bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Alternative Control of Phragmidium rubi-idaei Infecting Two Rubus Species
Authors: Pârlici Raluca-Maria , Maxim Aurel , Mang Stefania Mirela , Camele Ippolito , Mihalescu Lucia , Stoian Vlad
Published: July 2021

Organic berry plantations have been gaining popularity among farmers during recent years. Even so, farmers experience serious challenges in disease control management, which is a concern in organic farming. Phragmidium rubi-idaei (DC) P. Karst is the pathogen responsible for blackberry and raspberry rust disease, one of the most present and active diseases in plantations. The antifungal certified products found on the organic farming market offer the opportunity for an efficient control strategy over plant pathogens in fruit shrub plantations. In this study, 5 natural based products—namely Altosan, Mimox, Canelys, Zitron, and Zeolite—were tested for their fungistatic effect over P. rubi-idaei. The experiments were carried out under laboratory conditions, performing observations over the impact of organic products, used at different concentration levels, on rust conidia germination. Moreover, field experiments were conducted in order to evaluate the efficiency of different treatments for rust control on raspberry (‘Polka’, ‘Veten’ and ‘Heritage’) and blackberry (‘Thorn Free’, ‘Chester’ and ‘Loch Ness’) varieties. Data analysis based on ANOVA tests showed significant differences between the tested variants and the control sample at p < 0.001. Furthermore, LSD test confirmed differences between all substances tested (p < 0.005). The natural products Canelys (formulated with cinnamon) and Zytron (based on citrus extract) have proven the highest inhibitory capacity for conidia germination during in vitro tests registering values of 80.42% and 78.34%, respectively. The same high inhibitory rates against rust pathogen were kept also in the field tests using the same two natural-based products mentioned earlier. In addition, outcomes from this study demonstrated that Zeolite is not recommended for raspberry or blackberry rust control.
Integrative Taxonomy Reveals Hidden Cryptic Diversity within Pin Nematodes of the Genus Paratylenchus (Nematoda: Tylenchulidae)
Authors: Clavero-Camacho Ilenia , Palomares-Rius Juan Emilio , Cantalapiedra-Navarrete Carolina , León-Ropero Guillermo , Martín-Barbarroja Jorge , Archidona-Yuste Antonio , Castillo Pablo
Published: July 2021

This study delves into the diagnosis of pin nematodes (Paratylenchus spp.) in Spain based on integrative taxonomical approaches using 24 isolates from diverse natural and cultivated environments. Eighteen species were identified using females, males (when available) and juveniles with detailed morphology-morphometry and molecular markers (D2-D3, ITS and COI). Molecular markers were obtained from the same individuals used for morphological and morphometric analyses. The cryptic diversity using an integrative taxonomical approach of the Paratylenchus straeleni-species complex was studied, consisting of an outstanding example of the cryptic diversity within Paratylenchus and including the description of a new species, Paratylenchus parastraeleni sp. nov. Additionally, 17 already known species were identified comprising P. amundseni, P. aciculus, P. baldaccii, P. enigmaticus, P. goodeyi, P. holdemani, P. macrodorus, P. neoamblycephalus, P. pandatus, P. pedrami, P. recisus, P. sheri, P. tateae, P. variabilis, P. veruculatus, P. verus, and P. vitecus. Eight of these species need to be considered as first reports for Spain in this work (viz. P. amundseni, P. aciculus, P. neoamblycephalus, P. pandatus, P. recisus, P. variabilis, P. verus and P. vitecus). Thirty-nine species of Paratylenchus have been reported in Spain from cultivated and natural ecosystems. Although we are aware that nematological efforts on Paratylenchus species in Southern Spain have been higher than that carried out in central and northern part of the country, the present distribution of the genus in Spain, with about 90% of species (35 out of 39 species, and 24 of them confirmed by integrative taxonomy) only reported in Southern Spain, suggest that this part of the country can be considered as a potential hotspot of biodiversity.
The Optical Properties of Leaf Structural Elements and Their Contribution to Photosynthetic Performance and Photoprotection
Authors: Karabourniotis George , Liakopoulos Georgios , Bresta Panagiota , Nikolopoulos Dimosthenis
Published: July 2021

Leaves have evolved to effectively harvest light, and, in parallel, to balance photosynthetic CO2 assimilation with water losses. At times, leaves must operate under light limiting conditions while at other instances (temporally distant or even within seconds), the same leaves must modulate light capture to avoid photoinhibition and achieve a uniform internal light gradient. The light-harvesting capacity and the photosynthetic performance of a given leaf are both determined by the organization and the properties of its structural elements, with some of these having evolved as adaptations to stressful environments. In this respect, the present review focuses on the optical roles of particular leaf structural elements (the light capture module) while integrating their involvement in other important functional modules. Superficial leaf tissues (epidermis including cuticle) and structures (epidermal appendages such as trichomes) play a crucial role against light interception. The epidermis, together with the cuticle, behaves as a reflector, as a selective UV filter and, in some cases, each epidermal cell acts as a lens focusing light to the interior. Non glandular trichomes reflect a considerable part of the solar radiation and absorb mainly in the UV spectral band. Mesophyll photosynthetic tissues and biominerals are involved in the efficient propagation of light within the mesophyll. Bundle sheath extensions and sclereids transfer light to internal layers of the mesophyll, particularly important in thick and compact leaves or in leaves with a flutter habit. All of the aforementioned structural elements have been typically optimized during evolution for multiple functions, thus offering adaptive advantages in challenging environments. Hence, each particular leaf design incorporates suitable optical traits advantageously and cost-effectively with the other fundamental functions of the leaf.
The Coordinated Upregulated Expression of Genes Involved in MEP, Chlorophyll, Carotenoid and Tocopherol Pathways, Mirrored the Corresponding Metabolite Contents in Rice Leaves during De-Etiolation
Authors: Jin Xin , Baysal Can , Drapal Margit , Sheng Yanmin , Huang Xin , He Wenshu , Shi Lianxuan , Capell Teresa , Fraser Paul D. , Christou Paul , Zhu Changfu
Published: July 2021

