bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Study on the Suitable Ecological Groundwater Depth and the Suitable Well–Canal Combined Irrigation Ratio in the Weigan River Irrigation District
Authors: Zhang Wenjia , Deng Xiaoya , Xiao Yi , Zhang Ji , Ren Cai , Lu Wen , Long Aihua
Published: October 2023

It is important to clarify the suitable ratio of well–canal combined irrigation and the suitable range for ecological groundwater depth for the ecological stability of the arid zone. The MODFLOW model was used to reconstruct long-term groundwater depth by analyzing the response relationship between vegetation cover and groundwater depth in the Weigan River irrigation district. The suitable range for ecological groundwater depth was obtained, and based on this range, the suitable well–canal combined irrigation ratio in the research area was further simulated. The results show the following: (1) The average annual depth of groundwater in 82.9% of the study area increased from 2012 to 2021, and the average annual depth of groundwater increased by 1.03 m in 2021 compared to 2012. The average depth of the groundwater in the upstream area increased the most, with an increase of 1.96 m. (2) The vegetation cover in the study area from 2012 to 2021 increased in general, with an increase of 0.0461 over the 10-year period, but it fluctuated between years. (3) The depth of the groundwater in the study area suitable for the growth of vegetation in the irrigation area ranged from 3 to 5 m, and the value of NDVI within this range concentrated near 0.564–0.731, which represents a good state of vegetation growth. (4) The ratio of combined well and canal irrigation in the study area from 2012 to 2014 surged from 0.13 in 2012 to 0.48 in 2014, and the irrational harvesting and replenishment relationship led to a rapid increase in the depth of buried groundwater. A suitable well–canal combined irrigation ratio of 0.396 in the study area was obtained. This study is beneficial for maintaining the sustainable development and utilization of water resources and ecological stability in the Weigan River irrigation district.
Production of Bioferments from Artichoke and Asparagus Waste with High Unicellular Protein and Carotenoid Content Using R. mucilaginosa
Authors: De La Cruz-Noriega Magaly , Benites Santiago M. , Rojas-Flores Segundo , Quiñones-Cerna Claudio , Terrones Rodríguez Nicole , Robles-Castillo Heber , Huanes-Carranza Johnny , Mendoza-Villanueva Karol
Published: October 2023

Microorganisms’ degradation of agro-industrial waste produces bad odors and greenhouse gases that contribute to global warming. Consequently, eco-friendly, sustainable biotechnological alternatives to this waste are sought to provide additional value, which is why this study’s objective was to develop a method of producing unicellular proteins from artichoke and asparagus agro-industrial waste using Rhodotorula mucilaginosa as a producer organism. Agricultural soil was collected from the Universidad Nacional de Trujillo (Peru), and R. mucilaginosa was isolated and identified using biochemical tests. Proteins and carotenoids were produced from artichokes and asparagus residues using the R. mucilaginosa yeast. Four substrate concentrations (10, 20, 30, and 40%) and a pH range (5–8.1) were used. They were incubated at 30 °C for 72 h. The results showed that protein and carotenoid yield varied according to pH and substrate concentration. Artichoke residues reached a maximum protein yield of 25.98 mg/g and carotenoids of 159.26 μg/g at pH 5–6.6, respectively. Likewise, the asparagus residue showed a maximum protein yield of 20.22 mg/g and a carotenoid yield of 358.05 μg/g at a pH of 7.1 and 6.6, respectively. This study demonstrated the potential of artichoke and asparagus agro-industrial residues for the production of unicellular proteins and carotenoids using R. mucilaginosa. Further, it represents an appropriate alternative to properly managing agro-industrial waste, giving it an economic value.
Study on the Interaction Mechanism between Residual Coal and Mine Water in Goaf of Coal Mine Underground Reservoir
Authors: Jiang Binbin , Zhao Ze , Liu Deqian , Cao Zhiguo , Tang Jiawei , Wu Min , Zhang Haiqin , Li Peng , Liang Dingcheng
Published: October 2023

