bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Humoral Response Induced by Prime-Boost Vaccination with the ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 and mRNA BNT162b2 Vaccines in a Teriflunomide-Treated Multiple Sclerosis Patient
Authors: Michiels Yves , Houhou-Fidouh Nadhira , Collin Gilles , Berger Jérôme , Kohli Evelyne
Published: October 2021

Patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) are treated with drugs that may impact immune responses to SARS-CoV-2 vaccination. Evaluation of “prime-boost” (heterologous) vaccination regimens including a first administration of a viral vector-based vaccine and a second one of an mRNA-based vaccine in such patients has not yet been completed. Here, we present the anti-spike protein S humoral response, including the neutralizing antibody response, in a 54-year-old MS patient who had been treated with teriflunomide for the past 2 years and who received a heterologous ChAdOx1 nCoV-19/ BNT162b2 vaccination regimen. The results showed a very strong anti-S IgG response and a good neutralizing antibody response. These results show that teriflunomide did not prevent the development of a satisfactory humoral response in this MS patient after vaccination with a ChAdOx1 nCoV-19/ BNT162b2 prime-boost protocol.
Sentiments Regarding COVID-19 Vaccination among Graduate Students in Singapore
Authors: Lim Lee Jin , Lim Ashley J. W. , Fong Kevin K. , Lee Caroline G.
Published: October 2021

As the COVID-19 pandemic rages unabated, and with more infectious variants, vaccination may offer a way to transit out of strict restrictions on physical human interactions to curb the virus spread and prevent overwhelming the healthcare system. However, vaccine hesitancy threatens to significantly impact our progress towards achieving this. It is thus important to understand the sentiments regarding vaccination for different segments of the population to facilitate the development of effective strategies to persuade these groups. Here, we surveyed the COVID-19 vaccination sentiments among a highly educated group of graduate students from the National University of Singapore (NUS). Graduate students who are citizens of 54 different countries, mainly from Asia, pursue studies in diverse fields, with 32% expressing vaccine hesitancy. Citizenship, religion, country of undergraduate/postgraduate studies, exposure risk and field of study are significantly associated with vaccine sentiments. Students who are Chinese citizens or studied in Chinese Universities prior to joining NUS are more hesitant, while students of Indian descent or studied in India are less hesitant about vaccination. Side effects, safety issues and vaccine choice are the major concerns of the hesitant group. Hence, this study would facilitate the development of strategies that focus on these determinants to enhance vaccine acceptance.
Rapidly Declining SARS-CoV-2 Antibody Titers within 4 Months after BNT162b2 Vaccination
Authors: Jo Dong-Ho , Minn Dohsik , Lim Jaegyun , Lee Ki-Deok , Kang Yu-Min , Choe Kang-Won , Kim Kwang-Nam
Published: October 2021

The efficacy and safety of the BNT162b2 vaccine are known, but antibodies are expected to decrease over time after vaccination. We collected blood samples from 104 fully vaccinated health care workers at 3 and 5 weeks after first vaccination and 4 months after second vaccination. Antibody titers and neutralizing antibodies were measured. In our study, both antibody titers and neutralizing antibodies increased significantly at 5 weeks after first vaccination but decreased rapidly at 4 months after second vaccination. Additionally, the results showed a significant decrease regardless of gender or age. Further studies are needed to help determine the interval of SARS-CoV-2 vaccinations.
Pentavalent Disabled Infectious Single Animal (DISA)/DIVA Vaccine Provides Protection in Sheep and Cattle against Different Serotypes of Bluetongue Virus
Authors: van Rijn Piet A. , Maris-Veldhuis Mieke A. , Spedicato Massimo , Savini Giovanni , van Gennip René G. P.
Published: October 2021

Bluetongue (BT) is a midge-borne OIE-notifiable disease of ruminants caused by the bluetongue virus (BTV). There are at least 29 BTV serotypes as determined by serum neutralization tests and genetic analyses of genome segment 2 encoding serotype immunodominant VP2 protein. Large parts of the world are endemic for multiple serotypes. The most effective control measure of BT is vaccination. Conventionally live-attenuated and inactivated BT vaccines are available but have their specific pros and cons and are not DIVA compatible. The prototype Disabled Infectious Single Animal (DISA)/DIVA vaccine based on knockout of NS3/NS3a protein of live-attenuated BTV, shortly named DISA8, fulfills all criteria for modern veterinary vaccines of sheep. Recently, DISA8 with an internal in-frame deletion of 72 amino acid codons in NS3/NS3a showed a similar ideal vaccine profile in cattle. Here, the DISA/DIVA vaccine platform was applied for other serotypes, and pentavalent DISA/DIVA vaccine for “European” serotypes 1, 2, 3, 4, 8 was studied in sheep and cattle. Protection was demonstrated for two serotypes, and neutralization Ab titers indicate protection against other included serotypes. The DISA/DIVA vaccine platform is flexible in use and generates monovalent and multivalent DISA vaccines to combat specific field situations with respect to Bluetongue.
Immune Protective Efficacy of China’s Traditional Inactivated and Attenuated Vaccines against the Prevalent Strains of Pasteurella multocida in Mice
Authors: Guan Li-Jun , Song Ji-Jian , Xue Yun , Ai Xia , Liu Zhi-Jun , Si Li-Fang , Li Meng-Yun , Zhao Zhan-Qin
Published: October 2021

