bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The State of the Art and New Insight into Combined Finite–Discrete Element Modelling of the Entire Rock Slope Failure Process
Authors: An Huaming , Fan Yuqing , Liu Hongyuan , Cheng Yinyao , Song Yushan
Published: April 2022

The stability of rock slopes is of significance, as even the slightest slope failure can result in damage to infrastructure and catastrophes for human beings. Thus, this article focuses on the review of the current techniques available for rock slope stability analysis. The rock slope stability techniques can be classified as conventional methods and numerical methods. The advantages and limitations of the conventional method are briefly reviewed. The numerical methods mainly included three types, i.e., continuum methods, discontinuum methods, and the combined/hybrid continuum–discontinuum methods. This article pays more attention to the last type. The combined/hybrid finite–discrete element method (FDEM), which might be the most widely used continuum–discontinuum method, is introduced and we illustrated its abilities in modelling the entire rock slope failure process. The fundamental principles of FDEM, i.e., the contact interaction of the discrete bodies and the transition from continuum to discontinuum, are introduced in detail. The abilities of the FDEM in modelling the rock slope failure process are calibrated by modelling the entire typical rock slope failure process. Then, the application of the FDEM in the analysis of slope stability is introduced and discussed. Finally, the authors give insight into the GPGUP-parallelized FDEM modelling of the high rock slope failure process by the implementation of the strength reduction method (SRM). It is concluded that the FDEM can effectively model the entire rock slope failure process, even without the implantation of any slope modes, and the GPGUP-parallelized FDEM is a promising tool in the study and application of rock slope stabilities.
How Web Content Types Improve Consumer Engagement through Scarcity and Interactivity of Mobile Commerce?
Authors: Wang Ming , Choi Jaewon
Published: April 2022

The emergence of various web contents gives customers influence according to characteristics. The characteristics of the content can distinguish the three types of commerce: branded content-type commerce, review content-type commerce, and home shopping content-type commerce. The purpose of this study is to identify the difference between customer engagement and reuse intention according to the three types of content characteristics. To identify the research questions, we conducted experiment and survey for three different commerce types. Randomized participants were exposed to different three web contents. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) was applied to compare three groups on average to analyze the differences between those groups. After testing the manipulation of experiment, structural equation modeling for various antecedents was performed. Interaction had a positive effect on engagement, as we prove within the paper. Content information had a positive impact on engagement, as you can see within the research. The effect of attention on engagement was confirmed as positive. Results of analysis proved our hypotheses; thus, scarcity of time had a positive effect on engagement and scarcity of quantity had a positive effect on engagement, as we prove within the paper. Ubiquity has a positive effect on engagement. System quality positively affects engagement. Ease of use has a positive effect on engagement. Consumer engagement had a positive effect on reuse intention. Finally, there are differences among the three kinds of mobile commerce as a conclusion within the findings.
Research on Airflow Optimization and Infection Risk Assessment of Medical Cabin of Negative-Pressure Ambulance
Authors: Zhou Shuwen , Zhang Liwei
Published: April 2022

Medical cabins within negative-pressure ambulances currently only use the front air supply, which causes poor emission of infectious disease droplets. For this problem, based on the classification and design methods of airflow organization, the side and top supply airflow organization model has been designed to study the influence of these airflow organization models on the spread of droplet particles. The distribution of droplet particles within airflow organization models, under conditions in which the patient is coughing and sneezing, is analyzed. According to the comparison and analysis of this distribution, the state of droplet particles, the emission efficiency, and the security coefficient are studied. The response surface method is used to optimize the emission efficiency and security coefficient of the airflow organization. According to the characteristics of the medical cabin within negative-pressure ambulances, a dose-response model is used to evaluate the infection risk of medical personnel and then the infection probability is obtained. These research results can be used to improve the ability of negative-pressure ambulances to prevent cross-infection.
Entrepreneurial Orientation and Venture Creation in Nigerian Context: Assessing Mediating and Moderating Roles of Self-Efficacy and Entrepreneurial Support among Graduates
Authors: Na-Allah Shehu Rabiah , Ahmad Noor Hazlina
Published: April 2022

