United Kingdom.
Evaluating Research Partnerships through ISO 56003 Guidelines, RRI Concepts, and Ex Post Facto Cases
Authors: Rampasso Izabela Simon , Bertazzoli Rodnei , Dibbern Thais , Serafim Milena Pavan , Leal Filho Walter , Rojas-Córdova Carolina , Anholon Rosley
Published: April 2022

This article aims to evaluate improvements in opportunities for research partnerships focused on innovation, considering the ISO 56003 guidelines, Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI) concepts, and the experiences of the authors of this article, who are researchers in various areas (ex post facto). The results presented arise from structured debates and discussions. As a result of the analysis and reflections carried out, some improvement opportunities in most of the partnerships established among research groups can be visualised. Partners in a research group often debate aspects related to technical knowledge associated with the research and contractual procedures in detail; however, they do not equally emphasise other important partnership management aspects, such as the analysis of the research impacts on all stakeholders, the definition and adoption of a governance policy to better conduct the interaction among members, and other actions that can enhance the partnerships. This article can be characterised as a synthesis of lessons learned, in addition to a presentation of guidelines mentioned in the literature. This knowledge can be useful to other researchers in planning new partnerships or evaluating existing ones. For deciding whether to enter into a partnership or withdraw from it, the information presented here is of great value.
q-Analogue of a New Subclass of Harmonic Univalent Functions Associated with Subordination
Authors: Bayram Hasan
Published: April 2022

In this article, we introduce and investigate the q-analogue of a new subclass of harmonic univalent functions defined by subordination. We first obtain a coefficient characterization of these functions. We give compactness and extreme points, distortion bounds, necessary and sufficient convolution conditions for this subclass of harmonic univalent functions with negative coefficients. The symmetry properties and other properties of the q-analogue subclass of functions presented in this paper shed light on future studies.
Quasi-Hadamard Product and Partial Sums for Sakaguchi-Type Function Classes Involving q-Difference Operator
Authors: Çetinkaya Asena , Cotîrlă Luminiţa-Ioana
Published: April 2022

We create two Sakaguchi-type function classes that are starlike and convex with respect to their symmetric points, including a q-difference operator, which may have symmetric or assymetric properties, in the open unit disc. We first obtain sufficient coefficient bounds for these functions. In view of these bounds, we obtain quasi-Hadamard products and several partial sums for these function classes. Moreover, the special values of the parameters provided the corresponding consequences of the partial sums.
Potassium and Silicon Synergistically Increase Cadmium and Lead Tolerance and Phytostabilization by Quinoa through Modulation of Physiological and Biochemical Attributes
Authors: Alharby Hesham F. , Al-Zahrani Hassan S. , Abbas Ghulam
Published: April 2022

Cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb) contaminated soils have increased recently, resulting in limited crop productivity. The ameliorative role of potassium (K) and silicon (Si) is well established in plants under heavy metals stress; however, their combined role under the co-contamination of Cd and Pb is not well understood. We hypothesized that the synergistic application of K and Si would be more effective than their sole treatment for increasing the Pb and Cd tolerance and phytostabilization potential of quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.). In the current study, quinoa genotype ‘Puno’ was exposed to different concentrations of Cd (0, 200 µM), Pb (0, 500 µM) and their combination with or without 10 mM K and 1.0 mM Si supplementation. The results revealed that the combined stress of Cd and Pb was more detrimental than their separate application to plant biomass (66% less than the control), chlorophyll content and stomatal conductance. Higher accumulation of Pb and Cd led to a limited uptake of K and Si in quinoa plants. The supplementation of metal-stressed plants with 10 mM K and 1.0 mM Si, particularly in combination, caused a significant increase in the growth, stomatal conductance and pigment content of plants. The combined stress of Cd and Pb resulted in an overproduction of H2O2 (11-fold) and TBARS (13-fold) and a decrease in membrane stability (59%). Oxidative stress induced by metals was lessened by 8-fold, 9-fold, 7-fold and 11-fold increases in SOD, CAT, APX and POD activities, respectively, under the combined application of K and Si. It is concluded that the exogenous supply of K and Si in combination is very promising for increasing Cd and Pb tolerance and the phytostabilization potential of quinoa.
Titanium and Zinc Based Nanomaterials in Agriculture: A Promising Approach to Deal with (A)biotic Stresses?
Authors: Silva Sónia , Dias Maria Celeste , Silva Artur M. S.
Published: April 2022

