bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Industrial Animal Farming and Zoonotic Risk: COVID-19 as a Gateway to Sustainable Change? A Scoping Study
Authors: Brozek Wolfgang , Falkenberg Christof
Published: August 2021

The threat of zoonoses (i.e., human infectious diseases transmitted from animals) because of industrial animal farming may be receiving less attention in society due to the putative wildlife origin of COVID-19. To identify societal responses to COVID-19 that do address or affect the risk of future zoonoses associated with industrial animal farming, the literature was screened for measures, actions, proposals and attitudes following the guidelines of a scoping review. Forty-one articles with relevant information published between 1 January 2020 and 30 April 2021 were identified directly or indirectly via bibliographies from 138 records retrieved via Google Scholar. Analysis of relevant content revealed ten fields of policy action amongst which biosecurity and change in dietary habits were the dominant topics. Further searches for relevant records within each field of policy action retrieved another eight articles. Identified responses were furthermore classified and evaluated according to groups of societal actors, implying different modes of regulation and governance. Based on the results, a suggested policy strategy is presented for moving away from food production in factory farms and supporting sustainable farming, involving the introduction of a tax on the demand side and subsidies for the development and production of alternative meat.
“This Is the Story of Community Leadership with Political Backing. (PM1)” Critical Junctures in Paralympic Legacy: Framing the London 2012 Disability Inclusion Model for New Global Challenges
Authors: Austin Victoria , Mattick Kate , Holloway Cathy
Published: August 2021

The London 2012 Paralympic Games was called “the most successful Paralympic Games ever” (by the then-President of the IPC), and it saw more athletes from more countries than ever before compete and become global heroes for the first time in a redeveloped part of East London which also hosted “the most accessible Olympic Games ever” that summer. However, the model used to design and deliver disability inclusion for London 2012, and its legacy, has never been explicitly written up. This paper presents new primary evidence from first-hand research from those who were involved; retrospectively framing the London 2012 Disability Inclusion Model such that it might be usable and developed for other global disability challenges. We used an adapted Delphi methodology, through four rounds: beginning with an initial hypothesis and testing through semi-structured interviews with ten key players in the London 2012 disability inclusion approach. Using thematic analysis with consensus building surveys and workshops we came to a settled unanimous agreement on the 12-step London 2012 Disability Inclusion Model comprising three parts: (Get ready) community-led mission setting, (Get set) essential building blocks and (Go) enabling a culture of success. The model is presented here, alongside a narrative on its uniqueness and replicability to other major programs, as a public good. We welcome its active use, testing and adaption by others in service of disability innovation for a fairer world.
Competitiveness of Industrial Companies Forming the Value Chain of Wind Energy Components: The Case of Lithuania
Authors: Cibinskiene Akvile , Dumciuviene Daiva , Bobinaite Viktorija , Dragašius Egidijus
Published: August 2021

Sustainable energy development has attracted attention worldwide, partly because of the value chain of the wind energy industry that focuses on the overall value creation and innovation. In order to achieve not only ambitious goals in the fight against climate change, but also to create significant economic benefits for European Union citizens, it is necessary to ensure the production of renewable energy components in Europe itself and in Lithuania at the same time. This paper aims to evaluate the competitiveness of Lithuanian companies that manufacture wind energy components. The research was conducted applying methods such as a survey of manufacturers of wind energy components, expert assessment and descriptive analysis. The results of the competitiveness assessment revealed that the existing conditions and trends are favourable for the development of their performance and strengthening of their competitiveness. The government solutions to promote industry could facilitate the performance of companies operating in the value chain of wind energy components and encourage new companies to join it. This would encourage the Lithuanian industry to expand its participation in the value chain of the European Union’s renewable energy industry, create more jobs, and increase the added value.
Crisis Communication after Earthquakes in Greece and Japan: Effects on Seismic Disaster Management
Authors: Fokaefs Anna , Sapountzaki Kalliopi
Published: August 2021

The communication of emergency information shortly before or after the manifestation of seismic hazards is a crucial part of disaster management. Crisis communication aims to protect, support and guide the public and emergency services throughout the response and recovery phase. In the case of seismic events, a fundamental query refers to how the information to be released to the public immediately after/before the seismic event affects disaster impacts and management. This paper addresses the uncertainty involved in emergency seismic information, identifies the sources, means, content and mode of emergency communication and points to the effects of different models of crisis communication on public perceptions, on emergency responses and, hence, on disaster management. A review of past experiences of seismic crisis communication strategies in earthquake-prone countries, namely Greece and Japan, reveals successes and failures in managing uncertainty, and in building public trust and improving response capacities. The findings include the importance of crisis communication in seismic disaster management, the levels/layers of uncertainty involved in emergency seismic information and how they impact risk perceptions, the public trust/mistrust effect on scientific and management institutions as well as some recommendations for seismic crisis communication strategies to minimize uncertainty and improve emergency responses.
Shared Bicycle Distribution Connected to Subway Line Considering Citizens’ Morning Peak Social Characteristics for Urban Low-Carbon Development
Authors: Zhang Shuo , Chen Li , Li Yingzi
Published: August 2021