In this paper, the coal pillar dam body of the underground reservoir in Daliuta coal mine, along with the residual coal and the mine water present in the goaf, were taken as research subjects, and a dynamic simulation experiment device was constructed to simulate the actual process of a coal mine underground reservoir (CMUR). The composition and structure of middling coal during the experiment were determined by X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD) and X-ray fluorescence spectrometry (XRF), while changes in ion content in the mine water were assessed through ion chromatography (IC) and inductively coupled plasma emission spectrometry (ICP-OES). Based on both the composition and structure of coal as well as variations in ion concentrations in water, the interaction mechanism between coal and mine water was explored. The results showed that the water–coal interaction primarily arose from the dissolution of minerals, such as rock salt and gypsum, within coal. Additionally, coal samples in mine water exhibited adsorption and precipitation of metal ions, along with cation exchange reaction. Na+ in mine water predominantly originated from the dissolution of rock salt (sodium chloride) in coal, while Ca2+ and SO42− were released through the dissolution of gypsum and other minerals in coal. In the process of the water–coal interaction, Ca2+ in the water body was adsorbed and immobilized by the coal sample, leading to the formation and deposition of CaCO3 on the surface of the coal, thereby increasing the calcite content. These processes collectively contributed to a decrease in the concentration of Ca2+ in the water body. Moreover, the cation exchange reaction occurred between Ca2+ and Mg2+ in mine water and Na+ in the coal sample. The presence of Ca2+ and Mg2+ resulted in their displacement of Na+ within the coal matrix, consequently elevating Na+ concentration in the mine water while reducing both the Ca2+ and Mg2+ concentrations. On this basis, combined with insights from the water–rock interaction, it can be inferred that the adsorption mechanisms involving rocks played a dominant role in the decrease of Ca2+ concentration during the water–rock interactions. Meanwhile, the dissolution processes of minerals both in the water–rock and water–coal interactions predominantly contributed to the increase of Na+ and Cl− concentrations.
Transformer with Hybrid Attention Mechanism for Stereo Endoscopic Video Super Resolution
Authors: Zhang Tianyi , Yang Jie
Published: October 2023

With stereo cameras becoming widely used in invasive surgery systems, stereo endoscopic images provide important depth information for delicate surgical tasks. However, the small size of sensors and their limited lighting conditions lead to low-quality and low-resolution endoscopic images and videos. In this paper, we propose a stereo endoscopic video super-resolution method using transformer with a hybrid attention mechanism named HA-VSR. Stereo video SR aims to reconstruct high-resolution (HR) images from corresponding low-resolution (LR) videos. In our method, the stereo correspondence and temporal correspondence are incorporated into the HA-VSR model. Specifically, the Swin transformer architecture is utilized in proposed framework with hybrid attention mechanisms. The parallel attention mechanism is utilized by using the symmetry and consistency of left and right images, and the temporal attention mechanism is utilized by using the consistency of consecutive frames. Detailed quantitative evaluation and experiments on two datasets show the proposed model achieves advanced SR reconstruction performance, showing that the proposed stereo VSR framework outperforms alternative approaches.
Does High-Speed Railway Promote the Quality of Urbanization? From a Dynamic Network Perspective
Authors: Chen Jingyu , Li Weidong , Wu Bingyu , Yu Zhen
Published: October 2023

Applying the improved social-network analysis method and the idea of rolling-window regression, this paper explores the impact of an HSR network on the quality of urbanization and its dynamics. Based on a sample of 273 cities in China over the period 2009–2019, we find that the high-speed railway network has an increasingly positive effect on the quality of urbanization, which proves the existence of a network effect. The empirical results further show that this effect is closely related to the coverage rate of the high-speed rail network. In addition, heterogeneity analysis reveals that urban agglomeration cities are the main beneficiaries. Academically, our study provides a plausible explanation and evidence from network size differences for the two conflicting views of the HSR effect. Practically, we also propose some important policy implications for countries in different high-speed-rail-network construction stages.
Anisotropic Universes Sourced by Modified Chaplygin Gas
Authors: Ray Saibal , Tripathy Sunil Kumar , Sengupta Rikpratik , Bal Bibhudutta , Rout Sonali Monalisa
Published: October 2023

In this work, we perform a comparative study of the Kantowski–Sachs (KS) and Bianchi-I anisotropic universes with Modified Chaplygin gas (MCG) as matter source. We obtain the volume and scale factors as solutions to the Einstein Field Equations (EFEs) for the anisotropic universes, and check whether the initial anisotropy is washed out or not for different values of the MCG parameters present in the solution by obtaining the anisotropy parameters for each solution. The deceleration parameter is also obtained for each solution, the significance of which is discussed in the concluding section. Interestingly there are a number of notable results that appear from our study which help us to compare and contrast the two different anisotropic models along with proper understanding of the role of MCG as matter source in these models.
Evaluation of the Organisation of the COVID-19 Vaccination Process by the Teachers in a Region of Poland
Authors: Jędrzejczyk Tadeusz , Tyrańska-Fobke Anna , Ślęzak Daniel , Kamińska Weronika , Kaszubowski Mariusz F. , Bem Agnieszka , Robakowska Marlena
Published: October 2023

The aim of this study was to assess the organisational process of vaccination within the National Vaccination Programme against COVID-19 (NVP) in the professional group of teachers in Pomeranian Province, Poland. The main goal of the survey was to assess the quality of planning and executing of the NVP and to find a correlation between social and employment placements with the level of perception of chosen quality indicators of the NVP. The presented cross-sectional survey was conducted among 4622 teachers from all levels of education in public and non-public institutions who received the SARS-CoV-2 virus vaccination campaign with the vaccine from AstraZeneca as part of the NVP. The survey was conducted using an original, self-designed questionnaire prepared for this study and distributed to teachers in the form of an online survey via email. Bayesian logistic and linear regression were used to estimate the relationship between predictors and dependent variables. Age was the main factor associated with the performance assessment of the vaccination centre (log[BF] = 0.86–16.88), while gender was the main factor associated with the assessment of NVP (log[BF] = 3.15–10,6). The evaluation of the vaccination registration process (log[BF] = −7.01–50.26) and the evaluation of the information received on the management of post-vaccination reactions (log[BF] = −2.22–65.26) were significant parts of the NVP. It is crucial to tailor information messages to the age and gender of the recipients and to ensure the quality of the information provided by medical personnel, in particular the possible occurrence of vaccination reactions and how to deal with them.
Vehicle-to-Grid Market Readiness in Europe with a Special Focus on Germany
Authors: Hecht Christopher , Figgener Jan , Sauer Dirk Uwe
Published: October 2023