Capsular type A and D strains of Pasteurella multocida are the main epidemic serogroups in pigs in China. In this study, we preliminarily evaluated the immune protective efficacy of the two traditional vaccines, an inactivated C44-1 aluminum-hydroxide-gel-adjuvanted (Alh–C44-1) vaccine and a live EO630 vaccine, against currently circulating strains of P. multocida in a mouse model. Mice immunized twice with conventional vaccines generated higher antibody titers, and significantly higher levels of IgG were observed in the mice inoculated with the inactivated Alh–C44-1 vaccine on day 35 (p < 0.05) than those with the live EO630 vaccine. The mice immune protection test showed that the vaccination groups had a 57% or 71% protection effect against the serogroup B strain, but had no protective effect against epidemic strains. In conclusion, our study found that the widely used traditional P. multocida vaccines in China provide good protection against homologous strains, but could not provide cross-protection against heterologous strains in a mouse model.
Universal Predictors of Dental Students’ Attitudes towards COVID-19 Vaccination: Machine Learning-Based Approach
Authors: Riad Abanoub , Huang Yi , Abdulqader Huthaifa , Morgado Mariana , Domnori Silvi , Koščík Michal , Mendes José João , Klugar Miloslav , Kateeb Elham ,   IADS-SCORE
Published: October 2021

Background: young adults represent a critical target for mass-vaccination strategies of COVID-19 that aim to achieve herd immunity. Healthcare students, including dental students, are perceived as the upper echelon of health literacy; therefore, their health-related beliefs, attitudes and behaviors influence their peers and communities. The main aim of this study was to synthesize a data-driven model for the predictors of COVID-19 vaccine willingness among dental students. Methods: a secondary analysis of data extracted from a recently conducted multi-center and multi-national cross-sectional study of dental students’ attitudes towards COVID-19 vaccination in 22 countries was carried out utilizing decision tree and regression analyses. Based on previous literature, a proposed conceptual model was developed and tested through a machine learning approach to elicit factors related to dental students’ willingness to get the COVID-19 vaccine. Results: machine learning analysis suggested five important predictors of COVID-19 vaccination willingness among dental students globally, i.e., the economic level of the country where the student lives and studies, the individual’s trust of the pharmaceutical industry, the individual’s misconception of natural immunity, the individual’s belief of vaccines risk-benefit-ratio, and the individual’s attitudes toward novel vaccines. Conclusions: according to the socio-ecological theory, the country’s economic level was the only contextual predictor, while the rest were individual predictors. Future research is recommended to be designed in a longitudinal fashion to facilitate evaluating the proposed model. The interventions of controlling vaccine hesitancy among the youth population may benefit from improving their views of the risk-benefit ratio of COVID-19 vaccines. Moreover, healthcare students, including dental students, will likely benefit from increasing their awareness of immunization and infectious diseases through curricular amendments.
Membrane Action of Cladding Subjected to Blast Loading and Effects on the Supporting Structure
Authors: Ioannou Orestis , Gantes Charis J.
Published: October 2021

A recent blast design trend is to properly select cladding characteristics in order to limit blast consequences on its supporting structure. In this context, it is worth noting that cladding components may exhibit significant membrane action, and its effects may be decisive for the supporting structure. The main focus of the present study was to examine these effects through two-step dimensionless SDOF analyses, aimed at reaching conclusions that would be applicable to a large variety of cladding/supporting structure arrangements. The results of these analyses are presented by employing the dynamic load factor, representing the maximum supporting structure displacement. It was found that cladding membrane action has adverse effects over its supporting structure, as it does not allow for extensive plastic dissipation and leads to higher support reactions. On the contrary, insignificant membrane action leads to lower dynamic load factor for the supporting structure. Thus, membrane behavior should be activated only as a safety backup action in order to prevent cladding failure. A case study of a typical cladding/supporting structure is presented to demonstrate and verify the proposed two-step SDOF analyses and the obtained results.
A Revised Approach to Flood Damage Estimation in Flood Risk Maps and Flood Risk Management Plans, Poland
Authors: Godyń Izabela
Published: October 2021

This article describes the determination of asset values in residential and industrial areas in Poland that can be used in the preparation of flood hazard and risk maps (FRMs) and flood risk management plans (FRMPs). In the Floods Directive’s first cycle of implementation (2010–2015), German indicators of asset value were adapted to Polish conditions. This approach was used due to the lack of national statistics necessary to determine the value of property. In this study, the asset values in residential and industrial areas were prepared on the basis of the nationwide household wealth survey conducted in 2016 by the Narodowy Bank Polski (the central bank of Poland) and other data available from Statistics Poland. The proposed approach enables the determination of asset values based on real, validated data. The obtained indicators result in higher and more realistic values of the assets of households (buildings with contents) and the assets of companies (fixed assets and stocks) operating in both residential and industrial areas. The proposed approach, as an extension in relation to the first planning cycle, has been implemented in the second cycle of FRMP preparation in Poland.
Using Dual Isotopes of Nitrate to Identify the Source of Nitrogen Pollution in the Songhua River Basin, Northeast China
Authors: Ye Kuangmin , Meng Fansheng , Zhang Lingsong , Wang Yeyao , Xue Hao , Zhang Daoping
Published: October 2021

