bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Dynamics of Transit Oriented Development, Role of Greenhouse Gases and Urban Environment: A Study for Management and Policy
Authors: Ali Liaqat , Nawaz Ahsan , Iqbal Shahid , Aamir Basheer Muhammad , Hameed Javaria , Albasher Gadah , Shah Syyed Adnan Raheel , Bai Yong
Published: February 2021

The emission and mitigation of greenhouse gases transforms the status of urban environments. However, a policy accounting for all the aspects associated with transport is lacking. Problems related to transport include a greater reliance on cars, increased congestion, and environmental impacts. The absence of an efficient public transport system is a notable cause of the prompt escalation of diverse problems, for example, increases in the number of personal automobiles causes congestion on the road, resulting in air pollution, ubiquitous greenhouse effects and noise pollution, which ultimately affect human health. Transit oriented development (TOD) has been suggested as a solution to these problems. This paper reviews the impacts of transit development on urban development, greenhouse impact, the environment, economy, property value, travel behavior, and health etc., highlighting the policy issues which hinder TOD. Implementation of TOD has a strong impact on shaping the urban form, redevelopment, and the upgradation of old areas. Controlling transit phenomena will also help to control the emission and mitigation of greenhouse gases. This study will help in improving the urban environment and climatic condition of regions.
Refocusing on Sustainability: Promoting Straw Bale Building for Government-Assisted, Self-Help Housing Programs in Utah and Abroad
Authors: Dorsey Bryan
Published: February 2021

Central to this housing program evaluation and policy analysis is the need to clarify competing definitions of self-help housing and to delineate the role of straw bale building in creating more sustainable, subsidized housing programs. Straw bale home construction is shown to be achieved at a lower cost, with lower embodied carbon than conventional housing, yet the building technique is not widely practiced as part of government-assisted housing, internationally, nor among mutual self-help housing (MSHH) programs in the United States, due in part to limitations of code adoption. Community Rebuilds, a federally subsidized MSHH program in Moab, Utah, is compared to other self-help housing programs in the state and stands apart with current “living building” development. Interviews and survey results from Community Rebuilds staff, contractors, and homeowners provide qualitative insights regarding the value of social capital, and embodied carbon calculations were used to assess the sustainability of conventional versus natural building methods and materials. Results confirm the need for increasing straw bale building code adoption and the creation of more sustainable self-help housing options in the U.S. and abroad.
The Digital Post Ecosystem—Example of Poland in the Context of Research
Authors: Drab-Kurowska Anna , Budziewicz-Guźlecka Agnieszka
Published: February 2021

Rapid technological changes have forced postal operators to adapt their services to the needs of the information society, exploit new business opportunities, and pay more attention to emerging and rapidly growing direct and indirect competition. The main goal of the article is to provide an answer to the question Do we have to digitalize postal services? The objectives of the article are as follows: defining of the postal ecosystem concept; defining of postal e-services; developing an action proposal approach for the operator designated to create a digital ecosystem of the postal service. Therefore, it is necessary to survey postal operators regarding the digitalization of the economy and postal e-services. The survey should focus on individual customers, businesses and telecommunications market experts. The survey covered postal e-services supplied by the designated operator in Poland. Its assessment has been based on variables which have major impact on the perception of postal e-services. These variables include: scope of e-services, regulatory framework (security), competitiveness, telecommunications infrastructure, advancement of e-services, innovation level, and digital awareness and digital skills in the society. In order to meet these objectives, the article refers to the essence of the ecosystem as a solution to the research problem. Additionally, studies on postal e-services have been presented, which enable to develop an action proposal to strengthen the position of the postal operator in the postal ecosystem. The article is based on studies that use various research methods, such as critical analysis of scientific literature, synthesis and generalization, Delphi method, versatile benchmarking and graphic visualization. Additionally, findings of studies on e-services have been presented to cover the European Union, as well as solicit opinions of individual and business clients and telecommunications market experts in Poland. This enables to develop an action proposal designed to strengthen the position of the postal operator in the postal ecosystem. The study has delivered an answer to the research question. Thus, the authors can confirm that it is necessary to digitalize postal services.
Gravitation with Cosmological Term, Expansion of the Universe as Uniform Acceleration in Clifford Coordinates
Authors: Kritov Alexander
Published: February 2021

This paper presents a novel approach to the cosmological constant problem by the use of the Clifford algebras of space Cl3,0 and anti-space Cl0,3 with a particular focus on the paravector representation, emphasizing the fact that both algebras have a center represented just by two coordinates. Since the paravector representation allows assigning the scalar element of grade 0 to the time coordinate, we consider the relativity in such two-dimensional spacetime for a uniformly accelerated frame with the constant acceleration 3H0c. Using the Rindler coordinate transformations in two-dimensional spacetime and then applying it to Minkowski coordinates, we obtain the FLRW metric, which in the case of the Clifford algebra of space Cl3,0 corresponds to the anti-de Sitter (AdS) flat (k=0) case, the negative cosmological term and an oscillating model of the universe. The approach with anti-Euclidean Clifford algebra Cl0,3 leads to the de Sitter model with the positive cosmological term and the exact form of the scale factor used in modern cosmology.
Three-Species Lotka-Volterra Model with Respect to Caputo and Caputo-Fabrizio Fractional Operators
Authors: Khalighi Moein , Eftekhari Leila , Hosseinpour Soleiman , Lahti Leo
Published: February 2021

