Search results for: mutual economic growth

Authors: Prashant Verma, Prafulla K. Swain, K. K. Singh, Mukti Khetan

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Objective: In India, around 20,000 women die every year due to abortion-related complications. In the modelling of count variables, there is sometimes a preponderance of zero counts. This article concerns the estimation of various count regression models to predict the average number of spontaneous abortion among women in the Punjab state of India. It also assesses the factors associated with the number of spontaneous abortions. Materials and methods: The study included 27,173 married women of Punjab obtained from the DLHS-4 survey (2012-13). Poisson regression (PR), Negative binomial (NB) regression, zero hurdle negative binomial (ZHNB), and zero-inflated negative binomial (ZINB) models were employed to predict the average number of spontaneous abortions and to identify the determinants affecting the number of spontaneous abortions. Results: Statistical comparisons among four estimation methods revealed that the ZINB model provides the best prediction for the number of spontaneous abortions. Antenatal care (ANC) place, place of residence, total children born to a woman, woman's education and economic status were found to be the most significant factors affecting the occurrence of spontaneous abortion. Conclusions: The study offers a practical demonstration of techniques designed to handle count variables. Statistical comparisons among four estimation models revealed that the ZINB model provided the best prediction for the number of spontaneous abortions and is recommended to be used to predict the number of spontaneous abortions. The study suggests that women receive institutional Antenatal care to attain limited parity. It also advocates promoting higher education among women in Punjab, India.

Keywords: count data, spontaneous abortion, Poisson model, negative binomial model, zero hurdle negative binomial, zero-inflated negative binomial, regression

Procedia PDF Downloads 152

Authors: Sophio Kobauri, Tengiz Kantaria, Temur Kantaria, David Tugushi, Nina Kulikova, Ramaz Katsarava

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Polymeric disperse systems such as nanoparticles (NPs) are of high interest for numerous applications in contemporary medicine and nanobiotechnology to a considerable potential for treatment of many human diseases. The important technological advantages of NPs usage as drug carriers (nanocontainers) are their high stability, high carrier capacity, feasibility of encapsulation of both hydrophilic or hydrophobic substances, as well as a high variety of possible administration routes, including oral application and inhalation. NPs can also be designed to allow controlled (sustained) drug release from the matrix. These properties of NPs enable improvement of drug bioavailability and might allow drug dosage decrease. The targeted and controlled administration of drugs using NPs might also help to overcome drug resistance, which is one of the major obstacles in the control of epidemics. Various degradable and non-degradable polymers of both natural and synthetic origin have been used for NPs construction. One of the most promising for the design of NPs are amino acid-based biodegradable polymers (AABBPs) which can clear from the body after the fulfillment of their function. The AABBPs are composed of naturally occurring and non-toxic building blocks such as α-amino acids, fatty diols and dicarboxylic acids. The particles designed from these polymers are expected to have an improved bioavailability along with a high biocompatibility. The present work deals with a systematic study of the preparation of NPs by cost-effective polymer deposition/solvent displacement method using AABBPs. The influence of the nature and concentration of surfactants, concentration of organic phase (polymer solution), and the ratio organic phase/inorganic(water) phase, as well as of some other factors on the size of the fabricated NPs have been studied. It was established that depending on the used conditions the NPs size could be tuned within 40-330 nm. At the next step of this research was carried out an evaluation of biocompability and bioavailability of the synthesized NPs using a stable human cell culture line – A549. It was established that the obtained NPs are not only biocompatible but they stimulate the cell growth.

Keywords: amino acids, biodegradable polymers, bioavailability, nanoparticles

Procedia PDF Downloads 294

Authors: Deeksha Karunakar

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The gaming industry is one of the biggest industries in the world. Video games are interactive works of authorship that require the execution of a computer programme on specialized hardware but which also incorporate a wide variety of other artistic mediums, such as music, scripts, stories, video, paintings, and characters, into which the player takes an active role. Therefore, video games are not made as singular, simple works but rather as a collection of elements that, if they reach a certain level of originality and creativity, can each be copyrighted on their own. A video game is made up of a wide variety of parts, all of which combine to form the overall sensation that we, the players, have while playing. The entirety of the components is implemented in the form of software code, which is then translated into the game's user interface. Even while copyright protection is already in place for the coding of software, the work that is produced because of that coding can also be protected by copyright. This includes the game's storyline or narrative, its characters, and even elements of the code on their own. In each sector, there is a potential legal framework required, and the gaming industry also requires legal frameworks. This represents the importance of intellectual property laws in each sector. This paper will explore the beginnings of video games, the various aspects of game copyrights, and the approach of the courts, including examples of a few different instances. Although the creative arts have always been known to draw inspiration from and build upon the works of others, it has not always been simple to evaluate whether a game has been cloned. The video game business is experiencing growth as it has never seen before today. The majority of today's video games are both pieces of software and works of audio-visual art. Even though the existing legal framework does not have a clause specifically addressing video games, it is clear that there is a great many alternative means by which this protection can be granted. This paper will represent the importance of copyright and trademark laws in the gaming industry and its regulations with the help of relevant case laws via utilizing doctrinal methodology to support its findings. The aim of the paper is to make aware of the applicability of intellectual property laws in the gaming industry and how the justice system is evolving to adapt to such new industries. Furthermore, it will provide in-depth knowledge of their relationship with each other.

Keywords: copyright, DMCA, gaming industry, trademark, WIPO

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Authors: Cajethan U. Ugwuoke

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Agriculture is taught in secondary schools to develop skills in students which will empower them to contribute to national economic development. Unfortunately, our educational system emphasizes the application of conventional teaching methods in delivering instructions, which fails to produce students competent enough to carry out agricultural production. This study was therefore aimed at examining the application of digital technologies as tools for transformative instructional delivery. Four specific purposes, research questions and hypotheses guided the study. The study adopted a descriptive survey research design where 80 subjects representing 64 teachers of agriculture and 16 principals in the Udenu local government area of Enugu State, Nigeria, participated in the study. A structured questionnaire was used to collect data. The assumption of normality was ascertained by subjecting the data collected to a normality test. Data collected were later subjected to mean, Pearson product-moment correlation, ANOVA and t-test to answer the research questions and test the hypotheses at a 5% significant level. The result shows that the application of digital technologies helps to reduce learners’ boredom (3.52.75), improves learners’ performance (3.63.51), and is used as a visual aid for learners (3.56.61), among others. There was a positive, strong and significant relationship between the application of digital technologies and effective instructional delivery (+.895, p=.001<.05, F=17.73), competency of teachers to the application of digital technologies and effective instructional delivery (+998, p=.001<0.5, F=16263.45), and frequency of the application of digital technologies and effective instructional delivery (+.999, p=.001<.05, F=31436.14). There was no evidence of autocorrelation and multicollinearity in the regression models between the application of digital technologies and effective instructional delivery (2.03, Tolerance=1.00, VIF=1.00), competency of teachers in the application of digital technologies and effective instructional delivery (2.38, Tolerance=1.00, VIF=1.00) and frequency of the application of digital technologies and effective instructional delivery (2.00, Tolerance=1.00, VIF=1.00). Digital technologies should be therefore applied in teaching to facilitate effective instructional delivery in agriculture.

