bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Sustainable Tourism: The Elephant in the Room
Authors: Bausch Thomas , Schröder Tilman , Tauber Verena , Lane Bernard
Published: July 2021

Research on sustainability and sustainable tourism has thus far avoided evaluating how tourists actually understand these terms. Instead, scholars have focused on the supply side, presuming a common and precise understanding of sustainability and sustainable tourism among all tourists and stakeholders. This study shows that most consumers link sustainability only to environmental issues, and understand sustainability differently from sustainable tourism. It finds significant interpersonal and intercultural differences regarding consumers’ conceptualisations of sustainability. The results illustrate that empirical research methodology for conceptualising consumers’ sustainability understanding frequently is doubtful or weak. This research exposes tourists’ limited understanding of sustainability, and helps tackle widespread scepticism about the effectiveness of sustainable tourism, by creating better informed sustainable tourism marketing.
Teaching Sustainable Responsibility through Informal Undergraduate Design Education
Authors: Manfredi Louise R. , Stokoe Meriel , Kelly Rebecca , Lee Seyeon
Published: July 2021

Recent reports, initiatives, and activities around higher education institutions revealed the relevance and value of sustainability education through both formal curriculum and informal curriculum activities. While the significance of sustainability education has continuously improved by raising awareness among new generations of students, it has not adequately promoted pro-environmental behaviors or attitude changes. This research study used a linear pretest–posttest experimental approach to understand whether two codesigned interventions; a trash and recycling bin system, and a Materials Exchange program, could improve sustainability literacy and material conservation behaviors across the School of Design. Additionally, a mid-experiment focus group study was conducted to provide text-rich data for analysis of 3R behaviors. Analysis of the data collected revealed that these interventions were reasonably successful in improving responsible material management. To have a greater impact on sustainable behavior, it is suggested that a formal educational experience should supplement the informal interventions described in this paper to onboard students as they enter the design studio culture. Additionally, the expansion of the trash and recycling bin station system into the university dormitories is discussed. This work has successfully catalyzed a collaboration between all School of Design stakeholders to address studio waste in a tangible way.
The Assessment of Big Data Adoption Readiness with a Technology–Organization–Environment Framework: A Perspective towards Healthcare Employees
Authors: Ghaleb Ebrahim A. A. , Dominic P. D. D. , Fati Suliman Mohamed , Muneer Amgad , Ali Rao Faizan
Published: July 2021

Big data is rapidly being seen as a new frontier for improving organizational performance. However, it is still in its early phases of implementation in developing countries’ healthcare organizations. As data-driven insights become critical competitive advantages, it is critical to ascertain which elements influence an organization’s decision to adopt big data. The aim of this study is to propose and empirically test a theoretical framework based on technology–organization–environment (TOE) factors to identify the level of readiness of big data adoption in developing countries’ healthcare organizations. The framework empirically tested 302 Malaysian healthcare employees. The structural equation modeling was used to analyze the collected data. The results of the study demonstrated that technology, organization, and environment factors can significantly contribute towards big data adoption in healthcare organizations. However, the complexity of technology factors has shown less support for the notion. For technology practitioners, this study showed how to enhance big data adoption in healthcare organizations through TOE factors.
Ensuring Employee Job Security When Implementing Changes in the Company: A Case Study of Lithuanian Industry
Authors: Valackiene Asta , Meidute-Kavaliauskiene Ieva , Činčikaitė Renata
Published: July 2021

The process of companies undertaking adaptation in the face of changing conditions that have been influenced by factors such as globalization, technological changes, environmental changes, competition, political decisions, worker mobility, population structure, and so on is one of the major challenges of modern corporate governance. Changes in a company are inevitable, but they do not always directly correlate with employees’ sense of security, including whether an employee feels safe about their workplace, income, or future roles in the company in the face of potential changes. There is an inverse relationship between employees’ sense of security and their time spent with the company. One way of managing this that can help to ensure a sense of security for employees within the company is to directly involve them in the process of implementing changes in the organization. The main goal of this paper is to highlight the principal aspects of employee engagement in change management processes and to gain an increased level of understanding in terms of the implementation of change at the organizational level by involving employees. Research methods: a systematic and comparative analysis of concepts and methods that have been published in the available scientific literature, statistical processing, an instrumental case study, interviews, surveys, and a content analysis of strategic documents, followed by modeling. The theoretical contribution of the paper demonstrates construction of methodology guided by the emergent perspective and new theoretical insights on professional discourse. Practical input shows that employee involvement in change processes is directly related to the speed of strategic change in the company.
Determining the Resilience of Rural Households to Food Insecurity during Drought Conditions in Fars Province, Iran
Authors: Nahid Nosha , Lashgarara Farhad , Farajolah Hosseini Seyed Jamal , Mirdamadi Seyed Mehdi , Rezaei-Moghaddam Kurosh
Published: July 2021