Over-reliance on hired jobs in the public and private sectors of the Nigerian economy has discouraged most graduates from becoming entrepreneurs. This leads to unemployment, poverty and low economic growth that breed insecurity. Drawing from the formative perspective, this study analyzed the mediating role of self-efficacy (SELF) and the moderating effect of entrepreneurial support (ENTSP) in relation to individual-level entrepreneurial orientation (ILEO; innovativeness, risk taking and proactiveness) and venture creation (VC) among Nigerian graduates. A reflective/formative type II method was applied to test the model’s relationships using 291 survey responses. The result of partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) reveals that the indirect relationship between ILEO and VC through SELF was positive and significant but negatively moderated by ENTSP, implying that not all instances of ILEO will result in VC through SELF because ILEO can directly lead to VC. The finding also indicates ENTSP did not have an impact on strengthening the relationship between SELF and VC. A limitation lies in the chosen method that weakens the generalizability of the result, but future studies considering a longitudinal survey are suggested. This study extends the entrepreneurial orientation model to enhance the venture creation literature theoretically and practically. We recommend intervention agencies to initiate effective ENTSP covering financial, non-financial and incubation services required to boost VC activities.
Generating Entrepreneurial Ideas for Business Development
Authors: Ahmad Nurin Asyikin , Rasul Mohamad Sattar , Othman Norasmah , Jalaludin Nur Atiqah
Published: April 2022

Economic development and market changes have led to the need to generate entrepreneurial ideas in order to meet changing customer demands. However, these changes are not seen as opportunities for generating entrepreneurial ideas. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to identify and determine the most important elements in the process of forming entrepreneurial ideas. Mixed-method research that involved the modified Delphi technique, nominal group technique and interpretive structural modelling was used in this study. At first, a questionnaire was set up for the modified Delphi technique, followed by the nominal group technique and, finally, the interpretive structural modeling was used to determine the most important entrepreneurial ideas and model design. The experts involved in this study were 12 entrepreneurial lecturers from higher institutions. The findings show that evaluating and improving existing ideas is the most important element and should be given priority. Therefore, the findings of this study contribute a piece of valuable information for educators’ practice and for policymakers involved in shaping a more effective entrepreneurship education.
Multi-Dimensional Cost-Effectiveness Analysis for Prioritizing Railway Station Investments: A General Framework with an Application to the Italian Case Study
Authors: Coppola Pierluigi , Deponte Diego , Vacca Alessandro , Messa Federico , Silvestri Fulvio
Published: April 2022

In recent years, several authors have highlighted the merits of the Cost-Effectiveness Analysis (CEA), e.g., compared to Cost-Benefits Analysis (CBA), particularly for small projects appraisal (e.g., revamping or extraordinary maintenance interventions) and when the impacts of the project are difficult to value or quantify in monetary terms. CEA is a quite consolidated technique, typically applied in practice when one specific impact prevails over the others. This research extends the concept of CEA to a multi-dimensional decision-making context, outlining a methodological framework that includes several criteria to assess the impacts of railway station revamping in urban contexts. The proposed method has already been applied for the project appraisals of five railway stations in Italy; this paper presents the application to a case study representing the typical configuration of a medium-sized Italian railway station. Results have shown that the proposed approach is a valid tool for both designers and infrastructure managers for prioritizing railway station investments in the presence of multiple strategic objectives that also conflict with each other. A multi-dimensional CEA can provide, in a communicative, lean, and effective way, the information on investment costs and the impacts that different policies, layouts, and technological solutions would have, creating the basis for a more transparent debate on resource allocation priorities. Finally, results have shown that the CEA is not only a method for project assessment, but also a tool for improving and directing the design towards the identification of interventions that allow the achievement of the key objectives set ex ante.
Competencies of Sustainability Professionals: An Empirical Study on Key Competencies for Sustainability
Authors: Venn Ronald , Perez Paquita , Vandenbussche Valerie
Published: April 2022

