bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Carbon Footprint Assessment of a Novel Bio-Based Composite for Building Insulation
Authors: Carcassi Olga Beatrice , Minotti Pietro , Habert Guillaume , Paoletti Ingrid , Claude Sophie , Pittau Francesco
Published: January 2022

This research explores the carbon removal of a novel bio-insulation composite, here called MycoBamboo, based on the combination of bamboo particles and mycelium as binder. First, an attributional life cycle assessment (LCA) was performed to define the carbon footprint of a European bamboo plantation and a bio-insulation composite, as well as its ability to remove CO2 along its lifecycle at a laboratory scale. Secondly, the Global Worming Potential (GWP) was estimated through a dynamic LCA with selected end-of-life and technical replacement scenarios. Finally, a building wall application was analyzed to measure the carbon saving potential of the MycoBamboo when compared with alternative insulation materials applied as an exterior thermal insulation composite system. The results demonstrate that despite the negative GWP values of the biogenic CO2, the final Net-GWP was positive. The technical replacement scenarios had an influence on the final Net-GWP values, and a longer storage period is preferred to more frequent insulation substitution. The type of energy source and the deactivation phase play important roles in the mitigation of climate change. Therefore, to make the MycoBamboo competitive as an insulation system at the industrial scale, it is fundamental to identify alternative low-energy deactivation modes and shift all energy-intensity activities during the production phase to renewable energy.
Effective but Not Feasible—What Support Staff in All-Day Primary Schools Think of Pedagogical Interventions with Regard to Children with ADHD
Authors: Domsch Holger , Ruhmland Martina , Lissmann Ilka
Published: January 2022

Children with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are faced with multiple challenges both in the classroom and in the homework situation. While there are many studies on pedagogical interventions by teachers in the classroom, this is hardly the case when it comes to support staff in after-school homework supervision. In this study, 196 support staff with different qualifications were asked not only about their knowledge of ADHD, their subjective level of stress, and whether they felt trained enough to work with children with ADHD, but also to assess the effectiveness and feasibility of 25 interventions in homework supervision. Overall, the respondents rated effectiveness higher than feasibility. Higher qualifications, greater knowledge, and better preparation went hand in hand with higher ratings of effectiveness. The more stressed the support staff feel themselves to be, the less feasible they rate the measures. The results underline the necessity of employing well-trained pedagogical staff to supervise children with ADHD. A number of interventions can be identified that the support staff deem to be both effective and feasible, and that promise a high level of implementation in practice. At the same time, more attention should be given to potential obstacles to using recommended measures in training and further education.
The Challenge of Deploying Failure Modes and Effects Analysis in Complex System Applications—Quantification and Analysis
Authors: Alruqi Mansoor , Baumers Martin , Branson David T. , Girma Sourafel
Published: January 2022

Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA) is a systematic approach for evaluating failure modes in a system. However, its current implementation in complex systems is marred by high resource requirements, a lack of available data and difficulty of deployment. Consequently, attempts to integrate FMEA with other systematic methodologies have yielded unclear outcomes. Therefore, this paper used a score-based metric and applied the ordered probit model to empirically identify challenges associated with deploying FMEA and these attempts’ impact on FMEA applications as well as the influence of other organisational parameters. Our findings reveal that Fault Tree Analysis and Axiomatic Design methodologies reduced the perceived level of challenge significantly in the investigated sample. Our research outcome is of value to the practitioner community by showing that the level of challenge associated with FMEA deployment appears independent of organisational parameters, and that such a co-adoption of complementary methodologies in complex systems can reduce this challenge.
Crowd Models for Last Mile Delivery in an Emerging Economy
Authors: Alharbi Ahmad , Cantarelli Chantal , Brint Andrew
Published: January 2022

The dramatic rise in online shopping means that the last mile delivery (LMD) task is becoming extremely important. However, last mile delivery faces many economic, social, and environmental challenges. A fast-growing innovative solution is Crowd Logistics Delivery (CLD). This study investigates how CLD is meeting these challenges in a rapidly emerging economy (Saudi Arabia). It uses semi-structured interviews to analyse CLD from the perspectives of multiple stakeholders, focusing on its implementation, benefits to different stakeholders, and its limitations. While the findings of this study broadly support the work of other studies in this area, it provides several new insights. It observed three different business models being used for CLD: B2B, B2C, and C2C. It identified the internal success factors of each business model, including registration, assigning orders, compensation, and the payment model. It revealed the motivations for stakeholders to use CLD as a last mile delivery solution, such as LMD-related benefits and the social impact on society. In addition, the study highlighted the four main challenges these CLD implementations face that impede their success: legislation, availability of supply/drivers, trust, and culture. These results add to the rapidly expanding field of CLD.
Comparative Analysis of Five Widely-Used Multi-Criteria Decision-Making Methods to Evaluate Clean Energy Technologies: A Case Study
Authors: Effatpanah Saeed Khojaste , Ahmadi Mohammad Hossein , Aungkulanon Pasura , Maleki Akbar , Sadeghzadeh Milad , Sharifpur Mohsen , Chen Lingen
Published: January 2022

