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Inflatable life rafts, at present times are equipped on almost all passengers, fishing and commercially operated vessels. Universally, life rafts are the first mode of evacuation system, be it a fishing boat with relatively small crew to an outsized passenger vessel with more passengers and crew. In an event of a natural disaster such as floods happening in any kind of region be it sparsely or densely populated areas where rescue and evacuation operations can be hard to reach, people will be often left to look after basic survival exigency. We have developed an emergency portable life raft which is seamless and compactly integrated to a backpack which weighs merely 2.5 kg. During the flood, victim can instantly respond by packing up with survival necessities. The portable emergency life raft aims to provide a versatile, user- friendly and an all-round solution for the survival endurance during floods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The Portuguese rural environment suffers from a number of distinctive structural problems entrenched at demographic, social, and economic level, resulting in an “emptying” across these domains (Carvalho, 2018). The disruptive effect of COVID-19 had important repercussions in different sectors and spaces. Rural areas were among the spaces severely impacted by the pandemic (Luca et al., 2022). In these two years the scientific literature has highlighted not only the resilience of areas used to losing out, but also how they have managed to benefit from this abnormal situation. From providing a refuge during lockdown (Asquith, 2020) to their (re)discovery and valorization as tourist destinations (Vaishar & Šťastná, 2020; Seraphin & Dosquet, 2020; Silva & Carvalho, 2022). In this context, the main purpose of this study is to present the effects of the pandemic in Portugal’s rural areas, which can be regarded as offering opportunities for the near development perspectives. Methodology: The first stage involved a literature review and an examination and interpretation of the statistical data provided by Statistics Portugal [INE] and other data from Turismo de Portugal, Google Trends, and Idealista. Results: It was found that during this period rural spaces gained visibility in areas as varied as demographics, labor, real estate, and also in terms of tourism. In the period immediately following the first lockdown, in March 2020, the press reported that thousands of emigrants were returning to towns and villages located in the interior of the country (Rodrigues, 2020). There are no data that specifically explain this situation and the actual numbers of national residents who followed the same path is certainly unknown. The pandemic also established a new paradigm in terms of residential spaces, which resulted in greater demand for places outside urban areas, for rural localities and in the countryside to work, but also as a more definitive option. The Idealista study (2021) reported that the search for urban land on which to build country houses and rural land to develop agricultural activities or even to transform into urban land, doubled in most national districts. In the case of urban land, Bragança (+600%), Braga (+219%) and Setúbal (+168%) had the highest figures. As for rural land, Faro showed an increase of 250% and Setúbal, Vila Real, Castelo Branco, Bragança and Aveiro, all increased by more than 150%. The flexibility allowed by teleworking also boosted the demand for these spaces. The Emprego Interior MAIS measure, which is part of the "Trabalhar no Interior" program, and the coworking network for the interior of the more sparsely populated areas, involving around 90 municipalities, were implemented (RP, 2021). The rural space has also been (re)discovered and valued from a tourist perspective. Although affected by the pandemic in the last two years, despite the decline recorded in rural tourism accommodation (Silva & Carvalho, 2021), it still managed to be the category that grew the most compared to hotels and local accommodation facilities. In the periods immediately after lockdown, rural tourism enjoyed the most significant recovery. Since July 2021, the number of guests and overnight stays in the rural tourism segment has exceeded the figures recorded in the same months of 2019 (in the case of hotels and local accommodation there are still losses), although it was not enough to overcome the annual decrease (-15% and -7% respectively). Between 2019 and 2021, rural tourism increased its relative weight in total guests (from 3.5% to 6.0%) and overnight stays (from 2.8% to 5.0%) (INE, 2022). Online research trends also support this interest. Rural tourism has been in evidence in google searches, especially after lockdown periods; 2021 research enquiries exceed those of 2020 in most months (Google Trends, 2022). Despite the decrease of rural tourism establishments (20% between 2019 and 2020), the entrepreneurial dynamics in these spaces has been quite important. From March 2020 to March 2022, around 150 rural tourism establishments and 200 tourist activity businesses offering nature tourism were registered. In the first case, the total annual openings in 2020 and 2021 exceeded (+17%) the total recorded for the two years prior to the pandemic (TP, 2022). These tendencies constitute opportunities for rural areas and the different agents operating in these spaces to devise a more integrated and cohesive development strategy that should then be worked on, expanded and consolidated, so that they do not simply fade away with the resumption of normality after the pandemic crisis. And