Abiotic stresses, such as those induced by climatic factors or contaminants, and biotic stresses prompted by phytopathogens and pests inflict tremendous losses in agriculture and are major threats to worldwide food security. In addition, climate changes will exacerbate these factors as well as their negative impact on crops. Drought, salinity, heavy metals, pesticides, and drugs are major environmental problems that need deep attention, and effective and sustainable strategies to mitigate their effects on the environment need to be developed. Besides, sustainable solutions for agrocontrol must be developed as alternatives to conventional agrochemicals. In this sense, nanotechnology offers promising solutions to mitigate environmental stress effects on plants, increasing plant tolerance to the stressor, for the remediation of environmental contaminants, and to protect plants against pathogens. In this review, nano-sized TiO2 (nTiO2) and ZnO (nZnO) are scrutinized, and their potential to ameliorate drought, salinity, and xenobiotics effects in plants are emphasized, in addition to their antimicrobial potential for plant disease management. Understanding the level of stress alleviation in plants by these nanomaterials (NM) and relating them with the application conditions/methods is imperative to define the most sustainable and effective approaches to be adopted. Although broad-spectrum reviews exist, this article provides focused information on nTiO2 and nZnO for improving our understanding of the ameliorative potential that these NM show, addressing the gaps in the literature.
Isolation, Purification, and Characterization of a Laccase-Degrading Aflatoxin B1 from Bacillus amyloliquefaciens B10
Authors: Xiong Dongwei , Wen Jun , Lu Gen , Li Tianxi , Long Miao
Published: April 2022

Aflatoxins, widely found in feed and foodstuffs, are potentially harmful to human and animal health because of their high toxicity. In this study, a strain of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens B10 with a strong ability to degrade aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) was screened; it could degrade 2.5 μg/mL of AFB1 within 96 h. The active substances of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens B10 for the degradation of AFB1 mainly existed in the culture supernatant. A new laccase with AFB1-degrading activity was separated by ammonium sulfate precipitation, diethylaminoethyl (DEAE) and gel filtration chromatography. The results of molecular docking showed that B10 laccase and aflatoxin had a high docking score. The coding sequence of the laccase was successfully amplified from cDNA by PCR and cloned into E. coli. The purified laccase could degrade 79.3% of AFB1 within 36 h. The optimum temperature for AFB1 degradation was 40 °C, and the optimum pH was 6.0–8.0. Notably, Mg2+ and dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) could enhance the AFB1-degrading activity of B10 laccase. Mutation of the three key metal combined sites of B10 laccase resulted in the loss of AFB1-degrading activity, indicating that these three metal combined sites of B10 laccase play an essential role in the catalytic degradation of AFB1.
Occurrence of BMAA Isomers in Bloom-Impacted Lakes and Reservoirs of Brazil, Canada, France, Mexico, and the United Kingdom
Authors: Abbes Safa , Vo Duy Sung , Munoz Gabriel , Dinh Quoc Tuc , Simon Dana F. , Husk Barry , Baulch Helen M. , Vinçon-Leite Brigitte , Fortin Nathalie , Greer Charles W. , Larsen Megan L. , Venkiteswaran Jason J. , Martínez Jerónimo Felipe Fernando , Giani Alessandra , Lowe Chris D. , Tromas Nicolas , Sauvé Sébastien
Published: April 2022

The neurotoxic alkaloid β-N-methyl-amino-l-alanine (BMAA) and related isomers, including N-(2-aminoethyl glycine) (AEG), β-amino-N-methyl alanine (BAMA), and 2,4-diaminobutyric acid (DAB), have been reported previously in cyanobacterial samples. However, there are conflicting reports regarding their occurrence in surface waters. In this study, we evaluated the impact of amending lake water samples with trichloroacetic acid (0.1 M TCA) on the detection of BMAA isomers, compared with pre-existing protocols. A sensitive instrumental method was enlisted for the survey, with limits of detection in the range of 5–10 ng L−1. Higher detection rates and significantly greater levels (paired Wilcoxon’s signed-rank tests, p < 0.001) of BMAA isomers were observed in TCA-amended samples (method B) compared to samples without TCA (method A). The overall range of B/A ratios was 0.67–8.25 for AEG (up to +725%) and 0.69–15.5 for DAB (up to +1450%), with absolute concentration increases in TCA-amended samples of up to +15,000 ng L−1 for AEG and +650 ng L−1 for DAB. We also documented the trends in the occurrence of BMAA isomers for a large breadth of field-collected lakes from Brazil, Canada, France, Mexico, and the United Kingdom. Data gathered during this overarching campaign (overall, n = 390 within 45 lake sampling sites) indicated frequent detections of AEG and DAB isomers, with detection rates of 30% and 43% and maximum levels of 19,000 ng L−1 and 1100 ng L−1, respectively. In contrast, BAMA was found in less than 8% of the water samples, and BMAA was not found in any sample. These results support the analyses of free-living cyanobacteria, wherein BMAA was often reported at concentrations of 2–4 orders of magnitude lower than AEG and DAB. Seasonal measurements conducted at two bloom-impacted lakes indicated limited correlations of BMAA isomers with total microcystins or chlorophyll-a, which deserves further investigation.
The Use of Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulations for the Treatment of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder: A Scoping Review
Authors: Adu Medard Kofi , Eboreime Ejemai , Sapara Adegboyega O. , Agyapong Vincent I. O.
Published: April 2022

Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) is a non-invasive procedure in which brain neural activity is stimulated by the direct application of a magnetic field to the scalp. Despite its wide and continuous usage for the management of psychiatric disorders, the use of rTMS for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is not well established and evaluated by researchers. This scoping review seeks to explore the relevant literature available regarding the use of rTMS as a mode of treatment for PTSD, to map evidence in support of the use of rTMS for PTSD, and recommendations on future clinical and research work. Five databases were searched (MEDLINE, CINAHL, Psych INFO, SCOPUS, and EMBASE) to identify empirical studies and randomized controlled trials aimed at the treatment of PTSD with rTMS. A total of 10 studies were eligible for this review. The search results are up to date as of the date of the electronic data search of 20 December 2020. The frequencies applied in the studies ranged from low (1 Hz) to high (10 Hz) at different thresholds. Nine reported significant positive outcomes and PTSD symptoms improvement. rTMS was reported as well tolerated with no significant side effects. The application of rTMS for PTSD looks promising despite the diversity in terms of its outcomes and its clinical significance. Studies with well-defined stimulation parameters need to be conducted in the future.
Immune Responses in Leishmaniasis: An Overview
Authors: Costa-da-Silva Ana Caroline , Nascimento Danielle de Oliveira , Ferreira Jesuino R. M. , Guimarães-Pinto Kamila , Freire-de-Lima Leonardo , Morrot Alexandre , Decote-Ricardo Debora , Filardy Alessandra Almeida , Freire-de-Lima Celio Geraldo
Published: April 2022

Leishmaniasis is a parasitic, widespread, and neglected disease that affects more than 90 countries in the world. More than 20 Leishmania species cause different forms of leishmaniasis that range in severity from cutaneous lesions to systemic infection. The diversity of leishmaniasis forms is due to the species of parasite, vector, environmental and social factors, genetic background, nutritional status, as well as immunocompetence of the host. Here, we discuss the role of the immune system, its molecules, and responses in the establishment, development, and outcome of Leishmaniasis, focusing on innate immune cells and Leishmania major interactions.
Schistosomiasis at the Crossroad to Elimination: Review of Eclipsed Research with Emphasis on the Post-Transmission Agenda
Authors: Giboda Michal , Bergquist Robert , Utzinger Jürg
Published: April 2022

While chronic schistosomiasis is pathologically well defined, the acute form of the disease is less well understood. It is generally agreed that early lesions, such as lung nodules and bladder polyps, are reversible, which impedes identification of the time elapsed since exposure. The intermediate stage between the acute and the chronic forms of schistosomiasis requires further investigation, as does the clinical stage due to lesions remaining after treatment. With current schistosomiasis control efforts gradually progressing to elimination, there is a need to focus on post-transmission schistosomiasis, which not only refers to remaining lesions from previous infections, but also accounts for the potential presence of surviving worms after treatment. This issue is particularly salient for migrants from endemic to non-endemic countries and should be kept in mind for returning expatriates from schistosomiasis-endemic countries. Negative stool examination or urine filtration are generally taken as indicative of cure since rectoscopy for Schistosoma mansoni infection, or cystoscopy for S. haematobium infection, are rarely performed. However, pathology of affected organs may persist indefinitely, while potentially remaining live worms could produce additional pathology. Hence, post-transmission schistosomiasis can prevail for years after elimination of the disease, and thus, warrant further attention.
PAGE-B and REACH-B Predicts the Risk of Developing Hepatocellular Carcinoma in Chronic Hepatitis B Patients from Northeast, Brazil
Authors: Costa Alessandra Porto de Macedo , da Silva Marcos Antonio Custódio Neto , Castro Rogério Soares , Sampaio Ana Leatrice de Oliveira , Alencar Júnior Antônio Machado , da Silva Márcia Costa , Ferreira Adalgisa de Souza Paiva
Published: April 2022

