bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Application of Domestic High-Resolution Satellite Data in Remote Sensing Geological Survey of the Metallogenic Belt in Zhejiang Province
Authors: Wang Jie , Li Li , Yu Hang
Published: April 2022

A metallogenic belt is a metallogenic geological unit with rich mineral resources and potential. The study of metallogenic belts can provide a basis for mineral monitoring and deployment. Research of the metallogenic belt in Zhejiang Province is too deficient. This paper uses the domestic high-resolution satellite data from 2018 to 2021 to carry out the application of remote sensing in a comprehensive geological survey on different metallogenic belts in Zhejiang Province. The survey results show that the area of each metallogenic belt is decreasing year by year, which shows that under the regulation of the natural resources department, the unqualified mining activities in key control areas such as nature reserves, ecological red lines, and the Yangtze River economic belt are timely stopped and forcibly closed, so that the mining development order gradually tends to be good. The restoration and control points show a trend of less in the south and more in the north, mainly distributed in the economically developed areas of the northern, central, and eastern plains of Zhejiang Province. According to the statistics of the degree of mine environment restoration and treatment (treatment percentage), the Taishun-Zhoushan metallogenic belt is the highest, and treatment percentage from 2018 to 2021 is 83.01%, 80.07%, 76.91%, and 73.78%, respectively. For four consecutive years, the number of restoration and treatment projects has been increasing, and the restoration and treatment area has increased significantly. The countermeasures and suggestions for mine environmental restoration in the metallogenic belt have been put forward. In the mining area, if the geological environment is good, the rainfall is sufficient, and so on, then natural re greening can be considered. According to the brief evaluation criteria, a total of 2983 mines can be restored naturally, including 311 in the Si’an-Changxing metallogenic belt, 325 in the Lin’an-Huzhou metallogenic belt, 387 in the Kaihua-Hangzhou metallogenic Belt, 598 in the Quzhou-Shaoxing metallogenic belt, 765 in the Longquan-Shangyu metallogenic belt, and 597 in the Taishun-Zhoushan metallogenic belt. A total of 1911 mines were involved within 1 km of the “three zones and two lines”. There are 50 places in the Si’an-Changxing metallogenic belt, 151 in the Lin’an-Huzhou metallogenic belt, 236 in the Kaihua-Hangzhou metallogenic belt, 326 in the Quzhou-Shaoxing metallogenic belt, 513 in the Longquan-Shangyu metallogenic belt, and 635 in the Taishun-Zhoushan metallogenic belt. The survey results and suggestions can provide scientific basis and important reference for the local mining administration department to carry out the restoration of the mine ecological environment in metallogenic belts, and they are of great significance to promote the wide and in-depth application and technological progress of remote sensing technology.
Reinforced Concrete Wind Turbine Towers: Damage Mode and Model Testing
Authors: Xu Xinyong , Liang Jinchang , Xu Wenjie , Liang Rui , Li Jun , Jiang Li
Published: April 2022

This study investigates the complex load-bearing mechanism of the reinforced concrete tower of large wind turbines through a structural model test. MTS electro-hydraulic servo loading system was used to load two reinforced concrete tower models for the push-out test. The ultimate bearing capacity of the reinforced concrete tower was found to be 8.894 kN. The test findings revealed that the top of the tower is subjected to unilateral shear as the horizontal load increases. As a result, the concrete strain in the compression zone of the test piece increases to its highest level in the bottom plastic hinge area. The concrete in the compression zone is being crushed in the meantime. The reinforcement achieves its yield point and deforms within the range of plastic failure when subjected to extreme loads. The outcomes of this study serve as a foundation for the running of wind turbines in extreme conditions.
A Multi-Criteria Framework to Evaluate the Sustainability of Renewable Energy: A 2-Tuple Linguistic Grey Relation Model from the Perspective of the Prospect Theory
Authors: Li Songrui , Hu Yitang
Published: April 2022

The unique resources and environmental advantages of renewable energy make it an essential component of energy strategies and a meaningful way to achieve “carbon neutrality”. However, due to limitations relating to ecological factors and geographical locations, renewable energy power generation faces many problems, including instability, resulting in unsustainable development. Few studies have been conducted on the sustainability of renewable energy. Therefore, a multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) framework for evaluating renewable energy sustainability is put forward. Based on a 2-tuple linguistic grey relation model and the prospect theory, the MCDM framework can comprehensively analyze the factors that may influence renewable energy sustainability in terms of resources, the environment, society, technology, and the economy. The combination of the 2-tuple linguistic model and the prospect theory can improve the objectivity of decision making. Taking China as the research object, this study finds that the profit–loss ratios for the four alternatives considered are {0.969,0.432,0.395,0.369} for solar photovoltaic power, wind power, hydropower, and biomass power, respectively, ranked from best to worst. Based on the sensitivity analysis, the MCDM framework can change its parameters based on the relevant psychological characteristics and then establish a suitable system for decision making. The MCDM framework proposed in this study can provide investors with decision-making references and help governmental agencies formulate renewable energy policies.
Some New Generalizations of Reverse Hilbert-Type Inequalities on Time Scales
Authors: Rezk Haytham M. , AlNemer Ghada , Saied Ahmed I. , Bazighifan Omar , Zakarya Mohammed
Published: April 2022

