bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Characterization and evaluation of the effects of mine discharges on surface water resources for irrigation: a case study of the Enyigba Mining District, Southeast Nigeria
Authors: Obasi P. N. , Eyankware M. O. , Akudinobi B. E. B. 
Published: June 2021

AbstractMining activities generate much wastes which degenerate into various geochemical components and affect the natural composition of surface water resources. They cause Acid Mine Drainage (AMDs) and influence the hydrochemical evolution of the hydrogeological systems. This study employed hydrochemical parameters to characterize and evaluate the effects of mine discharges on irrigation surface water in the mining district of Enyigba, SE Nigeria. Twenty-four water samples were collected from surface water sources used for subsistence irrigation farming and analyzed for pH, total dissolved solids (TDS), electrical conductivity (EC), sodium (Na+), potassium (K), calcium (Ca2+), magnesium (Mg2+), bicarbonate (HCO3−), chloride (Cl−) and sulfate (SO42−), while various irrigation parameters including Soluble Sodium Percentage (SSP), Magnesium Adsorption Ratio (MAR), Sodium Percentage (Na %), Sodium Adsorption Ratio (SAR), Permeability Index (PI), Total Hardness (TH), Kelly Ratio (KR) and Electrical Conductivity (EC) were deduced. Result indicates hydrogeochemical trend of Cl− > Mg2+ > Ca2+  > SO42− > HCO3− + CO3 > Na+ + K+, while hydrogeochemical facies from Piper Trilinear plot, Durov and Schoeller plots shows that the dominant ionic species are the Mg2+, Cl−, and SO42−. Irrigation parameters such as SSP, MAR, Na %, SAR, PI, KR and EC indicate that majority of water sample are very good to moderately suitable for irrigation. Five samples around Amorie and Ameka are within the hard category for TH, which could be attributed to the high concentration of dissolved magnesium and calcium ion in the area. Apart from mine discharges, rock water interaction also affects the composition of surface water resources of the area.
Expression gradient of metalloproteinases and their inhibitors from proximal to distal segments of abdominal aortic aneurysm
Authors: Augusciak-Duma Aleksandra , Stepien Karolina L. , Lesiak Marta , Gutmajster Ewa , Fus-Kujawa Agnieszka , Botor Malwina , Sieron Aleksander L. 
Published: June 2021

AbstractAbdominal aortic aneurysm refers to abnormal, asymmetric distension of the infrarenal aortic wall due to pathological remodelling of the extracellular matrix. The distribution of enzymes remodelling the extracellular matrix and their expression patterns in the affected tissue are largely unknown. The goal of this work was to investigate the expression profiles of 20 selected genes coding for metalloproteinases and their inhibitors in the proximal to the distal direction of the abdominal aortic aneurysm. RNA samples were purified from four lengthwise fragments of aneurysm and border tissue obtained from 29 patients. The quantities of selected mRNAs were determined by real-time PCR to reveal the expression patterns. The genes of interest encode collagenases (MMP1, MMP8, MMP13), gelatinases (MMP2, MMP9), stromelysins (MMP3, MMP7, MMP10, MMP11, MMP12), membrane-type MMPs (MMP14, MMP15, MMP16), tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMP1, TIMP2, TIMP3, TIMP4), and ADAMTS proteinases (ADAMTS1, ADAMTS8, and ADAMTS13). It was found that MMP, TIMP, and ADAMTS are expressed in all parts of the aneurysm with different patterns. A developed aneurysm has such a disturbed expression of the main participants in extracellular matrix remodelling that it is difficult to infer the causes of the disorder development. MMP12 secreted by macrophages at the onset of inflammation may initiate extracellular matrix remodelling, which, if not controlled, initiates a feedback loop leading to aneurysm formation.
Carbon-Based MOF Derivatives: Emerging Efficient Electromagnetic Wave Absorption Agents
Authors: Zhang Xue , Qiao Jing , Jiang Yanyan , Wang Fenglong , Tian Xuelei , Wang Zhou , Wu Lili , Liu Wei , Liu Jiurong 
Published: June 2021

