bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Gendered and Ethnic Captivity and Slavery in Safavid Persia: A Literature Review
Authors: Rahbari Ladan
Published: January 2021

The Safavid society’s approach to sexuality and gender has made it a reference for the “pre-modern” discourse, in which gender and sexuality manifest—in contemporary terminology—queerness and fluidity. While it is important not to romanticize the image of the Orient as a queer heaven, it is possible to consider Safavid society as an important site of inquiry that offers valuable insights on pre-colonial gender and sexuality. A less discussed topic in Safavid literature on gender and sexuality is gendered and sexual slavery. This study conducts a review of primary and secondary literature on the Safavid period, including Western travelogues. The paper aims to outline the relations between existing forms of captivity and factors such as gender and ethnic background. The research explores the prevalence of slavery reported in Safavid literature and how slaves’ positions were defined within social hierarchies.
Learning Plant Biodiversity in Nature: The Use of the Citizen–Science Platform iNaturalist as a Collaborative Tool in Secondary Education
Authors: Echeverria Andres , Ariz Idoia , Moreno Judit , Peralta Javier , Gonzalez Esther M.
Published: January 2021

Biodiversity is a concept of great scientific interest and social value studied in different subjects of the secondary education curriculum. Citizen–science programs may contribute to increasing the engagement of students when studying biodiversity. This work aimed to explore the use of the citizen–science platform iNaturalist as a complement of the elaboration of herbaria in an outdoor activity for 4th course 16-year-old students in the Basaula Reserve. The platform iNaturalist was chosen for its suitability to develop collaborative projects in an educational context. The Basaula project was created and 122 students were trained to record plant species in an outdoor activity. A total of 32 species were recorded, among them the most abundant were beech (Fagus sylvatica) and holm oak (Quercus ilex). The students positively evaluated their experience, highlighting its adequacy to record biodiversity data and make a virtual herbarium. Students valued the innovative character of iNaturalist and its usefulness for research but also the opportunity to integrate mobile devices in school education. We concluded that iNaturalist is a valuable tool to carry out collaborative projects dealing with biodiversity in secondary education.
A Systematic Literature Review of Multi-Criteria Decision-Making Methods for Sustainable Selection of Insulation Materials in Buildings
Authors: Siksnelyte-Butkiene Indre , Streimikiene Dalia , Balezentis Tomas , Skulskis Virgilijus
Published: January 2021

The European Commission has recently adopted the Renovation Wave Strategy, aiming at the improvement of the energy performance of buildings. The strategy aims to at least double renovation rates in the next ten years and make sure that renovations lead to higher energy and resource efficiency. The choice of appropriate thermal insulation materials is one of the simplest and, at the same time, the most popular strategies that effectively reduce the energy demand of buildings. Today, the spectrum of insulation materials is quite wide, and each material has its own specific characteristics. It is recognized that the selection of materials is one of the most challenging and difficult steps of a building project. This paper aims to give an in-depth view of existing multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) applications for the selection of insulation materials and to provide major insights in order to simplify the process of methods and criteria selection for future research. A systematic literature review is performed based on the Search, Appraisal, Synthesis and Analysis (SALSA) framework and the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement. In order to determine which MCDM method is the most appropriate for different questions, the main advantages and disadvantages of different methods are provided.
Implementing Regenerative Standards in Politically Green Nordic Social Welfare States: Can Sweden Adopt the Living Building Challenge?
Authors: Forsberg Mara , de Souza Clarice Bleil
Published: January 2021

This paper focuses on understanding the place for regenerative building standards within the context of politically green Nordic social welfare states. To this end, it examines the particular case of adopting the Living Building Challenge (LBC), an iconic example of regenerative design standard, in Sweden. An extensive document analysis comparing the Swedish building and planning regulations as well as the Miljöbyggnad national certification system with the LBC, shows overlaps and barriers the standard can face when adopted in the country. Barriers are validated and further discussed in interviews with one of the few architects trying to achieve a certified LBC building in Sweden and Swedish public authorities from the Boverket (Swedish National Board of Housing, Building and Planning). Results from the document analysis and interviews show barriers to implement the LBC in Sweden are a product of a conscious political and ideological decision from the welfare state which considers infrastructure, and all its potential sustainable versions, a public good to be provided to all and funded by all. This premise contrasts with the self-sufficient approach promoted by the LBC, which in this particular aspect, can be interpreted as a threat to the welfare state.
Directional Distance Function Technical Efficiency of Chili Production in Thailand
Authors: Krasachat Wirat , Yaisawarng Suthathip
Published: January 2021

