bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Identification of Urban Functional Areas and Urban Spatial Structure Analysis by Fusing Multi-Source Data Features: A Case Study of Zhengzhou, China
Authors: Wang Jinxin , Gao Chaoran , Wang Manman , Zhang Yan
Published: April 2023

The identification and delineation of urban functional zones (UFZs), which are the basic units of urban organisms, are crucial for understanding complex urban systems and the rational allocation and management of resources. Points of interest (POI) data are weak in identifying UFZs in areas with low building density and sparse data, whereas remote sensing data lack the necessary semantic information for functional zoning, and single-source data cannot perform a highly comprehensive characterization of complex UFZs. To address these issues, this study proposes a method for identifying UFZs by fusing multi-attribute features from multi-source data and introduces nighttime light and land surface temperature (LST) indicators as functional zoning references, taking the main urban area of Zhengzhou as an example. The experimental results show that the POI data with integrated three-level semantic information can characterize the semantic information of functional areas well, and the incorporation of multi-spectral, nighttime light, and LST data can further improve the recognition accuracy by approximately 10.1% compared with the POI single-source data. The final recognition accuracy and kappa coefficient reached 84.00% and 0.8162, respectively, indicating that the method is largely consistent with the actual situation and is feasible. The analysis showed that the main urban area of Zhengzhou as a whole is characterized by the coordinated development of single and mixed functional areas, in which a distinct residential-commercial-public complex is formed, and the urban functional areas on the block scale have diverse attributes. This study can provide a decision-making reference for the future development planning and management of Zhengzhou, China.
E-Leadership Is Un(usual): Multi-Criteria Analysis of Critical Success Factors for the Transition from Leadership to E-Leadership
Authors: Ahuja Jaya , Puppala Harish , Sergio Rommel P. , Hoffman Ettiene Paul
Published: April 2023

Leadership helps to build strong organizations with resilient cultures. It is established that leadership needs a transition powered by digital technologies to tackle the shift from workplace culture to remote work, which is being practiced even after the pandemic to reduce operational costs and improve flexibility. The transition from leadership to e-leadership requires a profound understanding of the critical success factors (CSFs). The primary objective of this study is to identify the critical success factors of e-leadership using a systematic literature review and questionnaire survey technique. The identified CSFs are grouped under (i) Technology Management, (ii) E-Motivation and well-being, and (iii) E-change management categories. The Fuzzy Delphi technique is used to find the relevant CSFs and the relative dominance of each CSF category; the CSFs are then analyzed using the fuzzy analytical hierarchy process. The results suggest that employee engagement using digital technologies is the most critical success factor, while role clarity has relatively the least significance for the transition to take place. The findings of this study facilitate the smooth transition from leadership to e-leadership.
Zinc Nanoparticles (ZnNPs): High-Fidelity Amelioration in Turnip (Brassica rapa L.) Production under Drought Stress
Authors: Li Jia , Zafar Sara , Javaid Ayesha , Perveen Shagufta , Hasnain Zuhair , Ihtisham Muhammad , Abbas Adeel , Usman Muhammad , El-Sappah Ahmed H. , Abbas Manzar
Published: April 2023

The detrimental effects of drought have adverse impacts on the crop yield as global climatic changes put unusual pressure on water resources. The challenge of attaining water security is key for the sustainable development of crops. Zinc (Zn2+) is an important nutrient that helps to alleviate drought stress by modulating the growth and yield of crops. Recently, zinc nanoparticles (ZnNPs) have been used as a novel strategy for the fertilization of crops. This study was specifically developed to observe the comparative effects of ZnNPs and conventional zinc sulfate (ZnSO4) at diverse concentration levels (0.01%, 0.05%, and 0.1%) that could effectively decrease the injurious effect of drought stress on turnip plants. In experiments on the golden turnip variety, drought stress caused a significant reduction in all growth and biochemical attributes, and increased antioxidant enzymatic activity. In a comparison with the conventional fertilizer ZnSO4, the foliar application of 0.1% ZnNPs significantly improved plant height, biomass, root/turnip length, turnip diameter, antioxidant defense system, secondary metabolites, and photosynthetic pigments in the leaves under drought stress. Based on the collected results, it is suggested that the foliar application of ZnNPs, instead of ZnSO4, under drought stress is helpful in increasing the growth and yield of turnip plants.
Soil Moisture Inversion in Grassland Ecosystem Using Remote Sensing Considering Different Grazing Intensities and Growing Seasons
Authors: Cui Jiahe , Wang Yuchi , Wu Yantao , Li Zhiyong , Li Hao , Miao Bailing , Wang Yongli , Jia Chengzhen , Liang Cunzhu
Published: April 2023