Over the last decade, the total primary energy consumption has increased from 479 × 1015 BTU in 2010 to 528 × 1015 BTU in 2020. To address this ever-increasing energy demand, as well as prevent environmental pollution, clean energies are presented as a potential solution. In this regard, evaluating and selecting the most appropriate clean energy solution for a specific area is of particular importance. Therefore, in this study, a comparative analysis in Jiangsu province in China was performed by describing and implementing five prominent multi-criteria decision-making methods in the field of energy technology selection, including SAW, TOPSIS, ELECTRE, VIKOR, and COPRAS. The decision problem here consists of four clean energy options, including solar photovoltaic, wind, nuclear, and biomass, which have been evaluated by twelve basic and important criteria for ranking clean energy options. The obtained results, according to all five MCDM methods, indicate that solar photovoltaic was the optimal option in this study, followed by wind energy. The nuclear and biomass options placed third and fourth, respectively, except in the ELECTRE method ranking, in which both options scored the same and thus neither was superior. Finally, by conducting a comprehensive two-stage sensitivity analysis, in the first stage, it was found that changes in the weights of land use and water consumption criteria had the greatest impact on the performance of options, among which biomass and nuclear showed high sensitivity to variations in criteria weights. In the second stage, by defining five scenarios, the ranking of options was evaluated from different aspects so that the decision maker/organization would be able to make appropriate decisions in different situations.
Developing and Analyzing the Agricultural Water Poverty Index in West Iran
Authors: Zoleikhaie Sayyar Leila , Naderi Mahdei Karim , Shabanali Fami Hossein , Motaghed Mahsa
Published: January 2022

Currently 60 percent of Iran’s land is located in water-stressed regions, where Hamedan is known as a semi-arid province and is also a province with a high population concentration with a dominant agricultural economy. For analyzing human-related crises we need multidimensional measures and AWPI has a socio-economical dimension and multidimensional criteria for assessing status. Hence, the purpose of the present study was to develop and evaluate the water resources status in the agriculture sector of Hamedan province using AWPI as a typical area in western Iran. The present applied study was conducted to evaluate the status of water poverty in the agriculture sector of Hamedan province using the Agricultural Water Poverty Index (AWPI). This index includes five components: resources, access, use, capacity, and environment. The indicators explaining each of the five components of AWPI were collected from different literature and the data were collected using databases, statistics, and the national census of 2016. A total of five principal components and 55 indicators were developed and were used to evaluate the status of water resources. The value of the composite AWPI was developed by the weighted mean of the five principal components. The data were analyzed using SPSS and GIS software. The components, criteria, and sub-criteria of AWPI were weighted using the principal components analysis. The mean AWPI for Hamedan province was 40.55, which indicates that the province is placed in the middle to high water poverty status and this poverty is mostly due to the components of resources, capacity, access, and use.
Who’s to Act? Perceptions of Intergenerational Obligation and Pro-Environmental Behaviours among Youth
Authors: Sarrasin Oriane , Crettaz von Roten Fabienne , Butera Fabrizio
Published: January 2022

“We are all in the same boat” are words heard from young climate activists, suggesting that all generations must engage together in the fight against climate change. However, because of their age and life situation, some young people may feel unable to change the situation and attribute the moral obligation to do so to older generations. Whether such attributions restrict young people from engaging in pro-environmental behaviours remains largely unstudied. To fill this gap, the present study incorporated perceptions of self-efficacy, feelings of external control, and intergenerational obligation (i.e., believing that all generations should act) into the Value–Belief–Norm model. Data from high school (n = 639) and bachelor (n = 1509) students in French-speaking Switzerland showed that perceptions of self-efficacy and intergenerational obligation predicted the probability of engaging in both an actual behaviour (Study 1) and a costly educational commitment (Study 2), while perceiving that the fate of the Earth lies in the hands of powerful others did not. These results suggest that educational programs on climate change should integrate intergenerational components.
How OFDI Promotes High-Technology Multinationals’ Innovation: From the Perspective of a Cross-Border Business Model
Authors: Xiong Deping , Yang Mengyuan , Chen Qian , Sun Yilei , Cillo Giuseppe , Usai Antonio , Wang Xiang
Published: January 2022

High-quality innovation in cross-border business models is the focus of innovative development. However, some enterprises are blindly obsessed with focusing on the quantity of innovation, while they neglect the quality of innovation. As a result, the quantity of innovation in cross-border business models is not proportional to the quality, and cross-border business models need continuous improvement. High-quality innovation in cross-border business models is also related to outward foreign direct investment (OFDI) and knowledge absorptive capacity. The purpose of this study is to explore the relationship between OFDI and innovation quality in cross-border business models. This study proposes that knowledge absorptive capacity plays a mediating transmission role between OFDI and innovation quality. Based on panel data for 478 Chinese high-tech multinational enterprises in the period from 2014 to 2019, the paper uses moderated path analysis to construct a non-linear mediated transmission model of knowledge absorptive capacity in terms of the OFDI and innovation quality of high-tech enterprises. The results show that there is an inverted U-shaped relationship between OFDI and innovation quality. Knowledge absorptive capacity plays an inverted U-shaped mediating role in the transmission between OFDI and innovation quality. In a post hoc analysis, it was found that a low degree of OFDI has an inverted U-shaped relationship with innovation quality, and a high degree of OFDI negatively inhibits innovation quality. Therefore, Chinese high-tech enterprises operating cross-border must maintain an appropriate level of OFDI by improving the matching mechanism between OFDI and knowledge absorptive capacity, which is conducive to improving the innovation quality of multinational enterprises in host countries.
Water Demand in Maize Is Projected to Decrease under Changing Climate in India
Authors: Bal Santanu Kumar , Chandran Malamal Alickal Sarath , Madhavan Sandeep Vadakkemethel , Rao Abburi Venkata Maruthi Subba , Manikandan Narayanan , Praveen Kumar Ramagiri , Parameswaran Pramod Valiyaparambil , Attri Shiv Dev , Singh Priyanka , Mohanty Ashutosh , Singh Vinod Kumar
Published: January 2022