This paper presents an empirical study on key competencies for sustainable development. Over a period of two years, we collected empirical data on competencies of senior sustainability professionals by using an action research approach. Data collection took place in Belgium Flanders via an elaborate iterative action-reflection process including an interactive workshop, interviews, and an online survey. Our analysis provides strong empirical evidence for the existence of two complementary competency clusters, namely sustainability research competencies and sustainability intervention competencies. Together they enable the profound analysis and understanding of sustainability issues and ensure the ability to devise solutions and foster change towards sustainability. Furthermore, we shed a first light on the interaction of these competency clusters and their link with the practitioners’ topical knowledge and lived experience. This study bridges the divergence in literature between theoretically and empirically driven research and offers novel insights on sustainability competencies for the fields of sustainability science, human resource management, and higher education.
Automatic Classification of Equivalent Mutants in Mutation Testing of Android Applications
Authors: Kusharki Muhammad Bello , Misra Sanjay , Muhammad-Bello Bilkisu , Salihu Ibrahim Anka , Suri Bharti
Published: April 2022

Software and symmetric testing methodologies are primarily used in detecting software defects, but these testing methodologies need to be optimized to mitigate the wasting of resources. As mobile applications are becoming more prevalent in recent times, the need to have mobile applications that satisfy software quality through testing cannot be overemphasized. Testing suites and software quality assurance techniques have also become prevalent, which underscores the need to evaluate the efficacy of these tools in the testing of the applications. Mutation testing is one such technique, which is the process of injecting small changes into the software under test (SUT), thereby creating mutants. These mutants are then tested using mutation testing techniques alongside the SUT to determine the effectiveness of test suites through mutation scoring. Although mutation testing is effective, the cost of implementing it, due to the problem of equivalent mutants, is very high. Many research works gave varying solutions to this problem, but none used a standardized dataset. In this research work, we employed a standard mutant dataset tool called MutantBench to generate our data. Subsequently, an Abstract Syntax Tree (AST) was used in conjunction with a tree-based convolutional neural network (TBCNN) as our deep learning model to automate the classification of the equivalent mutants to reduce the cost of mutation testing in software testing of android applications. The result shows that the proposed model produces a good accuracy rate of 94%, as well as other performance metrics such as recall (96%), precision (89%), F1-score (92%), and Matthew’s correlation coefficients (88%) with fewer False Negatives and False Positives during testing, which is significant as it implies that there is a decrease in the risk of misclassification.
The Functional Expansion Approach for Solving NPDEs as a Generalization of the Kudryashov and G′/G Methods
Authors: Ionescu Carmen , Babalic Corina N. , Constantinescu Radu , Efrem Raluca
Published: April 2022

This paper presents the functional expansion approach as a generalized method for finding traveling wave solutions of various nonlinear partial differential equations. The approach can be seen as a combination of the Kudryashov and G′/G solving methods. It allowed the extension of the first method to the use of second order auxiliary equations, and, at the same time, it allowed non-standard G′/G-solutions to be generated. The functional expansion is illustrated here on the Dodd–Bullough–Mikhailov model, using a linear second order ordinary differential equation as an auxiliary equation.
A Multi-Objective Cellular Memetic Optimization Algorithm for Green Scheduling in Flexible Job Shops
Authors: Wang Yong , Peng Wange , Lu Chao , Xia Huan
Published: April 2022