Nitrogen pollution is a severe problem in the Songhua River Basin (SHR) in China. Samples were collected from 36 sections of the SHR during the high, low, and flat seasons of the river, and the main sources of nitrogen in the water were qualitatively analyzed with isotope data for nitrogen and oxygen of nitrate. The contribution rates of each major pollution source were quantitatively analyzed using the Iso Source mass balance model. The results from these experiments indicate that the values for δ15N-NO3 and δ18O-NO3 in the flat flow season range from 1.52‰ to 14.55‰ and −14.26‰ to 2.03‰, respectively. The values for δ15N-NO3 and δ18O-NO3 in the low flow season range from 6.66‰ to 15.46‰ and −5.82‰ to 65.70‰, respectively. In the low flow season, nitrogen comes from the input of domestic and manure sewage (53%) and soil organic N (45%). The values of δ15N-NO3 and δ18O-NO3 in the high flow season range from 2.07‰ to 14.24‰ and −3.99‰ to 8.03‰, respectively. In the high flow season, nitrogen comes from soil organic nitrogen (41%), domestic and manure sewage (32%), and nitrogen fertilizer (27%), which are the main sources of nitrogen pollution in the SHR. The conclusions from the qualitative and quantitative analysis of nitrogen sources in the SHR can provide a scientific basis for the source control and treatment of nitrogen pollution.
Impact of Water Rights Transaction in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Region in China Based on an Improved Computable General Equilibrium Model
Authors: Lin Xichen , Zhang Zhifei , Ni Hongzhen , Chen Genfa , Ni Guangheng , Sang Xuefeng , Wang Ying
Published: October 2021

Water shortages in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei (BTH) region in China have constrained the region’s coordinated development. A feasible solution is introducing water rights transactions through the middle route of the South-to-North Water Diversion Project (SNWDP). However, there are few methods available for systematically simulating and evaluating the impact of inter-regional water rights transactions. In this study, an improved computable general equilibrium (CGE) model was developed to simulate the water rights transactions. Different water resources were integrated as intermediate inputs, and the model includes a substitution mechanism between different water resources. The water stress index (WSI) was used to evaluate the impact on the economy and water resources simulated by the model. The study proposes and evaluates different scenarios with different water-saving levels and transaction volumes. Water rights transactions have a positive effect on the overall economic growth of the BTH region, reducing the local water resource stress in Beijing and Tianjin; the transactions have a limited impact on the economy and water usage of Hebei Province. Compared with the general water-saving intensity scenario without water rights transactions, the recommended scenario adopts ultra water-saving intensity, along with the transfer of 100 hm3 of water rights from Hebei to Beijing and Tianjin. This leads to an increase in the overall gross domestic product (GDP) of the BTH region by CNY 0.587 trillion (USD 99.6 billion); a decrease in local water usage in Beijing and Tianjin of 197 hm3; and a relief in the regional imbalance of water resources stress. This study provides a quantitative analysis tool for evaluating the impact of water rights transactions and optimizing water resources allocations in the BTH region, providing a reference for simulating and evaluating water rights transactions in other regions.
Association between Aqueous Atrazine and Pediatric Cancer in Nebraska
Authors: Puvvula Jagadeesh , Bartelt-Hunt Shannon L. , Ouattara Balkissa S. , Kolok Alan S. , Bell Jesse E. , Rogan Eleanor G.
Published: October 2021

Agrichemicals, chemicals used to maximize crop and animal production, can lead to water quality concerns when these chemicals run off into surface and groundwater after precipitation events. In Nebraska, one such chemical is atrazine, a suspected carcinogen. This study evaluated the association between atrazine in surface and groundwater, in relation to the incidence of pediatric cancer in Nebraska watersheds over 30 years (1 January 1987 to 31 December 2016). The watersheds were grouped into four categories based on the average atrazine concentration over the study period, using quantile classification. The associations between atrazine (ground/surface) and pediatric cancer after adjusting for social vulnerability index (SVI) variables, using pediatric population as offset, were compared using a generalized linear model (GLM) assuming a negative binomial distribution. The results from the GLM approach suggested positive associations between watersheds with higher atrazine concentration and a higher pediatric cancer incidence rate ratio. In this study, the associations were evaluated using atrazine measurements obtained from non-drinking water sources as a proxy measure. Further research is necessary to establish the causal relationship between atrazine and pediatric cancer.
Biofunctionalization of Cork with Moringa oleifera Seeds and Use of PMA Staining and qPCR to Detect Viability of Escherichia coli
Authors: Infante Nury , Rodríguez Refugio , Bartolo Yaneth , Sánchez Olga , Sanz Isabel , Bermeo Lizeth , Morató Jordi
Published: October 2021