Vehicle-to-grid means that electric vehicles are charged when electricity is plentiful and discharged when it is scarce. New battery-electric vehicles have an energy capacity above 60 kWh installed and practically always have a DC connector. With over 1 million of such vehicles in Germany alone already, the flexibility potential to balance out fluctuating renewable generation or compensate for grid constraints is large. While many actors are working to enable this market, the readiness of hardware and regulations as well as the potential volume are hard to grasp. This paper provides an overview of these factors for Europe with a special focus on Germany. We find that some countries started to implement regulatory frameworks but none are ready yet. Issues include taxation, the fulfillment of grid codes, and the lack of smart meters. In terms of vehicles, 25 manufacturers with bidirectional charging ability were identified, but most vehicles were only used in field tests or operate in island mode. In terms of charging infrastructure, the picture is brighter with at least 20 manufacturers that offer DC bidirectional charging stations and 2 offering an AC variant.
Road-Side Unit Anomaly Detection
Authors: Benzagouta Mohamed-Lamine , Aniss Hasnaâ , Fouchal Hacène , El Faouzi Nour-Eddin
Published: October 2023

Actors of the Cooperative Intelligent Transport Systems (C-ITS) generate various amounts of data. Useful information on various issues such as anomalies, failures, road profiles, etc., could be revealed from the analysis of these data. The analysis, could be managed by operators and vehicles, and its output could be very helpful for future decision making. In this study, we collected real data extracted from road operators. We analyzed these streams in order to verify whether abnormal behaviors could be observed in the data. Our main target was a very sensitive C-ITS failure, which is when a road-side unit (RSU) experiences transmission failure. The detection of such failure is to be achieved by end users (vehicles), which in turn would inform road operators which would then recover the failure. The data we analyzed were collected from various roads in Europe (France, Germany, and Italy) with the aim of studying the RSUs’ behavior. Our mechanism offers compelling results regarding the early detection of RSU failures. We also proposed a new C-ITS message dedicated to raise alerts to road operators when required.
Argas persicus and Carios vespertilionis Ticks Infesting Ducks, Domestic Fowls and Bats in Pakistan: First Report on Molecular Survey and Phylogenetic Position of Borrelia anserina
Authors: Zahid Hafsa , Alouffi Abdulaziz , Almutairi Mashal M. , Ateeq Muhammad , Tanaka Tetsuya , Chang Shun-Chung , Chen Chien-Chin , Ali Abid
Published: October 2023

Argasid ticks have the vectorial potential for transmitting disease-causing pathogens to avian hosts, resulting in economic losses that may not be fully estimated. Borrelia species are the responsible agents of borreliosis in poultry, animals and humans. Our previous studies have reported a high prevalence of Argas persicus infesting domestic fowls in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), Pakistan. However, molecular screening and genetic characterization of Borrelia spp. in A. persicus have been neglected in Pakistan. In this study, we focused on the molecular epidemiology and genetic characterization of Borrelia spp. associated with A. persicus ticks infesting domestic fowls and ducks, and Carios vespertilionis infesting bats in selected districts of KP. Overall, 1818 ticks, including females (415; 23%), males (345; 19%), nymphs (475; 26%) and larvae (583; 32%), were collected from 27 locations in nine districts (Peshawar, Mardan, Swabi, Charsadda, Chitral, Lakki Marwat, Bannu, Bajaur and Hangu) from domestic fowls, ducks and their shelters, and bats. A subset of 197 ticks was selected for DNA extraction and PCR to amplify fragments of the cytochrome c oxidase (cox) gene for ticks and flagellin B (flaB) for the detection and genetic characterization of associated Borrelia spp. Among these, only Borrelia anserina DNA was detected in 40 ticks (27.2%) of different life stages, where highest prevalence was found in female ticks (18; 45%), followed by nymphs (12; 30%), larvae (7; 17.5%) and males (3; 7.5%). Tick infestation in shelters (1081; 77%) was higher than on hosts (323; 23%). The resultant cox amplicons of A. persicus showed 100% identity with the same species reported from Pakistan, China, Iran, Kenya, Kazakhstan, Algeria and Egypt and C. vespertilionis show 100% identity with the species reported from Pakistan, China, Japan, Kenya, Vietnam, Spain, Netherlands, the United Kingdom and Hungry, and clustered with the aforementioned species in the phylogenetic tree. The obtained Borrelia sequences showed 100% identity with B. anserina and revealed a close resemblance to the relapsing fever group and clustered in a monophyletic clade with B. anserina from India, Iran and Brazil in a phylogenetic tree. These results establish the first molecular characterization of B. anserina in A. persicus infesting domestic fowls and ducks in the region, as well as their shelters. To effectively control zoonotic consequences, country-wide surveillance research should be encouraged to screen soft ticks infesting various birds for associated pathogens.
Recreational Fishery Environmental Suggestions of Sandu Island, Ningde, Fujian Province Based on KANO Model and Expert Verification
Authors: Wang Chun-Rui , Huang Liang-Min , Yu Jia-Yue , Cai Jian-Di , Chu Ta-Jen
Published: October 2023

