bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Comparative Study of Cooling Performance and Thermal Comfort under Street Market Shades and Tree Canopies in Tropical Savanna Climate
Authors: Jareemit Daranee , Srivanit Manat
Published: April 2022

Walking through street markets is the most popular outdoor activity in Thailand, promoting local economies and tourism. In the year-round hot and humid conditions, living outdoors with long heat exposure throughout the midday can result in heat-related illness. Artificial shade structures and tree shade canopies are typical cooling strategies to protect market sellers and pedestrians from direct sun exposure and improve outdoor human thermal comfort in the street market. This study investigates microclimate conditions and cooling benefits of typical street market shade structures with different settings—three roofing materials, two roof shapes, and surrounding trees with dense and sparse canopies. The dimension of the single artificial shade was 2 m × 2 m with heights varying 2–2.5 m. The vertical air temperature and sky view factor profiles were measured on winter and summer days. The calculated physiological equivalent temperatures (PET) and thermal comfortable hours beneath different shade structures were assessed using RayMan 1.2 software. A cluster of trees with a dense canopy provided more effective cooling (with a satisfied thermal condition of 9 h) than artificial shade structures. Thermal conditions under the galvanized steel roofing and HDPE tarpaulin plastic roofing shades were cooler than those of polycarbonate roofing shade. Meanwhile, the space beneath the sparse tree canopy had the warmest condition. The temperature reductions beneath the artificial shade structure varied throughout the day, with the maximum reduction occurring during midday and the lowest reduction found in the late morning and late afternoon. Our study demonstrates that the tree canopies and artificial shade structures had limited application for providing comfortable conditions throughout midday. To reduce such extreme heat, a combination of shade structures with other cooling techniques is suggested, which should be the focus for further studies.
An Assessment of the Financial Feasibility of an OTEC Ecopark: A Case Study at Cozumel Island
Authors: Tobal-Cupul Jessica Guadalupe , Garduño-Ruiz Erika Paola , Gorr-Pozzi Emiliano , Olmedo-González Jorge , Martínez Emily Diane , Rosales Andrés , Navarro-Moreno Dulce Daniela , Benítez-Gallardo Jonathan Emmanuel , García-Vega Fabiola , Wang Michelle , Zamora-Castillo Santiago , Rodríguez-Cueto Yandy , Rivera Graciela , García-Huante Alejandro , Zertuche-González José A. , Cerezo-Acevedo Estela , Silva Rodolfo
Published: April 2022

The aim of this article is to show how an OTEC Ecopark could provide comprehensive, sustainable, and quality products that satisfy the diverse needs of coastal communities in Mexico. An offshore 60 MW hybrid Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC) plant is proposed, which will provide products that will not only fulfill the water, energy, and food needs of the coastal communities, but also energize the local blue economy. An assessment of the financial feasibility of the plant as well as a comparative analysis against other forms of energy generation was carried out. The methodology section includes a market description, literature review for the technical design, methods for mitigating socio-environmental risks, and an analysis of operational risks. To determine financial feasibility, the CAPEX, OPEX and annual revenue, including the sale of CELs and carbon credits, were evaluated. The Internal Rate of Return suggests that the system would pay for itself in year 5 of the system’s 30-year life. The methodology used for this case study, with site-specific adaptations, can be applied to other coastal communities across the globe.
When Digital Mass Participation Meets Citizen Deliberation: Combining Mini- and Maxi-Publics in Climate Policy-Making
Authors: Itten Anatol , Mouter Niek
Published: April 2022

The upcoming vogue of climate assemblies and other forms of mini-publics are to give citizens a central role in climate policy-making and to break the political impasse. Yet climate mini-publics face challenges in political environments too, such as co-option, favoring expert opinions, and losing touch with the broader public. To remedy such pitfalls, recent papers have argued to combine synchronous deliberations of small groups of citizens with online participation procedures for the larger public. In this article, we report the results of a three-step combination model, where first a mini-public in the region of Súdwest-Fryslân (NL) was given a “carte blanche” to draft the content and the parameters of several related policy alternatives. Second, their proposals were fed into a digital participation tool to consult the wider public. Third, a citizens forum translated the outcomes of the maxi-public into policy recommendations, which were unanimously approved by the municipal council. In this paper, we report our findings of combining mini- and maxi-publics and how the actors involved evaluated the strengths and weaknesses of the combination of these two participatory approaches.
The Role of Self-Efficacy as a Mediating Variable in CareerEDGE Employability Model: The Context of Undergraduate Employability in the North-East Region of Nigeria
Authors: Wujema Baba Kachalla , Mohd Rasdi Roziah , Zaremohzzabieh Zeinab , Ahrari Seyedali
Published: April 2022