Climate change and drought have greatly affected the food security of rural families. Regarding to importance of the resilience approach in food security, this study aimed to examine the resiliency determinant factors based on six indicators included income and food access, access to basic services, assets, social safety net, adaptive capacity, and stability. The above-mentioned indicators were extracted from the food and agricultural organization’s resilience index. This research was of the survey type, and data were collected from a sample of population based on a stratified random sampling. The sample population was 270 respondents from the Fars province who faced food insecurity due to drought. Based on the factorial analysis, the model presented in this research had a high predictability of resilience among rural households. The validity and reliability of this model were tested and verified. The results showed that the stability variable was considered the most important resiliency determinant toward food insecurity. Cluster analysis suggested two groups: high- and low-resilience households. The results revealed that more than half of rural families had a lower resilience to food insecurity, while less than 45 percent of rural households in this study had higher resiliency, which was characterized by a series of features. The verified model in this study identified a standard framework for assessing the resiliency of households to cope with food insecurity and to recover from shocks related to drought.
Sustainability Education in the Spanish Higher Education System: Faculty Practice, Concerns and Needs
Authors: Busquets Pere , Segalas Jordi , Gomera Antonio , Antúnez Miguel , Ruiz-Morales Jorge , Albareda-Tiana Silvia , Miñano Rafael
Published: July 2021

This article presents the results of the EDINSOST project in relation to the university faculty’s practice concerns and the need to embed sustainability education in the Spanish Higher Education system. Four questions were devised to determine (1) which conceptions the university faculty has about sustainability in the context of the Spanish higher education (2) what sustainability competencies the university faculty holds (3) the ways in which sustainability teaching strategies are implemented and (4) the ways in which practical coursework related to sustainability is undertaken in a Spanish university context. The methodology that was applied was comprised of a discourse analysis of faculty focus groups. To that end, a category system and a focus group implementation protocol were designed and validated, as well as processes of construct elaboration based on the analysis of the focus groups’ discourses. Among the most relevant contributions stemming from the research questions regarding the faculty’s assumptions was the evidence that the holistic conception of sustainability is not addressed in all its dimensions and the environmental dimension is overemphasised. The need for training to teach sustainability competencies and the faculty’s lack of awareness were also identified. As far as sustainability teaching strategies are concerned, project-based learning prevails, with service-learning emerging as the most effective strategy, even though its application is hindered by faculty training gaps. Finally, the absence of sustainability in teaching guides and study plans and the scarce institutional support for establishing sustainability as a strategic subject in the university were significant findings.
A Study on the Public’s Crisis Management Efficacy and Anxiety in a Pandemic Situation—Focusing on the COVID-19 Pandemic in South Korea
Authors: Lee Jae-Eun , Kwon Seol-A
Published: July 2021

Social distancing, shutdown, and lockdown policies have recently been implemented worldwide to help slow the spread of the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), which has caused economic, social, and cultural crises on a global scale. To help create safe communities, we aimed to analyze the factors affecting the public’s anxiety and efficacy to overcome crises. The results show that efficacy is associated with sex, education, central government support, the public hygiene environment, and public hygiene behaviors. Anxiety was shown to have a negative relationship with central government support, a positive relationship with civilian support, and a negative relationship with efficacy. For a country to prevent the spread of a novel infectious disease, alleviate the anxiety of the population, and construct a safe community in the midst of a global pandemic, active central government support and response, protection of vulnerable populations, publicization of policies, and crisis management communication are essential. In particular, identifying an evidence-based method to understand and address the psychological and social influences of COVID-19, such as excessive fear and discrimination, providing insight into risk factors associated with future society for policy makers, and establishing potential and sustainable public health communication strategies are of paramount importance.
Effect of Vegetable Growth on Content and Composition of Antibiotics in Litopenaeus vannamei Pond Sediments in Crop/Aquacultural Rotation Process
Authors: Gu Bihan , Li Feipeng , Liu Yanru , Mao Lingchen , Tao Hong
Published: July 2021

Photodegradation remains the major pathway of antibiotic removal in natural ponds. This study introduced a new method of growing vegetables on the bottom substrate of shrimp ponds to improve sediment quality. The aim of the study was to investigate the effect of vegetable planting on the photodegradation of antibiotics. This study characterized antibiotic levels in the pond sediment during this phytoremediation process and investigated the antibiotic content and composition of the sediment with and without crop rotation (traditional control), as well as the shrimp yields. The results showed that total antibiotics (e.g., trimethoprim, oxytetracycline, and norfloxacin) in the sediment of all aquaculture ponds continuously decreased from 44.78 ± 4.07 μg/kg to 18.80 ± 2.26 μg/kg in the crop rotation pond. The total amount of antibiotics consistently decreased in all ponds, and the rate of decline did not greatly differ. However, oxytetracycline in the crop rotation pond decreased faster than in the control pond, presumably because the growing vegetables altered the sediment and microbial-community characteristics that promoted oxytetracycline degradation. In the following year, there was little difference in the levels of norfloxacin or oxytetracycline between the two ponds. An increase in trimethoprim in the control pond was much higher than in the crop-growing sediment. It was indicated that the system remediated the shrimp pond ecosystem as well as providing the possibility of increasing profits by planting vegetables in the winter idle period of shrimp ponds.
Influence of Value Co-Creation on Virtual Community Brand Equity for Unichannel vs. Multichannel Users
Authors: Rubio Natalia , Villaseñor Nieves , Yagüe Mª Jesús
Published: July 2021

