bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Depigmented Centella asiatica Extraction by Pretreated with Supercritical Carbon Dioxide Fluid for Wound Healing Application
Authors: Ruksiriwanich Warintorn , Khantham Chiranan , Sringarm Korawan , Sommano Sarana , Jantrawut Pensak
Published: March 2020

Centella asiatica has been included in Thai traditional medicinal plants and recipes, as a well-established historical use as a vegetable and tonic. However, when applied in modern formulations, the progressive degradation of the plant pigments occurs, causing color-fading and color variation in the products. Depigmentation of the comminuted sample using supercritical carbon dioxide (scCO2) fluid extraction with a cosolvent was introduced as a pretreatment to solve the color-fading problem. The contents of compounds with known biological activities and the wound healing activities (antioxidant screening by DPPH and ABTS+ scavenging activities; cell migration assay; matrix metallopeptidase [MMP]-2 inhibition on human skin fibroblast; endothelial cell tube formation assay) of the C. asiatica leaf extracts obtained by conventional ethanolic extraction (CV) and pretreatment using scCO2 extraction, were determined. Total triterpenoids (madecassoside, asiaticoside B, asiaticoside, madecassic acid, terminolic acid and asiatic acid) and total triterpenoid glucosides (madecassoside, asiaticoside B and asiaticoside) were notably more abundant in the extract that had been pretreated using scCO2 than the extract obtained by CV. Moreover, the scCO2 pretreatment not only caused greater relative MMP-2 inhibition (58.48 ± 7.50% of the control), but also exhibited a higher cell migration (59.83 ± 1.85% of the initial) and number of vessels (18.25 ± 4.58) of angiogenesis in the wound healing process. Additionally, positive correlations were observed between the DPPH antioxidant activity and madecassoside content (r = 0.914, p < 0.01), as well as between the cell migration activity and asiaticoside content (r = 0.854, p < 0.05). It can be concluded that the scCO2 pretreatment of C. asiatica can eliminate color pigments from the extract and improve its in vitro wound healing activity.
Recovery of Molybdenum, Chromium, Tungsten, Copper, Silver, and Zinc from Industrial Waste Waters Using Zero-Valent Iron and Tailored Beneficiation Processes
Authors: Vollprecht Daniel , Plessl Katharina , Neuhold Simone , Kittinger Fritz , Öfner Wolfgang , Müller Peter , Mischitz Robert , Sedlazeck Klaus Philipp
Published: March 2020

Zero-valent iron (ZVI) has been used for water treatment for more than 160 years. However, passivation of its surface often constituted a problem which could only be tackled recently by the innovative Ferrodecont process using a fluidized bed reactor. In this study, pilot scale experiments for the removal of Mo, Cr, W, Cu, Ag and Zn from two industrial waste water samples and lab-scale experiments for the beneficiation of the abrasion products are presented to integrate the Ferrodecont process into a complete recycling process chain. Firstly, 38.5 % of Cu was removed from sample A, yielding abrasion products containing 33.1 wt% Cu as metallic copper (Cu) and various Cu compounds. The treatment of sample B removed 99.8 % of Mo, yielding abrasion products containing 17.8 wt% of Mo as amorphous phases or adsorbed species. Thermal treatment (1300 °C) of the abrasion product A indicated a reduction of delafossite to metallic Cu according to differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermogravimetry (TG) and X-ray diffraction (XRD), which was successfully separated from the magnetic iron phases. Hydrometallurgical treatment (1.5 M NaOH, 3 d, liquid:solid ratio (L:S) = 15:1) of sample B yielded aqueous extracts with Mo concentrations of 5820 to 6300 mgL−1. In conclusion, this corresponds to an up to 53-fold enrichment of Mo during the entire process chain.
Separations 2019 Best Paper Award
Authors:   Separations Editorial Office
Published: March 2020

The Editors of Separations have established the Best Paper Award to acknowledge the authors’ support and recognize the most outstanding articles published in the journal [...]
A Novel Extended Higher-Order Moment Multi-Factor Framework for Forecasting the Carbon Price: Testing on the Multilayer Long Short-Term Memory Network
Authors: Yun Po , Zhang Chen , Wu Yaqi , Yang Xianzi , Wagan Zulfiqar
Published: March 2020

Predicting the carbon price accurately can not only promote the sustainability of the carbon market and the price driving mechanism of carbon emissions, but can also help investors avoid market risks and increase returns. However, previous research has only focused on the low-order moment perspective of the returns for predicting the carbon price, while ignoring the shock of extreme events and market asymmetry originating from its pricing factor markets. In this paper, a novel extended higher-order moment multi-factor framework (EHM-APT) was formed to improve the prediction and to capture the driving mechanism of the carbon price. Furthermore, a multi-layer and multi-variable Long Short-Term Memory Network (Multi-LSTM) model was constructed so that the parameters and structure could be determined experimentally for testing the performance of the proposed framework. The results show that the pricing framework considers the shock of extreme events and market asymmetry and can improve the prediction compared with a framework that does not consider the shock of higher-order moment terms. Additionally, the Multi-LSTM model is more competitive for prediction than other benchmark models. This conclusion proves the rationality and accuracy of the proposed framework. The application of the pricing framework encourages investors and financial institutions to pay more attention to the pricing factor of extreme events and market asymmetry for accurate price prediction and investment analysis.
Homomorphic Encryption-Based Robust Reversible Watermarking for 3D Model
Authors: Li Li , Wang Shengxian , Zhang Shanqing , Luo Ting , Chang Ching-Chun
Published: March 2020

