bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Study on Accuracy Evaluation of MCD19A2 and Spatiotemporal Distribution of AOD in Arid Zones of Central Asia
Authors: Zhu Zhengnan , Zhang Zhe , Liu Fangqing , Chen Zewei , Ren Yuxin , Guo Qingfu
Published: September 2023

The Central Asian arid zone is the largest non-territorial arid zone in the world, so it is particularly important to understand the optical properties of aerosols in this region. In this paper, we validate the MCD19A2 atmospheric aerosol optical depth (AOD) remote sensing data by using ground-based data and measured data. To explore the spatial and temporal changes in aerosols in the Central Asian arid zone as well as the interannual variations and seasonal variations, we characterize the spatial and temporal distributions of the AOD over 20 years. Finally, we analyze the spatial and temporal variations of the AOD in the Central Asian arid zone by using three methods, namely, the Theil–Sen median trend analysis combined with the Mann–Kendall test, coefficient of variation, and Hurst index; analyze the characteristics of the spatial and temporal variations of the AOD in the Central Asian arid zone; and explore the relationships among the AOD, wind speed, and NDVI. This study reveals the characteristics of the long-term changes in the aerosol optical properties in the Central Asian arid zone and provides a scientific basis for estimating the factors affecting climate change.
Organizational Culture and Teamwork: A Bibliometric Perspective on Public and Private Organizations
Authors: Morales-Huamán Humberto Iván , Medina-Valderrama Carlos Javier , Valencia-Arias Alejandro , Vasquez-Coronado Manuel Humberto , Valencia Jackeline , Delgado-Caramutti Jorge
Published: September 2023

Research on organizational culture and teamwork is progressing substantially, and the interest in understanding culture as an organizational phenomenon and its links with other variables of organizations are perspectives that need to be considered to obtain a better understanding and knowledge of achieving organizational aims. The objective of this study was to analyze the research and its contributions to organizational culture and teamwork through indicators of quantity, quality and structure. The information was obtained from the Scopus and Web of Science databases through structured search equations. The bibliographic data were merged and processed using Microsoft Excel, and by applying and using the PRISMA 2020 statement, 836 records were obtained. VOSviewer software was used to map networks, overlay displays and analyze keyword densities. The findings revealed that organizational culture and teamwork are constantly expanding and being researched in different organizations, with studies relating organizational culture and teamwork to knowledge management, patient safety culture, knowledge exchange, interprofessional collaboration and innovation. The maximum number of publications on the topic occurred in 2019. As indicated by VOSviewer, the keyword communication was associated with three of the identified clusters, and the research agenda proposed the expanding of themes related to leadership, knowledge exchange, knowledge management, interprofessional collaboration and safety climate.
Perceptions and Attitudes of Generation Z Students towards the Responsible Management of Smart Cities
Authors: Toma Sorin-George , Grădinaru Cătălin , Hudea Oana-Simona , Modreanu Andra
Published: September 2023

The emergence and development of smart cities represent a significant challenge for the post-modern world. Generation Z members currently entering adult life will play an important role in the implementation of the concept of a smart city. The objective of this study is to identify and analyze Generation Z students’ perceptions and attitudes towards the responsible management of smart cities. Following a quantitative approach, the authors designed and applied an online survey in order to reach the purpose of the study. The research sample comprised 468 representatives of Generation Z final-year undergraduate students at a university located in a smart city in the making, Bucharest (Romania). The data were statistically analyzed and interpreted using various tools and methods, such as Cronbach’s alpha and correlational analysis. The results show that students are aware of the role played by the city government in ensuring responsible management of the economic, social, and environmental issues of a smart city. Also, they emphasize that most of them are involved in or would like to be involved in different projects specific to smart cities. These results may represent the starting point for understanding Generation Z students’ expectations regarding responsible management in the context of smart cities.
Green Tourism and Sustainability: The Paiva Walkways Case in the Post-Pandemic Period (Portugal)
Authors: Gonçalves Eduardo Cândido Cordeiro , Guerra Ricardo Jorge da Costa , Figueiredo Vítor Manuel Pinto de
Published: September 2023

Sustainability in tourism is a goal and a path that must take into account the needs of visitors, the tourism sector, and communities, as well as the environmental, economic, and social impacts now and in the future. Sustainable tourism must make appropriate use of its territory and natural resources. The green tourism attraction of walkways is becoming very popular worldwide and needs to be studied, particularly in Portugal. The pandemic caused by COVID-19 has profoundly changed consumers’ relationships with tourism. This scientific paper, which has a markedly theoretical and exploratory character, examines the concept of green tourism, highlighting its distinctive characteristics, the environmental and socioeconomic benefits associated with this approach, and strategies for its successful implementation. It also discusses case studies of destinations, worldwide and in Portugal, that have adopted green tourism as an effective strategy for sustainable tourism development. The main conclusions explain that the walkways function as a sustainable tourism system in their economic, sociocultural, and environmental aspects, with a profound impact on the surrounding are, and the Paiva Walkways correspond to the best sustainability practices in terms of green tourism, promoting the participation and involvement of communities in their activities, creating public–private partnerships that add value and share the same values of sustainability, as well as seeking environmental certifications.
Investigating the Effects of Career Education Programs on High School Students’ Career Development Competencies in Korea
Authors: Kim Youngsik , Lee Hojun
Published: September 2023

