bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Estimates of Forest Canopy Height Using a Combination of ICESat-2/ATLAS Data and Stereo-Photogrammetry
Authors: Lin Xiaojuan , Xu Min , Cao Chunxiang , Dang Yongfeng , Bashir Barjeece , Xie Bo , Huang Zhibin
Published: November 2020

Forest canopy height is an indispensable forest vertical structure parameter for understanding the carbon cycle and forest ecosystem services. A variety of studies based on spaceborne Lidar, such as ICESat, ICESat-2 and airborne Lidar, were conducted to estimate forest canopy height at multiple scales. However, while a few studies have been conducted based on ICESat-2 simulated data from airborne Lidar data, few studies have analyzed ATL08 and ATL03 products derived from the ATLAS sensor onboard ICESat-2 for regional vegetation canopy height mapping. It is necessary and promising to explore how data obtained by ICESat-2 can be applied to estimate forest canopy height. This study proposes a new means to estimate forest canopy height, defined as the mean height of trees within a given forest area, using a combination of ICESat-2 ATL08 and ATL03 data and ZY-3 satellite stereo images. Five procedures were used to estimate the forest canopy height of the city of Nanning in China: (1) Processing ground photons in a 30 m × 30 m grid; (2) Extracting a digital surface model (DSM) using ZY-3 stereo images; (3) Calculating a discontinuous canopy height model (CHM) dataset; (4) Validating the DSM and ground photon height using GEDI data; (5) Estimating the regional wall-to-wall forest canopy height product based on the backpropagation artificial neural network (BP-ANN) model and Landsat 8 vegetation indices and independent accuracy assessments with field measured plots. The validation shows a root mean square error (RMSE) of 3.34 m to 3.47 m and a coefficient of determination R2 = 0.51. The new method shows promise and can be used for large-scale forest canopy height mapping at various resolutions or in combination with other data, such as SAR images. Finally, this study analyzes resolutions and how to filter effective data when ATL08 data are directly used to generate regional or global vegetation height products, which will be the focus of future research.
Boundaryless Twitter Use: On the Affordances of Social Media
Authors: Siegert Steffi , Holmgren Caicedo Mikael , Mårtensson Hansson Maria
Published: November 2020

For this study, we followed the director general (DG) of a large Swedish public authority on Twitter. We analyzed the data from Twitter and from interviews in terms of four affordances that distinguish social media from more traditional technologies: visibility, persistence, association and editability. We suggest that to understand social media affordances, it is necessary to consider the medium and the situation it creates and how this increases the range of possible interpretations. Therefore, we propose counterparts to the affordances of visibility, persistence, association and editability, in the form of invisibility, fluidity, dissociation and indeterminacy, to be included in an analysis of social media affordances and, as we argue, the creation of a persona through Twitter communication.
On the Number of Independent Pieces of Information in a Functional Linear Model with a Scalar Response
Authors: Montoya Eduardo L.
Published: November 2020

In a functional linear model (FLM) with scalar response, the parameter curve quantifies the relationship between a functional explanatory variable and a scalar response. While these models can be ill-posed, a penalized regression spline approach may be used to obtain an estimate of the parameter curve. The penalized regression spline estimate will be dependent on the value of a smoothing parameter. However, the ability to obtain a reasonable parameter curve estimate is reliant on how much information is present in the covariate functions for estimating the parameter curve. We propose to quantify the information present in the covariate functions to estimate the parameter curve. In addition, we examine the influence of this information on the stability of the parameter curve estimator and on the performance of smoothing parameter selection methods in a FLM with a scalar response.
Valuation of Industrial Heritage in Terms of Sustainability: Some Cases of Tourist Reference in Spain
Authors: Pardo Abad Carlos J.
Published: November 2020

This research is a contribution to the sustainable assessment of industrial heritage. The study analyzes the sustainability of some industrial elements after the cessation of activity as well as their tourist definition. The research includes a bibliographic review, a study of different sustainability thematic groups, and establishes certain analysis criteria in each group, adjusted to the characteristics of each selected case study. The results obtained permit a qualitative assessment of industrial heritage in terms of sustainability and its interpretation as a tourist resource in an increasingly diversified cultural offer. Special emphasis is placed on territory, landscape, environment, architecture, and tourism-related issues as the main interpretative keys that provide a new perspective on industrial heritage through an easy-to-apply analysis that contrasts operationally with other heritage environments.
Noise Estimation Using Road and Urban Features
Authors: Rey Gozalo Guillermo , Suárez Enrique , Montenegro Alexandra L. , Arenas Jorge P. , Barrigón Morillas Juan Miguel , Montes González David
Published: November 2020

Noise pollution must be considered to achieve sustainable cities because current levels of exposure to environmental noise are a considerable risk to the health and quality of life of citizens. Urban features and sound levels were registered in 150 streets in the Chilean cities of Talca and Valdivia to analyze the relationship between both types of variables. Urban variables related to street location, urban land use, street geometry, road traffic control, and public and private transportation showed very significant correlations with the noise levels, and multiple regression models were developed from these variables for each city. Models using only urban variables in Valdivia and Talca explained 71% and 73%, respectively, of the variability of noise. The prediction error was similar in the different types of urban roads and did not exhibit significant differences between models developed in different cities. The urban models developed in one city could, therefore, be used in other similar cities. Considering the usefulness of these variables in urban planning, these models can be a useful tool for urban planners and decision-makers to implement action plans regarding noise pollution.
Environmental Energy Sustainability at Universities
Authors: Montoya Francisco G. , Perea-Moreno Alberto-Jesus
Published: November 2020