Although vegetation community information such as grazing gradient, biomass, and density have been well characterized in typical grassland communities with Stipa grandis and Leymus chinensis as dominant species, their impact on the soil moisture (SM) inversion is still unclear. This study investigated the characteristics of a grassland vegetation community at different grazing gradients and growing seasons and its impact on SM inversion using remote sensing data. The water cloud model (WCM) was used for SM inversion, and both field and remote sensing data collected from 2019 to 2021 were used for calibration and prediction. The study found that the calibrated WCM achieved prediction results of SM inversion with average R2 values of 0.41 and 0.38 at different grazing gradients and growing seasons, respectively. Vegetation biomass and height were significantly correlated with vegetation indexes, and the highest model prediction accuracy was achieved for biomass and height around 121.1 g/m2 [102.3–139.9] and 18.6 cm [17.3–19.8], respectively. Generally, NDWI1 produced higher SM estimation accuracy than NDWI2. The growing season of vegetation also affects the accuracy of the WCM to retrieve SM, with the highest accuracy achieved in mid-growing season I. Therefore, the developed WCM with optimal height and biomass of vegetation communities can enhance the SM prediction capacity; it thus can be potentially used for SM prediction in typical grasslands.
The Importance of Monitoring the Work-Life Quality during the COVID-19 Restrictions for Sustainable Management in Nursing
Authors: Lorber Mateja , Dobnik Mojca
Published: April 2023

The aim of this study was to investigate the work-life quality and related workplace factors of nursing employees working in hospitals during the COVID-19 restrictions. Employees in nursing carry out nursing care at various levels of healthcare. Work-life quality refers to an individual’s feelings concerning work and outcomes and depends on different working characteristics and conditions. Quantitative research based on a cross-sectional study was used. This cross-sectional study included 486 employees in nursing from four Slovenian acute care hospitals. The results showed that most employees in nursing assessed the work-life quality on a moderate level: 76% were satisfied with their work, and 89% assessed their well-being at the workplace as positive. Considering the leaders’ support, the number of patients, adequate information, teamwork, working position, use of days off, and equipment for safe work, we can explain the 53.5% of the total variability of work-life quality. We also found that work-life quality had an essential effect on well-being at the workplace (β = 0.330, p < 0.001) and work satisfaction (β = 0.490, p < 0.001) of employees in nursing. Work-life quality refers to an employees’ feelings about their workplace, and its monitoring is important for higher employees’ well-being and health. For management and policymakers in nursing, it is important to design strategies to ensure an adequate number of competent employees and establish a supportive leadership system. Work-life quality is an important factor in the recruitment and retention of the nursing workforce. Flexible working conditions and policy changes can improve work-life quality and balance. Nursing management must understand the influencing factors of work-life quality to improve nursing employee retention strategies.
Do Cover Crops Increase Subsequent Crop Yield in Temperate Climates? A Meta-Analysis
Authors: Chahal Inderjot , Van Eerd Laura L.
Published: April 2023

Cover crops (CCs) are a promising strategy for maintaining and enhancing agroecosystem sustainability, yet CCs’ effects on the subsequent crop yield are highly variable. To quantitatively synthesize the effects of CCs on subsequent crop yield, a meta-analysis of 672 observations collected from 63 recent studies (2015 to 2021) in temperate climates was conducted. Legume CC species increased subsequent crop yield significantly more than grass (by 14%), nonlegume broadleaves (by 7%), and mixtures (by 2%). Incorporation of CC residue into soil increased crop yield by approx. 15% compared to leaving the CC residue on the soil surface. Relative to the no-CC control, the adoption of grass and legume CC species in non-organic vegetable cropping systems enhanced crop yield by 14% and 19%, respectively. Likewise, crop yield with legume CCs in coarse and medium textured soil, and under high precipitation conditions (>700 mm), was significantly greater than the no-CC control by 18%, 4%, and 11%, respectively. Cover crops significantly increased vegetable crop yields and decreased the silage corn yield; however, grain corn, soybean, and winter wheat yield did not decrease with CC. Adoption of CC in no-tillage and plow tillage systems contributed to an increase in crop yield compared to the no-CC control. Our meta-analysis highlights that crop yield response to CC might become more robust when pedo-climatic conditions and agronomic factors are considered.
Innovative Blockchain-Based Tracking Systems, A Technology Acceptance for Cross-Border Runners during and Post-Pandemic
Authors: Susanto Heru , Kemaluddin Nurul
Published: April 2023

This study aims to design and implement an online blockchain-based and real-time parcel monitoring and tracking system for cross-border runners and the customer via an online platform, during and post the COVID-19 pandemic. A blockchain is a distributed ledger system that serves as a transparent, understandable, and trustworthy store of data and analysis on the platform for participants to engage with each other. The result of proposing a blockchain-based tracking system is promising. The result and UAT show positive feedback on the use and features of the blockchain-based tracking system. As the world reacted to the pandemic, many organizations provided monitoring with their deliveries, which is a terrific method for businesses to prevent losing valuable customers. According to the findings of the study, organizations prefer to have blockchain-based tracking systems.
Estimation of Evaporation of Water from a Liquid Desiccant Solar Collector and Regenerator by Using Conservation of Mass and Energy Principles
Authors: Tafesse Gezahegn Habtamu , Ahmed Gulam Mohammed Sayeed , Badruddin Irfan Anjum , Kamangar Sarfaraz , Hussien Mohamed
Published: April 2023

