bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Influence of Zinc Waste Filler on the Tribological and Mechanical Properties of Silicone-Based Composites
Authors: Mrówka Maciej , Woźniak Anna , Prężyna Seweryn , Sławski Sebastian
Published: February 2021

Silicones are often used for various types of coatings, but due to their poor mechanical properties, they often require modification to meet specific requirements. At the same time, various production processes throughout the world generate different types of waste, the disposal of which is harmful to the environment. One possible solution is to use production waste as a filler. In this paper, the authors investigated how the use of metallurgical production waste products as fillers changed the mechanical properties of silicone composites prepared by casting. Composite samples were characterized using tensile tests, resilience, pin-on-disc, Schopper–Schlobach abrasion, hardness, and density measurements. Based on the obtained results, the authors assessed the effect of each of the fillers used in different weight proportions. The results showed that the silicone composite filled with 5 wt% zinc dust showed the lowest decrease in tensile strength and Young’s modulus, with a simultaneous significant reduction in abrasion compared with the reference sample. This research shows that zinc waste can be successfully introduced into a silicone matrix in cases where it is important to reduce abrasive wear.
Wood Fuel Procurement to Bioenergy Facilities: Analysis of Moisture Content Variability and Optimal Sampling Strategy
Authors: Leoni Elena , Mancini Manuela , Aminti Giovanni , Picchi Gianni
Published: February 2021

Moisture content is the most relevant quality parameter for wood fuels. Effective and fast determination of moisture of incoming feedstock is essential in the management of bioenergy facilities. The availability of fast and reliable moisture meters based on innovative technologies simplifies this task. However, in Mediterranean conditions the inherent variability of wood fuels calls for a careful sampling strategy if representative results are required while facing acceptable analytic costs. The present study is aimed at measuring the fuel heterogeneity and defining accordingly the appropriate number of samples to be analyzed in order to get reliable moisture-content results. A total of 70 truckloads (about 2270 t of woodchips) were sampled during commercial operations in two different seasons. Five samples were collected from each load and measured with standard method and magnetic resonance gauge. Results show that the variability of moisture content is influenced by mixing of species and storage of biomass. Heterogeneity can vary greatly also within single truckloads, to the point that three samples are needed to achieve about 90% of estimates within the desired precision limits. In the case of larger lots, such as barge or ship loads, 20 samples can provide sufficient precision in most scenarios.
Production of Electricity and Heat from Biomass Wastes Using a Converted Aircraft Turbine AI-20
Authors: Roman Kamil , Barwicki Jan , Hryniewicz Marek , Szadkowska Dominika , Szadkowski Jan
Published: February 2021

The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of biomass micronization on energy production using a converted aircraft turbine AI-20. The test system was constructed in such a way to ensure continuous operation for a given period of time and was equipped in a chopper, a flail mill, and a micronizer. The turbine had the ability to produce energy from solid biomass and as well conventional fuels. The most energy was obtained from absolutely dry sunflower husk (17.27 MJ/kg) and the least from Poplar (7.82 MJ/kg). Miscanthus, wheat straw, and hay (approximately 17 MJ/kg) showed high values of energy production. In addition, the thermal decomposition of wheat straw at 350 and 450 °C was studied using the Py-GC/MS technique in a helium atmosphere to determine the gaseous compounds formed during biomass gasification under anaerobic conditions. The results obtained indicate the formation of compounds classified as phenols (vanillin, hydroxymethylfurfural).
White Pop, Shiny Armour and a Sling and Stone: Indigenous Expressions of Contemporary Congregational Song Exploring Christian-Māori Identity
Authors: Said Shannon
Published: February 2021

It has taken many years for different styles of music to be utilised within Pentecostal churches as acceptable forms of worship. These shifts in musical sensibilities, which draw upon elements of pop, rock and hip hop, have allowed for a contemporisation of music that functions as worship within these settings, and although still debated within and across some denominations, there is a growing acceptance amongst Western churches of these styles. Whilst these developments have taken place over the past few decades, there is an ongoing resistance by Pentecostal churches to embrace Indigenous musical expressions of worship, which are usually treated as token recognitions of minority groups, and at worst, demonised as irredeemable musical forms. This article draws upon interview data with Christian-Māori leaders from New Zealand and focus group participants of a diaspora Māori church in southwest Sydney, Australia, who considered their views as Christian musicians and ministers. These perspectives seek to challenge the relationship between Indigenous and non-Indigenous relations within a church setting and create a more inclusive philosophy and practice towards being ‘one in Christ’ with the role of music as worship acting as a case study throughout. It also considers how Indigenous forms of worship impact cultural identity, where Christian worship drawing upon Māori language and music forms has led to deeper connections to congregants’ cultural backgrounds.
Care of the Common Good as a Responsibility of Business Leaders. Catholic Social Teaching Perspective
Authors: Marek Agnieszka , Jabłoński Arkadiusz
Published: February 2021

