bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Economic Evaluation, Use of Renewable Energy, and Sustainable Urban Development Mamminasata Metropolitan, Indonesia
Authors: Surya Batara , Muhibuddin Andi , Suriani Seri , Rasyidi Emil Salim , Baharuddin Baharuddin , Fitriyah Andi Tenri , Abubakar Herminawaty
Published: January 2021

The acceleration of the development of the Metropolitan Mamminasata area has an impact on the socio-economic dynamics of the community and the use of excess energy resources. The purpose of this study was to analyze (1) economic growth and energy security work as determinants of urban development for Metropolitan Mamminasata, (2) the effect of economic growth, energy consumption, availability of transportation infrastructure, and renewable energy on the quality of the environment and the sustainability of the Metropolitan Mamminasata system, and (3) renewable energy management strategies and sustainable urban development for Metropolitan Mamminasata. An explanatory sequential approach was used. Data were obtained through observation, surveys, and documentation. The results showed that renewable energy which has the potential to used, in the Mamminasata Metropolitan urban area to support economic growth and increase urban productivity, namely water energy, wind energy, and biomass energy. Furthermore, it takes the effectiveness and efficiency of energy users toward improving environmental quality. Economic growth, energy consumption savings, the availability of transportation infrastructure, and renewable energy have a significant effect on environmental quality, with a determination coefficient of 82.3%, and the sustainability of the Metropolitan Mamminasata system, with a determination coefficient of 75.7%. Use of renewable energy in the management of urban development will require support from government policies, as well as community and business participation. This study recommends a renewable energy management strategy as an important part of supporting the sustainability of urban development in Metropolitan Mamminasata, Indonesia.
Toward Cultural Heritage Sustainability through Participatory Planning Based on Investigation of the Value Perceptions and Preservation Attitudes: Qing Mu Chuan, China
Authors: Yang Huan , Qiu Ling , Fu Xin
Published: January 2021

Conservation efforts and cooperation from major stakeholders are critical factors for cultural heritage (e.g., historical landmarks) sustainability. Although landscape planners provide professional knowledge and intended designs for sustainable management of cultural heritage sites, the active effort and participation of local residents or communities are the decisive facts of whether relevant preservation actions can be successfully implemented. Traditional village landscapes in Qing Mu Chuan, China, were selected as the study area. We used photo questionnaires to explore the preferences, value perceptions, and preservation attitudes toward traditional village landscapes of landscape professionals and local residents. The results revealed large differences in the perceptions and preservation attitudes toward traditional village landscapes between the two groups. The most unexpected finding was that the local residents showed much stronger preferences and preservation willingness toward traditional village landscapes with cultural elements than the professionals. In addition, the local residents’ preservation attitudes were mainly affected by their perception of economic benefits and daily utility values, rather than cultural values. Meanwhile, the preservation of professionals’ attitudes was significantly related to recreational and cultural value perceptions. These findings will direct the participatory planning process to provide appropriate incentives for developing the preservation attitudes of local residents. They will also support the implementation of participatory planning to promote the positive collaboration of local residents and landscape planners toward cultural heritage sustainability.
Service Climate and Empowerment for Customer Service Quality among Vietnamese Employees at Restaurants
Authors: Pham Thi Phuong Loan , Ahn Young-joo
Published: January 2021

This study examines the relationship between service climate, empowerment, and organizational citizenship behavior among Vietnamese employees at restaurants in urban areas of South Korea. Moreover, the mediating role of empowerment between service climate and organizational citizenship behavior is investigated. From a sample of 209 Vietnamese respondents working in Asian ethnic restaurants, the findings indicate that work facilitation is the most influential service climate that affects empowerment. However, two service climate factors—managerial support and customer orientation—are not statistically significant. Moreover, organizational citizenship behavior among employees is enhanced not only by service climate but also by empowerment. This study provides empirical evidence of employee perceptions of service climate and of the influence of service climate on employee empowerment and organizational citizenship behavior for customer service quality. This study expands the knowledge regarding foreign employees at restaurants and provides important theoretical and practical implications for creating a sustainable work environment and empowering employees who strive for an excellent quality of customer service in the context of the restaurant industry.
Nested Buildings: An Innovative Strategy for the Integrated Seismic and Energy Retrofit of Existing Masonry Buildings with CLT Panels
Authors: Valluzzi Maria Rosa , Saler Elisa , Vignato Alberto , Salvalaggio Matteo , Croatto Giorgio , Dorigatti Giorgia , Turrini Umberto
Published: January 2021