This study aims to evaluate the accuracy of the PAGE-B and REACH-B scores in predicting the risk of developing HCC in patients with chronic hepatitis B regularly followed up at a reference service in the State of Maranhão. A historical, longitudinal, retrospective cohort study, carried out from the review of medical records of patients with chronic Hepatitis B. PAGE-B and REACH-B scores were calculated and the accuracy of the scores in predicting the risk of HCC in the studied population was evaluated. A total of 978 patients were included, with a median age of around 47 years, most of them female and not cirrhotic. HCC was identified in 34 patients. Thrombocytopenia, high viral load, male gender and age were associated with the occurrence of HCC. The ROC curve for the PAGE-B score showed a value of 0.78 and for the REACH-B score of 0.79. The cutoff point for PAGE-B was 11 points for greater sensitivity and for REACH-B 7.5 points considering greater sensitivity and 9.5 points considering greater specificity. PAGE-B and REACH-B scores were able to predict the risk of developing HCC in the studied population. The use of risk stratification scores is useful to reduce costs associated with HCC screening.
Subacute Sclerosing Panencephalitis in Children: The Archetype of Non-Vaccination
Authors: Papetti Laura , Amodeo Maria Elisa , Sabatini Letizia , Baggieri Melissa , Capuano Alessandro , Graziola Federica , Marchi Antonella , Bucci Paola , D’Ugo Emilio , Kojouri Maedeh , Gioacchini Silvia , Marras Carlo Efisio , Nucci Carlotta Ginevra , Ursitti Fabiana , Sforza Giorgia , Ferilli Michela Ada Noris , Monte Gabriele , Moavero Romina , Vigevano Federico , Valeriani Massimiliano , Magurano Fabio
Published: April 2022

Subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE) is a late complication of measles virus infection that occurs in previously healthy children. This disease has no specific cure and is associated with a high degree of disability and mortality. In recent years, there has been an increase in its incidence in relation to a reduction in vaccination adherence, accentuated by the COVID-19 pandemic. In this article, we take stock of the current evidence on SSPE and report our personal clinical experience. We emphasise that, to date, the only effective protection strategy against this disease is vaccination against the measles virus.
Exploring the Mechanisms Underlying the Cardiotoxic Effects of Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor Therapies
Authors: Ronen Daniel , Bsoul Aseel , Lotem Michal , Abedat Suzan , Yarkoni Merav , Amir Offer , Asleh Rabea
Published: April 2022

Adaptive immune response modulation has taken a central position in cancer therapy in recent decades. Treatment with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) is now indicated in many cancer types with exceptional results. The two major inhibitory pathways involved are cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated protein 4 (CTLA4) and programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1). Unfortunately, immune activation is not tumor-specific, and as a result, most patients will experience some form of adverse reaction. Most immune-related adverse events (IRAEs) involve the skin and gastrointestinal (GI) tract; however, any organ can be involved. Cardiotoxicity ranges from arrhythmias to life-threatening myocarditis with very high mortality rates. To date, most treatments of ICI cardiotoxicity include immune suppression, which is also not cardiac-specific and may result in hampering of tumor clearance. Understanding the mechanisms behind immune activation in the heart is crucial for the development of specific treatments. Histological data and other models have shown mainly CD4 and CD8 infiltration during ICI-induced cardiotoxicity. Inhibition of CTLA4 seems to result in the proliferation of more diverse T0cell populations, some of which with autoantigen recognition. Inhibition of PD-1 interaction with PD ligand 1/2 (PD-L1/PD-L2) results in release from inhibition of exhausted self-recognizing T cells. However, CTLA4, PD-1, and their ligands are expressed on a wide range of cells, indicating a much more intricate mechanism. This is further complicated by the identification of multiple co-stimulatory and co-inhibitory signals, as well as the association of myocarditis with antibody-driven myasthenia gravis and myositis IRAEs. In this review, we focus on the recent advances in unraveling the complexity of the mechanisms driving ICI cardiotoxicity and discuss novel therapeutic strategies for directly targeting specific underlying mechanisms to reduce IRAEs and improve outcomes.
Knowledge and Attitudes of Medical Students toward COVID-19 Vaccine in Saudi Arabia
Authors: Habib Syed Shahid , Alamri Musab Saleh , Alkhedr Mudafr Mahmoud , Alkhorijah Mohammad Abdullah , Jabaan Rayan Dhafer , Alanzi Mubarak Khalid
Published: April 2022