This manuscript develops the study of reverse Hilbert-type inequalities by applying reverse Hölder inequalities on T. We generalize the reverse inequality of Hilbert-type with power two by replacing the power with a new power β,β>1. The main results are proved by using Specht’s ratio, chain rule and Jensen’s inequality. Our results (when T=N) are essentially new. Symmetrical properties play an essential role in determining the correct methods to solve inequalities.
The Franke–Gorini–Kossakowski–Lindblad–Sudarshan (FGKLS) Equation for Two-Dimensional Systems
Authors: Andrianov Alexander A. , Ioffe Mikhail V. , Izotova Ekaterina A. , Novikov Oleg O.
Published: April 2022

Open quantum systems are, in general, described by a density matrix that is evolving under transformations belonging to a dynamical semigroup. They can obey the Franke–Gorini–Kossakowski–Lindblad–Sudarshan (FGKLS) equation. We exhaustively study the case of a Hilbert space of dimension 2. First, we find final fixed states (called pointers) of an evolution of an open system, and we then obtain a general solution to the FGKLS equation and confirm that it converges to a pointer. After this, we check that the solution has physical meaning, i.e., it is Hermitian, positive and has trace equal to 1, and find a moment of time starting from which the FGKLS equation can be used—the range of applicability of the semigroup symmetry. Next, we study the behavior of a solution for a weak interaction with an environment and make a distinction between interacting and non-interacting cases. Finally, we prove that there cannot exist oscillating solutions to the FGKLS equation, which would resemble the behavior of a closed quantum system.
SiamRDT: An Object Tracking Algorithm Based on a Reliable Dynamic Template
Authors: Zhang Qian , Wang Zihao , Liang Hong
Published: April 2022

Most trackers are only dependent on the first frame as a template to search for and locate the target location in subsequent videos. However, objects may undergo occlusions and deformation over time, and the original snapshot of the object can no longer accurately reflect the current appearance of the object, which greatly limits the performance improvement of the tracker. In this paper, we propose a novel Siamese tracking algorithm with symmetric structure called SiamRDT, which reflects the latest appearance and motion states of objects through additional reliable dynamic templates. The model decides whether to update the dynamic template according to the quality estimation score and employs the attention mechanism to enhance the reliability of the dynamic template, adopting the depth-wise correlation algorithm to integrate the initial template and the dynamic template and the search area. Through reliable dynamic templates and credible initial templates, the model can fuse initial-state information and the latest-state information of objects. We conduct sufficient ablation experiments to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed key components, and the tracker achieves very competitive results on four large-scale tracking benchmarks, namely OTB100, GOT-10k, LaSOT, and TrackingNet. Our tracker achieves an AO score of 61.3 on GOT-10k, a precision score of 56.5 on LaSOT, a precision score of 69.3 on TrackingNet, and a precision score of 90.5 on OTB100.
Impact of Newtonian Heating via Fourier and Fick’s Laws on Thermal Transport of Oldroyd-B Fluid by Using Generalized Mittag-Leffler Kernel
Authors: Chen Chunxia , Rehman Aziz Ur , Riaz Muhammad Bilal , Jarad Fahd , Sun Xiang-E
Published: April 2022

In this manuscript, a new approach to study the fractionalized Oldroyd-B fluid flow based on the fundamental symmetry is described by critically examining the Prabhakar fractional derivative near an infinitely vertical plate, wall slip condition on temperature along with Newtonian heating effects and constant concentration. The phenomenon has been described in forms of partial differential equations along with heat and mass transportation effect taken into account. The Prabhakar fractional operator which was recently introduced is used in this work together with generalized Fick’s and Fourier’s law. The fractional model is transfromed into a non-dimentional form by using some suitable quantities and the symmetry of fluid flow is analyzed. The non-dimensional developed fractional model for momentum, thermal and diffusion equations based on Prabhakar fractional operator has been solved analytically via Laplace transformation method and calculated solutions expressed in terms of Mittag-Leffler special functions. Graphical demonstrations are made to characterize the physical behavior of different parameters and significance of such system parameters over the momentum, concentration and energy profiles. Moreover, to validate our current results, some limiting models such as fractional and classical fluid models for Maxwell and Newtonian are recovered, in the presence of with/without slip boundary wall conditions. Further, it is observed from the graphs the velocity curves for classical fluid models are relatively higher than fractional fluid models. A comparative analysis between fractional and classical models depicts that the Prabhakar fractional model explains the memory effects more adequately.
Cytochrome c Interaction with Cardiolipin Plays a Key Role in Cell Apoptosis: Implications for Human Diseases
Authors: Fiorucci Laura , Erba Fulvio , Santucci Roberto , Sinibaldi Federica
Published: April 2022