The Italian building heritage is aged and inadequate to the high-performance levels required nowadays in terms of energy efficiency and seismic response. Innovative techniques are generating a strong interest, especially in terms of multi-level approaches and solution optimizations. Among these, Nested Buildings, an integrated intervention approach which preserves the external existing structure and provides a new structural system inside, aim at improving both energy and structural performances. The research presented hereinafter focuses on the strengthening of unreinforced masonry (URM) buildings with cross-laminated timber (CLT) panels, thanks to their lightweight, high stiffness, and good hygrothermal characteristics. The improvement of the hygrothermal performance was investigated through a 2D-model analyzed in the dynamic regime, which showed a general decreasing in the overall thermal transmittance for the retrofitted configurations. Then, to evaluate the seismic behavior of the coupled system, a parametric linear static analysis was implemented for both in-plane and out-of-plane directions, considering various masonry types and connector spacings. Results showed the efficiency of the intervention to improve the in-plane response of walls, thus validating possible applications to existing URM buildings, where local overturning mechanisms are prevented by either sufficient construction details or specific solutions.
Fuel Cell Power Systems for Maritime Applications: Progress and Perspectives
Authors: Xing Hui , Stuart Charles , Spence Stephen , Chen Hua
Published: January 2021

Fuel cells as clean power sources are very attractive for the maritime sector, which is committed to sustainability and reducing greenhouse gas and atmospheric pollutant emissions from ships. This paper presents a technological review on fuel cell power systems for maritime applications from the past two decades. The available fuels including hydrogen, ammonia, renewable methane and methanol for fuel cells under the context of sustainable maritime transportation and their pre-processing technologies are analyzed. Proton exchange membrane, molten carbonate and solid oxide fuel cells are found to be the most promising options for maritime applications, once energy efficiency, power capacity and sensitivity to fuel impurities are considered. The types, layouts and characteristics of fuel cell modules are summarized based on the existing applications in particular industrial or residential sectors. The various research and demonstration projects of fuel cell power systems in the maritime industry are reviewed and the challenges with regard to power capacity, safety, reliability, durability, operability and costs are analyzed. Currently, power capacity, costs and lifetime of the fuel cell stack are the primary barriers. Coupling with batteries, modularization, mass production and optimized operating and control strategies are all important pathways to improve the performance of fuel cell power systems.
Bottom Sediments from a Dam Reservoir as a Core in Embankments—Filtration and Stability: A Case Study
Authors: Koś Karolina , Gruchot Andrzej , Zawisza Eugeniusz
Published: January 2021

A possibility of using bottom sediments from dam reservoirs in earth structures was considered. Sediments from the Rzeszow reservoir (Poland) were used as research material, which, according to geotechnical standards, were classified as low permeable silt with high organic content. As fine, cohesive soil with a low coefficient of permeability, the sediments can be used in sealing elements of hydraulic engineering embankments. In order to verify the suitability of the sediments, stability and filtration calculations were carried out for embankments with a sealing in the form of a core made of the sediments. It was stated that by using a core made of sediments, the volume of seepage on the downstream side during continuous or variable backwater was significantly lower in relation to an embankment without a core, and the phreatic line did not extend to the downstream slope. It is estimated that, in the case of a planned dredging in Rzeszow Reservoir, the amount of dredged sediment would exceed 1.5 million m3, and therefore, the possibility of their economic use is essential. The search for materials that could replace natural soil in earthen structures is an important issue from both the ecological and economic points of view.
Environmental Sustainability and Economic Growth in Greenland: Testing the Environmental Kuznets Curve
Authors: Arnaut Javier , Lidman Johanna
Published: January 2021

The environmental Kuznets curve (EKC) hypothesis assumes there is an inverted U-shape relationship between pollution and income per capita, implying an improvement in environmental quality when a growing economy reaches a high level of economic development. This study evaluated empirically the existence of the environmental Kuznets curve in Greenland for the period 1970–2018. Using an autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) approach, the results show evidence of a U-shaped EKC in Greenland instead of the hypothesized inverted U-shape. The findings indicate that Greenland had initially experienced a decoupling transition during an early development stage associated with structural conditions of a small subsistence economy. However, once the country began to expand its industry, the trend began to reverse, creating a positive and significant relationship between CO2 emissions and GDP per capita that is potentially detrimental to the Arctic natural environment.
The Implementation of CSA Model in Aquaculture Management in Poland
Authors: Raftowicz Magdalena , Kalisiak-Mędelska Magdalena , Struś Mirosław
Published: January 2021

Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) is an alternative form of distributing agricultural products, including fish, consistent with the model of food supply chain shortening. It extends beyond the traditional model of profit maximization and aims at strengthening local interactions with food consumers. The purpose of this article is to assess the feasibility of implementing the CSA model in the Polish carp market, representing the dominant aquaculture product. The research focused on the potential identified on the supply and demand sides of the carp market. The source material was collected through a pilot two-track empirical study conducted in 2019 in the Barycz Valley, where the largest complex of carp breeding ponds is located in Poland, and in Europe. We propose that the following CSA model of direct sales can become a source of specific benefits in the economic, social, and environmental dimensions for the key stakeholders of the supply chain, (i.e., carp producers and consumers). The research results show that in the case of carp production in Poland, CSA may turn out a desirable support for the sale of fish in the future; however, the existing conditions are not yet fully favourable for its development.
Ecological Engineering and Restoration of Eroded Muddy Coasts in South East Asia: Knowledge Gaps and Recommendations
Authors: Tien Huynh Van , Tuan Anh Nguyen , Tan Phong Nguyen , Minh Nhut Mai Le
Published: January 2021