Crop stage-specific information on the impacts of projected climate change on crop and irrigation water requirements are essential for improving productivity. This study investigated the possible implications of projected climate change on the phenology, effective rainfall (Peff), crop (CWR) and irrigation water requirements (IWR) of maize in eight locations in India. CWR, Peff and IWR were estimated for seven crop stages viz., emergence, 5th leaf stage, tasseling, silking, milking, dough and maturity during the baseline (1980–2009) and near-century (2022–39) using climate data derived from a subset of 29 general circulation models. The results indicated that mean seasonal maximum temperature, minimum temperature and rainfall were projected to increase in all the locations. Hence, the total crop duration (3–7 days), CWR (8–69 mm) and IWR (1–54 mm) were projected to decrease. The study could identify the specific stages in which the greatest reduction in crop duration, CWR and IWR would occur. Such information will be of immense help to farmers and varietal improvement programs in the study regions in the near future.
Hyperspectral Imagery Detects Water Deficit and Salinity Effects on Photosynthesis and Antioxidant Enzyme Activity of Three Greek Olive Varieties
Authors: Boshkovski Blagoja , Doupis Georgios , Zapolska Anhelina , Kalaitzidis Chariton , Koubouris Georgios
Published: January 2022

The olive tree (Olea europaea L.) is one of the main crops of the Mediterranean region which suffers from drought and soil salinization. We assessed the photosynthetic rate, leaf water content and antioxidative enzyme activity (APX, GPX, SOD and CAT) of three Greek olive cultivars (‘Amfisis’, ‘Mastoidis’ and ‘Lefkolia Serron’) subjected to drought and salinity stresses. Hyperspectral reflectance data were acquired using an analytical spectral device (ASD) FieldSpec® 3 spectroradiometer, while principal component regression, partial least squares regression and linear discriminant analysis were used to estimate the relationship between spectral and physiological measurements. The photosynthetic rate and water content of stressed plants decreased, while enzyme activity had an increasing tendency. ‘Amfisis’ was more resistant to drought and salinity stress than ‘Mastoidis’ and ‘Lefkolia Serron’. The NDVI appeared to have the highest correlation with the photosynthetic rate, followed by the PRI. APX enzyme activity was the most highly correlated with the 1150–1370 nm range, with an additional peak at 1840 nm. CAT enzyme activity resulted in the highest correlation with the visible part of the spectrum with two peaks at 1480 nm and 1950 nm, while GPX enzyme activity appeared to have a strong correlation within all the available spectral ranges except for 670–1180 nm. Finally, SOD activity showed high correlation values within 1190–1850 nm. This is the first time the correlation of hyperspectral imagery with photosynthetic rate and antioxidant enzyme activities was determined, providing the background for high-throughput plant phenotyping through a drone with a hyperspectral camera. This progress would provide the possibility of early stress detection in large olive groves and assist farmers in decision making and optimizing crop management, health and productivity.
Poor Air Quality in Urban Settings: A Comparison of Perceptual Indicators, Causes and Management in Two Cities
Authors: Chukwu Timothy M. , Morse Stephen , Murphy Richard
Published: January 2022

Poor air quality (PAQ) is a global concern, especially in urban areas, and is often seen as an important element of social sustainability given its negative impact on health and quality of life. However, little research has been undertaken in cities of the developing world to explore how residents perceive poor air quality, its main causes, what control measures should be used to address PAQ and where the main responsibility rests for implementing control measures. The research described in this paper sought to address these points, using a questionnaire-based survey (n = 262) in Nigeria’s federal capital city of Abuja (n = 137) and the state-capital city of Enugu (n = 125). The survey took place during the COVID-19 pandemic (October 2020 to March 2021), and was stratified to ensure representation across a number of demographic groups such as gender, age, education and income. The results were analysed using the Kruskal–Wallis non-parametric test and Hochberg’s post hoc test available in SPSS version 28. The study found that the ranking of perceptual indicators and the main causes of PAQ had much agreement between respondents from both cities and between demographic groups. Smoke, odour and dust particles were perceived to be the most important indicators of PAQ, while the main sources of PAQ were waste and bush burning, vehicle use and power generators. The two most preferred control measures were proper waste management and the avoidance of bush burning. However, there was a significant difference between the two cities in terms of the main organisations responsible for addressing PAQ, with respondents from Abuja citing the federal government, while those from Enugu cited the state government. Interestingly, younger people in Enugu noted that the government should take more responsibility in controlling PAQ than did the older demographic in that city, but this difference was not seen in Abuja. Overall, this study reveals that residents in these two Nigerian cities clearly recognise their exposure to PAQ and it suggests that these perceptual indicators, and views on sources and interventions should be central to designing policies to control this important issue.
Fourier Transform for Locally Integrable Functions with Rotational and Dilation Symmetry
Authors: Przeszowski Jerzy A. , Dzimida-Chmielewska Elżbieta , Cieśliński Jan L.
Published: January 2022