The high school years represent a critical transitional phase during which students navigate career exploration and career decision-making, significantly shaping their lifelong personal development. Policy authorities in Korea have taken proactive measures to strengthen career education within high schools. However, the extent to which students benefit from participating in career education programs remains a subject of debate. Despite increasing interest in career education since the 2000s, empirical studies investigating the causal effects of these programs have been relatively scarce in Korea. The primary aim of this study is to causally estimate the effectiveness of career education programs offered by high schools, and examine how the impact of these activities varies based on the characteristics of participating students, particularly their career plans after high school graduation. To achieve this objective, DID and DDD models were employed, utilizing a balanced panel dataset spanning two years, from the ‘Korean Education & Employment Panel II’. The findings of this study revealed the significant positive impact of career education on high school students’ career development competencies. Notably, career clubs and career experience programs were identified as effective in enhancing students’ career development competencies. Furthermore, the effects of career club and job simulation varied depending on the students’ post-graduation plans. These results underscore the importance of optimizing the educational effectiveness of career education by emphasizing students’ firsthand experiences and considering individual students’ career plans when implementing career education programs.
Examining the Safety Impacts of High-Occupancy Vehicle Lanes: International Experience and an Evaluation of First Operation in Israel
Authors: Gitelman Victoria , Doveh Etti
Published: September 2023

Current transport policies promote better use of existing roadways by using traffic management strategies such as high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes. International experience showed positive mobility impacts of HOV lanes, while research evidence on their safety implications is limited. In Israel, the first HOV lanes were introduced in 2019. This study examined the impacts of HOV lanes on road safety based on a detailed review of international research and accident analyses, which evaluated the safety effects of HOV lanes in Israel. The literature survey applied a systematic screening of research studies from the past two decades and found that HOV lanes were frequently associated with an adverse effect on road safety. Yet, findings were limited to the North American experience, with mostly left-side HOV lanes in use, while in Israel, right-side HOV lanes were introduced. In Israeli evaluations, before-after comparisons of accident changes with comparison groups were applied, with regression models fitted to monthly time series of 17 accident types. Results showed that HOV lanes’ operation led to increasing accident trends, particularly in interchange areas and in the daytime. In injury accidents on road sections, an average increase of 31–41% was found (yet non-significant), while at interchange areas, an increase was even higher and sometimes significant. Thus, adverse safety effects should be expected and accounted for in future planning of HOV lanes. Further research should explore the design features of HOV lanes to reduce their negative safety implications.
Characteristics and Influencing Factors of the Spatial and Temporal Variability of the Coupled Water–Energy–Food Nexus in the Yellow River Basin in Henan Province
Authors: Wang Shunsheng , Yang Ruijie , Shi Shang , Wang Aili , Liu Tengfei , Yang Jinyue
Published: September 2023

The interconnection of water, energy, and food constitutes a complex and intricate relationship. A comprehensive index system for the water–energy–food (WEF) nexus in the Yellow River Basin (YRB) in Henan Province was formulated utilizing entropy weighting and the analytic hierarchy process. This was carried out to quantify and assess the evolution of the WEF nexus from 2006 to 2020. GeoDetector was employed to ascertain how selected factors influenced the coupled, coordinated growth of the WEF nexus. Three principal findings were revealed in this study. (1) The value of the comprehensive evaluation index of the WEF nexus increased over the study period from 0.2752 to 0.7044, with the degree of coupling coordination expanding from 0.5232 to 0.8361, indicating an overall increasing trend. (2) Significant spatial disparities across the province were detected in the degree of coupling coordination of the WEF nexus. Cities such as Kaifeng, Zhengzhou, and Luoyang had greater degrees of WEF coupling coordination compared to other cities, while Jiyuan demonstrated the least degree of coordination. (3) GeoDetector exhibited that factors like education expenditure, arable land area, and population density individually exerted a strong influence on coupling coordination; the influence of two-factor combinations heightened this effect, and nonlinear relationships between factor pairs further increased the influence. This investigation offers a conceptual structure for planning and implementing high-quality development in the YRB in Henan Province, thus serving as an essential reference for local governmental decision making.
Ensuring Sustainable Development in Light of Pandemic “New Normal” Influence
Authors: Mishchuk Halyna , Czarkowski Jakub Jerzy , Neverkovets Anastasiia , Lukács Eszter
Published: September 2023