Keywords: agricultural science, digital technologies, instructional delivery, learning

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Authors: Amritansh Agarwal, Tejaswi Agarwal

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Forest ecosystem plays very important role in the global carbon cycle. It stores about 80% of all above ground and 40% of all below ground terrestrial organic carbon. There is much interest in the extent of tropical forests and their rates of deforestation for two reasons: greenhouse gas contributions and the impact of profoundly negative biodiversity. Deforestation has many ecological, social and economic consequences, one of which is the loss of biological diversity. The rapid deployment of remote sensing (RS) satellites and development of RS analysis techniques in the past three decades have provided a reliable, effective, and practical way to characterize terrestrial ecosystem properties. Global estimates of tropical deforestation vary widely and range from 50,000 to 170,000 km2 /yr Recent FAO tropical deforestation estimates for 1990–1995 cite 116,756km2 / yr globally. Remote Sensing can prove to be a very useful tool in monitoring of forests and associated deforestation to a sufficient level of accuracy without the need of physically surveying the forest areas as many of them are physically inaccessible. The methodology for the assessment of forest cover using digital image processing (ERDAS) has been followed. The satellite data for the study was procured from USGS website in the digital format. While procuring the satellite data, care was taken to ensure that the data was cloud and aerosol free by making using of FLAASH atmospheric correction technique. The Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) has been used as a numerical indicator of the reduction in ground biomass. NDVI = (near I.R - Red)/ (near I.R + Red). After calculating the NDVI variations and associated mean we have analysed the change in ground biomass. Through this paper we have tried to indicate the rate of deforestation over a given period of time by comparing the forest cover at different time intervals. With the help of remote sensing and GIS techniques it is clearly shows that the total forest cover is continuously degrading and transforming into various land use/land cover category.

Keywords: remote sensing, deforestation, supervised classification, NDVI change detection

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Authors: S. Ahmad, C. Yuan, Q. Zhang

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The assorted architectural plasticity of a plant is majorly specified by stooling, a phenomenon tackled by a combination of developmental, environmental and hormonal accelerators of lateral buds. Chrysanthemums (Chrysanthemum morifolium) are one of the most economically important ornamental plants worldwide on the account of having plentiful architectural patterns, diverse shapes and attractive colors. Side branching is the major determinant guaranteeing the consistent demand of cut chrysanthemum in flower industry. Presence of immense number of axillary branches devalues the economic importance of this imperative plant and is a major challenge for mum growers to hold a stake in the cut flower market. Restricting branches to a minimum level, or no branches at all, is the dire need of the day in order to introducing novelty in cut chrysanthemums. Temperature is a potent factor which affects largely the escalation, development of chrysanthemum, and also the genetic expression of various vegetative traits like branching. It affects differently the developmental characteristics and phenotypic expressions of inherent qualities, thereby playing a significant role in differentiating the developmental responses in different cultivars of chrysanthemum. A detailed study pertaining to the affect of temperature on branching in chrysanthemum is a clear lacking throughout the literature on mums. Therefore, searching with temperature as an effective means of reducing side branching to a desired level could be an influencing extension of struggles about how to nullify stooling. This requires plenty of research in order to reveal the extended penetration of temperature in manipulating the genetic control of various important traits like branching, which is a burning issue now a days in producing cut flowers in chrysanthemum. The present review will highlight the impact of temperature on branching control mechanism in chrysanthemum at morpho-physiological, hormonal and molecular levels.

Keywords: branching, chrysanthemum, genetic control, hormonal, morpho-physiological, temperature

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Authors: Ayobami Solomon Popoola

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Yam is majorly a carbohydrate food grown in most parts of the world. It could be boiled, fried or roasted for consumption in a variety of ways. Blanching is an established heat pre-treatment given to fruits and vegetables prior to further processing such as dehydration, canning, freezing etc. Losses of soluble solids during blanching has been a great problem because a reasonable quantity of the water-soluble nutrients are inevitably leached into the blanching water. Without blanching, the high residual levels of reducing sugars after extended storage produce a dark, bitter-tasting product because of the Maillard reactions of reducing sugars at frying temperature. Measurement and prediction of such losses are necessary for economic efficiency in production and to establish the level of effluent treatment of the blanching water. This paper aims at resolving this problem by investigating the effects of cube size and temperature on the rate of diffusional losses of reducing sugars and total sugars during hot water blanching of water-yam. The study was carried out using four temperature levels (65, 70, 80 and 90 °C) and two cubes sizes (0.02 m³ and 0.03 m³) at 4 times intervals (5, 10, 15 and 20 mins) respectively. Obtained data were fitted into Fick’s non-steady equation from which diffusion coefficients (Da) were obtained. The Da values were subsequently fitted into Arrhenius plot to obtain activation energies (Ea-values) for diffusional losses. The diffusion co-efficient were independent of cube size and time but highly temperature dependent. The diffusion coefficients were ≥ 1.0 ×10⁻⁹ m²s⁻¹ for reducing sugars and ≥ 5.0 × 10⁻⁹ m²s⁻¹ for total sugars. The Ea values ranged between 68.2 to 73.9 KJmol⁻¹ and 7.2 to 14.30 KJmol⁻¹ for reducing sugars and total sugars losses respectively. Predictive equations for estimating amount of reducing sugars and total sugars with blanching time of water-yam at various temperatures were also presented. The equation could be valuable in process design and optimization. However, amount of other soluble solids that might have leached into the water along with reducing and total sugars during blanching was not investigated in the study.