To overcome the challenging food safety and security problem, in 2003, the Thai government initiated ‘Good Agricultural Practices’ (GAP) technology. This paper used a sample of 107 small chili farms from the Chiyaphoom province for the 2012 crop year, and data envelopment analysis (DEA) meta-frontier directional distance function technique to answer two questions: (1) Are GAP-adopting farms, on average, more efficient than conventional farms? (2) Does access to GAP technology affect farmers’ decisions to adopt GAP technology? We also developed an ‘indirect’ approach to reduce the potential sample selection bias for small samples. For the dry-season subsample, GAP farms were more technically efficient when compared with non-GAP farms. These dry-season non-GAP farms may not adopt the GAP method because they have limited access to GAP technology. For the rainy-season subsample, on average, GAP farms were more efficient than non-GAP farms at the 5% level. Access to the GAP technology is not a possible reason for non-GAP rainy season farms to not adopt the GAP technology. To enable sustainable development, government agencies and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) must develop and implement appropriate educational and training workshops to promote and assist GAP technology adoption for chili farms in Thailand.
Mergers and Acquisitions within the Sharing Economy: Placing All the Players on the Board
Authors: Pérez-Pérez Cristina , Benito-Osorio Diana , García Moreno Susana María
Published: January 2021

The sharing economy is changing the way customers perceive businesses and making traditional companies face new challenges. Many outmoded companies have decided to embrace these changes either by creating their own sharing platforms or by acquiring an already existing one. This paper is an initial attempt to shed light on the reasons behind mergers and acquisitions involving at least one sharing platform. We conduct an in-depth analysis of M&As over the period 2012–2019 with a sample of 108 operations, covering countries all around the world. Our analysis reveals how important and commonplace these operations are becoming, and how widely spread sharing platforms are. The paper also shows how traditional companies are dealing with these new competitors and how sharing companies need the specific knowledge provided by established companies with outmoded approaches.
Comparative Assessment to Predict and Forecast Water-Cooled Chiller Power Consumption Using Machine Learning and Deep Learning Algorithms
Authors: Chaerun Nisa Elsa , Kuan Yean-Der
Published: January 2021

Over the last few decades, total energy consumption has increased while energy resources remain limited. Energy demand management is crucial for this reason. To solve this problem, predicting and forecasting water-cooled chiller power consumption using machine learning and deep learning are presented. The prediction models adopted are thermodynamic model and multi-layer perceptron (MLP), while the time-series forecasting models adopted are MLP, one-dimensional convolutional neural network (1D-CNN), and long short-term memory (LSTM). Each group of models is compared. The best model in each group is then selected for implementation. The data were collected every minute from an academic building at one of the universities in Taiwan. The experimental result demonstrates that the best prediction model is the MLP with 0.971 of determination (R2), 0.743 kW of mean absolute error (MAE), and 1.157 kW of root mean square error (RMSE). The time-series forecasting model trained every day for three consecutive days using new data to forecast the next minute of power consumption. The best time-series forecasting model is LSTM with 0.994 of R2, 0.233 kW of MAE, and 1.415 kW of RMSE. The models selected for both MLP and LSTM indicated very close predictive and forecasting values to the actual value.
Mechanical Properties of a New Type Recycled Aggregate Concrete Interlocking Hollow Block Masonry
Authors: Li Jie , Zhou Hao , Chen Wenwen , Chen Zhongfan
Published: January 2021

Considering the advantages of energy conservation and reducing the construction skill requirement of the workers, a new type of interlocking hollow block using recycled aggregates concrete (IHB-RAC) with the compressive strength up to 10 Mpa was proposed, which could help improve more than 56% of the construction efficiency compared to commonly used concrete hollow blocks. In order to study the mechanical properties and promote the application of this new type block in building engineering, the masonries considering different strengths of mortar and the concrete used in the grouting holes were designed, and the corresponding compressive and shear strength, as well as the failure mode of the masonries were studied according to the test results. Then, experimental results were compared with the calculated values obtained from Chinese code GB50003-2011 to check the suitability of the standards. In order to make an accurate prediction of the compressive strength of the masonry, modifying coefficients were suggested considering the positive contributions of the connecting keys. In addition, according to the test results, an appropriate calculation method for accurately predicting the shear strength of the grouted IHB-RAC masonry was proposed by separately considering the effort of the mortar and the grouting hole concrete.
Estimation of the Evapotranspiration and Crop Coefficients of Bell Pepper Using a Removable Weighing Lysimeter: A Case Study in the Southeast of Spain
Authors: Ávila-Dávila Laura , Molina-Martínez José Miguel , Bautista-Capetillo Carlos , Soler-Méndez Manuel , Robles Rovelo Cruz Octavio , Júnez-Ferreira Hugo Enrique , González-Trinidad Julián
Published: January 2021