The study aims to estimate the possibilities of sustainable development, ensuring and achieving the sustainable development goals (SDGs) in light of challenges caused by the pandemic’s “new normal”. In this regard, the study employs bibliometric and empirical approaches. Based on the bibliometric analysis results, it is found that the main focus of sustainable development studies during the pandemic is on economic issues (particularly, innovations and strategic decision-making) while also addressing humanitarian problems such as ensuring health and well-being. To find the practical problems in ensuring sustainable development during the pandemic period, we used the case of Ukraine with appropriate empirical analysis at two levels. Therefore, we estimated the achievements of SDGs compared to planned indicators for 2020 (as the last report data available for this study). As a result, the low level of achievements is proven; particularly, only 20% of planned indicators are fulfilled with planned values. Moreover, the sociological research is conducted to reveal the subjective perceptions of the pandemic’s influence on the possibilities of achieving SDGs. The survey was conducted during the second pandemic wave in December 2020–January 2021, involving 416 respondents. The obtained results confirmed the ambiguous influence of the pandemic. On the one hand, the positive changes are typical for healthcare services and distance learning. However, the negative influence of the pandemic’s “new normal” on SDGs is confirmed by respondents through their concerns about the effects of the pandemic on the development of investments and agricultural technologies as well as the progress in goals, such as “Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure” and “Sustainable Cities and Communities”.
Prediction of the Water Inrush Risk from an Overlying Separation Layer in the Thick Overburden of a Thick Coal Seam
Authors: Xie Daolei , Du Zhongwen , Han Chenghao , Han Jie , Wei Jiuchuan , Yan Jiulei
Published: September 2023

With the expansion of coal mining westward in China, water inrush from seam roofs has become a prominent safety problem during mining. The roof rock of the coal seam in the Shilawusu coal mine has the characteristics of a double-layer structure, and the overlying separation space formed in the mining process of the coal seam poses a risk of water inrush. To ensure the safety of coal mine production, considering the geological and hydrogeological data of the mining area, the core recovery rate, lithologic assemblage index, key aquifer thickness, hydrostatic head and lithologic structure index of the Zhidan Formation are selected as evaluation indexes. The index weights are calculated based on the attribute hierarchical model and coefficient of variation methods, and subjective and objective preference coefficients are introduced to determine the ranking of comprehensive indexes. The catastrophe progression method is improved, and a zoning prediction model for water inrush risk is established by the improved catastrophe progression method. The results show that only a tiny part of the mining area is in danger, and most areas are in the safe and transition zones. The model realizes the prediction of the risk of water inrush from the overlying separation layer in the study area and provides a theoretical basis for the prevention and control of water inrush from the overlying separation layer in coal mining.
Research on Gas Recycling of Free-Piston Expander–Linear Generator for Organic Rankine Cycle of Vehicle
Authors: Peng Baoying , Zhang Kai , Tong Liang , Xu Yonghong
Published: September 2023

A (FPE-LG) is a new type of vehicle waste heat recovery device based on an organic Rankine cycle. It is expected to achieve the reuse of vehicle internal combustion engine waste heat and improve the comprehensive utilization rate of energy. To enable the FPE-LG to recover exhaust gas to a greater extent in practical applications, based on the FPE-LG coupling gas storage tank test platform, the gas is discharged from the expander cylinder. This paper analyzes the influence of differences to the tank volume, intake pressure, intake duration time, expansion duration time and exhaust duration time on piston motion characteristics and gas storage and release time during the cycle, and verifies the feasibility of gas working as a recycling medium. The results showed that the energy storage of lithium batteries increases with the increase of intake pressure, and the energy stored in lithium batteries during gas release is higher than that during gas storage; the intake duration time, expansion duration time and exhaust duration time have little effect on the storage of lithium battery energy during the cycle. When the intake pressure is 0.5 MPa, the volume of the gas tank is 30 L, and the intake duration time, expansion duration time and exhaust duration time are 50 ms, 80 ms and 30 ms, respectively, the maximum actual stroke of the piston can reach 89.592 mm.
Carbon-Reduction, Green Finance, and High-Quality Economic Development: A Case of China
Authors: Zeng Shaolong , Fu Qinyi , Haleem Fazli , Shen Yang , Zhang Jiedong
Published: September 2023

Development that is eco-friendly, coordinated, sustainable, and of the highest caliber is crucial to China’s modernization. Based on the Cobb–Douglas production function and environmental Kuznets curve analysis, this paper investigates the link between green finance and the reduction of carbon emissions and high-quality economic development, then puts forward the hypothesis that green finance promotes high-quality economic development, and carbon emission reduction effect is its important transmission mechanism. This paper applies the bidirectional fixed effect model to a panel dataset of 30 Chinese provinces, cities, and autonomous regions from 2008 to 2019 to conduct an empirical test. The empirical results show that: (1) Green finance has a significant role in promoting high-quality economic development, which has passed the robustness test and has regional heterogeneity. (2) The growth of green financing reduces carbon emissions, which encourages high-quality development. (3) A positive spatial spillover effect results from the promotion of green finance to high-quality economic development. Given the aforementioned findings, this paper makes policy recommendations regarding how green financing, carbon emission reduction, and high-quality economic development might work together to support green development.
Bacterial Biodegradation of Perfluorooctanoic Acid (PFOA) and Perfluorosulfonic Acid (PFOS) Using Pure Pseudomonas Strains
Authors: Chiriac Florentina Laura , Stoica Catalina , Iftode Cristina , Pirvu Florinela , Petre Valentina Andreea , Paun Iuliana , Pascu Luoana Florentina , Vasile Gabriela Geanina , Nita-Lazar Mihai
Published: September 2023