Value co-creation by users in a virtual community is a key element to encouraging the community’s brand equity. This study analyzes the effect of the functional value provided by the virtual community on the two value-co-creation behaviors that occur within it: (1) self-value co-creation and (2) communal value co-creation. Through self-value co-creation, participants co-create value to their own benefit by becoming involved in co-designing their experience. By communal value co-creation, participants co-create value through evaluations, recommendations, and ideas that benefit others. This study also asks whether multichannelity—using various channels to access the virtual community (website and mobile app), as opposed to using a single channel (website or mobile app)—has a moderating effect on the relationships proposed between value co-creation and brand equity of the virtual community. The analysis is contrasted empirically for the virtual community Tripadvisor with data collected by a research institute via telephone interview. Confirmatory factor analysis and multi-group structural equation modeling techniques were used to assess the proposed model. The study enriches two significant lines of scholarly research, value co-creation and brand equity. It does so in multi-brand virtual contexts in which variety of service brands coexists with the brand of the virtual community, and with users who access the virtual community through one or various channels. The study also contributes to the formulation of business strategies oriented to increasing the brand equity of virtual communities.
Monitoring of Field Patrolling Efforts, Vietnam: Insights from a Forest Station in Pu Hu Nature Reserve
Authors: Le Khac Dong , Hoa Ao Xuan , Tai Luyen Nguyen , Nguyen Nha Thi Huynh , Techato Kuaanan
Published: July 2021

In the various protected areas such as nature reserves and national parks in Vietnam, ranger patrols are crucial for protecting forest resources against the increasing threats from fringe communities. Previous studies have investigated ranger patrol efforts (RPEs) in conservation areas using conventional measures in terms of illegal activities encountered, but there has been little research into indices related to RPEs in the field, both worldwide and particularly in Vietnam. This paper explores various indices of RPEs and other aspects of forest patrolling at a local level. The number of rangers and patrol-days strongly influences the distance walked and the number of patrol-hours. However, neither the rainy season nor the Lunar New Year festival had any significant effect on patrol efforts, nor was there any effect on the relative altitude covered or the speed of patrolling during the long Lunar New Year vacation. Management responsible for protecting forest areas needs to consider the full scope of rangers’ efforts and identify the qualities of motivated staff. Our findings suggested ways in which rangers’ capacity to promote conservation may be assessed in the future.
Is It Possible to Tackle Youth Needs with Agricultural and Rural Development Policies?
Authors: Mujčinović Alen , Nikolić Aleksandra , Tuna Emelj , Stamenkovska Ivana Janeska , Radović Vesela , Flynn Paul , McCauley Veronica
Published: July 2021

Rural youth are influenced by a wide range of uncertainties regarding their personal and professional development. Rural youth and in particular rural NEETs (Not in Employment, Education or Training) are especially vulnerable and face higher risks of labour market, social and economic exclusion. This paper aims to analyse the determinants of the dynamics of rural NEETs in three post-transitional countries (Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia and Serbia) compared to the EU-28 average and to Ireland as an example of an established EU member state with over 50% of its population living in rural areas that can act as a benchmark for effective policy implementation to address challenges of marginalized youth, during the 2009–2019 period. The dynamics of rural NEET status and the efficiency/adaptability of regional development policies are revealed through analysis of macro and socioeconomic factors as well as specific employment-related indicators disaggregated by gender and degree of urbanisation. The comparative analysis indicates deficiencies in regional development policies among post-transitional countries and the potential to adapt modern European practices and policies for improving the rural NEETs’ position.
Distribution, Population Size, and Habitat Characteristics of the Endangered European Ground Squirrel (Spermophilus citellus, Rodentia, Mammalia) in Its Southernmost Range
Authors: Rammou Dimitra-Lida , Kavroudakis Dimitris , Youlatos Dionisios
Published: July 2021

The European ground squirrel (Spermophilus citellus) is an endangered species, endemic to Central and Southeastern Europe, inhabiting burrow colonies in grassland and agricultural ecosystems. In recent years, agricultural land-use changes and increased urbanization have largely contributed to a severe population decline across its range, particularly in its southernmost edge. Assessing the population and habitat status of this species is essential for prioritizing appropriate conservation actions. The present study aims to track population size changes and identify habitat characteristics of the species in Greece via a literature search, questionnaires, and fieldwork for assessing trends in population size as well as spatial K-means analysis for estimating its relation to specific habitat attributes. We found that both distribution size (grid number) and colony numbers of the species decreased in the last decades (by 62.4% and 74.6%, respectively). The remaining colonies are isolated and characterized by low density (mean = 7.4 ± 8.6 ind/ha) and low number of animals (mean = 13 ± 16 individuals). Most of the colonies are situated in lowlands and did not relate to specific habitat attributes. Habitat aspect and system productivity (NDVI) were the main factors contributing mostly to the clustering of the existing colonies. These results demonstrate that the species is confined to small, isolated anthropogenic habitats. Specific conservation actions such as population reinforcement, habitat improvement, and specific common agricultural policy measures could effectively improve agroecological zones that are suitable for the maintenance and protection of existing and potential habitats for populations of the species.
Greenness Assessment and Synthesis for the Bio-Based Production of the Solvent 2,2,5,5-Tetramethyloxolane (TMO)
Authors: Byrne Fergal P. , Clark James H. , Angelici Carlo , de Jong Ed , Farmer Thomas J.
Published: July 2021