Medical students are the future caregivers of communities, and therefore it is important to rectify their misconceptions about the COVID-19 vaccine. We aimed to explore the knowledge and attitudes among medical students toward the COVID-19 vaccine in Saudi Arabia and to compare the level of knowledge between preclinical and clinical years. This epidemiological cross-sectional study of 1445 (47.3% were pre-clinical and 52.7% were clinical year) medical students was conducted at various universities in Saudi Arabia using a simple random sampling technique. The results revealed that 34.3% students did not know how the Pfizer vaccine worked, with a high proportion in preclinical students (69.4%). Almost 37% of participants thought that one could become infected with COVID-19 via the COVID-19 vaccine, and 67.1% of these students were pre-clinical. About 22.6% of students did not trust COVID-19 vaccine information from the health ministry, and the majority of them (79.8%) were pre-clinical. Vaccine hesitancy was shown by about 33.3% (n = 481) of subjects, and surprisingly, almost half of them (48.6%) thought that the COVID-19 vaccine involved conspiracy; the majority of them were pre-clinical (97.9%). The overall response of students indicates a significantly lower level of knowledge and increased negative attitudes of preclinical students toward the COVID-19 vaccine. However, the vast majority of students agreed on the importance of the COVID-19 vaccine to decrease the spread of the disease.
Bcl-2 Immunoexpression in Feline Epitheliotropic Intestinal T-Cell Lymphomas
Authors: Rebollada-Merino Agustín , Porras Néstor , Calvo-Ibbitson Andrés , Rodríguez-Franco Fernando , Rodríguez-Bertos Antonio
Published: April 2022

Lymphoma is the most common malignant hematopoietic neoplasm in domestic felines. Twenty-two cases of feline epitheliotropic duodenal T-cell lymphoma were characterized morphologically and immunohistochemically (CD3, Pax5, Ki-67), and Bcl-2 immunoexpression was established. Most cases were in domestic shorthair cats (88.2%), with a mean age of 11.2 years. All lymphomas were CD3+, with a low-to-moderate expression of Ki-67 (<30%). A correlation between the tumoral pattern of infiltration in the lamina propria and the intraepithelial distribution of the neoplastic lymphocytes was established (p = 0.0155). Intraepithelial nests of neoplastic lymphocytes were predominantly observed in lymphomas with a patchy distribution in the lamina propria, whereas intraepithelial plaques were seen in lymphomas with an obliteration pattern. Bcl-2 was expressed in neoplastic cells in all cases, and a higher expression was associated with increased villous stunting (p = 0.0221), and tended to be present in those cases with increased epithelial damage. The expression of Bcl-2 and the degree of epitheliotropism were correlated with neoplastic progression in epitheliotropic intestinal T-cell lymphomas; those displaying high Bcl-2 immunoexpression showed increased villous stunting and epithelial damage, suggesting that Bcl-2 is overexpressed in advanced tumor stages, and may be used as a predictor of tumoral behavior in feline epitheliotropic intestinal T-cell lymphomas. This entity showed many similarities with human MEITL, so the latter entity should be considered in further lymphoma classifications of domestic animals.
Effect of Web Flexibility in Gear Engagement: A Proposal of Analysis Strategy
Authors: Bruzzone Fabio , Rosso Carlo
Published: April 2022

