bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Experimental Study on the Characteristics of Sediment Transport and Sorting in Pressurized Pipes
Authors: Li Yan , Zhang Jinliang , Xu Haijue , Bai Yuchuan
Published: October 2021

Sediment transport in pipes is an effective engineering measure used to reallocate water–sediment resources and is widely used in reservoir flooding and sediment discharging, river dredging, floodplain area deposition, as well as other projects. An experimental investigation of sediment transport in pressurized pipes, with heterogeneous sediment (d50 = 107 μm) of the lower Yellow River as the experimental material, is presented. This study mainly explored the change law of sediment transport and sorting in pressure pipes with an internal diameter of 0.08 m. The experimental results reveal that the presence of sediment significantly changed the distribution of the flow velocity field. At the same flow rate, the velocity of the lower water body with a high sediment concentration decreased, while that of the upper water body increased. At a low water flow rate, the increase in sediment concentration caused an asymmetric distribution of the cross-sectional velocity. The vertical concentration decreased in height, and the obvious stratification of vertical sediment particles was observed. With the increase in the flow rate, the asymmetry of the velocity distribution significantly decreased, the concentration profile tended towards being uniformly distributed along the vertical direction, and the separation effect of the sediment particles weakened.
Photocatalytic Bactericidal Performance of LaFeO3 under Solar Light in the Presence of Natural Organic Matter: Spectroscopic and Mechanistic Evaluation
Authors: Birben Nazmiye Cemre , Lale Ezgi , Pelosato Renato , Turkten Nazli , Natali Sora Isabella , Bekbolet Miray
Published: October 2021

Solar photocatalytic inactivation (SPCI) of E. coli as the indicator microorganism using LaFeO3 (LF) has already been investigated under various experimental conditions, excluding any role of natural organic matter (NOM). However, comprehensive information about the behavior of E. coli and its inactivation mechanism in the presence of NOM, as well as the behavior of NOM components via solar photocatalysis using LF as a photocatalyst, has prime importance in understanding real natural water environments. Therefore, in this study, further assessment was devoted to explore the influence of various NOM representatives on the SPCI of E. coli by using LF as a novel non-TiO2 photocatalyst. The influence of NOM as well as its sub-components, such as humic acids (HA) and fulvic acids (FA), was also investigated to understand different NOM-related constituents of real natural water conditions. In addition to spectroscopic and mechanistic investigations of cell-derived organics, excitation emission matrix (EEM) fluorescence spectra with parallel factor multiway analysis (PARAFAC) modeling revealed further information about the occurrence and/or disappearance of NOM-related and bacteria-related fluorophores upon LF SPCI. Both the kinetics as well as the mechanism of the LF SPCI of E. coli in the presence of NOM compounds displayed substrate-specific variations under all conditions.
Regional Agroclimate Characteristic and Its Multiple Teleconnections: A Case Study in the Jianghan Plain (JHP) Region
Authors: Li Wenhui , Shao Dongguo , Gu Wenquan , Miao Donghao
Published: October 2021

Agricultural production depends on local agroclimatic conditions to a great extent, affected by ENSO and other ocean-atmospheric climate modes. This paper analyzed the spatio-temporal distributions of climate elements in the Jianghan Plain (JHP), Central China, and explored the impacts from teleconnection patterns, aimed at providing references for dealing with climate change and guiding agricultural activities. Both linear and multifactorial regression models were constructed based on the frequentist quantile regression and Bayesian quantile regression method, with the daily meteorological data sets of 17 national stations in the plain and teleconnection climate characteristic indices. The results showed that precipitation in JHP had stronger spatial variability than evapotranspiration. El Niño probably induced less precipitation in summer while the weakening Arctic Oscillation might lead to more summertime precipitation. The Nash-Sutcliffe efficiency (NSE) of the multifactorial and linear regression model at the median level were 0.42–0.56 and 0.12–0.18, respectively. The mean relative error (MRE) ranged −2.95–−0.26% and −7.83–0.94%, respectively, indicating the much better fitting accuracy of the multiple climatic factors model. Meanwhile it confirmed that the agricultural climate in JHP was under the influence from multiple teleconnection patterns.
Classification and Prediction of Fecal Coliform in Stream Waters Using Decision Trees (DTs) for Upper Green River Watershed, Kentucky, USA
Authors: Hannan Abdul , Anmala Jagadeesh
Published: October 2021

The classification of stream waters using parameters such as fecal coliforms into the classes of body contact and recreation, fishing and boating, domestic utilization, and danger itself is a significant practical problem of water quality prediction worldwide. Various statistical and causal approaches are used routinely to solve the problem from a causal modeling perspective. However, a transparent process in the form of Decision Trees is used to shed more light on the structure of input variables such as climate and land use in predicting the stream water quality in the current paper. The Decision Tree algorithms such as classification and regression tree (CART), iterative dichotomiser (ID3), random forest (RF), and ensemble methods such as bagging and boosting are applied to predict and classify the unknown stream water quality behavior from the input variables. The variants of bagging and boosting have also been looked at for more effective modeling results. Although the Random Forest, Gradient Boosting, and Extremely Randomized Tree models have been found to yield consistent classification results, DTs with Adaptive Boosting and Bagging gave the best testing accuracies out of all the attempted modeling approaches for the classification of Fecal Coliforms in the Upper Green River watershed, Kentucky, USA. Separately, a discussion of the Decision Support System (DSS) that uses Decision Tree Classifier (DTC) is provided.
Study of Comprehensive Utilization of Water Resources of Urban Water Distribution Network
Authors: Xu Chi , Peng Zhenyang , Zhang Hongya , He Zijie
Published: October 2021