2,2,5,5-tetramethyloxolane (TMO) has recently been identified and demonstrated as a safer solvent to replace toluene, THF, and hydrocarbons in a handful of applications. Herein, several bio-based routes to TMO are presented and assessed for greenness, assisted by the CHEM21 Metrics Toolkit and BioLogicTool plots. Using glucose as a common starting point, two chemocatalytic routes and two biochemical routes to TMO were identified and the pathways compared using the aforementioned tools. In addition, bio-based TMO was synthesised via one of these routes; from methyl levulinate supplied by Avantium, a by-product of the sugar dehydration step during the production of 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid. First, methyl levulinate underwent triple methylation using methyl magnesium chloride (MeMgCl) to yield 2,5-dimethylhexane-2,5-diol (DHL) in high yields of 89.7%. Then DHL was converted to high purity TMO (>98.5%) by cyclodehydration using H-BEA zeolites based on the previously reported approach. Bio-based content of this TMO was confirmed by ASTM D6866-20 Method B and found to have 64% bio-based carbon, well above the threshold of 25% set by CEN/TC 411 standards and matching the anticipated content. This study represents the first demonstration of a bio-based synthesis of TMO and confirmation of bio-content by accepted standards.
Nanofluids for the Next Generation Thermal Management of Electronics: A Review
Authors: Moita Ana , Moreira António , Pereira José
Published: July 2021

Nowadays, the thermal management of electronic components, devices and systems is one of the most important challenges of this technological field. The ever-increasing miniaturization also entails the pressing need for the dissipation of higher power energy under the form of heat per unit of surface area by the cooling systems. The current work briefly describes the use on those cooling systems of the novel heat transfer fluids named nanofluids. Although not intensively applied in our daily use of electronic devices and appliances, the nanofluids have merited an in-depth research and investigative focus, with several recently published papers on the subject. The development of this cooling approach should give a sustained foothold to go on to further studies and developments on continuous miniaturization, together with more energy-efficient cooling systems and devices. Indeed, the superior thermophysical properties of the nanofluids, which are highlighted in this review, make those innovative fluids very promising for the aforementioned purpose. Moreover, the present work intends to contribute to the knowledge of the nanofluids and its most prominent results from the typical nanoparticles/base fluid mixtures used and combined in technical and functional solutions, based on fluid-surface interfacial flows.
Blockchain Consensus: An Overview of Alternative Protocols
Authors: Oyinloye Damilare Peter , Teh Je Sen , Jamil Norziana , Alawida Moatsum
Published: July 2021

Blockchain networks are based on cryptographic notions that include asymmetric-key encryption, hash functions and consensus protocols. Despite their popularity, mainstream protocols, such as Proof of Work or Proof of Stake still have drawbacks. Efforts to enhance these protocols led to the birth of alternative consensus protocols, catering to specific areas, such as medicine or transportation. These protocols remain relatively unknown despite having unique merits worth investigating. Although past reviews have been published on popular blockchain consensus protocols, they do not include most of these lesser-known protocols. Highlighting these alternative consensus protocols contributes toward the advancement of the state of the art, as they have design features that may be useful to academics, blockchain practitioners and researchers. In this paper, we bridge this gap by providing an overview of alternative consensus protocols proposed within the past 3 years. We evaluate their overall performance based on metrics such as throughput, scalability, security, energy consumption, and finality. In our review, we examine the trade-offs that these consensus protocols have made in their attempts to optimize scalability and performance. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first paper that focuses on these alternative protocols, highlighting their unique features that can be used to develop future consensus protocols.
New Conservation Laws and Exact Cosmological Solutions in Brans–Dicke Cosmology with an Extra Scalar Field
Authors: Mitsopoulos Antonios , Tsamparlis Michael , Leon Genly , Paliathanasis Andronikos
Published: July 2021

The derivation of conservation laws and invariant functions is an essential procedure for the investigation of nonlinear dynamical systems. In this study, we consider a two-field cosmological model with scalar fields defined in the Jordan frame. In particular, we consider a Brans–Dicke scalar field theory and for the second scalar field we consider a quintessence scalar field minimally coupled to gravity. For this cosmological model, we apply for the first time a new technique for the derivation of conservation laws without the application of variational symmetries. The results are applied for the derivation of new exact solutions. The stability properties of the scaling solutions are investigated and criteria for the nature of the second field according to the stability of these solutions are determined.
Symmetry and Quantum Features in Optical Vortices
Authors: Andrews David L.
Published: July 2021