Solar thermal energy-powered air conditioning technologies are receiving increased attention. Among the solar energy-driven cooling technologies, open type liquid desiccant air conditioning (AC) system is emerging as a promising technology, which has a solar driven desiccant solution regenerator. In this type of system, the evaporation of water and concentrating the desiccant or regenerator performance determines the cooling performance of the AC system, which necessitates its development and experimental performance testing under actual operating conditions. The setup is made of a black painted corrugated solar collector of area 0.8 m × 1.84 m covered with glass, and a liquid desiccant solution tank and distribution system over the absorber. Solar regeneration experiments on calcium chloride–water solution were carried out on the setup and a total of five sets of meteorological, collector and solution property data were collected through concentrating the desiccant from 32.9 initially to 51.3% in five days. The evaporation of water from the regenerator was analyzed using energy and desiccant mass conservation. For a typical day, the mass of water evaporated was estimated to be 3.10 and 3.16 kg over a day, as estimated by conservation of mass and energy principles from a 34.8 kg of calcium chloride solution with initial desiccant concentration of 43.6% stored in the tank.
Structural Design and Analysis of a Super-High Building in Nanjing, China
Authors: Liang Qianqian , Wu Jie , Lu Guijuan , Hu Jun
Published: April 2023

This study analyzes a high-rise building with B-level height (i.e., a total height of 146.5 m) and a shear wall structure. Since the project contains many plane irregularities (including 1a torsional irregularity, 1b eccentric arrangement, and 2a plane convex irregularity), it should be treated as a super high-rise building. This study introduces the main characteristics and overrun conditions of the project and describes the structural design of the foundation and the basement, upper structural layout, force conditions under frequent, fortified, and rare earthquake actions, and structural performance-based objectives in detail. The following measures can be adopted to address the overrun problem. First, the floor at the thin waist of the structure was thickened to 150 mm and reinforced in the bilayer and bidirectional patterns, with a reinforcement ratio of no less than 0.25%. The damage condition on the floors under a great earthquake was analyzed. The vertical components at the waist were reinforced to constrain the extension of the edge components toward the top. Second, the structure’s peripheral stiffness was strengthened to enhance the anti-torsional performance and minimize the adverse effects on torsional irregularities. Third, using two software programs, the performance-based envelope design under medium earthquake action and dynamic elastoplastic analysis under great earthquake action were analyzed to ensure structural safety. Fourth, the edge components were constrained for the shear wall columns with axial-to-compressive stress strength ratios exceeding 0.3. For the overall structure and critical parts, force conditions under frequent, fortified, and rare earthquake conditions were calculated and examined with the SATWE, MIDAS GEN, and SAUSAGE software packages. The calculation results revealed that the structure shows favorable anti-seismic performance, with an overall anti-seismic C-level and a safe and reliable structure. The structural design method introduced in this article can promote the sustainable development of structural design.
Early Identification of Gait Asymmetry Using a Dual-Channel Hybrid Deep Learning Model Based on a Wearable Sensor
Authors: Wu Jianning , Liu Yuanbo , Wu Xiaoyan
Published: April 2023

Background: Lack of an effective approach to distinguish the subtle differences between lower limb locomotion impedes early identification of gait asymmetry outdoors. This study aims to detect the significant discriminative characteristics associated with joint coupling changes between two lower limbs by using dual-channel deep learning and wearable sensors, helping to detect asymmetric gait early. Methods: The gait data of sensors attached on lower limb joints of twenty-four healthy subjects were acquired by using the Delsys TrignoTM system. Asymmetric gait was simulated by controlling ankle motion settings. The CNN–LSTM hybrid deep learning-based gait classification model with high-generalization, was developed to discriminate one normal limb gait and the other limb gait with four different settings, accurately measuring asymmetric gait. Results: Our developed model could reach a high accuracy of 98.61% to detect mild gait asymmetry, while obtaining an approximate accuracy of 50% to identify gait symmetry. The ankle contains more information about gait asymmetry than the hip and knee. Conclusions: Our technique could achieve excellent representation of learning capability to detect significantly discriminative gait features from dual-channels corresponding to the two lower limbs, even with subtle differences.
An Industry 4.0 Technology Selection Framework for Manufacturing Systems and Firms Using Fuzzy AHP and Fuzzy TOPSIS Methods
Authors: Pour Parham Dadash , Ahmed Aser Alaa , Nazzal Mohammad A. , Darras Basil M.
Published: April 2023

Characterized by its resilience, connectivity, and real-time data processing capabilities, the fourth industrial revolution, referred to as Industry 4.0, is the main driver of today’s digital transformation. It is crucially important for manufacturing facilities to correctly identify the most suitable Industry 4.0 technologies that meet their operational schemes and production targets. Different technology selection frameworks were proposed to tackle this problem, several of which are complex, or require historic data from manufacturing facilities that might not always be available. The aim of this paper is to develop a novel Industry 4.0 selection framework that utilizes Fuzzy Analytical Hierarchy Process (FAHP) and Fuzzy Technique for Order of Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (FTOPSIS) to rank different Industry 4.0 technologies based on their economic, social, and environmental impact. The framework is also implemented on a real-life case study of a manufacturing firm to rank the different Industry 4.0 technologies required for its digital transformation based on their significance to the facility’s key performance indicators. The framework is utilized to select the top three Industry 4.0 technologies from a pool of eight technologies that are deemed important to the manufacturing firm. Results of the case study showed that Cyber-Physical Systems, Big Data analytics, and autonomous/industrial robots are the top three ranked technologies, having closeness coefficient scores of 0.964, 0.928, and 0.601, respectively. Moreover, the framework showed sensitivity towards weight changes. This is an advantage in the developed framework, since its main aim is to provide policymakers with a customized list of technologies based on their importance to the firm.
Can Green Technology Innovation Reduce the Operational Risks of Energy-Intensive Enterprises?
Authors: Wen Huwei , Shi Jiayi , Lu Peng
Published: April 2023