(1) Background: Tertiary institutions are facing increasing pressure to produce employable undergraduates who can drive the sustainability of strong economic growth and development. As such, responsibility lies with the higher education sector in ensuring undergraduates’ readiness for entry to the labor market, thus joining the ranks of those already employable. Thus, this study applied the CareerEDGE model as a theoretical basis to investigate the factors associated with undergraduate employability. The mediating effect of self-efficacy on the predictive relationships was also examined. (2) Methods: Data were collected from a sample of 264 from six universities in the North-East region of Nigeria. Partial least squares structural equation modeling was used to perform the data analysis in this study. (3) Results: Results revealed that the five constructs of the CareerEDGE model (career development learning; work experience; degree subject knowledge, skills, and understanding; generic skills; and emotional intelligence) are positively associated with undergraduate employability. Self-efficacy was found to mediate this relationship. Altogether, these results signal that the CareerEDGE model contributes to undergraduate employability and that self-efficacy is instrumental in elucidating this relationship. The results add to the extant knowledge on the impact of the CareerEDGE constructs on students’ approaches to careers. (4) Conclusions: The findings have significant implications for higher education institutions and career practitioners in identifying ways of enhancing undergraduates’ career planning strategies within a more challenging labor market context.
ACM-SH: An Efficient Access Control and Key Establishment Mechanism for Sustainable Smart Healthcare
Authors: Thapliyal Siddhant , Wazid Mohammad , Singh Devesh Pratap , Das Ashok Kumar , Alhomoud Ahmed , Alharbi Adel R. , Kumar Harish
Published: April 2022

Sustainable smart healthcare applications are those in which health services can be provided to remotely located patients through the Internet without placing extra burden on environmental resources. They should be operated with minimum power consumption using biodegradable, recyclable, and environmentally friendly healthcare equipment and products. In an Internet of Medical Things (IoMT)-enabled sustainable smart healthcare environment, all the health services are capable of producing informative data whenever some raw information is provided as the input or are capable of performing work on their own with less intervention from humans. As a result, they provide great advantages over the traditional healthcare system. As sustainable smart healthcare devices are operated through the Internet, it is possible that they could be attacked by various hackers. To mitigate these issues, in this paper, we propose a new access control along with a key-establishment mechanism for a sustainable smart healthcare system. The results of the security analysis showed that the proposed scheme was highly robust against a variety of passive and active attacks. In comparison to existing competing schemes, the proposed scheme is lightweight, as well as delivers high security and additional functionality. Finally, a practical demonstration of the proposed scheme is provided to show its impact on the key network performance parameters.
Assessing the Barriers of Green Innovation Implementation: Evidence from the Vietnamese Manufacturing Sector
Authors: Huang Yung-Fu , Chen Abbott Po-Shun , Do Manh-Hoang , Chung Jen-Chieh
Published: April 2022

Sustainability concerns are rising as an interesting topic in both academia and industry. Many scholars revealed that green innovation is an excellent solution to enable organizations to achieve various benefits, such as enhancing their reputation and competitive advantages. Thus, this is the first study in Vietnam to consider the barriers to implementing green innovation. The research aims to identify the obstacles to green innovation practices in the Vietnamese manufacturing sector. The interpretive structural modeling (ISM) approach has been conducted to provide the interactions among the green innovation implementation barriers. The authors ground this study to bridge the theoretical and practical for green innovation practices in the Vietnam situation. Based on the experts’ perspectives, they proposed that Vietnamese manufacturers must deal with thirteen essential barriers to green innovation adoption. Further, six interaction levels and the MICMAC analysis clarified cross-relationships among challenges by evaluating the driving and dependence power. Indeed, the empirical results emphasized that financial capability constraints and lack of government support are the most decisive challenges. In contrast, market competition and uncertainty concern is the easiest obstacle to address by the Vietnamese manufacturers. Therefore, this study has provided some insightful contributions for the top managers and other scholars to consider.
Power Quality Improvement in Renewable-Energy-Based Microgrid Clusters Using Fuzzy Space Vector PWM Controlled Inverter
Authors: Rao Sivakavi Naga Venkata Bramareswara , Kumar Yellapragada Venkata Pavan , Pradeep Darsy John , Reddy Challa Pradeep , Flah Aymen , Kraiem Habib , Al-Asad Jawad F.
Published: April 2022