Robust reversible watermarking in an encrypted domain is a technique that preserves privacy and protects copyright for multimedia transmission in the cloud. In general, most models of buildings and medical organs are constructed by three-dimensional (3D) models. A 3D model shared through the internet can be easily modified by an unauthorized user, and in order to protect the security of 3D models, a robust reversible 3D models watermarking method based on homomorphic encryption is necessary. In the proposed method, a 3D model is divided into non-overlapping patches, and the vertex in each patch is encrypted by using the Paillier cryptosystem. On the cloud side, in order to utilize addition and multiplication homomorphism of the Paillier cryptosystem, three direction values of each patch are computed for constructing the corresponding histogram, which is shifted to embed watermark. For obtaining watermarking robustness, the robust interval is designed in the process of histogram shifting. The watermark can be extracted from the symmetrical direction histogram, and the original encrypted model can be restored by histogram shifting. Moreover, the process of watermark embedding and extraction are symmetric. Experimental results show that compared with the existing watermarking methods in encrypted 3D models, the quality of the decrypted model is improved. Moreover, the proposed method is robust to common attacks, such as translation, scaling, and Gaussian noise.
A Multivariate Approach to Determine the Dimensionality of Human Facial Asymmetry
Authors: Ekrami Omid , Claes Peter , White Julie , Weinberg Seth , Marazita Mary , Walsh Susan , Shriver Mark , Van Dongen Stefan
Published: March 2020

Many studies have suggested that developmental instability (DI) could lead to asymmetric development, otherwise known as fluctuating asymmetry (FA). Several attempts to unravel the biological meaning of FA have been made, yet the main step in estimating FA is to remove the effects of directional asymmetry (DA), which is defined as the average bilateral asymmetry at the population level. Here, we demonstrate in a multivariate context that the conventional method of DA correction does not adequately compensate for the effects of DA in other dimensions of asymmetry. This appears to be due to the presence of between-individual variation along the DA dimension. Consequently, we propose to decompose asymmetry into its different orthogonal dimensions, where we introduce a new measure of asymmetry, namely fluctuating directional asymmetry (F-DA). This measure describes individual variation in the dimension of DA, and can be used to adequately correct the asymmetry measurements for the presence of DA. We provide evidence that this measure can be useful in disentangling the different dimensions of asymmetry, and further studies on this measure can provide valuable insight into the underlying biological processes leading to these different asymmetry dimensions.
Optically Active Selenoxides: Structural and Synthetic Aspects
Authors: Krasowska Dorota , Sancineto Luca , Deska Małgorzata , Drabowicz Józef
Published: March 2020

Synthetic approaches to the preparation of non-racemic selenoxides and the problem of their optical stability are discussed in this mini review.
Algebraic Bethe Ansatz for the Trigonometric sℓ(2) Gaudin Model with Triangular Boundary
Authors: Manojlović Nenad , Salom Igor
Published: March 2020

In this paper we deal with the trigonometric Gaudin model, generalized using a nontrivial triangular reflection matrix (corresponding to non-periodic boundary conditions in the case of anisotropic XXZ Heisenberg spin-chain). In order to obtain the generating function of the Gaudin Hamiltonians with boundary terms we follow an approach based on Sklyanin’s derivation in the periodic case. Once we have the generating function, we obtain the corresponding Gaudin Hamiltonians with boundary terms by taking its residues at the poles. As the main result, we find the generic form of the Bethe vectors such that the off-shell action of the generating function becomes exceedingly compact and simple. In this way—by obtaining Bethe equations and the spectrum of the generating function—we fully implement the algebraic Bethe ansatz for the generalized trigonometric Gaudin model.
Proximally Compatible Mappings and Common Best Proximity Points
Authors: Pragadeeswarar V. , Gopi R. , De la Sen M. , Radenović Stojan
Published: March 2020

The purpose of this paper is to introduce and analyze a new idea of proximally compatible mappings and we extend some results of Jungck via proximally compatible mappings. Furthermore, we obtain common best proximity point theorems for proximally compatible mappings through two different ways of construction of sequences. In addition, we provide an example to support our main result.
Transport Properties in Dense QCD Matter
Authors: Tatsumi Toshitaka , Abuki Hiroaki
Published: March 2020

Transport properties of dense QCD matter are discussed. Using the Kubo formula for conductivity, we discuss some topological aspects of quark matter during the chiral transition. The close relation to Weyl semimetal is pointed out and anomalous Hall effect is demonstrated to be possible. In particular, it is shown that the spectral asymmetry of the quasi-particles plays an important role for the Hall conductivity in the magnetic field.
Exceptional Set for Sums of Symmetric Mixed Powers of Primes
Authors: Li Jinjiang , Liu Chao , Zhang Zhuo , Zhang Min
Published: March 2020

The main purpose of this paper is to use the Hardy–Littlewood method to study the solvability of mixed powers of primes. To be specific, we consider the even integers represented as the sum of one prime, one square of prime, one cube of prime, and one biquadrate of prime. However, this representation can not be realized for all even integers. In this paper, we establish the exceptional set of this kind of representation and give an upper bound estimate.
Implementing a Novel Use of Multicriteria Decision Analysis to Select IIoT Platforms for Smart Manufacturing
Authors: Contreras-Masse Roberto , Ochoa-Zezzatti Alberto , García Vicente , Pérez-Dominguez Luis , Elizondo-Cortés Mayra
Published: March 2020