Ecological engineering (EE) was employed for developing strategies for stabilizing eroded muddy coasts (EMCs). However, there was a limited analysis of these EE strategies with respect to design, performance, and lessons learned. This study employed a critical review for addressing the limitations. There were four EE models designed with different restoration interventions for stabilizing EMCs. The models using active interventions have not been cost-effective in controlling erosion because the interventions failed to achieve their goals or were costly and unnecessary. Of the two passive intervention models, the one with structures constructed from onshore proved to be more cost-effective in terms of construction costs, the survival rate of transplanted seedlings, and levels of sea mud accumulation. Interventions with adequate consideration of the muddy coastal ecological processes and the ecological reasoning for the positioning of these interventions play a crucial role in stabilizing EMCs. A passive restoration model using gradually expanded interventions should be promoted in order to ensure sustainable management of EMCs in the future.
Fuzzy Interpolation with Extensional Fuzzy Numbers
Authors: Holčapek Michal , Škorupová Nicole , Štěpnička Martin
Published: January 2021

The article develops further directions stemming from the arithmetic of extensional fuzzy numbers. It presents the existing knowledge of the relationship between the arithmetic and the proposed orderings of extensional fuzzy numbers—so-called S-orderings—and investigates distinct properties of such orderings. The desirable investigation of the S-orderings of extensional fuzzy numbers is directly used in the concept of S-function—a natural extension of the notion of a function that, in its arguments as well as results, uses extensional fuzzy numbers. One of the immediate subsequent applications is fuzzy interpolation. The article provides readers with the basic fuzzy interpolation method, investigation of its properties and an illustrative experimental example on real data. The goal of the paper is, however, much deeper than presenting a single fuzzy interpolation method. It determines direction to a wide variety of fuzzy interpolation as well as other analytical methods stemming from the concept of S-function and from the arithmetic of extensional fuzzy numbers in general.
A New Optimized Solution for a Flexible Coupling with Bolts Used in the Mechanical Transmissions
Authors: Ghiţescu Marilena , Ghiţescu Ion-Marius , Borza Paul Nicolae , Vlase Sorin
Published: January 2021

The paper presents a new constructive and functional solution of flexible coupling with bolts and nonmetallic intermediary elements. The bolts have a special shape in the sense that they have a milled area on a certain length equal to the width of the non-metallic element, a cylindrical area that reduces the stress concentrators at the diameter passages. The novelty of this coupling consists of the existence of one intermediary disk between two semi couplings (driver and driven semi couplings). This is fixed by the semi-coupling on the right side, the intermediary disc having milled four locations in which to mount the left, as the right has a metal plate with a special shape of eight metallic plates that are mounted with screws in the four milled places processed on the intermediate disc. The nonmetallic elements have various forms and can be made from different qualities of rubber mounted on the bolts. Eight milled bolts (four on each semi-coupling) allow the transmission of the torsion moment in both directions of rotation, in one direction becoming rigid and thus behaving like a safety coupling. Finite element method is used to obtain the mechanical response of this new type of coupling.
Color Revolution: A Novel Operator for Imperialist Competitive Algorithm in Solving Cloud Computing Service Composition Problem
Authors: Jula Amin , Sundararajan Elankovan A. , Othman Zalinda , Naseri Narjes Khatoon
Published: January 2021

In this paper, a novel high-performance and low-cost operator is proposed for the imperialist competitive algorithm (ICA). The operator, inspired by a sociopolitical movement called the color revolution that has recently arisen in some countries, is referred to as the color revolution operator (CRO). The improved ICA with CRO, denoted as ICACRO, is significantly more efficient than the ICA. On the other hand, cloud computing service composition is a high-dimensional optimization problem that has become more prominent in recent years due to the unprecedented increase in both the number of services in the service pool and the number of service providers. In this study, two different types of ICACRO, one that applies the CRO to all countries of the world (ICACRO-C) and one that applies the CRO solely to imperialist countries (ICACRO-I), were used for service time-cost optimization in cloud computing service composition. The ICACRO was evaluated using a large-scale dataset and five service time-cost optimization problems with different difficulty levels. Compared to the basic ICA and niching PSO, the experimental and statistical tests demonstrate that the ability of the ICACRO to approach an optimal solution is considerably higher and that the ICACRO can be considered an efficient and scalable approach. Furthermore, the ICACRO-C is stronger than the ICACRO-I in terms of the solution quality with respect to execution time. However, the differences are negligible when solving large-scale problems.
Hemispheric Asymmetry in Visual Processing: An ERP Study on Spatial Frequency Gratings
Authors: Proverbio Alice Mado , Zani Alberto
Published: January 2021