The principal objective of the present research involved the achievement of high biodegradation degrees of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorosulfonic acid (PFOS) using pure individual bacterial strains. The use of such microorganisms can contribute to the improvement of the wastewater treatment process in sewage treatment plants through bioaugmentation or other bioremediation processes. Thus, in this study, we investigated the biodegradation potential of PFOA and PFOS. Bacterial strains tested in this study were from the Pseudomonas genus, namely: Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Pseudomonas putida, due to their known capacity to degrade xenobiotic compounds. The results indicated that Pseudomonas aeruginosa was able to transform 27.9% of PFOA and 47.3% of PFOS in 96 h, while Pseudomonas putida managed to transform 19.0% of PFOA and 46.9% of PFOS in the same time frame. During the biodegradation tests, PFHxA was recognized as the principal biotransformation product of PFOA in the presence of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and PFPeA, PFPxA and PFHpA were recognized as the biotransformation products in the presence of Pseudomonas putida. For PFOS, only two biotransformation products (PHHxA and PFHpA) were observed as a consequence of biodegradation by both bacterial strains.
Development of a Smart City Platform Based on Digital Twin Technology for Monitoring and Supporting Decision-Making
Authors: Dani Ahmad Ali Hakam , Supangkat Suhono Harso , Lubis Fetty Fitriyanti , Nugraha I Gusti Bagus Baskara , Kinanda Rezky , Rizkia Irma
Published: September 2023

Information and communication technology’s role in developing smart city platforms has allowed cities to grow smarter in recent years. In order to develop a smart city platform, digital twin technology can be implemented to monitor and simulate the city’s conditions. Furthermore, it can function as a precise decision-support system. Digital twins can be combined with augmented reality technology to develop a smart city platform. The combination of these two technologies aims to visualize data for monitoring and simulating conditions in a city. The primary concern about the necessity of a digital twin platform in smart cities pertains to creating a robust digital twin-enabled smart city platform that can efficiently monitor urban conditions and provide significant insights for decision-making. Hence, this research aims to develop a smart city platform with digital twins as its foundation. This platform would enable real-time data visualization inside an environment that facilitates clear and effective information communication to users. The smart city platform development method is divided into four layers, namely developing (1) the basic layer that contains basic information about the city; (2) the 3D layer that contains the city’s 3D assets; (3) the digital twin layer for real-time data integration; (4) the augmented layer for augmenting the digital twin data. This research also proposes an architecture that will become the basis of the flow for the digital twin platform development. The result of developing the platform is a smart city platform based on a digital twin that can be used to monitor the condition of the city. This platform can be input for users or the community in planning their daily activities and can be decision support to the government in developing the city.
Evidence of Noisy Oscillations of cAMP under Nutritional Stress Condition in Budding Yeast
Authors: Colombo Sonia , Collini Maddalena , D’Alfonso Laura , Chirico Giuseppe , Martegani Enzo
Published: September 2023

The Ras/cAMP/PKA pathway regulates responses to nutrients’ availability and stress in budding yeast. The cAMP levels are subjected to negative feedback, and we have previously simulated a dynamic model of this pathway suggesting the existence of stable oscillatory states depending on the symmetrical and opposed activity of the RasGEF (Cdc25) and RasGAPs (Ira proteins). Noisy oscillations related to the activity of this pathway were reported by looking at the nuclear localization of the transcription factor Msn2, and sustained oscillations of the nuclear accumulation of Msn2 under the condition of limiting glucose were observed. We were able to reproduce the periodic accumulation of Msn2-GFP protein in a yeast cell under the condition of limiting glucose, and we also detected oscillations of cAMP. We used a sensor based on a fusion protein between YFP-Epac2-CFP expressed in yeast cells. The FRET between CFP and YFP is controlled by the cAMP concentration. This sensor allows us to monitor changes in cAMP concentrations in a single yeast cell over a long time. Using this method, we were able to detect noisy oscillations of cAMP levels in single yeast cells under conditions of nutritional stress caused by limiting glucose availability.
N-Hypersoft Sets: An Innovative Extension of Hypersoft Sets and Their Applications
Authors: Musa Sagvan Y. , Mohammed Ramadhan A. , Asaad Baravan A.
Published: September 2023

This paper introduces N-hypersoft (N-HS) sets—an enriched and versatile extension of hypersoft (HS) sets—designed to handle evaluations involving both binary and non-binary data while embodying an inherent sense of structural symmetry. The paper presents several algebraic definitions, including incomplete N-HS sets, efficient N-HS sets, normalized N-HS sets, equivalence under normalization, N-HS complements, and HS sets derived from a threshold. These definitions are accompanied by illustrative examples. Additionally, the paper delves into various set-theoretic operations within the framework of N-HS sets, such as relative null/whole N-HS sets, N-HS subsets, and N-HS extended/restricted union and intersection, presented in two different ways. Finally, the paper presents and compares decision-making methodologies regarding N-HS sets.
Stochastic Comparisons of Largest-Order Statistics and Ranges from Marshall–Olkin Bivariate Exponential and Independent Exponential Variables
Authors: Balakrishnan Narayanaswamy , Saadat Kia (Barmalzan) Ghobad , Mehrpooya Mohammad
Published: September 2023