Industry 4.0 is having a great impact in all smart efforts. This is not a single product but is composed of several technologies, one of them being Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT). Currently, there are very varied implementation options offered by several companies, and this imposes a new challenge to companies that want to implement IIoT in their processes. This challenge suggests using multi-criteria analysis to make a repeatable and justified decision, requiring a set of alternatives and criteria. This paper proposes a new methodology and comprehensive criteria to help organizations to take an educated decision by applying multi-criteria analysis. Here, we suggest a new original use of PROMETHEE-II with a full example from weight calculation up to IIoT platform selection, showing this methodology as an effective study for other organizations interested in selecting an IIoT platform. The criteria proposed stands out from previous work by including not only technical aspects, but economic and social criteria, providing a full view of the problem analyzed. A case of study was used to prove this proposed methodology and finds the minimum subset to reach the best possible ranking.
Botulinum Toxin Type A Injections Impact Hamstring Muscles and Gait Parameters in Children with Flexed Knee Gait
Authors: Kim Seung Ki , Rha Dong Wook , Park Eun Sook
Published: March 2020

The aim of this study was to determine if botulinum toxin type A (BoNT-A) injection into the medial hamstring can improve gait kinematics and muscle-tendon length in spastic cerebral palsy (CP) with a flexed knee gait (FKG). Twenty-nine children with spastic CP (Gross Motor Function Classification System I–III) with FKG were recruited for this prospective study. BoNT-A was injected into the semitendinosus and semimembranosus (SM) muscles under ultrasonography guidance. Assessments included Gross Motor Function Measure (GMFM), Modified Ashworth Scale (MAS), Modified Tardieu Scale (MTS), 3-dimensional computerized gait analysis, calculated SM muscle-tendon length and lengthening velocity during gait using musculoskeletal modeling at baseline, 4 and 16 weeks after the injection. Compared to baseline data, significant improvements in GMFM, MAS, and MTS were demonstrated at weeks 4 and 16, and also a significant increase in maximum knee extension during the stance phase was observed at week 4. In addition, the mean lengthening velocity during the swing phase was increased at week 16 without a change in the SM muscle length. Furthermore, there was a significant increase in anterior pelvic tilt at week 4, compared to baseline data. The significant decrease in hip internal rotation after injection was observed only in children with excessive hip internal rotation at initial contact before injection. BoNT-A injection into hamstrings leads to a significant increase in knee extension and anterior pelvic tilt with an increase in lengthening velocity of SM in spastic CP with FKG.
Variation of Fusarium Free, Masked, and Emerging Mycotoxin Metabolites in Maize from Agriculture Regions of South Africa
Authors: Ekwomadu Theodora Ijeoma , Dada Toluwase Adeseye , Nleya Nancy , Gopane Ramokone , Sulyok Michael , Mwanza Mulunda
Published: March 2020

The presence of mycotoxins in cereal grain is a very important food safety issue with the occurrence of masked mycotoxins extensively investigated in recent years. This study investigated the variation of different Fusarium metabolites (including the related regulated, masked, and emerging mycotoxin) in maize from various agriculture regions of South Africa. The relationship between the maize producing regions, the maize type, as well as the mycotoxins was established. A total of 123 maize samples was analyzed by a LC-MS/MS multi-mycotoxin method. The results revealed that all maize types exhibited a mixture of free, masked, and emerging mycotoxins contamination across the regions with an average of 5 and up to 24 out of 42 investigated Fusarium mycotoxins, including 1 to 3 masked forms at the same time. Data obtained show that fumonisin B1, B2, B3, B4, and A1 were the most prevalent mycotoxins and had maximum contamination levels of 8908, 3383, 990, 1014, and 51.5 µg/kg, respectively. Deoxynivalenol occurred in 50% of the samples with a mean concentration of 152 µg/kg (max 1380 µg/kg). Thirty-three percent of the samples were contaminated with zearalenone at a mean concentration of 13.6 µg/kg (max 146 µg/kg). Of the masked mycotoxins, DON-3-glucoside occurred at a high incidence level of 53%. Among emerging toxins, moniliformin, fusarinolic acid, and beauvericin showed high occurrences at 98%, 98%, and 83%, and had maximum contamination levels of 1130, 3422, and 142 µg/kg, respectively. Significant differences in the contamination pattern were observed between the agricultural regions and maize types.
Assessing the Effect of Mycotoxin Combinations: Which Mathematical Model Is (the Most) Appropriate?
Authors: Kifer Domagoj , Jakšić Daniela , Šegvić Klarić Maja
Published: March 2020

In the past decades, many studies have examined the nature of the interaction between mycotoxins in biological models classifying interaction effects as antagonisms, additive effects, or synergisms based on a comparison of the observed effect with the expected effect of combination. Among several described mathematical models, the arithmetic definition of additivity and factorial analysis of variance were the most commonly used in mycotoxicology. These models are incorrectly based on the assumption that mycotoxin dose-effect curves are linear. More appropriate mathematical models for assessing mycotoxin interactions include Bliss independence, Loewe’s additivity law, combination index, and isobologram analysis, Chou-Talalays median-effect approach, response surface, code for the identification of synergism numerically efficient (CISNE) and MixLow method. However, it seems that neither model is ideal. This review discusses the advantages and disadvantages of these mathematical models.
Occurrence and Risk Assessment of Pyrrolizidine Alkaloids in Spices and Culinary Herbs from Various Geographical Origins
Authors: Kaltner Florian , Rychlik Michael , Gareis Manfred , Gottschalk Christoph
Published: March 2020

Pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PA) and their N-oxides (PANO) are a group of toxic secondary plant metabolites occurring predominantly as contaminants in (herbal) teas, honeys and food supplements, as well as in spices and culinary herbs. Depending on the botanical origin of the contaminating plant, the pattern of PA/PANO can strongly vary within a sample. The current study aimed to broaden the existing data on the occurrence of PA/PANO in spices and culinary herbs. For this, 305 authentic samples covering 15 different matrices mainly harvested in 2016 or 2017 and originating from 36 countries were investigated for the presence of 44 PA/PANO. Fifty-eight percent of the samples contained at least one PA/PANO. The average sum content over all samples was 323 µg/kg (median of 0.9 µg/kg, 95% percentile of 665 µg/kg). The highest amount of 24.6 mg/kg was detected in an oregano sample. Additionally, conspicuous analyte patterns were discovered in samples from similar cultivation regions, indicating related botanical sources of PA/PANO contaminations. Particularly, oregano and cumin from Turkey often contained high amounts of PA/PANO. The results were used to assess the acute and chronic health risks related to PA/PANO intake via spices and culinary herbs, indicating a potential health risk in particular for adults and children with high consumption or when considering worst-case contamination scenarios of a sum content of 5500 µg/kg.
Identification of Two Novel Peanut Genotypes Resistant to Aflatoxin Production and Their SNP Markers Associated with Resistance
Authors: Yu Bolun , Jiang Huifang , Pandey Manish K. , Huang Li , Huai Dongxin , Zhou Xiaojing , Kang Yanping , Varshney Rajeev K. , Sudini Hari K. , Ren Xiaoping , Luo Huaiyong , Liu Nian , Chen Weigang , Guo Jianbin , Li Weitao , Ding Yingbin , Jiang Yifei , Lei Yong , Liao Boshou
Published: March 2020

Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) and aflatoxin B2 (AFB2) are the most common aflatoxins produced by Aspergillus flavus in peanuts, with high carcinogenicity and teratogenicity. Identification of DNA markers associated with resistance to aflatoxin production is likely to offer breeders efficient tools to develop resistant cultivars through molecular breeding. In this study, seeds of 99 accessions of a Chinese peanut mini-mini core collection were investigated for their reaction to aflatoxin production by a laboratory kernel inoculation assay. Two resistant accessions (Zh.h0551 and Zh.h2150) were identified, with their aflatoxin content being 8.11%–18.90% of the susceptible control. The 99 peanut accessions were also genotyped by restriction site-associated DNA sequencing (RAD-Seq) for a genome-wide association study (GWAS). A total of 60 SNP (single nucleotide polymorphism) markers associated with aflatoxin production were detected, and they explained 16.87%–31.70% of phenotypic variation (PVE), with SNP02686 and SNP19994 possessing 31.70% and 28.91% PVE, respectively. Aflatoxin contents of accessions with “AG” (existed in Zh.h0551 and Zh.h2150) and “GG” genotypes of either SNP19994 or SNP02686 were significantly lower than that of “AA” genotypes in the mean value of a three-year assay. The resistant accessions and molecular markers identified in this study are likely to be helpful for deployment in aflatoxin resistance breeding in peanuts.
Solar Fecal Coliform Disinfection in a Wastewater Treatment Plant by Oxidation Processes: Kinetic Analysis as a Function of Solar Radiation
Authors: Núñez-Núñez Cynthia M. , Osorio-Revilla Guillermo I. , Villanueva-Fierro Ignacio , Antileo Christian , Proal-Nájera José B.
Published: March 2020

The final step in the treatment of municipal wastewater is disinfection, which is required to inactivate microorganisms that have survived after treatment. Chlorine and chloramines are widely used disinfectants in wastewater treatment plants (WWTP); however, the use of chlorine as a disinfectant presents several problems. In the present research, solar disinfection and photocatalytic disinfection processes have been applied to inactivate the fecal coliform microorganisms that are present in municipal wastewater treated by activated sludge in a WWTP. A 2 × 3 × 2 factorial design was applied. The first factor was the process: solar disinfection or photocatalysis; the second was initial pH: 5, 7.5 and 9; the third was the presence or absence of a H2O2 dose of 1 mMol added at the beginning of the process. The data from experimentation were compared to predictions from different inactivation kinetic models (linear, linear + shoulder, linear + tail, Weibull and biphasic). The results show that H2O2 addition plays an important role in the process and that disinfection does not always follow a linear reaction model. When related to radiation, it becomes clear that the accumulated radiation dose, rather than the time, should be considered the most important factor in the solar disinfection process.
A Study on Setting Disaster-Prevention Rainfall by Rainfall Duration in Urban Areas Considering Natural Disaster Damage: Focusing on South Korea
Authors: Song Youngseok , Park Moojong
Published: March 2020