Light is an essential regulator of many developmental processes in higher plants. We investigated the effect of 4-hydroxy-3-methylbut-2-enyl diphosphate reductase 1/2 genes (OsHDR1/2) and isopentenyl diphosphate isomerase 1/2 genes (OsIPPI1/2) on the biosynthesis of chlorophylls, carotenoids, and phytosterols in 14-day-old etiolated rice (Oyza sativa L.) leaves during de-etiolation. However, little is known about the effect of isoprenoid biosynthesis genes on the corresponding metabolites during the de-etiolation of etiolated rice leaves. The results showed that the levels of α-tocopherol were significantly increased in de-etiolated rice leaves. Similar to 1-deoxy-D-xylulose-5-phosphate synthase 3 gene (OsDXS3), both OsDXS1 and OsDXS2 genes encode functional 1-deoxy-D-xylulose-5-phosphate synthase (DXS) activities. Their expression patterns and the synthesis of chlorophyll, carotenoid, and tocopherol metabolites suggested that OsDXS1 is responsible for the biosynthesis of plastidial isoprenoids in de-etiolated rice leaves. The expression analysis of isoprenoid biosynthesis genes revealed that the coordinated expression of the MEP (2-C-methyl-D-erythritol 4-phosphate) pathway, chlorophyll, carotenoid, and tocopherol pathway genes mirrored the changes in the levels of the corresponding metabolites during de-etiolation. The underpinning mechanistic basis of coordinated light-upregulated gene expression was elucidated during the de-etiolation process, specifically the role of light-responsive cis-regulatory motifs in the promoter region of these genes. In silico promoter analysis showed that the light-responsive cis-regulatory elements presented in all the promoter regions of each light-upregulated gene, providing an important link between observed phenotype during de-etiolation and the molecular machinery controlling expression of these genes.
Novel Metrics to Characterize In Vitro Pollen Tube Growth Performance of Apple Cultivars
Authors: Roeder Stefan , Serra Sara , Musacchi Stefano
Published: July 2021

In vitro germination assays are frequently used in screening trials to evaluate the pollen viability of pollinizers. To be effective, screening trials must have defined threshold criteria, from which individuals can then be assessed. However, despite decades of research on pollen viability, no established threshold is available to categorize apple cultivars based on their in vitro pollen tube lengths. This study aimed to identify and characterize the subgroups of cultivars based on their pollen tube growth performance. In vitro pollen tube lengths of 41 individuals were determined by incubating samples on artificial germination media at 15 and 25 °C. A six-number summary statistic was calculated, and hierarchical clustering on principal component (HCPC) analysis was used to determine and characterize subgroups. Furthermore, a decision tree model was used to predict class membership for future datasets. HCPC analysis partitioned the 41 individuals into three subgroups with different performances. The decision tree quickly predicted the cluster membership based on the second quartile at 15 °C and the third quartile at 25 °C. The thresholds from the decision tree can be used to characterize new observations. The use of the methods will be demonstrated using a case study with 29 apple accessions.
Influence of Climate Change on Chestnut Trees: A Review
Authors: Freitas Teresa R. , Santos João A. , Silva Ana P. , Fraga Hélder
Published: July 2021

The chestnut tree (Castanea spp.) is an important resource worldwide. It is cultivated due to the high value of its fruits and wood. The evolution between Castanea biodiversity and humans has resulted in the spread of chestnut genetic diversity. In 2019, the chestnut tree area worldwide was approximately 596 × 103 ha for fruit production (Southern Europe, Southwestern United States of America, and Asia). In Europe 311 × 103 t were produced. Five genetic poles can be identified: three in Greece, the northwest coast of the Iberian Peninsula, and the rest of the Mediterranean. Over the years, there have been some productivity changes, in part associated with climate change. Climate is considered one of the main drivers of biodiversity and ecosystem change. In the future, new challenges associated with climate change are expected, which could threaten this crop. It is essential to identify the impacts of climate change on chestnut trees, improving the current understanding of climate-tree interconnections. To deal with these projected changes adaptation strategies must be planned. This manuscript demonstrates the impacts of climate change on chestnut cultivation, reviewing the most recent studies on the subject. Furthermore, an analysis of possible adaptation strategies against the potentially negative impacts was studied.
Effect of Foaming Formulation and Operating Pressure on Thermoregulating Polyurethane Foams
Authors: Serrano Angel , Borreguero Ana M. , Catalá Juan , Rodríguez Juan F. , Carmona Manuel
Published: July 2021