In this paper, we apply the concept of fractional calculus to study three-dimensional Lotka-Volterra differential equations. We incorporate the Caputo-Fabrizio fractional derivative into this model and investigate the existence of a solution. We discuss the uniqueness of the solution and determine under what conditions the model offers a unique solution. We prove the stability of the nonlinear model and analyse the properties, considering the non-singular kernel of the Caputo-Fabrizio operator. We compare the stability conditions of this system with respect to the Caputo-Fabrizio operator and the Caputo fractional derivative. In addition, we derive a new numerical method based on the Adams-Bashforth scheme. We show that the type of differential operators and the value of orders significantly influence the stability of the Lotka-Volterra system and numerical results demonstrate that different fractional operator derivatives of the nonlinear population model lead to different dynamical behaviors.
Multi-Criteria Decision-Making Methods in Fuzzy Decision Problems: A Case Study in the Frozen Shrimp Industry
Authors: Wang Chia-Nan , Nguyen Van Thanh , Kao Jui-Chung , Chen Chih-Cheng , Nguyen Viet Tinh
Published: February 2021

The European Union (EU) is the largest shrimp consumer market in the world in terms of requirements for shrimp product imports. Therefore, other enterprises that export frozen shrimp to the EU must consider many criteria when choosing suppliers of raw shrimp. The difficulty of choosing suppliers of raw shrimp makes selecting raw material suppliers in the fisheries sector a multi-criteria decision-making problem. In such problems, the decision makers must review and evaluate many criteria—including qualitative and quantitative factors—to achieve an optimal result. While there have been multiple multi-criteria decision making models developed to support supplier selection processes in different industries, none of these have been developed to solve the particular problems facing the shrimp industry, especially as it concerns a fuzzy decision-making environment. In this research, the authors propose a Multi-Criteria Decision Making model (MCDM) including the Fuzzy Analytical Network Process (FANP) and Weighted Aggregated Sum Product Assessment (WASPAS) for the evaluation and selection process of shrimp suppliers in the fisheries industry. The model is applied to a real-world case study and the results show that Supplier 3 (SA3) is the most optimal supplier of raw shrimp. The contribution of this work is the employment of FANP and WASPAS to propose an MCDM for ranking potential suppliers in the fisheries industry in a fuzzy environment. The proposed approach can also be modified to support complex decision-making processes in fuzzy environments in different industries.
Non-Digestible Oligosaccharides and Short Chain Fatty Acids as Therapeutic Targets against Enterotoxin-Producing Bacteria and Their Toxins
Authors: Asadpoor Mostafa , Ithakisiou Georgia-Nefeli , Henricks Paul A. J. , Pieters Roland , Folkerts Gert , Braber Saskia
Published: February 2021

Enterotoxin-producing bacteria (EPB) have developed multiple mechanisms to disrupt gut homeostasis, and provoke various pathologies. A major part of bacterial cytotoxicity is attributed to the secretion of virulence factors, including enterotoxins. Depending on their structure and mode of action, enterotoxins intrude the intestinal epithelium causing long-term consequences such as hemorrhagic colitis. Multiple non-digestible oligosaccharides (NDOs), and short chain fatty acids (SCFA), as their metabolites produced by the gut microbiota, interact with enteropathogens and their toxins, which may result in the inhibition of the bacterial pathogenicity. NDOs characterized by diverse structural characteristics, block the pathogenicity of EPB either directly, by inhibiting bacterial adherence and growth, or biofilm formation or indirectly, by promoting gut microbiota. Apart from these abilities, NDOs and SCFA can interact with enterotoxins and reduce their cytotoxicity. These anti-virulent effects mostly rely on their ability to mimic the structure of toxin receptors and thus inhibiting toxin adherence to host cells. This review focuses on the strategies of EPB and related enterotoxins to impair host cell immunity, discusses the anti-pathogenic properties of NDOs and SCFA on EPB functions and provides insight into the potential use of NDOs and SCFA as effective agents to fight against enterotoxins.
Reducing Opioid Dependence and Improving Patient Experience for Living Kidney Donors with Transversus Abdominis Plane Block
Authors: Do Vincent , Cohen Elizabeth , Haakinson Danielle , Deshpande Ranjit , Batra Ramesh
Published: February 2021