The use of renewable energies and energy saving and efficiency are needs of global society and universities. Universities have a large responsibility and social impact, as they are an example and engine of social change. Universities, in the European context, must be at the forefront of sustainability progress, seeking to be at the same level, and preferably higher than the rest of society, seeking the goal of 20% in renewable energy for 2020 and, in the longer term, greater energy efficiency based on a diverse use of renewable energy and studying the feasibility of other energy processes (cogeneration, trigeneration, etc.). The application of renewable energies and efficiency allow universities to make significant savings in their costs and contribute to sustainable development and the fight against climate change. Actions on these aspects in addition to the objective of saving should seek to promote research and form an example for the university community. This Special Issue aims to advance the contribution of energy saving and the use of renewable energies in order to achieve more sustainable universities.
Microplastics—How and What Do University Students Know about the Emerging Environmental Sustainability Issue?
Authors: Janoušková Svatava , Teplý Pavel , Fatka David , Teplá Milada , Cajthaml Tomáš , Hák Tomáš
Published: November 2020

For a successful transition towards sustainability, people need information and knowledge to understand the complex interconnectedness of social, natural, and social-natural systems. In order for people to be able to take a position on a number of environmental and social issues, and make decisions arising from these challenges, they need to use environmental literacy. We have come up with a tool to answer the question of how students access information about new environmental topics in the media, and how they transform it into environmental knowledge. Almost 400 students from seven Czech universities took part in a combined knowledge test and context questionnaire on microplastics (information based on the previous analysis of selected major web media). More than a third of students tested identified mass media as their main source of knowledge. Most students, however, already had some simple partial knowledge about the topic—the level of commonly discussed information that students remember and then just reproduce. Our statistically evaluated results may help teachers improve the quality of their instruction, curriculum, and subsequently students’ achievement and environmental civic competencies. The results present original findings complementing international research on the role of education and mass media in environmental sustainability knowledge.
Sustainable Approach to the Normalization Process of the UK’s Monetary Policy
Authors: Nocoń Aleksandra
Published: November 2020

It has been more than a decade since central banks, in the face of the global financial crisis, implemented a set of unconventional initiatives that included a rapid and significant decrease in their main interest rates and an unprecedented balance sheet policy. Thus far, they still have not returned their monetary policy to the pre-crisis framework and have not implemented a normalization process. Currently, a trend of using econometric models in monetary policy for forecasting purposes has been observed. Among these models, Bayesian vector autoregression models (BVAR models) are increasingly being used by central banks. The main aim of this study was to conduct an empirical verification of the BVAR model’s usage for short-term prediction which could then be used for a sustainable (ordered) normalization process for the UK’s monetary policy. This study verifies a research hypothesis which states that the BVAR model might be a useful tool in the Bank of England’s decision-making process regarding the normalization of its monetary policy. Additionally, the cause and effect analysis, observation method, document analysis method, and synthesis method were also considered. The conducted research indicates that a large BVAR model has a significant predictive value for short-term forecasting.
A Study on Mechanical Properties of Concrete Incorporating Aluminum Dross, Fly Ash, and Quarry Dust
Authors: Elseknidy Mohamed Hamdy , Salmiaton Ali , Nor Shafizah Ishak , Saad Ahmed Hassan
Published: November 2020

The amount of waste, associated waste disposal costs, and environmental contamination may be minimized by identifying effective recycling approaches. These promising approaches will also lead to the protection of natural resources and economic gains. One example of waste disposal maybe by using it as a filling material or as a pozzolanic material for the production of concrete. In this regard, this study proposes to partially replace cement with aluminum dross and fly ash, and partially replace natural sand with quarry dust. Aluminum dross, cement, sand, and quarry dust were used in a variety of proportions with a constant percentage of fly ash for the design of nine concrete mixtures. Aluminum dross was replaced by 5, 10, 15, and 20% of the cement mass. At first, the optimum replacement of aluminum dross without using quarry dust was determined at a constant percentage of fly ash-15% based on the strength results. Later, by introducing the optimum substitution of aluminum dross with cement and fly ash, the quarry dust was partially replaced at 10, 20, 30, and 40% of river sand to determine the overall optimum mix. The mechanical and durability characteristics of the concrete using the three mixtures were analyzed. It has been observed that the mechanical and durability characteristics of a concrete mixture incorporating a fly ash-15%, aluminum dross-10%, and quarry dust-20% are better than that of standard concrete. Production of concrete using industrial waste can minimize infrastructure construction costs and reduce environmental impacts.
Social and Educational Sustainability of the Physical Education of Romanian Students and the Impact on Their Physical Activity Level
Authors: Leuciuc Florin Valentin , Ghervan Petru , Popovici Ileana Monica , Benedek Florian , Lazar Andreea Gabriela , Pricop Gheorghe
Published: November 2020

