Elephant Endotheliotropic Herpesvirus Impact in the European Asian Elephant (Elephas maximus) Population: Are Hereditability and Zoo-Associated Factors Linked with Mortality?

EEHV is a ubiquitous virus, which most likely has co-evolved with elephants and is shed by healthy individuals and maintained in the herds. Yet, the factors determining calf susceptibility to the virus remain unknown. Here, we explored the impact of EEHV-HD in the European captive Asian elephant population in a retrospective statistical study spanning the last 35 years. We show that EEHV-HD was implicated in more than half of all deaths recorded in calves older than one months old. Moreover, the median age across EEHV-HD fatalities was significantly lower compared to other death causes. Finally, we investigated if heredity and zoo-associated factors could be linked to a higher susceptibility of calves to this disease. We used a univariable logistic regression model to evaluate if either fathers, mothers, or zoos could, separately, be considered as risk factors to the development of the disease. Afterwards, we used a two multivariable model, combining: (1) fathers and zoos, and (2) mothers and zoos. Overall, we found that two fathers, one mother, and four zoos had three or more times higher risk of their calves becoming sick when compared to all others, pointing us to the presence of a management or environmental element, which can have paternal and maternal influence and leads to calf susceptibility or resistance to EEHV-HD.

The Impacts of Visual Factors on Resident’s Perception, Emotion and Place Attachment

This study aimed to explore the underlying visual factors in a community environment and how the visual factors affect the resident’s perception, emotion, and place attachment. Factor analysis and multiple regression had been employed to clarify this relationship. The factor analysis extracted visual environment into four factors: "architecture", "outdoor furnishing", "indicative symbol," and "healthy environmental element." The regression indicated that environmental perception and place attachment have different predictors. The former had predicted by "outdoor furnishing" and "healthy environmental element" while the latter affected by "architecture" and "indicative symbol". The emotion was only influenced by "outdoor furnishing". Keywords: Community environment; Visual elements; Environmental perception; Place attachment. eISSN: 2398-4287© 2020. The Authors. Published for AMER ABRA cE-Bs by e-International Publishing House, Ltd., UK. This is an open access article under the CC BYNC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/). Peer–review under responsibility of AMER (Association of Malaysian Environment-Behaviour Researchers), ABRA (Association of Behavioural Researchers on Asians) and cE-Bs (Centre for Environment-Behaviour Studies), Faculty of Architecture, Planning & Surveying, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Malaysia. DOI: https://doi.org/10.21834/ebpj.v5i14.2207

Environmental education as a tool of sustainable development of territories

The paper deals with the environmental element of the concept of sustainable development. The purpose of the paper is to explore the issue of municipal solid waste management in the Russian Federation and in Sverdlovskaya Oblast. More specifically, it examines the context for successful implementation of the National Ecology Project and the garbage reform against a background of public pressure. There is a need for an integrated approach to broaden the public ‘green’ outlook by engaging educational institutions, business organizations, and mass media. To maintain an ecological balance is in itself a way to ensure sustainable development of territories. The authors believe that environmental education may significantly contribute to raising awareness among consumers and producers for the purpose of sustainable development, and serve as a possible measure of preventing public discontent.

Value Theory in the Economics of Sustainable Development

Historically, the value theory was based on an objectivist approach, where the value of the goods arises through the involvement of private means of production, with a special role of work or a subjectivist approach, where value is a subjective phenomenon and depends on marginal utility of the economic entity. The neoclassical revolution replaced the vague value theory with price theory, the economic reality and consumer expectations led to a situation in which lowering the price of goods at the expense of the environment became a commonly accepted mode of operation. For a long time, the value theory in economics was not an area of reflection, both in the sense of economic and moral value. It was assumed that the subjective character of the value phenomenon makes the analysis of value elusive for the tools of economics. At the same time, environmental goods were considered to be so-called free, occurring in unlimited quantities. These assumptions have contributed to the development of an economics theory that is the antithesis of the economics of sustainable development, excessively exploiting the environment and, indirectly, society as well. The assumptions of sustainable development redefine the space for interpretation of the value theory and imply a change in the approach to an environmental element that cannot be understood in the sense of a free good and which imposes an objective understanding of values that can be preserved or lost in the production process.