Sample range and the associated functions such as survival function and mean residual life function have found many important applications in the reliability field. In this work, we establish some results that are in two different directions. In the first part, we establish some conditions for comparing the largest-order statistics (in the sense of mean residual life order) arising from bivariate Marshall–Olkin exponential distribution. Then, in the second part, we present some sufficient conditions for comparing sample ranges (in the sense of usual stochastic order and reversed hazard rate order) arising from independent exponential random variables.
Performance Analysis of Adopting FSO Technology for Wireless Data Center Network
Authors: AlGhadhban Amer , Abdulhussain Sadiq H. , Alazmi Meshari , Almalaq Abdulaziz
Published: September 2023

Free Space Optical Communication (FSO) is a promising technology to address wired Data Center Network (DCN) challenges like power consumption, low scalability and flexibility, congestion and cabling. Scholars have developed indirect line-of-sight (LoS) FSO schemes by reflecting the FSO beams via switchable mirrors. These schemes have introduced extra overhead delay to establish indirect LoS links, defined herein as the rack-to-rack FSO link setup process. The purpose of this work is to study and model this setup process with the consideration of the DC workloads. We found that the process involves a sequence of i.i.d random variables that contribute differently to its delay. Also, the process shows a statistical characteristic close to M/M/K. However, the number of FSO links, K, is random with time, which necessitates careful modeling. Finally, the PDF of the process total response time is close to the hypoexponential distribution, and it maintains its main characteristics even with different distributions for the service time.
Intelligent Online Inspection of the Paste Quality of Prebaked Carbon Anodes Using an Anomaly Detection Algorithm
Authors: Li Laiyi , Li Qingzong , Yong Wentao , Zhang Shuwei , Yang Maolin , Jiang Pingyu
Published: September 2023

Prebaked carbon anodes are a critical consumable in the aluminum electrolysis industry. Prebaked carbon anode paste is the intermediate product of the prebaked carbon anode, and its quality significantly impacts the prebaked carbon anode. Therefore, inspecting the quality of the prebaked carbon anode paste is essential. Currently, the quality inspection of the paste still relies on laboratory analysis or manual experience. A laboratory inspection cannot obtain results in real time, while manual inspection poses potential risks. To address these issues, an online intelligent inspection method for prebaked carbon anode paste based on an anomaly detection algorithm was proposed. Firstly, we acquired the temperature of the paste and the power of the kneading motor. Secondly, we transformed these time-series data into images using the Gramian Angular Field (GAF) technique and joined them to create the paste anomaly detection dataset. Thirdly, we trained a matched anomaly detection model based on the PatchCore algorithm. Finally, we compared two advanced models: HaloAE and TSRD. PatchCore performs best on our dataset with an AUC-ROC score of 0.9943, followed by HaloAE (0.9906) and TSRD (0.9811). Our proposed method enables on-time intelligent inspection of prebaked carbon anode paste quality. This eliminates the need for manual inspection, reduces labor requirements, and ensures worker safety.
Comparing Traditional and Toxin-Oriented Approaches towards Antivenom Production against Bitis arietans Snake Venom
Authors: Guidolin Felipe Raimondi , de Godoi Kemily Stephanie , Megale Angela Alice Amadeu , da Silva Cristiane Castilho Fernandes , Kodama Roberto Tadashi , Cajado-Carvalho Daniela , Iwai Leo Kei , Spencer Patrick Jack , Portaro Fernanda Calheta Vieira , da Silva Wilmar Dias
Published: September 2023

Accidents with snakes are responsible for about 32,000 deaths annually in sub-Saharan Africa, caused mostly by snakes from the genus Bitis, in particular Bitis arietans. B. arietans venom is composed of a complex mixture of toxins, mainly metalloproteases, serine proteases, phospholipases, lectins, and disintegrins. In this work, we compared two approaches to anti-B. arietans antivenom production: immunization with crude snake venom (“traditional approach”) and immunization with selected key toxins isolated from the snake venom (“toxin oriented” approach). Fractions from B. arietans venom were isolated by size exclusion chromatography. Crude venom and samples containing serine proteases or metalloproteases were selected for the immunization of BALB/c mice. Anti-B. arietans and anti-serine proteases plasmas showed a similar recognition profile and higher titers and affinity than the anti-metalloproteases plasma. Cross-recognition of other Bitis venoms was observed, but with low intensity. Although the plasma of all experimental groups inhibited the enzymatic activity of B. arietans venom in vitro, in vivo protection was not achieved. Our results have shown limitations in both approaches considered. Based on this, we proposed a model of polyclonal, species-specific, monovalent antivenoms that could be used as a base to produce customizable polyvalent sera for use in sub-Saharan Africa.
Not Asian Anymore: Reconstruction of the History, Evolution, and Dispersal of the “Asian” Lineage of CPV-2c
Authors: Franzo Giovanni , Mira Francesco , Schirò Giorgia , Canuti Marta
Published: September 2023