The Fourier transform for slowly increasing functions is defined by the Parseval equation for tempered distributions. This definition was supplemented by a novel method of performing practical calculations by computing the Fourier transform for a suitably tempered function and then by integration by parts. The application of this method is illustrated both for the toy case, in which the function is integrable, so its Fourier transform can also be computed using the standard formula, and for the case of Coulomb-like potentials, which are only locally integrable functions. All of them have spherical symmetry, and two of them additionally have dilation symmetry. The proposed novel method does not violate these symmetries at any stage of the calculation.
Regio- and Stereospecific Analysis of Triacylglycerols—A Brief Overview of the Challenges and the Achievements
Authors: Momchilova Svetlana , Nikolova-Damyanova Boryana
Published: January 2022

The efforts to reveal, in detail, the molecular and intramolecular structures of one of the main lipid classes, namely, triacyl-sn-glycerols, which are now known to affect their specific and important role in all living organisms, are briefly overviewed. Some milestones of significance in the gradual but continuous development and improvement of the analytical methodology to identify the triacylglycerol regio- and stereoisomers in complex lipid samples are traced throughout the years: the use of chromatography based on different separation principles; the improvements in the chromatographic technique; the development and use of different detection techniques; the attempts to simplify and automatize the analysis without losing the accuracy of identification. The spectacular recent achievements of two- and multidimensional methods used as tools in lipidomics are presented.
Clocks and Trajectories in Quantum Cosmology
Authors: Małkiewicz Przemysław , Peter Patrick , Vitenti Sandro Dias Pinto
Published: January 2022

We consider a simple cosmological model consisting of an empty Bianchi I Universe, whose Hamiltonian we deparametrise to provide a natural clock variable. The model thus effectively describes an isotropic universe with an induced clock given by the shear. By quantising this model, we obtain various different possible bouncing trajectories (semiquantum expectation values on coherent states or obtained by the de Broglie–Bohm formulation) and explicit their clock dependence, specifically emphasising the question of symmetry across the bounce.
Species Fowl aviadenovirus B Consists of a Single Serotype despite Genetic Distance of FAdV-5 Isolates
Authors: Kaján Győző L. , Schachner Anna , Gellért Ákos , Hess Michael
Published: January 2022

Fowl adenoviruses (FAdVs) are infectious agents, mainly of chickens, which cause economic losses to the poultry industry. Only a single serotype, namely FAdV-5, constitutes the species Fowl aviadenovirus B (FAdV-B); however, recently, phylogenetic analyses have identified divergent strains of the species, implicating a more complex scenario and possibly a novel serotype. Therefore, field isolates of the species were collected to investigate the contemporary diversification within FAdV-B, including traditional serotyping. Full genomes of fourteen FAdV-B strains were sequenced and four strains, possessing discriminatory mutations in the antigenic domains, were compared using virus cross-neutralization. Essentially, strains with identical antigenic signatures to that of the first described divergent strain were found in the complete new dataset. While chicken antiserum against FAdV-5 reference strain 340 could not neutralize any of the newly isolated viruses, low homologous/heterologous titer ratios were measured reciprocally. Although they argue against a new serotype, our results indicate the emergence of escape variants in FAdV-B. Charge-influencing amino acid substitutions accounted for only a few mutations between the strains; still, these enabled one-way cross-neutralization only. These findings underline the continued merit of the cross-neutralization test as the gold standard for serotyping, complementary to advancing sequence data, and provide a snapshot of the actual diversity and evolution of species FAdV-B.
Physical Modeling of Beveled-Face Stepped Chute
Authors: Hunt Sherry L. , Kadavy Kem C. , Wahl Tony L. , Moses Dana W.
Published: January 2022

New construction practices for roller compacted concrete (RCC) overlays and stepped chutes are changing the step geometry from a traditional square-edge, vertical face to a 45° beveled face. A large-scale 3(H):1(V) (i.e., θ = 18.4°) stepped chute model was tested with a 45° beveled face step with a height (h) of 152 mm. Results were compared to data on square-edge, vertical face steps previously obtained. The distance to the inception point of free-surface aeration normalized by the surface roughness was reduced approximately 25% for the same Froude number defined in terms of roughness height. An existing inception point relationship for vertical face steps was adjusted with a best fit correction factor to predict the free-surface inception point for this chute slope and beveled face angle. Relative flow depths, mean air concentration, and energy loss data showed similar general trends for vertical face and beveled face steps, but the depths and air concentrations for beveled face steps were slightly higher for equal values of relative free-surface inception point, Li/L, and relative step height (e.g., h/dc). Energy loss at the free-surface inception point ranged from approximately 20 to 40% of total head for both step types. Additional research is needed to determine the generalized effects of the bevel angle and the chute slope on flow properties. This research is expected to be used by field engineers for the design of stepped chutes with beveled face steps.
Improvements and Operational Application of a Zero-Order Quick Assessment Model for Flood Damage: A Case Study in Italy
Authors: Manselli Luca , Molinari Daniela , Pogliani Arianna , Zambrini Federica , Menduni Giovanni
Published: January 2022