Optical vortices are beams of laser light with screw symmetry in their wavefront. With a corresponding azimuthal dependence in optical phase, they convey orbital angular momentum, and their methods of production and applications have become one of the most rapidly accelerating areas in optical physics and technology. It has been established that the quantum nature of electromagnetic radiation extends to properties conveyed by each individual photon in such beams. It is therefore of interest to identify and characterize the symmetry aspects of the quantized fields of vortex radiation that relate to the beam and become manifest in its interactions with matter. Chirality is a prominent example of one such aspect; many other facets also invite attention. Fundamental CPT symmetry is satisfied throughout the field of optics, and it plays significantly into manifestations of chirality where spatial parity is broken; duality symmetry between electric and magnetic fields is also involved in the detailed representation. From more specific considerations of spatial inversion, amongst which it emerges that the topological charge has the character of a pseudoscalar, other elements of spatial symmetry, beyond simple parity inversion, prove to repay additional scrutiny. A photon-based perspective on these features enables regard to be given to the salient quantum operators, paying heed to quantum uncertainty limits of observables. The analysis supports a persistence in features of significance for the material interactions of vortex beams, which may indicate further scope for suitably tailored experimental design.
Advantages of the Discrete Stochastic Arithmetic to Validate the Results of the Taylor Expansion Method to Solve the Generalized Abel’s Integral Equation
Authors: Zarei Eisa , Noeiaghdam Samad
Published: July 2021

The aim of this paper is to apply the Taylor expansion method to solve the first and second kinds Volterra integral equations with Abel kernel. This study focuses on two main arithmetics: the FPA and the DSA. In order to apply the DSA, we use the CESTAC method and the CADNA library. Using this method, we can find the optimal step of the method, the optimal approximation, the optimal error, and some of numerical instabilities. They are the main novelties of the DSA in comparison with the FPA. The error analysis of the method is proved. Furthermore, the main theorem of the CESTAC method is presented. Using this theorem we can apply a new termination criterion instead of the traditional absolute error. Several examples are approximated based on the FPA and the DSA. The numerical results show the applications and advantages of the DSA than the FPA.
Developing Practical Models of Complex Salts for Molten Salt Reactors
Authors: Besmann Theodore M. , Schorne-Pinto Juliano
Published: July 2021

Molten salt reactors (MSRs) utilize salts as coolant or as the fuel and coolant together with fissile isotopes dissolved in the salt. It is necessary to therefore understand the behavior of the salts to effectively design, operate, and regulate such reactors, and thus there is a need for thermodynamic models for the salt systems. Molten salts, however, are difficult to represent as they exhibit short-range order that is dependent on both composition and temperature. A widely useful approach is the modified quasichemical model in the quadruplet approximation that provides for consideration of first- and second-nearest-neighbor coordination and interactions. Its use in the CALPHAD approach to system modeling requires fitting parameters using standard thermodynamic data such as phase equilibria, heat capacity, and others. A shortcoming of the model is its inability to directly vary coordination numbers with composition or temperature. Another issue is the difficulty in fitting model parameters using regression methods without already having very good initial values. The proposed paper will discuss these issues and note some practical methods for the effective generation of useful models.
Amoebae as Targets for Toxins or Effectors Secreted by Mammalian Pathogens
Authors: Samba-Louaka Ascel
Published: July 2021

Numerous microorganisms, pathogenic for mammals, come from the environment where they encounter predators such as free-living amoebae (FLA). The selective pressure due to this interaction could have generated virulence traits that are deleterious for amoebae and represents a weapon against mammals. Toxins are one of these powerful tools that are essential for bacteria or fungi to survive. Which amoebae are used as a model to study the effects of toxins? What amoeba functions have been reported to be disrupted by toxins and bacterial secreted factors? Do bacteria and fungi effectors affect eukaryotic cells similarly? Here, we review some studies allowing to answer these questions, highlighting the necessity to extend investigations of microbial pathogenicity, from mammals to the environmental reservoir that are amoebae.
Influenza Vaccine Effectiveness in Preventing Severe Outcomes in Patients Hospitalized with Laboratory-Confirmed Influenza during the 2017–2018 Season. A Retrospective Cohort Study in Catalonia (Spain)
Authors: Acosta Lesly , Soldevila Nuria , Torner Nuria , Martínez Ana , Ayneto Xavier , Rius Cristina , Jané Mireia , Domínguez Angela ,   the Influenza Surveillance Network of Catalonia, PIDIRAC
Published: July 2021