The aim of this article is to propose the adoption of a Catholic social teaching (CST) perspective as a universal approach to business ethics. We assume that the common good, as understood in CST, is an extension of the Aristotelian and Thomistic concepts of the organic relations between economics and ethics, which, prior to the Enlightment, was a basic rational way of management (oikonomia). We aim to show both the influence of religious ethics on the shape of economic life and the influence of the Catholic understanding of the common good on leadership. CST encourages business leaders to focus not only on the material, but also the transcendental aims of human work and life. From this perspective, the responsibility of a business leader can be understood as a practical realisation of the Commandment of Love and divided into three levels, each of which contributes to the common good. On the micro level, leaders are responsible for their own actions; on the mezzo level, they are responsible for the organisations they lead—especially for their employees—and on the macro level, they should be responsible for actions towards external stakeholders, which might ultimately be extended to the world as a whole. In this way, leaders can cooperate with God and contribute to the common good of their organisations, society, and humanity.
An Assessment of the Filling Process of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam and Its Impact on the Downstream Countries
Authors: Kansara Prakrut , Li Wenzhao , El-Askary Hesham , Lakshmi Venkataraman , Piechota Thomas , Struppa Daniele , Abdelaty Sayed Mohamed
Published: February 2021

The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), formerly known as the Millennium Dam, has been filling at a fast rate. This project has created issues for the Nile Basin countries of Egypt, Sudan, and Ethiopia. The filling of GERD has an impact on the Nile Basin hydrology and specifically the water storages (lakes/reservoirs) and flow downstream. In this study, through the analysis of multi-source satellite imagery, we study the filling of the GERD reservoir. The time-series generated using Sentinel-1 SAR imagery displays the number of classified water pixels in the dam from early June 2017 to September 2020, indicating a contrasting trend in August and September 2020 for the upstream/downstream water bodies: upstream of the dam rises steeply, while downstream decreases. Our time-series analysis also shows the average monthly precipitation (derived using IMERG) in the Blue Nile Basin in Ethiopia has received an abnormally high amount of rainfall as well as a high amount of runoff (analyzed using GLDAS output). Simultaneously, the study also demonstrates the drying trend downstream at Lake Nasser in Southern Egypt before December 2020. From our results, we estimate that the volume of water at GERD has already increased by 3.584 billion cubic meters, which accounts for about 5.3% of its planned capacity (67.37 billion cubic meters) from 9 July–30 November 2020. Finally, we observed an increasing trend in GRACE anomalies for GERD, whereas, for the Lake Nasser, we observed a decreasing trend. In addition, our study discusses potential interactions between GERD and the rainfall and resulting flood in Sudan. Our study suggests that attention should be drawn to the connection between the GERD filling and potential drought in the downstream countries during the upcoming dry spells in the Blue Nile River Basin. This study provides an open-source technique using Google Earth Engine (GEE) to monitor the changes in water level during the filling of the GERD reservoir. GEE proves to be a powerful as well as an efficient way of analyzing computationally intensive SAR images.
An Identification Method for Rotor Direction Based on Charge Induction
Authors: Chang Ronghui , Zhang Limin , Lin Jiaqun , Yan Feng , Chen Yong
Published: February 2021

The detection of rotor motion is always key to ensure the normal operation of industrial sewing machines. This paper presents a novel method for rotor detection based on charge induction mechanism, which is suitable for industrial environments with high noise and electromagnetic radiation and is easy to install. Firstly, the principle of measuring rotor rotation based on charge induction is given. Then, the detection model of rotor direction identification based on two detection electrodes is established. Finally, details are given of the detection circuit design and the experiment that was carried out. The results show that the proposed method can effectively identify the noncontact rotor direction with and without occlusion, indicating that the method has excellent anti-interference capability. The accuracy of the method can be further improved by increasing the sampling rate and sampling points of the system.
Drivers of Timberline Dynamics in Rodna Montains, Northern Carpathians, Romania, over the Last 131 Years
Authors: Mihăilă Dumitru , Bistricean Petruț-Ionel , Horodnic Vasilică-Dănuț
Published: February 2021

Currently, there is little information regarding the recent spatiotemporal dynamics of upper timberline in the Carpathian Mountains. We reconstructed the temporal (1887–2018) and spatial dynamics of upper timberline in the Rodna Mountains (Eastern Carpathians) based on seven sets of maps and aerial photographs and explained its variability in relation to three main drivers: air temperature, land morphometry and anthropogenic pressure. The impact of natural drivers (temperature, morphometry) on timberline position was evaluated using a high-resolution digital elevation model, local and regional instrumental and modelled climate databases. The impact of anthropogenic factors on timberline position was documented from published sources such as local paleolimnological studies and historical documents. Results show that timberline rose on average with 113 ± 2 m on the northern slope of the Rodna Mts (currently reaching 1640 m above sea level (a.s.l.)) and with 182 ± 2 m on the southern slope (up to an elevation of 1539 m a.s.l.). Our results suggest that this pattern might be connected with the rising temperature over the recent decades. On the northern slope where land morphometry restricts anthropogenic activities, timberline reached the highest elevation. On the more accessible southern slope, anthropogenic land-use changes likely moderated timberline elevational rise under increasing temperatures.
Fatigue Life Prediction for Semi-Closed Noise Barrier of High-Speed Railway under Wind Load
Authors: Wu Xiaoping , Zhu Ye , Xian Lingxiao , Huang Yingkai
Published: February 2021

