bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Soil and Groundwater Investigation for Sustainable Agricultural Development: A Case Study from Brunei Darussalam
Authors: Azffri Siti Lieyana , Azaman Azimatul , Sukri Rahayu Sukmaria , Jaafar Salwana Md , Ibrahim Md Faizan , Schirmer Mario , Gödeke Stefan Herwig
Published: January 2022

Brunei has made significant progress in agricultural development over the past four decades. However, crop production, such as rice, is still insufficient to meet the demands of the growing population, mainly due to the scarcity of water resources, acidic soils, and advancing environmental deterioration. This study conducted soil and groundwater investigations at three selected rice cultivation sites in Brunei Darussalam. The geoelectrical resistivity method using the vertical electrical sounding (VES) technique delineated subsurface stratigraphy with resistivities ranging from 1 to 180 Ωm in the investigated area. A potential aquifer zone was inferred in one of the surveyed areas with resistivities ranging from 10 to 150 Ωm at depths of about 40 to 60 m below ground level. Groundwater levels were also shallower in irrigated sites compared to non-irrigated sites. Groundwater physicochemical properties revealed high alkalinity and mineralisation, as evident from high magnesium, bicarbonate, ammoniacal nitrogen, and iron, as well as pH values in the water samples, believed to be the effects of leaching of salt ions into the shallow aquifer through infiltration recharge. In addition, soil physicochemical properties showed that the soils near a pumping well were more acidic, had lower moisture, and total nutrients, likely due to the effects of groundwater pumping. Our results demonstrate that future irrigation activities need to consider local aquifer characteristics, groundwater flow paths, and nutrient transport to ensure sustainable development in agricultural areas.
F(i)unding Your Way: A Managerial Compass for Social Organizations
Authors: Aschari-Lincoln Jessica , Scheck Barbara
Published: January 2022

Social organizations are faced with an increasing diversification of funders, financial sources, and financing instruments and a growing complexity of funding relationships. They still prioritize social impact over financial returns, but funding considerations significantly influence the way these organizations operate. Existing models to understand the sector do not include this essential component, thus limiting insights and decision-making premises on how to reach as many beneficiaries as possible. Based on previous quantitative and qualitative research, this article conceptualizes the organizational, programmatic, impact, and financing strategies of social organizations and their interrelatedness in a new framework. This could be perceived as a managerial compass illustrating the multiple dependencies social organizations are confronted with. The compass aims at reducing complexity, serving as a tool for social organizations for more effective financial management. The article closes with a call for more analysis on how social organizations manage their multiple bottom line.
Evaluating a Novel Learning Intervention Grounded in the Education for Environmental Citizenship Pedagogical Approach: A Case Study from Cyprus
Authors: Hadjichambis Andreas Ch. , Paraskeva-Hadjichambi Demetra , Georgiou Yiannis
Published: January 2022

In times of environmental crisis, Education for Environmental Citizenship (EEC) is argued to be of great significance in the development of secondary education students’ pro-environmentalism as environmental citizens. However, given that EEC is still emerging, there is a lack of empirical foundation on how environmental citizenship can be approached in a pedagogically sound way; as a result, empirical documented interventions in secondary education are also limited. This paper presents a case study from Cyprus, which evaluates the impact of a novel learning intervention grounded in the EEC pedagogical approach, taking into consideration the potential effect of students’ gender as well as of their past/present EC actions. The participants were fifty students (n = 50) in secondary biology education who attended the learning intervention; the students comprised 29 girls (58%) and 21 boys (42%), from two intact classrooms. Data were collected with the Environmental Citizenship Questionnaire (ECQ), which was administered before (pre-) and after (post-) the learning intervention, and were analyzed using a combination of non-parametric statistical analyses (Wilcoxon signed-rank test, Mann–Whitney U test, Spearman’s Correlation and cluster analysis). Our findings indicated that there was a statistically significant increase in the students’ EC learning gains, both EC competences and EC future actions, by the end of the intervention. However, our findings also indicated that the impact of the learning intervention was related significantly to the students’ gender as well as to their past/present EC actions, as these were reported by the students prior the intervention. Overall, our findings provide empirical substantiation of the contribution of the EEC pedagogical approach to the development of secondary students’ EC. At the same time, our study also pointed out the critical roles of gender and past/present EC actions in students’ learning gains.
Fierce Heat and Players’ Health: Examining the View on Japan High School Baseball
Authors: Yamamura Eiji
Published: January 2022