A hemispheric asymmetry for the processing of global versus local visual information is known. In this study, we investigated the existence of a hemispheric asymmetry for the visual processing of low versus high spatial frequency gratings. The event-related potentials were recorded in a group of healthy right-handed volunteers from 30 scalp sites. Six types of stimuli (1.5, 3 and 6 c/deg gratings) were randomly flashed 180 times in the left and right upper hemifields. The stimulus duration was 80 ms, and the interstimulus interval (ISI) ranged between 850 and 1000 ms. Participants paid attention and responded to targets based on their spatial frequency and location. The C1 and P1 visual responses, as well as a later selection negativity and a P300 component of event-related potentials (ERPs), were quantified and subjected to repeated-measure analyses of variance (ANOVAs). Overall, the performance was faster for the right visual field (RVF), thus suggesting a left hemispheric advantage for the attentional selection of local elements. Similarly, the analysis of the mean area amplitude of the C1 (60–110 ms) sensory response showed a stronger attentional effect (F+L+ vs. F−L+) at the left occipital areas, thus suggesting the sensory nature of this hemispheric asymmetry.
Approximation Results for Variational Inequalities Involving Pseudomonotone Bifunction in Real Hilbert Spaces
Authors: Muangchoo Kanikar , Alreshidi Nasser Aedh , Argyros Ioannis K.
Published: January 2021

In this paper, we introduce two novel extragradient-like methods to solve variational inequalities in a real Hilbert space. The variational inequality problem is a general mathematical problem in the sense that it unifies several mathematical models, such as optimization problems, Nash equilibrium models, fixed point problems, and saddle point problems. The designed methods are analogous to the two-step extragradient method that is used to solve variational inequality problems in real Hilbert spaces that have been previously established. The proposed iterative methods use a specific type of step size rule based on local operator information rather than its Lipschitz constant or any other line search procedure. Under mild conditions, such as the Lipschitz continuity and monotonicity of a bi-function (including pseudo-monotonicity), strong convergence results of the described methods are established. Finally, we provide many numerical experiments to demonstrate the performance and superiority of the designed methods.
Application of Systems-Approach in Modelling Complex City-Scale Transdisciplinary Knowledge Co-Production Process and Learning Patterns for Climate Resilience
Authors: Mkandawire Burnet , Thole Bernard , Mamiwa Dereck , Mlowa Tawina , McClure Alice , Kavonic Jessica , Jack Christopher
Published: January 2021

Literature shows that much research has been conducted on the co-production of climate knowledge, but it has neither established a standardized and replicable model for the co-production process nor the emergent learning patterns as collaborators transition from the disciplinary comfort-zone (disciplinary and practice biases) to the transdisciplinary third-space. This study combines algorithmic simulation modelling and case study lessons from Learning Labs under a 4-year (2016–2019) climate change management project called Future Resilience of African CiTies and Lands in the City of Blantyre in Malawi. The study fills the research gap outlined above by applying a systems-approach to replicate the research process, and a Markov process to simulate the learning patterns. Results of the study make a number of contributions to knowledge. First, there are four distinct evolutionally stages when transitioning from the disciplinary comfort-zone to the transdisciplinary third-space, namely: Shock and resistance to change; experimenting and exploring; acceptance; and integration into the third-space. These stages are marked by state probabilities of the subsequent stages relative to the initial (disciplinary comfort-zone) state. A complete transition to the third-space is marked by probabilities greater than one, which is a system amplification, and it signifies that there has been a significant increase in learning among collaborating partners during the learning process. Second, a four-step decision support tool has been developed to rank the plausibility of decisions, which is very hard to achieve in practice. The tool characterizes decision determinants (policy actors, evidence and knowledge, and context), expands the determinants, checks what supports the decision, and then rates decisions on an ordinal scale of ten in terms of how knowledge producers and users support them. Third, for a successful transdisciplinary knowledge co-production, researchers should elucidate three system-archetypes (leverage points), namely: Salient features for successful co-production, determinant of support from collaborators, and knowledge co-production challenges. It is envisioned that academics, researchers, and policy makers will find the results useful in modelling and replicating the co-production process in a methodical and systemic way while solving complex climate resilience development problems in dynamic, socio-technical systems, as well as in sustainably mainstreaming the knowledge co-produced in policies and plans.
Dose–Response Study of Microcystin Congeners MCLA, MCLR, MCLY, MCRR, and MCYR Administered Orally to Mice
Authors: Chernoff Neil , Hill Donna , Lang Johnsie , Schmid Judith , Farthing Amy , Huang Hwa
Published: January 2021