Many countries have adopted carbon regulatory policies in pursuit of carbon neutrality, which pose great transition risks for energy-intensive sectors. Using the panel data of 186 Chinese listed enterprises in the energy-intensive sector from 2007 to 2019, this study investigates the impact of green technology innovation on corporate operation risks. Empirical evidence shows that energy-intensive enterprises can effectively reduce their operational risks by participating in green technology innovation activities. This study also proves the mechanism of obtaining the support of public policies and enhancing investor confidence in the capital market, while the mechanism of improving recognition in the consumer market is insignificant. Climate policy uncertainty weakens the stabilizing effect of green technology innovation on operational risks. In addition, green technology innovation has a weak stabilizing effect on the operational risks of state-owned enterprises, while government subsidy can strengthen the stabilizing effect. Finally, the stabilizing effect of green technology innovation on operational risks varies by region, period, scale and ownership. This study and its findings provide theoretical insights for corporate risk management in energy-intensive industries and theoretical analysis for the realization mechanism of the market value of corporate green behavior.
Evolution of the Chenglingji–Datong Channel in the Middle and Lower Reaches of the Yangtze River and Its Drivers
Authors: Dai Xiaoai , Li Wenyu , Chen Shijin , Zeng Jianwen , Tong Chenbo , Zhou Jiayun , Xiang Tianyu , Zhang Junjun , Li Cheng , Ye Yakang , Xu Li , Jiang Xiaoli
Published: April 2023

In recent years, the water–sand composition of the Yangtze River channel has changed due to the influence of human factors, especially the construction of water reservoirs such as the Three Gorges Project. Changing water–sand conditions have a long-term impact on the shaping of the river channel morphology in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River, and the erosion retreat of local river sections has caused great harm to embankment projects. This paper focuses on the river evolution mechanism of the river channel from Chenglingji to Datong in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River over the past 31 years. Landsat remote sensing images from 1989–2019 were used to extract and interpret water bodies, river shorelines, and central bars in the study area using the Modified Normalized Difference Water Index (MNDWI) combined with visual interpretation. We used near analysis to study the morphological evolution characteristics of the river, the channel, and selected typical river reaches for comparative analysis. We found out that the overall change in river morphology between 1989 and 2019 was small in the horizontal direction, but the local area changed significantly. Considerable scouring occurred in the vertical direction. Combining hydrological and meteorological data, we investigated the effects of the Three Gorges Dam, instream sand mining, boundary conditions, vegetation cover on both sides of the riverbanks, and aspects of storm flooding in the watershed on the evolution of the river. The study indicated that the geological conditions on both sides of the river, the implementation of the bank protection project, and the improvement of vegetation cover on both sides of the river have made the riverbanks more resistant to scouring. However, heavy rainfall floods, the operation of the Three Gorges Reservoir, and sand mining activities in the river channel make the river channel more susceptible to scouring. Based on the calculation of the slope change rate of the accumulated volume, it was found that the runoff is mainly influenced by precipitations, while the sand transport is mainly affected by human activities. This study shows that natural and anthropogenic activities affect the equilibrium state of the river’s water and sediment to varying degree.
Optimization of Key Hydraulic Structure Parameters of a New Type of Water–Pesticide Integrated Sprinkler Based on Response Surface Experiment
Authors: Liu Junping , Wang Xinjian , Liu Qingsong , Hussain Zawar , Zhao Yuxia
Published: April 2023

To meet the requirements of trellis grape crop root irrigation, spraying pesticides on branches and leaves, an integrated sprinkler was designed, which relies on the flow pressure to change the irrigation water and spray pesticide working modes. The structural parameters that affect the hydraulic performance were selected based on the working principle of the sprinkler. The key parameters for the irrigation mode included diversion hole inclination angle, refractive cone angle, refractive cone length, and cone hole distance. The key parameters for the spray pesticide mode included diversion chute width, the number of diversion chutes, the diversion chute inclination angle, the rotary acceleration chamber height, and the nozzle outlet cylindrical section length. The central composite design response surface tests of the water–pesticide integrated sprinkler were carried out; the analysis of variance and regression analysis were selected; the main influence rules and interactions of key structural parameters on irrigation performance and pesticide spraying performance of sprinkler irrigation system were obtained. The optimal parameters of the water–pesticide integrated sprinkler were: the diversion hole inclination angle is 20.8°, the refractive cone angle is 123.7°, the refractive cone length is 8.8 mm, the cone hole distance is 3.6 mm, the diversion chute width is 2.5 mm, the number of diversion chutes is 2, the diversion chute inclination angle is 10°, the rotary acceleration chamber height is 1.3 mm, and the nozzle outlet cylindrical section length is 0.7 mm. The irrigation hydraulic performance of the wetted radius is 3.4 m, the average irrigation application rate is 0.65 mm/h, and the uniformity coefficient is 88%. The spraying pesticide performance of the droplet volume mid-diameter is 200.2 μm, the droplet spectrum width is 2.2, and the droplet coverage is 9.4%.
The Salinity of the Great Salt Lake and Its Deep Brine Layer
Authors: Merck Madeline F. , Tarboton David G.
Published: April 2023