An increased electricity demand and dynamic load changes are creating a huge burden on the modern utility grid, thereby affecting supply reliability and quality. It is thus crucial for modern power system researchers to focus on these aspects to reduce grid outages. High-quality power is always desired to run various businesses smoothly, but power-electronic-converter-based renewable energy integrated into the utility grid is the major source of power quality issues. Many solutions are constantly being invented, yet a continuous effort and new optimized solutions are encouraged to address these issues by adhering to various global standards (IEC, IEEE, EN, etc.). This paper therefore proposes a concept of establishing a renewable-energy-based microgrid cluster by integrating various buildings located in an urban community. This enhances power supply reliability by managing the available energy in the cluster without depending on the utility grid. Further, a “fuzzy space vector pulse width modulation” (FSV-PWM) technique is proposed to control the inverter, which improves the power supply quality. This work uniquely optimized the dq reference currents using fuzzy logic theory, which were used to plot the space vectors with effective sector selection to generate accurate PWM signals for inverter control. The modeling/simulation of the microgrid cluster involving the FSV-PWM-based inverter was carried out using MATLAB/Simulink®. The efficacy of the proposed FSV-PWM over the conventional ST-PWM was verified by plotting voltage, frequency, real/reactive power, and harmonic distortion characteristics. Various power quality indices were calculated under different disturbance conditions. The results showed that the use of the proposed FSV-PWM-based inverter adhered to all the key standard requirements, while the conventional system failed in most of the indices.
Knowledge Co-Creation during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Dual-Regulated Learning Model in Virtual Hospitality Communities
Authors: Hsu Meng-Jun , Hsieh Ming-Chia , Opoku Emmanuel Kwame
Published: April 2022

The evolution of the internet has increased the development of virtual communities. This has created an enabling environment for hospitality industry owners to interact, share and exchange information and ideas virtually. The COVID-19 pandemic has been a further catalyst in the dramatic expansion of virtual communities. This study aims to fill the gap by investigating the adoption of professional knowledge by the hospitality industry during the COVID-19 pandemic. Employing a sample of 285 members, this study found that self- and socially regulated learning affects knowledge adoption outcomes. In addition, technological innovation and benefits affect self- and socially regulated learning. These findings allow us to provide theoretical and practical implications.
Bed Load Transport and Alternation of a Gravel-Bed River Morphology within a Vicinity of Block Ramp: Classical and Numerical Approach
Authors: Plesiński Karol , Radecki-Pawlik Artur , Kuboń Piotr , Tatara Tadeusz , Pachla Filip , Jurkowska Nadzieja
Published: April 2022

In current river management, we very often use environment-friendly hydraulic structures when it is required for river bed or river bank protection due to erosion of a river channel. Block ramps are one of many methods used to stabilize river beds. They provide a semi-natural solution to certain river engineering problems in mountain streams. When building block ramps, one can use the dissipative behavior of large rock blocks or boulder elements randomly placed on the river bed to enhance fish migration in an upstream direction; thus, they can serve as fish passes. In this paper, we present the results of the numerical modelling of a bed load transport and the morphological changes of a river bed where a block ramp was designed and built. The main aim of the study was to investigate the difference of 2D modelling of a bed load transport along the mountain stream reach with boulder ramps in comparison to the classical methods of Hjulström, Shields, and Russian standard ST-24-2396. The work was carried out on the stream of one of the chosen low-head hydraulic structures, where 25 identical block ramps were constructed for river training reasons. The novel approach of our study is, for the first time in the field, to show a very detailed analysis of block ramp influence on sediment transport and river morphology changes compared to the classical understanding of those phenomena, as well as 2D model results to give hydraulic engineers an inside look into classical and modern approaches of bed load transport calculations. This might be helpful for designing such kinds of hydraulic structures in the future, in all regions where sediment transport calculations are important but do not always require sophisticated modelling.
GIS-Based Frequency Ratio and Analytic Hierarchy Process for Forest Fire Susceptibility Mapping in the Western Region of Syria
Authors: Abdo Hazem Ghassan , Almohamad Hussein , Al Dughairi Ahmed Abdullah , Al-Mutiry Motirh
Published: April 2022

Forest fires are among the most major causes of global ecosystem degradation. The integration of spatial information from various sources using statistical analyses in the GIS environment is an original tool in managing the spread of forest fires, which is one of the most significant natural hazards in the western region of Syria. Moreover, the western region of Syria is characterized by a significant lack of data to assess forest fire susceptibility as one of the most significant consequences of the current war. This study aimed to conduct a performance comparison of frequency ratio (FR) and analytic hierarchy process (AHP) techniques in delineating the spatial distribution of forest fire susceptibility in the Al-Draikich region, located in the western region of Syria. An inventory map of historical forest fire events was produced by spatially digitizing 32 fire incidents during the summers of 2019, 2020, and 2021. The forest fire events were divided into a training dataset with 70% (22 events) and a test dataset with 30% (10 events). Subsequently, FR and AHP techniques were used to associate the training data set with the 13 driving factors: slope, aspect, curvature, elevation, Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Normalized Difference Moisture Index (NDMI), Topographic Wetness Index (TWI), rainfall, temperature, wind speed, TWI, and distance to settlements, rivers and roads. The accuracy of the maps resulting from the modeling process was checked using the validation dataset and receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curves with the area under the curve (AUC). The FR method with AUC = 0.864 achieved the highest value compared to the AHP method with AUC = 0.838. The outcomes of this assessment provide constructive spatial insights for adopting forest management strategies in the study area, especially in light of the consequences of the current war.
The Virtual Citizen Science Expo Hall: A Case Study of a Design-Based Project for Sustainability Education
Authors: Asino Tutaleni I. , Colston Nicole M. , Ibukun Ayodeji , Abai Clement
Published: April 2022