In the cell cytochrome, c performs different functions depending on the environment in which it acts; therefore, it has been classified as a multifunction protein. When anchored to the outer side of the inner mitochondrial membrane, native cytochrome c acts as a Schweitzer-StennerSchweitzer-Stenner that transfers electrons from cytochrome c reductase to cytochrome c oxidase in the respiratory chain. On the other hand, to interact with cardiolipin (one of the phospholipids making up the mitochondrial membrane) and form the cytochrome c/cardiolipin complex in the apoptotic process, the protein reorganizes its structure into a non-native state characterized by different asymmetry. The formation of the cytochrome c/cardiolipin complex is a fundamental step of the apoptotic pathway, since the structural rearrangement induces peroxidase activity in cytochrome c, the subsequent permeabilization of the membrane, and the release of the free protein into the cytoplasm, where cytochrome c activates the apoptotic process. Apoptosis is closely related to the pathogenesis of neoplastic, neurodegenerative and cardiovascular diseases; in this contest, the biosynthesis and remodeling of cardiolipin are crucial for the regulation of the apoptotic process. Since the role of cytochrome c as a promoter of apoptosis strictly depends on the non-native conformation(s) that the protein acquires when bound to the cardiolipin and such event leads to cytochrome c traslocation into the cytosol, the structural and functional properties of the cytochrome c/cardiolipin complex in cell fate will be the focus of the present review.
A Symmetric Novel 8T3R Non-Volatile SRAM Cell for Embedded Applications
Authors: Janniekode Uma Maheshwar , Somineni Rajendra Prasad , Khalaf Osamah Ibrahim , Itani Malakeh Muhyiddeen , Chinna Babu J. , Abdulsahib Ghaida Muttashar
Published: April 2022

This paper proposes a symmetric eight transistor-three-memristor (8T3R) non-volatile static random-access memory (NVSRAM) cell. Non-volatile operation is achieved through the use of a memristor element, which stores data in the form of its resistive state and is referred to as RRAM. This cell is able to store the information after power-off mode and provides fast power-on/power-off speeds. The proposed symmetric 8T3R NVSRAM cell performs better instant-on operation compared to existing NVSRAMs at different technology nodes. The simulation results show that resistance of RAM-based 8T3R SRAM cell consumes less power in standby mode and has excellent switching performance during power on/off speed. It also has better read and write stability and significantly improves noise tolerance than the conventional asymmetrical 6T SRAM and other NVSRAM cells. The power dissipation is evaluated at different technology nodes. Hence, our proposed symmetric 8T3R NVSRAM cell is suitable to use at low power and embedded applications.
On the Vibrations of a Rigid Solid Hung by Kinematic Chains
Authors: Stan Alin-Florentin , Pandrea Nicolae , Stănescu Nicolae-Doru , Munteanu Ligia , Chiroiu Veturia
Published: April 2022

In this paper we consider two situations. In the first, all kinematic chains are elastic, while the second situation is characterized by one rigid kinematic chain, with the rest of them being elastic. In addition, the kinematic joints are considered to be rigid. The calculations are performed using the screw coordinates. For the free vibrations of the rigid solid we determined the rigidity matrix and the eigenpulsations in both cases. It was proved that the results in the second case cannot be considered as limits for the results of the first situation, putting infinite values for the elements of the rigidity matrix of one kinematic chain. We also developed the theory for the forced vibrations of the system. A numerical application is considered and a great variety of cases are developed and discussed. The results obtained for the forced vibrations are presented and discussed. The paper combines elastic and rigid kinematic chains, as well as general configurations of the kinematic chains. The method presented here may be used for any number of kinematic chains, no matter if the structure is symmetrical or asymmetrical.
Connections among Land Use, Water Quality, Biodiversity of Aquatic Invertebrates, and Fish Behavior in Amazon Rivers
Authors: de Sousa Rodrigo Silva , Silva Gilmar Clemente , Bazzan Thiago , de la Torre Fernando , Nebo Caroline , Siqueira-Silva Diógenes Henrique , Cardoso-Silva Sheila , Pompêo Marcelo Luiz Martins , de Paiva Teresa Cristina Brazil , da Silva Flávio Teixeira , da Silva Daniel Clemente Vieira Rêgo
Published: April 2022

Rivers in the Amazon have among the greatest biodiversity in the world. The Xingu River, one of the tributaries of the Amazon River, has a length of 1640 km, draining 510,000 km2 in one of the most protected regions on the planet. The Middle Xingu region in Brazil has been highly impacted by mining and livestock farming, leading to habitat fragmentation due to altered water quality. Therefore, comparing two rivers (the preserved Xingu River and the impacted Fresco River) and their confluence, the aims of the present study were to (1) assess the land uses in the hydrographic basin; (2) determine the water quality by measurements of turbidity, total solids, and metals (Cd, Cu, Fe, Mn, Pb, Zn, and Hg); (3) compare the zooplankton biodiversity; and (4) to evaluate the avoidance behavior of fish (Astyanax bimaculatus) when exposed to waters from the Xingu and Fresco Rivers. Zooplankton were grouped and counted down to the family level. For the analysis of fish avoidance, a multi-compartment system was used. The forest class predominated at the study locations, accounting for 57.6%, 60.8%, and 63.9% of the total area at P1XR, P2FR, and P3XFR, respectively, although since 1985, at the same points, the forest had been reduced by 31.3%, 25.7%, and 27.9%. The Xingu River presented almost 300% more invertebrate families than the Fresco River, and the fish population preferred its waters (>50%). The inputs from the Fresco River impacted the water quality of the Xingu River, leading to reductions in local invertebrate biodiversity and potential habitats for fish in a typical case of habitat fragmentation due to anthropic factors.
Replicating Viral Vector-Based Vaccines for COVID-19: Potential Avenue in Vaccination Arena
Authors: Chavda Vivek P. , Bezbaruah Rajashri , Athalye Mansi , Parikh Palak K. , Chhipa Abu Sufiyan , Patel Snehal , Apostolopoulos Vasso
Published: April 2022