Flood damage assessment is an essential asset in flood risk management, and the literature brings several models, most based on damage curves. This kind of approach is essential and well established but not suitable for being applied in the immediate aftermaths of a flood. Herein, a new application of a zero-order model for the Po-Venetian plain area, which covers more than 20% of the Italian territory, is conceived and implemented. At first, a calibration of the model with damage data coming from past events in the region is carried out, showing that the calibration is site-specific. In particular, it is shown how the exponent in the power-law form of the model is the same as obtained in a previous work on another territory, while the intercept, defined as specific damage, varies. Then the algorithm is applied to the area affected during the flood that hit the Emilia-Romagna region (Northern Italy), in December 2020, for validation. Knowledge of the affected area comes from the quick assessment procedure commonly performed by the National Fire Corps in any significant flood, employing low-altitude all-weather helicopter GPS surveys. The paper shows that combining the model with such a rapid mapping technique leads to a near real-time estimation of damages in the aftermath of floods. The results are aimed at obtaining a first approximation figure. The estimation error shows this figure to be not far from those obtained with much more detailed approaches, requiring a much longer time for their setting. For that reason, the model results can contribute, among other things, by directing the immediate post-emergency management operations and promptly allocating financial resources for recovery.
Water/Cement/Bentonite Ratio Selection Method for Artificial Groundwater Barriers Made of Cutoff Walls
Authors: Barbu Cristian-Ștefan , Sabău Andrei-Dan , Manoli Daniel-Marcel , Șerbulea Manole-Stelian
Published: January 2022

As urban development requires groundwater table isolation of various historically polluted sources, the necessity of building effective, strong, flexible, and low-permeability cutoff walls raises the question of choosing optimum construction materials. Various authors have proposed water–cement–bentonite mixtures, which are often chosen by experience or a trial-and-error approach, using classical methods for testing (Marsh funnel) and representation of results (water–cement ratio, water–bentonite ratio). The paper proposes a more precise approach for assessing the viscosity and global representation of the three components. Moreover, this approached is exemplified with a better documented recipe for the choice of materials based on laboratory results. The representation of the mixtures was undertaken on a limited domain of a ternary diagram, where the components are given in terms of mass percentage. The derived properties (viscosity, permeability, and compressive strength) are presented on a grid corresponding to the physically possible mixtures. Based on this representation, the most efficient recipes are chosen. Because the mixture contains only fine aggregates, the viscosity was determined using a laboratory viscosimeter.
Groundwater Quality of Drinking Water Wells in the West Bank, Palestine
Authors: Mahmoud Nidal , Zayed Omar , Petrusevski Branislav
Published: January 2022

Groundwater, the main drinking water source in the West Bank, is highly vulnerable to pollution given the karstic nature of the aquifer. This study was aimed at screening the quality of groundwater used for water supply, in terms of physicochemical and microbiological properties, and heavy metals concentrations. Attention was given to groundwater chemistry, using piper and Durov diagrams, to assess potent impact of pollution on groundwater. Twenty-nine groundwater samples from selected wells, representing the different groundwater fields in the West Bank, were collected and analyzed. The results revealed that the concentration of the ions and parameters affecting the aesthetic and health related water quality, such as Cl−, Na+, NH4+, TDS, and NO3−, and selected (semi) metals, including Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Pb, Cd, and As, are within the limits recommended for drinking water. The dominant cations and anions were in the order of Ca2+ > Na+ > Mg2+ > K+ > NH4+ and HCO3− > Cl− > NO3− > SO42−, respectively. The total average groundwater hardness is approximately 2.1 mmol/L and can be attributed to calcium (approximately 60%) and magnesium. The major ground water types in the West Bank were fresh water (Ca-Mg-HCO3), fresh water mixed with another water type (Ca-Mg-Na-HCO3 or Ca-Mg-HCO3-Cl), and extreme water type (Na-Ca-Mg-HCO3-Cl or Na-Ca-HCO3-Cl) showing high TDS, Cl− and Na+. Signs of pollution, namely elevated levels of nitrate and ammonium, were, however, observed even in some deep wells (>600 m), despite the thick cover of soil, tapping the Lower Ceneomanian confined aquifer.
Experience of creation and development of international hotel chains (using the example of hotel chains “Okura Hotels and Resorts” and “Prince Hotels and Resorts”)
Authors: Tretyakova T. N. , Astapenko N. V. , Kluykina M. I.
Published: January 2022

Okura Nikko Hotels is a Japanese hotel chain, the development of which began with seven hotels and the rapid coverage of the international market of hotel services, becoming a player in the hospitality industry in America, Europe and Asia with the predominant development of hotel services in Japan. Its activities are aimed at rapid development and high quality of service, contributing to economic stability and sustainable development in the hotel services market around the world. The article also presents an analysis of the development of the Prince Hotels and Resorts hotel chain, the main stages of the growth of the hotel chain, its geographical location, as well as the main features of sustainable development.
Organization of stay in accommodation facilities for persons with disabilities
Authors: Zverkova Ya. A. , Kazanceva D. S.
Published: January 2022