The Great Salt Lake is a highly saline terminal lake with considerable fluctuations in water surface elevation and salinity. The lake is divided into two arms by a railroad causeway. River inflows enter the larger south arm, while the north arm only receives minimal surface runoff. Evaporation from both arms and limited exchange of water and salt through causeway openings result in complex water and salinity processes in the lake. The north arm is typically homogeneous and close to saturation. The south arm is typically stratified with periodic occurrences of a deep brine layer. This paper analyzes the lake’s long-term historical salinity and water surface elevation data record. Its purpose is to better document the movement of salt and changes to salinity in time and space within the lake and the occurrence and extent of its deep brine layer. This work is important because of the lake’s salinity-dependent ecosystem and industries as well as the role played by the deep brine layer in the concentration of salt and contaminants. We documented that the deep brine layer in the south arm is intermittent, occurring only when causeway exchange supports flow from the north to the south arms. We found that the overall mass of salt in the lake is declining and quantified this in terms of mineral extraction records and historical density measurements.
Study of Urban Flooding Response under Superstandard Conditions
Authors: Chen Jian , Tian Yangyang , Zhang Shanju , Li Yaowei , Guo Zhikai
Published: April 2023

Superstandard conditions refer to extreme rainfall and river flooding that exceed the flood control system or flood control works. In order to explore the influence of superstandard conditions on urban waterlogging, based on the MIKE FLOOD platform, this paper takes the downtown area of Zhoukou as the research object, and it conducts waterlogging simulation in this area under the extreme rainfall conditions of once in 20 years and once in 50 years combined with the ultra-high water level of the river. The simulation results of inundation depth, inundation range and drainage capacity of a self-flowing river are compared and analyzed. The results show that heavy rainfall is the main cause of waterlogging disaster. When extreme rainfall and river flood occur at the same time, the artesian drainage capacity of the pipeline is seriously affected due to the high water level of the river. The city has a large amount of water, and when the river embankment overflows, it poses a serious threat to the safety of the city.
Spatial Distribution of Vegetation on Stream Bars and the Riparian Zone Reflects Successional Pattern Due to Fluid Dynamics of River
Authors: Seok Ji Eun , Lim Bong Soon , Moon Jeong Sook , Kim Gyung Soon , Lee Chang Seok
Published: April 2023

The river is a dynamic space where erosion, transportation, and sedimentation are constantly occurring due to running water. This study aims to reveal the change in geomorphology caused by the flow characteristics of water in rivers and the response of vegetation to that. This study was carried out by clarifying the spatially appearing successional trends in the vegetation established in the stream bars and the riparian zones, which are located on different topographic conditions based on the vegetation profile, ordination result, and species diversity. The spatial distribution of vegetation on the stream bars tended to appear in the order of annual plant-, perennial plant-, and tree-dominated stands from the upstream toward a downstream direction (a gravel bar and a sand bar in a mountain gravel-bed river and an estuary, respectively) or the reversed one (a sand bar in a lowland river). The spatial distribution of vegetation on the riparian zones tended to appear in the order of annual plant-, perennial plant-, and tree-dominated stands from the waterfront toward the bank direction. Changes in species composition also differed depending on the spatial location, showing a similar trend to the spatial distribution of vegetation. Species diversity became higher in proportion to the longevity of the dominant species of each vegetation type. In conclusion, the longitudinal distribution pattern of vegetation on the stream bars resembles the lateral distribution of riparian vegetation, and the successional trends follow the spatial distribution pattern. These results suggest that the dynamics of bed loading, an allogenic process, may be an important determinant of the spatial distribution and succession of plant communities in dynamic riverine environments.
Assessment of the Spatial Variations of Mercury and Methylmercury in the Sediment of a Lake and Its Inflow River Estuaries
Authors: Xin Shuhan , Wang Bingbing , Yuan Yin , Wang Shiliang
Published: April 2023