The “severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)” is the third member of human coronavirus (CoV) that is held accountable for the current “coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)” pandemic. In the past two decades, the world has witnessed the emergence of two other similar CoVs, namely SARS-CoV in 2002 and MERS-CoV in 2013. The extent of spread of these earlier versions was relatively low in comparison to SARS-CoV-2. Despite having numerous reports inclined towards the zoonotic origin of the virus, one cannot simply sideline the fact that no animal originated CoV is thus far identified that is considered similar to the initial edition of SARS-CoV-2; however, under-sampling of the diverse variety of coronaviruses remains a concern. Vaccines are proved to be an effective tool for bringing the end to such a devastating pandemic. Many vaccine platforms are explored for the same but in this review paper, we will discuss the potential of replicating viral vectors as vaccine carriers for SARS-CoV-2.
Micronutrients to Support Vaccine Immunogenicity and Efficacy
Authors: Calder Philip C. , Berger Mette M. , Gombart Adrian F. , McComsey Grace A. , Martineau Adrian R. , Eggersdorfer Manfred
Published: April 2022

The world has entered the third year of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Vaccination is the primary public health strategy to protect against infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), in addition to other measures, such as mask wearing and social distancing. Vaccination has reduced COVID-19 severity and mortality dramatically. Nevertheless, incidence globally remains high, and certain populations are still at risk for severe outcomes. Additional strategies to support immunity, including potentially enhancing the response to vaccination, are needed. Many vitamins and trace minerals have recognized immunomodulatory actions, and their status and/or supplementation have been reported to correspond to the incidence and severity of infection. Furthermore, a variety of observational and some interventional studies report that adequate micronutrient status or micronutrient supplementation is associated with enhanced vaccine responses, including to COVID-19 vaccination. Such data suggest that micronutrient supplementation may hold the potential to improve vaccine immunogenicity and effectiveness, although additional interventional studies to further strengthen the existing evidence are needed. Positive findings from such research could have important implications for global public health, since deficiencies in several micronutrients that support immune function are prevalent in numerous settings, and supplementation can be implemented safely and inexpensively.
Development of a Multiplex RT-PCR Assay for Simultaneous Detection of Four Potential Zoonotic Swine RNA Viruses
Authors: Werid Gebremeskel Mamu , Zhang He , Ibrahim Yassein M. , Pan Yu , Zhang Lin , Xu Yunfei , Zhang Wenli , Wang Wei , Chen Hongyan , Fu Lizhi , Wang Yue
Published: April 2022

Swine viruses like porcine sapovirus (SaV), porcine encephalomyocarditis virus (EMCV), porcine rotavirus A (RVA) and porcine astroviruses (AstV) are potentially zoonotic viruses or suspected of potential zoonosis. These viruses have been detected in pigs with or without clinical signs and often occur as coinfections. Despite the potential public health risks, no assay for detecting them all at once has been developed. Hence, in this study, a multiplex RT-PCR (mRT-PCR) assay was developed for the simultaneous detection of SaV, EMCV, RVA and AstV from swine fecal samples. The PCR parameters were optimized using specific primers for each target virus. The assay’s sensitivity, specificity, reproducibility, and application to field samples have been evaluated. Using a pool of plasmids containing the respective viral target fragments as a template, the developed mRT-PCR successfully detected 2.5 × 103 copies of each target virus. The assay’s specificity was tested using six other swine viruses as a template and did not show any cross-reactivity. A total of 280 field samples were tested with the developed mRT-PCR assay. Positive rates for SaV, EMCV, RVA, and AstV were found to be 24.6% (69/280), 5% (14/280), 4.3% (12/280), and 17.5% (49/280), respectively. Compared to performing separate assays for each virus, this mRT-PCR assay is a simple, rapid, and cost-effective method for detecting mixed or single infections of SaV, EMCV, RVA, and AstV.
Gas Hydrate-Based Heavy Metal Ion Removal from Industrial Wastewater: A Review
Authors: Nallakukkala Sirisha , Rehman Adeel ur , Zaini Dzulkarnain B. , Lal Bhajan
Published: April 2022

Innovating methods for treating industrial wastewater containing heavy metals frequently incorporate toxicity-reduction technologies to keep up with regulatory requirements. This article reviews the latest advances, benefits, opportunities and drawbacks of several heavy metal removal treatment systems for industrial wastewater in detail. The conventional physicochemical techniques used in heavy metal removal processes with their advantages and limitations are evaluated. A particular focus is given to innovative gas hydrate-based separation of heavy metals from industrial effluent with their comparison, advantages and limitations in the direction of commercialization as well as prospective remedies. Clathrate hydrate-based removal is a potential technology for the treatment of metal-contaminated wastewater. In this work, a complete assessment of the literature is addressed based on removal efficiency, enrichment factor and water recovery, utilizing the gas hydrate approach. It is shown that gas hydrate-based treatment technology may be the way of the future for water management purposes, as the industrial treated water may be utilized for process industries, watering, irrigation and be safe to drink.
Vulnerability of a Tunisian Coastal Aquifer to Seawater Intrusion: Insights from the GALDIT Model
Authors: Zghibi Adel , Merzougui Amira , Mansaray Abubakarr S. , Mirchi Ali , Zouhri Lahcen , Chekirbane Anis , Msaddek Mohamed Haythem , Souissi Dhekra , Mabrouk-El-Asmi Amina , Boufekane Abdelmadjid
Published: April 2022