The synthesis of rigid polyurethane (RPU) foams containing thermoregulatory microcapsules has been carried out under reduced pressure conditions with a new foaming formulation to reduce the final composite densities. These optimized RPU foams were able to overpass the drawbacks exhibited by the previous composites over the studied temperature range, working as insulating and thermal energy storage materials. The change in the formulation allowed to decrease the final foam density and enhance their mechanical strength. The effect of the operating pressure (atmospheric, 800 mbar, and 700 mbar) and microcapsules content (up to 30 wt%) on the physical, mechanical, and thermal PU foam properties was studied. The reduction of the pressure from atmospheric to 800 mbar did not have any effect on the cell size, strut thickness, and compression strength 10% of deformation, the Young modulus being even higher at 800 mbar. Nevertheless, a strong impact on the microstructure and mechanical properties was observed for the foam composites obtained at 700 mbar. A deleterious impact on the RPU foams thermal conductivity was observed when using low-pressure conditions. Thermal analyses showed that a composite able to work as heat accumulator and thermal insulation both at transient and at steady state was achieved.
Effects of Injection Molding Process Parameters on the Chemical Foaming Behavior of Polypropylene and Polystyrene
Authors: Chung Chen-Yuan , Hwang Shyh-Shin , Chen Shia-Chung , Lai Ming-Chien
Published: July 2021

In the present study, semi-crystalline polypropylene (PP) and amorphous polystyrene (PS) were adopted as matrix materials. After the exothermic foaming agent azodicarbonamide was added, injection molding was implemented to create samples. The mold flow analysis program Moldex3D was then applied to verify the short-shot results. Three process parameters were adopted, namely injection speed, melt temperature, and mold temperature; three levels were set for each factor in the one-factor-at-a-time experimental design. The macroscopic effects of the factors on the weight, specific weight, and expansion ratios of the samples were investigated to determine foaming efficiency, and their microscopic effects on cell density and diameter were examined using a scanning electron microscope. The process parameters for the exothermic foaming agent were optimized accordingly. Finally, the expansion ratios of the two matrix materials in the optimal process parameter settings were compared. After the experimental database was created, the foaming module of the chemical blowing agents was established by Moldex3D Company. The results indicated that semi-crystalline materials foamed less due to their crystallinity. PP exhibits the highest expansion ratio at low injection speed, a high melt temperature, and a low mold temperature, whereas PS exhibits the highest expansion ratio at high injection speed, a moderate melt temperature, and a low mold temperature.
Effects of Recycled Fe2O3 Nanofiller on the Structural, Thermal, Mechanical, Dielectric, and Magnetic Properties of PTFE Matrix
Authors: Khamis Ahmad Mamoun , Abbas Zulkifly , Azis Raba’ah Syahidah , Mensah Ebenezer Ekow , Alhaji Ibrahim Abubakar
Published: July 2021

The purpose of this study was to improve the dielectric, magnetic, and thermal properties of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) composites using recycled Fe2O3 (rFe2O3) nanofiller. Hematite (Fe2O3) was recycled from mill scale waste and the particle size was reduced to 11.3 nm after 6 h of high-energy ball milling. Different compositions (5–25 wt %) of rFe2O3 nanoparticles were incorporated as a filler in the PTFE matrix through a hydraulic pressing and sintering method in order to fabricate rFe2O3–PTFE nanocomposites. The microstructure properties of rFe2O3 nanoparticles and the nanocomposites were characterized through X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). The thermal expansion coefficients (CTEs) of the PTFE matrix and nanocomposites were determined using a dilatometer apparatus. The complex permittivity and permeability were measured using rectangular waveguide connected to vector network analyzer (VNA) in the frequency range 8.2–12.4 GHz. The CTE of PTFE matrix decreased from 65.28×10−6/°C to 39.84×10−6/°C when the filler loading increased to 25 wt %. The real (ε′) and imaginary (ε″) parts of permittivity increased with the rFe2O3 loading and reached maximum values of 3.1 and 0.23 at 8 GHz when the filler loading was increased from 5 to 25 wt %. A maximum complex permeability of 1.1−j0.07 was also achieved by 25 wt % nanocomposite at 10 GHz.
The Interface Thermal Resistance Evolution between Carbide-Bonded Graphene Coating and Polymer in Rapid Molding for Microlens Array
Authors: Liu Xiaohua , Guo Cheng , Liu Yandong , Wang Feng , Feng Yanfeng
Published: July 2021