The fatigue state of the semi-closed noise barrier directly affects driving safety, and replacement after damage leads to train delays and increased operating costs. It is more eco-friendly and sustainable to predict the fatigue life of noise barriers to reinforce the structure in time. However, previous life prediction methods provide a limited reference in the design stage. In this study, a novel fatigue life prediction method for noise barriers was proposed. The computational fluid dynamics and finite element model of the semi-closed noise barrier were established and subjected to simulated natural wind and train aerodynamic impulse wind loads to calculate the stress time-history on the noise barrier. Based on the rain flow counting method and Miner linear cumulative fatigue damage theory, the fatigue life of noise barriers in three Chinese cities was predicted. The results show that the fatigue life of the noise barrier is closely related to the wind conditions and train operation modes. Targeted reinforcement for noise barriers in different fatigue states can save materials and reduce maintenance workload. Moreover, the influence of wind load on the noise barrier was summarized, and engineering suggestions on prolonging the fatigue life of noise barriers were put forward.
Financial Sustainability and Earnings Management in the Spanish Sports Federations: A Multi-Theoretical Approach
Authors: Guevara Juan Carlos , Martín Emilio , Arcas María José
Published: February 2021

The objective of this study is to analyze, from a multi-theoretical framework, whether the managers of the Spanish National Sports Federations (NSFs) apply earnings management using accounting accruals as a measure of managerial discretion; secondly, whether these practices are associated with both the level of dependence on external resources, and the economic and financial control mechanisms exercised by the Superior Sports Council (Consejo Superior de Deportes, CSD) for the granting of public subsidies. The study provides evidence that long-term debt levels and the size of sports federations are determinants of earnings management, with a more accentuated relationship in the case of Olympic and Paralympic sports federations.
Effects of an 8-Week Yoga-Based Physical Exercise Intervention on Teachers’ Burnout
Authors: Latino Francesca , Cataldi Stefania , Fischetti Francesco
Published: February 2021

The purpose of this quasi-experimental study was to investigate the efficacy of an 8-week yoga-based physical exercise program to improve mental and emotional well-being and consequently reduce burnout among teachers. We considered yoga because it is a discipline that enhances body awareness and encourages the contact with nature and the respect for every form of life, with a view to a more sustainable and greener global system. We recruited 40 professional educators (40–47 years), teachers in a public high school who reported perceiving signs of stress and emotional discomfort. We randomly assigned the 40 professional educators to either an experimental yoga practice (~60 min, twice a week) group (n = 20) or a control group (n = 20) that received a nonspecific training program (~60 min, twice a week). At baseline and after training we administered the Maslach Burnout Inventory: Educators Survey (MBI-ES) and the State Mindfulness Scale (SMS) to assess teachers’ perceived level of awareness and professional burnout. We found a significant Time × Group interaction for the MBI-ES and SMS, reflecting a meaningful experimental group improvement (p < 0.001). No significant pre–post changes were found in the control group. The results suggest that an 8-week yoga practice could aid teachers to achieve a greater body and emotional awareness and prevent professional burnout.
Developing a Regional Drive Cycle Using GPS-Based Trajectory Data from Rideshare Passenger Cars: A Case of Chengdu, China
Authors: Han Bing , Wu Ziheng , Gu Chaoyi , Ji Kui , Xu Jiangang
Published: February 2021

A drive cycle describes the microscopic and macroscopic vehicle activity information that is crucial for emission quantification research, e.g., emission modeling or emission testing. Well-developed drive cycles capture the driving patterns representing the traffic conditions of the study area, which usually are employed as the input of the emission models. By considering the potential of large-scale GPS trajectory data collected by ubiquitous on-vehicle tracking equipment, the objective of this study is to demonstrate the capability of GPS-based trajectory data from rideshare passenger cars for urban drive cycle development. Large-scale GPS trajectory data and order data collected by an app-based transportation vehicle was used in this study. GPS data were filtered by thresholds of instantaneous accelerations and vehicle specific powers. The micro-trip selection-to-rebuild method with operating mode distribution was used to develop a series of speed-bin categorized representative drive cycles. Sensitivity of the time-of-day and day-of-week were analyzed on the developed drive cycles. The representativeness of the developed drive cycles was verified and significant differences exist when they are compared to the default light-duty drive cycles coded in MOVES. The findings of this study can be used for helping drive cycle development and emission modeling, further improving the understanding of localized emission levels.
Towards Tissue-Specific Stem Cell Therapy for the Intervertebral Disc: PPARδ Agonist Increases the Yield of Human Nucleus Pulposus Progenitor Cells in Expansion
Authors: Zhang Xingshuo , Guerrero Julien , Croft Andreas , Oswald Katharina , Albers Christoph , Häckel Sonja , Gantenbein Benjamin
Published: February 2021