The Korba region in northwestern Tunisia has a coastal aquifer that is impacted by intensive irrigation, urban expansion, and sensitivity to SWI. We assessed the vulnerability extent of Korba’s GW to SWI. We utilized a parametric model for GW vulnerability assessment, the GALDIT, which considers six parameters to determine SWI effects. The GALDIT map has four rating categories (≥7.5, 7.5–5, 5–2.5, and <2.5), representing very high, high, moderate, and low vulnerability, respectively. Most of the region was found to be highly vulnerable (44.2% of the surface area), followed by areas characterized by very high (20.3%) and moderate (19.3%) vulnerability. Only 16.2% was found to have low vulnerability. A parameter sensitivity analysis showed that distance from shore and depth of GW represent the determining factors for SWI with variation index values of 24.12 and 18.02%, respectively. Inland advancement of seawater is causing GW salinity to rise, as indicated by a strong Pearson correlation coefficient of 0.75 between SWI indices and the electrical conductivity. Suitable areas for artificial recharge were mainly distributed in the alluvial plains, with a total area of 32.85 km2. Inhibiting SWI requires about 11.31 MCM of artificial recharge in the two most suitable recharge zones in the region.
Integrating Ecosystem Services into Risk Assessments for Drinking Water Protection
Authors: Gärtner Nadine , Lindhe Andreas , Wahtra Julia , Söderqvist Tore , Lång Lars-Ove , Nordzell Henrik , Norrman Jenny , Rosén Lars
Published: April 2022

Water protection is a widely supported goal in society, but competing interests often complicate the implementation of water protection measures. Moreover, the benefits of protection efforts are typically underestimated as risk assessments focus on the provision of drinking water and neglect the additional services provided by a clean drinking water source. We developed a list of water system services (WSS) that allows assessment of all biotic and abiotic services provided by a drinking water source. The WSS were derived from the Common International Classification of Ecosystem Services (CICES). The objectives of this paper are to (i) introduce the concept of WSS, (ii) describe a procedure on how to develop a region-specific list of WSS and present a list of WSS specifically tailored to Sweden, (iii) present how to integrate WSS into a risk assessment for drinking water, and (iv) illustrate a practical application on a Swedish case study. The results, presented as an assessment matrix, show the provided services and contrast the hazard sources with their impact on all services. The WSS assessment can be used to communicate and negotiate the extent of water protection measures with relevant stakeholders and illustrate synergies and trade-offs of protective measures beyond drinking water protection.
Enhancing the Performance of the Electrocoagulation−Filtration System Treating Mariculture Tailwaters by Using Alternating Pulse Current: Effects of Current Density and Current Conversion Period
Authors: Xu Jianping , Qiu Tianlong , Chen Fudi , Sun Ming , Zhou Li , Sun Jianming , Du Yishuai
Published: April 2022

Electrocoagulation (EC) is an environmentally friendly and effective water treatment technique. It has been recently applied in combination with a filtration process. This study investigated the effects of an alternating pulse current (APC) on the electrodes, treatment efficiency, and energy consumption of an EC−filtration system during the treatment of mariculture tailwaters, from the aspects of current density and current conversion period (CCP), to generate ideas for improving the performance of the system. Results showed that using direct current (DC) would aggravate the electrode passivation, resulting in many white insoluble substances covering the surface of the electrodes. Moreover, the electrode passivation was more intense at a higher current density and longer system operation time (SOT). Significantly, the electrode weight increased by 1546.67 ± 54.50 mg when the system was operated for 90 min under DC at a current density of 45 A/m2. Unlike DC, APC significantly alleviated electrode passivation, enhanced the treatment efficiency, and reduced energy consumption. A shorter CCP produced better results. When the CCP was 1 min, current density was 45 A/m2, and SOT was 10 min, the removal efficiency of the EC−filtration system for total suspended solids (TSS), chemical oxygen demand (CODMn), and total nitrogen (TN) was 53.55 ± 1.66%, 47.76 ± 0.18%, and 15.55 ± 0.31%, respectively, and the energy consumption was 11.88 × 10−3 kWh/m3.
Large-Scale Physical Modeling of Salt-Water Intrusion
Authors: Crestani Elena , Camporese Matteo , Belluco Enrica , Bouchedda Abderrezak , Gloaguen Erwan , Salandin Paolo
Published: April 2022

Salt-water intrusion (SWI) is a worldwide problem increasingly affecting coastal aquifers, exacerbated by climate changes and growing demand of fresh-water. Therefore, research on this topic using both physical and numerical modeling has been intensified, aiming to achieve better predictions of the salt-water wedge evolution and to design suitable countermeasures to its negative effects. This work presents a laboratory facility designed to conduct SWI experiments that can be used as benchmarks for numerical models. To this end, the laboratory facility has been designed to limit errors and provide redundant measurements of hydraulic heads and discharged flow rates. Moreover, the size of the facility allows us to monitor the salt-water wedge evolution by a specifically designed electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) monitoring system. To demonstrate the capabilities of the laboratory facility, we carried out a simple 36-h long SWI experiment in a homogeneous porous medium: during the initial 24 h the salt-water wedge evolved without any external forcing, while in the last 12 h, fresh-water was pumped out to simulate aquifer exploitation. The experiment was monitored through ERT and photos of the salt-water wedge collected at regular time intervals. The SUTRA code was used to reproduce the experimental results, by calibrating only the dispersivities. The ERT results show a good correlation with simulated concentrations between the borehole electrodes, the most sensitive zone of the monitored area, demonstrating that ERT can be used for laboratory evaluations of the salt-water evolution. Overall, the agreement between observed data, numerical simulations, and ERT results demonstrates that the proposed laboratory facility can provide valuable benchmarks for future studies of SWI, even in more complex settings.
Parameter Estimation and Assessment of Infiltration Models for Madjez Ressoul Catchment, Algeria
Authors: Dahak Asma , Boutaghane Hamouda , Merabtene Tarek
Published: April 2022