China is a country where the levels of water resources per capita are extremely low. With the rapid development of urbanization, water resource shortages have become a bottleneck existing in more and more cities. This study considers the comprehensive management of urban flood control, water supply, water and the ecological environment, catches the main contradiction between “water deficient” and “water rich” in cities, puts forward a comprehensive utilization pattern for urban water resources by emphasizing the utilization of rain–flood resources. After a simulation study, a better regulation pattern is brought out and achieve multiple benefits based on the river system of Gucheng Lake, which is located in Nanjing, Gaochun district, by optimizing conventional regulation. The results show that two parameters, the low water level (LWL) below which Gucheng Lake stops supplying ecological water, and the high water level (HWL) where Gucheng Lake stops importing water from rivers, are the key parameters to decide the regulation benefits, and the LWL of 9 m and HWL of 12 m is the best combination in river network regulation, the annual potential utilizable of rain–flood resources of Gucheng Lake river system can reach 57 million m3 per year, through the comprehensive utilization of the rain–flood resources, the negative effect of flood is effectively reduced and the disaster is controlled on one hand; and the water demand of urban and rural water supply, 100,000 m3/day, is effectively guaranteed as well as the regional ecological environment is improved on the other hand.
Treatment of Bilge Water by Fenton Oxidation Followed by Granular Activated Carbon Adsorption
Authors: Öz Çiğdem , Çetin Ender
Published: October 2021

Due to its high oil content, the discharge of bilge water from ships is one of the most important pollutants in marine ecosystem. In this research, we investigated the treatment of bilge water for Haydarpasa Waste Collection Plant by Fenton oxidation followed by granular activated carbon (GAC) adsorption. We applied the following optimum operational conditions for Fenton oxidation: [Fe2+]: 6 mM; [H2O2]: 30 mM; and the ratio of [Fe2+]/[H2O2]: 1/5. Adsorption was performed in the effluent sample of Fenton oxidation. The effects of different adsorption periods, adsorbent concentrations, temperature, and pH were examined. Additionally, Freundlich and Langmuir isotherm models were applied. We obtained the following optimum operational conditions: 24 h, 2 g of GAC L−1, 20 °C, and pH = 6. We observed an 89.5 ± 1.9% of Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) removal efficiency under these conditions. Data generated from the experiments fit both isotherm models well, though we preferred the Langmuir isotherm model to the Freundlich isotherm model because the former’s regression coefficient (0.90) was larger than that reported for the Freundlich isotherm model (0.78). The potential to treat bilge water by Fenton oxidation followed by granular activated carbon is promising for the Haydarpasa Waste Collection Plant.
Insights into Gastrointestinal Virome: Etiology and Public Exposure
Authors: Nour Islam , Hanif Atif , Ryan Martin , Eifan Saleh
Published: October 2021

Recycled wastewater is widely used owing to the potential shortage of water resources for drinking purposes, recreational activities, and irrigation. However, gut microbiomes of both human beings and animals negatively affect this water quality. Wastewater contamination is continuously monitored, using fecal contamination indicators or microbial source tracking approaches, to oppose arising enteric infections. Viral gastroenteritis is considered a principal manifestation of waterborne pathogenic virome-mediated infections, which are mainly transmitted via the fecal-oral route. Furthermore, acquired enteric viromes are the common cause of infantile acute diarrhea. Moreover, public exposure to wastewater via wastewater discharge or treated wastewater reuse has led to a significant surge of public health concerns. In this review, we discussed the etiology of waterborne enteric viromes, notably gastrointestinal virus infections, and public exposure to municipal wastewater. Conclusively, the early human virome is affected mainly by birth mode, dietary behavior, and maternal health, and could provide a signature of disease incidence, however, more virome diversification is acquired in adulthood. A multi-phase treatment approach offered an effective means for the elimination of wastewater reuse mediated public risks. The insights highlighted in this paper offer essential information for defining probable etiologies and assessing risks related to exposure to discharged or reused wastewater.
Mobility of nZVI in a Reconstructed Porous Media Monitored by an Image Analysis Procedure
Authors: Andrei Francesca , Sappa Giuseppe , Boni Maria Rosaria , Mancini Giuseppe , Viotti Paolo
Published: October 2021

Zero-valent iron nanoparticle (nZVI) technology has been found to be promising and effective for the remediation of soils or groundwater. However, while nanoparticles are traveling through porous media, they can rapidly aggregate, causing their settling and deposition. When nZVI are injected in the groundwater flow, the behavior (mobility, dispersion, distribution) is unknown in groundwater, causing the use of enormous quantities of them if used at the field scale. In this paper, a laboratory experiment was carried out with groundwater flow in a two-dimensional, laboratory-scale tank to assess the nanoparticle behavior by means of an image analysis procedure. A solution of zero-valent iron nanoparticles, Nanofer 25S particles, were used and glass beads were utilized as porous medium. The laboratory experiment included the use of a digital camera for the acquisition of the images. The image analysis procedure was used to assess the behavior of nZVI plume. A calibration procedure and a mass balance were applied to validate the proposed image analysis procedure, with the hypothesis that nanoparticles would be uniformly distributed in the third dimension of the tank (thickness). The results show that the nanoparticles presented small dispersive effects and the motion was strongly influenced from the higher weight of them with respect to the water. Therefore, the results indicate that nanoparticles have an own motion not strongly influenced by the fluid flow but more determined from the injection phase and gravity. The statistical elaborations show that the nZVI plume did not respond to the classical mechanisms of the dispersion.
Experimental Study for Sand Filter Backwash Water Management: Low-Cost Treatment for Recycling and Residual Sludge Utilization for Radium Removal
Authors: Shafiquzzaman Md. , AlSaleem Saleem S. , Haider Husnain , Alresheedi Mohammad T. , Thabit Hussein
Published: October 2021