Water use efficiency is essential in semiarid regions of Spain, and it can be achieved through a precise knowledge of the real crop water requirements (CWR). The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) offers standardized crop coefficients to establish the CWR. However, these coefficients can change due to different conditions, such as climatic variations and cultivation practices. In this work, the evapotranspiration (ETClys) and crop coefficients (KClys) of bell pepper were obtained with a compact removable weighing lysimeter between February and August for two crop seasons (2019 and 2020). ETClys was determined from the water balance, and the KClys values were determined as the ratio of the crop evapotranspiration, measured on the removable weighing lysimeter, and the reference evapotranspiration. The KClys average values for the bell pepper in the initial, middle, and final stages were 0.57, 1.06, and 0.80, respectively. KC regression models were obtained as a function of the fraction thermal units, achieving a maximum correlation of 0.67 (R2). In general, the KC values obtained in this research work were lower in the initial and in the final stages and larger in the middle stage in comparison with the FAO-56 values and other research works values in semiarid conditions. The bell pepper yield increased by 7.72% in 2019 and by 3.49% in 2020 compared to the yield reported by the Ministry of the Environment and Rural and Marine Areas of the Spanish Government in 2019 and with a minimum water loss through drainage. The results in this work can help farmers to determine the crop water requirements and to improve the system efficiency in semiarid locations with similar conditions to those in the study.
Multi-Temporal Built-Up Grids of Brazilian Cities: How Trends and Dynamic Modelling Could Help on Resilience Challenges?
Authors: Rufino Iana , Djordjević Slobodan , Costa de Brito Higor , Alves Priscila Barros Ramalho
Published: January 2021

The northeastern Brazilian region has been vulnerable to hydrometeorological extremes, especially droughts, for centuries. A combination of natural climate variability (most of the area is semi-arid) and water governance problems increases extreme events’ impacts, especially in urban areas. Spatial analysis and visualisation of possible land-use change (LUC) zones and trends (urban growth vectors) can be useful for planning actions or decision-making policies for sustainable development. The Global Human Settlement Layer (GHSL) produces global spatial information, evidence-based analytics, and knowledge describing Earth’s human presence. In this work, the GHSL built-up grids for selected Brazilian cities were used to generate urban models using GIS (geographic information system) technologies and cellular automata for spatial pattern simulations of urban growth. In this work, six Brazilian cities were selected to generate urban models using GIS technologies and cellular automata for spatial pattern simulations of urban sprawl. The main goal was to provide predictive scenarios for water management (including simulations) and urban planning in a region highly susceptible to extreme hazards, such as floods and droughts. The northeastern Brazilian cities’ analysis raises more significant challenges because of the lack of land-use change field data. Findings and conclusions show the potential of dynamic modelling to predict scenarios and support water sensitive urban planning, increasing cities’ coping capacity for extreme hazards.
On the Impact of Open Parcel Lockers on Traffic
Authors: Prandtstetter Matthias , Seragiotto Clovis , Braith Johannes , Eitler Sandra , Ennser Bernhard , Hauger Georg , Hohenecker Nina , Schodl Reinhold , Steinbauer Matthias
Published: January 2021

The last-mile in the courier express parcel (CEP) sector is the most challenging part of the overall transport chain. This is, among other reasons, because many recipients are not at home when deliveries take place. On the other hand, it is for many recipients inconvenient that they have to collect their parcels at different pickup shops varying from logistics service provider (LSP) to LSP. One solution is to employ (open) parcel lockers which are conveniently located for recipients and which allow successful (first) deliveries for LSPs. In this paper, we investigate the impact of parcel lockers with respect to traveled distances as well as CO2 emissions. We show that under certain situations, parcel lockers positively contribute to both aforementioned performance indexes. Based on our observations, we formulate recommendations how to support the implementation of parcel lockers.
Green Technological Development and Deployment in the Association of Southeast Asian Economies (ASEAN)—At Crossroads or Roundabout?
Authors: Nepal Rabindra , Phoumin Han , Khatri Abiral
Published: January 2021

Southeast Asia faces one of the fastest growths in electricity demand in the world, driven by increasing incomes, urbanization and industrialization. Development and deployment of green energy technologies offer a natural conduit to meet the growing electricity needs of the Association of Southeast Asian Economies (ASEAN) region while also serving as a viable strategy to adapt to climate change. The aim of this study is to formulate the policy lessons for the ASEAN economies and governments in facilitating the development and deployment of green technologies and alternatives energy options based on a specific case review of the ASEAN. The ASEAN economic region is prioritizing sustainable economic growth while minimizing the regional impacts of climate change through decarbonization. The study undertakes a case-specific analysis in reviewing green energy deployment in the context of green growth and energy transition using secondary data sources and discusses the current status and future options of renewable energy development in the ASEAN. We find that carbon capture and storage (CCS) technologies will allow the ASEAN to continue to use fossil fuels while achieving sustainable economic growth as coal demand increases in the region. The deployment of CCS technologies will also act as an enabler of hydrogen energy as a green energy solution in the region in the longer term. Boosting public acceptance to nuclear energy, implementing energy efficiency improvement policies and eliminating fossil fuels consumption subsidies are feasible short-term and medium-term policies. Increasing both the public and private sector energy investments and development of CCS technologies in the longer term are necessary complementary policies to maximize the benefits of greater deployment of renewable energy sources in the region and combat climate change.
Review on Urban Heat Island in China: Methods, Its Impact on Buildings Energy Demand and Mitigation Strategies
Authors: Tian Liu , Li Yongcai , Lu Jun , Wang Jue
Published: January 2021