The most important condition for staying in accommodation facilities is equal conditions for all guests, including persons with disabilities. The article conducted a study of accommodation facilities in Ulan-Ude for accessibility for people with limited mobility. The methodology of the study was based on the List of technical equipment of accommodation facilities for people with disabilities formed in accordance with the requirements of regulatory and technical documents. The main research methods were the method of assessing technical equipment based on visual inspection of accommodation facilities, analysis of regulatory documents and literary sources, analysis of statistical data on the study of the number and age of people with disabilities in Ulan-Ude.
Basic principles and technologies of personnel selection for hotel business enterprises
Authors: Dorokhin Yu. S.
Published: January 2022

The article discusses the basic principles and technologies of personnel selection for hotel business enterprises. The financial well-being of the organization itself depends on the professionalism of the organization’s employees, their personal and business qualities. A new level of economic development of the national economy and, in particular, of an individual company will not be achieved without effective placement and management of personnel. The right choice of applicants for a specific position is very important for every business entity, including for hotel businesses.
Proteomic identification of arginine-methylated proteins in colon cancer cells and comparison of messenger RNA expression between colorectal cancer and adjacent normal tissues
Authors: Lim Yongchul , Gang Da Young , Lee Woo Yong , Yun Seong Hyeon , Cho Yong Beom , Huh Jung Wook , Park Yoon Ah , Kim Hee Cheol
Published: January 2022

Purpose: Identification of type I protein arginine methyltransferase (PRMT) substrates and their functional significance during tumorigenesis is becoming more important. The present study aimed to identify target substrates for type I PRMT using 2-dimensional (2D) gel electrophoresis (GE) and 2D Western blotting (WB).Methods: Using immunoblot analysis, we compared the expression of type I PRMTs and endogenous levels of arginine methylation between the primary colorectal cancer (CRC) and adjacent noncancerous tissues paired from the same patient. To identify arginine-methylated proteins in HCT116 cells, we carried out 2D-GE and 2D-WB with a type I PRMT product-specific antibody (anti-dimethyl-arginine antibody, asymmetric [ASYM24]). Arginine-methylated protein spots were identified by mass spectrometry, and messenger RNA (mRNA) levels corresponding to the identified proteins were analyzed using National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) microarray datasets between the primary CRC and noncancerous tissues.Results: Type I PRMTs and methylarginine-containing proteins were highly maintained in CRC tissues compared to noncancerous tissues. We matched 142 spots using spot analysis software between a Coomassie blue (CBB)-stained 2D gel and 2D-WB, and we successfully identified 7 proteins that reacted with the ASYM24 antibody: CACYBP, GLOD4, MAPRE1, CCT7, TKT, CK8, and HSPA8. Among these proteins, the levels of 4 mRNAs including MAPRE1, CCT7, TKT, and HSPA8 in CRC tissues showed a statistically significant increase compared to noncancerous tissues from patients using the NCBI microarray datasets.Conclusion: Our results indicate that the method shown here is useful in identifying arginine-methylated proteins, and significance of arginine modification in the proteins identified here should be further identified during CRC development.
Les mines d’or des Ptolémées : d’Agatharchide aux archives de Photios
Authors: Marcotte Didier
Published: January 2022

Actif à Alexandrie d’Égypte au milieu du IIe siècle avant notre ère, Agatharchide de Cnide est un des historiens les plus originaux de la période hellénistique. Son ouvrage intitulé Sur la mer Érythrée embrassait en cinq livres une géographie et une ethnographie des régions australes de la terre habitée, menée depuis le Nil et la mer Rouge, à l’époque où les Ptolémées cherchaient à contrôler les routes maritimes vers le Sud. L’auteur y développait une réflexion sur les communautés humaines les plus proches de l’état de nature, sur les rapports de l’homme à l’animal, sur les premières formes d’organisation sociale et, a contrario, sur l’exploitation par les Lagides des ressources du sol ou le raffinement de la civilisation sudarabique. Il reste de larges extraits du livre V de ce traité chez Diodore de Sicile et Strabon, ainsi que dans la Bibliothèque de Photios (cod. 250). Les pages que l’auteur a consacrées au travail dans les mines d’or du désert Oriental d’Égypte comptent parmi les plus fameuses, en raison de leur intensité dramatique et de la précision technique avec laquelle sont décrites les étapes de la préparation de l’or. Dans l’Antiquité tardive et à Byzance, elles ont contribué à faire d’Agatharchide une des sources les plus anciennes de la «chrysopée » , comme le montrent les emprunts à cet auteur chez les alchimistes à partir de Zosime de Panopolis. L’article évalue en particulier l’apport de la tradition alchimique à l’établissement du texte de l’historien et situe le Marcianus gr. 299 dans le stemma de la Bibliothèque de Photios.
L’histoire textuelle du Corpus hippocratique
Authors: Jouanna Jacques
Published: January 2022