In the last 30 years, a flexible job shop scheduling problem (FJSP) has been extensively explored. Production efficiency is a widely utilized objective. With the rise in environmental awareness, green objectives (e.g., energy consumption) have received a lot of attention. Nevertheless, energy consumption has received little attention. Furthermore, controllable processing times (CPT) should be considered in the field of scheduling, because they are closer to some real production. Therefore, this work investigates a FJSP with CPT (i.e., FJSP-CPT) where asymmetrical conditions and symmetrical constraints increase the difficulty of problem solving. The objectives of FJSP-CPT are to minimize simultaneously the maximum completion time (i.e., makespan) and total energy consumption (TEC). First of all, a mathematical model of this multi-objective FJSP-CPT was formulated. To optimize this problem, a novel multi-objective cellular memetic optimization algorithm (MOCMOA) was presented. The proposed MOMOA combined the advantages of cellular structure for global exploration and variable neighborhood search (VNS) for local exploitation. At last, MOCMOA was compared against other multi-objective optimization approaches by performing experiments. Numerical experiments reveal that the presented MOCMOA is superior to its competitors in 15 instances regarding three commonly used performance metrics.
A Generalization of Group-Graded Modules
Authors: Al-Shomrani Mohammed , Al-Subaie Najlaa
Published: April 2022

In this article, we generalize the concept of group-graded modules by introducing the concept of G-weak graded R-modules, which are R-modules graded by a set G of left coset representatives, where R is a G-weak graded ring. Moreover, we prove some properties of these modules. Finally, results related to G-weak graded fields and their vector spaces are deduced. Many considerable examples are provided with more emphasis on the symmetric group S3 and the dihedral group D6, which gives the group of symmetries of a regular hexagon.
On a Certain Subclass of Analytic Functions Defined by Touchard Polynomials
Authors: Venkateswarlu Bolenini , Thirupathi Reddy Pinninti , Altınkaya Şahsene , Boonsatit Nattakan , Hammachukiattikul Porpattama , Sujatha Vaishnavy
Published: April 2022

This paper focuses on the establishment of a new subfamily of analytic functions including Touchard polynomials. Then, we attempt to obtain geometric properties such as coefficient inequalities, distortion properties, extreme points, radii of starlikeness and convexity, partial sums, neighbourhood results and integral means’ inequality for this class. The symmetry properties of the subfamily of functions established in the current paper may be examined as future research directions.
The Malware Detection Approach in the Design of Mobile Applications
Authors: Aboshady Doaa , Ghannam Naglaa , Elsayed Eman , Diab Lamiaa
Published: April 2022

Background: security has become a major concern for smartphone users in line with the increasing use of mobile applications, which can be downloaded from unofficial sources. These applications make users vulnerable to penetration and viruses. Malicious software (malware) is unwanted software that is frequently used by cybercriminals to launch cyber-attacks. Therefore, the motive of the research was to detect malware early before infection by discovering it at the application-design level and not at the code level, where the virus will have already damaged the system. Methods: in this article, we proposed a malware detection method at the design level based on reverse engineering, the unified modeling language (UML) environment, and the web ontology language (OWL). The proposed method detected “Data_Send_Trojan” malware by designing a UML model that simulated the structure of the malware. Then, by generating the ontology of the model, and using RDF query language (SPARQL) to create certain queries, the malware was correctly detected. In addition, we proposed a new classification of malware that was suitable for design detection. Results: the proposed method detected Trojan malware that appeared 552 times in a sample of 600 infected android application packages (APK). The experimental results showed a good performance in detecting malware at the design level with precision and recall of 92% and 91%, respectively. As the dataset increased, the accuracy of detection increased significantly, which made this methodology promising.
Study of a Coupled System with Sub-Strip and Multi-Valued Boundary Conditions via Topological Degree Theory on an Infinite Domain
Authors: Ahmad Sahibzada Waseem , Sarwar Muhammed , Shah Kamal , Eiman  , Abdeljawad Thabet
Published: April 2022