The contents of total mercury (THg) and methylmercury (MMHg) were measured in Nansi Lake and its inflow river estuaries to investigate their spatial distribution characteristics and the geochemical relationships between THg, MMHg, and methylation rate (%MMHg) with mineral phases of the sediment. The contents of THg, MMHg, and %MMHg in the lake sediment were lower than those in the inflow river estuary sediment. Inputting of inflow rivers was primary source to THg and MMHg in Nansi Lake. The THg contents in the sediment decreased from the upper to the lower lake, while the MMHg contents indicated the opposite trends of spatial variations. The THg was significantly positively correlated with MMHg and %MMHg in estuarine sediment but has a significant negative correlation with MMHg and %MMHg in lake sediment. Total organic carbon (TOC), acid volatile sulfide (AVS), and clay have great influence on the distribution of THg in sediment. Methylmercury in the estuary sediment was positively correlated with THg, AVS, TOC, and clay, while these relationships were not revealed in the lake sediment. Cluster and principal component analysis results showed that THg, clay, and TOC were derived from the same sources in the sediment of Nansi Lake. It implied that for improving the water environmental quality of lakes, the environmental management of rivers entering the lake should be strengthened.
Assessment of ERA5-Land Data in Medium-Term Drinking Water Demand Modelling with Deep Learning
Authors: Dhawan Pranav , Dalla Torre Daniele , Zanfei Ariele , Menapace Andrea , Larcher Michele , Righetti Maurizio
Published: April 2023

Drinking water demand modelling and forecasting is a crucial task for sustainable management and planning of water supply systems. Despite many short-term investigations, the medium-term problem needs better exploration, particularly the analysis and assessment of meteorological data for forecasting drinking water demand. This work proposes to analyse the suitability of ERA5-Land reanalysis data as weather input in water demand modelling. A multivariate deep learning model based on the long short-term memory architecture is used in this study over a prediction horizon ranging from seven days to two months. The performance of the model, fed by ground station data and ERA5-Land data, is compared and analysed. Close-to-operative forecasting is then presented using observed data for training and ERA5-Land dataset for testing. The results highlight the reliability of the proposed architecture fed by ERA5-Land data for different time horizons. In particular, the ERA5-Land shows promising performance as input of the multivariate machine learning forecasting model, although some meteorological biases are present, which can be improved, especially in close-to-operative application with bias correction techniques. The proposed study leads to practical implications in the use of regional climate model outputs to support drinking water forecasting for sustainable and efficient management of water distribution systems.
Integration of Geochemical Modeling, Multivariate Analysis, and Irrigation Indices for Assessing Groundwater Quality in the Al-Jawf Basin, Yemen
Authors: Al-Mashreki Mohammed Hezam , Eid Mohamed Hamdy , Saeed Omar , Székács András , Szűcs Péter , Gad Mohamed , Abukhadra Mostafa R. , AlHammadi Ali A. , Alrakhami Mohammed Saleh , Alshabibi Mubarak Ali , Elsayed Salah , Khadr Mosaad , Farouk Mohamed , Ramadan Hatem Saad
Published: April 2023

Water quality monitoring is crucial in managing water resources and ensuring their safety for human use and environmental health. In the Al-Jawf Basin, we conducted a study on the Quaternary aquifer, where various techniques were utilized to evaluate, simulate, and predict the groundwater quality (GWQ) for irrigation. These techniques include water quality indices (IWQIs), geochemical modeling, multivariate statistical analysis, geographic information systems (GIS), and adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference systems (ANFIS). Physicochemical analysis was conducted on the collected groundwater samples to determine their composition. The results showed that the order of abundance of ions was Ca2+ > Mg2+ > Na+ > K+ and SO42− > Cl− > HCO3− > NO3−. The assessment of groundwater quality for irrigation based on indices such as Irrigation water quality index (IWQI), sodium adsorption ratio(SAR), sodium percent (Na%), soluble sodium percentage (SSP), potential salinity (PS), and residual sodium carbonate RSC, which revealed moderate-to-severe restrictions in some samples. The Adaptive Neuro-Fuzzy Inference System (ANFIS) model was then used to predict the IWQIs with high accuracy during both the training and testing phases. Overall, these findings provide valuable information for decision-makers in water quality management and can aid in the sustainable development of water resources.
Characterization of Evapotranspiration in the Orange River Basin of South Africa-Lesotho with Climate and MODIS Data
Authors: Mahasa Pululu S. , Xulu Sifiso , Mbatha Nkanyiso
Published: April 2023

Evapotranspiration (ET) is crucial to the management of water supplies and the functioning of numerous terrestrial ecosystems. To understand and propose planning strategies for water-resource and crop management, it is critical to examine the geo-temporal patterns of ET in drought-prone areas such as the Upper Orange River Basin (UORB) in South Africa. While information on ET changes is computed from directly observed parameters, capturing it through remote sensing is inexpensive, consistent, and feasible at different space–time scales. Here, we employed the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS)-derived spectral indices within Google Earth Engine (GEE) to analyze and characterize patterns of ET over the UORB from 2003 to 2021, in association with various climatic parameters. Our results show spatially consistent ET patterns with the Vegetation Condition Index (VCI), with lower values in the west, increasing toward the eastern section of the basin, over the Lesotho highlands. We noted that the UORB faced significant variability in ET and VCI during pronounced drought episodes. The random forests (RF) model identified precipitation, temperature, Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI)-6, Palmer Drought Severity Index (PDSI), and VCI as variables of high importance for ET variability, while the wavelet analysis confirmed the coherence connectivity between these variables with periodicities ranging from eight to 32 months, suggesting a strong causal influence on ET, except for PDSI, that showed an erratic relationship. Based on the sequential Mann–Kendall test, we concluded that evapotranspiration has exhibited a statistically downward trend since 2011, which was particularly pronounced during the dry periods in 2015–2016, 2019, and 2021. Our study also confirmed the high capacity of the GEE and MODIS-derived indices in mapping consistent geo-temporal ET patterns.
Remote Sensing with UAVs for Modeling Floods: An Exploratory Approach Based on Three Chilean Rivers
Authors: Clasing Robert , Muñoz Enrique , Arumí José Luis , Caamaño Diego , Alcayaga Hernán , Medina Yelena
Published: April 2023