Surface rapid heating process is an efficient and green method for large-volume production of polymer optics by adopting 3D graphene network coated silicon molds with high thermal conductivity. Nevertheless, the heat transfer mechanism including the interface thermal resistance evolution between 3D graphene network coating and polymer has not been thoroughly revealed. In this study, the interface thermal resistance model was established by simplifying the contact situation between the coating and polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA), and then embedding into the finite element method (FEM) model to study the temperature variations of PMMA in surface rapid heating process. Heating experiments for graphene network were then carried out under different currents to provide the initial heat for heat transfer model. In addition, residual stress of the PMMA lens undergoing the non-uniform thermal history during molding was presented by the simulation model together. Finally, the optimal molding parameters including heating time and pressure will be determined according to calculation results of the interface thermal resistance model and microlens array molding experiment was conducted to illustrate that the interface thermal resistance model can predict the temperature of the polymer to achieve a better filling of microlens array with smooth surface and satisfactory optical performance.
Numerical Study of Electrostatic Desalting Process Based on Droplet Collision Time
Authors: Ramirez-Argaez Marco A. , Abreú-López Diego , Gracia-Fadrique Jesús , Dutta Abhishek
Published: July 2021

The desalting process of an electrostatic desalting unit was studied using the collision time of two droplets in a water-in-oil (W/O) emulsion based on force balance. Initially, the model was solved numerically to perform a process analysis and to indicate the effect of the main process parameters, such as electric field strength, water content, temperature (through oil viscosity) and droplet size on the collision time or frequency of collision between a pair of droplets. In decreasing order of importance on the reduction of collision time and consequently on the efficiency of desalting separation, the following variables can be classified such as moisture content, electrostatic field strength, oil viscosity and droplet size. After this analysis, a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model of a biphasic water–oil flow was developed in steady state using a Eulerian multiphase framework, in which collision frequency and probability of coalescence of droplets were assumed. This study provides some insights into the heterogeneity of a desalination plant which highlights aspects of design performance. This study further emphasizes the importance of two variables as moisture content and intensity of electrostatic field for dehydrated desalination by comparing the simulation with the electrostatic field against the same simulation without its presence. The overall objective of this study is therefore to show the necessity of including complex phenomena such as the frequency of collisions and coalescence in a CFD model for better understanding and optimization of the desalting process from both process safety and improvement.
Experimental and Numerical Simulation Study of Pressure Pulsations during Hose Pump Operation
Authors: Wang Wendong , Zhang Lixin , Ma Xiao , Hu Zhizheng , Yan Yongchun
Published: July 2021

An adventitious flow field has a great impact on the operational reliability of pumps; therefore, it is important to study pump flow characteristics to reduce the noise, vibration, and cavitation performance of pumps. To study the pressure fluctuation characteristics of the hose pump, a three-dimensional two-way fluid structure coupling model of the hose pump was established. The transient structural module, fluid flow (fluent) module, and system coupling module of ANSYS Workbench 19.0 were used to simulate the unsteady multiple working conditions of the hose pump. The accuracy and reliability of the calculation results from the fluid solid coupling simulation were verified via experimentation. The results show that the roller pass frequency is the main frequency of the pressure fluctuation at the outlet of the hose pump. When the plane of the deformation recovery area is small, the pressure pulsation amplitude is large, and the outlet pressure and speed are large. Due to the irregular backflow of the fluid, stall zones of different sizes form, the outlet pressure is closer to a sinusoid when there is no pressure. The higher the rotating speed is, the faster the pressure roller leaving the hose, the higher the pressure pulsation, and the larger the stall zone. Therefore, the best way to reduce the pressure pulsation in the pump is to optimize the geometry of the pressure roller and change the outlet angle of the hose.
Erratum: Zhao et al. Robust and Efficient Trajectory Replanning Based on Guiding Path for Quadrotor Fast Autonomous Flight. Remote Sens. 2021, 13, 972
Authors: Zhao Yinghao , Yan Li , Chen Yu , Dai Jicheng , Liu Yuxuan
Published: July 2021

The authors wish to make the following corrections to this paper [...]
A Novel Spatial Simulation Method for Mapping the Urban Forest Carbon Density in Southern China by the Google Earth Engine
Authors: Jiang Fugen , Chen Chuanshi , Li Chengjie , Kutia Mykola , Sun Hua
Published: July 2021

Urban forest is an important component of terrestrial ecosystems and is highly related to global climate change. However, because of complex city landscapes, deriving the spatial distribution of urban forest carbon density and conducting accuracy assessments are difficult. This study proposes a novel spatial simulation method, optimized geographically weighted logarithm regression (OGWLR), using Landsat 8 data acquired by the Google Earth Engine (GEE) and field survey data to map the forest carbon density of Shenzhen city in southern China. To verify the effectiveness of the novel method, multiple linear regression (MLR), k-nearest neighbors (kNN), random forest (RF) and geographically weighted regression (GWR) models were established for comparison. The results showed that OGWLR achieved the highest coefficient of determination (R2 = 0.54) and the lowest root mean square error (RMSE = 13.28 Mg/ha) among all estimation models. In addition, OGWLR achieved a more consistent spatial distribution of carbon density with the actual situation. The carbon density of the forests in the study area was large in the central and western regions and coastal areas and small in the building and road areas. Therefore, this method can provide a new reference for urban forest carbon density estimation and mapping.
Integrating Phenological and Geographical Information with Artificial Intelligence Algorithm to Map Rubber Plantations in Xishuangbanna
Authors: Yang Jianbo , Xu Jianchu , Zhai De-Li
Published: July 2021