Rapid recovery after laparoscopic living donor nephrectomy (LLDN) for kidney donation is highly desirable for living kidney donors. To uphold rapid recovery, good analgesia with minimal adverse effects, including those related to opioid dependence, is essential. A pre-operative transversus abdominis plane (TAP) block with liposomal bupivacaine can effectively aid in perioperative pain management, while reducing opioid requirements. We conducted a single-center retrospective study involving patients 18 years and older who underwent LLDN to determine whether a TAP block with liposomal bupivacaine is efficacious in pain management after LLDN, while reducing opioid use. The study group comprised of patients who received a preoperative TAP block with liposomal bupivacaine in place of hydromorphone patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) and the control group included patients who received hydromorphone PCA post-operatively. Both groups were supplemented with oral and intravenous analgesics for breakthrough pain, as needed. The primary endpoint was reduction in post-operative opioid use in morphine milligram equivalents (MME). Secondary endpoints included: post-operative pain scores, postoperative length of stay, and re-hospitalizations within 7 days of discharge. Sixty-six patients were included in our study, with 33 in each group. Patients in both groups were well matched demographically. The study group who received TAP block demonstrated a significant reduction in post-operative opioid use (92.05 MME vs. 53.98 MME, p < 0.05) when compared to the control group who received hydromorphone PCA. Both groups achieved similar analgesia with comparable pain scores. There was no difference between postoperative hospital lengths of stay for both groups. Two patients in the control group were re-admitted due to small bowel obstruction within seven days of discharge. In conclusion, TAP block with liposomal bupivacaine significantly reduced postoperative opioid use, while also proving to be safe, efficacious and feasible in patients undergoing LLDN.
Real Estate Market Responses to the COVID-19 Crisis: Which Prospects for the Metropolitan Area of Naples (Italy)?
Authors: De Toro Pasquale , Nocca Francesca , Buglione Francesca
Published: February 2021

The health emergency caused by the COVID-19 pandemic has affected the entire world since the beginning of 2020, changing living and working conditions. The pandemic has generated a crisis that is having and will continue to have consequences on all sectors of the economy, including the real estate market. During the lockdown period, houses became spaces for both living and working, as well as for leisure activities. Therefore, they were modified to meet the new requirements of communities forced to spend most of their time at home. This will also affect the real estate market in the near future in terms of trends and the characteristics of desirable houses. This research aims to analyse the trends in the residential market in Italy and in particular in the metropolitan area of Naples (Italy). Starting from official sources, the trends of the real estate market, and in particular in the metropolitan area of Naples from 2009 to 2020, have been analysed. Then, two surveys were conducted involving both the community and real estate agents operating in the territory, in order to investigate the effects that COVID-19 has had on the real estate market. The analysis carried out highlights structural changes in the demand for residential properties in the metropolitan area of Naples due to the new requirements as a result of COVID-19.
Potential Role of Birds in Japanese Encephalitis Virus Zoonotic Transmission and Genotype Shift
Authors: Hameed Muddassar , Wahaab Abdul , Nawaz Mohsin , Khan Sawar , Nazir Jawad , Liu Ke , Wei Jianchao , Ma Zhiyong
Published: February 2021

Japanese encephalitis (JE) is a vaccine-preventable disease caused by the Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV), which is primarily prevalent in Asia. JEV is a Flavivirus, classified into a single serotype with five genetically distinct genotypes (I, II, III, IV, and V). JEV genotype III (GIII) had been the most dominant strain and caused numerous outbreaks in the JEV endemic countries until 1990. However, recent data shows the emergence of JEV genotype I (GI) as a dominant genotype and it is gradually displacing GIII. The exact mechanism of this genotype displacement is still unclear. The virus can replicate in mosquito vectors and vertebrate hosts to maintain its zoonotic life cycle; pigs and aquatic wading birds act as an amplifying/reservoir hosts, and the humans and equines are dead-end hosts. The important role of pigs as an amplifying host for the JEV is well known. However, the influence of other domestic animals, especially birds, that live in high abundance and close proximity to the human is not well studied. Here, we strive to briefly highlight the role of birds in the JEV zoonotic transmission, discovery of birds as a natural reservoirs and amplifying host for JEV, species of birds susceptible to the JEV infection, and the proposed effect of JEV on the poultry industry in the future, a perspective that has been neglected for a long time. We also discuss the recent in vitro and in vivo studies that show that the newly emerged GI viruses replicated more efficiently in bird-derived cells and ducklings/chicks than GIII, and an important role of birds in the JEV genotype shift from GIII to GI.
The Role of Tissue Resident Memory CD4 T Cells in Herpes Simplex Viral and HIV Infection
Authors: O’Neil Thomas R. , Hu Kevin , Truong Naomi R. , Arshad Sana , Shacklett Barbara L. , Cunningham Anthony L. , Nasr Najla
Published: February 2021

Tissue-resident memory T cells (TRM) were first described in 2009. While initially the major focus was on CD8+ TRM, there has recently been increased interest in defining the phenotype and the role of CD4+ TRM in diseases. Circulating CD4+ T cells seed CD4+ TRM, but there also appears to be an equilibrium between CD4+ TRM and blood CD4+ T cells. CD4+ TRM are more mobile than CD8+ TRM, usually localized deeper within the dermis/lamina propria and yet may exhibit synergy with CD8+ TRM in disease control. This has been demonstrated in herpes simplex infections in mice. In human recurrent herpes infections, both CD4+ and CD8+ TRM persisting between lesions may control asymptomatic shedding through interferon-gamma secretion, although this has been more clearly shown for CD8+ T cells. The exact role of the CD4+/CD8+ TRM axis in the trigeminal ganglia and/or cornea in controlling recurrent herpetic keratitis is unknown. In HIV, CD4+ TRM have now been shown to be a major target for productive and latent infection in the cervix. In HSV and HIV co-infections, CD4+ TRM persisting in the dermis support HIV replication. Further understanding of the role of CD4+ TRM and their induction by vaccines may help control sexual transmission by both viruses.
Mechanisms of Rhinovirus Neutralisation by Antibodies
Authors: Touabi Lila , Aflatouni Faryal , McLean Gary R.
Published: February 2021