Microcystins are common freshwater cyanobacterial toxins that affect liver function. The toxicities of five microcystin congeners (microcystin-LA (MCLA), MCLR, MCLY, MCRR, and MCYR) commonly observed in harmful algal blooms (HABs) were evaluated in BALB/c mice after a single oral administration of doses ranging from those that were no observed adverse effect levels (NOAELs) to lowest observed adverse effect levels (LOAELs). Animals were monitored for changes in behavior and appearance, and euthanized 24 h after dosing. Test endpoints included clinical changes, necropsy observations, and serum indicators of hepatic toxicity and general homeostasis. Doses were 0.5–7 mg/kg MCLA, 0.5–11 mg/kg MCLR, 1–7 mg/kg MCLY, 7–22 mg/kg MCRR, and 3–11 mg/kg MCYR. MCLA at 3 mg/kg elevated liver/body weight ratio and liver score, ALT, AST, and GLDH, indicating hepatic toxicity, reduced serum glucose and highly elevated total serum bilirubin. MCLR and MCLY induced similar effects with LOAELs of 5 mg/kg, although a greater extent and severity of effects were observed in MCLR animals. MCRR exposure at 22 mg/kg was associated with reduced serum glucose. MCYR induced scattered liver effects at 7 mg/kg and reduced serum glucose levels at 5 mg/kg. The results indicate significant differences in congener-induced toxicity after microcystin exposure.
Nuclear Import of Adeno-Associated Viruses Imaged by High-Speed Single-Molecule Microscopy
Authors: Junod Samuel L. , Saredy Jason , Yang Weidong
Published: January 2021

Understanding the detailed nuclear import kinetics of adeno-associated virus (AAV) through the nuclear pore complex (NPC) is essential for the application of AAV capsids as a nuclear delivery instrument as well as a target for drug development. However, a comprehensive understanding of AAV transport through the sub-micrometer NPCs in live cells calls for new techniques that can conquer the limitations of conventional fluorescence microscopy and electron microscopy. With recent technical advances in single-molecule fluorescence microscopy, we are now able to image the entire nuclear import process of AAV particles and also quantify the transport dynamics of viral particles through the NPCs in live human cells. In this review, we initially evaluate the necessity of single-molecule live-cell microscopy in the study of nuclear import for AAV particles. Then, we detail the application of high-speed single-point edge-excitation sub-diffraction (SPEED) microscopy in tracking the entire process of nuclear import for AAV particles. Finally, we summarize the major findings for AAV nuclear import by using SPEED microscopy.
Influenza Vaccine Effectiveness in Mainland China: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Yang Xiaokun , Zhao Hongting , Li Zhili , Zhu Aiqin , Ren Minrui , Geng Mengjie , Li Yu , Qin Ying , Feng Luzhao , Peng Zhibin , An Zhijie , Zheng Jiandong , Li Zhongjie , Feng Zijian
Published: January 2021

Influenza endangers human health but can be prevented in part by vaccination. Assessing influenza vaccine effectiveness (VE) provides scientific evidence for developing influenza vaccination policy. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies that evaluated influenza VE in mainland China. We searched six relevant databases as of 30 August 2019 to identify studies and used Review Manager 5.3 software to analyze the included studies. The Newcastle–Ottawa scale was used to assess the risk of publication bias. We identified 1408 publications, and after removing duplicates and screening full texts, we included 21 studies in the analyses. Studies were conducted in Beijing, Guangzhou, Suzhou, and Zhejiang province from the 2010/11 influenza season through the 2017/18 influenza season. Overall influenza VE for laboratory confirmed influenza was 36% (95% CI: 25–46%). In the subgroup analysis, VE was 45% (95% CI: 18–64%) for children 6–35 months who received one dose of influenza vaccine, and 57% (95% CI: 50–64%) who received two doses. VE was 47% (95% CI: 39–54%) for children 6 months to 8 years, and 18% (95% CI: 0–33%) for adults ≥60 years. For inpatients, VE was 21% (95% CI: −11–44%). We conclude that influenza vaccines that were used in mainland China had a moderate effectiveness, with VE being higher among children than the elderly. Influenza VE should be continuously monitored in mainland China to provide evidence for policy making and improving uptake of the influenza vaccine.
Surgical Treatment of Vulvar HSIL: Adjuvant HPV Vaccine Reduces Recurrent Disease
Authors: Ghelardi Alessandro , Marrai Roberto , Bogani Giorgio , Sopracordevole Francesco , Bay Paola , Tonetti Arianna , Lombardi Stefania , Bertacca Gloria , Joura Elmar A.
Published: January 2021

Data suggest that adjuvant human papillomavirus (HPV)-vaccination in women treated for cervical HPV diseases reduces recurrent disease. This study investigates adjuvant HPV-vaccination and the rate of recurrence in women undergoing surgery for vulvar high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (HSIL). From January 2013 to April 2020, we enrolled 149 women in a prospective case-control study. The control group (NV-group) was treated by standard surgery alone, while the study group received adjuvant vaccination soon after surgery (V-group). A follow-up was performed by vulvoscopy and HPV test. Statistical analysis was performed by Fisher’s exact test. HSIL recurrence was observed in 24/76 (32%) patients in NV-group and in 8/42 patients (19%) of the vaccinated group. By analysing the recurrence rate related to the incident and reactivated latent HPV infection, we found a significant difference between (17/76) 22.3% in NV-group and (2/42) 4.8% in V-group (p = 0.01). A reduction of 78.5% in incident/reactivated HPV infections was demonstrated. Data results add to the current knowledge about the mechanism of post-surgical adjuvant HPV vaccination. Our prospective study is the first to document the vaccine clinical effectiveness in preventing “reactivation” of latent HPV infections. Quadrivalent HPV vaccine administered after the surgical treatment for vulvar HSIL appears to be useful in preventing recurrent disease.
Integrating Structural Resilience in the Design of Urban Drainage Networks in Flat Areas Using a Simplified Multi-Objective Optimization Framework
Authors: Bakhshipour Amin , Hespen Jessica , Haghighi Ali , Dittmer Ulrich , Nowak Wolfgang
Published: January 2021