Keywords: blanching, kinetics, sugar losses, water yam

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Authors: Mekonen Hailu, Liu Liping

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Cage aquaculture is highly preferred due to higher production per unit volume of water, lower costs of investment, and simpler routine farm management procedures compared to pond systems. In the 1980s, cage culture was first used on a trial basis in sub-Saharan Africa. Over the past 20 years, a small number of prosperous freshwater cage culture operations have started to emerge in Egypt, Rwanda, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Ghana, Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe. Brackish and marine cage culture also offers a lot of potential, although this subsector hasn't seen any significant commercial growth to date. In 2019, 263 cage aquaculture installations on the African inland waters on 18 water bodies within eight countries with an estimated 20,114 cages were reported. The lakes Victoria, Kariba, Volta, and River Volta, which together account for 82.9% of all cage aquaculture installations regarded as sub-Saharan Africa's principal cage aquaculture regions (Fig 1). Except few small-scale trials with North African catfish (Clarias gariepinus), almost all farms in Sub-Saharan Africa and Egypt grow Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus). More than 247,398 tonnes of fish are produced yearly from ten African countries through cage aquaculture. The expansion of cage culture in Africa provides job opportunities for both skilled and unskilled workers, nutritious food and foreign currency. The escaping non-native strains of tilapia in Lake Volta and the occurrence of a risky Tilapia lake virus (syncytial hepatitis), which has the potential to wipe out entire populations in both wild and farmed Nile tilapia on Lake Victoria, are threats coming with the expansion of cage aquaculture in Africa. In addition, the installations of 138 cage aquacultures were found in contrary to best cage culture practices. To sustain cage aquaculture development and maintain harmony with other water uses, developers must strictly abide by best practices. Hence, the exclusion of protected areas and small lakes (average depth 5 m or less) should be done, as well an Environmental Impact Assessment should be conducted before establishing the cage farms.

Keywords: Africa, cage aquaculture, production, threats

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Authors: A. Ribeiro, N. Valério, C. Vilarinho, J. Araujo, J. Carvalho

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Res2ValHUM project involves institutions from the Spanish Autonomous Region of Galicia and the north of Portugal (districts of Porto and Braga) and has as overall objectives of promotion of composting as an process for the correct managing of organic waste, valorization of compost in different fields or applications for the constitution of products with high added value, reducing of raw materials losses, and reduction of the amount of waste throw in landfills. Three main actions were designed to achieve the objectives: development of a management tool to improve collection and residue channeling for composting, sensibilization of the population for composting and characterization of the chemical and biological properties of compost and humic and fulvic substances to envisage high-value applications of compost. Here we present the cooperative activity of Galician and northern Portuguese institutions to valorize organic waste in both regions with common socio-economic characteristics and residue management problems. Results from the creation of the resource manage tool proved the existence of a large number of agricultural wastes that could be valorized. In the North of Portugal, the wastes from maize, oats, potato, apple, grape pomace, rye, and olive pomace can be highlighted. In the Autonomous Region of Galicia the wastes from maize, wheat, potato, apple, and chestnuts can be emphasized. Regarding the isolation and identification of microbial consortia from compost samples, results proved microorganisms belong mainly to the genus Bacillus spp. Among all the species identified in compost samples, Bacillus licheniformis can be highlighted in the production of humic and fulvic acids.

Keywords: agricultural wastes, Bacillus licheniformis, Bacillus spp., humic-acids, fulvic-acids

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Authors: G. I. Ozumba, V. A. Pam, V. A. Adejoh, S. A. Odey

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Intestinal parasitic infections are the most common parasitic infections of the man commonly resulting in morbidity and mortality in infected individuals. Two hundred (200) patients from two medical centers were randomly examined for intestinal parasites using normal saline wet mount and formol-ether concentration methods. One hundred patients each were examined from Plateau State Specialist Hospital (PSSH) and Vom Christian Hospital (VCH) respectively. Of the 100 patients examined at PSSH, (22.0%) tested positive for intestinal parasites, while only (6.0%) was reported for VCH. Ascaris lumbricoides and Taenia spp. were significantly (P value=0.0002726) the most prevalent intestinal parasites in PSSH with (31.8%) respectively. Balantidium coli and Entamoeba histolytica were the least prevalent at (4.5%) respectively. Hookworm (50.0%) was significantly (P<0.0001) the most prevalent intestinal parasite in VCH, followed by A. lumbricoides (33.3%), while Taenia spp. (16.7%) was the least. Female subjects 12(54.5%) were more infected than their male 10(45.4%) counterparts in PSSH. The difference (P value=0.3633) in the infection between female and male subjects at PSSH was not significant. Female subjects were significantly (P value=0.0008586) more infected 4(66.7%) than male subjects 2(33.3%) at VCH. The prevalence of intestinal parasite in relation to age in PSSH shows a significantly (P-value = 0.02573) high level among age group 11-20years 9(36.0%). On the contrary, the high prevalence of intestinal parasites among age groups 31-40 years 2(9.1%) at VCH was not significant (P value=0.1595). The result in relation to a water source in patients attending PSSH shows that the boreholes sources (66.7%) had a significantly (P<0.0001) high prevalence of intestinal parasites, while the least prevalence was observed in tap source (7.9%). Results from VCH shows that streams/rivers (16.7%) revealed high prevalence, while the tap source was least parasitized (10.0%). There was no significant difference (P value=0.436) in the prevalence of parasites in relation to the water source at VCH. This prevalence is directly related to the sanitary condition, socio-economic status, educational level, the age and hygienic habits of the patients. Thus, necessary sanitary policies, awareness, screening and de-worming exercises and occasional check of intestinal parasites are recommended.

Keywords: intestinal parasites, Jos, patients, prevalence

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Authors: Bourhim Mohammad Redouane, Cheto Said, Qaddoury Ahmed, Hirich Abdelaziz, Ghoulam Cherki

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Several abiotic stresses cause disruptions in the properties of agricultural soils and hence their loss worldwide. Among these abiotic stresses, Salinity to which most crops were exposed caused an important reduction in their productivity. Therefore, in order to deal with this challenging problem, we rely on cultivating alternative plants that can tolerate the adverse salinity stress, such as quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa). Although even it was qualified as tolerant to Salinity, the quinoa’s performance could be negatively affected under high salinity levels. Thus, our study aims to assess the effects of the application of soil amendments to improve quinoa tolerance levels under high Salinity. Thus, three quinoa varieties (Puno, ICBA-Q5, and Titicaca) were grown on agricultural soil under a greenhouse with five amendments; Biochar “Bc,” compost “Cp,” black soldier insect frass “If,” cow manure “Fb” and phosphogypsum “Pg.” Two controls without amendment were adopted consisting of the salinized negative one “T(-)” and the non-salinized positive one “T(+).” After 20 days from sowing, the plants were irrigated with a saline solution of 16 dS/m prepared with NaCl for a period of 60 days. Then plant tolerance was assessed based on agrophysiological parameters. The results showed that salinity stress negatively affected the quinoa plants for all the analyzed agrophysiological parameters in the three varieties compared to their corresponding controls “T(+).” However, most of these parameters were significantly enhanced by the application of soil amendments compared to their negative controls “T(-).” For instance, the biomass was improved by 91.8% and 69.4%, respectively, for Puno and Titicaca varieties amended with “Bc.” The total nitrogen amount was increased by 220% for Titicaca and ICBA-Q5 plants cultivated in the soil amended with “If.” One of the most important improvements was noted for potassium content in Titicaca amended with “Pg,” which was six times higher compared to the negative control. Besides, the plants of Puno amended with “Cp” showed an improvement of 75.9% for the stomatal conductance and 58.5% for nitrate reductase activity. Nevertheless, the pronounced varietal difference was registered between Puno and Titicaca, presenting the highest performances mainly for the soil amended with “If,” “Bc,” and “Pg.”