Management of backwash water (BW) generated from sand filtration of groundwater naturally contaminated with iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), and radium (Ra) remains a challenge worldwide. The present study investigated the effectiveness of a low-cost clay ceramic filter for BW recycling along with residual sludge utilization for Ra removal from BW. A 15 day continuous ceramic filtration process operated at a constant flux of 2000 L/m2/d (83 LMH) showed 99% removal of Fe, Mn, and turbidity. The treated BW was found suitable for recycling back to the sand filters. Subsequently, the residual sand filter backwash sludge (BS) was collected, characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction, and examined as a potential adsorbent to the Ra. Results showed that the sludge constituted heterogeneous basic elements, with higher percentages of iron and manganese oxides. The sludge can be classified as typical mesoporous and poorly crystalline minerals consisting primarily of quartz and Mn2O3. Over 60% of Ra from the initial 2.1 bq/L could be removed by sludge in 30 min at neutral pH. The adsorption kinetics of sludge described well by the pseudo-second order model and Ra adsorption on the sludge were mainly controlled by chemisorption rate-controlling steps, intraparticle diffusion, and external mass transfer processes. Treatment of BW by low-cost clay ceramic filters and the utilization the BS for Ra removal would be a sustainable sand filter BW management practice.
The Impact of Climate Change on Hydrological Regime of the Transboundary River Shu Basin (Kazakhstan–Kyrgyzstan): Forecast for 2050
Authors: Kaliyeva Karlygash , Punys Petras , Zhaparkulova Yermekul
Published: October 2021

The impact of regional climate change on the runoff and the regime of glacier- and snow-fed rivers in the transboundary river Shu basin between Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan is investigated. This study covered three of the most representative rivers of the Shu basin. It was based on the weather and gauging stations’ observation data in the river Shu basin — the northern Tien Shan. Based on the trend analysis, an increase in the average annual temperature and river discharge was identified within the observation period as a whole, and for the separate compared periods. Furthermore, the mean annual flow projections were made based on the methodology of the retrospective analysis of runoff and the rate of river flow increase for the observation period, and further extrapolation of data for the forecast period. According to the analysis, the mean annual flow for the considered rivers will be decreased by 25 to 30% on average by 2050. These findings are necessary for elaborating adaptation measures in water allocation for freshwater supply, irrigation and hydropower within this transboundary river.
Adsorption Kinetics and Isotherm Study of Basic Red 5 on Synthesized Silica Monolith Particles
Authors: Alam Sultan , Ullah Barkat , Khan Muhammad Sufaid , Rahman Najeeb ur , Khan Luqman , Shah Luqman Ali , Zekker Ivar , Burlakovs Juris , Kallistova Anna , Pimenov Nikolai , Yandri Erkata , Hendroko Setyobudi Roy , Jani Yahya , Zahoor Muhammad
Published: October 2021

The Silica monolith particles (SMP) were prepared from Tetra-Methyl-Ortho-Silicate (TMOS) and characterized by Fourier transforms infrared (FTIR), Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), and surface area analyzer. FTIR analysis showed the Si−O stretching confirming SMP formation. SEM analysis provided information about the mean diameter of SMP (1−5 µm). EDX confirmed the presence of silicon and oxygen in the SMP. Moreover, the calculated surface area for SMP was found to be around 367 m2/g, whereas BJH pore size distributed particles were 87.15 along with the total pore volume and pore radius of 0.073 cm3/g and 16.627 Å, respectively. Besides, the removal efficiency was found to be about 96%. Various kinetic equations were used to calculate the adsorption parameters. Overall, the results show that the most appropriate model for the kinetics data was the pseudo-second order kinetics model while the mechanism of adsorption was best explained by the Langmuir isotherm. The highest removal of Basic Red 5 dye after 120 min at 298 K was 576 mg/g. Moreover, the thermodynamics parameters (Enthalpy, Gibb’s energy, and Entropy) were also estimated. The ΔH° (0.995 kJ/mol) value depicted the endothermic nature of the process. The non-spontaneous aspect of the process was evident from the ΔG° values which were 60.431, 328.93, and 339.5 kJ/mol at 293, 303, and 313 K, respectively. From the high removal efficiency value, it can be concluded that the prepared adsorbent can be a potential adsorbent in the reclamation of dyes from wastewater.
Uncertain Analysis of Fuzzy Evaluation Model for Water Resources Carrying Capacity: A Case Study in Zanhuang County, North China Plain
Authors: Ge Yinxin , Wu Jin , Zhang Dasheng , Jia Ruitao , Yang Haotian
Published: October 2021