The transport sector has produced numerous carbon emissions in China, and it is important to promote low carbon commuting. As an emerging mode of urban low-carbon transportation in China, shared bicycles have been used by more and more citizens on a daily basis, with advantages of green and low-carbon emissions to environment, flexibility for short trips, and convenience for covering the distance between the normal low-carbon transportation and destinations. However, the imbalanced distribution of shared bicycles along subway lines, especially during the morning peak hours, has directly restricted their performance in urban traffic. In this paper, an integer linear program model (ILPM) is proposed to obtain an optimal low-carbon distribution plan of shared bicycles connecting with the subway line (SBCSL) during the morning peak hours. First, an objective function is built to improve the carbon emission reduction of SBCSL. Second, constraint functions are extracted considering the quantity of bicycles to be distributed to the subway line as well as the distribution limits of each subway station. At last, a case study is conducted on the distribution of shared bicycles in Beijing Subway Line 13 of China during the morning peak hours. The results show that the ILPM is of significance to provide optimal distribution scheme of shared bicycles in subway line with different station types including office-oriented, residential-oriented, and hybrid-oriented stations.
Public’s Intention and Influencing Factors of Dockless Bike-Sharing in Central Urban Areas: A Case Study of Lanzhou City, China
Authors: Ji Wei , Lu Chengpeng , Mao Jinhuang , Liu Yiping , Hou Muchen , Pan Xiaoli
Published: August 2021

Taking the main district in Lanzhou city of China as an example, the questionnaires were designed and distributed, and then the effects of five factors, i.e., behavioral attitude, subjective norm, perceived behavioral control, perceived ease of use and perceived usefulness, on the behavioral intention of dockless bike-sharing (DBS) use were empirically analyzed based on the integrated model of technology acceptance model (TAM) and the theory of planned behavior (TPB) as well as the structural equation model. Results show that the five factors all impose significantly positive effects on the public’s behavioral intention of DBS use but differ in influencing degrees. Behavioral attitude, subjective norm and perceived behavioral control can all directly affect the public’s behavioral intention of DBS use, with direct influence coefficients of 0.691, 0.257 and 0.198, while perceived ease of use and perceived usefulness impose indirectly effects on behavioral intention, with indirect influence coefficients of 0.372 and 0.396. Overall, behavioral attitude imposes the most significant effect, followed by perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness and subjective norm, and finally perceived behavioral control. This indicates that the public’s behavioral intention of DBS use depends heavily on their behavioral attitude towards the shared bikes. In view of the limited open space of the main district in Lanzhou, the explosive growth of shared bikes, oversaturated arrangements, disordered competition, unclear and unscientific divisions of parking regions, and hindrance of traffic, this study proposes a lot of policy suggestions from the research results. A series of supporting service systems related to DBS should be formulated. The shared bikes with different characteristics should be launched for different age groups, gender groups and work groups. The corresponding feedback platform for realtime acquisition, organization, analysis and solution of data information, as well as the adequate platform feedback mechanism, should be established.
Can the Diffusion Modes of Green Technology Affect the Enterprise’s Technology Diffusion Network towards Sustainable Development of Hospitality and Tourism Industry in China?
Authors: Sun Keke , Cao Xia , Xing Zeyu
Published: August 2021

In the post-epidemic era, encouraging enterprises to implement green technology innovation in the hospitality and tourism industry is important, which can reduce resource consumption, decrease environmental pollution and promote sustainable industrial development. Based on evolutionary game theory and Exponential Random Graph Models (ERGM), this paper develops an evolutionary game model between focal and marginal enterprises and analyzes the dynamic evolutionary process and the steady state of the evolutionary strategy of the major stakeholders. The impact of different technology diffusion modes on the enterprise’s technology diffusion network is quantitatively verified using ERGM and MPNet software. The results show that the neighborhood effect has a positive impact on the technology diffusion network of enterprises in the hospitality and tourism industry, the partner effect has a negative impact on the technology diffusion network of enterprises, and the social circle effect has a significant positive effect on the technology diffusion network of enterprises in the hospitality and tourism industry. This study can help governments to develop more targeted policies that can serve as a basis for enterprises to develop dynamic strategies and can further facilitate the implementation and diffusion of green technology innovations in the hospitality and tourism industry.
Remediation of Petroleum-Contaminated Soils with Microbial and Microbial Combined Methods: Advances, Mechanisms, and Challenges
Authors: Sui Xin , Wang Xuemei , Li Yuhuan , Ji Hongbing
Published: August 2021