The existence and uniqueness of solutions for a coupled system of Liouville–Caputo type fractional integro-differential equations with multi-point and sub-strip boundary conditions are investigated in this study. The fractional integro-differential equations contain a finite number of Riemann–Liouville fractional integral and non-integral type nonlinearities, as well as Caputo differential operators of various orders subject to fractional boundary conditions on an infinite interval. At the boundary conditions, we use sub-strip and multi-point contribution. There are various techniques to solve such type of differential equations and one of the most common is known as symmetry analysis. The symmetry analysis has widely been used in problems involving differential equations, although determining the symmetries can be computationally intensive compared to other methods. Therefore, we employ the degree theory due to the Mawhin involving measure of a non-compactness technique to arrive at our desired findings. An interesting pertinent problem has also been provided to demonstrate the applicability of our results.
Spectral Decomposition of Mappings of Molecular Genetic Information in the System Basis of Single Nucleotide Functions
Authors: Stepanyan Ivan , Lednev Michail
Published: April 2022

This paper presents and visualizes examples of large amounts of genetic information using a new class of cognitive computer graphics algorithms. These algorithms are related to the semiotics of perception and allow the interpretation of those properties of nucleotide sequences that are difficult to perceive by simple reading or by standard means of statistical analysis. This article summarizes previously presented algorithms for visualizing long nucleic acids based on the primary Hadamard–Walsh function system. The described methods allow us to produce one-dimensional mappings of nucleic acids by levels corresponding to their scale-integral physicochemical parameters and construct a spectral decomposition of the nucleotide composition. An example of the spectral decomposition of parametric representations of molecular genetic structures is given. In addition, a multiscale composition of genetic functional mappings visualizing the structural features of nucleic acids is discussed.
A New Approach of Knowledge Reduction in Knowledge Context Based on Boolean Matrix
Authors: Yang Liying , Li Jinjin , Zhang Chengling , Lin Yidong
Published: April 2022

Knowledge space theory (KST) is a mathematical framework for the assessment of knowledge and learning in education. An important task of KST is to achieve all of the atoms. With the development of KST, considering its relationship with formal concept analysis (FCA) has become a hot issue. The atoms of the knowledge space with application in knowledge reduction based on FCA is examined in this paper. The knowledge space and its properties based on FCA are first discussed. Knowledge reduction and its relationship with molecules in the knowledge context are then investigated. A Boolean matrix is employed to determine molecules and meet-irreducible elements in the knowledge context. The method of the knowledge-reduction-based Boolean matrix in the knowledge space is also explored. Furthermore, an algorithm for finding the atoms of the knowledge space in the knowledge context is developed using a Boolean matrix.
Botulinum Toxin Therapy for Oromandibular Dystonia and Other Movement Disorders in the Stomatognathic System
Authors: Yoshida Kazuya
Published: April 2022

Various movement disorders, such as oromandibular dystonia, oral dyskinesia, bruxism, functional (psychogenic) movement disorder, and tremors, exist in the stomatognathic system. Most patients experiencing involuntary movements due to these disorders visit dentists or oral surgeons, who may be the first healthcare providers. However, differential diagnoses require neurological and dental knowledge. This study aimed to review scientific advances in botulinum toxin therapy for these conditions. The results indicated that botulinum toxin injection is effective and safe, with few side effects in most cases when properly administered by an experienced clinician. The diagnosis and treatment of movement disorders in the stomatognathic system require both neurological and dental or oral surgical knowledge and skills, and well-designed multicenter trials with a multidisciplinary team approach must be necessary to ensure accurate diagnosis and proper treatment.
Kidney Re-Transplantation after Simultaneous Heart and Kidney Transplant: Case Study and Literature Review
Authors: Przybył Antonina , Heleniak Zbigniew , Kobiela Jarosław , Stopczyńska Iwona , Zembala Marian , Zakliczyński Michał , Domański Leszek , Różański Jacek , Dębska-Ślizień Alicja
Published: April 2022

The kidney is one of most frequent transplants to be performed in multi-organ transplantation. A simultaneous heart and kidney transplant (SHKT) is the best-known treatment method in patients with severe heart failure and end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Here, the authors describe the case of a kidney re-transplantation after SHKT, which is in accordance with the majority of studies, and proves the safety of simultaneous procedures. The article highlights the complex care required after the transplant, followed by the multi-factor qualification for re-transplantation. In conclusion, the case shows that SHKT provides long-term favorable outcomes and enables a repeated kidney transplantation with satisfactory one-year follow-up results.
Effects of Instrument Assisted Soft-Tissue Mobilization on Dynamic Balance in Those with Chronic Ankle Instability
Authors: Croft Brittany D. , Aronson Patricia A. , Bowman Thomas G.
Published: April 2022