The scientific and accurate evaluation of water resources carrying capacity has good social, environmental and resource benefits. Reasonable selection of evaluation parameters is the key step to realize efficient and sustainable development of water resources. Taking Zanhuang County in the North China Plain as the research area, this study selected fuzzy comprehensive evaluation models with different weights in the established evaluation index framework to explore the sources of uncertainty affecting the evaluation results of water resources carrying capacity. By using the sensitivity analysis method of index weight, the index with the biggest influence factor on the evaluation result is selected to reduce the uncertainty problems such as index redundancy and small correlation degree. The results show that the correlation and reliable of comprehensive evaluation value obtained by different weight methods is different. The evaluation result obtained by using the analytic hierarchy process is more relevant than the entropy weight method, and it is more consistent with the actual load-bearing situation. The study of sensitivity index shows that water area index is the biggest factor affecting the change of evaluation results, and water resources subsystem and socio-economic subsystem play a dominant role in the whole evaluation framework. The results show that strengthening the data quality control of index assignment and weight method is helpful to reduce the error of water resources carrying capacity evaluation. It can also provide scientific basis for the improvement of fuzzy evaluation model.
Flood Hazard Mapping of Rivers in Snow- and Glacier-Fed Basins of Different Hydrological Regimes Using a Hydrodynamic Model under RCP Scenarios
Authors: Hayat Huma , Saifullah Muhammad , Ashraf Muhammad , Liu Shiyin , Muhammad Sher , Khan Romana , Tahir Adnan Ahmad
Published: October 2021

The global warming trends have accelerated snow and glacier melt in mountainous river basins, which has increased the probability of glacial outburst flooding. Recurrent flood events are a challenge for the developing economy of Pakistan in terms of damage to infrastructure and loss of lives. Flood hazard maps can be used for future flood damage assessment, preparedness, and mitigation. The current study focused on the assessment and mapping of flood-prone areas in small settlements of the major snow- and glacier-fed river basins situated in Hindukush–Karakoram–Himalaya (HKH) under future climate scenarios. The Hydrologic Engineering Center-River Analysis System (HEC-RAS) model was used for flood simulation and mapping. The ALOS 12.5 m Digital Elevation Model (DEM) was used to extract river geometry, and the flows generated in these river basins using RCP scenarios were used as the inflow boundary condition. Severe flooding would inundate an area of ~66%, ~86%, ~37% (under mid-21st century), and an area of ~72%, ~93%, ~59% (under late 21st century RCP 8.5 scenario) in the Chitral, Hunza, and Astore river basins, respectively. There is an urgent need to develop a robust flood mitigation plan for the frequent floods occurring in northern Pakistan.
Predicted and Measured Concentration of Pharmaceuticals in Surface Water of Areas with Increasing Anthropic Pressure: A Case Study in the Coastal Area of Central Italy
Authors: Cardini Alessio , Pellegrino Elisa , Ercoli Laura
Published: October 2021

This study investigated the occurrence of 12 pharmaceuticals (PhCs) in surface water in Central Italy, aiming to improve the estimation of the predicted environmental concentration (PEC) by normalizing the loads to the number of inhabitants of the drainage system in rural, periurban, and urban areas. We performed two sampling campaigns assessing the concentration of PhCs (measured environmental concentration (MEC)) in surface water and in effluent from a wastewater treatment plant. The reliability of PEC calculated by the refined formula was assessed and compared to the ratio obtained by the unrefined formula. MECs of diclofenac, estradiol, estrone, ibuprofen, metformin, naproxen, sulfamethoxazole, atenolol, carbamazepine, and dehydro-erythromycin were significantly higher in urban than in periurban and rural areas, and increases were 12-, 3600-, 256-, 33-, 18-, 120-, 10-, 5-, 2-, and 1-fold, respectively. Refinement of PEC improved estimation of PhC concentrations for all areas, especially for the urban one. The environmental risk was predicted as low for atenolol, carbamazepine, erythromycin, metformin, and naproxen; low/medium for diclofenac and ibuprofen; and high for clarithromycin, estradiol, estrone, and sulfamethoxazole. Overall, the highest risk was posed by PhCs in effluent, while a progressively decreasing risk was estimated for urban, periurban, and rural areas.
Electric Vehicle Uptake: Understanding the Print Media’s Role in Changing Attitudes and Perceptions
Authors: Broadbent Gail Helen , Wiedmann Thomas Oliver , Metternicht Graciela Isabel
Published: October 2021

Passenger motor vehicle transport is a significant and growing emissions source contributing to climate change. Switching from internal combustion engines to electric vehicles (EV) would significantly reduce most countries’ emissions, but for many consumers perceived barriers deter EV adoption. Consequently, government policies designed to incentivise a transition to EVs could benefit from consideration of the utility of communication channels such as print media for influencing consumer behaviour. This research explores the role that media and other communication channels writing about EVs play in consumer perceptions and awareness of government-initiated programs and policies to incentivise EV market transition. Using mixed methods of a media review and New Zealand car buyer surveys (questionnaires, interviews) (n = 893), we identified car buyers’ media use to update knowledge about cars, perceptions about EVs, and likelihood to buy, and tested awareness and popularity of incentives. We derive recommendations for policy improvements to accelerate EV uptake, including a significant role for the print media to disseminate relevant information, increase awareness of policies, and shift perceptions about EVs. We argue that social marketing programs should be enhanced to overcome lack of knowledge and misinformation, focusing on the market segment next most likely to buy EVs.
Comparative Analysis of Parallel Hybrid Magnet Memory Machines with Different PM Arrangements
Authors: Wang Yixian , Yang Hui , Zheng Hao , Lin Heyun , Lyu Shukang
Published: October 2021