The petroleum industry’s development has been supported by the demand for petroleum and its by-products. During extraction and transportation, however, oil will leak into the soil, destroying the structure and quality of the soil and even harming the health of plants and humans. Scientists are researching and developing remediation techniques to repair and re-control the afflicted environment due to the health risks and social implications of petroleum hydrocarbon contamination. Remediation of soil contamination produced by petroleum hydrocarbons, on the other hand, is a difficult and time-consuming job. Microbial remediation is a focus for soil remediation because of its convenience of use, lack of secondary contamination, and low cost. This review lists the types and capacities of microorganisms that have been investigated to degrade petroleum hydrocarbons. However, investigations have revealed that a single microbial remediation faces difficulties, such as inconsistent remediation effects and substantial environmental consequences. It is necessary to understand the composition and source of pollutants, the metabolic genes and pathways of microbial degradation of petroleum pollutants, and the internal and external aspects that influence remediation in order to select the optimal remediation treatment strategy. This review compares the degradation abilities of microbial–physical, chemical, and other combination remediation methods, and highlights the degradation capabilities and processes of the greatest microbe-biochar, microbe–nutrition, and microbe–plant technologies. This helps in evaluating and forecasting the chemical behavior of contaminants with both short- and long-term consequences. Although there are integrated remediation strategies for the removal of petroleum hydrocarbons, practical remediation remains difficult. The sources and quantities of petroleum pollutants, as well as their impacts on soil, plants, and humans, are discussed in this article. Following that, the focus shifted to the microbiological technique of degrading petroleum pollutants and the mechanism of the combined microbial method. Finally, the limitations of existing integrated microbiological techniques are highlighted.
Modeling Pedestrian Flows: Agent-Based Simulations of Pedestrian Activity for Land Use Distributions in Urban Developments
Authors: López Baeza Jesús , Carpio-Pinedo José , Sievert Julia , Landwehr André , Preuner Philipp , Borgmann Katharina , Avakumović Maša , Weissbach Aleksandra , Bruns-Berentelg Jürgen , Noennig Jörg Rainer
Published: August 2021

Pedestrian activity is a cornerstone for urban sustainability, with key implications for the environment, public health, social cohesion, and the local economy. Therefore, city planners, urban designers, and decision-makers require tools to predict pedestrian mobility and assess the walkability of existing or planned urban environments. For this purpose, diverse approaches have been used to analyze different inputs such as the street network configuration, density, land use mix, and the location of certain amenities. This paper focuses on the location of urban amenities as key elements for pedestrian flow prediction, and, therefore, for the success of public spaces in terms of the social life of city neighborhoods. Using agent-based modeling (ABM) and land use floor space data, this study builds a pedestrian flow model, which is applied to both existing and planned areas in the inner city of Hamburg, Germany. The pedestrian flows predicted in the planned area inform the ongoing design and planning process. The flows simulated in the existing area are compared against real-world pedestrian activity data for external validation to report the model accuracy. The results show that pedestrian flow intensity correlates to the density and diversity of amenities, among other KPIs. These correlations validate our approach and also quantify it with measurable indicators.
BIMp-Chart—A Global Decision Support System for Measuring BIM Implementation Level in Construction Organizations
Authors: Malik Qurratulain , Nasir Abdur Rehman , Muhammad Rabiah , Thaheem Muhammad Jamaluddin , Ullah Fahim , Khan Khurram Iqbal Ahmad , Hassan Muhammad Usman
Published: August 2021

Building Information Modeling (BIM) is recognized as one of the most significant technological breakthroughs in the Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) industry. The pace of implementation of BIM in AEC has increased during the past decade with an enhanced focus on sustainable construction. However, BIM implementation lags its potential because of several factors such as readiness issues, lack of previous experience in BIM, and lack of market demand for BIM. To evaluate and solve these issues, understanding the current BIM implementation in construction organizations is required. Motivated by this need, the main objective of this study is to propose a tool for the measurement of BIM implementation levels within an organization. Various sets of indexes are developed based on their pertinent Critical Success Factors (CSFs). A detailed literature review followed by a questionnaire survey involving 99 respondents is conducted, and results are analyzed to formulate a BIMp-Chart to calculate and visualize the BIM implementation level of an organization. Subsequently, the applicability of the BIMp-Chart is assessed by comparing and analyzing datasets of four organizations from different regions, including Qatar, Portugal, and Egypt, and a multinational organization to develop a global measurement tool. Through measuring and comparing BIM implementation levels, the BIMp-Chart can help the practitioners identify the implementation areas in an organization for proper BIM implementation. This study helps understand the fundamental elements of BIM implementation and provides a decision support system for construction organizations to devise proper strategies for the effectual management of the BIM implementation process.
Robust Design of Relief Distribution Networks Considering Uncertainty
Authors: Nayeem Moddassir Khan , Lee Gyu M.
Published: August 2021