A summer high school baseball tournament is held every mid-summer in Koshien Stadium. “Koshien Baseball” is very popular in Japan; however, it faces the problem of extremely high temperatures during games. Thus, high school players are threatened by harsh environmental conditions. For this reason, two Internet surveys were distributed to the same individuals. Then, their views regarding the Koshien tournament before and after the provision of information regarding environmental change in Japan were gathered. Using these data, this study examined how their views changed after being introduced to the information. Compared with their previous views, it was found that (1) respondents were more likely to agree that the management rules of the Koshien tournament should be altered to protect players’ health, and (2) the impact of providing information is greater for female respondents, young respondents, and highly educated respondents. This study provides evidence that the effect of information provision varies according to gender, age, and educational background. However, the mechanism causing this difference has not yet been analyzed. It would be valuable to consider this mechanism in future research.
Lessons from Media-Centered Climate Change Literature
Authors: Dhaher Cjyar Nazar Dhaher , Gümüş Agah
Published: January 2022

Climate change has become a global challenge over the years and the media has played an important part in the dissemination of information, research on which constitutes a substantial body of scientific literature. This study aimed to map media-centered climate change articles to highlight the relevant lessons within the field. The lessons learned are as follows. (1) Two environmental communication journals are the primary publication venues that prioritize climate change-focused articles. (2) Media-centered climate change literature peaked in 2020, and (3) many countries attracted scholarly interest. (4) Newspapers were examined more than any other media form. (5) The first authors of media-centered climate change articles are westerners. (6) Almost 50% of media-centered climate change articles did not adopt a theory. (7) Quantitative and (8) content analysis methods are the most adopted data collection methods. (9) Finally, this review shows that communication and media scholars are most interested in media-centered climate change articles.
A Study of the Key Sustainable Factors of Taiwan’s Community Care Centers
Authors: Hung Ying-Cheng , Chen Kuei-Chih , Chen I-Fei , Liu Li-Huei
Published: January 2022

In response to the aging society, community care centers have been widely established in Taiwan to take care of the elderly. However, these centers are primarily managed by nonprofit organizations that rely on government subsidies, thus, they lack managerial autonomy. By investigating the key factors influencing the sustainability of community care centers, this study aimed to assist organizations with reducing the risk of managerial uncertainty and promoting the sustainable development of the aging ecosystem. The modified Delphi method and fuzzy analytic hierarchy process were used to construct the key sustainable factors and rank their importance. Four major dimensions, which were management capability, financial and other resource utilization capability, professional care service capability, and customer value creation, along with 21 criteria, were summarized. Management capability had the greatest influence, followed by financial and other resource utilization capability; financial soundness occupied first place in the overall ranking among the criteria. Based on this study’s results, it is recommended that when evaluating the units managing the community care centers, their management capability and financial and other resource utilization capability should be evaluated first to reduce the dependence on the government and achieve the goal of sustainability.
Identifying Symptoms of Bankruptcy Risk Based on Bankruptcy Prediction Models—A Case Study of Poland
Authors: Kitowski Jerzy , Kowal-Pawul Anna , Lichota Wojciech
Published: January 2022

The article presents selected Polish early warning models (logit and discriminant models) that allow the assessment of the risk of bankruptcy of a company, and the purpose of the considerations is to indicate their prognostic effectiveness in predicting susceptible Polish companies one year before their declarations of bankruptcy. The limitations of these methods were also indicated in unpredictable situations, such as the outbreak of an economic crisis, e.g., caused by a humanitarian crisis—the COVID-19 pandemic. Another aim chosen in the article is a methodological critical assessment of the phenomenon of widespread use of foreign models (including the common Altman method) in the study of the risk of bankruptcy of Polish enterprises. Models developed on a sample of foreign enterprises without prior adaptation to domestic conditions are used all over the world, so the conclusions of the article are applicable internationally. The research was based on a query of Polish and foreign literature in the field of economic and legal aspects of bankruptcy and financial analysis, including, in particular, bankruptcy forecasting. The empirical research analyzes the financial data of 50 Polish enterprises from 2017 to 2018. The effectiveness of the selected bankruptcy forecasting models in identifying enterprises from section C of the Polish economy (industrial processing) that filed for bankruptcy in 2018 and 2019 was tested. The time frame fully allows for the identification and the assessment of the effectiveness of early warning models a year before bankruptcy.
The Coastal Tourism Climate Index (CTCI): Development, Validation, and Application for Chinese Coastal Cities
Authors: Gao Caixia , Liu Jiaming , Zhang Shuying , Zhu He , Zhang Xin
Published: January 2022

Climate is an essential component in the sustainability of tourism cities. Coastal tourism cities face unprecedented challenges under a changing climate. The complexity of the tourism–climate interface predicates the need for tools that can assess the weather and climate accurately. Tourism climate indices have been widely developed to evaluate the temporal and spatial distribution of climate resources, but these indices are not entirely applicable to coastal cities facing air pollution. This study developed a Coastal Tourism Climate Index (CTCI) to assess the tourism climate suitability of Chinese coastal cities. The CTCI was developed to include five variables: thermal comfort, sunshine, precipitation, wind, and air quality. This index was applied and verified in the case of nine coastal tourism cities in China compared to the Holiday Climate Index (HCI: Beach). According to the results, the CTCI is more suitable for coastal tourism climate assessment in China. Finally, corresponding countermeasures are put forward for the balanced and sustainable development of Chinese coastal tourism cities. This study takes the lead in applying big data to the development and validation of tourism climate indices. These findings provide novel insights for the tourism climate assessment of coastal destinations facing air pollution.
From Technocracy to Democracy: Ways to Promote Democratic Engagement for Just Climate Change Adaptation and Resilience Building
Authors: Olsson David
Published: January 2022