Keywords: chenopodium quinoa, salinity, soil amendments, growth, nutrients, nitrate reductase

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Authors: Tesfay Gidey, Emiru Birhane, Ashenafi Manaye, Hailemariam Kassa, Tesfay Atsbha, Negasi Solomon, Hadgu Hishe, Aklilu Negussie, Petr Madera, Jose G. Borges

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The globally endangered Dracaena ombet is one of the ten dragon multipurpose tree species in arid ecosystems. Anthropogenic and natural factors are now impacting the sustainability of the species. This study was conducted to prioritize criteria and alternative strategies for the conservation of the species using the analytical hierarchy process (AHP) model by involving all relevant stakeholders in the Desa'a dry Afromontane forest in northern Ethiopia. Information about the potential alternative strategies and the criteria for their evaluation was first collected from experts, personal experiences, and literature reviews. Afterward, they were validated using stakeholders' focus group discussions. Five candidate strategies with three evaluation criteria were considered for prioritization using the AHP techniques. The overall priority ranking value of the stakeholders showed that the ecological criterion was deemed as the most essential factor for the choice of alternative strategies, followed by the economic and social criteria. The minimum cut-off strategy, combining exclosures with the collection of only 5% of plant parts from the species, soil and water conservation, and silviculture interventions, was selected as the best alternative strategy for sustainable D. ombet conservation. The livelihood losses due to the selected strategy should be compensated by the collection of non-timber forest products, poultry farming, home gardens, rearing small ruminants, beekeeping, and agroforestry. This approach may be extended to study other dragon tree species and explore strategies for the conservation of other arid ecosystems.

Keywords: conservation strategies, analytical hierarchy process model, Desa'a forest, endangered species, Ethiopia, overexploitation

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Authors: Yusif Habib

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The Volta River Basin (VRB) is a transboundary resource shared by Six (6) the West African States. It’s utilization spans across irrigation, hydropower generation, domestic/household water use, transportation, industrial processing, among others. Simultaneously, mineral resources such as gold are mined within the VRB catchment. Typically, the extraction/mining operation is earth-surface excavation; known as Artisanal and Small-scale mining. We developed a conceptual framework in the context of Water-Energy-Food (WEF) Nexus to delineate the trade-offs and synergies between the mineral extractive operation’s impact on Agricultural systems, specifically, cereal crops (e.g. Maize, Millet, and Rice) and the environment (water and soil quality, deforestation, etc.) on the VRB. Thus, the study examined the trade-offs and synergies through the WEF nexus lens to explore the extent of an eventual overarching mining preference for gold exploration with high economic returns as opposed to the presumably low yearly harvest and household income from food crops production to inform intervention prioritization. Field survey (household, expert, and stakeholder consultation), bibliometric analysis/literature review, scenario, and simulation models, including land-use land cover (LULC) analyses, were conducted. The selected study area(s) in Ghana was the location where the mineral extractive operation’s presence and impact are widespread co-exist with the Agricultural systems. Overall, the study proposes mechanisms of the virtuous cycle through FEW Nexus instead of the presumably existing vicious cycle to inform decision making and policy implementation.

Keywords: agriculture, environmental sustainability, gold Mining, synergies, trade-off, water-energy-food nexus

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Authors: Narayan Moger, Divya B., Preethi Jambagi, Krishnaveni C. K., Apsana M. R., B. R. Patil, Basvaraj Bagewadi

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Salinity is one of the major threats to world food security. Considering the requirement for salt tolerant crop plants in the present study was undertaken to clone and transferred the salt tolerant ectA gene from marine ecosystem into agriculture crop system to impart salinity tolerance. Ectoine is the compatible solute which accumulates in the cell membrane, is known to be involved in salt tolerance activity in most of the Halophiles. The present situation is insisting to development of salt tolerant transgenic lines to combat abiotic stress. In this background, the investigation was conducted to develop transgenic tomato lines by cloning and transferring of ectA gene is an ectoine derivative capable of enzymatic action for the production of acetyl-diaminobutyric acid. The gene ectA is involved in maintaining the osmotic balance of plants. The PCR amplified ectA gene (579bp) was cloned into T/A cloning vector (pTZ57R/T). The construct pDBJ26 containing ectA gene was sequenced by using gene specific forward and reverse primers. Sequence was analyzed using BLAST algorithm to check similarity of ectA gene with other isolates. Highest homology of 99.66 per cent was found with ectA gene sequences of isolates Halomonas elongata with the available sequence information in NCBI database. The ectA gene was further sub cloned into pRI101-AN plant expression vector and transferred into E. coli DH5α for its maintenance. Further pDNM27 was mobilized into A. tumefaciens LBA4404 through tri-parental mating system. The recombinant Agrobacterium containing pDNM27 was transferred into tomato plants through In planta plant transformation method. Out of 300 seedlings, co-cultivated only twenty-seven plants were able to well establish under the greenhouse condition. Among twenty-seven transformants only twelve plants showed amplification with gene specific primers. Further work must be extended to evaluate the transformants at T1 and T2 generations for ectoine accumulation, salinity tolerance, plant growth and development and yield.