Inundation damage occurs in urban regions due to short flood reach time and increased surface runoff caused by urbanized impervious areas. Furthermore, heavy rainfall frequency has increased because of climate change, thus exceeding the design frequency and resulting in sewer pipes’ lack of flood control capacity, with damage expanding from low-lying areas. Despite many urban disaster-mitigation policies, complex causes and uncertainties make reducing urban inundation damage difficult. This study established a rainfall-related disaster-prevention standard by time duration considering rainfall characteristics targeting urban disaster-induced inundation damage. Based on the South Korean urbanization rate and population, seven target regions were selected. Rainfall by time duration was analyzed with respect to disaster length (number of days) from 2010–2017. The average rainfall for durations from 1–24 h were analyzed according to disaster length (1–13 days). Using the results, an equation was proposed for rainfall estimation by length of disaster resulting in urban inundation damage, through multiple regression analysis. An equation was developed for rainfall-related disaster-prevention in urban areas considering the length of disaster and rainfall duration. This was accomplished by selecting a duration whereby the average rainfall of duration corresponded to 50% of total rainfall during the disaster period.
Effects of Dam Regulation on the Hydrological Alteration and Morphological Evolution of the Volta River Delta
Authors: Amenuvor Mawusi , Gao Weilun , Li Dongxue , Shao Dongdong
Published: March 2020

The Volta River in West Africa is one of the most regulated rivers influenced by dams in the world, and the regulation has resulted in substantial impacts on the hydrological alteration and morphological evolution of the Volta River Delta. However, comprehensive analyses of the relevant effects are still lacking to date. In this study, inter-annual variations of river discharge and sediment load for pre- and post-Akosombo Dam periods (1936 to 2018) were analyzed through simple regression and Mann–Kendall (MK) trend analysis whereas the intra-annual variations were dictated by the non-uniformity and regulated coefficients. The shoreline changes were further evaluated using Landsat remote sensing images (1972 to 2018) to explore the effects of hydrological alteration on the morphological evolution of the Volta River Delta. Hydrological analyses show that the inter- and intra-annual variations are much higher in the pre-dam period, suggesting the substantial regulation of the Akosombo Dam on the Volta River. The dam regulation has more significant effects on the sediment load delivered to the delta than the river discharge, which decreased by 92.32% and 23.23%, respectively. Morphological analyses show that the progradation-erosion of the Volta River Delta constantly fluctuates within a relatively small range (maximum 0.5%) after the 1970s. The relationship between the variations of the delta area and sediment load implicates that a quasi-equilibrium state may have been established at the Volta River Delta, given the current sediment load. Our findings provide references for the future regulation and restoration of the Volta River Delta.
Water Crisis in Petorca Basin, Chile: The Combined Effects of a Mega-Drought and Water Management
Authors: Muñoz Ariel A. , Klock-Barría Karin , Alvarez-Garreton Camila , Aguilera-Betti Isabella , González-Reyes Álvaro , Lastra José A. , Chávez Roberto O. , Barría Pilar , Christie Duncan , Rojas-Badilla Moises , LeQuesne Carlos
Published: March 2020

Since 2010, Chile has experienced one of the most severe droughts over the last century, the so-called mega-drought (MD). The MD conditions, combined with intensive agricultural activities and the current water management system, have led to water scarcity problems in Mediterranean and Semi-arid regions of Chile. An emblematic case is the Petorca basin, where a water crisis is undergone. To characterize this crisis, we analyzed water provision by using tree-ring records, remote sensing, instrumental data, and allocated water rights within the basin. Results indicate that the MD is the most severe dry period over the last 700-years of streamflow reconstruction. During the MD, streamflow and water bodies of the upper parts of the basin have been less affected than mid and low areas of this valley, where consumptive withdrawals reach up to 18% of the mean annual precipitation. This extracted volume is similar to the MD mean annual precipitation deficits. The impacts of the current drought, along with the drier climate projections for Central Chile, emphasize the urgency for faster policy changes related to water provision. Climate change adaptation plans and policies should enhance the current monitoring network and the public control of water use to secure the water access for inhabitants and productive activities.
A Cost-Effectiveness Protocol for Flood-Mitigation Plans Based on Leeds’ Boxing Day 2015 Floods
Authors: Bokhove Onno , Kelmanson Mark A. , Kent Thomas , Piton Guillaume , Tacnet Jean-Marc
Published: March 2020

Inspired by the Boxing Day 2015 flood of the River Aire in Leeds, UK, and subsequent attempts to mitigate adverse consequences of flooding, the goals considered are: (i) to revisit the concept of flood-excess volume (FEV) as a complementary diagnostic for classifying flood events; (ii) to establish a new roadmap/protocol for assessing flood-mitigation schemes using FEV; and, (iii) to provide a clear, graphical cost-effectiveness analysis of flood mitigation, exemplified for a hypothetical scheme partially based on actual plans. We revisit the FEV concept and present it as a three-panel graph using thresholds and errors. By re-expressing FEV as a 2 m -deep square lake of equivalent capacity, one can visualise its dimensions in comparison with the river valley considered. Cost-effectiveness of flood-mitigation measures is expressed within the FEV square-lake; different scenarios of our hypothetical flood-mitigation scheme are then presented and assessed graphically, with each scenario involving a combination, near and further upstream of Leeds, of higher (than existing) flood-defence walls, enhanced flood-plain storage sites, giving-room-to-the-river bed-widening and natural flood management. Our cost-effectiveness analysis is intended as a protocol to compare and choose between flood-mitigation scenarios in a quantifiable and visual manner, thereby offering better prospects of being understood by a wide audience, including citizens and city-council planners. Using techniques of data analysis combined with general river hydraulics, common-sense and upper-bound estimation, we offer an accessible check of flood-mitigation plans.
Development of a Metric of Aquatic Invertebrates for Volunteers (MAIV): A Simple and Friendly Biotic Metric to Assess Ecological Quality of Streams
Authors: Pinto Paulo , Oliveira-Junior José Max Barbosa , Leitão Francisco , Morais Maria M. , Chícharo Luis , Vaz Paula , Delgado Sofia M. A. , Voreadou Catherina , Morales Eduardo A. , Teodósio Maria Alexandra
Published: March 2020