(1) Background: Low back pain (LBP) is often associated with intervertebral disc degeneration (IVDD). Autochthonous progenitor cells isolated from the center, i.e., the nucleus pulposus, of the IVD (so-called nucleus pulposus progenitor cells (NPPCs)) could be a future cell source for therapy. The NPPCs were also identified to be positive for the angiopoietin-1 receptor (Tie2). Similar to hematopoietic stem cells, Tie2 might be involved in peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor delta (PPARδ) agonist-induced self-renewal regulation. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether a PPARδ agonist (GW501516) increases the Tie2+ NPPCs’ yield within the heterogeneous nucleus pulposus cell (NPC) population. (2) Methods: Primary NPCs were treated with 10 µM of GW501516 for eight days. Mitochondrial mass was determined by microscopy, using mitotracker red dye, and the relative gene expression was quantified by qPCR, using extracellular matrix and mitophagy-related genes. (3) The NPC’s group treated with the PPARδ agonist showed a significant increase of the Tie2+ NPCs yield from ~7% in passage 1 to ~50% in passage two, compared to the NPCs vehicle-treated group. Furthermore, no significant differences were found among treatment and control, using qPCR and mitotracker deep red. (4) Conclusion: PPARδ agonist could help to increase the Tie2+ NPCs yield during NPC expansion.
Prediction of Disease Free Survival in Laryngeal and Hypopharyngeal Cancers Using CT Perfusion and Radiomic Features: A Pilot Study
Authors: Woolen Sean , Virkud Apurva , Hadjiiski Lubomir , Cha Kenny , Chan Heang-Ping , Swiecicki Paul , Worden Francis , Srinivasan Ashok
Published: February 2021

(1) Purpose: The objective was to evaluate CT perfusion and radiomic features for prediction of one year disease free survival in laryngeal and hypopharyngeal cancer. (2) Method and Materials: This retrospective study included pre and post therapy CT neck studies in 36 patients with laryngeal/hypopharyngeal cancer. Tumor contouring was performed semi-autonomously by the computer and manually by two radiologists. Twenty-six radiomic features including morphological and gray-level features were extracted by an internally developed and validated computer-aided image analysis system. The five perfusion features analyzed included permeability surface area product (PS), blood flow (flow), blood volume (BV), mean transit time (MTT), and time-to-maximum (Tmax). One year persistent/recurrent disease data were obtained following the final treatment of definitive chemoradiation or after total laryngectomy. We performed a two-loop leave-one-out feature selection and linear discriminant analysis classifier with generation of receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves and confidence intervals (CI). (3) Results: 10 patients (28%) had recurrence/persistent disease at 1 year. For prediction, the change in blood flow demonstrated a training AUC of 0.68 (CI 0.47–0.85) and testing AUC of 0.66 (CI 0.47–0.85). The best features selected were a combination of perfusion and radiomic features including blood flow and computer-estimated percent volume changes-training AUC of 0.68 (CI 0.5–0.85) and testing AUC of 0.69 (CI 0.5–0.85). The laryngoscopic percent change in volume was a poor predictor with a testing AUC of 0.4 (CI 0.16–0.57). (4) Conclusions: A combination of CT perfusion and radiomic features are potential predictors of one-year disease free survival in laryngeal and hypopharyngeal cancer patients.
Identifying Robust Radiomics Features for Lung Cancer by Using In-Vivo and Phantom Lung Lesions
Authors: Lu Lin , Sun Shawn H. , Afran Aaron , Yang Hao , Lu Zheng Feng , So James , Schwartz Lawrence H. , Zhao Binsheng
Published: February 2021

We propose a novel framework for determining radiomics feature robustness by considering the effects of both biological and noise signals. This framework is preliminarily tested in a study predicting the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutation status in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients. Pairs of CT images (baseline, 3-week post therapy) of 46 NSCLC patients with known EGFR mutation status were collected and a FDA-customized anthropomorphic thoracic phantom was scanned on two vendors’ scanners at four different tube currents. Delta radiomics features were extracted from the NSCLC patient CTs and reproducible, non-redundant, and informative features were identified. The feature value differences between EGFR mutant and EGFR wildtype patients were quantitatively measured as the biological signal. Similarly, radiomics features were extracted from the phantom CTs. A pairwise comparison between settings resulted in a feature value difference that was quantitatively measured as the noise signal. Biological signals were compared to noise signals at each setting to determine if the distributions were significantly different by two-sample t-test, and thus robust. Four optimal features were selected to predict EGFR mutation status, Tumor-Mass, Sigmoid-Offset-Mean, Gabor-Energy and DWT-Energy, which quantified tumor mass, tumor-parenchyma density transition at boundary, line-like pattern inside tumor and intratumoral heterogeneity, respectively. The first three variables showed robustness across the majority of studied CT acquisition parameters. The textual feature DWT-Energy was less robust. The proposed framework was able to determine robustness of radiomics features at specific settings by comparing biological signal to noise signal. Identification of robust radiomics features may improve the generalizability of radiomics models in future studies.
Publisher’s Note: Continued Publication of Tomography by MDPI
Authors: Vazquez Franck
Published: February 2021

Tomography was launched in 2015 and has published international and multidisciplinary research on all aspects of imaging science, spanning from basic research to clinical trials [...]
Non-Transgenic CRISPR-Mediated Knockout of Entire Ergot Alkaloid Gene Clusters in Slow-Growing Asexual Polyploid Fungi
Authors: Florea Simona , Jaromczyk Jolanta , Schardl Christopher L.
Published: February 2021