Antibodies are a critical immune correlate of protection for rhinoviruses, particularly those antibodies found in the secretory compartment. For nonenveloped viruses such as rhinoviruses, antibody binding to regions of the icosahedral capsid can neutralise infections by a number of different mechanisms. The purpose of this review is to address the neutralising mechanisms of antibodies to rhinoviruses that would help progress vaccine development. At least five mechanisms of antibody neutralisation have been identified which depend to some extent on the antibody binding footprints upon the capsid. The most studied mechanisms are virion aggregation, inhibition of attachment to cells, and stabilisation or destabilisation of the capsid structure. Newer mechanisms of degradation inside the cell through cytoplasmic antibody detection or outside by phagocytosis rely on what might have been previously considered as non-neutralising antibodies. We discuss these various approaches of antibody interference of rhinoviruses and offer suggestions as to how these could influence vaccine design.
Virus Prospecting in Crickets—Discovery and Strain Divergence of a Novel Iflavirus in Wild and Cultivated Acheta domesticus
Authors: de Miranda Joachim R. , Granberg Fredrik , Onorati Piero , Jansson Anna , Berggren Åsa
Published: February 2021

Orthopteran insects have high reproductive rates leading to boom-bust population dynamics with high local densities that are ideal for short, episodic disease epidemics. Viruses are particularly well suited for such host population dynamics, due to their supreme ability to adapt to changing transmission criteria. However, very little is known about the viruses of Orthopteran insects. Since Orthopterans are increasingly reared commercially, for animal feed and human consumption, there is a risk that viruses naturally associated with these insects can adapt to commercial rearing conditions, and cause disease. We therefore explored the virome of the house cricket Acheta domesticus, which is both part of the natural Swedish landscape and reared commercially for the pet feed market. Only 1% of the faecal RNA and DNA from wild-caught A. domesticus consisted of viruses. These included both known and novel viruses associated with crickets/insects, their bacterial-fungal microbiome, or their plant food. Relatively abundant among these viral Operational Taxonomic Units (OTUs) was a novel Iflavirus, tentatively named Acheta domesticus Iflavirus (AdIV). Quantitative analyses showed that AdIV was also abundant in frass and insect samples from commercially reared crickets. Interestingly, the wild and commercial AdIV strains had short, extremely divergent variation hotspots throughout the genome, which may indicate specific adaptation to their hosts’ distinct rearing environments.
Liquid Biomolecular Condensates and Viral Lifecycles: Review and Perspectives
Authors: Etibor Temitope , Yamauchi Yohei , Amorim Maria
Published: February 2021

Viruses are highly dependent on the host they infect. Their dependence triggers processes of virus–host co-adaptation, enabling viruses to explore host resources whilst escaping immunity. Scientists have tackled viral–host interplay at differing levels of complexity—in individual hosts, organs, tissues and cells—and seminal studies advanced our understanding about viral lifecycles, intra- or inter-species transmission, and means to control infections. Recently, it emerged as important to address the physical properties of the materials in biological systems; membrane-bound organelles are only one of many ways to separate molecules from the cellular milieu. By achieving a type of compartmentalization lacking membranes known as biomolecular condensates, biological systems developed alternative mechanisms of controlling reactions. The identification that many biological condensates display liquid properties led to the proposal that liquid–liquid phase separation (LLPS) drives their formation. The concept of LLPS is a paradigm shift in cellular structure and organization. There is an unprecedented momentum to revisit long-standing questions in virology and to explore novel antiviral strategies. In the first part of this review, we focus on the state-of-the-art about biomolecular condensates. In the second part, we capture what is known about RNA virus-phase biology and discuss future perspectives of this emerging field in virology.
Functional Dissection of the Dominant Role of CD55 in Protecting Vesicular Stomatitis Virus against Complement-Mediated Neutralization
Authors: Asok Kumar Nisha , Muraleedharan Suma Sreenath , Kunnakkadan Umerali , Nag Joydeep , Koolaparambil Mukesh Reshma , Lyles Douglas S. , Johnson John Bernet
Published: February 2021

The human complement system is an important part of the innate immune system. Its effector pathways largely mediate virus neutralization. Vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) activates the classical pathway of the complement, leading to virus neutralization by lysis. Two host-derived membrane-associated regulators of complement activation (RCA), CD55 and CD46, which are incorporated into the VSV envelope during egress, confer protection by delaying/resisting complement-mediated neutralization. We showed previously that CD55 is more effective than CD46 in the inhibition of neutralization. In this study, we identified that, at the protein level, VSV infection resulted in the down-regulation of CD46 but not CD55. The mRNA of both the RCAs was significantly down-regulated by VSV, but it was delayed in the case of CD55. The immunoblot analysis of the levels of RCAs in the progeny virion harvested at three specific time intervals, points to an equal ratio of its distribution relative to viral proteins. Besides reconfirming the dominant role of CD55 over CD46 in shielding VSV from complement, our results also highlight the importance of the subtle modulation in the expression pattern of RCAs in a system naturally expressing them.
Perceived Behavioral Control as a Mediator between Attitudes and Intentions toward Marine Responsible Environmental Behavior
Authors: Lin Yi-Chen , Liu Guang-Ying , Chang Chun-Yen , Lin Chi-Feng , Huang Chung-Yi , Chen Lin-Wen , Yeh Ting-Kuang
Published: February 2021