Citizen science activities, involving local people in volunteer-supported and sustainable monitoring programs, are common. In this context, the objective of the present work was to develop a simple Metric of Aquatic Invertebrates for Volunteers (MAIV), including a user-friendly tool that can be easily accessed by volunteers, and to evaluate the efficiency of a volunteer monitoring program following an audit procedure. To obtain MAIV values, macroinvertebrate communities were reduced to 18 surrogate taxa, which represented an acceptable compromise between simplicity, efficiency, and reproducibility of the data, compared to the regular Water Framework Directive monitoring. When compared to results obtained with the National Classification System of Portugal, MAIV accurately detected moderate, poor, and bad ecological status. Thus, MAIV can be used by volunteers as a complement to the official monitoring program, as well as a prospective early warning tool for local problems related to ecological quality. Volunteers were students supervised by their teachers. Results obtained by volunteers were compared to results obtained by experts on macroinvertebrate identification to measure the efficiency of the procedure, by counting gains and losses on sorting, and identification. Characteristics of groups of volunteers (age and school level) did not influence significantly the efficiency of the procedure, and generally results of volunteers and experts matched.
Damage Characteristics and Mechanism of a 2010 Disastrous Groundwater Inrush Occurred at the Luotuoshan Coalmine in Wuhai, Inner Mongolia, China
Authors: Cui Fangpeng , Wu Qiang , Xiong Chen , Chen Xiang , Meng Fanlan , Peng Jianquan
Published: March 2020

On 1 March 2010, a disastrous groundwater inrush occurred at the Luotuoshan coalmine in Wuhai (Inner Mongolia, China). Great effort was taken during the post-accident rescue. However, triggered by a large amount of groundwater rushed in from the Ordovician limestone aquifer underlying the No.16 coal seam through the fractured sandy claystone and the karst collapse column, it caused great damage, including 32 deaths and direct economic losses of over 48 million yuan. The groundwater inrush originated from the floor heave in the air return gallery of the No.16 coal seam. The peak inflow rate was 60,036 m3/h. The gallery excavation under conditions caused by the incompletely recognized hydrogeological environment induced the accident. The unidentified spatial distribution of the karst collapse column triggered the accident directly. The high-pressure groundwater accumulated in the collapse column and the gallery excavation, which caused the redistribution of the in situ stress, contributing to progressive fractures in the floor of the No. 16 coal seam. Eventually, an intensive water-conductive passage consisting of the fractured floor and the karst collapse column formed. Administratively/technically, that mandatory regulations on gallery excavation were not carried out which contributed the accident. Moreover, the poor awareness about groundwater inrush recognition and quick remediation also contoirbuted to the disastrous extent of the accident.
Biodiversity of Calanoida Copepoda in Different Habitats of the North-Western Red Sea (Hurghada Shelf)
Authors: Abo-Taleb Hamdy , Ashour Mohamed , El-Shafei Ahmed , Alataway Abed , Maaty Mahmoud M.
Published: March 2020

Little is known about the diversity of Calanoida, Copepoda, in different habitats of the north-western Red Sea. In this study, biodiversity of Calanoida, Copepoda, during the cold and warm seasons of 2017, were observed at 12 stations belonging to four different habitats (coral reef (CR), sheltered shallow lagoons (SSL), seagrass (SG), and open deep-water (ODW) habitats) in the Hurghada shelf, north-western Red Sea. SSL habitats were the most affected by environmental conditions, especially temperature, salinity, and depth. Some calanoid species were restricted to certain habitats, others were adapted to live in more than one habitat, while some species showed a wide distribution in all habitats. ODW habitats showed maximum diversity and density of the calanoid species. The effects of temperature and salinity were distinct in the SG and SSL. The results clearly showed that different Red Sea habitats affected the biodiversity of calanoid copepods.
The Recent Floods in the Asso Torrent Basin (Apulia, Italy): An Investigation to Improve the Stormwater Management
Authors: Delle Rose Marco , Martano Paolo , Fidelibus Corrado
Published: March 2020