Climate change and the policy responses to it have implications in terms of (in)justice. Research in fields such as political ecology and environmental justice emphasizes the importance of policy-making addressing and responding to climate injustices. It, moreover, stresses that democratic engagement is imperative, since no universal agreement on the meaning of “justice” exists. Democratic engagement on climate (in)justice is, however, hampered by the predominance of technocratic policy frames. Considering this, knowledge of ways to promote democratic engagement is called for. This study develops such knowledge related to policy-making for climate change adaptation and resilience at the local level, in developed country contexts. Specifically, it draws on the “what’s the problem represented to be?” approach to conceptualize different styles of democratic engagement and examine the possibilities and limitations of each. From the data, comprised of previous research, representations of three styles of democratic engagement are identified and analyzed: (1) closure-oriented engagement centered on changing behaviors, (2) closure-oriented engagement centered on changing the systemic production of unjust practices, and (3) disruptive engagement centered on changing the systemic production of unjust practices. The contributions of this study are relevant to researchers, policymakers, activists and others interested in how to promote a democratization of climate policy-making.
Energy Potential and Sustainability of Straw Resources in Three Regions of Ghana
Authors: Seglah Patience Afi , Wang Yajing , Wang Hongyan , Neglo Komikouma Apelike Wobuibe , Gao Chunyu , Bi Yuyun
Published: January 2022

Anthropogenic global warming and the depletion of nonrenewable resources necessitate a transition towards bioenergy to accelerate sustainable development and carbon neutrality. This study quantified the availability and energy potential of crop (cereals, legumes, roots and tubers) straws based on data from the Northern, North East and Savannah regions in Ghana. The annual technical straw potential was 2,967,933 tonnes, whilst the crop straws with the highest technical potential were yam (935,927 tonnes), groundnut (485,236 tonnes), maize (438,926 tonnes) and soybean (374,564 tonnes). The technical energy potential of all the crop straws was 42,256 TJ, although the energy potential of yam, groundnut, maize and soybean was 13,922 TJ, 7611 TJ, 5704 TJ and 5409 TJ, respectively. There was a linear correlation between the straw produced and the energy potential per region. The Northern region (28,153 TJ) recorded the highest energy potential followed by the Savannah (8330 TJ) and North East (5773 TJ) regions. To serve as context, the research placed an emphasis on the sustainability of crop straws for bioenergy and added a brief analysis of the life cycle assessment (LCA) of bioenergy scenarios to explore the environmental sustainability of crop straw-based power generation. This study will serve as a reference in understanding LCA inference on practicable research of crop straw-based, power plant expansion in Ghana and Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA).
Stacking-Based Ensemble Learning Method for Multi-Spectral Image Classification
Authors: Aboneh Tagel , Rorissa Abebe , Srinivasagan Ramasamy
Published: January 2022

Higher dimensionality, Hughes phenomenon, spatial resolution of image data, and presence of mixed pixels are the main challenges in a multi-spectral image classification process. Most of the classical machine learning algorithms suffer from scoring optimal classification performance over multi-spectral image data. In this study, we propose stack-based ensemble-based learning approach to optimize image classification performance. In addition, we integrate the proposed ensemble learning with XGBoost method to further improve its classification accuracy. To conduct the experiment, the Landsat image data has been acquired from Bishoftu town located in the Oromia region of Ethiopia. The current study’s main objective was to assess the performance of land cover and land use analysis using multi-spectral image data. Results from our experiment indicate that, the proposed ensemble learning method outperforms any strong base classifiers with 99.96% classification performance accuracy.
Acknowledgment to Reviewers of Viruses in 2021
Authors:   Viruses Editorial Office
Published: January 2022

Rigorous peer-reviews are the basis of high-quality academic publishing [...]
Neoantigen Cancer Vaccines: Generation, Optimization, and Therapeutic Targeting Strategies
Authors: Reynolds Carson R. , Tran Son , Jain Mohit , Narendran Aru
Published: January 2022