Tourist satisfaction is an important reference in destination management decisions, but on-site validation is often lacking. By exploring the relationship between the current situation of recreational fishery and tourism satisfaction evaluation, we can accurately understand tourists’ consumption preferences and obtain product/service quality information. After on-site verification, such validation is conducive to promoting the high-quality development of regional recreational fisheries. The study area is located on Sandu Island, Ningde City, Fujian Province. This study examines how each item of service quality may exhibit different impacts on customer satisfaction by using a questionnaire survey of consumers in the recreational fisheries. This study combines the Kano model and the Better–Worse index method to investigate the critical service quality. The results show that among the 19 quality indicators of visitor satisfaction, environmental and landscape quality elements are the most important. In addition, through expert verification, it can be confirmed that the improvement of the water environment is of great help to the industry. To improve and maintain customer satisfaction, the above attributes are combined with underlying quality attributes as strategic weapons to highlight competitive advantages.
Reductive Degradation of N-Nitrosodimethylamine via UV/Sulfite Advanced Reduction Process: Efficiency, Influencing Factors and Mechanism
Authors: Zha Xiaosong , Wang Shuren , Zhang Deyu
Published: October 2023

N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA), as an emerging nitrogenous disinfection byproduct, is strictly controlled by multiple countries due to its high toxicity in drinking water. Advanced reduction processes (ARPs) are a new type of water treatment technology that can generate highly reactive reducing radicals and make environmental contaminants degrade rapidly and innocuously. In this study, a systematic investigation on the kinetics of the NDMA degradation via the chosen UV/sulfite ARP and the impacts of some key parameters of reaction system was conducted. The results indicated that the UV/sulfite ARP was an efficient and energy saving method for the reductive degradation of NDMA. A total of 94.40% of NDMA was removed using the UV/sulfite ARP, while only 45.48% of NDMA was removed via direct UV photolysis under the same reaction conditions. The degradation of NDMA via the UV/sulfite ARP followed pseudo-first-order kinetics. Increasing both the UV light intensity and sulfite dosage led to a proportional increase in the NDMA removal efficiency. The alkaline condition favored the degradation of NDMA, with the removal efficiency increasing from 21.57% to 66.79% within the initial 5 min of the reaction when the pH increased from 3 to 11. The presence of dissolved oxygen substantially decreased the removal efficiency of NDMA due to the formation of oxidizing superoxide radicals, which competed with NDMA by capturing the reducing active radicals during the reaction. An analysis of the degradation products indicated that several refractory intermediates such as dimethylamine, methylamine and nitrite were completely decomposed via the UV/sulfite ARP, and the final degradation products were formate, ammonia and nitrogen.
Assessing the Impact of Climate and Land-Use Changes on the Hydrologic Cycle Using the SWAT Model in the Mun River Basin in Northeast Thailand
Authors: Khadka Dibesh , Babel Mukand S. , Kamalamma Ambili G.
Published: October 2023

Climate change (CC) and land-use change (LUC) will alter a basin’s hydrological processes and water balance. Quantifying their significance is imperative in formulating appropriate countermeasures and management plans. This study assesses projected changes in hydrological variables under CC and LUC scenarios to provide multi-dimensional insight into water balance relevant to an agricultural watershed in Northeast Thailand. The soil and water assessment tool (SWAT) is utilized to simulate hydrological variables (evapotranspiration, soil moisture, surface runoff, and water yield) for the baseline (1981–2010) and the near-future (2021–2050) after calibrating the model. CC projections considering the CMIP6 model ensemble for the high-emission scenario (SSP5-8.5) show the annual rainfall may not change significantly (0.5% increase compared to baseline). However, the surface runoff will likely increase by 33% due to the projected increase in rainfall intensity and extremes. The increase in urban areas due to LUC for the business as usual (BAU) scenario is also expected to boost surface runoff by 38–87%. Similarly, the LUC scenario with forest expansion will increase evapotranspiration by up to 1.3%. While CC is anticipated to raise water yield by 11%, LUC may reduce it by 6%. Under the combined scenario, the yield is expected to increase by 8%, indicating CC as the dominating driver. The results show that although CC governs the runoff from the basin, land-use change will also impact flows at a monthly scale. Importantly, soil moisture in the future will decrease (8–9%) under both stressors, which will reverberate in the basin’s agricultural livelihood and socioeconomic settings unless the appropriate adaptation measures are implemented.
Evolution Characteristics of Long Time Series of Secondary Perched River in Typical Reaches of the Lower Yellow River
Authors: Yan Jun , Xu Haifan , Xu Linjuan , Gurkalo Filip , Gao Xiangyu
Published: October 2023