A design-based project grounded in learning technology theories and systematically implemented can impact environmental education in many positive ways. This paper explores the systematic application of best practices from design-based projects that were used to combine and implement a drought education program. Embracing diffusion of innovation as its framework, augmented and virtual reality applications were used to design a virtual meeting space called the Virtual Citizen Science Expo. The results and findings show that users found Mozilla Hubs engaging as it gave them new ideas on the creative and inspirational use of virtual reality technology as an interactive and collaborative learning space. The discussions demonstrate that our VCSE can be used to promote and engage learners in science related to environmental monitoring.
The Impact of HDA, Experience Quality, and Satisfaction on Behavioral Intention: Empirical Evidence from West Sumatra Province, Indonesia
Authors: Battour Mohamed , Noviyani Nur Aulia , Ratnasari Ririn Tri , Aboelmaged Mohamed , Eid Riyad
Published: April 2022

In this study, we aimed to determine the influence of halal destination attributes (HDAs) on the behavioral intention of Muslim tourists and investigate the mediating effect of experience quality and satisfaction on the relationship between HDAs and the behavioral intention of Muslim tourists. The data were obtained through questionnaires distributed online to Muslim respondents who visited West Sumatra, Indonesia, in the past three years. A total of 200 valid questionnaires were selected for data analysis. The results showed that HDAs have a significant positive effect on experience quality and behavioral intention but showed a significant negative effect on destination satisfaction. Experience quality was found to have a significant positive effect on destination satisfaction but no significant effect on behavioral intention, and destination satisfaction had a significant positive effect on behavioral intention. The findings contribute to the theoretical development of halal tourism destinations and are expected to help halal destination marketers better understand the experiences and behaviors of Muslim tourists.
A Practical Approach to Assessing the Impact of Citizen Science towards the Sustainable Development Goals
Authors: Parkinson Stephen , Woods Sasha Marie , Sprinks James , Ceccaroni Luigi
Published: April 2022

The United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are an important global framework which provides a shared vision for a more sustainable future for all people and the planet. In the last five years, citizen science as a discipline has paid increasing attention to the SDGs and the contributions that citizen science could make towards their achievement. This paper presents a collection of 51 questions and a corresponding set of answers which can be used by citizen science projects to self-assess their impact towards the SDGs. The questions and answers were originally derived from the official UN description of the SDG targets and indicators and were refined through a workshop and series of nine interviews with citizen science project coordinators. The outcomes of the workshop and interviews reveal the challenges of assessing impacts towards the SDGs in a way which is relevant to the majority of citizen science projects. In many cases, the wording of the SDGs had to be altered to make sense in the context of citizen science. The final set of questions and answers are structured to reflect two pathways of impact: citizen science contributing to the (official) monitoring of the SDGs, and citizen science contributing to the direct achievement of the SDGs.
Assessing the Impact of the COVID-19 Crisis on Hotel Industry Bankruptcy Risk through Novel Forecasting Models
Authors: Matejić Tijana , Knežević Snežana , Arsić Vesna Bogojević , Obradović Tijana , Milojević Stefan , Adamović Miljan , Mitrović Aleksandra , Milašinović Marko , Simonović Dragoljub , Milošević Goran , Špiler Marko
Published: April 2022

In this paper, we assess the impact of the COVID-19 crisis on the bankruptcy risk of a sample of 100 hotel companies and, consequently, on the hotel industry in the Republic of Serbia. The assessment applies to the period, 2019–2026, with the use of the data on the financial indicators for 2015–2020. Five novel structural time-series models, which have the indicators derived from Altman’s EM Z″-score model as predictors, were used, and a new conceptual framework for assessing bankruptcy risk is provided. The framework expands the applicability of credit-risk-scoring models to multiyear predictions, and it takes into account the dynamism of the transitions of the firms among Altman’s risk zones. The predictions that were obtained when the Springate and Zmijewski scores were applied along with the Altman Z″-scores demonstrate the fair applicability of the scores for the models that are introduced here. The results of the models were confirmed by 270 artificial neural networks and they were compared to the results of the classical time-series models. The crisis started to have a negative effect on bankruptcy risk in 2020, and this effect is expected to rise until 2023; currently, in 2022, the highest number of hotel companies may be headed for bankruptcy. Amelioration in the position of the companies cannot be expected before 2024; however, even in 2026, the risk of bankruptcy will remain high when compared to the pre-COVID-19 period and, thus, the surviving companies will become more fragile to any further exogenous changes. These results provide a basis for the adaption of state-supported measures and business policies in order to withstand the crisis and to ensure sustainability.
Research on the Application of Mobile Robot in Timber Structure Architecture
Authors: Wang Lu , Zhang Tao , Fukuda Hiroatsu , Leng Yi
Published: April 2022