Structural resilience describes urban drainage systems’ (UDSs) ability to minimize the frequency and magnitude of failure due to common structural issues such as pipe clogging and cracking or pump failure. Structural resilience is often neglected in the design of UDSs. The current literature supports structural decentralization as a way to introduce structural resilience into UDSs. Although there are promising methods in the literature for generating and optimizing decentralized separate stormwater collection systems, incorporating hydraulic simulations in unsteady flow, these approaches sometimes require high computational effort, especially for flat areas. This may hamper their integration into ordinary commercially designed UDS software due to their predominantly scientific purposes. As a response, this paper introduces simplified cost and structural resilience indices that can be used as heuristic parameters for optimizing the UDS layout. These indices only use graph connectivity information, which is computationally much less expensive than hydraulic simulation. The use of simplified objective functions significantly simplifies the feasible search space and reduces blind searches by optimization. To demonstrate the application and advantages of the proposed model, a real case study in the southwest city of Ahvaz, Iran was explored. The proposed framework was proven to be promising for reducing the computational effort and for delivering realistic cost-wise and resilient UDSs.
Surface and Groundwater Characteristics within a Semi-Arid Environment Using Hydrochemical and Remote Sensing Techniques
Authors: Rafik Abdellatif , Bahir Mohammed , Beljadid Abdelaziz , Ouazar Driss , Chehbouni Abdelghani , Dhiba Driss , Ouhamdouch Salah
Published: January 2021

The understanding of hydro systems is of great importance in monitoring quantitative and qualitative changes in water resources. The Essaouira region at the edge of the Moroccan Atlantic Ocean is subject to a semi-arid climate. The decrease in rainfall as a result of climate change and the increase in the exploitation of surface and groundwater have disrupted the stability of these resources and threaten the socio-economic and environmental balance in the area under investigation. Climate scenarios estimate that precipitation will decrease by 10–20% while warming increases by 3 °C over the next 30 years. The physico-chemical parameters studied show that the evolution of the pH and temperature of the groundwater remained stable with a neutral (pH ≈ 7) and a hypothermal character (T < 30 °C). For the electrical conductivity, it showed an increasing trend from 2017 to 2020. A hydrochemical approach showed that the groundwater mineralization was controlled by the dissolution of evaporites and carbonates, by cation exchange processes, and by seawater contamination. A groundwater assessment for drinking use was made by comparing the concentrations of the chemical elements with the standards set by the World Health Organization. The results obtained show that the groundwater from the aquifers studied requires treatment before being consumed, in particular for Cl− and SO42−. Furthermore, the groundwater quality for irrigation was evaluated based on the parameters Na% and Sodium Adsorption Ratio (SAR). The results showed that the groundwater was adequate for agricultural purposes, especially for the plants that adapt to high salinity. The monitoring of surface water by processing the satellite images via the calculation of the normalized difference water index (NDWI) showed an increase in water surface areas in the region following the commissioning of two large dams (Zerrar and Igouzoullene). Despite the installation of these hydraulic structures, a drop of 4.85 km2 in water surface area was observed beyond 2016. This situation requires intervention in order to preserve this vital resource.
Effect of Extreme Climate Events on Lake Ecosystems
Authors: Jeppesen Erik , Pierson Donald , Jennings Eleanor
Published: January 2021

The Earth is facing a major change in climate due to ongoing global warming [...]
The Operating Characteristics of Partial Nitrification by Controlling pH and Alkalinity
Authors: Chen Chen , Song Yinghao , Yuan Yanchao
Published: January 2021

In many experiments, a partial nitrification device is initiated with the use of highly active nitrating sludge because of the large number of nitrifying bacteria. Ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) are more adaptable to low-dissolved oxygen environments than nitrite-oxidizing bacteria (NOB). NOB activity was inhibited when the dissolved oxygen (DO) levels were decreased, causing the nitrate-nitrogen concentration to gradually decrease in the effluent and the nitrite-nitrogen concentration to gradually increase, achieving the accumulation of nitrous nitrogen. In this experiment, a sequencing batch reactor (SBR) was used to suppress NOB activity at a given pH while maintaining DO at a very low level so that the ammonia–water reaction mainly occurred in the device, and then the mud and water separated. Compared with other experiments, this approach can occur in 25 days, and it runs stably for more than two months until the device closes when the ammonia-nitrogen concentration is about 170 mg/L. This experiment also compared the difference between the pH change at the beginning of the device operation and after the device was stable. In order to increase the efficiency of bacterial appreciation, supplementing NaHCO3 increased the HCO3− concentration by 300 mg/L on the 25th day. It was found that some nitrification reactions still occurred, but they were not enough to destabilize the device. The nitrosate accumulation efficiency still gradually increased, and the average nitrite accumulation efficiency was 87.25% after NaHCO3 supplementation.
Population Dynamics, Fishery, and Exploitation Status of Norway Lobster (Nephrops norvegicus) in Eastern Mediterranean
Authors: Lolas Alexios , Vafidis Dimitris
Published: January 2021