Cork matrices biofunctionalized with Moringa oleifera seed extracts (MoSe) have potential for use as a biofilter with antibacterial properties to reduce waterborne pathogens. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of cork biofunctionalized with active antimicrobial compounds of MoSe (f-cork) on the inhibition of Escherichia coli (InhEc). The LacZ gene from a strain of E. coli was used as the target sequence using viability quantification Polymerase Chain Reaction (qPCR) and differentiation of viable and dead bacteria through selective cell viability PMA staining. To perform this, a 27−4 fractional factorial design and a biofiltration system were used to evaluate the effect of the active protein in MoSe immobilized in granulated cork on InhEc. We found that the potential for antimicrobial activity increased with f-cork for an effective maximal bacterial reduction (99.99%; p < 0.05). The effect of f-cork functionalized with MoSe on E. coli viability was of 0.024% and 0.005% for the cells exposed to PMA, respectively, being the relevant conditions in treatment 2: (0 L/min) without aeration, (5%) MoSe and (5 mm) cork particle. In conclusion, the f-cork functionalized with MoSe presented biosorbent and antibacterial properties that effectively reduced the E. coli growth.
Investigation of Forecast Accuracy and its Impact on the Efficiency of Data-Driven Forecast-Based Reservoir Operating Rules
Authors: Mostaghimzadeh Ehsan , Ashrafi Seyed Mohammad , Adib Arash , Geem Zong Woo
Published: October 2021

Today, variable flow pattern, which uses static rule curves, is considered one of the challenges of reservoir operation. One way to overcome this problem is to develop forecast-based rule curves. However, managers must have an estimate of the influence of forecast accuracy on operation performance due to the intrinsic limitations of forecast models. This study attempts to develop a forecast model and investigate the effects of the corresponding accuracy on the operation performance of two conventional rule curves. To develop a forecast model, two methods according to autocorrelation and wrapper-based feature selection models are introduced to deal with the wavelet components of inflow. Finally, the operation performances of two polynomial and hedging rule curves are investigated using forecasted and actual inflows. The results of applying the model to the Dez reservoir in Iran visualized that a 4% improvement in the correlation coefficient of the coupled forecast model could reduce the relative deficit of the polynomial rule curve by 8.1%. Moreover, with 2% and 10% improvement in the Willmott and Nash—Sutcliffe indices, the same 8.1% reduction in the relative deficit can be expected. Similar results are observed for hedging rules where increasing forecast accuracy decreased the relative deficit by 15.5%. In general, it was concluded that hedging rule curves are more sensitive to forecast accuracy than polynomial rule curves are.
Managing Water Scarcity Futures: Identifying Factors Influencing Water Quality, Risk Perception and Daily Practices in Urban Environments after the Introduction of Desalination
Authors: Villar-Navascués Rubén Alejandro , Fragkou Maria Christina
Published: October 2021

During the last two decades on a global scale, there has been a significant development of desalination as a strategy to ensure the urban water supply in arid and semi-arid areas. Beyond issues related to the higher economic costs, one of the main barriers that may limit this water source’s development is its supposed negative water quality perception. This research aims to understand better which factors are behind water quality perception in Antofagasta (Chile), where desalinated water was introduced in 2003. Since then, this urban water supply system has increasingly incorporated desalination, creating three parallel areas according to the water sources used in each of them (desalinated water, freshwater and a mix of both). To do so, more than 800 questionnaires to test water quality perception and water consumption habits were conducted in households. Up to six logistic regression models have been implemented to identify which variables better explain water quality satisfaction, risk perception and daily water practices considering the water supply area. It is worth noting that most of this type of research has been carried out in study cases with homogeneous urban water supply systems with conventional water resources. Results indicate that, among other factors, organoleptic water characteristics, such as taste, and socioeconomic status are some of the main factors that explain the perception of water quality and daily practices. In addition, a lower water quality perception and greater risk perception have been identified where desalinated water has been introduced, which makes some households develop averting behaviors to improve water quality, such as boil water.
Application of Cellular Automata in Bi-Objective Operation of Multi Reservoir Systems
Authors: Afshar Mohammad Hadi , Hajiabadi Reza
Published: October 2021

Optimal operation of multi-reservoir systems is one the most challenging problems in water resource management due to their multi-objective nature and time-consuming solving process. In this paper, Multi-Reservoir Parallel Cellular Automata-Simulated Annealing (MPCA-SA), a hybrid method based on cellular automata and simulated annealing is presented for solving bi-objective operations of multi-reservoir systems problems. The problem considers the bi-objective operation of a multi-reservoir system with the two conflicting objectives of water supply and hydropower generation. The MPCA-SA method uses two single-objective cellular automata acting in parallel to explore the problem search space and find the optimal solutions based on the probabilistic interaction with each other. Bi-objective operation of the Dez-Gotvand-Masjed Soleyman three-reservoir system, as a real-world system in southwestern Iran for a period of 60 months, is considered in order to evaluate the ability of the proposed method. In addition, a Non-dominated Sorting Genetic Algorithm (NSGAII) is also used to solve the problems and the results are compared with those of MPCA-SA, indicating the capabilities of the proposed MPCA-SA method. The results show that the MPCA-SA method is able to produce solutions comparable to those of NSGAII with a much-reduced computational cost equal to 1.2% of that required by the NSGAII, emphasizing the efficiency and practicality of the proposed method.
Water, Soil, and Plants Interactions in a Threatened Environment
Authors: Gavrilescu Maria
Published: October 2021