In the post-disaster response phase, an efficient relief distribution strategy plays a vital role in alleviating suffering in disaster-stricken areas, which sometimes becomes challenging in humanitarian logistics. Most governments pre-located the relief goods at the pre-determined warehouses against possible disasters. Those goods must be shipped to the relief distribution centers (RDCs) to be further distributed to the victims in impacted areas upon the disasters. Secondary disasters can occur due to the first disaster and can occur relatively close in time and location, resulting in more suffering and making the relief distribution activities more challenging. The needs of additional RDCs must be determined as well in response to the secondary disasters. A robust optimization model is proposed to hedge against uncertainties in RDCs’ capacity and relief demand. Its objective is to minimize the sum of transportation cost, additional RDC cost, and shortage of commodities. The computational results are given to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed model. The sensitivity analysis gives an insight to the decision-makers.
The Impact of Interpersonal Cognitive Distortions on Satisfaction with Life and the Mediating Role of Loneliness
Authors: Şimşek Orçun Muhammet , Koçak Orhan , Younis Mustafa Z.
Published: August 2021

Loneliness and cognitive distortions have serious negative effects on life satisfaction and are seen as related to each other. However, what mediates in these relationships has not been adequately analyzed. This study aims to analyze the effect between cognitive distortions and life satisfaction by asserting the mediating role of loneliness. For this purpose, we conducted a cross-sectional study with 978 people over the age of 20 from various parts of Turkey using a general screening model. Firstly, we analyzed the direct effect of interpersonal rejection, interpersonal misperception, and unrealistic relationship expectation, which are sub-dimensions of cognitive distortions, loneliness, and life satisfaction. Secondly, we analyzed the effects of independent, mediation, and interaction (Loneliness X age) variables on satisfaction with life. Thirdly, we applied direct regression analysis between independent, mediating, and dependent variables to conduct the mediation analysis of the study. Also, we examined age as a moderator between loneliness and life satisfaction. The results showed loneliness as an essential determinant between cognitive distortions and life satisfaction. Moreover, in the moderation analysis, we found some age-related differences between loneliness and life satisfaction. According to this, both loneliness and life satisfaction increased with increasing age. However, life satisfaction decreased as loneliness increased in young people. Being able to compensate for loneliness in the aging process is an essential psychological indicator. Although young people have more opportunities than older people, their ability to cope with negative situations such as loneliness is largely undeveloped. These results showed both psychological and sociological problems of loneliness. Therefore, the results can be useful for the prevention of loneliness and the development of intervention programs.
The Impact of the COVID-19 Crisis on Growth-Oriented SMEs: Building Entrepreneurial Resilience
Authors: Schepers Jelle , Vandekerkhof Pieter , Dillen Yannick
Published: August 2021

This study explores how the COVID-19 pandemic has forced Flemish growth-oriented entrepreneurs to build entrepreneurial resilience. We rely on a research framework that consists of a “challenge-reaction-learning loop” to empirically investigate how entrepreneurial resilience is built in times of the COVID-19 crisis. To investigate this complex entrepreneurial learning process, we use data that have been collected during the first and second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. By using several datapoints, we could identify (1) the specific challenges growth-oriented firms are facing as a result of the COVID-19 crisis; (2) how these entrepreneurs reacted to these challenges; and (3) what they learned during the first and second wave of the pandemic and how they perceive the future. By making this entrepreneurial learning process explicit and dividing it into an iterative “challenge-reaction-learning loop”, this study is relevant for all entrepreneurs, as it contains several interesting lessons learned. We also contribute to academic literature as we provide future researchers a tangible framework to further elucidate how entrepreneurial resilience is built in times of crisis.
Analysis of a Landscape Intensely Modified by Agriculture in the Tietê–Jacaré Watershed, Brazil
Authors: Peruchi Trevisan Diego , Bispo Polyanna da Conceição , Gou Yaqing , Fogaça de Souza Bianca , Liesenberg Veraldo , Harris Angela , Balzter Heiko , Moschini Luiz Eduardo
Published: August 2021

Anthropogenic actions influence landscapes, and the resulting mosaic is a mix of natural and anthropogenic elements that vary in size, shape, and pattern. Considering this, our study aimed to analyse the land use and land cover changes in the Tietê–Jacaré watershed (São Paulo state, Brazil), using the random forest (RF) algorithm and Sentinel-2 satellite data from 2016 to 2018 to detect landscape changes. By overlapping the environmental data and the proposed model evaluation, it was possible to observe the landscape structure, produce information about the state of this region, and assess the environmental responses to anthropic impacts. The land use and land cover analysis identified eight classes: exposed soil, citriculture, pasture, silviculture, sugar cane, urban area, vegetation, and water. The RF classification for the three years reached high accuracy with a kappa index of 0.87 in 2016, 0.85 in 2017, and 0.85 in 2018. The model developed was essential for the temporal analysis since it allowed us to comprehend the driving forces that act in this landscape and contribute to the discussions about their impacts over time. The results showed a predominance of agricultural activities over the three years, with approximately 900.000 ha (76% of the area), mainly covered by sugarcane cultivation.
Mega-Para-Sporting Event Social Impacts Perceived by Tokyo Residents: Comparison of Residents’ Vitality
Authors: Yamashita Rei
Published: August 2021