The Epichloë species of fungi include seed-borne symbionts (endophytes) of cool-season grasses that enhance plant fitness, although some also produce alkaloids that are toxic to livestock. Selected or mutated toxin-free endophytes can be introduced into forage cultivars for improved livestock performance. Long-read genome sequencing revealed clusters of ergot alkaloid biosynthesis (EAS) genes in Epichloë coenophiala strain e19 from tall fescue (Lolium arundinaceum) and Epichloë hybrida Lp1 from perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne). The two homeologous clusters in E. coenophiala—a triploid hybrid species—were 196 kb (EAS1) and 75 kb (EAS2), and the E. hybrida EAS cluster was 83 kb. As a CRISPR-based approach to target these clusters, the fungi were transformed with ribonucleoprotein (RNP) complexes of modified Cas9 nuclease (Cas9-2NLS) and pairs of single guide RNAs (sgRNAs), plus a transiently selected plasmid. In E. coenophiala, the procedure generated deletions of EAS1 and EAS2 separately, as well as both clusters simultaneously. The technique also gave deletions of the EAS cluster in E. hybrida and of individual alkaloid biosynthesis genes (dmaW and lolC) that had previously proved difficult to delete in E. coenophiala. Thus, this facile CRISPR RNP approach readily generates non-transgenic endophytes without toxin genes for use in research and forage cultivar improvement.
Leptomeningeal Carcinomatosis of a Poorly Differentiated Cervical Carcinoma Caused by Human Papillomavirus Type 18
Authors: Zorzato Pierpaolo , Zambon Mattia , Gori Silvia , Frayle Helena , Gervasi Maria Teresa , Del Mistro Annarosa
Published: February 2021

Cervical cancer is caused by a persistent infection with high-risk types of Papillomaviruses (hrHPV); HPV16 and HPV18 are associated with about 70% of the cases. In the last decades the introduction of a cervical cancer screening has allowed a decrease in cervical cancer incidence and mortality; regular adhesion to the screening procedures, by pap test or HPV test, and colposcopy, according to the international guidelines, prevents cancer development and allows for diagnosis at the early stages. Nowadays, in industrialized countries, it is not common to diagnose this pathology in advanced stages, and this occurrence is frequently associated with patient’s unattendance of cervical screening programs. We describe a case of delayed diagnosis of cervical cancer, posed only after the onset of the neurological symptoms caused by leptomeningeal metastases, despite a two-year history of abnormal cytology. The endocervical mass was analyzed by immunohistochemistry, and search and typing of HPV sequences was performed by PCR in the meningeal carcinomatous cells. A poorly differentiated squamous cell carcinoma was diagnosed, and HPV18 sequences were detected. This rapidly fatal case highlights the importance of following the evidence-based recommended protocols and the preventive role of the population-based cervical cancer screening programs.
A Novel Effective and Safe Vaccine for Prevention of Marek’s Disease Caused by Infection with a Very Virulent Plus (vv+) Marek’s Disease Virus
Authors: Liao Yifei , Reddy Sanjay M. , Khan Owais A. , Sun Aijun , Lupiani Blanca
Published: February 2021

Marek’s disease virus (MDV) is a highly contagious alphaherpesvirus that causes rapid onset lymphoma in chickens. Marek’s disease (MD) is effectively controlled using vaccination; however, MDV continues to break through vaccinal immunity, due to the emergence of highly virulent field strains. Earlier studies revealed that deletion of the meq gene from MDV resulted in an attenuated virus that protects against MD in chickens challenged with highly virulent field strains. However, the meq deleted virus retains the ability to induce significant lymphoid organ atrophy. In a different study, we found that the deletion of the vIL8 gene resulted in the loss of lymphoid organ atrophy in inoculated chickens. Here, we describe the generation of a recombinant MDV from which both meq and vIL8 genes were deleted. In vitro studies revealed that the meq and vIL8 double deletion virus replicated at levels similar to the parental very virulent plus (vv+) virus. In addition, in vivo studies showed that the double deletion mutant virus (686BAC-ΔMeqΔvIL8) conferred protection comparable to CVI988, a commercial vaccine strain, when challenged with a vv+ MDV virus, and significantly reduced lymphoid organ atrophy, when compared to meq null virus, in chickens. In conclusion, our study describes the development of a safe and effective vaccine candidate for prevention of MD in chickens.
Can Irrigation Conditions Improve Farmers’ Subjective Well-being? An Investigation in Rural Pakistan
Authors: Nadeem Abdul Majeed , Ali Tariq , Wei Wei , Cui Qi , Huang Shaoan
Published: February 2021