The unprecedented pressure posed by a growing population on water resources generates a significant shortage between the available resources and water demand, which together with water scarcity, floods, and droughts, can affect the world population and various other consumers. On the other hand, soil resources, which represent an essential and complex environmental ecosystem, as a support for the biological cycle, source of nutrients, and water for cultivated and wild plants, forestry, etc., are a provider of raw materials, and are increasingly degrading due to unsustainable use. Since both soil and water are vital resources and support for growth and life of plants, their preservation and sustainable management have become an urgent issue for policy makers, governmental factors, academia, and stakeholders. An important question to be answered is what the disturbing factors of soil–plants–water cycles are and how their negative influence can be reduced, since they affect the quality of life and human health. This work proposes an overview on new research into the links between soil and water, and the interactions among soil, water, and plants in a changing and threatened environment, which can determine human welfare. The analysis addresses the global context of water and soil resources, factors that affect their equilibrium and dynamics, especially toxic pollutants such as heavy metals and others, and their mutual relationship with plant growth.
Is Climate or Direct Human Influence Responsible for Discharge Decrease in the Tunisian Merguellil Basin?
Authors: Khemiri Khaoula , Jebari Sihem , Berndtsson Ronny , Maalel Khlifa
Published: October 2021

Climate change and direct anthropogenic impact are recognized as two major factors affecting catchment runoff. This study investigated the separate effect of each of these factors for runoff from the important Tunisian Merguellil catchment. For this purpose, more than forty years of hydrological data were used. The methodology was based on hydrological characterization, NDVI index to monitor land use dynamics, and the Budyko approach to specify origin of change. The results show that hydrological change is much more important upstream than downstream. The last three decades display a 40% reduction in runoff. This is associated with the direct influence of humans, who are responsible for about 78% of the variation in flow. It appears that climate change contributes to less than about 22%. The combination of increased cultivated land and decreased annual rainfall is the main reason for reduced catchment runoff. Consequently, these effects threaten the sustainable runoff, water in reservoirs, and future water supply in general. Ultimately, the available runoff remains an important parameter and a key indicator to guide the choices of decision-makers and practitioners in current and future climatic conditions. This contributes to supporting sustainable management of remaining water resources.
Novel AOPs-Based Dual-Environmental Digestion Method for Determination of Total Dissolved Nitrogen in Water
Authors: Cai Rongyao , Shou Weiqiang , Hu Xiaochun , Xia Luyue , Zhou Mengfei , Liu Zhengyu , Sun Xiaofang
Published: October 2021

Based on a synergistic digestion method of ultraviolet combined with ozone (UV/O3), this article investigates the reaction characteristics of nitrogen-containing compounds (N-compounds) in water and the influence of ions on digestion efficiency. In this respect, a novel and efficient AOPs-based dual-environmental digestion method for the determination of total dissolved nitrogen (TDN) in waters with complex components is proposed, in the hopes of improving the detection efficiency and accuracy of total nitrogen via online monitoring. The results show that inorganic and organic N-compounds have higher conversion rates in alkaline and acidic conditions, respectively. Meanwhile, the experimental results on the influence of Cl−, CO32−, and HCO3− on the digestion process indicate that Cl− can convert to radical reactive halogen species (RHS) in order to promote digestion efficiency, but CO32− and HCO3− cause a cyclic reaction consuming numerous •OH, weakening the digestion efficiency. Ultimately, to verify the effectiveness of this novel digestion method, total dissolved nitrogen samples containing ammonium chloride, urea, and glycine in different proportions were digested under the optimal conditions: flow rate, 0.6 L/min; reaction temperature, 40 °C; pH in acidic conditions, 2; digestion time in acidic condition, 10 min; pH in alkaline conditions, 11; digestion time in alkaline conditions, 10 min. The conversion rate (CR) of samples varied from 93.23% to 98.64%; the mean CR was greater than 95.30%. This novel and efficient digestion method represents a potential alternative for the digestion of N-compounds in the routine analysis or online monitoring of water quality.
Electrodeposition of Calcium Carbonate and Magnesium Carbonate from Hard Water on Stainless-Steel Electrode to Prevent Natural Scaling Phenomenon
Authors: Souiad Faléstine , Bendaoud-Boulahlib Yasmina , Rodrigues Ana Sofia , Fernandes Annabel , Ciríaco Lurdes , Pacheco Maria José , Lopes Ana
Published: October 2021