The use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) has been steadily increasing due to their ability to acquire high-precision ground elevation information at a low cost. However, these devices have limitations in estimating elevations of the water surface and submerged terrain (i.e., channel bathymetry). Therefore, the creation of a digital terrain model (DTM) using UAVs in low-water periods means a greater dry channel surface area and thus reduces the lack of information on the wet area not appropriately measured by the UAV. Under such scenarios, UAV-DTM-derived data present an opportunity for practical engineering in estimating floods; however, the accuracy of estimations against current methods of flood estimations and design needs to be measured. The objective of this study is therefore to develop an exploratory analysis for the creation of hydraulic models of river floods using only UAV-derived topographic information. Hydraulic models were constructed based on DTMs created in (i) the traditional manner, considering the bathymetry measured with RTK-GPS and topography, and via (ii) remote sensing, which involves topography measurement with a UAV and assumes a flat bed in the part of the channel covered by water. The 1D steady-state HEC-RAS model v.5.0.3 was used to simulate floods at different return periods. The applied methodology allows a slightly conservative, efficient, economical, and safe approach for the estimation of floods in rivers, with an RMSE of 6.1, 11.8 and 12.6 cm for the Nicodahue, Bellavista and Curanilahue rivers. The approach has important implications for flood studies, as larger areas can be surveyed, and cost- and time-efficient flood estimations can be performed using affordable UAVs. Further research on this topic is necessary to estimate the limitations and precision in rivers with different morphologies and under different geographical contexts.
Metodología para evaluar programas de formación de competencias en el contexto organizacional
Authors: Medina Macías Arianne , Valdés Gonzáles Anabel
Published: April 2023

Uno de los retos que se plantean a las empresas contemporáneas es la evaluación de los programas de formación, capacitación y entrenamiento a partir de metodologías eficaces. La presente investigación sigue un enfoque multidisciplinar, al integrar los campos de la Psicología Educativa y la Psicología Organizacional, en el propósito de evaluar un programa de formación de competencias en el contexto empresarial. Se utilizó una metodología mixta, con un diseño secuencial. En un primer momento se diseñó la estrategia de evaluación del programa y se validó a través de una muestra de expertos. Seguidamente, se implementó como una de las etapas del programa de formación de competencias para la gestión eficaz de la seguridad y salud en el trabajo (SST). La estrategia de evaluación diseñada mostró su validez para recopilar, triangular y evaluar los resultados del programa, así como perfeccionarlo a partir de múltiples dimensiones, indicadores y fuentes y en diferentes momentos. Se validó satisfactoriamente por expertos nacionales e internacionales.
Funcionalidad familiar y autoestima en adolescentes durante la pandemia por COVID-19
Authors: Romero Farías Ángela Denisse , Giniebra Urra Ricardo
Published: April 2023

Durante la pandemia por COVID – 19 muchas esferas de la vida del ser humano se han visto afectadas, entre ellas la esfera familiar. Como aspecto fundamental del ser humano puede verse impactada, la autoestima, especialmente si se refiere a adolescentes, puesto que en esta etapa la identidad y autoestima son más vulnerables a sufrir impacto. El objetivo de la presente investigación es identificar la correlación entre funcionalidad familiar y autoestima en adolescentes durante la pandemia por COVID – 19; tomando en consideración a los adolescentes miembros del club “Unidos por la Vida” del proyecto “Esperanza”. Se aplicó un enfoque de investigación cuantitativo y un diseño descriptivo – correlacional. En el estudio participaron 35 adolescentes, a los cuales se les aplicó una ficha sociodemográfica para describir las características sociodemográficas de la muestra; el Cuestionario de Funcionamiento Familiar (FF-SIL), identificando su rango de pertenencia de funcionalidad familiar y la Escala de Autoestima de Rosenberg para medir el nivel de autoestima. Como resultados se obtiene que la media de los adolescentes, pertenecen a familias moderadamente funcionales, se encontraron variaciones en los niveles de autoestima, ubicándose la mayoría en un rango de autoestima media. Respecto a la correlación de las variables Funcionalidad familiar y autoestima, no existe correlación estadísticamente significativa. No se constatan variaciones significativas o de asociación entre la funcionalidad familiar y las características sociodemográficas de la muestra.
Autoestima y abandono familiar de adultos mayores en la ciudad de Portoviejo, Ecuador
Authors: Sosa Arteaga Francisco Javier , Terán Espinoza Juan Daniel
Published: April 2023