AbstractTo tackle the aggravating electromagnetic wave (EMW) pollution issues, high-efficiency EMW absorption materials are urgently explored. Metal–organic framework (MOF) derivatives have been intensively investigated for EMW absorption due to the distinctive components and structures, which is expected to satisfy diverse application requirements. The extensive developments on MOF derivatives demonstrate its significantly important role in this research area. Particularly, MOF derivatives deliver huge performance superiorities in light weight, broad bandwidth, and robust loss capacity, which are attributed to the outstanding impedance matching, multiple attenuation mechanisms, and destructive interference effect. Herein, we summarized the relevant theories and evaluation methods, and categorized the state-of-the-art research progresses on MOF derivatives in EMW absorption field. In spite of lots of challenges to face, MOF derivatives have illuminated infinite potentials for further development as EMW absorption materials.
Eiphosoma laphygmae, a classical solution for the biocontrol of the fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda?
Authors: Allen Tabea , Kenis Marc , Norgrove Lindsey 
Published: June 2021

AbstractThe fall armyworm,Spodoptera frugiperda, an American Lepidoptera, is invasive in Africa and Asia and currently one of the most damaging cereal pests in the tropics. The ichneumonid parasitoid,Eiphosoma laphygmae, is a potential classical biological control agent. We assessed existing knowledge on biology, identified natural distributions, collated reported parasitism rates from field studies and determined which other parasitoids co-occurred. We discussed the suitability ofE. laphygmaefor classical biological control as well as identified limitations and knowledge gaps. We conducted a systematic literature review and had 185 hits, retaining 52 papers. Reports on the natural distribution ofE. laphygmaewere restricted to the American tropics, ranging from North-East Mexico to Sao Paulo State, Brazil. There were only two single and unconfirmed records of it on other hosts, suggesting that the parasitoid may be specific toS. frugiperda,but this needs confirmation. In fields whereE. laphygmaeoccurred naturally, it was the second most important contributor to fall armyworm mortality, after the braconidChelonus insularis. On average,E. laphygmaeparasitized 4.5% of fall armyworm in field studies. The highest parasitism rates were from Costa Rica (13%) and Minas Gerais, Brazil (14.5%). However, these parasitism rates are probably largely underestimated because of likely biases in sampling and parasitism rate calculations.Eiphosoma laphygmaeappeared to establish better in more diverse, weedy systems. As African farming systems often have high diversity, this may favour the establishment and parasitism ofE. laphygmaeif eventually introduced as a classical biological control agent.
The assessment of annual rainfall field by applying different interpolation methods in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
Authors: Ananias Denis Rafael Silveira , Liska Gilberto Rodrigues , Beijo Luiz Alberto , Liska Geraldo José Rodrigues , de Menezes Fortunato Silva 
Published: June 2021

AbstractAn accurate analysis of spatial rainfall distribution is of great importance for managing watershed water resources, in addition to giving support to meteorological studies and agricultural planning. This work compares the performance of two interpolation methods: Inverse distance weighted (IDW) and Kriging, in the analysis of annual rainfall spatial distribution. We use annual rainfall data for the state of Rio Grande do Sul (Brazil) from 1961 to 2017. To determine which proportion of the sample results in more accurate rainfall distribution maps, we use a certain amount of points close to the estimated point. We use mean squared error (MSE), coefficient of determination (R2), root mean squared error (RMSE) and modified Willmott's concordance index (md). We conduct random fields simulations study, and the performance of the geostatistics and classic methods for the exposed case was evaluated in terms of precision and accuracy obtained by Monte Carlo simulation to support the results. The results indicate that the co-ordinary Kriging interpolator showed better goodness of fit, assuming altitude as a covariate. We concluded that the geostatistical method of Kriging using nine closer points (50% of nearest neighbors) was the one that better represented annual rainfall spatial distribution in the state of Rio Grande do Sul.
Reacting to the COVID-19 pandemic through digital connectivity with customers: the Italian experience
Authors: Bettiol Marco , Capestro Mauro , Di Maria Eleonora , Micelli Stefano 
Published: June 2021