This study focuses on preventing scale formation in hard waters by controlled electrode-position of Ca2+ and Mg2+ on a stainless-steel cathode at constant applied current intensity. The influence of the anode material, BDD or Ti/Pt/PbO2, cathode active area, stirring speed, and applied anodic current intensity on the inorganic carbon (IC), Ca2+, and Mg2+ removal was investigated. Assays were performed with model hard water solutions, simulating Bounouara (Algeria) water. The scaling inhibiting properties of the treated water were followed by measuring IC, calcium, and magnesium concentrations and chronoamperometric characterization of the treated solutions. The influence of the Ca/Mg molar ratio on the inorganic carbon removal by electrolysis was also evaluated, utilizing model solutions with different compositions. It was found that an increase in stirring speed or cathode geometric area favors IC and Ca2+ and Mg2+ removal rates. The applied current intensity was varied from 0.025 to 0.5 A, and the best results were obtained for 0.1 A, either in IC and Ca2+ and Mg2+ removals or by the accelerated scaling tests. However, energy costs increase with applied current. The deposit formed over the cathode does not seem to influence posterior deposition rate, and after eight consecutive assays, the solid deposition rate was kept constant. Ca/Mg ratio influences IC removal rate that increases with it. The results showed that hard-water scaling phenomena can be prevented by solid electrodeposition on the cathode at applied constant current.
Multiple Strategies Based Salp Swarm Algorithm for Optimal Operation of Multiple Hydropower Reservoirs
Authors: Qiu Hongya , Zhou Jianzhong , Chen Lu , Zhu Yuxin
Published: October 2021

Reasonable optimal operation policy for complex multiple reservoir systems is very important for the safe and efficient utilization of water resources. The operation policy of multiple hydropower reservoirs should be optimized to maximize total hydropower generation, while ensuring flood control safety by effective and efficient storage and release policy of multiple reservoirs. To achieve this goal, a new meta-heuristic algorithm, salp swarm algorithm (SSA), is used to optimize the joint operation of multiple hydropower reservoirs for the first time. SSA is a competitive bio-inspired optimizer, which has received substantial attention from researchers in a wide variety of applications in finance, engineering, and science because of its little controlling parameters and adaptive exploratory behavior. However, it still faces few drawbacks such as lack of exploitation and local optima stagnation, leading to a slow convergence rate. In order to tackle these problems, multiple strategies combining sine cosine operator, opposition-based learning mechanism, and elitism strategy are applied to the original SSA. The sine cosine operator is applied to balance the exploration and exploitation over the course of iteration; the opposition-based learning mechanism is used to enhance the diversity of the swarm; and the elitism strategy is adopted to find global optima. Then, the improved SSA (ISSA) is compared with six well-known meta-heuristic algorithms on 23 classical benchmark functions. The results obtained demonstrate that ISSA outperforms most of the well-known algorithms. Then, ISSA is applied to optimal operation of multiple hydropower reservoirs in the real world. A multiple reservoir system, namely Xiluodu Reservoir and Xiangjiaba Rservoir, in the upper Yangtze River of China are selected as a case study. The results obtained show that the ISSA is able to solve a real-world optimization problem with complex constraints. In addition, for the typical flood with a 100 return period in 1954, the maximum hydropower generation of multiple hydropower reservoirs is about 6671 GWh in the case of completing the flood control task, increasing by 1.18% and 1.77% than SSA and Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO), respectively. Thus, ISSA can be used as an alternative effective and efficient tool for the complex optimization of multiple hydropower reservoirs. The water resources in the river basin can be further utilized by the proposed method to cope with the increasingly serious climate change.
On Dam Failure Induced Seismic Signals Using Laboratory Tests and on Breach Morphology due to Overtopping by Modeling
Authors: Hung Chi-Yao , Tseng I-Fan , Chen Su-Chin , Feng Zheng-Yi
Published: October 2021

Dam models were constructed in an indoor flume to test dam breach failure processes to study the seismic signals induced. A simple dam breach model was also proposed to estimate hydrographs for dam breach floods. The test results showed that when the retrogressive erosion due to seepage of the dam continues, it will eventually reach the crest at the upstream side of the dam, and then trigger overtopping and breaching. The seismic signals corresponding to the failure events during retrogressive erosion and overtopping of the dam models were evaluated. Characteristics of the seismic signals were analyzed by Hilbert–Huang transform. Based on the characteristics of the seismic signals, we found four types of mass movement during the retrogressive erosion process, i.e., the single, intermittent, and successive slides and fall. There were precursor seismic signals found caused by cracking immediately before the sliding events of the dam. Furthermore, the dam breach modeling results coincided well with the test results and the field observations. From the test and modeling results, we confirmed that the overtopping discharge and the lateral sliding masses of the dam are also among the important factors influencing the evolution of the breach. In addition, the widening rate of the breach decreases with decreased discharge. The proposed dam breach model can be a useful tool for dam breach warning and hazard reduction.
Soil Moisture and Salinity Inversion Based on New Remote Sensing Index and Neural Network at a Salina-Alkaline Wetland
Authors: Wang Jie , Wang Weikun , Hu Yuehong , Tian Songni , Liu Dongwei
Published: October 2021