High population density, dense high-rise buildings, and impervious pavements increase the vulnerability of cities, which aggravate the urban climate environment characterized by the urban heat island (UHI) effect. Cities in China provide unique information on the UHI phenomenon because they have experienced rapid urbanization and dramatic economic development, which have had a great influence on the climate in recent decades. This paper provides a review of recent research on the methods and impacts of UHI on building energy consumption, and the practical techniques that can be used to mitigate the adverse effects of UHI in China. The impact of UHI on building energy consumption depends largely on the local microclimate, the urban area features where the building is located, and the type and characteristics of the building. In the urban areas dominated by air conditioning, UHI could result in an approximately 10–16% increase in cooling energy consumption. Besides, the potential negative effects of UHI can be prevented from China in many ways, such as urban greening, cool material, water bodies, urban ventilation, etc. These strategies could have a substantial impact on the overall urban thermal environment if they can be used in the project design stage of urban planning and implemented on a large scale. Therefore, this study is useful to deepen the understanding of the physical mechanisms of UHI and provide practical approaches to fight the UHI for the urban planners, public health officials, and city decision-makers in China.
Understanding the Spatial-Related Abstraction of Public Health Impact Goals and Measures: Illustrated by the Example of the Austrian Action Plan on Women’s Health
Authors: Fischer Tatjana
Published: January 2021

The influence of spatial aspects on people’s health is internationally proven by a wealth of empirical findings. Nevertheless, questions concerning public health still tend to be negotiated among social and health scientists. This was different in the elaboration of the Austrian Action Plan on Women’s Health (AAPWH). On the example of the target group of older women, it is shown whether and to what extent the inclusion of the spatial planning perspective in the discussion of impact goals and measures is reflected in the respective inter-ministerial policy paper. The retrospective analysis on the basis of a document analysis of the AAPWH and qualitative interviews with public health experts who were also invited to join, or rather were part of, the expert group, brings to light the following key reasons for the high degree of spatial-related abstraction of the content of this strategic health policy paper: the requirement for general formulations, the lack of public and political awareness for the different living situations in different spatial archetypes, and the lack of external perception of spatial planning as a key discipline with regard to the creation of equivalent living conditions. Nonetheless, this research has promoted the external perception of spatial planning as a relevant discipline in public health issues in Austria. Furthermore, first thematic starting points for an in-depth interdisciplinary dialogue were identified.
An Empirical Diagnosis of the School-to-Work Process for Rural and Agricultural Development in China
Authors: Chen Jiangsheng , Bolt Gideon , Wang Yiwen , Feng Xiaoli , Li Xuke
Published: January 2021

Rural areas in China struggle with a scarcity of young farmers and the rapid aging of farming labor. Attracting and retaining university graduates in rural areas is key to achieving the goals of The Rural Revitalization Strategy of the government, which ultimately seeks to guarantee sustainable agriculture and food security in China. This study examines whether the school-to-work process in China is beneficially aligned to these goals. Survey data were collected from graduates in June 2016, and logistic models were generated to identify the probabilities of, and explore the influences on, school-to-rural outcomes. The findings reveal that most graduates who relocate to rural areas are more likely directed there from urban areas. Graduates with rural backgrounds are more likely to become rural successors than graduates with urban backgrounds. The phenomenon of children taking up the occupation of a parent is observed among those with agricultural degrees and rural backgrounds, which will facilitate the school-to-work process and improve agricultural production. In order to achieve a mix of family farms, large-scale farmlands, and educated farmers to improve food security and sustainable agriculture, the following key considerations for agricultural policy in China are proposed: provide adequate incentives, remove obstacles, and streamline the process of school-to-farming.
Integrated Strategies for Preserving and Enhancing the Historical Heritage of the University of Pavia
Authors: Greco Alessandro , Giacometti Valentina , Rota Maria , Senaldi Ilaria E. , Penna Andrea
Published: January 2021

The University of Pavia owns an extensive real estate portfolio, largely consisting of historic buildings still hosting teaching and research activities. This implies a continuous challenge in keeping them efficient, sustainable and completely usable. Indeed, these heritage buildings, alongside an undeniable charm, bring with them deficiencies regarding safety, accessibility, energy efficiency, etc. This work presents an interdisciplinary strategy addressing the issues involved in the management of the multiple needs of conservation and use, complying with modern standards. The legal requirement of a seismic safety assessment was the occasion to launch a comprehensive review of the state of the University building heritage, considering together the different aspects involved, in a perspective of economic sustainability, combining preservation needs and valorisation. The steps of this strategy included a preliminary screening of all the buildings, by simple methods and tools. The aim was to gather homogeneous and comparable information, useful to identify critical structures and/or repeated issues, to allocate resources for deeper analyses and implementation. The case study of San Felice Palace, which presents emblematic features and deficiencies, is illustrated in more detail, with complete seismic safety and accessibility analyses leading to proposals of enhancement interventions.
Environmental Impacts of Milking Cows in Latvia
Authors: Brizga Janis , Kurppa Sirpa , Heusala Hannele
Published: January 2021