Most natural rubber trees (Hevea brasiliensis) are grown on plantations, making rubber an important industrial crop. Rubber plantations are also an important source of household income for over 20 million people. The accurate mapping of rubber plantations is important for both local governments and the global market. Remote sensing has been a widely used approach for mapping rubber plantations, typically using optical remote sensing data obtained at the regional scale. Improving the efficiency and accuracy of rubber plantation maps has become a research hotspot in rubber-related literature. To improve the classification efficiency, researchers have combined the phenology, geography, and texture of rubber trees with spectral information. Among these, there are three main classifiers: maximum likelihood, QUEST decision tree, and random forest methods. However, until now, no comparative studies have been conducted for the above three classifiers. Therefore, in this study, we evaluated the mapping accuracy based on these three classifiers, using four kinds of data input: Landsat spectral information, phenology–Landsat spectral information, topography–Landsat spectral information, and phenology–topography–Landsat spectral information. We found that the random forest method had the highest mapping accuracy when compared with the maximum likelihood and QUEST decision tree methods. We also found that adding either phenology or topography could improve the mapping accuracy for rubber plantations. When either phenology or topography were added as parameters within the random forest method, the kappa coefficient increased by 5.5% and 6.2%, respectively, compared to the kappa coefficient for the baseline Landsat spectral band data input. The highest accuracy was obtained from the addition of both phenology–topography–Landsat spectral bands to the random forest method, achieving a kappa coefficient of 97%. We therefore mapped rubber plantations in Xishuangbanna using the random forest method, with the addition of phenology and topography information from 1990–2020. Our results demonstrated the usefulness of integrating phenology and topography for mapping rubber plantations. The machine learning approach showed great potential for accurate regional mapping, particularly by incorporating plant habitat and ecological information. We found that during 1990–2020, the total area of rubber plantations had expanded to over three times their former area, while natural forests had lost 17.2% of their former area.
Single-Channel Blind Source Separation of Spatial Aliasing Signal Based on Stacked-LSTM
Authors: Zhao Mengchen , Yao Xiujuan , Wang Jing , Yan Yi , Gao Xiang , Fan Yanan
Published: July 2021

Aiming at the problem of insufficient separation accuracy of aliased signals in space Internet satellite-ground communication scenarios, a stacked long short-term memory network (Stacked-LSTM) separation method based on deep learning is proposed. First, the coding feature representation of the mixed signal is extracted. Then, the long sequence input is divided into smaller blocks through the Stacked-LSTM network with the attention mechanism of the SE module, and the deep feature mask of the source signal is trained to obtain the Hadamard product of the mask of each source and the coding feature of the mixed signal, which is the encoding feature representation of the source signal. Finally, characteristics of the source signal is decoded by 1-D convolution to to obtain the original waveform. The negative scale-invariant source-to-noise ratio (SISNR) is used as the loss function of network training, that is, the evaluation index of single-channel blind source separation performance. The results show that in the single-channel separation of spatially aliased signals, the Stacked-LSTM method improves SISNR by 10.09∼38.17 dB compared with the two classic separation algorithms of ICA and NMF and the three deep learning separation methods of TasNet, Conv-TasNet and Wave-U-Net. The Stacked-LSTM method has better separation accuracy and noise robustness.
Internal Corporate Social Responsibility for Sustainability
Authors: Sánchez-Hernández M. Isabel , Vázquez-Burguete Jose Luis , García-Miguélez Maria P. , Lanero-Carrizo Ana
Published: July 2021

The recent attention paid to internal corporate social responsibility (ICSR) observed in the academic literature has been paralleled by an increased focus thereof in management, to achieve the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). A bibliometric examination of the literature on ICSR and a complementary content analysis with ATLAS.ti revealed that the topic was largely neglected until 2014 but has now reached a consolidation stage. The main contribution of this paper was to conceptualize ICSR within the current theoretical paradigm of sustainability. The obtained results demonstrate that sustainable management requires attention to internal practices such as employee well-being and engagement. We anticipate that very soon, organizations will be directly involved in the SDG agenda through ICSR.
Model of Socially Responsible Transfer of Parent Organization Culture to the Subsidiary Organization in a Foreign Cultural Environment Concerning Internal Communication, Stress, and Work Satisfaction
Authors: Kukovec Darja , Milfelner Borut , Mulej Matjaž , Šarotar-Žižek Simona
Published: July 2021

The organizational culture is a significant construct in a time of change during the organizational transition, and it plays an important role in achieving goals of social responsibilities, which is an important part of sustainability. The literature shows the gap of socially responsible transfer of organizational culture with the impact on employee’s well-being. The cultural changes of the organization during the transition are particularly in connection with the impact on internal communication where organizational culture presents a part of values, norms, and ethics, which influences successfully implemented changes and in such a way has an influence on the stress and work satisfaction. The main purpose of the presented study is the development of the model of socially responsible transfer of organizational culture to the foreign subsidiaries on a basis of adjusted internal communication, which reduces stress and increases work satisfaction. Impacts of organizational culture on internal communication, stress, and work satisfaction are clearly presented, as well as inter-related impacts of the constructs concerning national culture, leadership, and organizational knowledge. Thus, the new holistic model of socially responsible transfer of the parent organization culture to foreign subsidiaries clearly defines steps of organizational culture, internal communication, stress management, and work satisfaction. Managerial implications are discussed.
Illuminating Opportunities for Smart Tourism Innovation That Foster Sustainable Tourist Well-Being Using Q Methodology
Authors: Wan Chi Kwong Bruce , Onuike Adaobi J.
Published: July 2021