Nowadays, a descending trend concerning physical activity levels among youth has been recorded, as well as differences between males and females; more than half recorded a low level of the physical activity. The aim of this study was to investigate the social and educational sustainability of physical education and to determine the level of physical activity by using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) short form for Romanian undergraduate and graduate students. In our study, we included students and applied the IPAQ short form anonymously. They gave their consent to use these personal data only for scientific purposes. Overall, two thirds of the subjects (according to the IPAQ scoring protocol) and more than half (according to the World Health Organization recommendation for physical activity) consider themselves to be active. The present study showed that there is a prevalence of insufficient physical activity among Romanian University students (around 40%). The situation seems to be better than in other countries, but in self-evaluation, many people tend to overestimate their potential. To avoid this aspect and gain some objectivity, it is better to use a gadget in order to measure the level of their physical activity.
A New Look at the Natural Capital Concept: Approaches, Structure, and Evaluation Procedure
Authors: Ignatyeva Margarita , Yurak Vera , Logvinenko Oksana
Published: November 2020

This article considers the concept of natural capital as a basic construct of sustainable development. However, after numerous studies, a number of aspects of accounting and valuation of natural capital remain unspecified. The relevance and imperfection of the guidelines used to assess natural capital make relevant the development of such issues as the conceptual apparatus and methods to natural capital assessment. Therefore, the core objectives of the paper are: (1) to substantiate the structure of natural capital, taking into account the natural resources and ecosystem approaches; (2) to clarify the concepts of “function” and “services” in relation to abiotic and biotic components of the environment; (3) to generalize and analyze the classifications of ecosystem services, and to develop the authors’ classification; (4) to identify the most common methods for the economic assessment of natural capital’s components, and to implement these methods within a specific territory. These methods have been tested on the Khanty–Mansi Autonomous Okrug (KhMAD, Russia). The most typical ecosystems of the region and their inherent ecosystem services have been identified. Assessment results are presented for (1) forest ecosystems, (2) mountain ecosystems, and (3) ecosystems of swamps, lakes, and rivers.
How Nonlocal Entrepreneurial Teams Achieve Sustainable Performance: The Interaction between Regional Entrepreneurial Ecosystems and Organizational Legitimacy
Authors: Liu Longjun , Wan Wenhai , Wu Yenchun Jim
Published: November 2020

Nonlocal entrepreneurship plays an important role in promoting regional economic development. The purpose of this paper is to discuss the influence of the subjective and objective factors (organizational legitimacy and regional entrepreneurial ecosystem) of nonlocal entrepreneurship on its sustainable performance and boundary conditions. Through the analysis of 608 questionnaires of 237 teams at different times, the following conclusions are drawn: First, we find that entrepreneurial ecosystems and organizational legitimacy effectively promote nonlocal entrepreneurial teams’ sustainable performance, and strategic flexibility has positive moderating effects on this relationship. Secondly, through polynomial regression and response surface analysis, we find that the interaction between entrepreneurial ecosystems and organizational legitimacy has a positive impact on sustainable performance. Specifically, compared with the inconsistent status of entrepreneurial ecosystems and organizational legitimacy, the sustainable performance is higher under a consistent status. Compared with the low consistency status of entrepreneurial ecosystems and organizational legitimacy, the sustainable performance in the high consistency status is higher. Therefore, we suggest that the government, universities, and enterprises should build entrepreneurial ecosystems to promote the sustainability of nonlocal entrepreneurial teams. For nonlocal entrepreneurial teams, organizational legitimacy and strategic flexibility should be enhanced. The presented research adds to the literature by integrating subject and object factors (organizational legitimacy and regional entrepreneurial ecosystem), which has important theoretical significance.
Analytical Method for Calculating Sustainable Airport Capacity
Authors: Mascio Paola Di , Rappoli Gregorio , Moretti Laura
Published: November 2020

Capacity is the attitude of an airport to manage a number of operations in a given time interval within a fixed maximum delay (and under given safety conditions). Capacity studies are commonly carried out on five levels of analysis according to the required detail in order to identify the best option that balances economic, logistic and safety issues. This study focuses on level 3 (i.e., analytical methods) developing a calculation model to assess the runway capacity. The model was calibrated by comparing the outputs of different airport configurations with those provided by the circular of the Federal Aviation Administration Airport Capacity and Delay. The model was well calibrated with maximum differences in the analyzed configurations that stood at 1 or 2 movements/hour. The runway capacity of an international airport was calculated and compared to that of the entire airside, assessed through fast time simulation, in a previous study. The analytical model provides runway capacity slightly higher than that of the entire air system, as it cannot evaluate all the critical issues present in the airport that reduce its maximum theoretical capacity. Therefore, depending on the degree of detail required, you can use the developed model or the simulation software; the use of the latter is possible when the airside infrastructure does not adequately support the runway system or in cases of advanced design level.
The Complexity of Space Utilization and Environmental Pollution Control in the Main Corridor of Makassar City, South Sulawesi, Indonesia
Authors: Surya Batara , Hamsina Hamsina , Ridwan Ridwan , Baharuddin Baharuddin , Menne Firman , Fitriyah Andi Tenri , Rasyidi Emil Salim
Published: November 2020