Our objective was to examine the effectiveness of IASTM application to the FL on dynamic balance in individuals with CAI. Fifteen individuals (seven females, eight males, age = 26.07 ± 9.18 years, mass = 87.33 ± 24.07 kg, height = 178.83 ± 12.83 cm) with CAI, as determined by the Ankle Instability Instrument (AII) volunteered to participate. Participants completed two counterbalanced sessions (experimental and control), and we recorded measurements at two time points (pre- and post-). The application of IASTM to the FL muscle was carried out using Técnica Gavilán® instruments for 90 s during the intervention, and participants sat for 2 min during the control session. Dynamic balance was assessed using the Y-balance test (YBT). The interaction between session and time for anterior reach was significant (F1,14 = 5.26, p = 0.04, η2 = 0.27). Post-hoc tests revealed farther reach distances at post-test (71.02 ± 9.45 cm) compared to pre-test (66.57 ± 10.87 cm) when IASTM was applied (p = 0.02, Mean Difference = 4.45 cm, CI95 = 0.71–8.19 cm, Cohen’s d = 0.44). The interaction between session and time was not significant for posteromedial (F1,14 = 0.25, p = 0.62, η2 = 0.02, 1 − β = 0.08) or posterolateral reaches (F1,14 = 1.17, p = 0.30, η2 = 0.08, 1 − β = 0.17). The application of IASTM to the FL improved anterior reach of the YBT, but not posterolateral or posteromedial reaches in individuals with CAI. However, the 4.45 cm increase in anterior reach could have clinical implications for improved function.
Development of Robust Varicella Zoster Virus Luciferase Reporter Viruses for In Vivo Monitoring of Virus Growth and Its Antiviral Inhibition in Culture, Skin, and Humanized Mice
Authors: Lloyd Megan G. , Yee Michael B. , Flot Joseph S. , Liu Dongmei , Geiler Brittany W. , Kinchington Paul R. , Moffat Jennifer F.
Published: April 2022

There is a continued need to understand varicella-zoster virus (VZV) pathogenesis and to develop more effective antivirals, as it causes chickenpox and zoster. As a human-restricted alphaherpesvirus, the use of human skin in culture and mice is critical in order to reveal the important VZV genes that are required for pathogenesis but that are not necessarily observed in the cell culture. We previously used VZV-expressing firefly luciferase (fLuc), under the control of the constitutively active SV40 promoter (VZV-BAC-Luc), to measure the VZV spread in the same sample. However, the fLuc expression was independent of viral gene expression and viral DNA replication programs. Here, we developed robust reporter VZV viruses by using bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) technology, expressing luciferase from VZV-specific promoters. We also identified two spurious mutations in VZV-BAC that were corrected for maximum pathogenesis. VZV with fLuc driven by ORF57 showed superior growth in cells, human skin explants, and skin xenografts in mice. The ORF57-driven luciferase activity had a short half-life in the presence of foscarnet. This background was then used to investigate the roles for ORF36 (thymidine kinase (TK)) and ORF13 (thymidylate synthase (TS)) in skin. The studies reveal that VZV-∆TS had increased sensitivity to brivudine and was highly impaired for skin replication. This is the first report of a phenotype that is associated with the loss of TS.
Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Variants of Concern: A Perspective for Emerging More Transmissible and Vaccine-Resistant Strains
Authors: de Souza Anacleto Silva , de Freitas Amorim Vitor Martins , Guardia Gabriela D. A. , dos Santos Filipe F. , Ulrich Henning , Galante Pedro A. F. , de Souza Robson Francisco , Guzzo Cristiane Rodrigues
Published: April 2022

Novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) variants of concern (VOC) are constantly threatening global public health. With no end date, the pandemic persists with the emergence of novel variants that threaten the effectiveness of diagnostic tests and vaccines. Mutations in the Spike surface protein of the virus are regularly observed in the new variants, potentializing the emergence of novel viruses with different tropism from the current ones, which may change the severity and symptoms of the disease. Growing evidence has shown that mutations are being selected in favor of variants that are more capable of evading the action of neutralizing antibodies. In this context, the most important factor guiding the evolution of SARS-CoV-2 is its interaction with the host’s immune system. Thus, as current vaccines cannot block the transmission of the virus, measures complementary to vaccination, such as the use of masks, hand hygiene, and keeping environments ventilated remain essential to delay the emergence of new variants. Importantly, in addition to the involvement of the immune system in the evolution of the virus, we highlight several chemical parameters that influence the molecular interactions between viruses and host cells during invasion and are also critical tools making novel variants more transmissible. In this review, we dissect the impacts of the Spike mutations on biological parameters such as (1) the increase in Spike binding affinity to hACE2; (2) bound time for the receptor to be cleaved by the proteases; (3) how mutations associate with the increase in RBD up-conformation state in the Spike ectodomain; (4) expansion of uncleaved Spike protein in the virion particles; (5) increment in Spike concentration per virion particles; and (6) evasion of the immune system. These factors play key roles in the fast spreading of SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern, including the Omicron.
Low-Cost and Rapid Method of DNA Extraction from Scaled Fish Blood and Skin Mucus
Authors: Gui Lang , Li Xinyu , Lin Shentao , Zhao Yun , Lin Peiyao , Wang Bingqi , Tang Rongkang , Guo Jing , Zu Yao , Zhou Yan , Li Mingyou
Published: April 2022

PCR-based DNA amplification has been one of the major methods in aquaculture research for decades, although its use outside the modern laboratory environment is limited due to the relatively complex methods and high costs. To this end, we investigated a swabbing and disc protocol for the collection of DNA samples from fish which could extract DNA from fish skin mucus by a non-invasion technique costing only $0.02 (USD) and requiring less than 30 seconds. The disc method that we chose could use the cheap filter paper to extract DNA from above 104 crucian carp blood cells, which is comparable to the commercial kit. By using skin mucus swabbing and the disc method, we can obtain amplification-ready DNA from mucus to distinguish different species from our smallest fish (medaka, ~2.5 cm and crucian carp, ~7 cm) to our biggest fish (tilapia, ~15 cm). Furthermore, the viral pathogen Carassius auratus herpesvirus (CaHV) of crucian carp was detected using our method, which would make performing molecular diagnostic assays achievable in limited-resource settings including aquafarms and aqua stores outside the laboratory environment.
Water Flow Characteristics Controlled by Slope Morphology under Different Rainfall Capacities and Its Implications for Slope Failure Patterns
Authors: Zhang Bin , Zhang Maosheng , Liu Hao , Sun Pingping , Feng Li , Li Tonglu , Wang Yimin
Published: April 2022

The high sensitivity of loess slopes to water has been emphasized in many studies. However, it is still limited in terms of the understanding of slope morphological differentiation on the overall and local failure patterns in slopes, as well as on the acquisition method of hydrological dynamics. In this study, rainfall characteristics and slope surface morphological differences were introduced. Geoelectric and environmental factors were monitored. On this basis, apparent resistivity corrected by seasonal temperature and its relationship with soil water content was calibrated. The water migration characteristics and potential failure patterns of three slope morphologies were evaluated. The results are: (i) the improved resistivity method can better reflect the water flow movement within the slope, and it performs well after being corrected by temperature; (ii) the characteristics of surface runoff and water infiltration are directly affected by the cumulative rainfall value, and especially when the cumulative rainfall is >70 mm threshold, the surface runoff quickly infiltrates into the deep of the slope along the preferential paths; (iii) the interception ability of loess slope morphology to the surface runoff is concave slope > convex slope > linear slope; (iv) with the continuous rainfall, the convex surface of a slope is prone to be damaged by saturated mud flow. When the cumulative rainfall threshold is 70 mm, the preferential flow is easily excited on the concave surface of the slope, resulting in local collapse at the slope toe and mid-deep landslides.
Continuous Cultivation of Microalgae in Cattle Slaughterhouse Wastewater Treated with Hydrodynamic Cavitation
Authors: Terán Hilares Ruly , Sánchez Vera Fabio P. , Colina Andrade Gilberto J. , Tejada Meza Kevin , García Jaime Cárdenas , Pacheco Tanaka David Alfredo
Published: April 2022