The involvement of robots in building construction is already a global trend. Compared with the current stage of construction in which a large number of people are involved, the stability of the robot construction process will greatly affect the construction efficiency and construction accuracy, thus (1) reducing the impact on the environment, hence saving natural resources with other obvious advantages of natural environmental benefits, and (2) reducing construction costs, therefore reducing the economic and environmental benefits of artificial use. This paper proposes a wooden building construction method using a mobile robot, explores the assembly of continuous building components that exceed the robot’s static workspace, and completes a simulated construction experiment of a wooden building using this construction method. The experiment was used as a basis to address (1) innovations in the way a wooden building is erected that satisfy the construction logic of the mobile robot, and (2) the ability of the mobile robot to accurately assemble building components in space, including the ability to align them with existing components on site. Ultimately, the completion of this experiment and its construction evaluation demonstrated the superiority of mobile robot construction over manual construction in terms of reduced manual use and increased construction efficiency.
Noise-Based Image Harmonization Significantly Increases Repeatability and Reproducibility of Radiomics Features in PET Images: A Phantom Study
Authors: Keller Harald , Shek Tina , Driscoll Brandon , Xu Yiwen , Nghiem Brian , Nehmeh Sadek , Grkovski Milan , Schmidtlein Charles Ross , Budzevich Mikalai , Balagurunathan Yoganand , Sunderland John J. , Beichel Reinhard R. , Uribe Carlos , Lee Ting-Yim , Li Fiona , Jaffray David A. , Yeung Ivan
Published: April 2022

For multicenter clinical studies, characterizing the robustness of image-derived radiomics features is essential. Features calculated on PET images have been shown to be very sensitive to image noise. The purpose of this work was to investigate the efficacy of a relatively simple harmonization strategy on feature robustness and agreement. A purpose-built texture pattern phantom was scanned on 10 different PET scanners in 7 institutions with various different image acquisition and reconstruction protocols. An image harmonization technique based on equalizing a contrast-to-noise ratio was employed to generate a “harmonized” alongside a “standard” dataset for a reproducibility study. In addition, a repeatability study was performed with images from a single PET scanner of variable image noise, varying the binning time of the reconstruction. Feature agreement was measured using the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). In the repeatability study, 81/93 features had a lower ICC on the images with the highest image noise as compared to the images with the lowest image noise. Using the harmonized dataset significantly improved the feature agreement for five of the six investigated feature classes over the standard dataset. For three feature classes, high feature agreement corresponded with higher sensitivity to the different patterns, suggesting a way to select suitable features for predictive models.
Characteristics of the MicroRNA Expression Profile of Exosomes Released by Vero Cells Infected with Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea Virus
Authors: Yin Lei , Shen Xuehuai , Yin Dongdong , Wang Jieru , Zhao Ruihong , Dai Yin , Pan Xiaocheng
Published: April 2022

Exosomes are nanoscale vesicles actively secreted by a variety of cells. They contain regulated microRNA (miRNA), allowing them to function in intercellular communication. In the present study, the role of exosomal miRNAs in porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) infection was investigated using exosomes isolated from Vero cells infected with PEDV. The results of transmission electron microscopy observation showed that the exosomes are spherical in shape, uniform in size, and negatively stained in the membrane. Nanoparticle tracking analysis showed that the average exosome particle size is 130.5 nm. The results of miRNA sequencing showed that, compared with the control group, a total of 115 miRNAs are abnormally expressed in the exosomes of infected cells. Of these, 80 miRNAs are significantly upregulated and 35 miRNAs are significantly downregulated. Functional annotation analysis showed that the differentially expressed miRNAs are associated with PEDV infection through interaction with the cAMP, Hippo, TGF-beta, HIF-1, FoxO, MAPK, and Ras signaling pathways. Thus, our findings provide important information about the effects of PEDV infection on exosomal miRNA expression and will aid the search for potential anti-PEDV drug candidates.
Special Issue: Emerging Wildlife Viral Diseases
Authors: Sarker Subir
Published: April 2022

The past several decades have seen the emergences of novel viral infectious diseases increase steadily in wildlife populations globally [...]
An Economic Comparison of Influenza Vaccines Recommended for Use in Eligible Adults under 65 Years in the United Kingdom
Authors: Maschio Michael , Kohli Michele A. , Ashraf Mansoor , Drummond Michael F. , Weinstein Milton C. , Mould-Quevedo Joaquin F.
Published: April 2022