There is a global shift in hosting international sporting events, and this is insisted to have social impacts on the host residents and increase their vitality and empowerment. From the academic perspective, numerous studies have revealed the social impacts of hosting mega-sporting events in several contexts. However, research remains scarce in the area of mega-para-sporting events. Therefore, this study examines the relationship between residents’ perceived social impact and supporting intention. Additionally, comparing the levels of vitality were also revealed. Conducting a confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modelling using group comparison, this study revealed educational benefits as a new insight for hosting a para-sporting event, and their perception differed by the residents’ vitality level. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.
New Insights of Grouting in Coal Mass: From Small-Scale Experiments to Microstructures
Authors: Sun Yuantian , Li Guichen , Zhang Junfei , Sun Junbo , Huang Jiandong , Taherdangkoo Reza
Published: August 2021

Pre-grouting as an effective means for improving the stability of roadways can reduce maintenance costs and maintain safety in complex mining conditions. In the Guobei coal mine in China, a cement pre-grouting technique was adopted to enhance the overall strength of soft coal mass and provide sufficient support for the roadway. However, there are very limited studies about the effect of grouting on the overall strength of coal in the laboratory. In this paper, based on the field observation of a coal-grout structure after grouting, a series of direct shear tests were conducted on coal and grouted coal specimens to quantitatively evaluate the quality improvement of grouted coal mass. The results showed that the peak and residual shear strength, cohesion, friction angle and the shear stiffness of grouted coal were significantly improved with the increase of the diameter of grout column. Linear regression models were established for predicting these mechanical parameters. In addition, three failure models associated with coal and grouted coal specimens were revealed. According to microstructure and macroscopic failure performance of specimens, the application of the proposed models and some methods for further improving the stability of grouted coal mass were suggested. The research can provide the basic evaluation and guideline for the parametric design of cement pre-grouting applications in soft coal mass.
A Trust-Based Model for the Adoption of Smart City Technologies in Australian Regional Cities
Authors: Neupane Chiranjivi , Wibowo Santoso , Grandhi Srimannarayana , Deng Hepu
Published: August 2021

This paper explores the role of stakeholders’ trust in the adoption of smart city technologies, leading to the identification of the critical determinants for adopting smart city technologies in Australian regional cities. A comprehensive review of the related literature has been conducted. Such a review leads to the development of a trust-based research model for investigating the importance of trust in technology and its adoption. This model is then tested and validated with the use of a structural equation modeling technique on the survey data collected from ICT professionals in Australian regional cities. The study results show that perceived usefulness, perceived external pressure and perceived information security influence trust in smart city technologies. Further analysis highlights the significant relationship between stakeholders’ trust and their intention to adopt smart city technologies. This study is unique, as it is one of a few studies that focus on exploring stakeholders’ trust in the adoption of smart city technologies from the perspective of ICT professionals in Australia. The study results can be used by the government agencies to formulate appropriate policies to enhance the use of smart city technologies in the active pursuit of smart city development in Australia.
Effects of Expansionary Monetary Policy on Agricultural Commodities Market
Authors: Čermáková Klára , Filho Eduardo Aguiar Henrique
Published: August 2021

Agricultural commodities experienced a rise in prices during the first decade of the 2000s. The literature shows that the monetary policies adopted by developed economies can influence practically all economic indicators of developing markets. This paper aims to evaluate the effect of selected monetary policy measures on the prices of three selected agricultural commodities: soy, corn and sugar. Secondly, the study analyzes the price formation of these commodities during a period of expansionary monetary policy, in order to better understand how they are influenced by unconventional instruments. The central hypothesis is that the excessive liquidity created by the FED spills over to emerging economies, boosting investment and consumption there and, lastly, causing a commodity cycle. Our data (January 2000–December 2019) support this hypothesis and prove that expansionary monetary policy is capable of impacting agricultural commodities’ prices, but by different channels, due to the specificities of each commodity. The fact that people have more capital due to the credit obtained from loans seems to influence the price of sugar; soy is highly influenced by exchange rates of emerging markets, and corn is not very responsive to the used variables, which might be due to the high production rates of this commodity in the U.S. and the protectionist policies adopted by the government.
Are Public Subsidies to Encourage Young Farmers Effective? Case Study of a First-Time Farm Set Up by a Young Female Farmer in the Valencian Region of Spain
Authors: Gilabert Beatriz , Pla-Julián Isabel
Published: August 2021