In arid and semi-arid regions, soil moisture and salinity are important elements to control regional ecology and climate, vegetation growth and land function. Soil moisture and salt content are more important in arid wetlands. The Ebinur Lake wetland is an important part of the ecological barrier of Junggar Basin in Xinjiang, China. The Ebinur Lake Basin is a representative area of the arid climate and ecological degradation in central Asia. It is of great significance to study the spatial distribution of soil moisture and salinity and its causes for land and wetland ecological restoration in the Ebinur Lake Basin. Based on the field measurement and Landsat 8 satellite data, a variety of remote sensing indexes related to soil moisture and salinity were tested and compared, and the prediction models of soil moisture and salinity were established, and the accuracy of the models was assessed. Among them, the salinity indexes D1 and D2 were the latest ones that we proposed according to the research area and data. The distribution maps of soil moisture and salinity in the Ebinur Lake Basin were retrieved from remote sensing data, and the correlation analysis between soil moisture and salinity was performed. Among several soil moisture and salinity prediction indexes, the normalized moisture index NDWI had the highest correlation with soil moisture, and the salinity index D2 had the highest correlation with soil salinity, reaching 0.600 and 0.637, respectively. The accuracy of the BP neural network model for estimating soil salinity was higher than the one of other models; R2 = 0.624, RMSE = 0.083 S/m. The effect of the cubic function prediction model for estimating soil moisture was also higher than that of the BP neural network, support vector machine and other models; R2 = 0.538, RMSE = 0.230. The regularity of soil moisture and salinity changes seemed to be consistent, the correlation degree was 0.817, and the synchronous change degree was higher. The soil salinity in the Ebinur Lake Basin was generally low in the surrounding area, high in the middle area, high in the lake area and low in the vegetation coverage area. The soil moisture in the Ebinur Lake Basin slightly decreased outward with the Ebinur Lake as the center and was higher in the west and lower in the east. However, the spatial distribution of soil moisture had a higher mutation rate and stronger heterogeneity than that of soil salinity.
Sustainability of Lakes and Reservoirs: Multiple Perspectives Based on Ecosystem Services
Authors: Ho Long , Goethals Peter
Published: October 2021

This special issue consists of fourteen selected articles, that cover a wide spectrum of Ecosystem Services (ES) of lakes and reservoirs, including: (1) water purification [...]
Combining Spectral Water Indices and Mathematical Morphology to Evaluate Surface Water Extraction in Taiwan
Authors: Ning Fang-Shii , Lee Yu-Chan
Published: October 2021

Rivers in Taiwan are characterised by steep slopes and high sediment concentrations. Moreover, with global climate change, the dynamics of channel meandering have become complicated and frequent. The primary task of river governance and disaster prevention is to analyse river changes. Spectral water indices are mostly used for surface water estimation, which separates the water from the background based on a threshold value, but it can be challenging in the case of environmental noise. Edge detection uses a canny edge detector and mathematical morphology for extracting geometrical features from the image and effective edge detection. This study combined spectral water indices and mathematical morphology to capture water bodies based on downloaded remote sensing images. From the findings, this study summarised the applicability of various spectral water body indices to the surface water extraction of different river channel patterns in Taiwan. The normalised difference water index and the modified normalised difference water index are suitable for braided rivers, whereas the automated water extraction index is ideal for meandering rivers.
Sponge City Program (SCP) and Urban Flood Management (UFM)—The Case of Guiyang, SW China
Authors: Qi Yunfei , Shun Chan Faith Ka , Griffiths James , Feng Meili , Sang Yanfang , O’Donnell Emily , Hutchins Michael , Thadani Dimple R. , Li Gang , Shao Mengqi , Xie Linjun , Liu Sitong , Zhang Chunguang , Li Xinan , Liu Lingyun , Zhong Ming
Published: October 2021

Flood management is a complex issue in Chinese cities that exhibit high populations and have undergone rapid urbanization. Urban flood management (UFM) approaches can be used to mitigate urban flood risk. To address urban issues of poor water quality and urban surface flooding, the Sponge City Program (SCP) was initiated in 2013 in China. The SCP aims to provide an opportunity for Chinese cities to improve their current UFM practices. This study looks at Guiyang (a pilot sponge city located in SW China) as a case study to identify the challenges and opportunities of UFM in China. Guiyang is a valley city surrounded by a hilly landscape. Using interview records and flood data, we illustrate that the primary type of flood in Guiyang is fluvial rather than surface water flooding. In Guiyang, the current function and targets of the SCP have yet to engage with the catchment level flood management, instead mainly focusing on the site-specific context (i.e., community level). Catchment flood management planning (CFMP) and natural flood management (NFM) both address this problem and may be a more suitable approach to manage flood discharge from the upper and middle catchments in Guiyang. In addition, it is suggested that a mixed option combining “hard” infrastructure (e.g., reservoirs and floodwalls) with “soft” flood management measures (e.g., improving people awareness and participation) may improve urban flood resilience in Chinese cities.
Microplastics Footprints in a High-Altitude Basin of the Tibetan Plateau, China
Authors: Feng Sansan , Lu Hongwei , Yao Tianci
Published: October 2021