The marine environment has plunged into crisis with the growth of human activities. The enhancement of responsible environmental behavior (REB) requires policy and education to cultivate social awareness and actions to sustain marine resources. Several studies revealed that the intention serves as an effective predictor of actual behaviors. Furthermore, researchers generally acknowledge that attitudes and perceived behavioral control are potential factors toward behavior intention. However, some research has found that a positive attitude toward the environment does not translate into responsible environmental behavior. Additionally, the model of behavior in the marine context, especially the relationships between attitudes, perceived behavioral control, and the intention of responsible environmental behavior, are still not clear. Students’ attitudes, perceived behavioral control, and intentions toward responsible marine environmental behavior (M-REB) were evaluated via questionnaires. The data from a total of 79 undergraduate students were analyzed. The results suggest that perceived behavioral control is the mediator between attitudes and intentions toward M-REB. This finding reveals the potential benefits of reconsidering the importance of perceived behavioral control in promoting M-REB and provides empirical evidence for future policy-makers in society and education.
Induced Allelopathic Effects of Thalassiosira weissflogii on Colony Formation in Phaeocystis globosa
Authors: Wang Xiaodong , Huo Yiping , Yang Fan , Wang Yan
Published: February 2021

Co-culturing and using cell-free filtrates are common methods for investigating allelopathy of marine phytoplankton; however, these methods often yield inconsistent or even contradictory results. The induced release of allelopathic compounds has been hypothesized as a mechanism to explain the discrepancy. Here, we used experiments to assess the inducibility of allelopathy by the diatom, Thalassiosira weissflogii, on the colony formation of Phaeocystis globosa. T. weissflogii and its cell-free filtrates showed inhibitory effects on the growth of solitary P. globosa cells. The colony number, colony diameter, and cells per colony decreased by co-occurring T. weissflogii cells but were enhanced by their extracellular filtrates alone. Living T. weissflogii cells possibly affect the colony integrity by reducing colonial cell density of P. globosa. When P. globosa and T. weissflogii were co-cultured but separated with a 2-µm membrane filter, thus allowing the exchange of extracellular secretions without direct cell contact, P. globosa colony concentration, colony diameter, cells per colony and colonial cell density were inhibited. Once T. weissflogii cells were pre-exposed to cell-free filtrates of P. globosa, their filtrates inhibited colony formation. T. weissflogii had allelopathic effects on P. globosa by releasing extracellular compounds that inhibited growth of solitary cells and colony formation, as well as disrupting colony integrity. However, the allelopathic effects of T. weissflogii on colony formation were only induced when the presence of P. globosa was perceived. Chemically mediated allelopathic effects of diatoms on colony formation of P. globosa may play an important role in the succession of diatoms and Phaeocystis.
Sponge City: Using the “One Water” Concept to Improve Understanding of Flood Management Effectiveness
Authors: Jiang Albert Z. , McBean Edward A.
Published: February 2021

Urban flood-related issues are substantial in China, arising from rapid construction of megacities over decades with insufficient flood control, all being made worse by climate change. Since Sponge City (SC) options are primarily effective at maintaining the water balance at the surface, flooding continues. In response, the One Water concept is used to demonstrate the need to respond to dimensions beyond SC and shown herein to have potential to reduce the impacts of major storms (e.g., suppress 100-year flooding to a 25-year flooding equivalent). However, climate change causes more intense storms, indicating the intensity of the 100-year storm will increase by ~0.23% annually over the next 70 years. Hence, given sufficient SC options, the 100-year storms may only be effectively reduced to a 50-year storm, at best by SC options. “One Water” is utilized as a concept to demonstrate structured thinking about how each dimension of the hydrologic cycle can be employed to consider the degree of interconnection, allowing improved assessment of various components of the hydrologic cycle and SC options. Examples are used to demonstrate how the concept of One Water links the array of components of the hydrologic cycle together, generating a holistic view of urban water resource security.
Water Environmental Capacity Calculation Based on Control of Contamination Zone for Water Environment Functional Zones in Jiangsu Section of Yangtze River, China
Authors: Ma Qiuxia , Pang Yong , Mu Ronghua
Published: February 2021

In recent years, due to unsustainable production methods and the demands of daily life, the water quality of the Yangtze River has deteriorated. In response to Yangtze River protection policy, and to protect and restore the ecological environment of the river, a two-dimensional model of the Jiangsu section was established to study the water environmental capacity (WEC) of 90 water environment functional zones. The WEC of the river in each city was calculated based on the results of the water environment functional zones. The results indicated that the total WECs of the study area for chemical oxygen demand (COD), ammonia nitrogen (NH3-N), and total phosphorus (TP) were 251,198 t/year, 24,751 t/year, and 3251 t/year, respectively. Among the eight cities studied, Nanjing accounted for the largest proportion (25%) of pollutants discharged into the Yangtze River; Suzhou (11%) and Zhenjiang (12%) followed, and Wuxi contributed the least (0.4%). The results may help the government to control the discharge of pollutants by enterprises and sewage treatment plants, which would improve the water environment and effectively maintain the water ecological function. This research on the WEC of the Yangtze River may serve as a basis for pollution control and water quality management, and exemplifies WEC calculations of the world’s largest rivers.
Sugarcane Bagasse as a Co-Substrate with Oil-Refinery Biological Sludge for Biogas Production Using Batch Mesophilic Anaerobic Co-Digestion Technology: Effect of Carbon/Nitrogen Ratio
Authors: Ghaleb Aiban Abdulhakim Saeed , Kutty Shamsul Rahman Mohamed , Salih Gasim Hayder Ahmed , Jagaba Ahmad Hussaini , Noor Azmatullah , Kumar Vicky , Almahbashi Najib Mohammed Yahya , Saeed Anwar Ameen Hezam , Saleh Al-dhawi Baker Nasser
Published: February 2021