Generational renewal and the incorporation of women into the rural world are fundamental for the sustainability and modernisation of the agricultural sector. Hence the special government protection granted to the sector, which appears in both European legislation on rural issues and in the global strategy of the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Rural Development Goals involving a commitment to measures aimed at helping young farmers to set up agricultural holdings and especially at encouraging women to engage in farm management. In the case of Spain, this is nothing new, given that Law 35/2011 on the Shared Ownership of Agricultural Holdings became a veritable revolution in terms of gender in the rural world when it came into force. The results section discusses the practical application of funding for young farmers to start up an agricultural holding through a technical and economic study, and a case study of a first-time farm set up by a young female farmer. The main contribution of this work lies in answering two questions. The first one is to evaluate the efficiency of the subsidies for young people to set up farms in terms of offering a decent, stable livelihood for young men and women in Spain and the Valencian Region. The second one attempts to verify the effectiveness of both European and Spanish active public policies to encourae young men and women to join the agricultural sector.
An Integrated Information System of Climate-Water-Migrations-Conflicts Nexus in the Congo Basin
Authors: Tshimanga Raphael M. , Lutonadio Génie-Spirou K. , Kabujenda Nana K. , Sondi Christian M. , Mihaha Emmanuel-Tsadok N. , Ngandu Jean-Felly K. , Nkaba Landry N. , Sankiana Gerard M. , Beya Jules T. , Kombayi Anaclet M. , Bonso Lisette M. , Likenge Augustin L. , Nsambi Nicole M. , Sumbu Prisca Z. , Yuma Yuma Bin , Bisa Michel K. , Lututala Bernard M.
Published: August 2021

We present an integrated information system needed to address the climate-water-migration-conflict nexus in the Congo Basin. It is based on a rigorous and multidisciplinary methodological approach that consists of designing appropriate tools for field surveys and data collection campaigns, data analysis, creating a statistical database and creating a web interface with the aim to make this information system publicly available for users and stakeholders. The information system developed is a structured and organized set of quantitative and qualitative data on the climate-water-migration-conflict nexus and gender, consisting of primary data collected during field surveys. It contains 250 aggregated variables or 575 disaggregated variables, all grouped into 15 thematic areas, including identification; socio-demographic characteristics; access to resources; perception of climate change; perception of migration; financial inclusion (savings, access to credit and circulation of money); domination and control on water resources, land ownership and property rights, conflict resolution and community resilience; water uses; vulnerability to climate change; housing, household assets and household expenditure; food security; health, hygiene and sanitation; environmental risk management; women’s economic autonomy; and water transfer from the Congo Basin to Lake Chad. The information system can be used to model and understand the interface of human-environment interactions, and develop scenarios necessary to address the challenges of climate change and resilient development, while supporting key policy areas and strategies to foster effective stakeholder participation to ensure management and governance of climate and natural resources in the Congo Basin.
Can a Weather-Based Crop Insurance Scheme Increase the Technical Efficiency of Smallholders? A Case Study of Groundnut Farmers in India
Authors: Kumar K. Nirmal Ravi , Babu Suresh Chandra
Published: August 2021

This paper analyzes the impact of a Weather-Based Crop Insurance Scheme (WBCIS) on the Technical Efficiency (TE) of smallholder groundnut farmers in the context of climate change in India. We use Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) to study the TE of smallholder farmers, which range between 0.58 and 1, with a mean of 0.79. Using the Propensity Score Matching (PSM) technique, we find that the TE of smallholder farmers improves when they participate in a WBCIS using three matching methods. Increasing the coverage of farmers under a WBCIS can help in reducing smallholder farmers vulnerability to climate change.
Use of Sewage Sludge Ash in the Production of Innovative Bricks—An Example of a Circular Economy
Authors: Bubalo Andelina , Vouk Drazen , Stirmer Nina , Nad Karlo
Published: August 2021

In this paper the properties of clay bricks with 5 wt%, 10 wt%, and 20 wt% sewage sludge ash (SSA) were studied and compared with the properties of control bricks made of 100% clay. Sewage sludge (SS) was collected at two wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) in Croatia—WWTP Zagreb and WWTP Karlovac—and incinerated at a temperature of 900 °C The bricks were produced on a laboratory scale. A total of seven types of bricks were produced—control bricks and six types of bricks as combinations of different wt% of SSA generated from SS that was collected at two different WWTPs. The physical and mechanical properties of produced bricks were tested. Compressive strengths of bricks with 5 wt% SSA (54.0–54.5 N/mm2) and 10 wt% SSA (50.2–51.0 N/mm2) were higher compared to the control bricks (50.4 N/mm2), while bricks with 20 wt% SSA (37.0–43.9) N/mm2) had noticeably lower compressive strenght. The coefficient of saturation was lower for bricks with SSA compared to control bricks. The initial absorption values were more pronounced for SSA fractions of 20 wt%.
What Drives Senegalese SMEs to Adopt Renewable Energy Technologies? Applying an Extended UTAUT2 Model to a Developing Economy
Authors: Apfel Dorothee , Herbes Carsten
Published: August 2021