Variability has been one of the hallmarks of canine parvovirus type 2 (CPV-2) since its discovery, and several lineages and antigenic variants have emerged. Among these, a group of viruses commonly called Asian CPV-2c has recently been reported with increasing frequency in different regions. Currently, its global epidemiology and evolution are essentially unknown. The present work deals with this information gap by evaluating, via sequence, phylodynamic, and phylogeographic analyses, all the complete coding sequences of strains classified as Asian CPV-2c based on a combination of amino acid markers and phylogenetic analysis. After its estimated origin around 2008, this lineage circulated undetected in Asia until approximately 2012, when an expansion in viral population size and geographical distribution occurred, involving Africa, Europe, and North America. Asia was predicted to be the main nucleus of viral dispersal, leading to multiple introduction events in other continents/countries, where infection establishment, persistence, and rapid evolution occurred. Although the dog is the main host, other non-canine species were also involved, demonstrating the host plasticity of this lineage. Finally, although most of the strains showed an amino acid motif considered characteristic of this lineage, several exceptions were observed, potentially due to convergent evolution or reversion phenomena.
Systematic Mapping of Research on Vaccine-Preventable Diseases in Children in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Decennial Scientometric Analysis
Authors: Iwu Chidozie Declan , Iwu-Jaja Chinwe , Jaca Anelisa , Wiysonge Charles Shey
Published: September 2023

Vaccine-preventable diseases (VPDs) remain a significant public health challenge, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. The high burden of VPDs in this region necessitates the need for continued investigation and intervention. This paper presents a bibliometric analysis of research on VPDs in children in sub-Saharan Africa in the last 10 years to capture the current state of research in the field. This study used a systematic search for articles published between 2013 and 2022 in the Web of Science Core Collection database and, subsequently, scientometric techniques for data analyses and interpretation. Annual scientific production of publications on the research of VPDs in children in sub-Saharan Africa increased from 2013 to 2019 and then gradually declined. South Africa had the most VPD studies (n = 148; 16.2%), followed by Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, The Gambia, Malawi, Ethiopia, and the Republic of Congo. The Vaccine journal published the most. The Pan African Medical Journal was the most frequent destination journal based in Africa. The commonly studied pathogens were Streptococcus pneumoniae and Haemophilus influenzae. Research productivity increased exponentially in the pre-COVID era and declined in the past two years, so more VPD research in this region is needed.
The Use of Corneoscleral Grafts to Maintain Tectonic Stability in Severe Keratolysis
Authors: Hartmann Lennart M. , Buchwald Hans-Juergen , Elhardt Carolin , Vounotrypidis Efstathios , Wolf Armin , Wertheimer Christian M.
Published: September 2023

Severe corneal ulcerations, causing major keratolysis with large perforation of the cornea or extending to the limbal region, are an ophthalmic emergency. In these cases, a larger corneoscleral graft can be transplanted to restore tectonic integrity, alleviate pain, save vision, and prevent loss of the eye. Chart review of 34 patients with a corneoscleral graft ≥9.5 mm was conducted. Primary endpoints of the study were tectonic stability defined as no need for another keratoplasty or enucleation. In addition, visual acuity, postoperative complications, and secondary procedures were analyzed. In total, 12 patients (35%) were female. The mean age at transplantation was 65 ± 19 years. The underlying disease was a perforated infectious corneal ulcer in 30 cases (88%). Mean follow up was 675 ± 789 days. Tectonic stability at the end of the follow-up was maintained with a probability of 56% in a Kaplan–Meier analysis. Another penetrating keratoplasty was necessary in six cases (17%) and enucleation in five cases (15%). A corneoscleral transplant remains a viable treatment option to prevent enucleation in severe keratolysis. In our study, this was possible in about half of the cases. Postoperative complications, secondary surgeries, and markedly reduced visual acuity put the advantages into perspective.
Measurement of Green Water Resource Utilization Efficiency for Carbon Neutrality: A Multiple Water Use Sectoral Perspective Considering Carbon Emission
Authors: Zhao Chenguang , Zuo Qiting , Ma Junxia , Zang Chao , Wu Qingsong
Published: September 2023