Evaluation and modeling of soil water infiltration are essential to all aspects of water resources management and the design of hydraulic structures. Nonetheless, research focused on experimental studies of infiltration rates in arid and semi-arid regions under unknown boundary conditions remains minimal. This paper investigates the characteristics of the spatial variability of infiltration over a semi-arid rural basin of Algeria. The experiments were conducted using a portable double-ring infiltrometer filled at an equal volume of approximately 100 L of water for each of the 25 catchment locations. Soil moisture contents at the proximity of each test location were evaluated in the laboratory as per the standard NF P94–050 protocol. The experimental results are used to produce the catchment infiltration curves using three statistically fitted infiltration models, namely Horton, Kostiakov, and Philip models. The reliability of the models was assessed using four performance criteria. The statistical regressions of the fitted models suggest that the Horton model is the most suitable to assess the infiltration rate over the catchment with mean coefficients of Nash = 0.963, CC = 0.985, RMSE = 1.839 (cm/h), and Bias = 0.241. The superiority of the Horton model suggests that the initial and final infiltration rates, primarily affected by soil type, initial soil moistures, and land cover, are important predictors of the modeling process over the Madjez Ressoul catchment. The results also infer that the applicability of other models to the different types of undeveloped soils in the study area requires advanced field investigations. This finding will support the understanding of the hydrologic processes over semi-arid basins, especially in advising crop irrigation schemes and methods and managing the recurring flood and drought over the country.
A Multi-Criteria Analysis and Trends of Electric Motors for Electric Vehicles
Authors: El Hadraoui Hicham , Zegrari Mourad , Chebak Ahmed , Laayati Oussama , Guennouni Nasr
Published: April 2022

The interest in electric traction has reached a very high level in recent decades; there is no doubt that electric vehicles have become among the main means of transport and will be the first choice in the future, but to dominate the market, a lot of research efforts are still devoted to this purpose. Electric machines are crucial components of electric vehicle powertrains. The bulk of traction drive systems have converged in recent years toward having some sort of permanent magnet machines because there is a growing trend toward enhancing the power density and efficiency of traction machines, resulting in unique designs and refinements to fundamental machine topologies, as well as the introduction of new machine classes. This paper presents the technological aspect of the different components of the electric powertrain and highlights the important information on the electric vehicle’s architecture. It focuses on a multi-criteria comparison of different electric motors utilized in the electric traction system to give a clear vision to allow choosing the adequate electrical motor for the desired application. The proposed comparative analysis shows that the induction motor better meets the major necessities of the electric powertrain, whereas the permanent magnet synchronous motor is nonetheless the most used by electric vehicle manufacturers.
High-Sensitivity Gas Detection with Air-Lasing-Assisted Coherent Raman Spectroscopy
Authors: Zhang Zhihao , Zhang Fangbo , Xu Bo , Xie Hongqiang , Fu Botao , Lu Xu , Zhang Ning , Yu Shupeng , Yao Jinping , Cheng Ya , Xu Zhizhan
Published: April 2022

Remote or standoff detection of greenhouse gases, air pollutants, and biological agents with innovative ultrafast laser technology attracts growing interests in recent years. Hybrid femtosecond/picosecond coherent Raman spectroscopy is considered as one of the most versatile techniques due to its great advantages in terms of detection sensitivity and chemical specificity. However, the simultaneous requirement for the femtosecond pump and the picosecond probe increases the complexity of optical system. Herein, we demonstrate that air lasing naturally created inside a filament can serve as an ideal light source to probe Raman coherence excited by the femtosecond pump, producing coherent Raman signal with molecular vibrational signatures. The combination of pulse self-compression effect and air lasing action during filamentation improves Raman excitation efficiency and greatly simplifies the experimental setup. The air-lasing-assisted Raman spectroscopy was applied to quantitatively detect greenhouse gases mixed in air, and it was found that the minimum detectable concentrations of CO
2
and SF
6
can reach 0.1% and 0.03%, respectively. The ingenious designs, especially the optimization of pump-seed delay and the choice of perpendicular polarization, ensure a high detection sensitivity and signal stability. Moreover, it is demonstrated that this method can be used for simultaneously measuring CO
2
and SF
6
gases and distinguishing
12
CO
2
and
13
CO
2
. The developed scheme provides a new route for high-sensitivity standoff detection and combustion diagnosis.
RESPUESTAS FISIOLÓGICAS Y MORFOLÓGICAS DE Argemone ochroleuca SWEET AL DÉFICIT HÍDRICO
Authors: Carbajal Xochitl O. , Uscanga-Mortera Ebandro , Trejo Carlos , Padilla-Chacón Daniel , Ramírez-Ayala Carlos , García-Esteva Antonio
Published: April 2022