Premier essai de synthèse sur l’histoire du texte de la Collection ou Corpus hippocratique composé d’une soixantaine de traités médicaux publiés à la Renaissance (édition princeps en latin : Calvus, Rome, 1525 ; en grec : l’Aldine, Venise, 1526). L’essai commence par une vue d’ensemble de tous les traités avec leurs éditions critiques récentes depuis l’édition fondamentale d’Émile Littré (10 volumes, texte grec et traduction française, Paris, 1839-1861) jusqu’à nos jours. Dans une première partie (p. 207-219) est étudiée l’histoire du texte hippocratique des origines dans l’île de Cos puis dans la Grèce du Nord (Thasos) au Ve siècle av. J.-C., jusqu’à sa publication à la Renaissance. Cinq étapes dans ce long parcours sont distinguées. Au cours de cette histoire, deux mutations dans la transmission des livres ont eu une incidence sur le texte : le passage du rouleau au codex vers le IIIe siècle apr. J-C., et le passage de la majuscule à la minuscule au ixe siècle. Dans une deuxième partie (p. 219-257), on adopte la position de l’éditeur moderne qui dans une histoire régressive part à la recherche du texte le plus proche possible de l’original. L’ecdotique moderne est le résultat d’une histoire depuis la Renaissance jusqu’à nos jours retracée ici en trois grandes étapes. Sont envisagés ensuite tous les témoignages : tradition directe (manuscrits et papyrus), traductions (latines, syriaques, arabes et hébraïques), tradition indirecte. Le tout est complété par deux Annexes, l’une sur la liste des éditions critiques des traités d’Hippocrate rangées dans l’ordre chronologique et l’autre sur la liste des manuscrits cités dans l’étude.
Experimental and Simulation Study on Shielding Performance of Developed Hydrogenous Composites
Authors: Cai Minghui , Yang Tao , Li Hongwei , Yang Haixia , Han Jianwei
Published: January 2022

Space radiation has been well-known as the main health hazard to crews involved in manned space explorations. Two kinds of hydrogenous-rich composites are developed through compressing molding under high-temperature processing techniques for shielding space radiation. Beams of 80~400 MeV/n
12
C of the Heavy Ion Research Facility in Lanzhou are used to test the shielding properties of the new composites. Experimental results show that the composite with more hydrogen content has higher shielding ability for 80 and 400 MeV/n
12
C particles. Meanwhile, the addition of boron has no obvious effect on improving the shielding performance of the composite. Monte Carlo radiation transport codes were used to assess the shielding performance of composite in real space radiation. The simulation results show that hydrogenous-rich composite has significant advantage in space radiation shielding compared with traditional aluminum.
Deciphering the Role of Fluoroethylene Carbonate towards Highly Reversible Sodium Metal Anodes
Authors: Zheng Xueying , Weng Suting , Luo Wei , Chen Bo , Zhang Xiao , Gu Zhenyi , Wang Haotian , Ye Xiaolu , Liu Xuyang , Huang Liqiang , Wu Xinglong , Wang Xuefeng , Huang Yunhui
Published: January 2022

Sodium metal anodes (SMAs) suffer from extremely low reversibility (<20%) in carbonate-based electrolytes—this piece of knowledge gained from previous studies has ruled out the application of carbonate solvents for sodium metal batteries. Here, we overturn this conclusion by incorporating fluoroethylene carbonate (FEC) as cosolvent that renders a Na plating/stripping efficiency of >95% with conventional NaPF
6
salt at a regular concentration (1.0 M). The peculiar role of FEC is firstly unraveled via its involvement into the solvation structure, where a threshold FEC concentration with a coordination number>1.2 is needed in guaranteeing high Na reversibility over the long-term. Specifically, by incorporating an average number of 1.2 FEC molecules into the primary Na
+
solvation sheath, lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) levels of such Na
+
-FEC solvates undergo further decrease, with spin electrons residing either on the O=CO(O) moiety of FEC or sharing between Na
+
and its C=O bond, which ensures a prior FEC decomposition in passivating the Na surface against other carbonate molecules. Further, by adopting cryogenic transmission electron microscopy (cryo-TEM), we found that the Na filaments grow into substantially larger diameter from ~400 nm to >1 
μ
m with addition of FEC upon the threshold value. A highly crystalline and much thinner (~40 nm) solid-electrolyte interphase (SEI) is consequently observed to uniformly wrap the Na surface, in contrast to the severely corroded Na as retrieved from the blank electrolyte. The potence of FEC is further demonstrated in a series of “corrosive solvents” such as ethyl acetate (EA), trimethyl phosphate (TMP), and acetonitrile (AN), enabling highly reversible SMAs in the otherwise unusable solvent systems.
Comparison of Treatment Response in Different Types of Achalasia: A Long-Term Study
Authors: Tabaeian Seidamir Pasha , Anushiravani Amir , Fazlollahi Narges , Asl Soleimani Hossein , Mikaeli Javad
Published: January 2022