In many developing countries, including Pakistan, the enormous water losses due to outdated irrigation infrastructure threaten livelihoods and food security, while investment in the development of efficiency improvements can help the countries to cope with water scarcity and improve farmers’ wellbeing. This study evaluates how rural farmers’ decisions regarding improving irrigation watercourses and other irrigation conditions affect their wellbeing. We employ hypothesis testing and an ordered logit model on field survey data of 300 farming households from rural Pakistan. The mean test results suggest that farmers on lined watercourses are happier than those on unlined and partially lined watercourses. The regression results suggest that farmers on a fully lined watercourse have higher wellbeing than those on a partially lined watercourse. The time taken by canal water and groundwater to reach farmers’ land reduces their wellbeing. Irrigation quotas, the return of stolen water and the distance of groundwater sources from land have positive effects on farmers’ wellbeing. The study establishes a strong correlation between irrigation conditions, improved irrigation network and farmers’ wellbeing.
A System Dynamics Model of the Community-Based Rural Drinking Water Supply Program (PAMSIMAS) in Indonesia
Authors: Daniel D. , Prawira Julivius , Al Djono Trimo Pamudji , Subandriyo S. , Rezagama Arya , Purwanto Aries
Published: February 2021

The sustainability of the water supply program in developing countries is influenced by many inter-linked and dynamic factors, suggesting the need to analyse the system behaviour of the water supply program. However, no study analyses factors influencing the sustainability of rural drinking water supply programs holistically, and this study aims to fill that gap. This study utilized a system dynamics approach based on a case study of a community-based rural drinking water supply program (PAMSIMAS in Bahasa) in Magelang Regency, Indonesia. Five sustainability aspects were considered in the model development and simulation: financial, institutional, environmental, technical, and social aspects. Eight scenario analyses related to those five aspects were conducted. The causal loop diagrams suggest that the overall loop in the system is reinforcing, meaning that the improvement in one aspect will improve the overall condition of the system and deterioration in one aspect will reduce the overall condition of the system. Scenario analysis shows that external fund is critical to support the program financially, especially at the beginning of the project when the piped system is being built and water revenue is still low. Scenario and sensitivity analyses revealed that human factors, i.e., the performance of the water board and response and support from the community, positively influence the sustainability of the water supply program. Additionally, the water board plays a key role in accelerating the pipe network growth. Finally, this paper argues that visualising and simulating the causal relationship and dynamic behaviour of the rural water supply program are critical for water stakeholders to better design and implement the water supply program.
Investigation and Optimization of Chitosan Performance in Flocculating Kaolin Suspensions Using a Real-Time Suspending Solid Concentration Measuring Method
Authors: Xu Yan , Gan Kemin , Liang Siyi , Liu Haitao , Wang Qunhui
Published: February 2021

The performance of chitosan in flocculating kaolin suspensions was investigated. A real-time suspended solid (SS) concentration measuring method was applied. The influence of pH was examined from 2.0 to 13.0. The optimal pH value for low-grade (100 mg/L), middle-grade (500 mg/L), and high-grade (1000 mg/L) kaolin suspension samples was 8.0. The optimal dosage of chitosan for the three grades of kaolin suspensions was 5.0 mg/L, regardless of the initial SS concentration. An orthogonal array test was performed to determine the optimal hydraulic conditions. Range analysis and variance analysis showed that all four considered factors significantly influenced the flocculation performance of chitosan in the following order: paddle rotation speed in the mixing period > paddle rotation speed in the flocculating period > mixing period time > flocculating period time. Intermittent agitation tests were also performed, showing that alternating agitation and settling enhanced the flocculation performance of chitosan.
Marker-assisted introgression of myostatin from Texel to Ramlıç sheep: Growth and real-time ultrasound carcass traits in F1 and BC1 lambs
Authors: ÇELİKELOĞLU Koray , TEKERLİ Mustafa , ERDOĞAN Metin , KOÇAK Serdar , YAZICI Ebubekir , GÜCÜYENER HACAN Özlem , BOZKURT Zehra , ÇİNKAYA Samet , DEMİRTAŞ Mustafa
Published: February 2021

The aim of the study was to evaluate live weights, body measurements, and real-time ultrasound carcass traits of F1 and BC1 genotypes in a marker assisted introgression (MAI) process. Effects of some factors on live weight and body measurements including ultrasonographic assessments in Musculus longissimus dorsi (MLD) were investigated at the F1 (n=51) and BC1 (n=99) cross lambs born in 2015 – 2017 period. Variance analysis showed that genotype had significant (P < 0.001) effect on pre- and post-weaning growth characteristics. The birth type had significant (P < 0.05) effect on pre- and post-weaning growth traits. Live weights at twelve months of age were higher in heavier born lambs. The growth performance of F1 lambs was between Texel and Ramlıç. Myostatin heterozygous BC1 lambs had been potentially heavier than the non-carriers and pure Texel. MLD depth and area were also statistically higher (P < 0.05) in BC1 lambs carrying myostatin than non - carriers. As a result, the beginning phase of introgression processes implemented was found to be successful
MULTIFUNCTIONAL SETTLEMENTS ON THE MOON BY THE MARCHI EXPERIMENTAL PROJECTS
Authors: Malaya E. , Galeev S. , Nechaev A. , Leonov V.
Published: February 2021