Man-made organic waste leads to the rapid proliferation of pollution around the globe. Effective bio-waste management can help to reduce the adverse effects of organic waste while contributing to the circular economy at the same time. The toxic oily-biological sludge generated from oil refineries’ wastewater treatment plants is a potential source for biogas energy recovery via anaerobic digestion. However, the oily-biological sludge’s carbon/nitrogen (C/N) ratio is lower than the ideal 20–30 ratio required by anaerobic digestion technology for biogas production. Sugarcane bagasse can be digested as a high C/N co-substrate while the oily-biological sludge acts as a substrate and inoculum to improve biogas production. In this study, the best C/N with co-substrate volatile solids (VS)/inoculum VS ratios for the co-digestion process of mixtures were determined empirically through batch experiments at temperatures of 35–37 °C, pH (6–8) and 60 rpm mixing. The raw materials were pre-treated mechanically and thermo-chemically to further enhance the digestibility. The best condition for the sugarcane bagasse delignification process was 1% (w/v) sodium hydroxide, 1:10 solid-liquid ratio, at 100 °C, and 150 rpm for 1 h. The results from a 33-day batch anaerobic digestion experiment indicate that the production of biogas and methane yield were concurrent with the increasing C/N and co-substrate VS/inoculum VS ratios. The total biogas yields from C/N 20.0 with co-substrate VS/inoculum VS 0.06 and C/N 30.0 with co-substrate VS/inoculum VS 0.18 ratios were 2777.0 and 9268.0 mL, respectively, including a methane yield of 980.0 and 3009.3 mL, respectively. The biogas and methane yield from C/N 30.0 were higher than the biogas and methane yields from C/N 20.0 by 70.04 and 67.44%, respectively. The highest biogas and methane yields corresponded with the highest C/N with co-substrate VS/inoculum VS ratios (30.0 and 0.18), being 200.6 mL/g VSremoved and 65.1 mL CH4/g VSremoved, respectively.
Electroadsorption of Bromide from Natural Water in Granular Activated Carbon
Authors: Ribes David , Morallón Emilia , Cazorla-Amorós Diego , Osorio Francisco , García-Ruiz María
Published: February 2021

The adsorption and electroadsorption of bromide from natural water has been studied in a filter-press electrochemical cell using a commercial granular activated carbon as the adsorbent. During electroadsorption experiments, different voltages were applied (2 V, 3 V and 4 V) under anodic conditions. The presence of the electric field improves the adsorption capacity of the activated carbon. The decrease in bromide concentration observed at high potentials (3 V or 4 V) may be due to the electrochemical transformation of bromide to Br2. The anodic treatment produces a higher decrease in the concentration of bromide in the case of cathodic electroadsorption. Moreover, in this anodic electroadsorption, if the system is again put under open circuit conditions, no desorption of the bromide is produced. In the case of anodic treatment in the following adsorption process after 24 h of treatment at 3 V, a new decrease in the bromide concentration is observed as a consequence of the decrease in bromide concentration after the electrochemical stage. It can be concluded that the electroadsorption process is effective against the elimination of bromide and total bromine in water, with a content of 345 and 470 µg L−1, respectively, reaching elimination values of 46% in a single-stage electroadsorption process in bromide and total bromine. The application of the electric field to the activated carbon with a positive polarization (anodic electroadsorption) increases the adsorption capacity of the activated carbon significantly, achieving a reduction of up to 220 µg L−1 after 1 h of contact with water. The two stage process in which a previous electrochemical oxidation is incorporated before the electroadsorption stage significantly increased the efficiency from 46% in a single electroadsorption step at 3 V, to 59% in two stages.
Study of the Wet Bulb in Stratified Soils (Sand-Covered Soil) in Intensive Greenhouse Agriculture under Drip Irrigation by Calibrating the Hydrus-3D Model
Authors: Zapata-Sierra Antonio , Roldán-Cañas José , Reyes-Requena Rafael , Moreno-Pérez María
Published: February 2021