Alternatives to conventional cancer treatments are highly sought after for high-risk malignancies that have a poor response to established treatment modalities. With research advancing rapidly in the past decade, neoantigen-based immunotherapeutic approaches represent an effective and highly tolerable therapeutic option. Neoantigens are tumor-specific antigens that are not expressed in normal cells and possess significant immunogenic potential. Several recent studies have described the conceptual framework and methodologies to generate neoantigen-based vaccines as well as the formulation of appropriate clinical trials to advance this approach for patient care. This review aims to describe some of the key studies in the recent literature in this rapidly evolving field and summarize the current advances in neoantigen identification and selection, vaccine generation and delivery, and the optimization of neoantigen-based therapeutic strategies, including the early data from pivotal clinical studies.
Municipal-to-Industrial Water Reuse via Multi-Stage and Multi-Pass Reverse Osmosis Systems: A Step from Water Scarcity towards Sustainable Development
Authors: Chan Shih-Shuo , Wu Jung-Hua
Published: January 2022

Wastewater reclamation is a promising solution to growing pressure on limited water resources. In this study we evaluated the efficiency of boron removal from effluent at a water resource recovery facility (WRRF) using a two-stage/two-pass RO membrane system. We propose using measurements of electrical conductivity (EC) as a proxy for boron concentration. We tested our approach to boron estimation and the proposed split partial second pass (SPSP) system at an established WRRF and a pilot plant we constructed at the same location. Results showed that boron in the effluent was directly related to the concentration of EC. The proposed regression equation (y = 4.959 × 10-5x + 0.138) represents a rule of thumb for wastewater plant operators. The proposed SPSP system was optimized through manipulation of operating conditions, achieving a promising total water recovery of 64% at maximum boron rejection (over 85% removal) in a manner that was both cost-effective and flexible. This study demonstrates that two-stage/two-pass split-partial permeate treatment with a high pH for boron removal offers a sustainable freshwater supply option suitable for use by the semiconductor industry.
Simulation of Wave Time Series with a Vector Autoregressive Method
Authors: Valsamidis Antonios , Cai Yuzhi , Reeve Dominic E.
Published: January 2022

Joint time series of wave height, period and direction are essential input data to computational models which are used to simulate diachronic beach evolution in coastal engineering. However, it is often impractical to collect a large amount of the required input data due to the expense. Based on the nearshore wave records offshore of Littlehampton in Southeast England over the period from 1 September 2003 to 30 June 2016, this paper presents a statistical method to obtain simulated joint time series of wave height, period and direction covering an extended time span of a decade or more. The method is based on a vector auto-regressive moving average algorithm. The simulated times series shows a satisfactory degree of stochastic agreement between original and simulated time series, including average value, marginal distribution, autocorrelation and cross-correlation structure, which are important for Monte Carlo modelling of shoreline evolution, thereby allowing ensemble prediction of shoreline response to a variable wave climate.
Comparison of the Efficiency of Deammonification under Different DO Concentrations in a Laboratory-Scale Sequencing Batch Reactor
Authors: Al-Hazmi Hussein Ezzi , Yin Zhixuan , Grubba Dominika , Majtacz Joanna Barbara , Mąkinia Jacek
Published: January 2022

The efficiency of deammonification depends on the cooperation of ammonium oxidizing bacteria and archaea (AOB/AOA), anaerobic ammonium oxidizing bacteria (AnAOB) and the effective suppression of nitrite oxidizing bacteria (NOB) that compete with AnAOB for nitrite (NO2-N). One of the effective NOB suppression strategies is intermittent aeration. However, it is important to have a good understanding of the optimum dissolved oxygen (DO) value in the aeration period and optimize the non-aeration time used during the reaction phase. This study comprised the investigation of the effect of different DO set points (0.4, 0.7, 1.0 and 1.5 mg O2/L) under the same aeration length off/on (12/3 min). Moreover, three different intermittent aeration modes (9/3, 6/3, 3/3) under the same DO set point (0.7 mg O2/L) were more investigated. The experiment was conducted for 6 months (180 days) in a laboratory-scale sequencing batch reactor (SBR) with a working volume of 10 L. The results indicated that a high N removal efficiency was achieved 74% at the DO set point = 0.7 mg O2/L during aeration strategy off/on (6/3 min) due to the low nitrate production rate (NPR) 0.9 mg N/g VSS/h and high ammonium utilization rate (AUR) 13 mg N/g VSS/h (NPR/AUR = 0.06). Mathematical modeling results confirmed that the feasible DO set point 0.7 and intermittent aeration mode off/on (6/3 min) were especially suitable for the optimal balance between the NOB suppression and keeping high activities of AOB and anammox in the system.
Heterogenization of Molecular Water Oxidation Catalysts in Electrodes for (Photo)Electrochemical Water Oxidation
Authors: Casadevall Carla
Published: January 2022