The article is devoted to the architectural search for an artistic image and the study of the design features of future settlements on the Moon for space explorers. The demonstration of the works of the participants of the competition speaks about the interest of future architects in the development of such topics of scientific and design experimental research. The most incredible and wonderful ideas are always formed within the walls of the Moscow Architectural Institute. But this article is about Space Cities. In discussions, conversations, after lectures, the creation of the Lunar City project takes place. The article presents a brief excursion into the history of the development of the question of the exploration of the Moon in different periods. The article presents the best student work completed as part of the clause assignment and the competition for the creation of settlements on the Moon
Towards Core Competencies for Health Policy and Systems Research (HPSR) Training: Results From a Global Mapping and Consensus-Building Process
Authors: Schleiff Meike J. , Rangnekar Avanti , Oviedo Gomez Francisco , Teddy Gina , Peters David H. , Balabanova Dina
Published: February 2021

Background: As the field of health policy and systems research (HPSR) continues to grow, there is a recognition of the need for training in HPSR. This aspiration has translated into a multitude of teaching programmes of variable scope and quality, reflecting a lack of consensus on the skills and practices required for rigorous HPSR. The purpose of this paper is to identify an agreed set of core competencies for HPSR researchers, building on the previous work by the Health Systems Global (HSG) Thematic Working Group on Teaching & Learning. Methods: Our methods involved an iterative approach of four phases including a literature review, key informant interviews and group discussions with HPSR educators, and webinars with pre-post surveys capturing views among the global HPSR community. The phased discussions and consensus-building contributed to the evolution of the HPSR competency domains and competencies framework. Results: Emerging domains included understanding health systems complexity, assessing policies and programs, appraising data and evidence, ethical reasoning and practice, leading and mentoring, building partnerships, and translating and utilizing knowledge and HPSR evidence. The development of competencies and their application were often seen as a continuous process spanning evidence generation, partnering, communicating and helping to identify new critical health systems questions. Conclusion: The HPSR competency set can be seen as a useful reference point in the teaching and practice of high-quality HPSR and can be adapted based on national priorities, the particularities of local contexts, and the needs of stakeholders (HPSR researchers and educators), as well as practitioners and policy-makers. Further research is needed in using the core competency set to design national training programmes, develop locally relevant benchmarks and assessment methods, and evaluate their use in different settings.
How Can Reasoned Transparency Enhance Co-Creation in Healthcare and Remedy the Pitfalls of Digitization in Doctor-Patient Relationships?
Authors: Mabillard Vincent , Demartines Nicolas , Joliat Gaëtan-Romain
Published: February 2021

This article addresses transparency in the current era of digital co-creation between healthcare professionals and patients. The concept of reasoned transparency is presented as a potential tool to guide the development of digital co-creation that is rapidly growing. The aim was to reflect on how doctors can apply transparency in their daily practice, following the shift from paternalistic to more collaborative relationships. On the one hand, our contribution indicates ways to take advantage of the existing digital tools to improve efficiency and increase patient trust, including the latest trend of artificial intelligence. On the other hand, this article identifies pitfalls of digitization and proposes reasoned transparency as remedy for the challenges rose by artificial intelligence. As a result, this perspective article tackles the issue of maintaining trustful and high-quality relationships between doctors and patients, increasingly challenged by the dissemination of online information and the pressures on healthcare professionals’ accountability towards patients and the general public.
Complex Governance Does Increase Both the Real and Perceived Registration Burden: The Case of the Netherlands Comment on "Perceived Burden Due to Registrations for Quality Monitoring and Improvement in Hospitals: A Mixed Methods Study"
Authors: Jeurissen Patrick PT , Klazinga Niek , Hagenaars Luc
Published: February 2021

The burden of registrations for professionals should be more firmly on the policy agenda. In a rigorous study, Marieke Zegers and colleagues make a compelling argument why that should be the case. In Dutch hospitals, the average professional spends 52.3 minutes a day on quality registries and monitoring instruments. Many more administrative duties exist. These represent substantial resources and ultimately could become a drag on the intrinsic motivation of the care professions. We agree with Zegers et al that we are in need for more operational efficiency. However, the issue at hand is very complex and also intensely connected to the entire healthcare system and its different levels. More operational efficiency alone will not solve this problem. We are also in need for better governance of data-issues at the macro-system level.
Teaching Research Methodology: Everything’s a Case
Authors: Reddy CD
Published: February 2021

This paper contributes to the discourse about research methodology pedagogy towards the development of new scholarly researchers. Because students can better visualise causal effects within a single case, I propose that instructors, before moving onto to teach inferential statistics relying on impersonal numbers from many cases, use instead a case-oriented approach to emphasise the “case” as the basic pedagogic unit to scaffold the student’s learning of research methodology. A carefully chosen case can represent an instantiation of the same phenomenon that will eventually be used to demonstrate inferential statistics.  After all, for causal effects to show up at the population level, they must be operating within particular cases. I refer to this as an N-case approach. This approach locates various combinations of quantitative and qualitative methods on a continuum from exploratory to confirmatory research. This continuum can also be framed as one moving from the particular to the general. The single case allows students to grasp ideas about causal processes in a more direct manner than a survey can. Instructors can then build on single case insights to grasp similar ideas at a population level. My motivation for this approach is to turn away from a pedagogy where research methodology teaching begins with ideas set in quantitative approaches to understand causal processes occurring at a particular case level. I also believe that current research teaching ought to turn away from encouraging students to apply a research design according to their favoured identity along a qualitative-quantitative divide. Instead, the research problem should determine the required research design.
THE STATUS OF MOTHER TONGUES AND LANGUAGE POLICY IN MOROCCO
Authors: Loutfi Ayoub
Published: February 2021