The development of the wet bulb under drip irrigation in sand-covered soils presents a different behavior compared to the one observed in homogeneous soils. Moreover, the presence of a very active crop imposes a series of variations that have not been fully characterized. The aim of this work is to present the data acquisition methodology to calibrate and validate the Hydrus-3D model in order to safely define the evolution of moisture in wet bulbs generated in stratified “sanded” soils characteristic of greenhouses with intensive pepper crop under drip irrigation. The procedure for collecting and processing moisture data in stratified soils has been defined. Soil permeability; retention curve, texture, and bulk density have been measured experimentally for each material. It has been found that the inclusion of a previous day in the simulation improves model predictions of soil moisture distribution. In soils with less gravel, a lower average stress and a more homogeneous moisture distribution were observed. It has been proved that the Hydrus-3D model can reproduce the behavior of sand covered soils under intensive greenhouse growing conditions, and it has been possible to verify that the predictions are adequate to what has been observed in the field. In view of the results, the Hydrus-3D model could be used to establish future irrigation strategies or to locate the optimal placement point of tensiometers that control irrigation in sandy soils for intensive agriculture.
Water Pipe Replacement Scheduling Based on Life Cycle Cost Assessment and Optimization Algorithm
Authors: Ghobadi Fatemeh , Jeong Gimoon , Kang Doosun
Published: February 2021

Water distribution networks (WDNs) comprise a complex network of pipes and are crucial for providing potable water to urban communities. Therefore, WDNs must be carefully managed to avoid problems such as water contamination and service failures; however, this requires a large budget. Because WDN components have different statuses depending on their installation year, location, transmission pressure, and flow rate, it is difficult to plan the rehabilitation schedule within budgetary constraints. This study, therefore, proposes a new pipe replacement scheduling approach to smooth the investment time series based on a life cycle cost (LCC) assessment for a large-scale WDN. The proposed scheduling plan simultaneously considers both the annual budget limitation and the optimum expenditure on the useful life of pipes. A multi-objective optimization problem consisting of three decision-making objectives—minimum imposed LCC on the network, minimum standard deviation of annual investment, and minimum average age of the network—is thus solved using a nondominated sorting genetic algorithm to obtain an optimal plan. Three scenarios with different pipe replacement time spans and different annual budget constraints are considered accordingly. The results indicate that the proposed scheduling framework provides an efficient water pipe replacement scheduling plan with a smooth management budget.
Global Sensitivity Analysis and Calibration by Differential Evolution Algorithm of HORTSYST Crop Model for Fertigation Management
Authors: Martínez-Ruiz Antonio , Ruiz-García Agustín , Prado-Hernández J. Víctor , López-Cruz Irineo L. , Valencia-Islas J. Olaf , Pineda-Pineda Joel
Published: February 2021

Sensitivity analysis is the first step in elucidating how the uncertainties in model parameters affect the uncertainty in model outputs. Calibration of dynamic models is another issue of considerable interest, which is usually carried out by optimizing an objective function. The first aim of this research was to perform a global sensitivity analysis (GSA) with Sobol’s method for the 16 parameters of the new HORTSYST nonlinear model that simulates photo–thermal time (PTI), daily dry matter production (DMP), nitrogen uptake (Nup), leaf area index (LAI), and crop transpiration (ETc). The second objective was to carry out the calibration of the HORTSYST model by applying a differential evolution (DE) algorithm as the global optimization method. Two tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) crops were established during the autumn–winter and spring–summer seasons under greenhouse and soilless culture conditions. Plants were distributed with a density of 3.5 plants m−2. Air temperature and relative humidity were measured with an S-THB-M008 model sensor. Global solar radiation was measured with an S-LIB-M003 sensor connected to a U-30-NRC datalogger. In the sensitivity analysis run in the two growth stages, it was observed that a greater number of parameters were more important at the beginning of fructification than at the end of crop growth for 10% and 20% of the variation of the parameters. The sensitivity analysis came up with nine parameters (RUE, a, b, c1 , c2, A, Bd, Bn, and  PTIini) as the most important of the HORTSYST model, which were included in the calibration process with the DE algorithm. The best fit, according to RMSE, was for LAI, followed by Nup, DMP, and ETc for both crop seasons; the RMSE was close to zero, indicating a good prediction of the model’s performance.
Distributed-Framework Basin Modeling System: IV. Application in Taihu Basin
Authors: Chen Gang , Wang Chuanhai , Fang Xing , Li Xiaoning , Zhang Pingnan , Hua Wenjuan
Published: February 2021

This paper presents the application of a distributed-framework basin modeling system (DFBMS) in Taihu Basin, China. The concepts of professional modeling systems and system integration/coupling have been summarized in the first three series papers. This study builds a hydrologic and hydrodynamic model for Taihu Basin, which is in the lowland plain areas with numerous polder areas. Digital underlying surface area data agree with the survey results from the water resource development and utilization. The runoff generated in each cell was calculated with the model based on the digital underlying surface data. According to the hydrological feature units (HFU) concept from the DFBMS, Taihu Basin was conceptualized into six different HFUs. The basic data of rainfall, evaporation, water surface elevation (WSE), discharge, tide level, and water resources for consumption and discharge in 2000 were used to calibrate the model. The simulated results of WSE and discharge matched the observed data well. The observed data of 1998, 1999, 2002, and 2003 were used to validate the model, with good agreement with the simulation results. Finally, the basic data from 2003 were used to simulate and evaluate the management scheme of water diversion from the Yangtze River to Taihu Lake. Overall, the DFBMS application in Taihu Basin showed good performance and proved that the proposed structure for DFBMS was effective and reliable.
Regional Hydrogeochemical Evolution of Groundwater in the Ring of Cenotes, Yucatán (Mexico): An Inverse Modelling Approach
Authors: Pérez-Ceballos Rosela , Canul-Macario Cesar , Pacheco-Castro Roger , Pacheco-Ávila Julia , Euán-Ávila Jorge , Merino-Ibarra Martín
Published: February 2021