Population mobility, increasing demand for transportation, and the complexity of land use have an impact on environmental quality degradation and air quality pollution. This study aims to analyze (1) the effect of population mobility, increased traffic volume, and land use change on air quality pollution, (2) direct and indirect effects of urban activities, transportation systems, and movement patterns on environmental quality degradation and air pollution index, and (3) air pollution strategy and sustainable urban environmental management. The research method used is a sequential explanation design. Data were obtained through observation, surveys, in-depth interviews, and documentation. The results of the study illustrate that the business center and Daya terminal with a value of 0.18 µgram/m3 is polluted, the power plant and Sermani industrial area with a value of 0.16 µgram/m3 is polluted, the Makassar industrial area with a value of 0.23 is heavily polluted, and the Hasanuddin International Airport area with a value of 0.04 µgram/m3 is not polluted. Population mobility, traffic volume, and land use changes have a significant effect on environmental quality degradation, with a determination coefficient of 94.1%. The direct effect of decreasing environmental quality on the air pollution index is 66.09%. This study recommends transportation management on the main road corridor of Makassar City, which is environmentally friendly with regard to sustainable environmental management.
Reversing Uncontrolled and Unprofitable Urban Expansion in Africa through Special Economic Zones: An Evaluation of Ethiopian and Zambian Cases
Authors: Xu Jiabo , Wang Xingping
Published: November 2020

Despite the growing attention on uncontrolled and unprofitable urban sprawling in many African countries, few pragmatic solutions have been raised or effectively implemented. While uncontrolled and unprofitable urban expansions happened primarily due to poor land use management and dysfunctional land market, the cost of land management enforcement and reform is high. This paper suggests that the recently re-emerging special economic zones (SEZs) in Africa could be a practical way of using government intervention to reduce uncontrolled urban expansion and optimize urban land use. By evaluating the spatial impacts of two SEZs on their host cities in Ethiopia and Zambia, this paper demonstrates that SEZs could notably change urban expansion in terms of its speed, direction, and spatial structure. By using SEZs as an experimental area for land policy reform, the government can also effectively unlock a profitable urban development model with the functional primary and secondary land market. However, the diverging results in Ethiopia and Zambia also show that the optimizing effect can be significant only when the government is participatory and can fulfil its public function, including delivering proper planning in advance, lunching land policy reform, and even executing compulsory land acquisition for public interests.
Performing Realistic Workout Activity Recognition on Consumer Smartphones
Authors: Fu Biying , Kirchbuchner Florian , Kuijper Arjan
Published: November 2020

Smartphones have become an essential part of our lives. Especially its computing power and its current specifications make a modern smartphone a powerful device for human activity recognition tasks. Equipped with various integrated sensors, a modern smartphone can be leveraged for lots of smart applications. We already investigated the possibility of using an unmodified commercial smartphone to recognize eight strength-based exercises. App-based workouts have become popular in the last few years. The advantage of using a mobile device is that you can practice anywhere at anytime. In our previous work, we proved the possibility of turning a commercial smartphone into an active sonar device to leverage the echo reflected from exercising movement close to the device. By conducting a test study with 14 participants, we showed the first results for cross person evaluation and the generalization ability of our inference models on disjoint participants. In this work, we extended another model to further improve the model generalizability and provided a thorough comparison of our proposed system to other existing state-of-the-art approaches. Finally, a concept of counting the repetitions is also provided in this study as a parallel task to classification.
Saturation of Energy Levels of the Hydrogen Atom in Strong Magnetic Field
Authors: Adorno Tiago C. , Gitman Dmitry M. , Shabad Anatoly E.
Published: November 2020

We demonstrate that the finiteness of the limiting values of the lower energy levels of a hydrogen atom under an unrestricted growth of the magnetic field, into which this atom is embedded, is achieved already when the vacuum polarization (VP) is calculated in the magnetic field within the approximation of the local action of Euler–Heisenberg. We find that the mechanism for this saturation is different from the one acting, when VP is calculated via the Feynman diagram in the Furry picture. We study the effective potential that appears when the adiabatic (diagonal) approximation is exploited for solving the Schrödinger equation for the longitudinal degree of freedom of the electron on the lowest Landau level in the atom. We find that the (effective) potential of a point-like charge remains nonsingular thanks to the growing screening provided by VP. The regularizing length turns out to be α/3π¯λC, where ¯λC is the electron Compton length. The family of effective potentials, labeled by growing values of the magnetic field condenses towards a certain limiting, magnetic-field-independent potential-distance curve. The limiting values of even ground-state energies are determined for four magnetic quantum numbers using the Karnakov–Popov method.
Whole Genome Sequence Analysis of Porcine Astroviruses Reveals Novel Genetically Diverse Strains Circulating in East African Smallholder Pig Farms
Authors: Amimo Joshua O. , Machuka Eunice M. , Abworo Edward O. , Vlasova Anastasia N. , Pelle Roger
Published: November 2020