Green and high-efficiency water resource utilization patterns hold paramount importance in promoting sustainable economic and social development, as well as in attaining the goal of carbon neutrality. Most research on water utilization efficiency have taken a general perspective to quantify it, neglecting independent relationships and green effects among water use sectors. This study proposed an integrated measurement model of green water resource utilization efficiency (GWRUE), combined with the carbon dioxide emission equivalent analysis method of water resource behaviors, and constructed an input–output indicator system of GWRUE from four dimensions: domestic, industrial, agricultural, and ecological water. The aim is to achieve the measurement of GWRUE towards carbon neutrality. In this paper, 18 cities in Henan Province were used as instances to carry out the study. The results show that (1) The CO2 emission equivalent from multiple water use sectors in Henan Province showed a tendency of fluctuating reduction during the study period, from a peak of 21,090,100 tons in 2012 to a low of 12,351,900 tons in 2021, with large spatial variations, and the CO2 emission effect existed in most cities, with Zhengzhou being the highest. (2) The GWRUE of domestic, industrial, and agricultural water in Henan Province and 18 cities exhibited an overall upward trend, while that of ecological water presented a downward trend and was at the lowest level among the four sectors. (3) Consolidated GWRUE in Henan Province tended to decrease and then increase; its value was 0.512 in 2011, 0.448 in 2017, and 0.586 in 2021, and most of its cities were at a Medium level. The findings of this study can serve as a theoretical and practical basis for improving the level of green and efficient utilization of water resources, as well as offer references for relevant water use sectors to formulate CO2 emission reduction policies.
Optimized Design of Sponge-Type Comprehensive Pipe Corridor Rainwater Chamber Based on NSGA-III Algorithm
Authors: Ren Yazheng , Zhang Huiying , Wang Xinhua , Gu Zhanfei , Fu Linie , Cheng Yang
Published: September 2023

Currently, most of the studies using optimization algorithms to mitigate the urban flooding problem have no more than three optimization objectives, and few of them take the operation status of the traditional drainage system as one of the optimization objectives, which is not conducive to the overall design of the city. This study proposes to mitigate the urban flooding problem by using a sponge-type comprehensive pipe corridor rainwater chamber. A four-objective optimization model is established by coupling the Storm Water Management Model (SWMM) and the Non-dominated Sorting Genetic Algorithm-III (NSGA-III), and two traditional drainage system state indicators (pipe overload time, node overflow volume), surface runoff coefficient, and total investment cost are selected as the optimization objectives for solving the problem. The results show that (1) the reduction rates of surface runoff coefficient, pipe overload time, and node overflow volume rate by the optimization model are 37.015–56.917%, 81.538–91.435%, and 51.578–84.963%, respectively; and the total investment cost is RMB 4.311–4.501 billion. (2) The effectiveness of combining SWMM and NSGA-III for an optimization solution is verified, and the relationship between the four objectives is explored. The study may provide useful information for urban flood control.
Problems of Regulating the Population of Russia
Authors:   Institute of Control Sciences named after V.A. Trapeznikov of RAS, Yurkevich Evgeniy , Yakovets Tatyana ,   Russian Academy of Natural Sciences
Published: September 2023

The authors dwell on the problem of establishing state institutions aimed at overcoming the depopulation of Russia in the context of the current demographic crisis. As an effective tool for creating conditions for implementation of the Social Doctrine provisions, a model of information interactions is proposed, which is formed in the form of a Situational Center. The authors show the tasks of the Situational Center as a regulator of cause-and-effect relationships between each of the controlled objects that determine formation of ways out of the demographic crisis. The author’s definition of information is given.
Analytical Technology of the “Economic Cross” — a Toolkit for Modeling the Effectiveness of the Nuclear Fuel Cycle Closure
Authors:   Moscow University of Humanities and Economics, Timokhin Dmitry , Putilov Alexander ,   National Research Nuclear University MEPhI
Published: September 2023

Changes in the economic development priorities during transition to a post-industrial society inevitably forces us to reconsider approaches to the role of innovation in the modern economy, including in nuclear energy. The life cycles of nuclear energy resources and nuclear power units are intersected, and at this intersection energy is generated, revenue occurs, etc. The rest of these life cycles are mainly costs. Method of analyzing this life cycles intersection was named the “economic cross”. The purpose of the study presented in the article is to specify conditions, under which the final revenue, with regard to discounting, will exceed the total costs, and nuclear power technology will be profitable.
Investigation of hereditary cholesterol deficiency (CD) in Holstein Cattle at the state farms in Türkiye
Authors: Özbeyaz Ceyhan , Özcan Melike
Published: September 2023

Türkiye is exposed to international animal and semen movements. For this reason, Türkiye is very affected by diseases and hereditary disorders. State Farms is a state organization that raises and distributes breeding cattle. This study was aimed at investigating the presence and distribution of mutant alleles causing cholesterol deficiency (CD) disorder in Holstein cattle on state farms. For this purpose, blood and sperm samples were collected from 466 Holstein cattle. The real-time PCR method was used for genotyping. A total of seven cattle were found to be heterozygous. The frequency of the mutant allele was determined to be 0.75%. The kinship of four cattle carrying the mutant allele with Mauglin Storm, the bull in which this disease was first detected, was determined. The presence of cattle carrying the mutant allele in Türkiye is quite low compared to other countries. The Apolipoprotein-B (APOB) mutant allele was found at low frequencies and detected for the first time at the State Farms in Türkiye. Therefore, it is necessary to develop control programs by screening other Holstein herds.
TEXT DESIGN IN STREET ART: COMMUNICATION STRATEGIES OF THE CITY
Authors: Knysh P.
Published: September 2023