Keywords: salinity, computable solutes, ectA, transgenic, in planta transformation

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Authors: Inna V. Krotova

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The study pays special attention to the definition of the psychological potential of a specialist-defectologist, which determines his desire to increase the level of his or her professional competence. The group included participants of the educational environment – an additional professional program 'Technologies of psychological and pedagogical assistance for children with complex developmental disabilities' implemented by the department of defectology and clinical psychology of the KFU jointly with the Support Fund for the Deafblind people 'Co-Unity'. The purpose of our study was to identify the psychological aspects of the readiness of the specialist-defectologist to his or her professional development. The study assessed the indicators of psychological preparedness, and its four components were taken into account: motivational, cognitive, emotional and volitional. We used valid and standardized tests during the study. As a result of the factor analysis of data received (from Extraction Method: Principal Component Analysis, Rotation Method: Varimax with Kaiser Normalization, Rotation converged in 12 iterations), there were identified three factors with maximum factor load from 24 indices, and their correlation coefficients with other indicators were taken into account at the level of reliability p ≤ 0.001 and p ≤ 0.01. Thus the system making factor was determined – it’s a 'motivation to achieve success'; it formed a correlation galaxy with two other factors: 'general internality' and 'internality in the field of achievements', as well as with such psychological indicators as 'internality in the field of family relations', 'internality in the field of interpersonal relations 'and 'low self-control-high self-control' (the names of the scales used is the same as names in the analysis methods. In conclusion of the article, we present some proposals to take into account the psychological model of readiness of specialists-defectologists for their professional development, to stimulate the growth of their professional competence. The study has practical value for all providers of special education and organizations that have their own specialists-defectologists, teachers-defectologists, teachers for correctional and ergotherapeutic activities, specialists working in the field of correctional-pedagogical activity (speech therapists) to people with special needs who need true professional support.

Keywords: psychological readiness, defectologist, professional development, psychological factors, special education, professional competence, innovative educational environment

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Authors: Sally Kafelghazal

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Introduction: Arab Americans, who include immigrants, refugees, or U.S. born persons of Middle Eastern or North African descent, may experience significant difficulties during acculturation to Western society. Influential stressors include relocation, loss of social support, language barriers, and economic factors, all of which can impact mental health. There is limited research investigating the effects of acculturation on the mental health of the Arab American population. Objectives: The purpose of this study is to identify ways in which acculturation impacts the mental health of Arab Americans, specifically the development of depression and anxiety. Method: A literature search was conducted using PubMed and PsycArticles (ProQuest), utilizing the following search terms: “Arab Americans,” “Arabs,” “mental health,” “depression,” “anxiety,” “acculturation.” Thirty-nine articles were identified and of those, nine specifically investigated the relationship between acculturation and mental health in Arab Americans. Three of the nine focused exclusively on depression. Results: Several risk factors were identified that contribute to poor mental health associated with acculturation, which include immigrant or refugee status, facing discrimination, and religious ideology. Protective factors include greater levels of acculturation, being U.S. born, and greater heritage identity. Greater mental health disorders were identified in Arab Americans compared to normative samples, perhaps particularly depression; none of the articles specifically addressed anxiety. Conclusion: The current research findings support the potential association between the process of acculturation and greater levels of mental health disorders in Arab Americans. However, the diversity of the Arab American population makes it difficult to draw consistent conclusions. Further research needs to be conducted in order to assess which subgroups in the Arab American population are at highest risk for developing new or exacerbating existing mental health disorders in order to devise more effective interventions.

Keywords: arab americans, arabs, mental health, anxiety, depression, acculturation

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Authors: Iman Shabanzadeh

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In terms of its geopolitical position, Iran has been one of the main centers of migration movements in the world in recent decades. However, the policy makers' lack of preparation in completing the cycle of social integration of these immigrants, especially the second and third generation, has caused these people to always be prone to leave the country and immigrate to developed and industrialized countries. In this research, the issue of integration of immigrants in Iran from the perspective of four indicators, "Identity Documents", "Access to Banking Services", "Access to Health and Treatment Services" and "Obtaining a Driver's License" will be analyzed. The research method is descriptive-analytical. To collect information, library and document sources in the field of laws and regulations related to immigrants' rights in Iran, semi-structured interviews with experts have been used. The investigations of this study show that none of the residence documents of immigrants in Iran guarantee the full enjoyment of basic citizenship rights for them. In fact, the function of many of these identity documents, such as the census card, educational support card, etc., is only to prevent crossing the border, and none of them guarantee the basic rights of citizenship. Therefore, for many immigrants, the difference between legality and illegality is only in the risk of crossing the border, and this has led to the spread of the habit of illegal presence for them. Despite this, it seems that there is no clear and coherent policy framework around the issue of foreign immigrants in the country. This policy incoherence can be clearly seen in the diversity and plurality of identity and legal documents of the citizens present in the country and the policy maker's lack of planning to integrate and organize the identity of this huge group. Examining the differences and socioeconomic inequalities between immigrants and the native Iranian population shows that immigrants have been poorly integrated into the structures of Iranian society from an economic and social point of view.

Keywords: immigrants, social integration, citizen services, structural inequality

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Authors: Yasser Aboel-Magd

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This research addresses the critical issue of accessibility for individuals with special needs and the broader implications of disability on one's ability to lead an independent and integrated life within society. It highlights the consequences of injury, illness, or disability not only on the physical level but also on psychological, social, educational, economic, and functional aspects of life. The study emphasizes the importance of inclusive design in urban spaces, reflecting on how a society's treatment of individuals with disabilities serves as a measure of its progress. The research delves into the challenges faced by people with special needs in the Kingdom, where, despite advancements in various sectors, there is a noticeable lack of accommodating public opportunities for this significant demographic. It argues for the necessity of a Saudi building code that considers the needs of a diverse population during the design phase. The paper discusses the role of urban space as a fundamental element in urban formation and its impact on the societal integration of individuals with special needs. The study explores a variety of inclusive design principles, ranging from physical features like ramps and tactile paving to digital and cognitive accessibility measures such as screen readers, closed captions, plain language, and visual aids. It also considers the impact of wayfinding and appropriate lighting design on the orientation and assistance of individuals within urban spaces at the lowest cost. The researchers connect inclusive design with sustainable practices, advocating for environments that are not only environmentally friendly but also adaptable and lasting. The paper concludes with the assertion that the integration of accessibility, universal design, and sustainability signifies a society's commitment to inclusivity and the empowerment of all individuals, paving the way for a future where everyone can participate fully and independently in society.