Increasing torque and power density in geared transmissions is a constant trend, especially due to the electrification and the research of higher efficiency. Thinner web of the gears has led to potentially higher vibration amplitudes and noise levels, which need to be accounted for in the design stage to avoid fatigue or NVH problems. In the present paper a novel model to represent the dynamic interaction in geared transmissions is presented. The compliances of the shafts are taken into account in two different ways: in a simple strategy, by means of three-dimensional beam elements; in a more detailed methodology, by reduction in a FE model of the gear and shaft assembly. The different gears are connected using kinematic relationships exploited by means of rigid joints and rigid body elements. The flexibility of the teeth and of the gear body is introduced based on an established nonlinear calculation model and is employed as the only dynamic excitation source as a time varying mesh stiffness. Thanks to the reduced size of the matrices a direct integration scheme is used for the time domain analysis of the transmission. Such methodology enables the possibility of modeling dynamic contact loss and torque variations at different rotational velocities with reduced computational times in comparison to other approaches. The technique is then applied to two different geometries of driven gear: one with solid web and one with flexible web. The dynamic behavior of the two different solutions is studied and the differences are highlighted. The proposed approach proves to be more efficient than traditional multibody analyses and quicker than finite element approaches, while maintaining a similar accuracy. It proves to be effective also for studying the transmission with flexible web.
Trophic Patterns of Freshwater Fish across the Balkan Biodiversity Hotspot
Authors: Vagenas Georgios , Oikonomou Anthi , Karachle Paraskevi K. , Petriki Olga , Stoumboudi Maria Th.
Published: April 2022

Ecological information regarding trophic patterns and the inherent structure of freshwater aquatic communities is considered fundamental in ecological research. In this study, the trophic patterns of the Greek freshwater fish fauna, belonging to the Balkan biodiversity hotspot, were investigated, and comparisons of freshwater fish species feeding habits among the Greek freshwater ecoregions were performed. The analyses based on the widely used trophic level index and the available composition feeding datasets, along with the utilization of clustering methods, indicated seven major distinct trophic guilds in the Greek ecoregions. The trophic level of the studied fish species ranged from 2.0 to 4.5, thus being within the expected values for freshwater ecosystems, revealing the presence of both top predators and primary consumers. The highest trophic level values were found in the ecoregions of northern Greece. The results also exhibited considerable predominance of higher-trophic-level zooplanktivorous and insectivorous freshwater fish species in the mainland, compared to lower-trophic-level opportunist species in the island-isolated ecoregions. These results could be used for the application of ecosystem-based models and the formulation of conservation and fishery management schemes.
Simple Is the Best: An Alternative Method for the Analysis of Free-Living Nematode Assemblage Structure
Authors: Semprucci Federica , Grassi Eleonora , Balsamo Maria
Published: April 2022

An alternative approach to notice changes of the nematode community structure was evaluated in five study cases in the Mediterranean Sea. In detail, we suggested a combination of morpho-functional traits (i.e., amphid, cuticle, buccal cavity, and tail shape) as an alternative to the taxonomic identification of nematodes. The results clearly demonstrated that the matrixes made using the trait code numbers perfectly mirror the changes of the nematode community structure at the genus level. The combination of the morpho-functional traits more frequently observed in areas under human pressure were ascribable to genera belonging to Xyalidae, Linhomoeidae and Chromadoridae families. This approach might greatly speed the analyses of nematode fauna in biomonitoring programs and might also be adopted for other meiobenthic organisms that may be categorized in functional groups opening new perspectives in the ecological assessment of meiofauna.
Study on the Matching Method of Agricultural Water and Land Resources from the Perspective of Total Water Footprint
Authors: Zhao Dan , Chen Xiangwei , Han Yanlong , Zhao Yikai , Men Xiuli
Published: April 2022

The matching status of agricultural water and land resources is a prerequisite for grain production. The influence of gray water footprint has not been paid attention to in the study of agricultural water and land resources matching based on water footprint. To measure the matching status of agricultural water and land resources more comprehensively, the total water footprint (including blue, green and gray water footprint) and the cultivated land area was taken as the characterization parameters of water and land resources, respectively. The Gini coefficient model, and the agricultural water and land resources matching coefficient model were constructed to calculate the matching degree of agricultural water and land resources in a cold region (Heilongjiang Province) of China. Based on the amount of agricultural water consumption, the equivalent coefficient model was used to evaluate the degree of agricultural water and land resources shortage or to be developed. The result of agricultural water and land resources matching coefficient model showed that the matching degree of agricultural water and land resources in Heilongjiang Province is getting better year by year, which is consistent with the calculations determined from the Gini coefficient. The result of the equivalent coefficient method based on agricultural water consumption was consistent with the result of the Gini coefficient method based on total water footprint, which is verified that it is scientific and reasonable to take the total water footprint as the characterization parameter of water resource. The findings may provide implications for the spatial optimal allocation of regional agricultural water and land resources.
Religiões afro-brasileiras e Educação Ambiental: análises sobre resíduos sólidos urbanos em oferendas a Iemanjá em Tramandaí (RS)
Authors: Aniceto Antonio Carlos Venancio , Scoz Tatiane Melissa
Published: April 2022