Facilities’ Arrangement of Tourism Area in Lumban Suhi-suhi Village Based on Environmental Element Approach (Sustainable Tourism)

Tourism development aims to improve the living standards of the host community. Lumban Suhi-suhi tourist village, located at Pangururan sub-district in Samosir Island, is famous for its handcrafted ulos. However, inadequate tourism facilities regulation has made the area less attractive. Therefore, the concept of environment-based arrangement is proposed to be applied in the village to improve its facilities. The qualitative approach was carried out through observation and interviews. Triangulation method was carried out in analysing the collected data with relevant theories. The concept is eligible to increase visitors as well as to maintain environmental sustainability.Keywords: Tourism Village; Site Arrangement; Sustainable Tourism; Lumban Suhi-suhieISSN: 2398-4295 © 2019. The Authors. Published for AMER, ABRA & cE-Bs by e-International Publishing House, Ltd., UK. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/). Peer–review under responsibility of AMER (Association of Malaysian Environment-Behaviour Researchers), ABRA (Association of Behavioural Researchers on Asians) and cE-Bs (Centre for Environment-Behaviour Studies), Faculty of Architecture, Planning & Surveying, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Malaysia.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.21834/ajbes.v4i17.181

Considerations on the Legal Protection of the Atmosphere

Air quality is an issue of general, global interest, which requires the implementation of appropriate environmental policies, taking into account the essential connection between the world economy and the environment. Air is an important natural element of the environment, vital for human life and health, as well as for fauna and flora, and it needs to be protected by all means, including legal methods. Lately, scientific studies and researches have shown that the chemical structure of the atmosphere is changing for natural or anthropogenic causes, which requires more effective monitoring of the impact of human activity on the atmosphere, doubled by the implementation of radical measures, including legal ones, meant to insure the protection of this environmental element. The increase in the quantity of polluting gases eliminated into the atmosphere causes global warming, destroying the ozone layer and generating other imbalances in the natural environment. In these conditions, and since pollution knows no political-administrative borders, being a global phenomenon, there is an absolute need for international cooperation based on conventions and treatises on this topic, or directives from international bodies and organisations, and at a national level, the environmental legislation must aim to protect the air in the troposphere as well as the other elements outside the troposphere, such as the ozone layer, which is part of the stratosphere.

The Optimal Tribotechnical Factors in the Design of Machines – Environmental Element in the Production Systems

The article deals with the experimental detection of the tribotechnical parameters for two different types of sliding bearings which are intended for operation without an additional lubrication due to the increasing requirements in ecology and environment. The dominant tribotechnical parameters of the self-lubricating bearing are the coefficient of friction and temperature. To determine these parameters, an experimental method was applied in this paper. The introductory part deals with materials of self-lubricating sliding bearings, their properties and usage. The experimental part consists of the evaluation of friction characteristics and geometric change of a surface after sliding pairs were being worn. Experimental examined sliding pairs comprise a sliding bearing and the shaft. The aim of this research was to determine the effect of radial force on tribotechnical parameters in order to predict the behavior of examined sliding bearings in real operating conditions.

Air Ionization in Livestock Buildings – A Review

Research has shown that microclimate is determined not only by air microparticles, but also by the degree of air ionization. Ions affect the body through the respiratory tract and skin. Exposure of reared chickens to elevated air temperature (37°C–23°C) was found to accelerate the break-down of negative ions compared to temperature lower by 10°C. Negative air ionization offsets the adverse effect of elevated temperature on chickens. Higher (85%) air humidity during rearing of chickens was also observed to destroy negative ions. Research findings indicate that air ionization is an environmental element that contributes to improving performance in broiler chickens. Many studies have also confirmed a positive effect of air ionization on the body weight and health of piglets.