This paper presents a comparative analysis of two parallel hybrid magnet memory machines (PHMMMs) with different permanent magnet (PM) arrangements. The proposed machines are both geometrically characterized by a parallel U-shaped hybrid PM configuration and several q-axis magnetic barriers. The configurations and operating principles of the investigated machines are introduced firstly. The effect of magnet arrangements on the performance of the proposed machines is then evaluated with a simplified magnetic circuit model. Furthermore, the electromagnetic characteristics of the proposed machines are investigated and compared by the finite-element method (FEM). The experiments on one prototype are carried out to validate the FEM results.
Day-Ahead Forecast of Electric Vehicle Charging Demand with Deep Neural Networks
Authors: Van Kriekinge Gilles , De Cauwer Cedric , Sapountzoglou Nikolaos , Coosemans Thierry , Messagie Maarten
Published: October 2021

The increasing penetration rate of electric vehicles, associated with a growing charging demand, could induce a negative impact on the electric grid, such as higher peak power demand. To support the electric grid, and to anticipate those peaks, a growing interest exists for forecasting the day-ahead charging demand of electric vehicles. This paper proposes the enhancement of a state-of-the-art deep neural network to forecast the day-ahead charging demand of electric vehicles with a time resolution of 15 min. In particular, new features have been added on the neural network in order to improve the forecasting. The forecaster is applied on an important use case of a local charging site of a hospital. The results show that the mean-absolute error (MAE) and root-mean-square error (RMSE) are respectively reduced by 28.8% and 19.22% thanks to the use of calendar and weather features. The main achievement of this research is the possibility to forecast a high stochastic aggregated EV charging demand on a day-ahead horizon with a MAE lower than 1 kW.
Characteristics of Pregnant Women and New Mothers Identified as Being At-Risk for Child Maltreatment in Early Pregnancy
Authors: Yoshioka-Maeda Kyoko , Fujii Hitoshi
Published: October 2021

Pregnant women and new mothers who have risk factors of child maltreatment are “at high risk for future child maltreatment.” Early detection of them is crucial to prevent it. This community-based, retrospective, cross-sectional, observational study aimed to identify the characteristics of pregnant women, and those in their postpartum period, identified as at-risk cases for child maltreatment. We used data from the municipal pregnancy registration system in City A and analyzed 206 cases identified as “at-risk for child maltreatment” from 1 April 2017 to 31 March 2018. They were categorized into two groups: a pregnancy group (131 cases, 63.6%) and a postpartum group (75 cases, 36.4%). Logistic regression analysis revealed that women who reported having poor relationships with their parents and participated in the interview in their early stages of their pregnancy were less likely to be registered as at-risk cases for child maltreatment after delivery. The results suggest that public health nurses (PHNs) can conduct interviews with pregnant women during the early stages of pregnancy to prevent child maltreatment in community settings. Additionally, to ensure safe delivery and childrearing environments, PHNs need to assess the family support capacity of each registered case and provide assistance to those without parental support.
Some Formability Aspects of High Strength Steel and of Consisting Tailor Welded Blanks
Authors: Béres Gábor J. , Végvári Ferenc , Danyi József
Published: October 2021

In recent years, the demand for a reduction in pollutant emission has become extremely important in the vehicle industry. It can be achieved through fuel consumption reduction, which is a direct function of the vehicle’s weight. nowadays weight is widely controlled by the use of advanced- and ultra-high strength steels (AHSS and UHSS) in vehicle body construction. With the application of such steel sheets as chassis elements, crashworthiness can be maintained next to reduced sheet thicknesses, too. In this paper, the deep-drawability and springback after V-die bending is monitored for three types of AHSS grades, namely DP600, DP800 and DP1000 materials. The investigations are extended to tailor welded blanks (TWBs), made by the aforementioned steels coupled with a cold rolled steel sheet (DC04). Our results show that deep-drawability reduces with both the increase in strength and the increase in strength difference between the components in the TWBs. Furthermore, the higher strength is shown to cause higher spring-back. The TWBs have unique spring-back behavior around the weld line.
From The Editor
Authors: Nair Kichu
Published: October 2021

Welcome to the 4th Volume, 1st Issue of Health Education in Practice: Journal of Research for Professional Learning. We have a very interesting series of articles in this volume.
Modelagem mista generalizada para estimar afilamento do fuste de árvores de Pinus taeda em diferentes espaçamentos de plantio
Authors: Maia dos Santos Guilherme , Mendes de Oliveira Ximena , Homczinski Isabel , Carvalho Mayrinck Rafaella , Dos Santos Cavassim Willian
Published: October 2021