Seasonal influenza is a common cause of hospital admission, especially in older people and those with comorbidities. The objective of this study was to determine influenza vaccine effectiveness (VE) in preventing intensive care admissions and shortening the length of stay (LOS) in hospitalized laboratory-confirmed influenza cases (HLCI) in Catalonia (Spain). A retrospective cohort study was carried out during the 2017–2018 season in HLCI aged ≥18 years from 14 public hospitals. Differences in means and proportions were assessed using a t-test or a chi-square test as necessary and the differences were quantified using standardized effect measures: Cohen’s d for quantitative and Cohen’s w for categorical variables. Adjusted influenza vaccine effectiveness in preventing severity was estimated by multivariate logistic regression where the adjusted VE = (1 − adjusted odds ratio) · 100%; adjustment was also made using the propensity score. We analyzed 1414 HLCI aged ≥18 years; 465 (33%) were vaccinated, of whom 437 (94%) were aged ≥60 years, 269 (57.8%) were male and 295 (63.4%) were positive for influenza type B. ICU admission was required in 214 (15.1%) cases. There were 141/1118 (12.6%) ICU admissions in patients aged ≥60 years and 73/296 (24.7%) in those aged <60 years (p < 0.001). The mean LOS and ICU LOS did not differ significantly between vaccinated and unvaccinated patients. There were 52/465 (11.2%) ICU admissions in vaccinated cases vs. 162/949 (17.1%) in unvaccinated cases. Patients admitted to the ICU had a longer hospital LOS (mean: 22.4 [SD 20.3] days) than those who were not (mean: 11.1 [SD 14.4] days); p < 0.001. Overall, vaccination was associated with a lower risk of ICU admission. Taking virus types A and B together, the estimated adjusted VE in preventing ICU admission was 31% (95% CI 1–52; p = 0.04). When stratified by viral type, the aVE was 40% for type A (95% CI -11–68; p = 0.09) and 25% for type B (95% CI -18–52; p = 0.21). Annual influenza vaccination may prevent ICU admission in cases of HLCI. A non-significantly shorter mean hospital stay was observed in vaccinated cases. Our results support the need to increase vaccination uptake and public perception of the benefits of influenza vaccination in groups at a higher risk of hospitalization and severe outcomes.
Role of Viral Protein U (Vpu) in HIV-1 Infection and Pathogenesis
Authors: Khan Nabab , Geiger Jonathan D.
Published: July 2021

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-1 and HIV-2 originated from cross-species transmission of simian immunodeficiency viruses (SIVs). Most of these transfers resulted in limited spread of these viruses to humans. However, one transmission event involving SIVcpz from chimpanzees gave rise to group M HIV-1, with M being the principal strain of HIV-1 responsible for the AIDS pandemic. Vpu is an HIV-1 accessory protein generated from Env/Vpu encoded bicistronic mRNA and localized in cytosolic and membrane regions of cells capable of being infected by HIV-1 and that regulate HIV-1 infection and transmission by downregulating BST-2, CD4 proteins levels, and immune evasion. This review will focus of critical aspects of Vpu including its zoonosis, the adaptive hurdles to cross-species transmission, and future perspectives and broad implications of Vpu in HIV-1 infection and dissemination.
A Fully Protective Congenital CMV Vaccine Requires Neutralizing Antibodies to Viral Pentamer and gB Glycoprotein Complexes but a pp65 T-Cell Response Is Not Necessary
Authors: Choi K. Yeon , McGregor Alistair
Published: July 2021

A vaccine against congenital cytomegalovirus infection is a high priority. Guinea pig cytomegalovirus (GPCMV) is the only congenital CMV small animal model. GPCMV encodes essential glycoprotein complexes for virus entry (gB, gH/gL/gO, gM/gN) including a pentamer complex (gH/gL/GP129/GP131/GP133 or PC) for endocytic cell entry. The cohorts for protection against congenital CMV are poorly defined. Neutralizing antibodies to the viral glycoprotein complexes are potentially more important than an immunodominant T-cell response to the pp65 protein. In GPCMV, GP83 (pp65 homolog) is an evasion factor, and the GP83 mutant GPCMV has increased sensitivity to type I interferon. Although GP83 induces a cell-mediated response, a GP83-only-based vaccine strategy has limited efficacy. GPCMV attenuation via GP83 null deletion mutant in glycoprotein PC positive or negative virus was evaluated as live-attenuated vaccine strains (GP83dPC+/PC-). Vaccinated animals induced antibodies to viral glycoprotein complexes, and PC+ vaccinated animals had sterilizing immunity against wtGPCMV challenge. In a pre-conception vaccine (GP83dPC+) study, dams challenged mid-2nd trimester with wtGPCMV had complete protection against congenital CMV infection without detectable virus in pups. An unvaccinated control group had 80% pup transmission rate. Overall, gB and PC antibodies are key for protection against congenital CMV infection, but a response to pp65 is not strictly necessary.
Efficient Pseudotyping of Different Retroviral Vectors Using a Novel, Codon-Optimized Gene for Chimeric GALV Envelope
Authors: Mirow Manuela , Schwarze Lea Isabell , Fehse Boris , Riecken Kristoffer
Published: July 2021