Secondary perched rivers are extensively distributed in the lower section of the Yellow River, and their condition is grave, representing a significant peril to the flood control safety of this region. Consequently, conducting an analysis of their evolution characteristics holds immense engineering importance for ensuring the flood control safety of the lower reaches of the Yellow River. This study focuses on the downstream section of the Yellow River, specifically from Dongbatou-Taochengpu. This research is based on extensive data, including topographic measurements of large cross-sections and water and sand data from Huayuankou spanning from 1960 to 2022. The transverse slope of the beach, which indicates the level of development of the secondary perched rivers, was chosen as the calculation index. To analyze the trend and mutation of the transverse slope, statistical methods such as the Theil–Sen slope estimation, Mann–Kendall test, Pettitt test, and double cumulative curve method were employed. The findings indicate that the average transverse slope along the wandering section (Dongbatou-Gaocun) is 5.81‱, is significantly lower compared to the transitional section (Gaocun-Taochengpu), with an average transverse slope of 8.89‱. Furthermore, the range of fluctuation in the variation in the transverse slope along the wandering section (3.19–8.18‱) is considerably narrower than that observed in the transitional section (2.94–19.51‱). Prior to the implementation of Xiaolangdi, there was a significant increase in the transverse slope. Notably, the transitional section experienced a sudden change in 1975, while the wandering section experienced a sudden change in 1990. The abrupt alteration in the transitional section can be attributed to the substantial variation in the water and sand conditions. Conversely, the sudden change in the wandering section resulted from the insufficient flow rate of the flat beach. However, following the implementation of Xiaolangdi, the rapid increase in the transverse slope was effectively mitigated.
Groundwater Storage Variations in the Main Karoo Aquifer Estimated Using GRACE and GPS
Authors: Mohasseb Hussein A. , Shen Wenbin , Jiao Jiashuang , Wu Qiwen
Published: October 2023

The Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) provided valuable insights into variations in Groundwater Storage (GWS). However, the sensitivity of utilizing Global Positioning System (GPS) time series displacement data for detecting changes in GWS remains a subject of ongoing discussion. In order to estimate the spatiotemporal GWS, we selected a vertical displacement from 65 GPS stations located in the Main Karoo Aquifer (MKA). We performed total water storage (TWS) inversion on GPS vertical displacement components; after that, we deducted surface water components based on the Global Land Data Assimilation System (GLDAS) from January 2013 to December 2021. Additionally, for validation, we compared our GWS estimates with the GRACE-derived GWS and observed GWS values derived from the WaterGAP Global Hydrology Model (WGHM) compartments. We discovered that the TWS and GWS trends derived from GPS and GRACE exhibited similar behaviors with trend values overestimated by GRACE and WGHM. Our findings demonstrate relatively typical behavior between GPS and GRACE in the first and second principal component behaviors (PCs) and empirical orthogonal function (EOF) loadings (or spatial patterns). With a contribution of 71.83% to GPS-derived GWS variability and 68.92% to GRACE-derived GWS variability, EOF-1 is a relatively potent factor. For Principal Components PC1 and PC2, the GRACE and GPS PCs have correlation coefficients of 0.75 and 0.84, respectively. Finally, with higher temporal resolution, GPS can perform the same task as GRACE in hydrological applications. In addition, GPS can add important and valuable information to assess regional GWS change.
Occurrence of and Factors Affecting Groundwater Fluoride in the Western Coastal Area of Hainan Island, South China
Authors: Liu Ruinan , Li Xiwen , Yang Xiujiu , Zhang Ming
Published: October 2023

Hainan, a well-known center of tropical agricultural production in south China, has received little attention regarding groundwater fluoride contamination. This study investigates the occurrence of fluoride in the western coastal area of Hainan Island and discusses factors affecting groundwater fluoride contamination in various aquifers and areas with different land-use types using hydrochemistry and multivariate statistical analysis. A total of 100 groundwater samples were collected from the western coastal area of Hainan Island. The results show that the groundwater fluoride concentration is as high as 4.18 mg/L and that F−-high (>1 mg/L) groundwater accounts for 9% of total groundwater. The proportion of F−-high fissure water is about two times that of F−-high pore water. Among the different land-use types, the proportion of F−-high groundwater from highest to lowest is as follows: bare land > cultivated land > woodland > construction land > grassland. The main factor affecting fluoride in pore water is the leaching of fluorine/aluminum-containing minerals such as phlogopite and calcite in the vadose zone, which is characterized by the co-enrichment of fluoride and aluminum in pore water. The leading cause of fluoride in fissure water is the leaching of fluorine-containing fertilizers, and continuous irrigation promotes the cation exchange of sodium, strontium, and calcium, which is characterized by the co-enrichment of fluoride with sodium and strontium in fissure water. Consequently, it is advised to minimize the excessive use of fluoride fertilizers and increase groundwater quality monitoring in order to decrease the emergence of F−-high groundwater in the western coastal area of Hainan Island.
Improvement of the Carbocatalytic Degradation of Pharmaceuticals in Water by the Use of Ultrasound Waves
Authors: Quimbaya-Ñañez Carolina , Serna-Galvis Efraím A. , Silva-Agredo Javier , García-Rubio Inés , Torres-Palma Ricardo A. , Ávila-Torres Yenny P.
Published: October 2023