Water oxidation is still one of the most important challenges to develop efficient artificial photosynthetic devices. In recent decades, the development and study of molecular complexes for water oxidation have allowed insight into the principles governing catalytic activity and the mechanism as well as establish ligand design guidelines to improve performance. However, their durability and long-term stability compromise the performance of molecular-based artificial photosynthetic devices. In this context, heterogenization of molecular water oxidation catalysts on electrode surfaces has emerged as a promising approach for efficient long-lasting water oxidation for artificial photosynthetic devices. This review covers the state of the art of strategies for the heterogenization of molecular water oxidation catalysts onto electrodes for (photo)electrochemical water oxidation. An overview and description of the main binding strategies are provided explaining the advantages of each strategy and their scope. Moreover, selected examples are discussed together with the the differences in activity and stability between the homogeneous and the heterogenized system when reported. Finally, the common design principles for efficient (photo)electrocatalytic performance summarized.
Corporate social responsibility development strategy as a factor of sustainable development of the international hotel chain Scandic
Authors: Tretyakova T. N. , Lapina L. S.
Published: January 2022

After extensive training and many years of work in the field of environmental protection, Scandic team members and management are well aware of the environmental impact of the chain, as well as relevant strategies for environmental control and prevention of adverse environmental impacts. Scandic’s environmental work has brought the network an image of an organization committed to environmental protection with strong competitive advantages, including a more recognizable and valuable corporate brand. This was facilitated by long-term strategic work towards the development of corporate social responsibility, as well as support for achieving the goals of sustainability and environmental friendliness.
Eugène Burnouf et sa traduction du Bhāgavata Purāṇa
Authors: Couture André
Published: January 2022

Alors que les travaux d’Eugène Burnouf (1801-1852) sur les manuscrits bouddhiques et iraniens sont depuis longtemps reconnus, sa traduction du Bhāgavata Purāṇa n’a pas été suffisamment remarquée. Cet article s’interroge sur les raisons pour lesquelles Burnouf a choisi ce texte à une époque où les Purāṇas étaient encore peu connus en Occident. En plus des renseignements épars dans ses autres livres, ses articles et ses lettres, les longues préfaces dont il a accompagné ses trois volumes d’édition et de traduction restent une source d’information irremplaçable. Il ressort de cet examen que Burnouf a vite perçu les Purāṇas comme des encyclopédies autant des croyances populaires que de la science indienne, et donc comme des textes permettant de connaître et de faire connaître l’Inde réelle par-delà les systèmes extravagants dans lesquels certains érudits occidentaux voulaient l’enfermer. La conception que Burnouf se faisait du travail scientifique et le fait que Paris en possédait les meilleurs manuscrits ont également milité en faveur du choix de ce Purāṇa.
Sarcophagus lapis, la pierre qui mange la chair
Authors: Amigues Suzanne
Published: January 2022

Au début de son ouvrage Les pierres, Théophraste fait une simple allusion à «certaines [ pierres] qui ont le pouvoir de pétrifier complètement les objets placés à leur contact. » Mais dans Le feu, il dit de la même pierre que les cercueils que l’on en fait détruisent rapidement les corps. À l’époque romaine, Pline et Dioscoride donnent plus de détails sur une pierre que l’on trouve à Assos et utilisée à cet effet. Un groupe de recherche composé de géologues des universités d’Izmir et d’Istanbul a publié en 2004 le résultat de ses investigations à Assos depuis 1999 : ils ont découvert près de la ville antique plusieurs anciennes mines d’alunite et à l’intérieur de quelques sarcophages une petite quantité d’alunite destinée à accélérer la décomposition de la chair. En face d’Assos, l’île de Lesbos, patrie de Théophraste, avait plusieurs mines d’alunite dont le produit a été longtemps utilisé pour rendre les étoffes réceptives à la teinture.
Процесний підхід в управлінні повним життєвим циклом озброєння та військової техніки на засадах програмно-проєктного менеджменту
Authors: Чепков Ігор Борисович , Олійник Іван Іванович , Коробченко Сергій Олегович
Published: January 2022

У статті проаналізовані недоліки вітчизняної системи управління життєвим циклом, розглянуто підходи США щодо застосування методології програмно-проєктного управління в контексті керування повним життєвим циклом ОВТ, представлена модель життєвого циклу озброєнь в США, визначено переваги використання програмного управління та координації всіх заінтересованих сторін з єдиної структури замовника – програмного офісу, наведено нормативну основу системи управління життєвим циклом ОВТ, що використовується в НАТО, проведено класифікацію стандартів системної інженерії, досліджено застосування процесного підходу для керування взаємно узгодженими процесами життєвого циклу ОВТ і процедурами для здійснення ефективного управління ресурсами, використання інформації і технологій, зосереджено увагу на важливості використання інформаційних технологій, як критичного елементу сучасної системи управління процесами життєвого циклу.
Epidemiological and Clinical Factors Associated with Spontaneous Clearance of Hepatitis C Virus
Authors: Guenifi Wahiba , Gasmi Abdelkader , Lacheheb Abdelmadjid
Published: January 2022