The Ring of Cenotes (RC) extends along the edge of the Chicxulub crater, in the limestone platform of the Yucatan Peninsula (YP), where groundwater shows two preferential flow paths toward the coast near Celestun and Dzilam Bravo towns. The objectives of this study were to describe the regional hydrogeochemical evolution of the groundwater in the RC, and its association with the dissolution/precipitation of the minerals present along its pathway to the ocean. These objectives results were obtained by: (a) characterizing groundwater hydrogeochemistry; (b) calculating calcite, dolomite, and gypsum saturation indexes in the study area; and (c) developing a hydrogeochemical model using PHREEQC (U. S. Geological Survey) inverse modelling approach. The model predictions confirmed that there are two evolution pathways of the groundwater consistent with the preferential flow paths suggested in a previous regionalization of the RC. On the western path, where groundwater flows towards Celestun, marine intrusion influences the hydrogeochemical processes and represents a risk for the freshwater. On the eastern path, where groundwater flows toward Dzilam Bravo, rainfall has an important effect on the hydrogeochemical processes, evidenced by a higher concentration in sulfates during droughts than during rainy periods. Then, monitoring of marine intrusion and phases dissolution in the RC is highly recommended.
Application Prospect of Fission-Powered Spacecraft in Solar System Exploration Missions
Authors: Xia Y. , Li J. , Zhai R. , Wang J. , Lin B. , Zhou Q.
Published: February 2021

Fission power is a promising technology, and it has been proposed for several future space uses. It is being considered for high-power missions whose goal is to explore the solar system and even beyond. Space fission power has made great progress when NASA’s 1 kWe Kilowatt Reactor Using Stirling TechnologY (KRUSTY) prototype completed a full power scale nuclear test in 2018. Its success stimulated a new round of research competition among the major space countries. This article reviews the development of the Kilopower reactor and the KRUSTY system design. It summarizes the current missions that fission reactors are being considered as a power and/or propulsion source. These projects include visiting Jupiter and Saturn systems, Chiron, and Kuiper belt object; Neptune exploration missions; and lunar and Mars surface base missions. These studies suggest that the Fission Electric Propulsion (FEP)/Fission Power System (FPS) is better than the Radioisotope Electric Propulsion (REP)/Radioisotope Power System (RPS) in the aspect of cost for missions with a power level that reaches ~1 kWe, and when the power levels reaches ~8 kWe, it has the advantage of lower mass. For a mission that travels further than ~Saturn, REP with plutonium may not be cost acceptable, leaving FEP the only choice. Surface missions prefer the use of FPS because it satisfies the power level of 10’s kWe, and FPS vastly widens the choice of possible landing location. According to the current situation, we are expecting a flagship-level fission-powered space exploration mission in the next 1-2 decades.
Effects of Different Laser Treatments on Some Properties of the Zirconia-Porcelain Interface
Authors: Abdulsatar Abdulsatar M , Hussein Basima M A , Mahmood Ali M
Published: February 2021

Introduction: This study was performed to compare the effect of Fractional CO2 laser or Q switched Nd:YAG laser of surface treatment on the shear bond strength of zirconia-porcelain interface. Methods: Fractional CO2 laser at 30 W, 2 ms, time interval 1 ms, distance between spots 0.3 mm, and number of scans is (4) or Q switched Nd:YAG laser at 30 J/mm2 and 10 Hz were used to assess the shear bond strength of zirconia to porcelain. Pre-sintered zirconia specimens were divided into three groups (n = 10) according to the surface treatment technique used: (a) untreated (Control) group; (b) CO2 group; (c) Nd:YAG group. All samples were then sintered and veneered with porcelain according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Surface morphology was examined using a light microscope, the surface roughness test was done by the atomic force microscope (AFM), and the shear bond strength (SBS) test was done by a universal testing machine. After debonding following shear bond test, zirconia surfaces were examined under a light microscope to determine their fracture mode. Results: The Results of this study showed that the lowest SBS was recorded in the control group, and the highest SBS recorded in the Fractional CO2 group, followed by the Q switched Nd:YAG laser group, as well as an increase in surface roughness and change in the morphology and mode of failure in the experimental groups . Conclusion: This study shows that Fractional CO2 laser and Q switched Nd:YAG laser treatments significantly increase the bond strength than untreated zirconia .
Walls and withdrawals: Gildas' version of the end of Roman Britain
Authors: Edwin Pace
Published: February 2021

'Notitia Dignitatum, Anglo-Saxon Chronicle', archaeology, and fifth-century Roman sources all support Gildas' story of a Roman return to Britain a decade after 410. A subsequent Roman withdrawal in about 421 left significant British governmental structures in place. But this also left the diocese with a greatly weakened economy. Gildas' erroneous story of a fifth-century origin for Hadrian's Wall derives from his providential view of history. Within this paradigm, the Wall was created exclusively for the defence of sinful, cowardly Britons, and not the God-favoured Romans.