Increasing pressures surrounding efficiency and sustainability are key global drivers in dairy farm management strategies. However, for numerous resource-based, social, and economic reasons sustainable intensification strategies are herd-size dependent. In this study, we investigated the environmental impacts of Latvia’s dairy farms with different management practices. The herd size-dependent management groups varied from extensively managed small herds with 1–9 cows, extending to stepwise more intensively managed herds with 10–50, 51–100, 100–200, and over 200 milking cows. The aim is to compare the environmental impacts of different size-based production strategies on Latvia’s dairy farms. The results show that the gross greenhouse gas emissions differ by 29%: from 1.09 kg CO2 equivalents (CO2e) per kg of raw milk for the farms with 51–100 cows, down to 0.84 kg CO2e/kg milk for farms with more than 200 cows. However, the land use differs even more—the largest farms use 2.25 times less land per kg of milk than the smallest farms. Global warming potential, marine eutrophication, terrestrial acidification, and ecotoxicity were highest for the mid-sized farms. If current domestic, farm-based protein feeds were to be substituted with imported soy feed (one of the most popular high-protein feeds) the environmental impacts of Latvian dairy production would significantly increase, e.g., land use would increase by 18% and the global warming potential by 43%. Environmental policy approaches for steering the farms should consider the overall effects of operation size on environmental quality, in order to support the best practices for each farm type and steer systematic change in the country. The limitations of this study are linked to national data availability (e.g., national data on feed production, heifer breeding, differences among farms regards soil type, manure management, the proximity to marine or aquatic habitats) and methodological shortcomings (e.g., excluding emissions of carbon sequestration, the use of proxy allocation, and excluding social and biodiversity impacts in life-cycle assessment). Further research is needed to improve the data quality, the allocation method, and provide farm-size-specific information on outputs, heifer breeding, manure storage, and handling.
New Project Financing and Eco-Efficiency Models for Investment Sustainability
Authors: Morea Donato , Gebennini Elisa
Published: January 2021

In the paper, we introduce the Special Issue entitled “New Project Financing and Eco-Efficiency Models for Investment Sustainability”, and later present the form and contents of the thematic issue.
The Exact Theory of the Stern–Gerlach Experiment and Why it Does Not Imply that a Fermion Can Only Have Its Spin Up or Down
Authors: Coddens Gerrit
Published: January 2021

The Stern–Gerlach experiment is notoriously counter-intuitive. The official theory is that the spin of a fermion remains always aligned with the magnetic field. Its directions are thus quantized: It can only be spin-up or spin-down. However, that theory is based on mathematical errors in the way it (mis)treats spinors and group theory. We present here a mathematically rigorous theory for a fermion in a magnetic field, which is no longer counter-intuitive. It is based on an understanding of spinors in SU(2) which is only Euclidean geometry. Contrary to what Pauli has been reading into the Stern–Gerlach experiment, the spin directions are not quantized. The new corrected paradigm, which solves all conceptual problems, is that the fermions precess around the magnetic-field just as Einstein and Ehrenfest had conjectured. Surprisingly, this leads to only two energy states, which should be qualified as precession-up and precession-down rather than spin-up and spin-down. Indeed, despite the presence of the many different possible angles θ between the spin axis s and the magnetic field B, the fermions can only have two possible energies m0c2±μB. The values ±μB thus do not correspond to the continuum of values −μ·B Einstein and Ehrenfest had conjectured. The energy term V=−μ·B is a macroscopic quantity. It is a statistical average over a large ensemble of fermions distributed over the two microscopic states with energies ±μB, and as such not valid for individual fermions. The two fermion states with energy ±μB are not potential-energy states. We also explain the mathematically rigorous meaning of the up and down spinors. They represent left-handed and right-handed reference frames, such that now everything is intuitively clear and understandable in simple geometrical terms. The paradigm shift does not affect the Pauli principle.
Comparable Long-Term Rabies Immunity in Foxes after IntraMuscular and Oral Application Using a Third-Generation Oral Rabies Virus Vaccine
Authors: te Kamp Verena , Friedrichs Virginia , Freuling Conrad M. , Vos Ad , Potratz Madlin , Klein Antonia , Zaeck Luca M. , Eggerbauer Elisa , Schuster Peter , Kaiser Christian , Ortmann Steffen , Kretzschmar Antje , Bobe Katharina , Knittler Michael R. , Dorhoi Anca , Finke Stefan , Müller Thomas
Published: January 2021