BACKGROUND The risk of chronicity is high after acute hepatitis C. The infection remains limited and spontaneously resolves in an average of 30% of subjects. Such subjects are considered recovered and do not require any medical care. This study aims to evaluate the epidemiological and clinical factors associated with spontaneous viral clearance. METHODS We conducted a descriptive retrospective study on patients’ files managed for a positive hepatitis C serology who benefited from the research of serum viral RNA by molecular biology. RESULTS The study collected 429 usable files. The mean age of the patients was 50.21 years, and the sex ratio was 0.98. Spontaneous viral clearance was estimated at 17.2%. The univariate analysis showed that clearance was significantly greater in subjects under the age of 50 years, patients without type 2 diabetes, patients co-infected with hepatitis B virus, patients with transfusion, and those diagnosed fortuitously. Multivariate analysis confirmed the relationship between diabetes and the circumstances of the diagnosis. The relationship in the case of hepatitis B co-infection was very close to the statistical significance level (p=0.055). CONCLUSION The presence of hepatitis B co-infection in patients with positive hepatitis C serology predicts a high probability of having spontaneous clearance. However, advanced age and the existence of a history of blood transfusion, type 2 diabetes or suggestive signs of liver damage are associated with persistent viremia.
Differences in Duodenal Mast Cell and Eosinophil Counts Between Patients With Functional Dyspepsia and Healthy People
Authors: Hayatbakhsh Abbasi Mohammad Mahdi , Jafari Elham , Zahedi Mohammadjavad , Darvish Moghaddam Sodaif , Taghizadeh Aboozar , Kharazmi Negin
Published: January 2022

BACKGROUND Functional dyspepsia is a common, troubling, and usually chronic disorder. Although the merit of using pathological assays has not been confirmed, medications affecting eosinophils may result in some improvements. Disseminated distribution of mast cells may also be an essential factor. Given the probable associations and lack of evidenced-based data, this study was conducted to comparatively investigate the number of eosinophils and mast cells in the duodenum in functional dyspepsia patients and healthy controls. METHODS In this case-control study, 150 consecutive subjects in Kerman, Iran, were enrolled in 2015 and 2016; the subjects consisted of 100 patients with functional dyspepsia and 50 asymptomatic healthy controls. Samples from the two groups were compared for the number of eosinophils, mast cells, and Helicobacter pylori presence by grasp biopsy. RESULTS The mean number of mast cells significantly differed between the groups (P = 0.001), but the eosinophil count was similar (p > 0.05). Female gender, no opioid use, and H. pylori may increase mast cell count (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION Overall, the mast cell count was significantly different between people with functional dyspepsia and people without it, but the eosinophil count in the two groups was similar.
Determinants of Pancreatic Steatosis: A Retrospective Observational Study
Authors: Altinmakas Emre , Guler Begum , Copur Sidar , Siriopol Dimitrie , Sag Alan A. , Guneyli Serkan , Dogan Hakan , Afsar Baris , Balik Emre , Covic Adrian , Johnson Richard J. , Kanbay Mehmet
Published: January 2022

BACKGROUND Metabolic syndrome affects 35% of the adult population in developed countries associated with non-alcoholic steatohepatitis, insulin resistance, and cardiovascular events. Fatty infiltration of the pancreas, or pancreatic steatosis, is a risk factor for acute pancreatitis, pancreatic malignancies, and diabetes mellitus, yet its relationship with metabolic syndrome is not well defined. METHODS We performed a single-centered retrospective observational study of 322 healthy subjects (subjects volunteering to be kidney transplant donors, mean age=46.3±13.5, 163 men and 159 women) in the last 2 years (July 2018-February 2020) from our institution. Pancreatic steatosis and hepatosteatosis were confirmed by computed tomography. RESULTS Pancreatic steatosis was present in 26.3% (85/322) of the subjects, and this finding correlated with age, body mass index (BMI), male sex, a family history of diabetes, creatinine, cystatin C, uric acid, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, triglycerides, glycemia, hemoglobin, transverse body diameter, and subcutaneous fat thickness levels by univariable logistic regression. On multiple linear regression only age (95% CI 1.01, 1.06), BMI (95% CI 1.01, 1.19), male sex (95% CI 1.49-5.99), uric acid (95% CI 1.01, 1.76), and subcutaneous fat thickness levels (95% CI 1.21-2.36) remained independently associated with pancreatic steatosis. CONCLUSION Pancreatic steatosis is common and associated with obesity, elevated serum uric acid, subcutaneous fat thickness, and male sex. Future studies are needed to evaluate if there are specific clinical consequences to the presence of pancreatic steatosis.
Information System Design in Predicting Production Quantity with the Monte Carlo Method
Authors: Gulo Dinda Ridho Putri
Published: January 2022