Renewable energy technology (RET) can help small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in developing economies to both meet the need for a stable energy supply and contribute to the fight against climate change. In Senegal, SMEs have the opportunity through RET to become electricity prosumers. Whether it works as such in Senegalese SMEs is one of the questions we were able to address through qualitative interviews with 23 SMEs and 13 experts. Using qualitative content analysis, we examined what factors promote the adoption of RET by these SMEs. We also examined how well the established Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology model (UTAUT2) can serve as a guiding framework for this type of investigation. We find that effort expectancy is generally underestimated. Performance expectancy, when high, may influence the adoption process positively, while social influence does not seem to play a role. Both SMEs and experts point to customer service and government support for SMEs adopting RET as important facilitating conditions. The cost of RET is another factor influencing the adoption of these technologies. However, we regard the UTAUT2 as only partially helpful for the Senegalese context, due to the informal sector economy in Senegal. This leads us to add the factors knowledge, communication channels and entrepreneurial orientation. Moreover, we question the unequivocally positive notion of prosumerism for African contexts, as the idea draws its motivating power from a Western mindset.
Effectiveness of Pedestrian Safety Service Provision Using Sensing Technology
Authors: Hong Ki-Man , Son Sang-Hoon , Kim Jong-Hoon
Published: August 2021

In this study, we describe the results of an analysis of the effectiveness of providing pedestrian safety services, in terms of reducing pedestrian traffic accidents. We conducted our analysis by investigating the speed of vehicles at two different demonstration points, where the same system and service were provided. For this purpose, we selected a child protection zone and a point on a general road section where a raised crossing is installed. We conducted vehicle speed surveys at the point adjacent to the crosswalk and the points where the driver is expected to be fully provided with information, in order to examine the change in vehicle approach speed, depending on the provision of the service. Overall, the analysis showed that the vehicle’s speed at the point and approaching speed decreased when the pedestrian safety service was provided; however, the effect was more pronounced in the child protection zone, considering the characteristics of the demonstration points. From these results, we conclude that it is necessary to provide services and develop guidelines considering the surrounding environment, such as traffic safety facilities and road safety facilities, according to the characteristics and classification of each point, in order to provide efficient pedestrian safety services.
Improving Sentiment Classification of Restaurant Reviews with Attention-Based Bi-GRU Neural Network
Authors: Li Liangqiang , Yang Liang , Zeng Yuyang
Published: August 2021

In the era of Web 2.0, there is a huge amount of user-generated content, but the huge amount of unstructured data makes it difficult for merchants to provide personalized services and for users to extract information efficiently, so it is necessary to perform sentiment analysis for restaurant reviews. The significant advantage of Bi-GRU is the guaranteed symmetry of the hidden layer weight update, to take into account the context in online restaurant reviews and to obtain better results with fewer parameters, so we combined Word2vec, Bi-GRU, and Attention method to build a sentiment analysis model for online restaurant reviews. Restaurant reviews from Dianping.com were used to train and validate the model. With F1-score greater than 89%, we can conclude that the comprehensive performance of the Word2vec+Bi-GRU+Attention sentiment analysis model is better than the commonly used sentiment analysis models. We applied deep learning methods to review sentiment analysis in online food ordering platforms to improve the performance of sentiment analysis in the restaurant review domain.
Some Symmetric Properties and Location Conjecture of Approximate Roots for (p,q)-Cosine Euler Polynomials
Authors: Ryoo Cheon Seoung , Kang Jung Yoog
Published: August 2021

In this paper, we introduce (p,q)-cosine Euler polynomials. From these polynomials, we find several properties and identities. Moreover, we find the circle equations of approximate roots for (p,q)-cosine Euler polynomials by using a computer.
The Kinetic Model of Diffusion and Reactions in Powder Catalysts during Temperature Programmed Oxygen Isotopic Exchange Process
Authors: Galdikas Arvaidas , Usman Muhammad , Galdikas Matas
Published: August 2021

The mathematical model of diffusion in powder oxide catalysts during the process of temperature programmed oxygen isotopic exchange is proposed. The diffusion is considered together with the homogeneous and heterogeneous oxygen isotopic exchange processes. The matrix forms of exchange rate equations of simple and complex heteroexchange, and homoexchange reactions which obtain symmetrical forms are analyzed. The quantitative values of model parameters are found from the fitting of experimental data taken from literature of temperature programmed oxygen isotopic exchange process in catalysts ZrO2 and CeO2. The fittings show a good matching of model results with experimental data. The shapes of kinetic curves registered during temperature programmed oxygen isotopic exchange process are analyzed and the influence of various process parameters such as activation energies of simple and complex heteroexchange, oxygen surface concentration of catalyst, ratio of catalysts surface and volume of reactor, diffusion activation energy is considered. The depth profiles of diffusing oxygen species in oxide catalysts powder are calculated.
Adeno-Associated Vector-Delivered CRISPR/SaCas9 System Reduces Feline Leukemia Virus Production In Vitro
Authors: Helfer-Hungerbuehler A. Katrin , Shah Jimit , Meili Theres , Boenzli Eva , Li Pengfei , Hofmann-Lehmann Regina
Published: August 2021