Background: In the United Kingdom (UK), a cell-based quadrivalent influenza vaccine (QIVc) and a recombinant vaccine (QIVr) are recommended for eligible adults under 65 years. The objective of this analysis was to determine the potential cost-effectiveness of QIVc compared to QIVr for this age group using a range of assumptions about relative vaccine effectiveness (rVE). Methods: A dynamic transmission model, calibrated to match infection data from the UK, was used to estimate the clinical and economic impact of vaccination across 10 influenza seasons. The list price was £12.50 for QIVc and £22.00 for QIVr. The base case effectiveness of QIVc was 63.9%. As there are no data comparing the vaccines in the 18 to 64-year-old age group, rVE was varied. Results: For the base case, the rVE of QIVr compared with QIVc must be at least 25% in order for the cost per quality-adjusted life-year gained to be £20,000 or lower. Sensitivity analysis demonstrated that the rVE required for QIVr to be cost-effective was most dependent on the absolute effectiveness of QIVc. Conclusion: At list prices, our analysis predicts that the rVE for QIVr must be at least 25% compared to QIVc in order to be considered cost-effective.
The Development of Classical Swine Fever Marker Vaccines in Recent Years
Authors: Li Fangfang , Li Bingke , Niu Xinni , Chen Wenxian , Li Yuwan , Wu Keke , Li Xiaowen , Ding Hongxing , Zhao Mingqiu , Chen Jinding , Yi Lin
Published: April 2022

Classical swine fever (CSF) is a severe disease that has caused serious economic losses for the global pig industry and is widely prevalent worldwide. In recent decades, CSF has been effectively controlled through compulsory vaccination with a live CSF vaccine (C strain). It has been successfully eradicated in some countries or regions. However, the re-emergence of CSF in Japan and Romania, where it had been eradicated, has brought increased attention to the disease. Because the traditional C-strain vaccine cannot distinguish between vaccinated and infected animals (DIVA), this makes it difficult to fight CSF. The emergence of marker vaccines is considered to be an effective strategy for the decontamination of CSF. This paper summarizes the progress of the new CSF marker vaccine and provides a detailed overview of the vaccine design ideas and immunization effects. It also provides a methodology for the development of a new generation of vaccines for CSF and vaccine development for other significant epidemics.
Diminished Short- and Long-Term Antibody Response after SARS-CoV-2 Vaccination in Hemodialysis Patients
Authors: Füessl Louise , Lau Tobias , Lean Isaac , Hasmann Sandra , Riedl Bernhard , Arend Florian M. , Sorodoc-Otto Johanna , Soreth-Rieke Daniela , Toepfer Marcell , Rau Simon , Salihi-Halimi Haxhrije , Paal Michael , Beuthien Wilke , Thaller Norbert , Suttmann Yana , von Gersdorff Gero , Regenauer Ron , von Bergwelt-Baildon Anke , Teupser Daniel , Bruegel Mathias , Fischereder Michael , Schönermarck Ulf
Published: April 2022

Short-term studies have shown an attenuated immune response in hemodialysis patients after COVID-19-vaccination. The present study examines how antibody response is maintained after vaccination against SARS-CoV-2 in a large population of hemodialysis patients from six outpatient dialysis centers. We retrospectively assessed serum antibody levels against SARS-CoV-2 spike protein and nucleocapsid protein (electrochemiluminescence immunoassays, Roche Diagnostics) after COVID-19-vaccination in 298 hemodialysis and 103 non-dialysis patients (controls), comparing early and late antibody response. Compared to a non-dialysis cohort hemodialysis patients showed a favorable but profoundly lower early antibody response, which decreased substantially during follow-up measurement (median 6 months after vaccination). Significantly more hemodialysis patients had anti-SARS-CoV-2-S antibody titers below 100 U/mL (p < 0.001), which increased during follow-up from 23% to 45% but remained low in the control group (3% vs. 7%). In multivariate analysis, previous COVID-19 infections (p < 0.001) and female gender (p < 0.05) were significantly associated with higher early as well as late antibody vaccine response in hemodialysis patients, while there was a significant inverse correlation between patient age and systemic immunosuppression (p < 0.001). The early and late antibody responses were significantly higher in patients receiving vaccination after a SARS-CoV-2 infection compared to uninfected patients in both groups (p < 0.05). We also note that a higher titer after complete immunization positively affected late antibody response. The observation, that hemodialysis patients showed a significantly stronger decline of SARS-CoV-2 vaccination antibody titers within 6 months, compared to controls, supports the need for booster vaccinations to foster a stronger and more persistent antibody response.
A Scoping Review of the Global Distribution of Causes and Syndromes Associated with Mid- to Late-Term Pregnancy Loss in Horses between 1960 and 2020
Authors: Macleay Claudia M. , Carrick Joan , Shearer Patrick , Begg Angela , Stewart Melinda , Heller Jane , Chicken Catherine , Brookes Victoria J.
Published: April 2022