Astroviruses (AstVs) are widely distributed and are associated with gastroenteritis in human and animals. The knowledge of the genetic diversity and epidemiology of AstVs in Africa is limited. This study aimed to characterize astroviruses in asymptomatic smallholder piglets in Kenya and Uganda. Twenty-four samples were randomly selected from a total of 446 piglets aged below 6 months that were initially collected for rotavirus study and sequenced for whole genome analysis. Thirteen (13/24) samples had contigs with high identity to genus Mamastrovirus. Analysis of seven strains with complete (or near complete) AstV genome revealed variable nucleotide and amino acid sequence identities with known porcine astrovirus (PoAstV) strains. The U083 and K321 strains had nucleotide sequence identities ranging from 66.4 to 75.4% with the known PoAstV2 strains; U460 strain had nucleotide sequence identities of 57.0 to 65.1% regarding the known PoAstV3; and K062, K366, K451, and K456 strains had nucleotide sequence identities of 63.5 to 80% with the known PoAstV4 strains. The low sequence identities (<90%) indicate that novel genotypes of PoAstVs are circulating in the study area. Recombination analysis using whole genomes revealed evidence of multiple recombination events in PoAstV4, suggesting that recombination might have contributed to the observed genetic diversity. Linear antigen epitope prediction and a comparative analysis of capsid protein of our field strains identified potential candidate epitopes that could help in the design of immuno-diagnostic tools and a subunit vaccine. These findings provide new insights into the molecular epidemiology of porcine astroviruses in East Africa.
Viruses and Extracellular Vesicles: Special Issue, 2020, with Thirteen Articles by Chioma M. Okeoma
Authors: Okeoma Chioma M.
Published: November 2020

The discovery of extracellular vesicles (EVs) dates back to the early 1940s, when Erwin Chargaff and Randolph West showed that platelet-free plasma contains coagulation components that pellet upon high-speed (31,000× g) centrifugation [...]
JSRV Intragenic Enhancer Element Increases Expression from a Heterologous Promoter and Promotes High Level AAV-Mediated Transgene Expression in the Lung and Liver of Mice
Authors: Yu Darrick L. , Chow Natalie , Wootton Sarah K.
Published: November 2020

Jaagsiekte sheep retrovirus (JSRV) induces tumors in the distal airways of sheep and goats. A putative intragenic enhancer, termed JE, localized to the 3′ end of the JSRV env gene, has been previously described. Herein we provide further evidence that the JE functions as a transcriptional enhancer, as it was able to enhance gene expression when placed in either forward or reverse orientation when combined with a heterologous chicken beta actin promoter. We then generated novel composite promoters designed to improve transgene expression from adeno-associated virus (AAV) gene therapy vectors. A hybrid promoter consisting of the shortest JE sequence examined (JE71), the U3 region of the JSRV long terminal repeat (LTR), and the chicken beta actin promoter, demonstrated robust expression in vitro and in vivo, when in the context of AAV vectors. AAV-mediated transgene expression in vivo from the hybrid promoter was marginally lower than that observed for AAV vectors encoding the strong CAG promoter, but greatly reduced in the heart, making this promoter/enhancer combination attractive for non-cardiac applications, particularly respiratory tract or liver directed therapies. Replacement of the murine leukemia virus intron present in the original vector construct with a modified SV40 intron reduced the promoter/enhancer/intron cassette size to 719 bp, leaving an additional ~4 kb of coding capacity when packaged within an AAV vector. Taken together, we have developed a novel, compact promoter that is capable of directing high level transgene expression from AAV vectors in both the liver and lung with diminished transgene expression in the heart.
Elucidating the Efficacy of Vaccination against Vibriosis in Lates calcarifer Using Two Recombinant Protein Vaccines Containing the Outer Membrane Protein K (r-OmpK) of Vibrio alginolyticus and the DNA Chaperone J (r-DnaJ) of Vibrio harveyi
Authors: Silvaraj Santha , Md Yasin Ina Salwany , A. Karim Murni Marlina , Saad Mohd Zamri
Published: November 2020

Recombinant cell vaccines expressing the OmpK and DnaJ of Vibrio were developed and subsequently, a vaccination efficacy trial was carried out on juvenile seabass (~5 cm; ~20 g). The fish were divided into 5 groups of 50 fish per group, kept in triplicate. Groups 1 and 2 were injected with 107 CFU/mL of the inactivated recombinant cells vaccines, the pET-32/LIC-OmpK and pET-32/LIC-DnaJ, respectively. Group 3 was similarly injected with 107 CFU/mL of inactivated E. coli BL21 (DE3), Group 4 with 107 CFU/mL of formalin killed whole cells V. harveyi, and Group 5 with PBS solution. Serum, mucus, and gut lavage were used to determine the antibody levels before all fish were challenged with V. harveyi, V. alginolyticus, and V. parahemolyticus, respectively on day 15 post-vaccination. There was significant increase in the serum and gut lavage antibody titers in the juvenile seabass vaccinated with r-OmpK vaccine. In addition, there was an up-regulation for TLR2, MyD88, and MHCI genes in the kidney and intestinal tissues of r-OmpK vaccinated fish. At the same time, r-OmpK triggered higher expression level of interleukin IL-10, IL-8, IL-1ß in the spleen, intestine, and kidney compared to r-DnaJ. Overall, r-OmpK and r-DnaJ triggered protection by curbing inflammation and strengthening the adaptive immune response. Vaccinated fish also demonstrated strong cross protection against heterologous of Vibrio isolates, the V. harveyi, V. alginolyticus, and V. parahaemolyticus. The fish vaccinated with r-OmpK protein were completely protected with a relative per cent of survival (RPS) of 90 percent against V. harveyi and 100 percent against V. alginolyticus and V. parahaemolyticus. A semi-quantitative PCR detection of Vibrio spp. from the seawater containing the seabass also revealed that vaccination resulted in reduction of pathogen shedding. In conclusion, our results suggest r-OmpK as a candidate vaccine molecule against multiple Vibrio strain to prevent vibriosis in marine fish.
Influenza Vaccination Hesitancy among Healthcare Workers in South Al Batinah Governorate in Oman: A Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Awaidy Salah T. Al , K. Al Mayahi Zayid , Kaddoura Malak , Mahomed Ozayr , Lahoud Nathalie , Abubakar Abdinasir , Zaraket Hassan
Published: November 2020