Technology innovation has become one of the driving forces that advance the tourism industry, but the industry has yet to account for the manner in which personal technologies can foster tourists’ sustainable well-being. Generating innovation that promotes the sustainable well-being of individuals is deemed to be challenging because the experience needs to account for users’ psychological well-being and their attitudes towards technology. A holistic apprehension of these needs, which requires multidisciplinary perspectives, can help designers to identify design spaces for further design investigations at the fuzzy front-end of innovation. Hence, the goal of this study is to identify design opportunities for smart tourism innovation that foster sustainable tourist well-being by using Q methodology to gather participants’ attitudes on the future use of such technology. The study involved 43 participants ranking 46 statements derived from the extant literature. The results show four opinion clusters related to the optimal use of personal technologies for sustainable tourist well-being. These clusters, which highlight both hedonic and eudaimonic user experience considerations, provide directions for designers for developing innovations that promote well-being. Recommendations of using Q as an exploratory design research method are discussed.
Exergames to Prevent the Secondary Functional Deterioration of Older Adults during Hospitalization and Isolation Periods during the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Corregidor-Sánchez Ana , Polonio-López Begoña , Martin-Conty José , Rodríguez-Hernández Marta , Mordillo-Mateos Laura , Schez-Sobrino Santiago , Criado-Álvarez Juan
Published: July 2021

The COVID-19 pandemic is having an intense impact on the functional capacity of older adults, making them more vulnerable to frailty and dependency. The development of preventive and rehabilitative measures which counteract the consequences of confinement or hospitalization is an urgent need. Exergaming can promote physical activity, prevent falls, and maintain functional and cognitive capacity. However, although the use of exergames in health programs for the elderly is promising, their widespread use should not be considered without the supervision of a social health professional. Therefore, the objective of this work was to evaluate and analyze three video game consoles (Nintendo Wii®, Xbox-Kinect® and Play Station 4®) and 26 commercial exergames with the aim of identifying their usefulness for the prevention of functional deterioration. Three occupational therapists analyzed the data independently, and subsequently agreed on the results. The examination of the commercial consoles met three criteria: components, interaction channels and the type of the exergame. Each exergame was analyzed taking into account its ability to train postural control, balance, upper limb functionality and cognitive function. The results of the evaluation showed that exergames contain game activities that can be part of the rehabilitative treatment aimed at the prevention of the functional impairment of older people affected by COVID.
A Hybrid Multi-Objective Bat Algorithm for Solving Cloud Computing Resource Scheduling Problems
Authors: Zheng Jianguo , Wang Yilin
Published: July 2021

To improve the service quality of cloud computing, and aiming at the characteristics of resource scheduling optimization problems, this paper proposes a hybrid multi-objective bat algorithm. To prevent the algorithm from falling into a local minimum, the bat population is classified. The back-propagation algorithm based on the mean square error and the conjugate gradient method is used to increase the loudness in the search direction and the pulse emission rate. In addition, the random walk based on lévy flight is also used to improve the optimal solution, thereby improving the algorithm’s global search capability. The simulation results prove that the multi-objective bat algorithm proposed in this paper is superior to the multi-objective ant colony optimization algorithm, genetic algorithm, particle swarm algorithm, and cuckoo search algorithm in terms of makespan, degree of imbalance, and throughput. The cost is also slightly better than the multi-objective ant colony optimization algorithm and the multi-objective genetic algorithm.
Volterra–Lyapunov Stability Analysis of the Solutions of Babesiosis Disease Model
Authors: Chien Fengsheng , Shateyi Stanford
Published: July 2021

This paper studies the global stability analysis of a mathematical model on Babesiosis transmission dynamics on bovines and ticks populations as proposed by Dang et al. First, the global stability analysis of disease-free equilibrium (DFE) is presented. Furthermore, using the properties of Volterra–Lyapunov matrices, we show that it is possible to prove the global stability of the endemic equilibrium. The property of symmetry in the structure of Volterra–Lyapunov matrices plays an important role in achieving this goal. Furthermore, numerical simulations are used to verify the result presented.
Water Footprint of Rangeland Beef Production in New Mexico
Authors: Sawalhah Mohammed N. , Geli Hatim M. E. , Holechek Jerry L. , Cibils Andres F. , Spiegal Sheri , Gifford Craig
Published: July 2021