A carbonaceous material obtained from wood wastes (SW-Mn) was initially used for the removal of pharmaceuticals in water by a carbocatalytic system. The SW-Mn material adsorbed only 41% of the diclofenac (DCF) and 3% of the valsartan (VAL). Interestingly, SW-Mn activated peroxymonosulfate (PMS) and presented a significant increase in the removal rate of DCF, surpassing 90%, while VAL achieved a 24% removal rate at 20 min of treatment. The carbonaceous material was not effective in activating peroxydisulfate or hydrogen peroxide. Nevertheless, the addition of ultrasound waves at 40 kHz to the carbocatalytic system (SW-Mn +PMS) significantly enhanced VAL degradation, exhibiting a high synergy index (4.98). The routes of the degradation were determined using scavengers, and XPS and EPR analyses, evidencing the main action of singlet oxygen in both carbocatalytic and sonocarbocatalytic systems. It is important to note that radicals also participated in the sonocarbocatalytic process, albeit with a minor contribution. The reuse of SW-Mn was tested during various cycles, showing up to a 39.2% VAL degradation rate after the third consecutive reuse. Moreover, the sonocarbocatalytic system was applied to a sample of irrigation crop water spiked with VAL. The treatment induced a partial elimination of the pollutant due to some interfering effects of the matrix components.
SOCIAL WORK OF PUBLIC, CHARITABLE AND VOLUNTEER ORGANISATIONS DURING MARTIAL LAW
Authors: Shmorlivska Anastasiia , Strebkova Yuliia
Published: October 2023

The research objective. In the context of an information war, the relevance and accessibility of information is a crucial component of security, and adherence to information hygiene is extremely important. Therefore, our task will be to analyze the accessibility and relevance of information on social assistance provided by civil, charitable, and volunteer organizations in the conditions of war.
Educación preescolar y habilidades en estudiantes: un análisis de contribuciones marginales sobre la educación secundaria
Authors: Cortez Soto Sara Nohemí , Moreno Treviño Jorge Omar
Published: October 2023

Este trabajo analiza la contribución de estudiar la educación preescolar como parte de los determinantes del rendimiento académico en matemáticas de los alumnos en educación secundaria implementando el método econométrico de efectos tratamiento para el caso de México. Usando como base los datos PISA (2018), se estiman una serie de modelos con el fin de corregir el sesgo de selección e identificar la contribución del preescolar en la calidad del aprendizaje. El trabajo demuestra la importancia de la contribución de distintos cofactores sobre la brecha del rendimiento educativo de los alumnos con y sin educación preescolar, así como la importancia del preescolar como política pública en los rendimientos académicos de los alumnos en este nivel de estudios en México, todo con el fin de potencializar la calidad educativa y contribuir al crecimiento económico del país.
Numerical simulation and validation of laminar flow through a 2D pipe using computational fluid dynamics
Authors: Ramos Mario Cerrogrande , Costa Antonella Lombardi , Silva Vitor Vasconcelos Araújo , Lima Cláubia Pereira Bezerra , Veloso Maria Auxiliadora Fortini
Published: October 2023

In modern times, there has been a significant increase in the use of software to simulate fluid dynamics. There exist a variety of closed-source software packages that are utilized for both modeling and simulating fluid behavior. These proprietary programs have become increasingly common and are widely utilized in numerous industries that require advanced simulations. This work focuses on the use of a commercial software package designed for computational fluid dynamics (CFD) problems to model laminar flow through a pipe, with the objective of gaining a deeper understanding of the dynamic structures and interactions that occur within the laminar flow. In this paper, an accurate computation of two-dimensional flow is performed using the Time Volume Element Methodology. A grid sensitivity analysis with Richardson extrapolation is conducted to determine the grid-independent solutions, ensuring that the results obtained are reliable and accurate. The findings of this study suggest that the relationship between various parameters, such as velocity and pressure, is heavily influenced by the position and shape of the pipe through which the flow occurs. The investigation utilized a grid sensitivity analysis with Richardson extrapolation to determine the percentage error between the analytical and grid-independent solutions for different parameters, revealing that the errors are on the order of 10-1 %.
Thermal-hydraulic modelling and stade staty analysis of a LS-VHTR reactor
Authors: Ramos Mario Cerrogrande , Costa Antonella Lombardi , Veloso Maria Auxiliadora Fortini , Lima Cláubia Pereira Bezerra , Flores Mabel Bustos
Published: October 2023