En Texcoco, Estado de México, Argemone ochroleuca Sweet invade campos de cultivo durante el invierno, cuando la precipitación pluvial es escasa, por lo que se asume que esta especie posee mecanismos que le permiten tolerar condiciones limitantes de humedad en el suelo. El objetivo de esta investigación fue identificar los efectos morfológicos y fisiológicos que causa el déficit hídrico en A. ochroleuca durante la fase vegetativa. El experimento se realizó en una cámara de ambiente controlado a partir de semillas germinadas en laboratorio. Semillas con radícula visible se trasplantaron en tubos de PVC con suelo arenoso como sustrato y a los 30 días se separaron en dos grupos, para riego y déficit hídrico. Se realizaron seis muestreos espaciados a intervalos de siete días. El diseño experimental fue completamente al azar con cinco repeticiones y la unidad experimental fue cada tubo con una planta. El potencial hídrico del suelo (ΨAs) fue aproximadamente 16, la conductancia estomática (gs) 2.3, el potencial hídrico (ΨAv) del vástago 0.4 y el potencial osmótico (Ψπ ) del vástago 0.4 veces menor en el tratamiento de déficit hídrico con respecto al testigo. La concentración de azúcares y prolina aumentaron conforme el estrés hídrico avanzó. En déficit hídrico, el crecimiento del vástago de A. ochroleuca disminuyó en 10 %; sin embargo, contribuyó en la elongación y engrosamiento de la raíz principal. Se concluye que las cualidades fisiológicas y características morfológicas de Argemoneochroleuca le permiten sobrevivir en condiciones de humedad limitada y periodos de déficit hídrico prolongados.
DIVERSIDAD AGRO-MORFOLÓGICA DEL MAÍZ CACAHUACINTLE DE LOS VALLES ALTOS DE MÉXICO
Authors: Flores-Hernández Luis Antonio , Castillo-González Fernando , Nieto-Sotelo Jorge , Vázquez-Carrillo María Gricelda , Livera-Muñoz Manuel , Benítez-Riquelme Ignacio , Ramírez-Hernández Antonio
Published: April 2022

La raza de maíz Cacahuacintle se distribuye geográficamente en los Valles Altos del centro de México y se caracteriza por su grano harinoso; las formas típicas han sido descritas; sin embargo, la información sobre la variación agromorfológica entre subtipos de la raza es limitada, así como las diferencias entre las variantes de las diferentes regiones. Se colectaron 39 poblaciones de maíz Cacahuacintle en los estados de Puebla (Ciudad Serdán), Tlaxcala (Ixtenco) y el Estado de México (Calimaya, Techuchulco de Allende, Amecameca y San Felipe del Progreso), se establecieron experimentos de campo en cuatro ambientes agroecológicos en los años 2018 y 2019, en el Estado de México (Texcoco y Ayapango) y Tlaxcala (Ixtenco). Se registraron 24 variables agromorfológicas, las cuales se sometieron a análisis de varianza combinado y, a partir de éste, se estimaron las componentes de varianza para genotipos (σ2g), ambientes (σ2a) y la interacción genotipo × ambiente (σ2g×a). Diez variables relacionadas con dimensiones de estructuras de mazorca, grano y espiga presentaron valores de repetibilidad r = [σ2g/(σ2a + σ2g×a)] superiores a 0.7, que se consideraron apropiadas para estudiar la diversidad agro-morfológica; con estas variables se realizaron análisis de componentes principales y de conglomerados. Los primeros dos componentes principales explicaron el 68 % de la variación total. En el plano definido por los dos primeros componentes principales se formaron tres grupos en función de tamaño y forma de grano, principalmente: 1) poblaciones de maíz Chalqueño, incluido como referencia morfológica diferente; 2) poblaciones típicas de Cacahuacintle (Calimaya, Techuchulco y Amecameca, Estado México y Ciudad Serdán, Puebla, predominantemente) y 3) variantes de tipo Cacahuacintle pero de grano más pequeño o menos redondeado (Ixtenco,  Tlaxcala; San Felipe, Estado de México); esta aproximación fue consistente con la formación de grupos por el análisis de conglomerados. La diversidad  genética entre poblaciones es más amplia de lo que se conocía, con variantes asociadas al origen geográfico.
Breve perspectiva de los regímenes políticos-económicos de Europa: liberalismo, socialdemocracia y fascismo
Authors: Camargo Marcelo
Published: April 2022

Este documento realiza una revisión de aportaciones de los investigadores sociales al análisis de las condiciones sociales y al comportamiento de los actores que incidieron en el liberalismo, contribuyeron a la socialdemocracia y favorecieron el ascenso del fascismo.
Hacia una educación inclusiva: primeros pasos de la carrera de Comunicación Social de la Universidad Católica Boliviana “San Pablo”, Regional Cochabamba
Authors: Alemán Andrade Andrea
Published: April 2022

Con el objetivo de avanzar hacia una educación inclusiva, la carrera de Comunicación Social de la UCB-SP, regional Cochabamba, trabajó desde el 2018 con actividades relacionadas a la inclusión. Parte de ello, fue el diagnóstico de inicio que se realizó por un equipo docente de la carrera para conocer el estado y la apertura de docentes, estudiantes y autoridades en el trabajo hacia la inclusión. En base a los resultados, el presente documento propone un análisis sobre las fortalezas, debilidades, oportunidades y amenazas para plantear algunas bases sólidas hacia una educación inclusiva.
La corriente causalista en la legislación boliviana
Authors: Senzano Hinojosa Mario
Published: April 2022