AbstractThe COVID-19 has deeply impacted the firm’s competitiveness because of the restrictions that limited the relationships with existing and new customers. The pandemic has pushed firms to rely on digital technologies to redefine business processes as well as customer relationships and marketing strategies. The digital technological portfolio firms may rely on to face the COVID-19 related challenges spanning from the established web-based technologies to the more recent Industry 4.0 tools related to the fourth industrial revolution. In this regard, the paper aims at exploring which digital technologies allowed firms to positively react to the pandemic to overcome their constraints in managing the market relationships. Based on an original qualitative analysis on 26 Italian SMEs carried out during the first Italian lockdown in 2020, the paper identifies three strategies in the use of digital technologies to support customer relationship management and market expansion. It emerges specifically the strategic importance of web-based technologies (videoconferencing, CRM and e-commerce) to support firm competition and performance through customer interactions and digital experience, advancing the literature on firms’ reaction strategies during turbulent and crisis times.
Is Female Wellness Affected When Men Blame Them for Erectile Dysfunction?
Authors: Dubin Justin M. , Wyant W. Austin , Balaji Navin C. , Efimenko Iakov V. , Rainer Quinn C. , Mora Belen , Paz Lisa , Winter Ashley G. , Ramasamy Ranjith 
Published: June 2021

Abstract

Introduction
Several studies have investigated the association between erectile dysfunction (ED), its treatment, and female sexual dysfunction, but the impact of males blaming their female partners for their ED remains unknown.

Aims
To investigate whether women who are blamed by their male partners for their ED experience worse overall sexual function and satisfaction.

Methods
We performed a global, cross-sectional web-based survey to investigate female perceptions of ED. We distributed the 30-item survey via email, Reddit, Amazon Mechanical Turk, and Facebook. Women 18 years of age or older were eligible to participate and answered questions based on a 5-point Likert scale. Women were grouped by ages 18-29, 30-39, and 40 and older.

Main Outcome Measures
The survey collected data that included general demographics and questions regarding experiencing male blame for ED and its relationship with each subject's sexual health and wellness.

Results
A total of 13,617 females participated in the survey. Of the women surveyed, 79% have experienced their partner losing their erection during sexual activity and approximately 1 out of 7 women (14.7%) had experienced being blamed by their partner for loss of their erection. Women who were blamed for their partner's ED were more likely to end the sexual encounter, were less sexually satisfied, and were more likely to end relationships due to their partner's ED.

Conclusion
Approximately 1 out of 7 women have experienced male blame for their partner's ED which is associated with negative impacts on female mental health, sexual satisfaction and the success of the overall partnership. Because of its widespread impact on female wellness, male blame should be considered during evaluation of female sexual history and men must be educated on the significant impact their reactions during intimacy have on their female partners and their relationships as a whole.
Consensus clinical approach for a newly diagnosed systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis among members of the pediatric rheumatology Arab group
Authors: Alkwai Hend M. , Mirza Aisha , Abdwani Reem , Asiri Abdulrahman , Bakry Reima , Alenazi Abdullatif , Khawaja Khulood , Lotfy Hala , Almutairi Muna , Muzaffer Mohammed , Al-Suwairi Wafaa , Alzyoud Raed , Al-Mayouf Sulaiman M. 
Published: June 2021

Background:
Systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis (sJIA) is a diagnosis of exclusion. The complex nature and clinical variety of the disease, as well as the vast clinical variation of disease presentation, may lead to difficulties in disease detection and subsequent delays in treatment.

Aim:
To provide a consensus guidance on the management of newly diagnosed sJIA patients among pediatric rheumatologists in Arab countries.

Methods:
This work was conducted in two phases. The first phase utilized an electronic survey sent through an email invitation to all pediatric rheumatologists in Arab countries. In the second phase, a Task Force of ten expert pediatric rheumatologists from Arab countries met through a series of virtual meetings. Results obtained in phase one were prioritized using a nominal group and Delphi-like techniques in phase two.

Results:
Seven overarching principles and a set of recommendations were approved by the Task Force to form the final consensus.