The Liquid-Salt-Cooled Very High-Temperature Reactor (LS-VHTR) is a liquid salt cooled and TRISO fueled reactor, which presents very good features in terms of power production and safety aspects. The advantage of using liquid salt as coolant is mainly related with its high efficiency of heat transfer and operation at low pressures. This work evaluates the thermal hydraulic performance of the heat removal system and the reactor core, in steady state conditions, starting from the single channel level and concluding with the full core model. The LS-VHTR is a new reactor concept that introduces some different features in relation to other nuclear reactors. In this way, a thermal modeling of this reactor has been developed using the RELAP5-3D code using a point kinetic model. A modeling with three channels has been presented. The core coolant temperature increase, the core coolant mass flow and the pressure along the core were simulated and presented in good agreement with the expected behavior
Oncoguía de cáncer de tiroides 2023
Authors: Álvarez Avitia Miguel Ángel , Trejo Rosales Raúl Rogelio , Medina Ornelas Sevastián Salvador , García Pérez Francisco Osvaldo , Granados García Martín , Cárdenas Cárdenas Eduardo
Published: October 2023

The incidence of thyroid cancer has been increasing in recent years, ranking it among the ten most frequent neoplasms. Fortunately, mortality is low, and patients have a good prognosis in most cases. More than 90 % of them are well - differentiated thyroid carcinoma. Advances in technology and access to imaging studies have made the diagnosis of thyroid nodules more frequent; thus, it is essential to know how to approach them to avoid overdiagnosis of thyroid cancer. There are different treatment options for patients with thyroid cancer, but a multidisciplinary team should always establish the best therapeutic approach. Surgery is the standard of treatment and the only therapeutic option with a curative objective. Radioactive iodine and radiotherapy are indicated in the postoperative treatment of patients with risk factors. As long as the disease is iodine - sensitive, radioactive iodine is the mainstay of therapy, always considering the possibility of surgery and/or salvage radiotherapy. The definition of iodine - refractory disease is continually being modified; however, when the multidisciplinary team believes that there is no longer any benefit from further application of radioactive iodine, it will be essential to identify the opportune moment to start systemic treatment with tyrosine kinase inhibitors. The choice of systemic treatment and its sequence must be individualized for each case, considering the clinicopathological characteristics of each case, the toxicity profile, and the patient's expectations.
Oncoguía del manejo del dolor en cáncer 2023
Authors: Guillén Núñez María del Rocío , Plancarte Sánchez Ricardo , Hernández Porras Berenice Carolina , Juárez Lemus Ángel Manuel , Sámano García Marcela , González Cázares Ale Ismael
Published: October 2023

In Oncoguía del manejo del dolor en cáncer 2023, we present the cancer pain epidemiology, its clinical presentations, and the methodology for its diagnostic approach. We have considered the extension studies (when necessary) to design an individualized therapeutic scheme, besides the different patient domains (organic, comorbidities, beliefs, and expectations) to implement pharmacological and non-pharmacological measures. Likewise, we added other health areas that may optimize the treatment for pain in this group of patients.
Bridging contemporary theory with online practice: The sustained impact on student identities
Authors: Galdames Caroline , Charbonneau-Gowdy Paula
Published: October 2023

Higher Education (HE) Institutions that offer online programs seek to connect their training promises with the kind of learning and learners 21st century workplaces demand. Fulfilling these objectives implies promoting empowered, collaborative, and self-directed identities in learners during their formal learning and beyond. While learning theories and societal demands might support such identity development in individuals, ensuring these goals are met and importantly sustained has been problematic for institutions. Putting theory into practice becomes a greater challenge when the training process is completely mediated online. This inquiry is one of a four-part longitudinal study aimed at aligning the instructional design, pedagogical practices, and use of social learning-based technology tools in all programs with 21st century goals and contemporary theory of e-learning at a fully online technical HE institution in Chile. In the first three studies, we examined the impact of this alignment across all programs on the learner identities of students: 1) at the outset of their programs (n=2,300), 2) after 5 months (n=14), and 3) through the perspectives of faculty (n=82). Findings in all three studies suggested that many students in the institution, most from socially and academically disadvantaged backgrounds, transitioned to clearly evident 21st century learner behaviours. In the present investigation, our aim was to gather a deeper understanding of these changes and the implications of the design/practice/technology alignment after one year. We focussed on the same students (n=14) to uncover evidence, if any, of sustained changes as they graduated and moved back full time to their respective workplaces. A qualitative methodology was employed where data collection involved individual interviews, field notes, observations, and online digital activity. Findings reveal student identities with significantly increased confidence in their abilities and skills, placing important value on life-long learning as a means to transform their present and future lives and positively influencing their workspaces. This study provides strong empirical evidence of sustained changes that an instructional design based on social learning and mediated by technology generated in our students. At the same time, it contributes valuable and practical answers for overcoming the challenges that still beset many online programs in higher education.
Robot-Assisted Language Education and Speech Therapy for Children with Cleft Lip and Palate
Authors: Najm Aveen , Chew Esyin , Bentley Barry
Published: October 2023