El debate sobre la causa, incorporado como elemento esencial de validez de un contrato a partir del Código Civil francés, no ha sido resuelto en doctrina, tomando en cuenta que alrededor del tema se han generado tres corrientes: La doctrina causalista, la doctrina anticausalista y la doctrina neocausalista. El tema ha sido trasladado a las legislaciones de países que han asumido una u otra posición. En el caso de la legislación civil boliviana, la investigación bibliográfica nos lleva a la conclusión, de que la causa no es elemento esencial ni de validez del contrato, conclusión a la que se arriba luego del análisis doctrinal, jurisprudencial y de la legislación comparada y la boliviana.
Fedra velada. El enamoramiento como enfermedad en el Hipólito de Eurípides
Authors: Rodríguez Valeria
Published: April 2022

¿Se padece el enamoramiento como una enfermedad, según la representación euripidiana? La respuesta del presente ensayo es afirmativa. El enamoramiento se padece como una enfermedad, mental y física, de carácter destructivo: fruto de la lucha interior y exterior de potencias. Se procuró así develar el πάθος, padecer, del amor representado en el Hipólito de Eurípides y, particularmente, en un fragmento del mismo: el κῶμος, canto, entre Fedra y la Nodriza. Para lograr este fin, se expuso el funcionamiento del padecer del delirio amoroso y los elementos que en este se enfrentan: las potencias extrínsecas (Artemis y Afrodita) e intrínsecas (razón y pasión).
La negligencia en el sistema penitenciario de Bolivia
Authors: Aliss Sabath José M.
Published: April 2022

Desde los últimos años y particularmente desde la última década, el sistema penal en Bolivia ha sido el objeto de innumerables críticas y denuncias tanto interna como externamente. Más lejos de simples políticas anticuadas o incidentes concretos, el sistema se ha visto envuelto en una problemática a nivel estructural, denunciada incluso por los mismos agentes penitenciarios y autoridades gubernamentales. Desde una perspectiva psicológica y social, la problemática del sistema penitenciario y su impacto en Bolivia es un tema que debe ser explorado en profundidad, tomando en cuenta antecedentes históricos, la aplicación del sistema legal boliviano, la psicología en sujetos privados de libertad y los hechos ocurridos en los ambientes penitenciarios. Es irrefutable que hay un fracaso en el sistema penitenciario nacional que debe ser identificado si eventualmente se espera encontrar una solución desde cualquier ámbito. Es de vital importancia recordar, tanto a la academia como a los organismos civiles y reguladores, que esta problemática impacta cotidianamente en el espacio público-social del país.
Life and Death During the First Year of the COVID-19 Pandemic: An analysis of cross-country differences in changes in quantity and quality of life
Authors: Andersen Lykke E. , Gonzáles Rocabado Alejandra
Published: April 2022

This study carries out a cross-country analysis of changes in quantity and quality of life during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic for 124 countries. Changes in the quantity of life are measured as life years lost to COVID-19, including excess deaths not officially reported as COVID-19 deaths. Changes in quality of life are proxied by the average change in daily mobility, compared to a pre-COVID baseline. We find a significant negative correlation between the two, meaning that the countries with the biggest reductions in mobility are also the countries with the biggest losses of life years. We calculate that about 48 million life years were lost during the first year of the pandemic, corresponding to 0.018% of all expected life years. For comparison, at least double the amount of life years are lost every year due to children dying of diarrhea. About 28 million life years are created every day from babies being born, so the first year of the pandemic set us back less than two days in terms of quantity of life. The setbacks in terms of quality of life are several orders of magnitude larger. Some countries have suffered close to a 50% reduction in mobility sustained over 12 months, with devastating effects on many aspects of quality of life. We estimate that 1.2 billion quality life years were lost due to mobility reductions, which is 25 times as many as life years lost due to COVID-19 related deaths during the first year of the pandemic.
¿Mujeres en suelos pegajosos? Un análisis de la evolución de las distribuciones de ingresos laborales en Bolivia en el periodo 2011-2019
Authors: Garbay Sergio , Barrera Raquel
Published: April 2022

A pesar de los avances de las mujeres en la esfera laboral, aún persisten las brechas en ingresos laborales entre hombres y mujeres. El cierre de éstas es deseable para garantizar la igualdad de género en el mercado laboral. Partiendo de este reconocimiento, el trabajo analiza la brecha de ingresos laborales entre hombres y mujeres a lo largo de la distribución de ingresos en tres periodos de estudio (2011-2013, 2014-2016 y 2017-2019), permitiendo un análisis de la evolución de la brecha promedio en estos periodos para las áreas urbanas de Bolivia, con el objetivo de probar la existencia de las circunstancias conocidas como suelos pegajosos y/o techos de cristal.

A partir del uso de datos provenientes de encuestas de hogares, se aplica la metodología de regresiones cuantílicas condicionales, que permite la estimación de distribuciones de ingreso contrafactuales, y se corrige por sesgo de autoselección para el caso de las mujeres. Los resultados revelan la existencia de una brecha promedio positiva en los tres periodos, la cual es menor en el último periodo, y una heterogeneidad a lo largo de la distribución, siendo la brecha mayor en los quintiles más bajos, lo que indica la presencia de suelos pegajosos.

Estas brechas se explican principalmente por las diferencias entre los retornos a las características observadas entre hombres y mujeres. Finalmente, se obtiene que el efecto de la autoselección es positivo y se explica sobre todo por una diferencia en características no observables entre mujeres, la cual es más evidente en la parte baja de la distribución; esto indica que se estaría subestimando la brecha existente en las retribuciones entre hombres y mujeres.