the challenges include, among others, creating effective conditions for people to settle in rural areas that are not focused only on a financial incentive, but on a more holistic approach involving employment, infrastructure and equipment; promote the quality of life that the countryside provides; and also, be creative, innovate and adapt to people's needs. Research limitations: The lack of concrete data in some of the areas studied was an obstacle to a deeper and more solid analysis. Originality: This work sets out an evaluative analysis of the effects of the pandemic in Portuguese rural spaces, a subject in which studies are scarce, sourcing data from different quarters, which provide a more global and integrated understanding of these effects, offering clues for a short/medium term action in these spaces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Currently, one of the priority initiatives for the development of the Russian Federation is the development of its Arctic zone. However, this initiative has its own characteristics, which must be considered. This paper studies the existing problems of educational development in the Arctic zone of the Russian Federation and proposes ways to solve them. Based on the analysis carried out, it proposes the use of information technologies to organize the most effective educational process. In this paper, the business processes of the proposed training methodology using distance learning systems was described and conclusions were made about the advisability of using information technology. As a successful example of the implementation of information technology, the work of the network engineering and technical school is presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a theoretical framework for describing and understanding university-industry knowledge dynamics in northern sparsely populated areas (NSPAs). Based on the literature findings, key elements of a theoretical framework are defined and four essential elements to be considered in the context are recognised. These elements are knowledge transfer mechanisms, universities' channels of engagement, firms' needs for university-based knowledge, and the challenges of NSPAs. The first dimension of the framework is knowledge transfer mechanisms, which can be categorised as publications, participation in conferences, professional networks and boards, mobility of people, other informal contacts and networks, cooperation in R&D, sharing facilities, cooperation in education, contract research and advisement, IPRs, and spin-offs. The components of the framework explaining universities' channels of engagement are educating people, problem solving for industry, providing public space, and adding to the stock of codified knowledge. We also aim to understand the possible needs of firms for university-based knowledge. The specific features to take into account are the return on investment over the time horizon, the character of collaboration needs, from problem solving to a strategic approach, and the size of the firm. Developing the framework in the NSPA context, the following special features have to be taken into account; demographical/ social, economic/ business and physical/ locational aspects. This study contributes to the recognised need for a more comprehensive theoretical framework to analyse those knowledge transfer mechanisms useful for universities and their regional units in boosting entrepreneurial activity in NSPAs. The theoretical framework presented in this study can be further operationalised and used as a foundation when examining and developing university-industry collaboration in NSPAs. The framework may thus stimulate the so far scarce empirical research into NSPAs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to define preconditions for organizing entrepreneurship e-learning in northern sparsely populated areas (SPAs). The study is based on a literature review that combines theories of e-learning and virtual collaboration competences in industrial settings. As a result, we propose careful planning and using constructive methods such as problem-based learning in entrepreneurship education. A certain level of training is required for participants to ensure that they understand the special characteristics of virtual work. Furthermore, an opportunity for face-to-face interaction at the beginning of the project is highly recommended. These actions can help to overcome any ICT and synchronization issue-related barriers and deficient relationship building. These actions also enhance development of trust and knowledge sharing among individuals. Lastly, lack of time and resources are typical challenges for students in SPAs, and therefore content and schedules require careful planning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most of what we know about justice in America is based on urban contexts. Relatively little is known about rural justice systems. While most Americans live in and around large metropolitan areas, a majority of counties are still quite rural. This study reports on how several rural counties in northern Wisconsin have responded to their crime problems. Especially of interest is how these relatively poor, sparsely populated counties have responded with limited resources through volunteer criminal justice councils. These organizations, made up of several key stakeholders, provide a coordinated community response to public safety, costs and punishment. Minimally, such a response may provide a model for other similarly situated jurisdictions. ..PAT.-Unpublished Manuscript [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]