Norway lobster (Nephrops norvegicus) is one of the most valuable shellfish resources in the Mediterranean and the northeast Atlantic. Sustainable management of its fishery require long-term scientific monitoring of its stocks. Population dynamics, fishery, and exploitation status of the Norway lobster were studied over a long time series (between 2008 and 2014) in a semi enclosed gulf in Easter Mediterranean (Pagasitikos Gulf). Sampling was carried out using a commercial bottom trawl with a codend mesh size of 28 mm in three different regions within the Gulf. Sex was identified macroscopically and all individuals were measured and weighed. Growth and Age groups were investigated by analysis of length–frequency distributions of the Carapace length (CL) for both sexes. Fishing, Natural and Total Mortality, along with Exploitation rate of the total stock were estimated by the FiSAT software package. Females were further examined and classified based on their maturity stage and the size at onset of sexual maturity was estimated by Probit analysis. Temporal differences in mean CL were detected for both sexes, with a tendency of lower values each year, along with a respective increase in Fishing Mortality and Exploitation Rate, indicating the effects of fishing pressure over the population. Size at onset of sexual maturity was estimated at 32.6 mm, higher than the official mesh sizes for creels (28 mm) and gillnets (26 mm). According to the analyses, the local Norway lobster stock is over-exploited, which should be taken under consideration by the regional policy makers.
Flow Turbulence Characteristics and Mass Transport in the Near-Wake Region of an Aquaculture Cage Net Panel
Authors: Shao Dongdong , Huang Li , Wang Ruo-Qian , Gualtieri Carlo , Cuthbertson Alan
Published: January 2021

Cage-based aquaculture has been growing rapidly in recent years. In some locations, cage-based aquaculture has resulted in the clustering of large quantities of cages in fish farms located in inland lakes or reservoirs and coastal embayments or fjords, significantly affecting flow and mass transport in the surrounding waters. Existing studies have focused primarily on the macro-scale flow blockage effects of fish cages, and the complex wake flow and associated near-field mass transport in the presence of the cages remain largely unclear. As a first step toward resolving this knowledge gap, this study employed the combined Particle Image Velocimetry and Planar Laser Induced Fluorescence (PIV-PLIF) flow imaging technique to measure turbulence characteristics and associated mass transport in the near wake of a steady current through an aquaculture cage net panel in parametric flume experiments. In the near-wake region, defined as ~3M (mesh size) downstream of the net, the flow turbulence was observed to be highly inhomogeneous and anisotropic in nature. Further downstream, the turbulent intensity followed a power-law decay after the turbulence production region, albeit with a decay exponent much smaller than reported values for analogous grid-generated turbulence. Overall, the presence of the net panel slightly enhanced the lateral spreading of the scalar plume, but the lateral distribution of the scalar concentration, concentration fluctuation and transverse turbulent scalar flux exhibited self-similarity from the near-wake region where the flow was still strongly inhomogeneous. The apparent turbulent diffusivity estimated from the gross plume parameters was found to be in reasonable agreement with the Taylor diffusivity calculated as the product of the transverse velocity fluctuation and integral length scale, even when the plume development was still transitioning from a turbulent-convective to turbulent-diffusive regime. The findings of this study provide references to the near-field scalar transport of fish cages, which has important implications in the assessment of the environmental impacts and environmental carrying capacity of cage-based aquaculture.
ANALISIS FAKTOR INVESTASI PADA MAHASISWA GENERASI Z DI BANDUNG
Authors: Saputra Randi
Published: January 2021

Generation Z readiness of students to be an important thing that must be considered in order to be able to compete and survive during the demographic bonus period and participate in assisting Indonesia in achieving the goal of sustainable development in the form of poverty in 2030. Proper storage method is one of the aspects that must be owned so that later will have the appropriate reserve funds as desired. To find the dominant factors of investment in generation z students in Bandung, the authors use a factor analysis method that will reduce and rank the dominant factors raised in this study by collecting quantitative data on 207 respondents. The results of this study found five new factors with dominant factors in the form of investment finance issues. So this research can provide input to the government in increasing investment interest for generation Z students.