Keywords: accessibility, inclusive design, Saudi building code, disability inclusion, socioeconomic progress

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Authors: Jonathan J. Burson

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With the rise of virtually costless, mobile-based trading platforms, stock market trading activity has increased significantly over the past decade, particularly for the millennial generation. This increased stock market attention, combined with the recent market turmoil due to the economic upset caused by COVID-19, make the topics of market-timing and forecasting particularly relevant. While the overall stock market saw an unprecedented, historically-long bull market from March 2009 to February 2020, the end of that bull market reignited a search by investors for a way to reduce risk and increase return. Similar searches for outperformance occurred in the early, and late 2000’s as the Dotcom bubble burst and the Great Recession led to years of negative returns for mean-variance, index investors. Extensive research has been conducted on fundamental analysis, technical analysis, macroeconomic indicators, microeconomic indicators, and other techniques—all using different methodologies and investment periods—in pursuit of higher returns with lower risk. The enormous variety of timeframes, data, and methodologies used by the diverse forecasting methods makes it difficult to compare the outcome of each method directly to other methods. This paper establishes a process to evaluate the market-timing methods in an apples-to-apples manner based on simplicity, performance, and feasibility. Preliminary findings show that certain technical analysis models provide a higher return with lower risk when compared to the buy-and-hold method and to other market-timing strategies. Furthermore, technical analysis models tend to be easier for individual investors both in terms of acquiring the data and in analyzing it, making technical analysis-based market-timing methods the preferred choice for retail investors.

Keywords: buy-and-hold, forecast, market-timing, probit, technical analysis

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Authors: J. Van der Walt, N. A. Plastow, M. Unger

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Gross and fine motor skill difficulties among children affect their ability to learn and progress in school. Research indicates that children in low socio-economic areas are at a higher risk of motor skill difficulties, while therapy resources are limited. The Hopscotch motor skill programme is a well-researched accessible in-school intervention developed by occupational and physiotherapists through complex intervention development. The development stage of the complex intervention development model firstly included a prevalence study in a low-resourced area in the West Coast of South Africa, indicating a high prevalence with significant motor skill difficulties among pre-school children at 14.5% with fine motor skill difficulties at 24.6%. A scoping review identifies motor skill interventions for pre-school children and a proposed a framework of fundamental concepts to consider when developing a motor skill intervention. a Delphi-study considered the framework and encouraged collaboration between therapists and educators to make the programme accessible, resource and cost effective, specifically geared towards a rural, low resourced area. The results from the Delphi study, together with the proposed framework from the scoping review was used to develop the Hopscotch programme, adopting a task-shifting approach. The eight-week small-group programme is facilitated by teachers with the support of therapists. The programme aims to improve the motor skills of pre-school aged children with motor skill difficulties to promote academic readiness through obstacle courses, ball skill games and fine motor games and crafts. A randomised controlled trial is planned as a next stage to determine the preliminary effect of the programme on the motor and early academic skills of pre-school children.

Keywords: accesible learning, motor skill intervention, school readiness, task shifting

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Authors: Saud S. AL Oud

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Soil contamination can have dire consequences, such as loss of ecosystem and agricultural productivity, diminished food chain quality, tainted water resources, economic loss, and human and animal illness. In recent years, attention has focused on the development of in situ immobilization methods that are generally less expensive and disruptive to the natural landscape, hydrology, and ecosystems than are conventional excavation treatments, and disposal methods. Soft, inexpensive, and efficient agents were used in the present research to immobilize Pb in polluted sandy soil. Five agents, either naturally occurring or chemically prepared, were used for this purpose. These agents include; iron ore (72% Fe2O3), cement, a mixture of calcite and shale rich in aluminum (CASH), and two chemically prepared amorphous materials of Al- and Fe-gel. These agents were selected due to their ability to specifically adsorb heavy metals onto their surface OH functional groups, which provide permanent immobilization of metal pollutants and reduce the fraction that is potentially mobile or bioavailable. The efficiency of these agents in immobilizing Pb were examined in a laboratory experiment, in which two rates (0.5 and 1.0 %) of tested agents were added to the polluted soils containing total contents of Pb ranging from 17.4-49.8 mg/kg. The results show that all immobilizing agents were succeed in minimizing the mobile form of Pb as extracted by 0.5 N HNO3. The extracted Pb decreased with increasing addition rate of immobilizing agents. At addition rate of 0.5%, HNO3 extractable-Pb varied widely depending on the agents type and were found to represent 21-67% of the initial values. All agents were able to reduce mobile Pb to levels lower than that (2.0 mg/kg) reported for non polluted soil, particularly for soils had initials of mobile Pb less than 10 mg/kg. Both iron oxide and CASH had the highest efficiency in immobilizing Pb, followed by cement, then amorphous materials of Fe and Al hydroxides.

Keywords: soil, synthetic chemical, lead, immobilization, polluted

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Authors: Brian Fleischli, Shani Robins

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In recent years, the implementation of wisdom skills, including emotional intelligence, mindfulness, empathy, compassion, gratitude, realism (Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy), and humility, within K-12 educational settings has demonstrated significant benefits in reducing stress, anxiety, anger, and conflict among students. This study summarizes the findings of research conducted over several years, showcasing the positive outcomes associated with teaching these skills to elementary and high school students. Additionally, this overview includes an updated synthesis of current literature concerning the application and effectiveness of training these skill sets in K-12 schools. The research outcomes highlight substantial improvements in student well-being and behavior. Demonstrated with treatment group students exhibiting notable reductions in anger, anxiety, depression, and disruptive behaviors compared to control groups. For instance, fourth-grade students showed enhanced empathy, responsibility, and attention, particularly benefiting those with lower initial scores on these measures. Specific interaction effects suggest that older students and males particularly benefit from these interventions, showcasing the nuanced impact of wisdom skill training across different demographics. Furthermore, this presentation emphasizes the critical role of Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) programs in addressing the multifaceted challenges faced by children and adolescents, including mental health issues, academic performance, and social behaviors. The integration of wisdom skills into school curricula not only fosters individual growth and emotional regulation but also enhances overall school climate and academic achievement. In conclusion, the findings contribute to the growing body of empirical evidence supporting the efficacy of teaching wisdom skills in educational settings. The success of these interventions underscores the potential for widespread implementation of evidence-based programs to promote emotional well-being and academic success among students nationwide.