Equine pregnancy loss is frustrating and costly for horse breeders. The reproductive efficiency of mares has significant implications for a breeding operation’s economic success, and widespread losses can have a trickle-down effect on those communities that rely on equine breeding operations. Understanding the causes and risks of equine pregnancy loss is essential for developing prevention and management strategies to reduce the occurrence and impact on the horse breeding industry. This PRISMA-guided scoping review identified 514 records on equine pregnancy loss and described the global spatiotemporal distribution of reported causes and syndromes. The multiple correspondence analysis identified seven clusters that grouped causes, syndromes, locations and pathology. Reasons for clustering should be the focus of future research as they might indicate undescribed risk factors associated with equine pregnancy loss. People engaged in the equine breeding industry work closely with horses and encounter equine bodily fluids, placental membranes, aborted foetuses, and stillborn foals. This close contact increases the risk of zoonotic disease transmission. Based on this review, research is required on equine abortion caused by zoonotic bacteria, including Chlamydia psittaci, Coxiella burnetii and Leptospira spp., because of the severe illness that can occur in people who become infected.
Fully Coupled Vibrations of Cable-Harnessed Beams with a Non-Periodic Wrapping Pattern
Authors: Yerrapragada Karthik , Martin Blake , Agrawal Pranav , Salehian Armaghan
Published: April 2022

Power- and signal- cable attachments have a significant impact on the vibrations of space structures. Recent works show the importance of having an analytical model to gain physical insight into the influence of cabling on the dynamics of host structures. The models in the literature focus mainly on pure bending vibrations and ignore the effect of coupling between different coordinates. Recently, the authors demonstrated the importance of modeling the coupling effects in cable-harnessed (CH) beams with straight and periodic wrapping patterns. In real-life situations, the cable attachment patterns are mostly non-periodic, and the cables are also attached to host structures that consist of a combination of several harness elements of same (homogenous) or different (non-homogenous) material properties. Hence, the fully coupled vibration model developed in this article is the first to analyze the vibrations of homogenous and non-homogenous CH beams with non-periodic wrapping patterns. The Frequency Response Functions (FRFs) of the developed model are compared with experiment FRFs in the case of the homogenous non-periodic wrapping pattern. The study shows that the coupling effects are pronounced in non-periodic wrapped CH beams, and the advantage of developing the coupled model over the decoupled model is shown through experimental validation.
A Framework for Comparing Multi-Objective Optimization Approaches for a Stormwater Drainage Pumping System to Reduce Energy Consumption and Maintenance Costs
Authors: Wang Mingming , Zheng Sen , Sweetapple Chris
Published: April 2022

Reducing energy consumption and maintenance costs of a pumping system is seen as an important but difficult multi-objective optimization problem. Many evolutionary algorithms, such as particle swarm optimization (PSO), multi-objective particle swarm optimization (MOPSO), and non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm II (NSGA-II) have been used. However, a lack of comparison between these approaches poses a challenge to the selection of optimization approach for stormwater drainage pumping stations. In this paper, a new framework for comparing multi-objective approaches is proposed. Two kinds of evolutionary approaches, single-objective optimization and multi-objective optimization, are considered. Three approaches representing these two types are selected for comparison, including PSO with linear weighted sum method (PSO-LWSM), MOPSO with technique for order preference by similarity to an ideal solution (MOPSO-TOPSIS), and NSGA-II with TOPSIS (NSGA-II-TOPSIS). Four optimization objectives based on the number of pump startups/shutoffs, working hours, energy consumption, and drainage capacity are considered, of which the first two are new ones quantified in terms of operational economy in this paper. Two comparison methods—TOPSIS and operational economy and drainage capacity (E&C)—are used. The framework is demonstrated and tested by a case in China. The average values of the TOPSIS comprehensive evaluation index of the three approaches are 0.021, 0.154, and 0.375, respectively, and for E&C are 0.785, 0.813, and 0.839, respectively. The results show that the PSO-LWSM has better optimization results. The results validate the efficiency of the framework. The proposed framework will help to find a better optimization approach for pumping systems to reduce energy consumption and maintenance costs.
Numerical Simulation of the Trajectory of Garbage Falling into the Sea at the Coastal Landfill in Northeast Taiwan
Authors: Lai Yu-Hsuan , Lu Ching-Yuan , Zheng Zhe-Wen , Chiang Li-Chun , Ho Chung-Ru
Published: April 2022

This study used a numerical model to simulate the floating trajectory of garbage falling into the sea from the landfill near the coast of Wanghaixiang Bay in northeast Taiwan to understand its impact on the local environment. The Regional Ocean Model System was used to simulate the probability densities of the distribution of garbage drifting trajectories under scenarios of no-wind, northeast monsoon, and typhoons. The results show that, in the no-wind scenario, garbage was mainly affected by tidal currents. It moved in the northwest–southeast direction outside the bay. In the northeast monsoon scenario, garbage was forced toward the shore due to the windage effect. In typhoon scenarios, strong winds forced the garbage to the shore, as typhoons continued to advance and the wind direction kept changing, the garbage trajectory was also changed. After typhoons moved away, the drifting trajectory of the garbage was again affected by tidal currents. When the garbage falling into the sea was located in the bay or the mouth of the bay, the garbage had a higher probability of being forced into the bay by typhoons.
Hydrological Change Detection and Process Simulation for a Semi-Arid Catchment in Northern China
Authors: Liu Yue , Zhang Jianyun , Bao Zhenxin , Yang Yanqing , Wang Guoqing
Published: April 2022