The live genetically-engineered oral rabies virus (RABV) variant SPBN GASGAS induces long-lasting immunity in foxes and protection against challenge with an otherwise lethal dose of RABV field strains both after experimental oral and parenteral routes of administration. Induction of RABV-specific binding antibodies and immunoglobulin isotypes (IgM, total IgG, IgG1, IgG2) were comparable in orally and parenterally vaccinated foxes. Differences were only observed in the induction of virus-neutralizing (VNA) titers, which were significantly higher in the parenterally vaccinated group. The dynamics of rabies-specific antibodies pre- and post-challenge (365 days post vaccination) suggest the predominance of type-1 immunity protection of SPBN GASGAS. Independent of the route of administration, in the absence of IgG1 the immune response to SPBN GAGAS was mainly IgG2 driven. Interestingly, vaccination with SPBN GASGAS does not cause significant differences in inducible IFN-γ production in vaccinated animals, indicating a relatively weak cellular immune response during challenge. Notably, the parenteral application of SPBN GASGAS did not induce any adverse side effects in foxes, thus supporting safety studies of this oral rabies vaccine in various species.
Design and Characterization of a DNA Vaccine Based on Spike with Consensus Nucleotide Sequence against Infectious Bronchitis Virus
Authors: Zuo Lei , Yan Wenjun , Song Zhou , Li Hao , Xie Xin , Gu Kui , Ma Peng , Tian Yiming , Zhou Changyu , Zhao Yu , Yang Xin , Wang Hongning
Published: January 2021

Avian coronavirus infectious bronchitis virus (IBV) causes severe economic losses in the poultry industry, but its control is hampered by the continuous emergence of new genotypes and the lack of cross-protection among different IBV genotypes. We designed a new immunogen based on a spike with the consensus nucleotide sequence (S_con) that may overcome the extraordinary genetic diversity of IBV. S_con was cloned into a pVAX1 vector to form a new IBV DNA vaccine, pV-S_con. pV-S_con could be correctly expressed in HD11 cells with corresponding post-translational modification, and induced a neutralizing antibody response to the Vero-cell-adapted IBV strain Beaudette (p65) in mice. To further evaluate its immunogenicity, specific-pathogen-free (SPF) chickens were immunized with the pV-S_con plasmid and compared with the control pVAX1 vector and the H120 vaccine. Detection of IBV-specific antibodies and cell cytokines (IL-4 and IFN-γ) indicated that vaccination with pV-S_con efficiently induced both humoral and cellular immune responses. After challenge with the heterologous strain M41, virus shedding and virus loading in tissues was significantly reduced both by pV-S_con and its homologous vaccine H120. Thus, pV-S_con is a promising vaccine candidate for IBV, and the consensus approach is an appealing method for vaccine design in viruses with high variability.
Transport of Gaseous Hydrogen Peroxide and Ozone into Bulk Water vs. Electrosprayed Aerosol
Authors: Hassan Mostafa , Janda Mário , Machala Zdenko
Published: January 2021

Production and transport of reactive species through plasma–liquid interactions play a significant role in multiple applications in biomedicine, environment, and agriculture. Experimental investigations of the transport mechanisms of typical air plasma species: hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and ozone (O3) into water are presented. Solvation of gaseous H2O2 and O3 from an airflow into water bulk vs. electrosprayed microdroplets was measured, while changing the water flow rate and applied voltage, during different treatment times and gas flow rates. The solvation rate of H2O2 and O3 increased with the treatment time and the gas–liquid interface area. The total surface area of the electrosprayed microdroplets was larger than that of the bulk, but their lifetime was much shorter. We estimated that only microdroplets with diameters below ~40 µm could achieve the saturation by O3 during their lifetime, while the saturation by H2O2 was unreachable due to its depletion from air. In addition to the short-lived flying microdroplets, the longer-lived bottom microdroplets substantially contributed to H2O2 and O3 solvation in water electrospray. This study contributes to a better understanding of the gaseous H2O2 and O3 transport into water and will lead to design optimization of the water spray and plasma-liquid interaction systems.
Multivariate Statistical Analysis of Water Quality and Trophic State in an Artificial Dam Reservoir
Authors: Mamun Md , Kim Ji Yoon , An Kwang-Guk
Published: January 2021

Paldang Reservoir, located in the Han River basin in South Korea, is used for drinking water, fishing, irrigation, recreation, and hydroelectric power. Therefore, the water quality of the reservoir is of great importance. The main objectives of this study were to evaluate spatial and seasonal variations of surface water quality in the reservoir using multivariate statistical techniques (MSTs) along with the Trophic State Index (TSI) and Trophic State Index deviation (TSID). The empirical relationships among nutrients (total phosphorus, TP; total nitrogen, TN), chlorophyll-a (CHL-a), and annual variations of water quality parameters were also determined. To this end, 12 water quality parameters were monitored monthly at five sites along the reservoir from 1996 to 2019. Most of the parameters (all except pH, dissolved oxygen (DO), and total coliform bacteria (TCB)) showed significant spatial variations, indicating an influence of anthropogenic activities. Principal component analysis combined with factor analysis (PCA/FA) suggested that the parameters responsible for water quality variations were primarily correlated with nutrients and organic matter (anthropogenic), suspended solids (both natural and anthropogenic), and ionic concentrations (both natural and anthropogenic). Stepwise spatial discriminant analysis (DA) identified water temperature (WT), DO, electrical conductivity (EC), chemical oxygen demand (COD), the ratio of biological oxygen demand (BOD) to COD (BOD/COD), TN, TN:TP, and TCB as the parameters responsible for variations among sites, and seasonal stepwise DA identified WT, BOD, and total suspended solids (TSS) as the parameters responsible for variations among seasons. COD has increased (R2 = 0.63, p < 0.01) in the reservoir since 1996, suggesting that nonbiodegradable organic loading to the water body is rising. The empirical regression models of CHL-a-TP (R2 = 0.45) and CHL-a-TN (R2 = 0.27) indicated that TP better explained algal growth than TN. The mean TSI values for TP, CHL-a, and Secchi depth (SD) indicated a eutrophic state of the reservoir for all seasons and sites. Analysis of TSID suggested that blue-green algae dominated the algal community in the reservoir. The present results show that a significant increase in algal chlorophyll occurs during spring in the reservoir. Our findings may facilitate the management of Paldang Reservoir.
Electric Vehicle Charging Fault Monitoring and Warning Method Based on Battery Model
Authors: Zhang Yuanxing , Li Taoyong , Yan Xiangwu , Wang Ling , Zhang Jing , Diao Xiaohong , Li Bin
Published: January 2021