Conclusion:
This is the first consensus on a clinical approach for pediatric rheumatic diseases among Arab pediatric rheumatologists. It is presented as a guidance on the clinical approach to sJIA that requires further evidence, and future updates are anticipated.
Arctic Cyclones and Their Interactions With the Declining Sea Ice: A Recent Climatology
Authors: Valkonen E. , Cassano J. , Cassano E. 
Published: June 2021

AbstractIn this study, we applied a cyclone tracking algorithm to multiple reanalyses and categorized the detected cyclones based on season, intensity, and sea ice state to provide an Arctic cyclone climatology with emphasis on cyclone‐sea ice interactions over the Arctic Ocean and adjacent waters. Our study period is from 1979 to 2015 and the reanalyses we are using are ERA‐Interim, ERA5, and CFSR. As for our intensity variable, we use Accumulated Cyclone Energy (ACE), which has commonly been used as an intensity metric in the tropics but has not been utilized for high latitudes before. ACE has the advantage that it relates the cyclone intensity to the kinetic energy of the cyclone and therefore better represents the cyclone impact/interaction with the surface. We performed comparisons with the other more commonly used intensity metrics to assess the use of the ACE metric in the Arctic. Our main findings include increased cyclone counts with higher trends toward the end of the study period. Cold season cyclone counts were also found to be related to decreased sea ice concentration throughout the year. We also show that there is a relationship between the cyclone intensity measured by ACE and the surface state. Less sea ice was shown to be related to higher cyclone intensities. Comparisons between the the three reanalysis data sets are also presented.
Seismic Discontinuities Across the North American Caribbean Plate Boundary From S‐to‐P Receiver Functions
Authors: Possee Daniel , Rychert Catherine , Harmon Nicholas , Keir Derek 
Published: June 2021

AbstractThe evolution of the Caribbean plate has resulted in the formation of volcanic arcs, the Caribbean Large Igneous Province (CLIP) and micro‐plates across the plate boundary zones. The northern plate boundary with the North American plate has been particularly segmented with the transition from oblique subduction to oblique collision moving from east to west. However, there are few constraints on the seismic structure of the upper mantle across the plate boundary. Here we use S‐to‐P receiver functions to map seismic velocity discontinuities across the plate boundary, placing constraints on crustal and lithospheric thicknesses, as well as the structures associated with subduction and collision. We image a velocity increase with depth, consistently seen at 28–34 ± 4 km along the plate boundary, which corresponds to the Moho. A second strong velocity increase with depth is observed at depths of 64–66 ± 5 km, which is related to the presence of subducting slabs and anisotropic effects. We image a velocity decrease with depth at 95–135 ± 7 km, which reflects a lithosphere‐asthenosphere boundary that varies in depth across the plate boundary. The deepest negative discontinuity spatially maps to the CLIP. We suggest that a deep melting depth at 135 km, associated with an elevated potential mantle temperature of 1585 ± 20°C during CLIP formation, caused a depleted and dehydrated root to the base of melting, thus thickening the lithosphere.
Neutral Wind Profiles During Periods of Eastward and Westward Equatorial Electrojet
Authors: Yamazaki Y. , Harding B. J. , Stolle C. , Matzka J. 
Published: June 2021

AbstractThe equatorial electrojet (EEJ) is a band of zonal electric current flowing along the magnetic equator in the dayside E‐region ionosphere. The direction of the EEJ is often eastward but sometimes westward. The mechanism for generating westward EEJ is not fully understood. This study examines the relationship between the eastward/westward EEJ and equatorial neutral winds using simultaneous observations of the EEJ from the European Space Agency's Swarm satellite mission and thermospheric winds from the Michelson Interferometer for Global High‐resolution Thermospheric Imaging on NASA's Ionospheric Connection Explorer mission during December 2019–January 2021. Significant differences are found in the average zonal wind profiles between times of eastward and westward EEJ. The EEJ intensity correlates negatively (R = −0.54) and positively (R = 0.58) with the eastward wind velocities at ∼110 and ∼140 km, respectively. The results suggest that the modulation of the zonal electric field by the equatorial zonal wind plays a role in producing the westward EEJ.
Technology‐driven 5G enabled e‐healthcare system during COVID‐19 pandemic
Authors: Alshammari Nasser , Sarker Md Nazirul Islam , Kamruzzaman M.M. , Alruwaili Madallah , Alanazi Saad Awadh , Raihan Md Lamiur , AlQahtani Salman Ali 
Published: June 2021