Stormwater management is of concern to public institutions and academies. In the Asso Torrent endorheic basin (Salento peninsula, Southern Italy), a network of natural and artificial channels crossing urban and rural areas and flowing towards six swallow karst holes, several floods occurred in the last six years, after the end of extensive hydraulic works. In this paper, the results of an observational study on the meteorological and hydrological factors concurring to these floods are reported. It was inferred that soil saturation, cumulative precipitation anticipating the events, and clogging of the swallow holes are of relevance and must be considered in the definition of new criteria in decision-making procedure. The adoption of both innovative modeling techniques and real-time control should be an efficient solution to properly regulate the flow control devices before and during the precipitation events. With a view to providing solutions for a sustainable management of the water resources, easy-to-implement measures are suggested, such as the selection of flood-tolerant crops and construction of harvesting systems for alternative water uses.
Quasi-static Flow Model for Predicting the Extreme Values of Air Pocket Pressure in Draining and Filling Operations in Single Water Installations
Authors: Coronado-Hernández Óscar E. , Fuertes-Miquel Vicente S. , Mora-Meliá Daniel , Salgueiro Yamisleydi
Published: March 2020

Inertial models have been used by researchers to simulate the draining and filling processes in water pipelines, based on the evolution of the main hydraulic and thermodynamic variables. These models use complex differential equations, which are solved using advanced numerical codes. In this study, a quasi-static flow model is developed to study these operations in hydraulic installations. The quasi-static flow model represents a simplified formulation compared with inertial flow models, in which its numerical resolution is easier because only algebraic equations must be addressed. Experimental measurements of air pocket pressure patterns were conducted in a 4.36 m long single pipeline with an internal diameter of 42 mm. Comparisons between measured and computed air pocket pressure oscillations indicate how the quasi-static flow model can predict extreme values of air pocket pressure for experimental runs, demonstrating the possibility of selecting stiffness and pipe classes in actual pipelines using this model. Two case studies were analysed to determine the behaviour of the quasi-static flow model in large water pipelines.
A Front-Line and Cost-Effective Model for the Assessment of Service Life of Network Pipes
Authors: Ramirez Roberto , Torres David , López-Jimenez P. Amparo , Cobacho Ricardo
Published: March 2020

In any water utility, a reliable assessment of the service life of the network pipes is a key piece within the big puzzle of assets management. This paper presents a new statistical model (basic pipes life assessment, BPLA) to assess the service life of pipes, to locate the pipes on the failures bath curve and to forecast the expected failures in future years. Its main novelties are the processing of pipe information (is that information what is adapted to the classical maintenance engineering and not the other way back) and the definition of two different time variables that can be analyzed in parallel. The first novelty makes the model less demanding in terms of data and software tools than others currently available, and the second one allows to get all the results after one single stage of calculation. To show its usability, the BPLA has been applied to a pipe network that supplies water to 500,000 citizens for which two years of failure records are available. Procedures and results have been compared to the well-known Weibull proportional hazard model (WPHM), with final relative errors lower than 10% and 15% on each particular result.
Impacts of Channel Network Type on the Unit Hydrograph
Authors: Czyzyk Kelsey , Mirossi Dario , Abdoulhak Almoatasem , Hassani Sediqa , Niemann Jeffrey D. , Gironás Jorge
Published: March 2020

Unit hydrographs (UHs) remain widely used in hydrologic modeling to predict the stormflow that is produced at a basin outlet in response to runoff generated throughout the basin. Numerous studies have demonstrated that a basin’s UH depends on its geomorphic properties, and several methods estimate synthetic UHs using such properties. However, previous studies have not examined whether the channel network type (such as dendritic, parallel, pinnate, rectangular, and trellis) impacts the UH shape. The objectives of this study were to determine: (1) whether those five network types exhibit distinct UHs, and (2) whether knowledge of the network type is sufficient to replace the actual flow path structure in UH estimation. To achieve these objectives, a UH framework is developed based on kinematic wave theory. The framework allows the impacts of the network structure on the UH to be isolated into two random variables, which facilitates comparisons between network types. The framework is applied to 10 basins of each type. The results show that the five network types exhibit distinct instantaneous UHs, but the type allows accurate UH determination only for pinnate basins.
Cyanobacterial Blooms in Lake Varese: Analysis and Characterization over Ten Years of Observations
Authors: Chirico Nicola , António Diana C. , Pozzoli Luca , Marinov Dimitar , Malagó Anna , Sanseverino Isabella , Beghi Andrea , Genoni Pietro , Dobricic Srdan , Lettieri Teresa
Published: March 2020

Cyanobacteria blooms are a worldwide concern for water bodies and may be promoted by eutrophication and climate change. The prediction of cyanobacterial blooms and identification of the main triggering factors are of paramount importance for water management. In this study, we analyzed a comprehensive dataset including ten-years measurements collected at Lake Varese, an eutrophic lake in Northern Italy. Microscopic analysis of the water samples was performed to characterize the community distribution and dynamics along the years. We observed that cyanobacteria represented a significant fraction of the phytoplankton community, up to 60% as biovolume, and a shift in the phytoplankton community distribution towards cyanobacteria dominance onwards 2010 was detected. The relationships between cyanobacteria biovolume, nutrients, and environmental parameters were investigated through simple and multiple linear regressions. We found that 14-days average air temperature together with total phosphorus may only partly explain the cyanobacteria biovolume variance at Lake Varese. However, weather forecasts can be used to predict an algal outbreak two weeks in advance and, eventually, to adopt management actions. The prediction of cyanobacteria algal blooms remains challenging and more frequent samplings, combined with the microscopy analysis and the metagenomics technique, would allow a more conclusive analysis.
CFD–DEM Simulations of Seepage-Induced Erosion
Authors: Xiao Qiong , Wang Ji-Peng
Published: March 2020