BACKGROUND Three manometric patterns are seen in high-resolution manometry (HRM). Response to treatment has been reported to be different in these subtypes. We aimed to investigate the frequency and response to treatment in subtypes of achalasia. METHODS 306 patients between 15 to 60 years old, naïve to treatment with idiopathic achalasia (IA) were evaluated prospectively in a cohort study for 8 years. The patients were treated with pneumatic balloon dilation (PBD), and evaluated before and one month after PBD with Achalasia Symptom Score (ASS) and timed barium esophagogram (TBE) and then every 6 months with ASS. The primary study outcome was defined as a reduction in ASS (equal to or less than 4) and a reduction greater than 80% in the volume of barium in TBE at 1 month after PBD compared with baseline values. RESULTS According to HRM, 57 were classified as type I (18.62%), 223 as type II (72.9%), and 26 as type III (8.5%). The mean lower esophageal sphincter (LES) residual pressures before treatment were 34.05 ± 31.55, 32.99 ± 17.90, and 37.47 ± 14.07 mmHg in types I, II, and III, respectively (p = 0.18). The mean ASS values before treatment were 12.23, 11.50, and 11.50, for types I, II, and III, respectively (p = 0.29). The ASS dropped to 2.50 in type I, 2.40 in type II, and 2.12 in type III at 1 month after treatment (p = 0.83). Eventually, at the end of follow-up, 24 patients with type I (83%), 82 patients with type II (67%), and five patients with type III (83%) showed sustained good responses (p = 0.528). CONCLUSION Manometric subtypes of achalasia did not have an important role in clinical success in the long term. Achalasia has no definite cure, but with current treatment modalities, palliation of symptoms is possible in over 90% of patients.
A Reliable Prognostic Marker for Liver Dysfunction in COVID-19 Infection
Authors: Anushiravani Amir , Khosravi Bardia , Saberzadeh-Ardestani Bahar , Ghasemi Ali , Kalantari Saeed , Sorouri Majid , Mojtabavi Helia , Ghaemi Omid , Radmard Amir Reza , Kasaeian Amir , Motamedi Omid , Poustchi Hossein , Sima Ali Reza
Published: January 2022

BACKGROUND In December 2019, COVID-19 emerged from China and spread to become a pandemic, killing over 1,350,000 up to November 18, 2020. Some patients with COVID-19 have abnormal liver function tests. We aimed to determine the clinical significance of liver chemistries in patients with COVID-19. METHODS We performed a cross-sectional study of 1044 consecutive patients with confirmed COVID-19 in two referral hospitals in Tehran, Iran, from February to April 2020. All cases were diagnosed by clinical criteria and confirmed by characteristic changes in the spiral chest computed tomography (CT) and nucleic acid testing of the nasopharyngeal samples. We evaluated the association between abnormal liver enzymes or function tests and survival, intensive care unit (ICU) admission and fatty liver changes in CT scans. RESULTS The mean age was 61.01 ± 16.77 years, and 57.68% were male. Of 495 patients with elevated alanine transaminase (ALT) levels, 194 had chest CT scans, in which fatty liver disease was seen in 38.1%. 41 patients (21.13%) had moderate to severe, and 33 (17.01%) had borderline fatty liver disease. Bilirubin, albumin, and partial thromboplastin time (PTT), along with other markers such as HCO3 , C-reactive protein (CRP), triglyceride, and length of admission, were significantly associated with ICU admission and mortality. Prothrombin time (PT), platelet count, and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) levels were also correlated with mortality. Fasting blood sugar (FBS) and pH were important indices in ICU admitted patients. CONCLUSION Liver function tests accurately predict a worse prognosis in patients with COVID-19. However, liver enzymes were only slightly increased in those who died or needed ICU admission and were not related to the fatty liver changes.
Factors Predicting Cardiac Dysfunction in Patients with Liver Cirrhosis
Authors: Behera Manas Kumar , Narayan Jimmy , Sahu Manoj Kumar , Behera Suresh Kumar , Singh Ayaskanta , Mishra Debakanta , Agarwal Shobhit , Uthansingh Kanishka
Published: January 2022

BACKGROUND Left ventricular diastolic dysfunction (LVDD) is the earliest cardiac dysfunction noted in patients with liver cirrhosis, which increases the morbidity and mortality in such patients. There are sparse studies from India evaluating the predictive factors of LVDD in patients with cirrhosis. Hence we undertook this prospective study with an aim to evaluate the factors predicting the development of LVDD in liver cirrhosis. METHODS 104 patients with cirrhosis were enrolled in this prospective study. A detailed cardiac evaluation was done by 2 D echocardiography with tissue Doppler imaging by an experienced senior cardiologist. The severity of liver disease was defined by Model For End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD) and Child-Pugh score. RESULTS The prevalence of LVDD was 46% in our study. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that serum albumin, MELD score, and presence of ascites (OR = 0.1, 95%CI 0.03-0.3, p < 0.001; Or = 1.12, 95%CI 1.03-1.22, p < 0.001; OR = 4.19, 95%CI 1.38-12.65, p < 0.01, respectively) were independent predictors of LVDD in patients with cirrhosis. Diastolic dysfunction was unrelated to age, sex, and etiology of cirrhosis. The patients with cirrhosis and LVDD had significantly higher child Pugh score, MELD score, and lower serum albumin than patients without LVDD. The echocardiographic parameters like E/e’ ratio, Deceleration time (DT), and Left atrial volume index (LAVI) were significantly different in cirrhotic patients with higher MELD and child Pugh score than lower. CONCLUSION The present study showed a significant correlation of diastolic dysfunction with the severity of the liver disease. Low serum albumin, high MELD score, and presence of ascites significantly predict the development of LVDD in patients with cirrhosis.