Após as festas de Iemanjá, ficam acumulados nas praias materiais inorgânicos que poluem a natureza. Neste sentido, este estudo buscou analisar os materiais utilizados nessas festas, especificamente, em Tramandaí (RS), em 02 de fevereiro de 2019. Além da saída técnica, foram realizadas uma pesquisa bibliográfica e a aplicação de um questionário aos adeptos de terreiro. A pesquisa apresenta recursos da Educação Ambiental em prol da mudança de comportamento em indivíduos praticantes de religiões afro-brasileiras. Observou-se que há uma lacuna em meio à teoria e à prática nos rituais afroreligiosos e as atitudes ambientalmente inadequadas nas festas de Iemanjá antagoniza a ideia de divindades imanentes. O enfraquecimento da relação homem-natureza pode ter origem em diversos fatores sociais, culturais e religiosos.
Projeto de aprendizagem: o conhecimento dos vegetais na formação técnica em meio ambiente
Authors: Albuquerque Lana de Matos , Rodrigues Alessandra de Araújo , Paes Lucilene da Silva , Marques Jean Dalmo de Oliveira
Published: April 2022

As questões ambientais estão diretamente relacionadas ao entendimento quanto à composição dos ecossistemas e suas interações. A diversidade dos componentes reflete a riqueza em recursos naturais e sua relevância para os ciclos biológicos de determinada região. Neste cenário os vegetais contribuem nos equilíbrios e manutenção do meio ambiente sendo de extrema relevância compreender suas características e funcionamento. Diante do exposto, este trabalho teve como objetivo proporcionar um material instrucional em forma de produto educacional para alunos de Meio Ambiente (MA) resultante de um projeto de aprendizagem desenvolvido no Mestrado Profissional em Ensino Tecnológico do Instituto Federal de Educação Ciência e Tecnologia do Amazonas. A docente apresenta neste artigo parte de seus resultados avaliando e disponibilizando materiais didáticos construídos a partir da realidade observada nos documentos e diagnósticos realizados com alunos em formação do curso Técnico em Meio Ambiente (MA). Mediante a análise dos dados, foi elaborado um material didático na forma de produto educacional, com direcionamento para professores e alunos no formato de um manual, jogo de tabuleiro e site, com práticas que permitem o desenvolvimento de competências botânicas em vários espaços formais e não formais.
A importância da educação socioambiental em tempos de pandemia: estratégias e experiências para o ensino remoto
Authors: Santos Leonoura Katarina , Santos Alex Lourenço dos , Rosa Odelfa
Published: April 2022

A presente pesquisa apresenta uma reflexão sobre a importância mediação didática significativa para o ensino da Educação Socioambiental, por meio do uso metodológico de recursos lúdicos-pedagógicos e atividades práticas de horticultura doméstica, realizada na Escola de 1º Grau Pollyana, no município de Catalão (GO) com os alunos do Ensino Fundamental II via ensino remoto. O objetivo da pesquisa é elencar a importância a Educação Socioambiental em tempos de pandemia. A metodologia ocorreu de forma qualitativa e quantitativa, sendo realizada a partir da pesquisa bibliográfica, documental e experimental. Todas as atividades obtiveram ótimos resultados e foram construídas a partir da realidade do alunado, levando a tomada de consciência ambiental, por meio das mudanças escola-casa.
Educação Ambiental e logística reversa nos anos iniciais do ensino fundamental
Authors: Pontes Altem Nascimento , Caldas Ágata Maise  de Jesus , Miranda Suellen dos Santos , Lopes Suzan do Socorro Brito de
Published: April 2022

: A Educação Ambiental (EA) e a Logística Reversa (LR) contribuem para o desenvolvimento sustentável. O objetivo desta pesquisa foi descobrir o nível de conhecimento sobre EA e LR de alunos dos anos iniciais do ensino fundamental de escolas públicas na cidade de Belém-PA. A pesquisa de cunho bibliográfico contou com atividades de campo que ocorreu no mês de novembro de 2019 com o total de 96 alunos do 3º, 4º e 5º anos de duas escolas públicas de Belém-PA. Foram realizadas oficinas para a confecção de objetos a partir de resíduos, e posterior aplicação de formulários com perguntas abertas e fechadas. Os resultados mostraram que o assunto mais conhecido é a Educação Ambiental, sendo a internet a principal fonte de informação. Na escola, a EA é vista nos 2º e 3º anos na disciplina de Ciências. A busca por novas perspectivas de ensinar e aprender assuntos como EA e LR contribui para a formação de indivíduos conscientes.
A Educação Ambiental pela representação social de alunos ingressantes em Cursos de Licenciatura em Ciências Biológicas, Física e Química da Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo
Authors: Freitas Rafael Almeida de , Vogel Marcos
Published: April 2022