Flying Horse Coffee is one of the well-known brands of ground coffee in Padang. Each period this coffee company produces large quantities of coffee, so that the manufacture of coffee only refers to the maker. Therefore, it is important to plan on the amount of coffee production so that the Company does not experience large losses due to the remaining unsold coffee because it is not precise in determining the amount of production. The purpose of this study was to determine the amount of coffee production prediction accurately in preparing the required resources. This study uses Monte Carlo Logic in planning the amount of production. The Monte Carlo method is one of the sciences that developed the same way of thinking as humans and can analyze problems that contain elements of uncertainty. The data that is processed is data on demand, supply and production based on the results of per period reports. Results This study uses the Monte Carlo method to predict the amount of coffee production accurately, from testing 44 samples of test data. The Monte Carlo method can predict the amount of production so that it can be used as a recommendation for the Company in predicting the amount of coffee production optimally. And then the company can minimize losses caused by inappropriate production
La cláusula penal en la jurisprudencia nacional
Authors: Carrillo Rodríguez Jorge Luis
Published: January 2022

En la actualidad existen serios cuestionamientos sobre la eficiencia de la cláusula penal como mecanismo compulsivo de cumplimiento y liquidación convencional de los daños. Debido a que la cláusula penal no les ofrece alguna seguridad a los contratantes, estos prefieren emplear otros mecanismos que aseguren el cumplimiento de sus obligaciones de manera efectiva, aunque pudieran representar mayores costos. En este trabajo, examinamos las funciones de la cláusula penal, así como su posible reducción y aumento.
El proceso de filiación judicial de paternidad extramatrimonial y su evolución en el tiempo
Authors: Fernández Yábar Rocío Isabel
Published: January 2022

En el presente artículo se abordan los diversos cambios del proceso de filiación judicial de paternidad extramatrimonial producidos en los últimos años y se analiza si estos han resultado positivos o negativos, sobre todo para los niños, las niñas y los adolescentes nacidos fuera del matrimonio. En esa línea, se destacan las novedades más relevantes que trajeron consigo cada una de las modificatorias de la Ley n.o 28457.
INCREASING THE ROLE OF URBAN PUBLIC TRANSPORT
Authors:   Orenburg State University, Kharkova O.M.
Published: January 2022

Urban public transport was important during its inception. The decline in the role of public transport, at the moment, is caused by a decrease in the quality of services provided by it and an increase in the number of personal vehicles among the population. We should not forget about the situation caused by the results of the pandemic and self-isolation in 2020-2021. The commercial sector is interested in working on economically profitable routes. However, vehicles at the disposal of private entrepreneurs, most often, do not meet the requirements of safety and accessibility for all citizens. Public authorities of the appropriate level are interested in increasing the attractiveness of urban public transport and the development of organizations engaged in passenger transportation, as this can have a direct impact on the development of the urban economy as a whole. This requires the development of recommendations to increase the role of public transport. To this end, this problem is considered taking into account the interests of the main participants in the market of urban public transport services, namely: authorities, carriers, consumers of passenger transport services. It is necessary to intensify the use of public-private partnership mechanisms in the field of public transport services, one of the most popular forms of which is a contract for the performance of services. There is a need to define modern requirements for the quality of service and the composition of services provided by urban transport, the terms of contracts and measures to increase the interest of commercial organizations in participating in the competition for the implementation of activities on commercially inefficient routes of urban passenger transport. It is possible to use other forms of public-private partnership, for example, such as concession, lease, benchmarking, crowdfunding (public financing).
FEATURES OF IMPROVING JAPANESE FOOD SECURITY IN THE XXI CENTURY – ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT ELEMENTS OF ENSURING THE ECONOMIC INDEPENDENCE OF THE STATE
Authors:   All-Russian Research Institute of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation, Kobets P.N.
Published: January 2022

The object of the study of this work was the analysis of the features of improving Japanese food security at the beginning of the third decade of the XXI century. This scientific work is an attempt to study the problematic issues of improving the Japanese agro-industrial policy, the most important element of ensuring state food security and, accordingly, the economic security of the country. In the course of the study, the author found that the Japanese government does not stop taking measures to reduce dependence on imports of agricultural products and to provide assistance to agricultural production. The state measures taken to improve food security have led to the fact that today Japan is assigned the third place in the world in terms of state support for individual agricultural producers. Investigating the identified problems, the author concludes that the agrarian economy is sufficiently developed in modern Japan, the state is implementing serious measures related to the support of the agro-industrial complex. These steps make it possible not only to guarantee the provision of food products to the population of the country, but also, in addition, contribute to agricultural producers, without compromising food security, to the implementation of stable export of food products abroad. At the same time, in the process of supporting agricultural production, the state takes measures to preserve the natural environment, consolidate the population in the places of their historical residence, support the life style, style and rhythm that has been rooted and established for centuries.
ASSESSMENT OF THE COMPLIANCE OF RURAL HUMAN CAPITAL WITH THE CONDITIONS OF ITS DEVELOPMENT
Authors:   Voronezh Federal Agrarian Research Center named after V.V. Dokuchaev, Zakshevsky V. G. , Novikova I. N. ,   Voronezh Federal Agrarian Research Center named after V.V. Dokuchaev
Published: January 2022