Cleft lip and palate (CLP) is a congenital anomaly that can have detrimental effects on an individual's ability to produce certain sounds, including bilabial sounds such as /m/ and alveolar sounds such as /n/, as well as sounds that require closure between the nasal and oral cavities, such as sounds ending in /-ɪŋ/. While surgical intervention can assist in correcting anatomical irregularities, consistent speech and language therapy sessions are often necessary to overcome obstacles associated with speech production. The research problem addressed in this study is the interruption of regular therapy, as evidenced by the discontinuation of services during the COVID-19 pandemic, which can lead to setbacks in progress and an increase in the risk of developmental delays in children. To explore the potential of educational robots to address this problem, this paper (i) investigates the user requirements, usability considerations, and attitudes to speech therapy robots, from the perspective of parents and carers of children with CLP, (ii) presents an experimental prototype for CLP language education and speech therapy using a humanoid robot, named Robot Lily, based on input from prospective users; and (iii) evaluates the prototype Robot Lily on a subject with CLP. The robot has been programmed to interact with the child in a naturalistic manner, using the same language and gestures employed by human speech and language therapists. The robot can respond to inquiries, practice articulation and pronunciation, aid the child with speech fluency, provide feedback, and encourage continued speech exercises. The primary interactions between a child with CLP and Robot Lily were observed and evaluated, with the robot shown to provide a unique opportunity to acquire speech and language abilities in a captivating and interactive manner. Compared to web-based applications, speech education assistant robots like Robot Lily may offer children a more appealing, engaging, and practical solution; and be remotely controlled by humans for specialized interventions at home, thereby circumventing the challenges encountered during COVID-19. These findings and methods have been used to develop an integrated model for ethical robotic speech therapy utilizing machine learning, which is expected to help meet the growing demand for speech therapy services.
Using Video-Feedback to Support Learning Outcome and Work-life Relevance
Authors: Vold Tone , Ranglund Ole Jørgen , Kiønig Linda V.
Published: October 2023

With students having the opportunity of choosing to take part in courses online rather than attend physically, they may lose the personal contact with the lecturers. One way of inducing a personal touch is by providing personalized video-feedback on the students’ assignments to maintain or establish a connection with the students. Video-feedback is tested out in blended learning, and thus far, the results have been positive. The students claim that this is a more personal and direct way of obtaining feedback on their work. The students in this research project are students in the study programme of Knowledge Management at the Business School at the Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences. The courses consist of three full-day seminars per semester, in addition to streaming video of the curriculum. There is also a mandatory assignment that the students need to pass in order to proceed and take their exam. The courses, both in the autumn semester and the spring semester, have been delivered as a hybrid version, meaning that the students have been able to follow the courses, either online or present in a (physical) classroom. The video-feedback on their assignments has been developed from only being feedback on their assignment and issues for improvement, to where in this semester, the focus has been on tying the feedback to the learning objectives of the course. In this paper, the focus has been on the students who have only been able to follow the courses on an online basis. Via in-depth interviews, such as via Zoom with online students, the impact of the video-feedback has been compared for these particular students to the generic students who have also attended in person. Our investigations have revealed that the impact on the online students were positive, as they do find this type of feedback more personal compared to the students who had also been present in the classroom.
A Framework for Assessing the Complexity of Auto Generated Questions from Ontologies
Authors: Alkhuzaey Samah , Grasso Floriana , Payne Terry , Tamma Valentina
Published: October 2023

Automatic difficulty calibration (ADC) is the application of computational techniques to estimate the difficulty levels of assessment questions before administering them. Compared to traditional difficulty calibration approaches, ADC eliminates the need for pretesting, and minimises the time and efforts typically involved in manual calibration. In recent years, Ontology-based Automatic Question Generation (OAQG) has emerged as a powerful tool to generate assessment questions effortlessly and in massive numbers with minimal human intervention. Despite these benefits, not being able to control the characteristics of generated questions hinders their suitability to be used in pedagogical settings. However, much of the research up to now has tended to focus on the quantity of the questions rather than their quality. Indeed, most current automatic question generators produce simple questions which consist of a few facts, and simply test the recall of knowledge. Furthermore, the majority of existing frameworks are mostly technical and are not supported with a strong theoretical underpinning. In this paper, we propose a novel framework to assess the complexity of ontology-based, automatically generated questions. We discuss various aspects that are involved in determining the complexity of assessment questions, and attempt to quantify important characteristics of question complexity through the use of novel ontological metrics. To further support the plausibility of our computational framework, we shed light on its consistency with theories from education and cognitive psychology. This will provide us with a solid theoretical foundation which ensures that questions are generated according to principled methods that are grounded in theories of learning and cognition. The proposed approach is agnostic to different domains and independent of the question format, therefore, is highly general and applicable to a variety of contexts.