Keywords: Investment, Finance, Generation Z Students

 

Kesiapan mahasiswa generasi z terhadap keuangan menjadi hal penting yang harus diperhatikan agar dapat bersaing dan bertahan hidup pada masa bonus demografi dan berpartisipasi membantu Indonesia dalam mencapai tujuan pembangunan berkelanjutan berupa tidak adanya kemiskinan di tahun 2030. Metode penyimpanan yang tepat adalah salah satu aspek yang wajib dimiliki agar nantinya akan memiliki cadangan dana yang sesuai dengan yang diinginkan. Untuk menemukan faktor dominan dari investasi pada mahasiswa generasi z di Bandung, penulis menggunakan metode analisis faktor yang akan mereduksi dan mengurutkan faktor-faktor dominan yang diangkat pada penelitian ini dengan mengumpulkan data secara kuantitatif terhadap 207 responden. Hasil penelitian ini ditemukan lima faktor baru dengan faktor dominan berupa isu keuangan investasi. Sehingga penelitian ini dapat memberikan masukan kepada pemerintah dalam meningkatkan minat berinvestasi bagi mahasiswa generasi Z.

Kata kunci : Investasi, Keuangan, Mahasiswa Generasi Z.
PROCESSING OF DISC KNIFE CONSTRUCTIONS WITH STRETCHLESS DIVISION
Authors: Ivanovskii Vladimir , Kurnikova Anna , Jujukin Nikolai , Safarov Kishvarsho
Published: January 2021

The article describes methods of determining the natural frequency of the system "shaft-drive" and the critical speed for a shaft with similar design scheme and method of calculating the maximum allowable and critical speed.
MORTALIDADE SOBRE CÂNCER DE PRÓSTATA POR REGIÕES DO BRASIL, NO PERÍODO DE 2008-2018: UMA AÇÃO EDUCATIVA EM SAÚDE
Authors: José de Almeida Neto Alfredo , Odete da Silva Márcia , Roberta Bermudes da Silva Renata , Thaís de Queiróz Albuquerque Danusa , de Andrade Silva Talita , Cabral Guerra Bruna , Cézar de Sousa Robson , Eduardo Avelino José , Camila da Costa Flávia , José dos Santos Eronildo
Published: January 2021

Introduction - Of the neoplasias that affect men, prostate cancer is the second in incidence in the world, losing only to the non-melanoma skin, and the fifth in mortality, data for the year 2012. The world expectation for 2030 is 1.7 million new cases of this neoplasia (GLOBOCAN 2012). Objectives - To analyze the temporal distribution of mortality and hospitalization for prostate cancer in Brazil by regions from 2008 to 2018. Methods - This is a descriptive, ecological and retrospective study of a time series, in which secondary data were collected Mortality Information System (SIM) of the Department of Informatics of the Unified Health System (DATASUS TABNET). Mortality and hospitalization data for prostate cancer in the Regions of Brazil were analyzed between 2008 and 2018 in the age groups of 40 and over. Results - The rate of hospitalization and mortality due to prostate cancer in the regions of Brazil varied in the period studied, related to mortality, decrease in the North region and increase in the South region. Concerning the percentage of hospitalizations there was an exorbitant growth in the region Northeast with respect to others. Conclusion - Regarding the study, it is evident the increase in the incidence of prostate cancer in Brazil. In this way, the need to improve the information obtained in local and national databases to demonstrate peculiarity, giving possibilities to the accomplishment of researches that bring intervention subsidy in the habits that favor prostate cancer.
We Have Something to Say: Youth Participatory Action Research as a Promising Practice to Address Problems of Practice in Rural Schools
Authors: Means Darris , Blackmon Sydney , Drake Elizabeth , Lawrence Paris , Jackson Angel , Strickland Anna , Willis Jenay
Published: January 2021

The purpose of this article is to highlight a critical approach for practice, youth participatory action research, that can be used to invite rural youth to collaborate with school administrators, educators, and community leaders to identify and examine challenges, while building upon the strengths of a school and community to address challenges. Our youth participatory action research project was a collaboration between adult researchers and five students from a rural high school to examine and address postsecondary education access challenges. The adult and student researchers developed and implemented two evidence-based products: (a) a conference and (b) a resource corner in the school library. Student co-researchers demonstrated an increased commitment to the project, development of postsecondary education knowledge, and development as leaders during the project. Our project demonstrates evidence of youth participatory action research being an effective approach to address problems of practice in rural education.
Teacher Perceptions of Skills, Knowledge, and Resources Needed to Promote Social and Emotional Learning in Rural Classrooms
Authors: Staci M. Zolkoski  , Samantha Estrada Aguilera  , Erin M. West  , Gary J. Miller  , Jessica M. Holm  , Sarah M. Sass  , Eric L. Stocks
Published: January 2021

The incorporation of social and emotional learning (SEL) in schools has been shown to improve academic and psychological health of students. Research has been limited regarding implementation of SEL programs in rural communities, where student needs are heightened. The current study examined factors that could impact teachers’ intentions to be early adopters of a SEL curriculum in a rural community. Seventy-six teachers provided self-report data regarding perceptions of professional strengths, school climate, school resources for student support, ability to educate diverse students, ability to teach specific SEL domains, and intentions to be an early adopter of a SEL program. Present results indicated positive perceptions of school climate, one’s ability to teach diverse students, and one’s ability to teach self-management skills positively predicted intentions to be an early adopter of a SEL curriculum. Implications for rural schools are explored and recommendations for adoption of SEL curricula in rural schools are provided.