Increases in seepage force reduce the effective stress of particles and result in the erosion of particles, producing heave failure and piping. Sheet piles/cutoff walls are often employed in dams to control the seepage. In this study, a computational fluid dynamics solver involving two fluid phases was developed and coupled with discrete element method software to simulate the piping process around a sheet pile/cutoff wall. Binary-sized particles were selected to study the impact of fine particles on the mechanisms of seepage. The seepage phenomenon mainly appeared among fine particles located in the downstream side, with the peak magnitudes of drag force and displacement occurring around the retaining wall. Based on the particle-scale observations, the impact of seepage produced a looser condition for the region concentrated around the retaining wall and resulted in an anisotropic condition in the soil skeleton. The results indicate that heave behavior occurs when the drag force located adjacent to the boundary on the downstream side is larger than the corresponding weight of the bulk soil.
A Modeling Comparison of Groundwater Potential Mapping in a Mountain Bedrock Aquifer: QUEST, GARP, and RF Models
Authors: Davoudi Moghaddam Davoud , Rahmati Omid , Haghizadeh Ali , Kalantari Zahra
Published: March 2020

In some arid regions, groundwater is the only source of water for human needs, so understanding groundwater potential is essential to ensure its sustainable use. In this study, three machine learning models (Genetic Algorithm for Rule-Set Production (GARP), Quick Unbiased Efficient Statistical Tree (QUEST), and Random Forest (RF)) were applied and verified for spatial prediction of groundwater in a mountain bedrock aquifer in Piranshahr Watershed, Iran. A spring location dataset consisting of 141 springs was prepared by field surveys, and from this three different sample datasets (S1–S3) were randomly generated (70% for training and 30% for validation). A total of 10 groundwater conditioning factors were prepared for modeling, namely slope percent, relative slope position (RSP), plan curvature, altitude, drainage density, slope aspect, topographic wetness index (TWI), terrain ruggedness index (TRI), land use, and lithology. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) and true skill statistic (TSS) were used to evaluate the accuracy of models. The results indicated that all models had excellent goodness-of-fit and predictive performance, but that RF (AUCmean = 0.995, TSSmean = 0.89) and GARP (AUCmean = 0.957, TSSmean = 0.82) outperformed QUEST (AUCmean = 0.949, TSSmean = 0.74). In robustness analysis, RF was slightly more sensitive than GARP and QUEST, making it necessary to consider several random partitioning options for preparing training and validation groups. The outcomes of this study can be useful in sustainable management of groundwater resources in the study region.
Avaliação da Interação Multissensorial na “Ilusão da Mão de Borracha”
Authors: Novaes Morgana Menezes , Gama Gabriela Lopes , Melo Jamille Taveira Rocha Vieira de , Araújo Doralúcia Pedrosa de , Franco Carlúcia Ithamar Fernandes
Published: March 2020

O conhecimento do mundo é construído através dos vários estímulos sensoriais, associados ou em situações conflitantes. Objetivo. Avaliar a percepção sensorial produzida diante de informações multisensoriais conflitantes entre propriocepção, visão e estímulos tátil e doloroso, comparando a ilusão após estimulação tátil com a ilusão após estímulo doloroso em ordens diferentes. Método. Estudo experimental com 22 alunos saudáveis, divididos em dois grupos: A – recebeu primeiro estímulo tátil e depois doloroso e B – primeiro estímulo doloroso e depois estímulo tátil. Materiais do experimento: caixa, mão de borracha, pincéis e palitos de madeira. Escalas de ilusão: questionário adaptado de Botivinick e Escala Visual Analógica. Resultados. Através do questionário identificou-se ilusão após estímulo tátil e doloroso. Quando comparada a ilusão após os estímulos, o doloroso apresentou maior ilusão que o tátil, para alguns itens, no grupo A e no grupo A + B. Através da escalavisual analógica, o grupo A mostrou maior ilusão após estímulo doloroso que após estímulo tátil. Conclusão. Houve ilusão quando interagiu visão, propriocepção e tato e na interação entre visão, propriocepção e dor, com o estímulo doloroso proporcionando maior ilusão em alguns itens do questionário e na escala analógica, no grupo A.
EFFICIENCY OF REINFORCEMENT OF TECHNOLOGICAL SOIL BY MINERAL MODIFIERS
Authors: Dyakin P. , Pivinskiy Yu. , Prohorenkov D. , Doroganov V.
Published: March 2020

The effect of temperature and duration of heat treatment of samples based on a highly concentrated ceramic binder suspension (HCBS) of a composite composition (bauxite + 11% VDKS), as well as with an additional content of 15% silicon carbide on their phase composition, structure, and some properties is studied. Long-term heat treatment (60 and 120 hours) in the temperature range 1300 - 1400 ° C is carried out in a tunnel kiln for firing dinas. In the process of heat treatment, the process of formation of secondary mullite, the oxidation of SiC followed by mullite formation, proceeds. The influence of the heat treatment duration on the phase composition, as well as the strength, apparent density, growth, SIC oxidation state, and bending strength of samples containing 15% SiC are characterized. It is found that the minimum porosity value (2.7 %) is observed when the heat treatment duration is 8 hours. This drop in porosity and a slight decrease in density is due to a certain degree of mullitization or SiC oxidation, but also to the formation of a significant volume of closed porosity. With increasing the duration of the firing process to 60 and 120 hours, the porosity indicators increase significantly, and the density decreases sharply.