New Mexico (NM) has been identified as the state in the US that will be most adversely impacted by climate change and associated water stress. Roughly 92% of NM is rangeland, most of which is grazed by beef cattle. We calculated the blue (surface and ground) and green (precipitation) water footprints (WF) of NM beef cattle industry (cow-calf, backgrounding, and feedlot). This analysis indicated that the weighted average WF of NM beef cattle was 28,203 L/kgmeat. The majority of the WF was accounted for green water (82%; 23,063 L/kgmeat) used by rangeland forages. Blue water accounted for only 18% (5140 L/kgmeat) of the total beef WF estimate. The relative contribution of green vs. blue water varied significantly among the different phases of beef production. In cow-calf, green water accounted for 99.5% of the WF whereas blue water, accounted for 100% of beef WF during backgrounding and feedlot. Based on our estimate, NM cow-calf operations is about a third or a quarter of the blue water (m3/year) used to produce corn or wheat, and only 5% or less of the water used to produce cotton or hay. In NM, irrigation accounts for about 84% of freshwater use followed by public/domestic use of 10%. Mining, thermo-electric, livestock production, aquaculture, and industrial uses collectively account for the other 6%.
Changes in Pumping-Induced Groundwater Quality Used to Supply a Large-Capacity Brackish-Water Desalination Facility, Collier County, Florida: A New Aquifer Conceptual Model
Authors: Arico Quillan L. , Kassis Zoie R. , Maliva Robert G. , Guo Weixing , Manahan W. Scott , Missimer Thomas M.
Published: July 2021

Brackish-water reverse osmosis (BWRO) desalination facilities are designed to treat feedwater within a fixed range in salinity. If the salinity and ion concentrations of the feedwater rises above the maximum design concentrations, then the plant may ultimately fail. BWRO plants typically use groundwater as a feedwater source. Prior to the process design, a detailed groundwater assessment is made to characterize the source aquifer system and to develop a solute-transport model that is used to project the changes in water quality over the expected useful life of the facility. Solute transport-modeling performed for the Collier County (Florida) South BWRO facility, which was designed to produce 30,303 m3/d with an expansion to 75,758 m3/d, used an aquifer system conceptual model that assumed upwards migration over time of brackish waters with higher salinities into the production zones. This conceptual model is typical of how most BWRO systems developed in the United States operate. The original solute transport model predicted a range of increases in dissolved chloride concentrations over a 20-year period from a low of 5 mg/L/yr, a mid-range of 35 mg/L/yr, and a high range of 85 mg/L/yr. Actual data collected over a 11- to 13.5-year period showed that the dissolved chloride concentration average of the feed water decreased by 16 mg/L/yr. The original conceptual model was found to be inaccurate in that it suggested an upwards recharging system, whereas downward leakage (or perhaps lateral migration) of fresher water appears to be occurring in the system. This is an example of a long-term solute-transport model audit, which is rarely performed, in which a new conceptual model was found to be applicable to an aquifer system used to feed a BWRO facility.
Зарубіжний досвід проведення децентралізаційних змін: уроки для України
Authors: Головатюк Ю.
Published: July 2021

Розглянуто зарубіжний досвід проведення реформи адміністративно-територіального устрою та децентралізації державного управління, перерозподілу повноважень, зміни у бюджетних відносинах країн Балтії та Хорватії. Зазначено, що питання децентралізації є першочерговими в умовах розвитку місцевого самоврядування та забезпечення його спроможності самостійно, завдяки власним ресурсам, вирішувати проблеми місцевого значення.
Удосконалення механізму справляння ПДФО для розвитку громад в умовах децентралізації
Authors: Бойко О.
Published: July 2021

Досліджено роль та місце податку на доходи фізичних осіб у структурі податкових надходжень місцевих бюджетів. Обґрунтовано сутність механізму його справляння. Проаналізовано положення щодо ефективності здійснення податкового контролю за повнотою його надходжень та описано причини необхідності реформування порядку його сплати податковими агентами.
Системний аналіз процесів формування “зеленої економіки” в сучасних умовах
Authors: Борщук Є. , Гинда О. , Кореновський О.
Published: July 2021

Проведено аналіз сучасних тенденцій цивілізаційного розвитку, що свідчить про нестійкість сучасних моделей економічного розвитку як на регіональному, так і на глобальному рівнях. Спільним недоліком цих моделей є абсолютизація економічного зростання в умовах нехтування соціальних і екологічних проблем. Обґрунтовано положення, що без урахування соціальних і екологічних чинників неможливо забезпечити сталий розвиток економіки на тривалу перспективу. Виокремлено низку глобальних проблем соціально-економічного розвитку на сучасному етапі: зміна клімату, екстенсивне використання природних ресурсів унаслідок прискореного зростання населення світу, яке супроводжується негативним впливом на довкілля.
MODELLING FLAX FIBRE STRETCHING AND TEARING PROCESS UNDER SINGLE AXIS LOAD
Authors: Pashin Evgeniy L. , Orlov Aleksandr V.
Published: July 2021

The article examines existing works considering the process of tearing of flax fibre, specifically fibrous matrix and linkages within it. In particular authors point out the necessity of taking into account the destruction of individual fibres during deformation and tearing process. The end result of this analysis is a multipart mechanical model allowing for various effects that may take place during the said process. This model is implemented in software and used to model the behaviour of several strands of fibre of varying quality. The results match the observed behaviour of actual samples with similar properties, which allows using the model presented to estimate the effect various properties of flax fibre have on its tensile strength.
INFLUENCE OF THE MESH SHAPE OF THE FINE LITTER CLEANER FOR RAW COTTON ON THE CLEANING EFFECT
Authors: Murodov Orif Zh.
Published: July 2021