With the development of electric vehicles in China, the fault monitoring and warning systems for the charging process of electric vehicles have received the industry’s attention. A method for the monitoring and warning of electric vehicle charging faults based on a battery model is proposed in this paper. Through online estimation of the state of charge of the power battery model and battery electromotive force, parameters such as battery state of charge, voltage, and temperature can be adjusted in real time to simulate the charging response of the power battery, which can simulate power batteries of different types, specifications, and parameters. During the charging process, CAN (Controller Area Network) bus monitoring technology is used to receive and analyze the charging information of the charger, as well as the battery charging information and battery charging demand information. The charging response information simulated by the battery model is compared with the battery charging state information, and the charging state information of the charger is compared with the battery charging demand information to determine whether the charging process is normal. When it is judged that a charging fault occurs, a fault warning signal is sent. This method can identify more than 10 types of faults, including the failure of the BMS (Battery Management System) function. The comparison and analysis of actual charging accident data and power battery model data verifies the feasibility of the charging fault monitoring method proposed in this paper.
AGGREGATE FOR OBTAINING CUBE-SHAPED CRUSHED STONE
Authors: Romanovich M. , Romanovich A. , Chehovskoy E. , Butov A.
Published: January 2021

The article substantiates the need for directional supply of rocks with an anisotropic texture and applying force in a given direction in order to obtain crushed stone of a cubic shape. The list of crushing equipment used in the process of obtaining cube-shaped crushed stone is given. It has been established that the existing crushing equipment is not able to take into account the specific texture of the crushed materials and this does not allow the production of cubic crushed stone from shale materials. A description of a new design of a press-roll unit is given, which makes it possible to obtain cube-shaped crushed stone from rocks with a shale texture. The press-roll unit includes a device for the directed supply of shale materials to its working bodies, which create a force effect on the supplied pieces of rock in the required direction. A description is given of the design of the working body tooth, which makes it possible to significantly reduce the time for replacing worn elements and to reduce the bending loads acting on it. A mathematical model of the directed movement of shale materials in a roller device is considered and an equation for calculating the required force is obtained. The graphical dependences of the influence of the value of the angle of installation of the roller and its displacement horizontally and vertically on the amount of deformation of the layer of the supplied material are given.
ANALYSIS OF THE EXPERIENCE OF RE-ADAPTATION OF INDUSTRIAL ARCHITECTURE
Authors: Tsepilova O.
Published: January 2021

This article examines the trends of world and domestic practice in the field of repurposing abandoned industrial complexes. The importance of industrial objects in the existing historical development of the city is displayed. The important importance of economic, social and cultural problems of industrial architecture re-functionalization is established. The studied analogues are divided into three groups by the type of intervention in the existing variable of the adaptable object: the city-forming architectural and spatial significance of the project modernization; the impact of changes in the facade of the building on the historical urban environment and functional planning solutions of the interior spaces of the former industrial complexes. A comparison of universal and individual approaches to the transformation and adaptation of industrial heritage objects that have lost their original purpose is carried out. The favorable influence of the implemented projects on the social and cultural life of cities has been established. Understanding the accumulated experience shows the importance of developing new practical approaches and transformation models to adapt outdated industrial architecture in order to preserve the specifics of the place.
MODERN APPROACHES TO ARCHITECTURAL FORMATION OF THE ADAPTIVE THERAPEUTIC ENVIRONMENT OF MATERNITY HOSPITALS AND PERINATAL CENTERS
Authors: Chaschina A. , Skopintsev A.
Published: January 2021