Microplastics (MPs) are ubiquitous in the environment and have been drawing increasing attention; however, MPs’ occurrence and behavior in remote areas are not well understood. In this study, we quantified and characterized MPs from surface waters and sediments in a remote area, namely the Tibetan Plateau, China. The samples were collected from the Lhasa River and the lower reaches of the Brahmaputra River to better understand MPs’ sources to rivers of the Tibetan Plateau. MPs’ concentrations in water and sediment were 735 items/m3 and 51 items/kg, respectively, and the dominating MPs observed were fibers with size ranging from 100 to 500 µm. MP abundance increased nearly two-fold from upstream to downstream in the Brahmaputra River, associated with the inputs from downstream human activities and the inflows of tributaries (especially the Lhasa River). This study provides important bases for analyzing MPs migration processes in the plateau region.
Discharge Estimation with the Use of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) and Hydraulic Methods in Shallow Rivers
Authors: Lagogiannis Sergios , Dimitriou Elias
Published: October 2021

Although river discharge is essential hydrologic information, it is often absent, especially for small rivers and remote catchment areas. Practical difficulties frequently impede the installation and operation of gauging stations, while satellite-sensed data have proved to be relatively useful only for discharge estimation of large-scale rivers. In this study, we propose a new methodology based on UAV-sensed data and photogrammetry techniques combined with empirical hydraulic equations for discharge estimation. In addition, two different riverbed particle size distributions were incorporated, to study the effect of fine sediment inclusion (or exclusion) in the estimation process. Accordingly, 17 study sites were selected and six different approaches were applied in each. Results show that at 75% of sites at least one approach produced an accurate discharge estimation, while in 10 out the 17 sites (58.8%) all six approaches produced accurate estimations. A strong correlation between a threshold value for the hydraulic radius (Rh = 0.3 m) of cross-sections and high estimation errors for sites exceeding it was also observed. The fine sediment inclusion improved only the performance of certain approaches and did not have a consistently positive effect. Overall, the relatively high percentage of sites with satisfactory discharge estimates indicates that using UAV-derived data and simple hydraulic equations can be used for this purpose, with an acceptable level of accuracy.
Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene Vulnerability among Rural Areas and Small Towns in South Africa: Exploring the Role of Climate Change, Marginalization, and Inequality
Authors: Abrams Amber L. , Carden Kirsty , Teta Charles , Wågsæther Katinka
Published: October 2021

Access to water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH)—including drainage-services—is essential for public health and socio-economic development, but access remains inadequate and inequitable in low- to middle-income countries such as South Africa. In South Africa, rural areas and small towns generally depend on a limited and climate-sensitive economic base (e.g., farming), and they have a limited capacity and are located in areas where transport challenges can increase WASH access risks. Climate change shifts hydrological cycles, which can worsen WASH access and increase susceptibility to the interlinked impacts of droughts and flooding in already vulnerable regions. We adopted a transdisciplinary approach to explore the needs, barriers, and vulnerabilities with respect to WASH in rural areas and small towns in South Africa—using two case studies to explore climate risk and vulnerability assessment (CRVA) in one rural village in the northern Limpopo province and a small town in the Western Cape province. This holistic approach considered natural (environment and climate) and socio-economic (economic, social, governance, and political) factors and how they interplay in hampering access to WASH. Extreme weather events characterized by frequent and intense droughts or floods aggravate surface and groundwater availability and damage water infrastructure while threatening agriculture-dependent livelihoods. The lack of reliable transport infrastructure increases risks posed by flooding as roads to vital supplies are prone to damage. High inequality linked to rising unemployment and the Apartheid legacy of a segregated service delivery system result in inequitable access to WASH services. The intertwined ways in which natural elements and historical, social, economic, governance, and policy aspects are changing in South Africa increase WASH vulnerability in rural areas and small towns.
Fault Injection Model of Induction Motor for Stator Interturn Fault Diagnosis Research Based on HILS
Authors: Zhang Xuhao , Han Kun , Cao Hu , Wang Ziying , Huo Ke
Published: October 2021

Recently, in order to ensure the reliability and safety of trains, online condition monitoring and fault diagnosis of traction induction motors have become active issues in the area of rail transportation. The fault diagnosis algorithm can be developed and debugged in a real-time environment based on hardware-in-the-loop simulation (HILS). However, the dynamic space model of induction motors with stator interturn short-circuit faults faces the problem that the faulty state and the healthy state are not compatible, which is inconvenient for the HILS. In this paper, a fault injection model is proposed for the first time, which can realize the online switching between the healthy state and the faulty state of the motor. The feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed model are verified by simulation experiments the based on MATLAB/Simulink and dSPACE HILS platforms.
A Wireless Multicoil Charging System for Low-Voltage Electric Vehicle Applications
Authors: Elbracht Lukas , Noeren Jannis , Parspour Nejila
Published: October 2021

In order to inductively charge electric vehicles, which are based on a low-voltage drive train, high currents have to be overcome. This work describes a simulative approach to charge 48 V-based electric vehicles wirelessly with high power. A system was designed on the basis of various boundary conditions and validated by simulation. In order to increase the transmittable power, the system was investigated for an extendable approach and was examined for modularity. In particular, the influences of the secondary coils on each other must be taken into account. Finally, the entire system was evaluated by physical and electrical simulation.