Theoretical and practical developments in the field of human capital development and ensuring the processes of its use can be found in various works of Russian and foreign authors. The results of scientific works create the necessary basis for studying the human capital of rural areas. At the same time, despite a significant number of studies, a number of issues such as the assessment of rural human capital, criteria and indicators of its formation, as well as the features of such measurements related to the specifics of rural areas, require the development of new methodological approaches. The existing methods, firstly, do not always determine both the level of human capital in rural areas and the conditions for its formation, and, secondly, they include various indicator systems that are difficult to interpret when conducting a study. In this regard, the results of such assessments lead to significant discrepancies in the size of rural human capital and, accordingly, it is impossible to take the necessary management measures for its normal reproduction and development in accordance with the conditions of formation. Therefore, the purpose of the article was to develop a methodology based on a point-rating assessment of the level of human capital of rural territories by its elements (health, education, culture and sports) and the conditions of its formation (demographic and migration, infrastructure, socio-economic), testing, which in the context of the regions of the Russian Federation using cluster analysis revealed the types of rural territories with different degrees of balance. The practical application of the developed methodology made it possible to identify the leading regions and outsider regions, which will help the authorities to make timely management decisions to equalize the current situation in rural areas of the regions.
CHANGE-MANAGEMENT AND AGILE-METHODS IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE COMPANY'S MOTIVATIONAL POLICY
Authors:   National Research Mordovian State University named after N.P. Ogarev, Leonenko E.A. , Kunev S.V. ,   National Research Mordovian State University named after N.P. Ogarev
Published: January 2022

The introduction of flexible project methods, or agile transformation, is perceived by many as a magic pill that will instantly solve most of the existing problems. But in practice, it turns out that it is not as easy to effectively carry out agile transformation as it seemed: some approaches do not work partially or at all, employees (from an ordinary manager to a top) desperately resist innovations, and more time is spent on the transition to flexible project management than we would like. The modern economic reality is changing rapidly, and customer expectations are changing no less quickly. The speed of change encourages companies to invest heavily in digital and agile transformations that allow them to scale and bring the benefits of agile teams to the level of the entire enterprise. However, few people achieve the desired results. To fully implement digital or agile transformation, commercial and technology teams must achieve and maintain consistency. Full company-wide consistency is the most important condition for competitiveness in the modern economy. The difficulty of combining agile teams into an agile company lies in the emerging gap between the teams that perform the work and the teams that distribute the funding. To bridge this gap, managers need the opportunity to: - increase visibility – visually present the work in backlogs (for plans) and demonstrations (for new solutions); - understand the workflow – analyze step-by-step results in order to assess progress in achieving the final results; - optimize investments – change the strategy or persistently follow the plan, redistributing funds to maximize the acceleration of value delivery. In an effort to achieve and maintain consistency, companies often find that traditional methods of portfolio management are ineffective. Instead, many implement Lean Portfolio Management methods to ensure consistency throughout the organization. The Lean Portfolio Management (LPM) methodology describes the principles of lean management that top management applies to align strategy with execution. Portfolio management teams study the company's strategies and allocate budget funds for the implementation of this strategy.
THE CONCEPT OF LOGISTICS BARTER IS PRIMARY - THE REST IS LATER
Authors:   Naberezhnye Chelny Institute (branch) of the Kazan (Volga Region) Federal University, Gabdullin L.V.
Published: January 2022

In the economy, a huge role is played by those who have nothing to do with real production activities. Speculation is showing its results now, which has been feverish for the world economy for a year. This problem can be corrected by barter relations between producers and integrated logistics, that is, logistics barter. The theory of logistics barter (barter logistics) does not refuse money, but ignores it between producers. Logistics has reached and is reaching such heights when the need for a" universal equivalent of goods " between manufacturers simply disappears! New LBP providers are being considered, which are not a service element of the economy, they are themselves operators of another economic system, where there is no place for money and banks between producers. At the moment, the "ceiling" of supply chain management is 5PL providers, but for logistics barter, 6, 7 ... PL providers will be needed, or they should be called LBP providers (provider logistics barter) because there should be a completely different, dominant representation of the role of logistics and logistics barter in the new economy. Logistics barter-web, spider-LBP provider. Logistics barter operators (providers) in development must meet not only the requirements of logistics barter between manufacturers, but also respond to new challenges of supply chains. An LBP provider may exceed the capabilities of the barter logistics reference requirement, because the operator is not only engaged in replacing monetary relations, but generally works to improve the supply chain. It should be understood that the theory of a new economy based on logistics barter assumes a developed infrastructure, i.e. a super system of supply chain management based on LBP providers. In the future, the concept of logistics barter is primary - the rest is later.