La presente investigación consistió en diagnosticar la autoestima de adultos mayores que se encuentran en condición de abandono familiar residentes en el geriátrico Guillermina Loor de la ciudad de Portoviejo. Esta investigación se desarrolló con un enfoque cuali-cuantitativo, diseño no experimental y corte transversal de tipo descriptivo. Se sustenta teóricamente en las variables estado afectivo y abandono en los adultos mayores. Para la recolección de datos se utilizó la Escala de autoestima de Rosenberg que según (Rojas-Barahona et al., 2009) está constituida por diez afirmaciones con cuatro opciones de respuesta tipo Likert (4= muy de acuerdo, 3= de acuerdo, 2= en desacuerdo, 1= totalmente en desacuerdo); cinco afirmaciones tienen una dirección positiva y cinco una dirección negativa” complementada con una entrevista, lo resultados fueron procesados mediante el programa de SSPS (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences). Como resultados se obtuvo un diagnóstico de los niveles de autoestima que presentan los adultos mayores y su relación con el abandono familiar los cuales fueron mostraron que de 19 adultos mayores que participaron en la aplicación de test 7 presentaron una baja autoestima, 4 presentaron una media autoestima y 8 presentaron una autoestima elevada, dando un porcentaje de 36,8 baja autoestima, 21,1 con autoestima media y 42,1 con autoestima elevada.
Estrés docente en tiempos de confinamiento: estudio de caso en el cantón Santa Ana de Manabí, Ecuador
Authors: Navarrete Mera Cindy Liliana , Santos Jara Enrique Antonio
Published: April 2023

El estrés es una reacción genéticamente programada para enfrentar situaciones que ponen en riesgo la seguridad colectiva e individual de las personas. Niveles muy bajos o altos de estrés, sin embargo, lo convierten en factor de riesgo, tanto psicofisiológica como conductualmente. La pandemia SARS-CoV-2 y el confinamiento a que dio lugar fueron procesos abruptos y disruptivos, algunos aún presentes. Desde la perspectiva de los profesores, cambiaron los entornos de la enseñanza, así como el carácter y la temporalidad de la interacción con sus estudiantes. Debieron modificarse las estrategias docentes en, al menos, dos aspectos: las metodologías para guiar el aprendizaje y la interacción sincrónica y asincrónica con sus estudiantes. El trabajo de los maestros desde casa durante el confinamiento es aún un proceso de aprendizaje sobre la nueva educación y la gestión escolar en entornos virtuales. Usando métodos cuali-cuantitativos en el estudio de un caso, el objetivo de este artículo fue analizar cómo situaciones “excepcionales” inciden en el estrés humano, al modificar súbita y prolongadamente los patrones de acción e interacción de personas y colectivos sociales. Con los maestros con mayor estrés percibido se profundizó en elementos experienciales y subjetivos del estrés percibido. De este modo, se identificaron tres tipos de factores estresantes principales, de alta incidencia.
Spokane Beat the Heat: Correlations of Urban Heat with Race and Income in Spokane, Washington
Authors: Henning Brian , Ducken Kaitlan , Honebein Karli , Farho Corrina , Brown Ben
Published: April 2023

The Gonzaga Center for Climate, Society, and the Environment led a community effort to better understand how extreme heat affects different neighborhoods and different individuals by constructing maps of urban heat island and connecting them to demographic factors through a correlation analysis. This research reveals that extreme heat events affect not only the unhoused, but also many thousands of people across large segments of the Spokane community. Not all regions or demographics in Spokane are equally affected by extreme heat. Differences in green space and the built environment mean that some people are more likely to be in danger during future extreme heat events.
Trasplante de microbiota fecal como alternativa de tratamiento por infecciones de clostridoides difficile
Authors: Figueroa Narváez Nicole Salomé , Torres Jerves Jorge Andrés
Published: April 2023

La infección por Clostridioides difficile es una amenaza para la salud pública, está asociada a la atención médica, cuya complicación más frecuente es la infección recurrente, con tasas de hasta el 60% después del tercer episodio. Las opciones de tratamiento para la recurrencia de esta infección son limitadas. Una gran paradoja es tratar una infección asociada a antibióticos con más antibióticos, por ello, la piedra angular en el manejo de esta infección es la restauración de la microbiota intestinal mediante el trasplante de microbiota fecal. Objetivo. Determinar la eficacia y seguridad del trasplante de microbiota fecal para el tratamiento de la infección recurrente por Clostridioides difficile. Metodología. Se realizó una revisión bibliográfica narrativa de la literatura científica en las bases de datos PubMed y Cochrane Library empleando los Descriptores en Ciencias de la Salud (DeCS) y Medical Subject Headings (MeSH), junto con los operadores booleanos “AND/Y”, “OR/O”; donde se recopilaron los estudios que cumplieron con los criterios de inclusión. Conclusión. Se concluyó que el trasplante de microbiota fecal en la infección recurrente por Clostridioides difficile es un tratamiento eficaz y seguro, con eventos adversos mínimos, aunque la seguridad a largo plazo no está bien establecida.