Increasing the efficiency of cleaning raw cotton from weeds will ultimately improve the quality of products in the textile industry. It has been established that when using cylindrical mesh on purifiers with peg drums, the exciting force acting on the strips from the side of the net has a stable frequency, determined mainly by the frequency of rotation of the peg drum. This mode of operation of the cleaner does not effectively remove trash impurities. To improve the efficiency of the cleaner, it is proposed to use a grid in the form of a multifaceted prism. It was found that, by design conditions, the minimum number of mesh faces is four. The dependence of the cleaning effect on the number of faces of the perforated mesh of the cleaner has been experimentally obtained. It was found that with an increase in the number of mesh edges, the cleaning effect and fiber damage decrease. With the number of faces equal to six, it is possible to achieve an increase in the cleaning effect by an average of 16 % with a slight increase in fibre damage.
ETHNO-ARTISTIC PHENOMENA IN THE MODERN COSTUME OF RUSSIAN BRANDS
Authors: Neoronova Alisa P. , Kovaleva Ol’ga V.
Published: July 2021

This article examines the ethnoartistic phenomena in costume as a manifestation of the Russian style. The article analyses new and developing Russian brands working in the Russian style for the expression of ethnic identity in modern costume to form a research base as a basis for identifying trends in clothing design that will combine modern fashion trends and national costume. The selection of Russian brands suitable for the study was carried out according to a number of criteria – brand philosophy and means of visual expression. Such a criterion as the brand philosophy reflects the main characteristic that determines the essence of the brand – the ideological-emotional and sensory-figurative component. For the analysis of visual expressiveness, the following positions were selected – the shape and silhouette of the costume; proportions; colour; material; ornament; decor; accessories. Thus, this study allows identifying the ethno-cultural traditions in modern costume and forming a base about the shape, design and details used in the design of new collections in the ethnic style of Russian brands.
DEVELOPMENT OF A CROWDSOURCING INTERNET PORTAL FOR THE DETECTION AND CONTROL OF THE NUMBER OF RARE AND ENDANGERED PLANT SPECIES IN THE URBAN ECOSYSTEM ON THE EXAMPLE OF KURSK
Authors: Kiril'chuk Iraida , Vyertakova YUliya , Belyakova Ol'ga , Tyurin Ivan
Published: July 2021

Currently, at least 10% of plant species and even more animals are threatened with extinction on the planet Earth. The rate of extinction of species is 50-100 times higher than the natural rate. This trend has continued over the past 20-25 years. There are 439 endangered species in the Kursk region. Of these, 160 species of fauna, 265 species of plants and 14 species of fungi. The problem of conservation of rare and endangered plant species can be solved by their timely detection, subsequent monitoring and protection in specific habitats. Based on this, the purpose of this study is to develop tools for creating the most complete databases of rare and endangered plant species in urban ecosystems based on crowdsourcing methods and modern information technologies. At the initial stage of the implementation of projects for the conservation of biodiversity, the main difficulty lies in the mass identification of the presence of plant and animal species that are subject to protection on the territory of the city. It is possible to solve this problem using crowdsourcing methods. The team of the Southwestern State University has developed an Environmental crowdsourcing portal of the Kursk Region. This portal is designed on a modular basis, it includes various modules, including a module designed to solve the problem of biodiversity conservation. The module is developed using HTML5, CSS3, JavaScript, PHP and functions in user and administrator modes. Additionally, the functional blocks of thematic databases are designed using MySQL. Based on the database tables and the Yandex Maps API documentation, blocks for loading and displaying information on an interactive map have been developed. The module ensures the involvement of a wide range of urban population to identify the presence of plant and animal species that are subject to protection on the territory of the city. The module of the Environmental Crowdsourcing Portal of the Kursk Region considered in the article provides not only a solution to the problem of filling the database of rare and endangered species of plants and animals, but, like all crowdsourcing environmental projects, contributes to improving the level of environmental education of citizens, forming their consciousness and active life position.
BUDGETARY EXPENDITURE: PROBLEMS OF INHOMOGENEITY IN THE REGIONS OF RUSSIA
Authors: Zareckaya Vera , Borzenkov Vladislav , Zaharov Yuriy
Published: July 2021

The state, as a system, presupposes the homogeneity of the economic space, which also applies to budget expenditures per capita in each region. Russia is distinguished by extremely uneven size of the regional budget, which, according to the authors, poses a threat to the integrity of the economic space and hinders economic growth in general.

The aim of the study is to show the heterogeneity of Russian regions in terms of the level of budget expenditures per capita.

The work investigated the ongoing processes of convergence and divergence in terms of the level of regional budgetary expenditures. Standard deviation and coefficient of variation were used as a tool to measure the level of convergence.

In the course of the study, distinct convergence processes were identified until 2013, and then the termination of these processes.

The processes of regional convergence require more active government action in the redistribution of budgetary funds, which was possible before the onset of the financial crisis and general stagnation processes that have been observed in the economy after 2012.

The task of the state at this stage is to overcome regional differences in the provision of the basic needs of the inhabitants of the regions (education, medicine, housing conditions).