Investigamos a Educação Ambiental entre alunos ingressantes em Licenciaturas em Ciências Biológicas, Física e Química da Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo – Alegre, baseados na Teoria das Representações Sociais (TRS) e do Núcleo Central, numa abordagem qualitativa e exploratória, compreendendo questionários fundamentados na Técnica de Associação Livre de Palavras. Os resultados (evocações) foram homogeneizados e analisados por meio das Análises Prototípica e de Similitude. Evidenciamos uma Representação Social da Educação Ambiental caracterizada pelos conceitos “preservação”, “poluição”, “conscientização” e “reciclagem”. Concluímos pela composição de um grupo social entre os licenciandos e de uma Representação Social caracterizada por elementos das correntes “conservacionista/recursista”, “resolutiva”, “moral/ética” e “ecoeducação”, tendo a TRS, para além de sua relevância social, contribuído favoravelmente ao estudo da Educação Ambiental e, em especial, no campo do Ensino/Educação em Ciências.
Cultivo e consumo de plantas alimentícias não convencionais incentivam práticas de Educação Ambiental em escola de Igrejinha (RS)
Authors: Cherobini Luciane , Marques Francisco Luiz , Biondo Elaine
Published: April 2022

Por meio da identificação, cultivo e avaliação da aceitação de Plantas Alimentícias Não Convencionais (PANC) na alimentação de professores e escolares em escola pública do município de Igrejinha (RS), objetivou-se alcançar o resgate da biodiversidade agrícola/alimentar associado aos conceitos de sustentabilidade em práticas de Educação Ambiental. Com abordagem quali-quantitativa, realizou-se um estudo de caso, cuja investigação segue parâmetros de uma pesquisa-intervenção. Entre os resultados alcançados, destacam-se: possibilidade de manejo das PANC; uso de pneus inservíveis para plantio; e ampla aceitação de alimento à base de ora-pro-nóbis (Pereskia aculeata Mill.), constatada em análise sensorial.
Práticas de Educação Ambiental no EMITI: estudo de caso na EEB Nereu Ramos, Santo Amaro da Imperatriz (SC)
Authors: Rosa Carmelita Olga Dias
Published: April 2022

O Ensino Médio Integral em Tempo Integral (EMITI) é uma forma de educação com horário ampliado, buscando oportunizar entre educadores e jovens a construção conjunta de uma educação que valoriza o tradicional, mas que busca desenvolver competências para a vida profissional e pessoal de professores e estudantes. O objetivo desta pesquisa é analisar as práticas de Educação Ambiental oportunizadas nos projetos de intervenção do EMITI. Para tal, buscamos conhecer as percepções e práticas de Educação Ambiental adotadas pelos professores. Estes compreendem que a Educação Ambiental é um tema transversal, porém demonstram desconhecimento em relação às definições de transversalidade e interdisciplinaridade. Os resultados demonstram que a implantação do EMITI, bem como seus projetos, favorecem uma conscientização de professores e estudantes quanto aos temas voltados à Educação Ambiental na escola.
Healthscaping Urban Europe - Project overview - Bologna part
Authors: Zaneri Taylor , Geltner Guy
Published: April 2022

Public health is often thought of as a by-product of modernity, yet historical evidence shows that numerous stakeholders in medieval Europe took steps to reduce risks and improve health incomes. The ERC project “Healthscaping Urban Europe: Bio-Power, Space and Society, 1200-1500” (grant no. 724114) explores this idea by bringing together a group of historians and archaeologists of the era to explore how urban residents in two of Europe’s most urbanized regions – Italy and the Low Countries – thought about and pursued population-level health. The project integrates written, visual and material sources with archaeological data to examine preventative health interventions in GIS, suggesting that these were well developed before the onset of the Black Death (1346-1353). This paper deals with the Bologna case study. It describes the datasets we created and the technical choices we made.