Keywords: wisdom skills, CBT, cognitive behavioral training, mindfulness, empathy, anxiety

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Authors: Xiaoting Jing, Ling Huang

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After the reform and opening up, Chongqing has formed far more high-rise residential areas than other cities in its more than 40 years of urban construction. High-rise residential areas have become one of the main modern living models in Chongqing and an important carrier reflecting the city's high quality of life. Reviewing the construction process and renewal work helps understand the characteristics of high-rise residential areas in Chongqing at different stages, clarify current development demands, and look forward to the focus of future renewal work. Based on socio-economic development and policy background, the article sorts the construction process of high-rise residential areas in Chongqing into four stages: the early experimental construction period of high-rise residential areas (1978-1996), the rapid start-up period of high-rise commodity housing construction (1997-2006), the large-scale construction period of high-rise commodity housing and public rental housing (2007-2014), and the period of renewal and renovation of high-rise residential areas and step-by-step construction of quality commodity housing (2015-present). Based on the construction demands and main construction types of each stage, the article summarizes that the construction of high-rise residential areas in Chongqing features large scale, high speed, and high density. It points out that a large number of high-rise residential areas built after 2000 will become important objects of renewal and renovation in the future. Based on existing renewal work experience, it is urgent to explore a path for sustainable renewal and development in terms of policy mechanisms, digital supervision, and renewal and renovation models, leading the high-rise living in Chongqing toward high-quality development.

Keywords: high-rise residential areas, construction process, renewal and renovation, Chongqing

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Authors: Andrea Palazzo, Daniel Macek, Veronika Malinova

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Contour processing is the new technology challenge for architects and construction companies. The many advantages it promises make it one of the most interesting solutions for construction in terms of automation of building processes. The technology for 3D printing houses offers many application possibilities, from low-cost construction, to being considered by NASA for visionary projects as a good solution for building settlements on other planets. Another very important point is that clients, as architects, will no longer have many limits in design concerning ideas and creativity. The prices for real estate are constantly increasing and the lack of availability of construction materials as well as the speculation that has been created around it in 2021 is bringing prices to such a level that in the future real estate developers risk not being able to find customers for these ultra-expensive homes. Hence, this paper starts with the introduction of 3D printing, which now has the potential to gain an important position in the market, becoming a valid alternative to the classic construction process. This technology is not only beneficial from an economic point of view but it is also a great opportunity to have an impact on the environment by reducing CO2 emissions. Further on in the article we will also understand if, after the COP 26 (2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference), world governments could also push towards building technologies that reduce the waste materials that are needed to be disposed of and at the same time reduce emissions with the contribution of governmental funds. This paper will give us insight on the multiple benefits of 3D printing and emphasise the importance of finding new solutions for materials that can be used by the printer. Therefore, based on the type of material, it will be possible to understand the compatibility with current regulations and how the authorities will be inclined to support this technology. This will help to enable the rise and development of this technology in Europe and in the rest of the world on actual housing projects and not only on prototypes.

Keywords: additive manufacturing, contour crafting, development, new regulation, printing material

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Authors: Oscar E. Cariceo

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In Chile, social workers´ professional training is developed in the undergraduate level, mainly. Despite the fact that several schools have been launched Master of Social Work programs, the Bachelor in Social Work is the minimum qualification to start a professional career. In the current Chilean higher education system, there exist different financial aid options in order to guarantee equal access to higher education. These policies, which are student loans and scholarships, basically, are applied and distributed by Government agencies. They are linked to academic performance and socio-economic needs, in terms of standardized test scores and social vulnerability criteria. In addition, institutions that enroll students with high scores, also receive direct financial support. In other words, social work students must compete for the resources to pay for college tuitions and fees with other students from different programs and knowledge fields and, as a consequence, they can indirectly enhance schools´ money income. This work aims to describe the reality of social work students to access to financial aid in Chile. The analysis presents the results of the University Selection Test of students, who were accepted in social work undergraduate programs during 2014 related to their qualifications to apply to three main financial aid programs, and their contribution to attracting resources to their schools. In general, data show that social work students participate in a low proportion in the distribution of financial aid, both student loans and scholarships. Few of them reach enough scores to guarantee direct financial resources to their institutions. Therefore, this situation has deep implications on equal access to higher education for vulnerable students and affects equal access to training options for young social workers, due to the highly competitive financial aid system.

Keywords: social work, professional training, higher education, financial aid, equity

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Authors: M. Areekijseree, W. Pongsawat, M. Pumipaiboon, C. Thepsithar, S. Sengsai, T. Chuen-Im

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Morphological interaction of porcine cumulus-oocyte complexes (pCOCs) was investigated on in vitro condition using electron microscope (SEM and TEM). The totals of 1,923 oocytes were round in shape, surrounded by zona pellucida with layer of cumulus cells ranging between 59.29-202.14 µm in size. They were classified into intact-, multi-, partial cumulus cell layer oocyte, and completely denuded oocyte, at the percentage composition of 22.80% 32.70%, 18.60%, and 25.90 % respectively. The pCOCs classified as intact- and multi cumulus cell layer oocytes were further culturing at 37°C with 5% CO2, 95% air atmosphere and high humidity for 44 h in M199 with Earle’s salts supplemented with 10% HTFCS, 2.2 mg/mL NaHCO3, 1 M Hepes, 0.25 mM pyruvate, 15 µg/mL porcine follicle-stimulating hormone, 1 µg/mL LH, 1µg/mL estradiol with ethanol, and 50 µg/mL gentamycin sulfate. On electron microscope study, cumulus cells were found to stick their processes to secrete substance from the sac-shape end into zona pellucida of the oocyte and also communicated with the neighboring cells through their microvilli on the beginning of incubation period. It is believed that the cumulus cells communicate with the oocyte by inserting the microvilli through this gap and embedded in the oocyte cytoplasm before secreting substance, through the sac-shape end of the microvilli, to inhibit primary oocyte development at the prophase I. Morphological changes of the complexes were observed after culturing for 24-44 h. One hundred percentages of the cumulus layers were expanded and cumulus cells were peeling off from the oocyte surface. In addition, the round-shape cumulus cells transformed themselves into either an elongate shape or a columnar shape, and no communication between cumulus neighboring cells. After 44 h of incubation time, diameter of oocytes surrounded by cumulus cells was larger than 0 h incubation. The effect of hormones in culture medium is exerted by their receptors present in porcine oocyte. It is likely that all morphological changes of the complexes after hormone treatment were to allow maturation of the oocyte. This study demonstrated that the association of hormones in M199 could promote porcine follicle activation in 44 h in vitro condition. This culture system should be useful for studying the regulation of early follicular growth and development, especially because these follicles represent a large source of oocytes that could be used in vitro for cell technology.