Background: Seasonal influenza infections are a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Healthcare workers (HCWs) are an important target group for vaccination against influenza due to their increased risk of infection and their potential to transmit the infection to their patients, families and communities. The aim of this study was to assess the potential hesitancy and its associated factors towards influenza vaccination amongst HCWs in the South Al Batinah governorate in Oman. Methods: A cross-sectional survey of 390 HCWs with direct or indirect patient contact was conducted in May and June 2019 using a self-administered questionnaire. Associations between HCW characteristics and vaccination status were examined using bivariate and multivariate analyses to identify the likelihood of vaccination against seasonal influenza among HCWs. Results: Overall, 60% of HCWs were vaccinated in the 2018/2019 season; vaccine uptake among nurses was 52% and uptake was higher among women. Self-protection and protection of the community were the most cited reasons for vaccine acceptance, with side effects being the main reason for hesitancy. Vaccinated respondents had a higher mean knowledge score (7.18; standard deviation SD: 2.14) than unvaccinated respondents (6.30; SD: 2.2). Odds of vaccination were highest among respondents who believed influenza vaccine should be mandatory for HCWs (Odds ratio (OR): 2.04 [1.30–3.18]), those working in the general medicine, emergency medicine, or intensive care units (OR: 1.92 [1.20–3.10]), nurses and doctors (OR: 1.75 [1.09–2.79]) and those who believe that HCWs should receive an influenza vaccine (OR: 1.35 [1.07–2.77]). Conclusions: The study provides valuable insights into the enablers and barriers of influenza vaccination practices among HCWs and may inform interventions to increase acceptance of vaccination.
A Homologous Bacterin Protects Sheep against Abortion Induced by a Hypervirulent Campylobacter jejuni Clone
Authors: Wu Zuowei , Yaeger Michael J. , Sahin Orhan , Xu Changyun , Beyi Ashenafi F. , Plummer Paul J. , Meral Ocal Melda , Zhang Qijing
Published: November 2020

Campylobacter jejuni clone SA has emerged as the predominant cause of ovine abortion outbreaks in the United States (US). Despite the fact that commercial Campylobacter vaccines are available, their efficacy in protecting abortion induced by C. jejuni clone SA is uncertain, and a protective vaccine is needed to control the disease. In this study, an experimental homologous bacterin (made of a clone SA isolate) and two commercial Campylobacter vaccines were evaluated for their protection against C. jejuni clone SA-induced sheep abortion. All vaccines induced high levels of antibodies against C. jejuni clone SA in pregnant ewes, but only the experimental homologous bacterin produced significant protection (80%). Immunoblotting showed that the experimental vaccine elicited more specific antibodies against C. jejuni clone SA. These findings strongly suggest the necessity of developing a homologous vaccine for the control C. jejuni clone SA induced abortion on sheep farms.
Pilonidal Sinus Management; Bascom Flap Versus Pilonidal Pits Excision: A Single-Center Experience
Authors: Imam Ashraf , Khalayleh Harbi , Pines Guy , Khoury Deeb , Mavor Eli , Pelta Arie
Published: November 2020

Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the outcomes of the Bascom cleft lift (flap) and the pilonidal pits excision (Gips procedure).Methods: The records of all the patients who underwent pilonidal sinus excision between November 2013 and August 2017 were reviewed. Inclusion criteria included either pilonidal pits excision or the Bascom cleft lift procedure. All procedures were performed by a single surgeon. Perioperative complications and recurrence rates were reviewed.Results: Fifty-three patients met the inclusion criteria. Male/female ratio was 36/17, with a mean age of 23.4 ± 7 years. In this study, 21 patients underwent the Bascom cleft lift (skin flap) procedure and 32 underwent the Gips-style operation. The mean follow-up was 3.5 months. Twenty-eight patients (52.8%) underwent prior drainage of pilonidal abscess. Eleven patients had a previous wide local excision with recurrent disease. A higher rate of recurrence was observed among patients who underwent pits picking following failure of a previous wide local excision (80% vs. 0%, P = 0.02). Minor wound dehiscence developed in 8 patients; all of which were in the Bascom flap group (40% vs. 0%, P < 0.005). All of these wounds healed completely between 3 and 6 weeks.Conclusion: The Gips procedure is the recommended treatment for simple pilonidal disease. For recurrent pilonidal disease, the Bascom cleft lift (flap) procedure is an excellent option since it demonstrates a short wound healing time and a good success rate. This calls into question the continued use of the wide excision technique used by most surgeons in this country and abroad.
MODERN PROBLEMS OF SPIRITUAL EDUCATION IN UKRAINE: THE QUESTION OF THE STATUS OF THEOLOGY
Authors: Levchenko Tatiana
Published: November 2020