AbstractTechnology‐driven control measures could be an important tool to control the COVID‐19 pandemic crisis. This study evaluates the potentiality of emerging technologies such as 5G and 6G communication, Deep Learning (DL), big data, Internet of Things (IoT) etc. for controlling the COVID‐19 transmission and ensuring health safety. The healthcare sector is able to provide a unified, rapid, and incessant service to people by applying modern wireless connectivity tools like 5G or 6G during the COVID‐19 pandemic. This study has identified eight key areas of applications for the COVID‐19 management like infection detection; travel history analysis; identification of infection symptoms; early detection; transmission identification; access to information in lockdown; movement of people; and development of medical treatments and vaccines. Data have been collected from the respondents living in Sakaka city, KSA during pandemic. This study reveals that most people receive information from social networking sites, health professionals, and television without facing any challenges. The analysis shows that, during the COVID‐19 pandemic, about 42% of respondents felt tense always or most of the time in a day. Only 28.6% of respondents felt tense sometimes, whereas the remainder (about 30%) did not feel tense in relation to the COVID‐19 crisis. Satisfaction with COVID‐19‐related information is also positively correlated with COVID‐19‐related information literacy (r = 0.53, p < 0.01) that is also positively correlated with depression or emotion, anxiety, and stress (r = ‐0.15, p < 0.05). The long‐term pandemic is creating several psychological symptoms including anxiety, stress, and depression, irrespective of age.
MicroRNA as Biomarkers for Platelet Function and Maturity in Patients with Cardiovascular Disease
Authors: Pedersen Oliver Buchhave , Grove Erik Lerkevang , Kristensen Steen Dalby , Nissen Peter H. , Hvas Anne-Mette 
Published: June 2021

AbstractPatients with cardiovascular disease (CVD) are at increased risk of suffering myocardial infarction. Platelets are key players in thrombus formation and, therefore, antiplatelet therapy is crucial in the treatment and prevention of CVD. MicroRNAs (miRs) may hold the potential as biomarkers for platelet function and maturity. This systematic review was conducted using the guidelines of Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA). To identify studies investigating the association between miRs and platelet function and maturity in patients with CVD, PubMed and Embase were searched on October 13 and December 13, 2020 without time boundaries. Risk of bias was evaluated using a standardized quality assessment tool. Of the 16 included studies, 6 studies were rated “good” and 10 studies were rated “fair.” In total, 45 miRs correlated significantly with platelet function or maturity (rho ranging from –0.68 to 0.38, all p < 0.05) or differed significantly between patients with high platelet reactivity and patients with low platelet reactivity (p-values ranging from 0.0001 to 0.05). Only four miRs were investigated in more than two studies, namely miR-223, miR-126, miR-21 and miR-150. Only one study reported on the association between miRs and platelet maturity. In conclusion, a total of 45 miRs were associated with platelet function or maturity in patients with CVD, with miR-223 and miR-126 being the most frequently investigated. However, the majority of the miRs were only investigated in one study. More data are needed on the potential use of miRs as biomarkers for platelet function and maturity in CVD patients.
Diplodia seriata (grapevine trunk disease).
Authors: Reeder Robert 
Published: June 2021

Abstract

Diplodia seriata is a cosmopolitan and plurivorous fungal species occurring on woody hosts belonging to many plant genera and families (Punithalingam and Waller, 1973; Phillips et al., 2007; Slippers et al., 2007). The fungus is encountered in many habitats, but has a primarily temperate distribution and is present on most continents. D. seriata causes canker, dieback, fruit rot and leaf spot diseases on economically important forest and horticultural species (Farr and Rossman, 2020). Reports of the virulence of this pathogen vary depending upon the crop, varieties and hosts involved and it is often regarded as a stress-related pathogen taking advantage of weak or stressed plants. In common with other members of the Botryosphaeriaceae, D. seriata is capable of living endophytically inside plants (Crous et al., 2006; Slippers and Wingfield, 2007) and latent infections of fruits can result in storage rots. The pathogen is dispersed through both pycnidia and ascospores with conidia regarded as the most important inoculum source for short-distance spread. Infection is through wounds, natural openings, or direct penetration of the host tissue. There is no evidence that this species is seedborne although some members of the Botryosphaeriaceae have been shown to be present in seeds (Gure et al., 2005). The extensive host range of this species means that it is more likely to become established in new areas, as establishment will not depend on the presence of specific hosts. The widespread distribution of this species is presumably as a result of the word-wide movement agricultural, forestry and ornamental plants.