The article deals with the problem of forming an adaptive "therapeutic" environment for the system of maternity hospitals and perinatal centers that has developed in the country. This problem is considered in a comprehensive manner, highlighting several aspects, such as: socio-historical-cultural, functional planning, architectural-spatial, figurative-semantic aspect. On this basis, the study proposes several promising approaches to creating an adaptive therapeutic environment for maternity facilities using various architectural modernization tools and identifying a number of typological models of such an environment. The following approaches are presented: "urban planning approach", which takes into account the optimization of various options for urban planning placement of maternity hospitals and perinatal centers; “environmental approach”, which allows considering perinatal centers as a set of exterior and interior spaces, commensurate with a person, his behavioral stereotypes, emotional state. "Ecological approach" - involves the introduction of natural components into the interior and exterior of the complex, which makes the period of rehabilitation of women in labor effective. "Architectural and planning approach" - is aimed at improving the functional and planning links of the objects of the perinatal center. "Scenario-functional approach" in the formation of a comfortable therapeutic environment of a medical institution allows us to consider communications in the space of a medical institution as a kind of spatio-temporal scenario on the way of the main routes of movement inside the interiors and exteriors along the "axis": entrance area - admission department - lobby, hall, etc. .d. The "artistic-figurative approach" assumes that a "typical" ward in medical institutions should not be limited only by the technological and functional component, and the comfort of patients' stay should take into account their emotional state. The "compositional approach" to the formation of the therapeutic environment of maternity facilities takes into account the "competent" formation of the architectural space, taking into account the laws of architectural harmonization, aesthetic and compositional principles. The systematization of the identified approaches and directions for designing a comfortable architectural "therapeutic" environment for perinatal centers creates a methodological basis for the development of promising architectural and typological models of these objects, taking into account their modernization and new construction
The Microbiome and p-Inulin in Hemodialysis: A Feasibility Study
Authors: Raj Dominic S. , Sohn Michael B. , Charytan David M. , Himmelfarb Jonathan , Ikizler T. Alp , Mehrotra Rajnish , Ramezani Ali , Regunathan-Shenk Renu , Hsu Jesse Y. , Landis J. Richard , Li Hongzhe , Kimmel Paul L. , Kliger Alan S. , Dember Laura M. ,   for the Hemodialysis Novel Therapies Consortium
Published: January 2021

Background

The intestinal microbiome is an appealing target for interventions in ESKD because of its likely contribution to uremic toxicity. Before conducting clinical trials of microbiome-altering treatments, it is necessary to understand the within-person and between-person variability in the composition and function of the gut microbiome in patients with ESKD.

Methods

We conducted a multicenter, nonrandomized, crossover feasibility study of patients on maintenance hemodialysis consisting of three phases: pretreatment (8 weeks); treatment, during which the prebiotic, p-inulin, was administered at a dosage of 8 g twice daily (12 weeks); and post-treatment (8 weeks). Stool samples were collected 1–2 times per week and blood was collected weekly for 28 weeks. The gut microbiome was characterized using 16S ribosomal-RNA sequencing and metabolomic profiling.

Results

A total of 11 of the 13 participants completed the 28-week study. Interparticipant variability was greater than intraparticipant variability for microbiome composition (P<0.001 by UniFrac distances) and metabolomic composition (P<0.001 by Euclidean distances). p-Inulin was well tolerated by 12 of 13 participants. Adherence to the frequent sample collection and self-aliquoting of stool samples were both 96%. A change in the microbiome composition from pretreatment to post-treatment was evident by the overall shifts in weighted UniFrac distances (P=0.004) and a progressive decrease in prevalence of high intraclass correlations, indicating an increase in intraparticipant microbiome diversity during and after p-inulin treatment. An effect of p-inulin on the metabolomic profile was not evident.

Conclusions

The intraparticipant stability of the gut microbiome under no-treatment conditions, the tolerability of p-inulin, the signals of increased diversity of the microbiome with p-inulin treatment, and the willingness of participants to provide stool samples all support the feasibility of a larger trial to investigate interventions targeting the gut microbiome in patients with ESKD. Whether or not p-inulin has sufficient efficacy as an intervention requires evaluation in larger studies.

Clinical Trial registry name and registration number:

Gut Microbiome and p-Inulin in Hemodialysis, NCT02572882
Spatial assessment of transgender population: The deprived
community on Pakistan
Authors: Basit Muhammad , Sajjad Asif , Mahmood Zama , Sohail Muhammad , Khurshid Saba Khan
Published: January 2021

Transgender are the most deprived gender in the world. Pakistan recognized transgender to be the third gender in 2009, and itis considered to be a milestone in South Asia. Moreover, Pakistani apex court ordered that transgender must be counted separately in the census of 2017, and separate column was made for the said purpose. The objective of the study is to explore transgender population in Pakistan and trend of transgender an urban and rural areas of Pakistan. Secondary data is derived from 2017 census;and it is further explained through maps using ARC-GIS 9.3 software, tables and figures. Total transgender population of Pakistan is 10418. Out of which 8.3% are living in KP, 0.25% is living in FATA, 64.39% are living in the Punjab, 24.25% are living in Sind, 1.04% is living in Baluchistan, and 1.27% in the federal capital territory. Maximum population of transgender is found in Punjab, and minimum is in FATA. Thetransgender population in urbanareas is (73.44%) while (26.56%) is in rural areas. Furthermore, this study might be of immense help to highlight and protect the rights of transgender, and to solve the problems being faced by them especially in Pakistan and generally in the world.