O objetivo desse estudo foi testar dois modelos de afilamento não segmentados, considerando o ajuste de efeito fixo e ajustes de efeitos mistos, variando em relação ao nível dos coeficientes aleatórios (talhão, classe diamétrica e árvore). Foram utilizados dados de cubagem de 60 árvores de Pinus taeda em dois talhões, com espaçamentos de plantio de 4 m x 2 m e 3 m x 2 m. Os ajustes resultaram em estimativas precisas de diâmetros ao longo do fuste, com valores de RMSE inferiores a 0,87 cm e MAE inferior a 0,65 cm. O ajuste com efeitos mistos propiciou melhoria das estimativas, comparado ao ajuste com efeitos fixos. Nos modelos mistos, o efeito aleatório no nível de árvore propiciou as melhores predições, com RMSE inferior a 0,51 cm e MAE inferior a 0,38 cm. O polinômio de potências inteiras e fracionárias, com ajuste misto e efeito aleatório no nível de árvore foi selecionado e a validação pelo método Bootstrap com 100 amostras aleatórias indicou estimativas precisas em um curto intervalo. Concluiu-se que a modelagem mista é recomendada para melhorar as estimativas e o polinômio de potências inteiras e fracionárias, com os coeficientes aleatórios em nível de árvore individual, pode ser utilizado em ajuste generalizado para povoamentos com diferentes espaçamentos.
Genetic parameters in a clonal test of Tectona grandis in Mato Grosso, Brazil
Authors: Pereira Ana Carolina , Fernando Caldeira Sidney , Aparecida Alvarenga Arriel Daniele
Published: October 2021

Teak (Tectona grandis) is a high-value timber species in tropical regions. In Brazil, although teak has a high productivity, there are few studies related to its genetic improvement. This work aimed to estimate genetic parameters and evaluate potential gains of selection in a clonal test of teak installed in the state of Mato Grosso, Brazil. The experimente is in a randomized block design, with five replications, 3x3 m spacing, 22 treatments, and plots with six individuals. At five years, the genotypes were evaluated for survival (S), tree total height (H) and girth at breast height (GBH). There was significance and feasibility of selection for S and GBH. For H, the result was not significant, indicating few gains with the selection. The genetic parameters of clonal mean heritabilities and accuracy were of moderate magnitude for S and GBH and low for H. To best of our knowledge, this is the first work that estimates genetic parameters in a clonal teak test in the field in Brazil.
Túlélés-profilok : Művészek és nem művészek társadalmi megküzdési profiljának különbségei a 2020-21-es Covid járvány idején
Authors: Kovács Tamás
Published: October 2021

Írásomban két társadalmi csoport – a művész diplomások és a magyar felnőtt lakosság – társadalmi megküzdési profilját hasonlítom össze a 2020–2021-es Covid járvány alatt elvégzett kérdőíves kutatás alapján. Társadalmi megküzdési stratégiáknak tekintjük a társadalom sajátos védelmi rendszerét, amely egyrészt segíti a bajba jutott egyén fennmaradását, másrészt az egyén „életben tartásán” keresztül biztosítja a társadalom fennmaradását is. A 2020–21-es COVID-19 járvány nemcsak az egyén megküzdési kapacitását teszi próbára, hanem csoportos, kisközösségi és társadalmi szintű alkalmazkodást is igényel. 2020. áprilisában összesen 713 fő töltötte ki a 90 kérdésből álló kérdőív csomagot. A statisztikai elemzések során jelentős és szisztematikus különbségeket tártam fel a két vizsgált populáció megküzdési repertoárjában. Az adatok alapján elmondhatjuk, hogy a művészek a felnőtt magyar lakossághoz képest gyakrabban alkalmazzák az átértékelés-átkeretezés (I.1.) stratégiáját, kevésbé óvatosak (I.5.), és az időstratégiák helyes alkalmazása (I.6.) közül erősebben támaszkodnak a hosszú távú tervezés fenntartó erejére. A társas környezet segítségének elfogadása, a segítségnyújtás, az összefogás, a közös sors átélése (II.1.), valamint a mások érdekében tett aktivitások stratégiái nagyobb arányban figyelhetők meg a művész populációban. Az új ismeretek megszerzésére (II.6.) a művészek azonban kevésbé támaszkodnak. A művészek gondolataiban valamivel gyakrabban fogalmazódik meg a helyzetből való kilépés (II.8.) lehetősége is. A művészek könnyebben támaszkodnak a tradíciók erejére (III.1.), a védettségbe vetett hitre (III.2.), az életnek folytatódnia kell (III.3.) hiedelmére és az élet újraértékelésének stratégiájára (III.9.) is. A művészek és a felnőtt magyar lakosság társadalmi megküzdési profiljában tapasztalt különbségeket a művészek személyiségtípusára, gondolkodási sémáira, valamint a művészeti oktatás és a művészeti társas közegek sajátosságaira vezetem vissza. Eredményeim azt mutatják meg, hogy a különböző társadalmi csoportok sajátos, rájuk jellemző megküzdési repertoárral rendelkeznek, amely különbségek egy-egy konkrét válság leküzdésében több szempontú megközelítést nyitnak, amely végső soron növeli a társadalom egészére nézve a megküzdési siker valószínűségét.
An Examination of Taxpayers Attitude towards Income Tax: A Case of Bangladesh
Authors: Alam Md. Shahbub
Published: October 2021

Objective - Taxation is the government's primary source of revenue, but it is unable to raise this revenue from the general public. The major goals of this article are to determine the taxpayers' attitudes toward income tax in Bangladesh, as well as the factors influencing taxpayers' behavioral intentions regarding tax evasion and avoidance. Both qualitative and quantitative research methods were used in this study.

Methodology/Technique - The respondents' primary data was acquired by a standardized written questionnaire and a face-to-face viva. To complete the job, the study used purposeful random sampling, which resulted in the selection of 150 individuals from various occupations. After gathering data, it was examined using several statistical methods.

Findings - The study's findings reveal a significant negative relationship between taxpayer attitudes regarding tax evasion and tax compliance behavior, as well as the fact that taxpayer attitudes and conduct differ by occupation, resulting in diverse tax evasion and avoidance trends.