The linguistic market in Morocco has been characterized by its richness and complexity, in that a number of local as well as foreign languages co-exist. Given this multiplicity and diversity in its linguistic landscape, Morocco has opted for Arabization as a language policy in education, its ultimate goal being, as it were, to safeguard and maintain its national identity (Ennaji, 2003). Achieving this goal, however, is far from being without glaring shortcomings. Arabization has, inter alia, marginalized mother tongues, the latter being relegated to daily communication only with a devalued and denigrated status. On this view, the present paper brings to the fore the status of languages in use in Morocco and, more precisely, brings into focus the impact of Arabization on the status of mother tongues. What is more, the study attempts to shed light on Moroccans’ attitudes towards their mother tongues. In pursuance of this aim, the study addresses the following research questions, principally (i) What is the status of Arabic in Morocco? (ii) What is the nature of Moroccans’ attitudes towards their mother tongues, namely Moroccan Arabic and Moroccan Amazigh? (iii) What is the impact of Arabization on the status of mother tongues in Morocco?
Performance Analysis of LTE system for 2x2 Rayleigh and Rician Fading Channel
Authors: Sah Mithun , Chugh Achint
Published: February 2021

Development of LTE is a milestone in the field of communication engineering. Compared to the performance of 2G the network involving LTE provides much higher data rates and support much more services. The evolution to LTE has provided the users to utilize many commercial activities to bring forward to the public and provide them the improved services compared to older versions of communication technologies. As the growth of LTE has provided much faster network still there are improvements going on the new technology. Various performance measures have been taken into considerations has the networks has performed very well on such test. One of the performance analyses has been presented in this paper comparing the performance of the LTE system over the Rayleigh and Rician fading channel. In the paper the performance of the MIMO LTE has been analyzed for the networks with various modulation schemes for Rayleigh and Rician fading channel with a 2x2 MIMO channel for EPA 0Hz, EVA 5Hz, EVA 70Hz. By varying Signal to Noise Ratio (SNR), Bit Error Rate (BER) of LTE is calculated for different Multi-Input Multi-Output (MIMO) schemes. The analysis is concluded in terms of speed of the data rate in Mbps.
Interpretation of Medieval Repentance Poetry in the Choir Cycle by Alfred Schnittke “Stikhi Pokayannye”
Authors: Хачаянц Анжела Григорьевна
Published: February 2021

Средневековые покаянные стихи - вид ранней русской поэтической лирики, тесно связанный с кругом богослужебных текстов. Поэтика стихов стремится к личному тону высказывания. В музыкально-стилевом отношении покаянные стихи принадлежат знаменному пению - они записывались в певческих рукописях, чаще всего подборкой на 8 гласов невменной нотацией с применением гласовых попевок знаменного распева. В 1987 году композитор Альфред Шнитке написал хоровой концертный цикл под названием «Стихи покаянные» на тексты опубликованных стихов по рукописи XVI века. В своей музыке автор пользуется тезаурусом техник XX века: заостренная хроматизмами и четвертитоновостью звуковысотность, диссонантная вертикаль, приемы сонористической фактуры. Тем не менее в композиционном решении одних и тех же стихов, в знаменной и композиторской версии, несмотря на многовековое расстояние, обнаруживаются и совпадения. Они детерминированы энергетикой молитвенного покаянного слова и конструктивными принципами организации поэтического текста. Номера хорового цикла выстраиваются в единое покаянное песнопение «высшего порядка». В интонации каяния особое место обретает и авторский голос. Покаяние как константа христианского самосознания является в конечном счете определяющей для музыкальной интерпретации данных текстов, сближая мышление средневекового распевщика и композитора конца XX века.

Medieval repentance poems are a form of early Russian poetic lyrics, closely connected with the circle of liturgical texts. That poetry strives to a private discourse. In the musical and stylistic sense, repentance poems belong to the znamenny monody-they were recorded in singing manuscripts, most often by use of 8 modes with krukovaya (neume) notation. In 1987, composer Alfred Schnittke wrote a choral concert cycle entitled “Stikhi pokayannye” on the texts of published poems from a 16 -century manuscript. The author uses the thesaurus of 20 -century techniques in his music: chromatic and quarter-tone soundness, a dissonant vertical, techniques of sonoristic texture. Nevertheless, there are also coincidences in the compositional solution of the same verses, in the znamenny chant and composer version, despite a distance of several centuries. They are determined by the energy of the prayer of repentance and the constructive principles of the organization of the poetic text. The choral cycle numbers are lined up in a single repentance chant of the “highest order”. The author's voice also takes on a special place in the intonation of repentance. Repentance as a constant of Christian self-consciousness is ultimately decisive for the musical interpretation of these texts, bringing the thinking of a medieval chanter and composer of the late 20 century closer together. Repentance as a constant of Christian self-consciousness is decisive for the musical interpretation of these texts, bringing together the thinking of the medieval composer and composer of the late 20 century.