In-depth understanding and accurate simulation of hydrological processes are of great significance for sustainable development and management of water resources. The study focused on a semi-arid catchment, the upper Tang River catchment in northern China, and investigated the performance of the RCCC-WBM model based on the detection results of trend, mutation, and periodicity. Results show that (1) as a result of climate change and intensive human activities, the observed runoff series after TFPW (trend-free pre-whiting) pretreatment presented a significant downward trend with the mutation point in 1996; (2) the abrupt change of air temperature series was also in 1996 with a significant rising trend, while the annual precipitation series exhibited an insignificant declining trend with no obvious mutation during 1973–2014; (3) the precipitation and runoff series had periodic variations roughly 7a multiples with the periodic oscillation strongest around 14a, while the air temperature series showed only one dominant period of 28a; (4) the RCCC-WBM model performed well in discharge simulation before the mutation year but gradually lost its stability after 1996, which was mainly affected by anthropogenic activities. It is essential to accurately identify the characteristics of hydrological elements and improve the applicability of hydrological models in the changing environment in future studies.
Flood Hazard Mapping and Flood Preparedness Literacy of the Elderly Population Residing in Bangkok, Thailand
Authors: Sawangnate Chandhit , Chaisri Benjawan , Kittipongvises Suthirat
Published: April 2022

This research aimed at assessing flood hazard areas and flood literacy of the elderly population in Bangkok, Thailand and analyzing their flood preparedness through SWOT analysis. Expert interviews and a community survey were conducted. Using the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) and GIS technique, the results indicated that land-use, drainage density, and annual maximum rainfall were the most heavily weighted factors in flood hazard mapping in Bangkok. About half (50.32%) of Bangkok’s total area was defined as high flood hazard area. A total of 736 questionnaires were distributed in flood-prone areas and in the areas with the highest percentage of elderly population. The results of both SWOT and survey analysis found that many senior citizens have low digital and media literacy and limited experience in using information technology for flood preparedness. Lack of integration of disaster risk reduction and aging population policy, ineffective warning system, and lack of access to disaster preparedness training were the key barriers in reducing vulnerability to flood hazard. The survey revealed that the majority of elderly respondents (75%) have neither used online applications for their flood hazard management both before and during flood disaster nor shared/communicated information via online platforms. Some respondents (13%) used Facebook and Line applications to obtain information before a flood event. Very few of the elderly respondents (<2%) accessed the national/provincial web-based platform to find out flood-related information. Almost all respondents, especially who are living in high-risk flood zones, had never participated in the community training of flood preparedness and management. Therefore, effective strategies in enhancing social engagement of the elderly and their literacy skills in flood risk preparedness and management are urgently needed.
Primary Health Care and COVID-19 Pandemic in the Islamic Republic of Iran
Authors: Tabrizi Jafar Sadegh , Raeisi Alireza , Namaki Saeed
Published: April 2022

The Islamic Republic of Iran's health system is divided into three levels: the first level is the Primary Health Care (PHC) system, the second level includes specialized polyclinics/clinics, general and specialized hospitals, and the third level is the sub-specialized hospitals. Based on the available evidence, Iran's HS has evolved and progressed since 1984, becoming a comprehensive, public-centered, responsive, and cost-effective system, (Figure 1) (1,2).   During the COVID-19 pandemic, countries reacted differently based on their HS infrastructure and structure, available primary resources (financial and human resources), and the severity of the disease spread. Evidence reveals that most countries relied on their hospitals and health systems to combat the COVID-19 epidemic. However, the health system’s response was slightly different in the Islamic Republic of Iran. Since the early days of identifying cases and preparing hospitals for admission and treatment of COVID-19 patients, the PHC system initiated a comprehensive reaction to combat the COVID-19 pandemic as the first line and the first point of the HS's contact with the community. In this regard, the PHC system determined the principal policies for combating COVID-19 as follows (3): - General vaccination based on the priorities in the national document Provision of active and essential healthcare and services (in-person/remotely) - Early identification of COVID-19 cases and tracing their close contacts (family/workplace) - Protection and isolation of vulnerable populations (reverse quarantine - Ensuring compliance with isolation and quarantine rules (hotel quarantine and house quarantine) - Development and improvement of outpatient COVID-19 treatment Different solutions and strategies have been devised to implement and fulfill the determined policies, which can be divided into three general categories: a) Modifying the structure of service delivery b) Modifying the programs and procedures c) Improving the methods of service provision Strategy 1: The first strategy is to make structural changes in the PHC system (Figure 2), which occurred in the first week of the outbreak in the Iran’s PHC system. Through alterations in structure, human resources, duties, and function, 1200 comprehensive urban (1099) and rural (111) health centers were designated as COVID -19 centers for suspected COVID-19 outpatients from rural health houses, urban health posts, rural/urban comprehensive health service centers, and other private centers.  