Novelty - This study will aid the government authority and the National Bureau of Revenue in monitoring taxpayer attitudes and improving tax collection by reducing taxpayers' negative attitudes toward taxes and getting more people to file tax returns.

Type of Paper - Empirical.

Keywords: Taxpayers; Attitude; Income tax; Bangladesh.

JEL Classification: H21; H24: H26.
Preparation of undecanoic acid-terminated Si particles from rice husks
Authors: Matsumoto Kimihisa , Kamiya Kazuhide , Ito So , Yasuda Hidehiro
Published: October 2021

Luminescent fine Si powder was prepared by an Mg reduction process of SiO2 particles extracted from rice husks. The surface of the powder was terminated by the hydrophilic molecules of undecanoic acid via the hydrosilylation process. After the hydrosilylation of the fine Si powder obtained from rice husks, surface termination by undecanoic acid was confirmed to suppress natural surface oxidation. Transmission electron microscopy observations of the rice husk fine Si powder showed that the Si nanoparticles have a crystalline structure. Room temperature photoluminescence in the wavelength range of 500–1000 nm was observed in the samples taken at each step of the process, and the stability of the luminescence properties was improved via undecanoic acid surface termination. The observation of wavelength dependent microsecond-order photoluminescence indicates that the photoluminescence was due to quantum size effects. On the basis of time-transient light transmittance of rice husk Si colloid, the surface termination of undecanoic acid improved the dispersibility of Si particles in distilled water. The production of luminescent rice husk Si colloid is effective for the preparation of luminescent bio labels and will lead to high value-added recycling of rice husks.
Hazardous Waste Management Approach for Heavy Metals in Soil by Phytoremediation
Authors:   Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Life Sciences and Technology, AKS University, SATNA, India., Waoo Dr. Ashwini A.
Published: October 2021

There have been a lot of practical applications of phytoremediation in the last ten years, involving organic, inorganic, heavy metal, and radionuclide remediation. India would find this to be an excellent alternative to conventional remediation methods as it is a sustainable and inexpensive process. The huge retention of industrial waste in soil resulted in soil pollution which is more hazardous due to the long-term persistence of contaminants. A major source of hazardous waste products in Bhopal city is the industrial region. Near residential areas, industries produce pollution that can be very harmful to human health. The objective of this research was to determine which heavy metal accumulators are capable of absorption and translocation of heavy metals. In the Govindpura sampling sites, Cr and Ni concentrations were higher, while Cd concentrations were lower. Phytoremediation was conducted by comparing the heavy metal accumulation of Datura inoxia, Calotropis procera, Ricinus commmunis, and Polygonum in vitro cultures.
SOCIOLINGUISTICS GENDER DISCOURSE ANALYSIS IN MEDIA
Authors: ABDURASHITOVA Elvira
Published: October 2021

The article is devoted to the study of gender realization in the English-language media discourse as a means of reflecting the changing trends in the concepts of femininity and masculinity. The study is carried out within the anthropocentric approach. The aim of this article is to highlight the theoretical frame of reference for the works included in this article. We intend to delimit the field of study for gender discourse analysis by highlighting the main theories and concepts that ensure its specificity. Interdisciplinary, which is the distinctive feature of gender discourse analysis, marks the evolution of research in this field that we are trying to capture in our proposed retrospective approach. The review of research that configures the domain of gender discourse analysis illustrates the latter relevance in deciphering the meaning of communication as an important qualitative research method in the field of communication sciences. On the other hand, the work identifies the specificity of gender representation in the language of contemporary gender-oriented magazines. The novelty of the paper is determined by the disclosure of the trends of new femininity and masculinity in media discourse. Additionally the media is commonly seen as a potential means of influence, control, and innovation in society. As a result, few significant social issues are addressed without some consideration of the role of the mass media. Gender issues are no exception, as illustrated by the following statement: The purpose of this article is to provide insights on the role of the media in status of men and women’s potential for socio-cultural change. The results show that the gender aspect in media discourse is manifested at the level of vocabulary, grammar and stylistics.
CLINICO-EPIDEMIOLOGICAL STUDY OF LEPROSY IN TERTIARY CARE INSTITUTE IN CHHATTISGARH
Authors: Kumar Patel Rakesh , Behra Akhilesh , Kumar Sa Dilip
Published: October 2021

INTRODUCTION – Leprosy is a chronic bacterial infection. India has achieved an elimination target of less than one
case per ten thousand population in December 2005. Even after elimination leprosy is remaining a major health issue in a
few states like Chhattisgarh and union territories like Dadra and Nagar haveli.
AIMS AND OBJECTIVE –To study the clinico-epidemiological pattern of leprosy in a tertiary care institute at Chhattisgarh.
MATERIAL AND METHOD- A retrospective descriptive study was performed at LSLAM medical college, Raigarh, Chhattisgarh. All the
cases of leprosy attending skin OPD from January 2020 to December 2020 were recruited for the study. Data was collected in MS excel sheet and
analyzed using SPSS software version 20.
RESULT – A total of 92 patients were diagnosed as leprosy. 4 (4.35%) patients were children less than 14 years of age. 67 patients were male and
25 were female with male to female ratio was 2.68:1. Commonest age group of presentation was 21 to 40 years. The most common type of
leprosy was Borderline Tuberculoid Hansen Disease (BTHD) (43.48%). 64 patients (69.57%) were diagnosed as multibacillary (MB) leprosy.
The most common nerve found thickened was ulnar nerve. 30 patients (32.60%) presented with lepra reaction at the time of diagnosis. Out of 30
Lepra reaction cases, 21 (70%) were diagnosed as type1 lepra reaction and the rest 9 (30%) cases were diagnosed as type 2 lepra reaction cases.
59 patients (64.13%) presented with peripheral nerve involvement at the time of diagnosis. 23 (25%) patients were having grade 2 disability at
the time of diagnosis.
CONCLUSION – Even after achieving the target of elimination leprosy remains a major health problem especially in endemic states of India
like Chhattisgarh.
CAN PROLACTIN BE A MARKER FOR DEVELOPMENT AND PROGRESSION OF PCOS?
Authors: Basu Satyaki , Kundu Dipankar , Mondal Santu , Ghosh Sourish
Published: October 2021