The article shows a significant similarity of the claims of philosophy and theology to the status of meta-science and universal philosophical discourse. Historically, these claims relate to the doctrine of a special intuitive cognition, but today they are manifested in an attempt to answer the main ideological questions of the individual. It is proved that the claims of theology to the status of metascience are less substantiated than in philosophy, since theology cannot provide methodology for specific sciences, cannot, without the mediation of philosophy, evaluate scientific theories. Also, the theologian is not free in his own reflections, even if he exhibits creative spontaneity, because it must necessarily be rooted in a certain tradition. Utopian are the hopes of Catholic, Orthodox and Protestant theologians that theology with the end of the modern era can again qualify for the status of meta-science and evaluate the achievements of all sciences, especially humanitarian ones.
ENGINEERING METHOD FOR CALCULATING SHOCK NOISE ISOLATIONBETWEEN FLOORS WITH FLOORS MADE OF WOOD MATERIALS
Authors:   FSBEI HE ", GORIN V.A. ,   Kuban State Technological University", KLIMENKO V.V. ,   FSBEI HE "Kuban State Technological University", POROZHENKO M.A. ,   FSBI "Research Institute of Building Physics of the Russian Academy of Architecture and Building Sciences"
Published: November 2020

An engineering method for calculating shock noise isolation by floor-to-floor overlappings with wood-based materials is proposed. The calculation considers overlaps with floors made of wood materials laid on glue and with floors laid on an elastic substrate. The calculation takes into account the effect on sound insulation of the surface density and stiffness of the floor covering material and the sound insulation layer. The calculation is reduced to calculating the frequency characteristic of reducing the impact noise level due to the construction of a floor made of wood materials and comparing the calculated value of the index of the reduced impact noise level with the standard ones. The list of necessary input data and the sequence of calculation execution is given. Approximate formulas for calculating the frequencies that limit the application of computational models of the overlaps under consideration are compiled. Equations and approximate formulas are given for determining the critical (antiresonance) and resonant frequencies of vibrations, one -, two-and three-layer overlaps, and their values are determined for various mechanical and geometric parameters of layers. Frequency ranges of growth and decrease of shock noise level by these overlaps are determined. Comparison of the calculated and measured frequency characteristics of shock noise reduction showed a good correspondence of the results obtained by the engineering method of calculation with experimental studies. The developed practical recommendations for improving the isolation of shock noise between floors with floors made of wood materials, used in the construction of civil buildings, can increase acoustic comfort in buildings under construction and under reconstruction.
DEFORMATION AND CRACKING OF THE PLATFORM JOINT OF THE PREFABRICATED-MONOLITHICRC BUILDING FRAME
Authors:   South-West State University, KOLCHUNOV VL.I. , MARTYNENKO D.V. ,   South-West State University
Published: November 2020

A computational model and the results of numerical studies of the structure of a platform joint in a reinforced concrete precast-monolithic frame of a building from panel-frame elements of industrial production are presented. Modeling of the plane stress state of the joint structure is carried out by a finite element scheme, using finite elements of different types and a nonlinear law of deformation to determine the design characteristics of reinforced concrete. The parameters of deformation of the platform joint structure at different loading levels, including stage-by-stage cracking and destruction, have been determined. The schemes of distribution and stress concentration zones in the characteristic sections of the platform joint are established when the distributed load is transferred from the frame of the panel-frame to the hollow-core floor panels and concrete for embedding the joint in the presence of a cavity in the frame frame for centering elements.
STAGES OF URBAN DEVELOPMENT OF THE SUBURBAN SETTLEMENTS IN THE MONASTIC AND FAIRGROUNDS IN THE TOWN OF KURSK KORENNAYA PUSTYN EDGE 2-ND HALF OF THE XVIII – XIX CENTURIES
Authors:   1Institute of theory and history of architecture and urban planning (NIITAG)  branch of ", KHOLODOVA Е.V. ,   CSRIP of the Ministry of construction of Russia"
Published: November 2020

The research is based on little-known factual material: a comprehensive analysis of documentary and printed sources of Central and regional archives, museums and libraries; family domestic and foreign archives; a field survey of preserved fragments of the settlement of Korennaya Pustyn. Scientific novelty of the research is to carry out the author's expeditions and surveys of the building complex of the town Korennaya Pustyn (the monastery fair, village) (measurement, photographs, sketches from nature), identify archival and printed sources, resurrecting the images of the lost nobility and merchant estates cottages, carried out a General analysis of the given topic, as well as appear obscure architects D. Kvarengi, V. A. Serbina, N. And. Kozlowski, L. M. Grigoriev, etc.. An important result of the research is the disclosure of the phenomenon of suburban estate construction in Kursk province as a dacha settlement in the monastic and fair complex of the town of Korennaya Pustyn in the 2nd half of the XVIII – 1st half of the XIX centuries.the architecture, spatial composition and structure of the entire complex of a unique settlement are considered. A comprehensive study of architectural and planning features of estate complexes in Kursk province reveals special regional features of estate construction. The paper highlights traditional and reveals new structural and planning characteristics in the structure of estate complexes in the southern region of the Russian border region.
The «Commission for Relief in Belgium» and the Château de Mariemont
Authors: Spaulding George F.
Published: November 2020