Street art in Russia is an actual form of contemporary art that is a response to a number of social, political, and cultural changes. However, the role and use of text in Russian street art remain insufficiently researched. The object of the study is a text in street art used by street artists in urban spaces, not only for the purpose of visual transformation but also to endow it with meanings. The methodological basis of this research is the analysis of scientific articles, books, and studies on street art, as well as interviews with artists. Comparative method, historical, and cultural analysis: the paper compares Soviet and modern textual street art objects based on the analysis of archival photographs and information from the websites of Yekaterinburg street art artists. As a result of the study, the authors come to the conclusion that the text in street art performs not only the function of visualizing ideas but also is a means of interaction and communication with society. It contributes to the formation of the way of thinking and philosophy of the whole people. Text compositions, creating a unique design code, can become the visual center of the city, its distinctive feature, and attract tourists. They create the possibility of a polymodal conversation in the urban space: between residents, active urban environment converters, and the authorities. According to the author, modern cities need to be filled with semantic texts to create spaces for an open-wall conversation
Communication «verticale» et «horizontale» chez Censorinus. Un jeu rhétorique subtil
Authors: Freyburger Gérard
Published: September 2023

Le De die natali est un traité savant, adressé par Censorinus à Q. Caerellius, c’est-à-dire par un client à son patron : Censorinus s’y exprime donc maintes fois, comme on s’y attend, avec déférence (communication verticale, de bas en haut), mais aussi, dans des développements érudits, sur le ton neutre d’un exposé «scientifique» (communication horizontale), enfin, quand il s’agit de la gloire que le De die natali conférera à Caerellius, sur le ton d’une discrète supériorité (communication verticale, de haut en bas).
Le prince face aux supplications (fin des guerres civiles – Ier siècle ap. J.-C.)
Authors: Gangloff Anne
Published: September 2023

This article deals with the supplications to the prince until the end of the first century. To what extent was it possible, at the beginning of the Principate, to appeal to the emperor’s mercy and obtain his fides ? The context of the supplications to the Julio-Claudian and Flavian emperors is studied, then two particularities are highlighted : the difficulty to access the prince and the spectacular staging of these supplications. The role of emotions and of deliberation in the final decision making by the supplicandus is also analysed, in order to show the political stakes of supplications to emperors.
Quelles bases de données pour les recherches sur la non-violence ?
Authors: Kauffmann Mayeul , Janzen Randy , Bali Morad
Published: September 2023

Cet article présente quelques bases de données utiles pour les recherches sur la non-violence, ainsi que des pistes de travail pour les améliorer. Il ne vise pas à présenter un catalogue des projets existants, ni à établir un état de l’art en la matière, mais plutôt à présenter certaines lacunes et pistes d’amélioration illustrées par des initiatives innovantes, fructueuses ou prometteuses. L’argumentation s’appuie sur des exemples concrets, tirés de bases de données sur l’Intervention Civile de Paix, sur les Opérations de Maintien de la Paix, sur les actions non-violentes (notamment de protestation) et sur les sanctions internationales.
Program Reporting in Cooperative Extension
Authors: Ghimire Nav
Published: September 2023

This article explores the challenges of reporting outcomes of the Extension educational programs at land-grant universities and presents a model highlighting the focus and expectations of reporting in Cooperative Extension. This model provides a rationale for recognizing the relationship between program planning, evaluation, reporting, and employee-performance appraisal and their implications for organizational growth and learning.
DAMPAK PEMBERDAYAAN DAN KOMUNIKASI INTERPERSONAL DALAM MENINGKATKAN ORGANIZATIOAN CITYZENSHIP BEHAVIOR KARYAWAN GENERASI Y
Authors: Adiawaty Susi , Daso Maria Angellina
Published: September 2023

This research aims to see the influence of empowerment and interpersonal communication on improving organizational citizenship behavior. The influence seen is the partial influence and the simultaneous influence between the dependent variable and the independent variable. The research was conducted on 92 WJU Generation Y employees. The research is quantitative using two analysis methods, namely the descriptive method and the data analysis method using SMART PLS. To see the influence of the dependent variable on the independent variable, the t test and F test were used. The research results show that empowerment and interpersonal communication can influence the increase in employee organizational citizenship behavior both partially and simultaneously. Between these two influences, it is known that the influence of empowerment is higher than the influence of interpersonal communication. The aspects of interpersonal communication that need to be improved so that increasing organizational citizenship behavior has a stronger impact are the alturism aspect and the sportsmanship aspect.

 Keywords: Empowerment, Interpersonal Communication, Organizational citizenship behavior
Bile cast nephropathy; a neglected entity
Authors: Alvarez Rodrigo , Tolouian Ramin
Published: September 2023

This study investigates the role of bile cast nephropathy (BCN) in acute kidney injury associated with cholestatic liver disease. Bile cast nephropathy is characterized by kidney injury due to, bile-related factors, distinct from hepatorenal syndrome (HRS) linked to hemodynamic changes in liver disease. The mechanisms of BCN include oxidative damage, tubular toxicity, and obstructive physiology. Diagnosis is typically through biopsy, although alternatives like trans-jugular biopsy are considered due to bleeding risks. Treatment targets underlying causes of hyperbilirubinemia, and extracorporeal therapies like plasmapheresis and molecular adsorbent recycling system show potential efficacy. Awareness and further research on noninvasive diagnostic methods for BCN are recommended.