Background: Polycystic ovarian syndrome has been one of a major public health problem. It causes multifactorial in
etiology such as menstrual dysfunction, hyperandrogenism, hirsutism, insulin resistance, dyslipidemia and obesity
which increased risk of diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular disease. Prolactin has been reported as a potent lipogenic and diabetogenic factor,
that affecting energy balance and fuel metabolism. The present study was designed to assess serum prolactin and insulin resistance in PCOS
women and to compare them with healthy women as controls.
Material And Methods: A comparative study including 50 women newly diagnosed as PCOS and 50 healthy women as controls was conducted.
The age group for the study was 18-35 years. Fasting blood samples were drawn to assess serum prolactin, serum insulin and fasting blood sugar.
Insulin resistance was calculated by homeostasis model assessment.
Results: A signicant increase in fasting serum insulin (p<0.001) and HOMA – IR (p<0.001) were found in patients with PCOS in comparison
with controls. Prolactin and FPG were found elevated in the PCOS women and were statistically signicant.
Conclusions: The current study provides further evidence that signicantly higher fasting insulin and HOMA in PCOS group indicates presence
of IR. IR in PCOS group may have a potential role in the prediction of dysglycemic disease in women with PCOS. This study found signicant
correlation between serum prolactin and serum insulin
Assessment of Heavy Metal Concentration from a Lead-Zinc Mined Pit at Ebonyi State, Nigeria
Authors: Nwakanma C. , Nmecha C. , Onyeizu R.U.
Published: October 2021

This study assessed the concentrations of heavy metals in soil and surface water from a Lead-Zinc mined pit at Enyigba, Ikwo Local Government Area in Ebonyi State, Nigeria. Soil samples were collected and analysed from different soil depths (0 – 15 cm) and (15 – 30 cm) at a tailing down (marked as TD) and refuse dumpsite (marked as RD) and a vegetation site 50 km away which was used as the control site. Surface water samples were collected from the Enyigba River from three (3) points (marked as point A, B, and C) and were analysed using routine laboratory procedures. The following parameters were analysed for soil: particle size distribution, pH, available phosphorus, total nitrogen, organic carbon, organic matter content, calcium, magnesium, potassium, sodium, exchangeable acidity, and effective cation exchange capacity. The results for mean values of soil samples obtained at both depths were 58.86% (sand), 11.73% (silt) and 34.04% (clay). Mean values obtained for heavy metals from the soil for Iron (Fe) ranged from 3.31 to 2.24 mg/kg: Zinc (Zn) 0.70 to 0.62 mg/kg and Lead (Pb) 0.01 to 0.01 mg/kg). Results obtained for surface water around the mined pit showed mean values for Iron (Fe) 0.57 mg/L, Magnesium (Mg) 151.6 mg/L, Calcium (Ca) 76.62 mg/L, Chlorine (Cl2) 416.6 mg/L and Lead (Pb) 0.01 mg/L. The high concentrations of chlorine make the water unsuitable to be discharged on any agricultural land as plants could accumulate these metals and when consumed could pose serious threat to humans. The discharge from the mining site increased the already slightly high turbidity of the water to a much higher and undesirable level. The mining activity at Enyigba Ikwo LGA, Ebonyi State has negatively impacted the environment through the introduction of heavy metals in soil and surface water, thereby causing an increase in the pollution of the environment. It is recommended that further studies and monitoring should be carried out in the study location for possible remediation.
Novel Routing Algorithm for Autonomous Vehicles in Smart Transportation System
Authors: Wang Haoxiang
Published: October 2021

In recent times Automation is emerging every day and bloomed in every sector. Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) is one of the important branches of Automation. The major constrain in the transportation system is traffic congestion. This slurps the individual’s time and consequently pollutes the environment. A centralized management is required for optimizing the transportation system. The current traffic condition is predicted by evaluating the historical data and thereby it reduces the traffic congestion. The periodic update of traffic condition in each and every street of the city is obtained and the data is transferred to the autonomous vehicle. These data are obtained from the simulation results of transportation prediction tool SUMO. It is proved that our proposed work reduces the traffic congestion and maintains ease traffic flow and preserves the fleet management.
Digital transformation of Higher Education: what’s next?
Authors: Weerawardane Dinusha
Published: October 2021

The Covid-19 pandemic has exponentially accelerated digital transformation within the higher education sector, and has given us the opportunity to re-think and re-shape how we do things. This article explores what true digital transformation looks like, where it could potentially lead us and what universities of the future might look like.