Feline leukemia virus (FeLV) is a retrovirus of cats worldwide. High viral loads are associated with progressive infection and the death of the host, due to FeLV-associated disease. In contrast, low viral loads, an effective immune response, and a better clinical outcome can be observed in cats with regressive infection. We hypothesize that by lowering viral loads in progressively infected cats, using CRISPR/SaCas9-assisted gene therapy, the cat’s immune system may be permitted to direct the infection towards a regressive outcome. In a step towards this goal, the present study evaluates different adeno-associated vectors (AAVs) for their competence in delivering a gene editing system into feline cells, followed by investigations of the CRISPR/SaCas9 targeting efficiency for different sites within the FeLV provirus. Nine natural AAV serotypes, two AAV hybrid strains, and Anc80L65, an in silico predicted AAV ancestor, were tested for their potential to infect different feline cell lines and feline primary cells. AAV-DJ revealed superior infection efficiency and was thus employed in subsequent transduction experiments. The introduction of double-strand breaks, using the CRISPR/SaCas9 system targeting 12 selected FeLV provirus sites, was confirmed by T7 endonuclease 1 (T7E1), as well as Tracking of Indels by Decomposition (TIDE) analysis. The highest percentage (up to 80%) of nonhomologous end-joining (NHEJ) was found in the highly conserved gag and pol regions. Subsequent transduction experiments, using AAV-DJ, confirmed indel formation and showed a significant reduction in FeLV p27 antigen for some targets. The targeting of the FeLV provirus was efficient when using the CRISPR/SaCas9 approach in vitro. Whether the observed extent of provirus targeting will be sufficient to provide progressively FeLV-infected cats with the means to overcome the infection needs to be further investigated in vivo.
Prevalence of Hantaviruses Harbored by Murid Rodents in Northwestern Ukraine and Discovery of a Novel Puumala Virus Strain
Authors: Williams Evan P. , Taylor Mariah K. , Demchyshyna Iryna , Nebogatkin Igor , Nesterova Olena , Khuda Iryna , Chernenko Lyudmyla , Hluzd Oleksandra A. , Kutseva Vira V. , Glass Gregory E. , Yanko Nataliia , Jonsson Colleen B.
Published: August 2021

In Europe, two species of hantaviruses, Puumala orthohantavirus (PUUV) and Dobrava orthohantavirus (DOBV), cause hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome in humans. The rodent reservoirs for these viruses are common throughout Ukraine, and hence, the goal of this study was to identify the species and strains of hantaviruses circulating in this region. We conducted surveillance of small rodent populations in a rural region in northwestern Ukraine approximately 30 km from Poland. From the 424 small mammals captured, we identified nine species, of which the most abundant were Myodes glareolus, the bank vole (45%); Apodemus flavicollis, the yellow-necked mouse (29%); and Apodemus agrarius, the striped field mouse (14.6%) Using an indirect immunofluorescence assay, 15.7%, 20.5%, and 33.9% of the sera from M. glareolus, A. glareolus, and A. flavicollis were positive for hantaviral antibodies, respectively. Additionally, we detected antibodies to the hantaviral antigen in one Microtus arvalis, one Mus musculus, and one Sorex minutus. We screened the lung tissue for hantaviral RNA using next-generation sequencing and identified PUUV sequences in 25 small mammals, including 23 M. glareolus, 1 M. musculus, and 1 A. flavicollis, but we were unable to detect DOBV sequences in any of our A. agrarius specimens. The percent identity matrix and Bayesian phylogenetic analyses of the S-segment of PUUV from 14 M. glareolus lungs suggest the highest similarity (92–95% nucleotide or 99–100% amino acid) with the Latvian lineage. This new genetic information will contribute to future molecular surveillance of human cases in Ukraine.
Tree Shrew as an Emerging Small Animal Model for Human Viral Infection: A Recent Overview
Authors: Kayesh Mohammad Enamul Hoque , Sanada Takahiro , Kohara Michinori , Tsukiyama-Kohara Kyoko
Published: August 2021

Viral infection is a global public health threat causing millions of deaths. A suitable small animal model is essential for viral pathogenesis and host response studies that could be used in antiviral and vaccine development. The tree shrew (Tupaia belangeri or Tupaia belangeri chinenesis), a squirrel-like non-primate small mammal in the Tupaiidae family, has been reported to be susceptible to important human viral pathogens, including hepatitis viruses (e.g., HBV, HCV), respiratory viruses (influenza viruses, SARS-CoV-2, human adenovirus B), arboviruses (Zika virus and dengue virus), and other viruses (e.g., herpes simplex virus, etc.). The pathogenesis of these viruses is not fully understood due to the lack of an economically feasible suitable small animal model mimicking natural infection of human diseases. The tree shrew model significantly contributes towards a better understanding of the infection and pathogenesis of these important human pathogens, highlighting its potential to be used as a viable viral infection model of human viruses. Therefore, in this review, we summarize updates regarding human viral infection in the tree shrew model, which highlights the potential of the tree shrew to be utilized for human viral infection and pathogenesis studies.