The Gibbon Ape Leukemia Virus envelope protein (GALV-Env) mediates efficient transduction of human cells, particularly primary B and T lymphocytes, and is therefore of great interest in gene therapy. Using internal domains from murine leukemia viruses (MLV), chimeric GALV-Env proteins such as GALV-C4070A were derived, which allow pseudotyping of lentiviral vectors. In order to improve expression efficiency and vector titers, we developed a codon-optimized (co) variant of GALV-C4070A (coGALV-Env). We found that coGALV-Env mediated efficient pseudotyping not only of γ-retroviral and lentiviral vectors, but also α-retroviral vectors. The obtained titers on HEK293T cells were equal to those with the classical GALV-Env, whereas the required plasmid amounts for transient vector production were significantly lower, namely, 20 ng coGALV-Env plasmid per 106 293T producer cells. Importantly, coGALV-Env-pseudotyped γ- and α-retroviral, as well as lentiviral vectors, mediated efficient transduction of primary human T cells. We propose that the novel chimeric coGALV-Env gene will be very useful for the efficient production of high-titer vector preparations, e.g., to equip human T cells with novel specificities using transgenic TCRs or CARs. The considerably lower amount of plasmid needed might also result in a significant cost advantage for good manufacturing practice (GMP) vector production based on transient transfection.
Developing a Decision Support System for Economic Analysis of Irrigation Applications in Temperate Zones
Authors: Hanna Kalim , Paul Manashi , Negahban-Azar Masoud , Shirmohammadi Adel
Published: July 2021

Climate variability and farmers’ desire to improve the crop yield have resulted in an increase in irrigated agriculture in the mid-Atlantic region. However, the huge initial capital cost associated with the installation and operation of irrigation systems is generally prohibitive, with most farmers finding difficulty in justifying the expenditure, and uncertainty of the overall return on their investment. The objective of this study was to develop a decision tool for farmers in temperate regions to evaluate the cost-benefit of irrigation installations. The developed irrigation economic model involved the development of an economic component that balances the expected economic return, based on anticipated crop yield increases due to supplemental irrigation, versus the water, maintenance, and capital costs associated with the irrigation system. Model development included the input of relevant data and required local calibration. Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) output files were used as the basis for data input into the irrigation economic model. An irrigation-scheduling component was incorporated into the model to prescribe irrigation volumes for each agricultural field defined within the area of interest. The economic component of the model identifies and prioritizes those fields in which supplemental irrigation will result in the greatest economic return in terms of increased agricultural production and revenue. The study is conducted on the Pocomoke river basin in the Coastal Plain of Maryland’s eastern shore. Results showed that irrigation system selection was mainly influenced by cost of water and irrigation installation costs, and to a lesser extent by physical characteristics of the terrain and the associated properties.
Effects of Probability-Distributed Losses on Flood Estimates Using Event-Based Rainfall-Runoff Models
Authors: Loveridge Melanie , Rahman Ataur
Published: July 2021

Probability distributions of initial losses are investigated using a large dataset of catchments throughout Australia. The variability in design flood estimates caused by probability-distributed initial losses and associated uncertainties are investigated. Based on historic data sets in Australia, the Gamma and Beta distributions are found to be suitable for describing initial loss data. It has also been found that the central tendency of probability-distributed initial loss is more important in design flood estimation than the form of the probability density function. Findings from this study have notable implications on the regionalization of initial loss data, which is required for the application of Monte Carlo methods for design flood estimation in ungauged catchments.
Land administration system in the Kyrgyz Republic
Authors: Volkov S.N. , Denisov V.V.
Published: July 2021

The article describes the formation of land management in the Kyrgyz republic in the Soviet period from 1922 to the beginning of the land reform. The transformation of the structure of land management is analyzed in detail, taking into account the requirements of transformation of land relations in modern period (1991–2020).
Land management issues in rural administrative districts
Authors: Bryzhko V.G. , Bryzhko I.V.
Published: July 2021

The article deals with the main problems of the modern system of land management in rural administrative districts. The authors proposed a set of political, regulatory, institutional, and technological measures for land management improvement in municipal districts.
The reasons for suspension the state cadastre accounting and state registration of rights to real estate objects in Krasnodar territory. Part I
Authors: Osennyaya A.V. , Khakhuk B.A. , Sinyavskaya V.V. , Kolomytsev A.A.
Published: July 2021

The article notes that one of the indicators of the effectiveness of the territorial bodies of Rosreestr is the share of decisions made to suspend the implementation of state cadastral registration and (or) registration of rights, the reasons of which may be, directly or indirectly, related to non-compliance with the requirements of the legislation, for example, in the process of cadastral works. The article contains a statistical analysis of the reasons for suspension the state cadastral registration in Krasnodar Territory for 2017-2019, associated with non-compliance with the requirements of modern legislation in terms of cadastral registration and registration of rights to real estate.
Species diversity of planktonic and zoobenthic communities of floodplain lakes in the middle reaches of the Irtysh river in the Omsk region
Authors: Litosh Tat’iana Aleksandrovna , Tsygankova Iuliia Vital’evna , Vizer Lyubov Semyonovna , Tsapenkov Andrey Valeryevich
Published: July 2021