Résumé :

Quelques semaines après l’invasion de la Belgique par les Allemands en août 1914, les Américains créèrent la « Commission for Relief in Belgium » (Commission de secours en Belgique). Ils voulaient par ce moyen venir en aide à la population be !ge au bord de la famine provoquée par le blocus des nations alliées. Herbert Hoover fut à la tête de cette entreprise humanitaire sans précédent qui consistait à nourrir plus de sept millions d'hommes. Il parvint à persuader la France et l’Angleterre, très opposées à ce projet de peur que l’Allemagne n’en tire profit, de participer à cette vaste opération. Le bureau central se trouvait à Bruxelles mais un besoin urgent de délégués dans les provinces se faisait sentir. Avant que les représentants permanents n’arrivent des Etats-Unis, Hoover fit appel à des volontaires. C’est ainsi que dix étudiants américains qui séjournaient alors à Oxford, débarquèrent à Anvers le 5 décembre 1914. Parmi ceux-ci, Spaulding [l'auteur du récit] et Low-dermilk furent désignés pour le Hainaut. Leur travail qui consistait à aller de ville en ville pour s’informer des ressources alimentaires et organiser des comités de distribution nécessitait de nombreux déplacements. Malgré les réquisitions allemandes, Raoul Warocqué put mettre une voiture à leur disposition et leur offrit l’hospitalité au château de Mariemont.

Raoul Warocqué était un homme jovial et sympathique de même que son secrétaire personnel. En dépit de ses problèmes de santé, il avait le goût de la vie et de multiples centres d’intérêt. C’était un grand collectionneur de jades, de porcelaines, de sculptures, de livres. Quel privilège de s’installer à la bibliothèque pour y admirer les chefs-d’œuvre ! Il possédait aussi de nombreuses serres où étaient cultivées des plantes exotiques, des orchidées et même des vignes... La vie au château s’organisa avec une certaine routine. Une fois par semaine au moins, un commandant allemand et ses officiers étaient invités à déjeuner. Warocqué s’expliqua souvent sur cette façon d’agir. En entretenant de bons rapports avec les autorités allemandes, il espérait que celles-ci seraient moins sévères et moins exigeantes pour la population. Le soir, en général, le repas était pris à quatre sauf dans les grandes occasions où on avait le plaisir de rencontrer M. et Mime Guinotte et leurs filles. A la fin de janvier 1915, les délégués permanents étant arrivés, ce fut le signal du départ, la fin de huit semaines magnifiques bien différentes de la vie dure que les étudiants américains avaient imaginée.
Sistem Customer Relationship Management untuk Perusahaan Penjualan Alat Komputer Menggunakan Analisis Fishbone
Authors: Yuniar Nur Fajriati , Handriani Inge
Published: November 2020

Pelayanan kepada pelanggan merupakan salah satu faktor yang mendasari pelanggan dalam membeli produk. Pelayanan yang baik akan memberikan kepuasan kepada pelanggan. Kepuasan pelanggan dapat menjadi penentu dalam kegiatan bisnis. Pada beberapa perusahaan masih memiliki masalah berkaitan dengan pelayanan kepada pelanggan, dimana pengolahan data yang belum terintegrasi dan tidak adanya sistem yang membantu pelanggan untuk berkomunikasi dengan pihak perusahaan. Sehingga menyulitkan pelanggan ketika ingin mengetahui progress pesanannya, maupun saat akan mengajukan layanan purna jual. Hal ini dapat menurunkan loyalitas pelanggan terhadap perusahaan yang dapat mengakibatkan berpindahnya pelanggan pada pesaing. Solusi yang diberikan dalam hal ini adalah perlunya sebuah konsep sistem Customer Relationship Management, yang akan menyediakan pelayanan terhadap kebutuhan pelanggan. Tujuannya adalah untuk menjaga hubungan perusahaan dengan pelanggan dan meningkatkan loyalitas pelanggan pada perusahaan. Analisis sistem yang digunakan dalam menemukan kebutuhan sistem berkaitan dengan pelayanan terhadap pelanggan adalah dengan menggunakan metode analisis Fishbone. Konsep sistem ini menghasilkan informasi pelayanan atas order penjualan, purna jual, pembaharuan data produk, dan informasi piutang pelanggan.
Castles, Walls, Fortresses.The Sasanian Effort to Defend the Territory
Authors: LABBAF-KHANIKI Meysam
Published: November 2020

Defensive structures have been applied as the permanent elements of the Iranian urbanism, from the first phases of sedentism in the Neolithic period onwards. Following the Iranian tradition in architecture, Sasanian fortifications having local features were constructed in adaptation with the regional circumstances. Nevertheless, we can find some similarities in the components of the defensive installations. The defensive structures located within the Sasanian territory turned Iran into the unconquerable fortress providing Sasanians with military, political, cultural, and economic dominance over a vast area of the ancient world for more than four centuries.