Keywords: cumulus cells, electron microscopy, in vitro, porcine oocyte

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Authors: Temesgen Oljira, Olugbenga Akindeji Okunlola, Akinade Shadrach Olatunji, Dereje Ayalew, Bekele Ayele Bedada

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The Western Ethiopian Shield (WES) is underlain by volcano-sedimentary terranes, gneissic terranes, and ophiolitic rocks intruded by different granitoid bodies. For the past few years, Neoproterozoic rocks of the Megele area in the western part of the WES have been explored. Understanding the geology of the area and assessing the mineralized area's economic potential requires petrological, geochemical, and geological characterization of the Neoproterozoic granitoids and associated metavolcanic rocks. Thus, the geological, geochemical, and petrogenetic features of Neoproterozoic granitoids and associated metavolcanic rocks were elucidated using a combination of field mapping, petrological, and geochemical study. The Megele area is part of a low-grade volcano-sedimentary zone that has been intruded by mafic (dolerite dyke) and granitoid intrusions (granodiorite, diorite, granite gneiss). The granodiorite, associated diorite, and granite gneiss are calc-alkaline, peraluminous to slightly metaluminous, S-type granitoids formed in volcanic arc subduction (VAG) to syn-collisional (syn-COLD) tectonic setting by fractionation of LREE-enriched, HREE-depleted basaltic magma with considerable crustal input. While the metabasalt is sub-alkaline (tholeiitic), metaluminous bodies are generated at the mid-oceanic ridge tectonic setting by partially melting HREE-depleted and LREE-enriched basaltic magma. The reworking of sediment-loaded crustal blocks at depth in a subduction zone resulted in the production of S-type granitoids. This basaltic magma was supplied from an LREE-enriched, HREE-depleted mantle.

Keywords: fractional crystallization, geochemistry, Megele, petrogenesis, s-type granite

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Authors: Zachary Bolo Awino

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The need to gain and sustain a competitive advantage is overwhelming for businesses, especially now with cut throat competition. Innovation has been suggested as one way of gaining the advantage sustainably. But innovation can only happen within certain enabling environment and cultures. This study had one hypothesis: that there is no relationship between innovation and performance. This research was a cross sectional survey in which variables of interest are not controlled or manipulated. The cross sectional survey design is also appropriate for this study as it improves accuracy in generalizing findings, since it involves detailed study of a unit. Also known as one shot study, this design enhances uniform data collection and comparison across respondents. The population of the study was the 55 publicly quoted corporations in the Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE) as at October 2013.The number was initially envisaged to be 60 but 5 firms were delisted or suspended during the year, hence leaving 55 firms as the population of study. The rationale for the choice for these firms is because they cut across the key economic sectors in Kenyan economy which include agriculture, commercial and services, manufacturing, finance and investment. This was a census survey and targeted all the firms listed at the Nairobi Securities Exchange as of October 2013. The primary data for the study was collected through the use of a structured questionnaire. A five point type Likert scale ranging from 1 - denoting to a less event to 5 - denoting to a greater extent was used. Respondents were from senior management of NSE. From the analyses, the study established that there was a strong positive relationship between innovation and performance, and organization innovation significantly contributes to employee engagement. Also there was a moderate positive relationship between innovation and performance. The study drew expressions of interrelations between various variables, offered generalization of understanding and meaning of these relationships, thus expanding the frontiers of knowledge both theoretical and practical with respect to innovation and firm performance. Major conclusion in this study was that there is a positive strong relationship between innovation and major measures of firm performance.

Keywords: emperical, innovation, NSE, organizations, performance

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Authors: Shadreck Muchaku, Grey Magaiza, Jerit Dube

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The high insolvency rate of female-led emerging enterprises in the Southern African mountain region reflects the various vulnerabilities that exist. Although this is the case, there is a limited understanding of how these vulnerabilities influence entrepreneurship failure. This paper focuses on female entrepreneurs because of their role in economic development. Emerging female entrepreneurs in this region often operate in uncertain environments, which makes it difficult for them to thrive. The form and nature of entrepreneurial opportunities rural women of the Afro Montane region engage in are largely unsustainable as a lot of women struggle with confidence, and they need help with understanding their skills. However, there is still a gap in the existing literature on women entrepreneurship resilience and vulnerability reduction in the Afromontane. Furthermore, a major problem is the lack of empirical studies on this matter and limited studies indicating a general profile of emerging female entrepreneurs in this region. This systematic literature review attempts to fill in the gap of knowledge on entrepreneurship resilience and vulnerability reduction of emerging female entrepreneurs in the Afromontane regions and other similar precarious environments. In this review, we focus much on highlighting the nexus between entrepreneurship resilience and vulnerability reduction of emerging female entrepreneurs in academic literature through a chronological dispersal of publications in developing countries. This review adopts an ATLAS ti.22 software-based thematic analysis to analyze results obtained from reviewed academic journal articles. As research on entrepreneurship resilience and vulnerability reduction is still developing in the Sothern African mountain region, the results of this review will contribute to the body of literature and provide recommendations and a foundation for future research. This systematic review paper provides valuable insights and methodological approaches to scholarship in a nascent area of emerging female entrepreneurs in the Afromontane.

Keywords: entrepreneurship resiliency, vulnerability reduction, female entrepreneurs, mountain regions

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Authors: Asrat M.Belachew, Tiago Pereira, Institute of Mathematics, Computer Sciences, Avenida Trabalhador São Carlense, 400, São Carlos, 13566-590, Brazil

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Infectious diseases are among the most prominent threats to human beings. They cause morbidity and mortality to an individual and collapse the social, economic, and political systems of the whole world collectively. Mathematical models are fundamental tools and provide a comprehensive understanding of how infectious diseases spread and designing the control strategy to mitigate infectious diseases from the host population. Modeling the spread of infectious diseases using a compartmental model of inhomogeneous populations is good in terms of complexity. However, in the real world, there is a situation that accounts for heterogeneity, such as ages, locations, and contact patterns of the population which are ignored in a homogeneous setting. In this work, we study how classical an SEIR infectious disease spreading of the compartmental model can be extended by incorporating the mobility of population between heterogeneous cities during an outbreak of infectious disease. We have formulated an SEIR multi-cities epidemic spreading model using a system of 4k ordinary differential equations to describe the disease transmission dynamics in k-cities during the day and night. We have shownthat the model is epidemiologically (i.e., variables have biological interpretation) and mathematically (i.e., a unique bounded solution exists all the time) well-posed. We constructed the next-generation matrix (NGM) for the model and calculated the basic reproduction number R0for SEIR-epidemic spreading model with cities mobility. R0of the disease depends on the spectral radius mobility operator, and it is a threshold between asymptotic stability of the disease-free equilibrium and disease persistence. Using the eigenvalue perturbation theorem, we showed that sending a fraction of the population between cities decreases the reproduction number of diseases in interconnected cities. As a result, disease transmissiondecreases in the population.

Keywords: SEIR-model, mathematical model, city mobility, epidemic spreading

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