Based on hydrobiological studies conducted within the boundaries of the Omsk region, the species diversity of zooplankton and zoobenthic communities of floodplain lakes in the middle reaches of the Irtysh River is presented. The characteristics of zooplanktonic and zoobenthic invertebrates by qualitative and quantitative indicators are considered. The assessment of lakes by trophic and feeding capacity of reservoirs is given. The species diversity of the zooplankton and zoobenthic communities is shown. Zooplankton includes organisms of 20 genera from 11 families. The total number of species is 26, of which 12 are rotifers from two orders belonging to 5 families. Eleven species of branchiform crustaceans belonging to 10 genera from 4 families and three species of copepods belonging to 2 orders. It was found that the greatest species diversity was observed in the lake without the name of the Lubinsky district — 19, the smallest in such lakes as Staritsa, Peschanoe, and without the name of the Tavrichesky district — 12 taxa. The average abundance and biomass for the studied reservoirs was 75.9 thousand copies/m³ and 574.61 mg/m³, respectively. According to the average indicators of zooplankton biomass, floodplain lakes are characterized as ultra-oligotrophic reservoirs of the lowest productivity class. Zoobenthos community of floodplain lakes in the middle reaches of the river the Irtysh of the Omsk region, during the research period, is represented by 25 taxa belonging to three classes of organisms: insects( Insecta), leeches (Hirudinea) and small-scale worms (Oligochaeta). The larvae of chironomids (Sigopominae), mayflies (Ephemeroptera) and small-scale worms (Oligochaeta) formed the basis of the abundance and biomass. The average number of zoobenthos in floodplain lakes of the Omsk region during the study period was 465 specimens/m². The average biomass was 1.519 g/m². According to the average indicators of the biomass of the zoobenthos community, the floodplain lakes of the Omsk region belong to low-feed reservoirs, according to the trophic status — to the oligotrophic type of the low class.
Distribution of trout in the Upper Ob basin
Authors: Rostovtsev Alexander Alekseevich , Romanov Vladimir Ivanovich , Interesova Elena Aleksandrovna
Published: July 2021

Rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss (Walbaum, 1792) and brown trout Salmo trutta Linnaeus, 1758 are popular aquaculture species worldwide. At the same time, it is known that when these species enter natural water bodies, they are able to form self-reproducing populations and cause significant damage to native fauna due to food competition, hybridization with native species, and predation. In the basin of the Upper Ob in the second half of the twentieth century, there was not only a large aquaculture farm specializing in trout but also work was carried out to introduce trout into natural water bodies: lakes in the basins of Lake Teletskoye and the Katun river. It is known about the formation of a self-reproducing population of brook trout in Lake Lebedinoe (in the basin of the Pervaya Koksha River, a second-order tributary of the lower reaches of the Katun River), which still exists. Currently, rainbow trout is a popular object of aquaculture in southern Siberia; it is grown mainly for the purpose of organizing recreational fishing, often in water bodies that are not isolated from the river network. This determines the regular ingress of this species into rivers. Nevertheless, currently no evidence of natural reproduction of trouts in natural water in the Upper Ob basin, except in Lake Lebedinoe. However, given the high risks associated with the potential invasiveness of trouts, it is necessary to recommend a cautious attitude towards the distribution of these species and to provide for an environmental impact assessment of projects related to their cultivation in water bodies of Western Siberia.
Sakhalin Sturgeon Аcipenser mikadoi (Hilgendorf, 1892): Searching for Technology of Artificial Propagation in Aquaculture
Authors: Khrisanfov Viktor Evgenievich , Mikodina Ekaterina Viktorovna , Novosyolova Yulia Aleksandrovna , Melchenkov Evgeny Alekseevich , Kalmykova Vera Veniaminovna
Published: July 2021

It shows searching for a solution to the issue of the stock rebuilding of the Red List species — the Sakhalin sturgeon. It describes the results of the expedition to the Tumnin river aimed at brood fish procurement and optimization of the technology for its reproduction together with the brood fish grown in aquaculture. It lists the morphological characteristics and fish-cultural and bio-data of the spawner caught in the Tumnin river and the milters grown at the Anyuy Sturgeon Fish Hatchery. A method for the obtainment of reproductive products, hatching and juvenile fish growning is described. As a result of sampling for biopsy, it has been found that the coefficient of oocytesʼ nucleus polarization was 7.4 on the average. The hormonal preparation surfagon was used for sex products stimulation at males and a female. The female ovulated in 12 hours after permitting injection. It was managed to get 2,378 g eggs on the average 87.6 per cent of fertilization. The average ejaculate volume was 455 ml. The spermatozoon mobility at mean 14 °C temperature made up 208 sec. A double fertilization method was used at fertilization of an eggs part, moreover the eggs received were of a high piscicultural quality (99%). The average diameter of swollen eggs was maximum 6.8 mm and minimum 6.6 mm after fertilization. The larvae production made up to 30%, i.e. 27,850 of incubated eggs. 1000 ongrown fry were stocked into the Tumnin river, the last juveniles were directed to fish cultural farms of Russia with a view to form there recruitment-and-brood stocks. According to results of experimental works, done in the Anyuy Fish Hatchery, the first provisional technology of work was recommended on fertilized eggs production from the Sakhalin sturgeon spawners after the schema “a wild female + farmed males” by a method of a double fertilization with the increased exposition time.