Cattle slaughtering produce large amounts of wastewater containing high concentrations of organic matter and nutrients and requires significant treatment before disposal or reutilization. However, the nutrients contained can be valued as a medium for microalgal biomass generation. In this work, hydrodynamic cavitation (HC) followed by membrane filtration or biological (microalgae cultivation) treatment in continuous mode were performed. From cattle slaughterhouse wastewater (CSW), by the effect of HC treatment with air injection in batch mode, more than 20% of the chemical oxygen demand (COD) was removed. In a continuous HC process, the COD content in output was 324 mg O2/L, which is 68% lower than the supplied CSW. After that, 76% of residual COD was removed by filtration through a tubular alumina membrane (600 nm). Finally, 85% of residual COD after HC treatment in 24 h in a batch mode was removed by microalgae. On the other hand, the COD concentration in the output was around 59 mg O2/L in continuous mode, which represents 85–93% COD removal. The process involving HC and microalgae growing looks promising since in addition to water treatment, the microalgae produced could be valued in a biorefinery concept.
Environmental Fate of Metal Nanoparticles in Estuarine Environments
Authors: Arienzo Michele , Ferrara Luciano
Published: April 2022

In the last decade, metal engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) have seen an exponential use in many critical technologies and products, as well an increasing release into the environment. Coastal ecosystems worldwide may receive ENM-polluted waters and wastes, with a consequent alteration of habitats and contamination of aquatic biota. There is a scarcity of data regarding the fate of these emerging contaminants in such environments. Open issues include the determination of the sources, the quantification of the interactions with marine sediments, the bioaccumulation pathways, the ecotoxicology on marine fauna and the identification of the principal biotic and abiotic factors that may alter metal ENMs toxicity. Little is known about their potential transference into the food web, as well toxicity features and co-stressors of single or multiple ENMs under laboratory and real environmental conditions for various taxonomic phyla. This review reports current knowledge on the ecological impact of ENMs under the complex environmental conditions of estuary systems, identifies gaps in current knowledge and provides directions for future research.
Comparative Multi-Criteria Assessment of Hydrological Vulnerability—Case Study: Drainage Basins in the Northeast Region of Romania
Authors: Albulescu Andra-Cosmina , Minea Ionuț , Boicu Daniel , Larion Daniela
Published: April 2022

Hydrological vulnerability (HV) is a (changing) underlying condition in all drainage basins, depending on the dynamics of the potentially dangerous hydrological phenomena, the particularities of drainage networks, land use patterns, and processes that shape landforms in extensive periods. The socioeconomic attributes and the hydrotechnical infrastructure add up to the manifestation of this type of vulnerability. In this paper, we assess the HV levels of 81 drainage basins in the NE of Romania for three distinctive periods (1990–1999, 2000–2009, 2010–2018), using a multi-criteria approach. Two classical multi-criteria decision making (MCDM) methods were combined in order to evaluate the HV according to factors that refer to floods and hydrological drought occurrences, hydrotechnical structure coverage, the drainage network, land use, and landforms characteristics. The Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) was applied to weigh these factors and the resulting relative importance values were integrated in the Technique for Order of Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS), by which the alternatives represented by the catchments were ranked. The attenuation of the HV through time follows an East–West direction, from the lower elevations of the Moldavian Plateau to the heights of the Carpathians. Hydrological droughts are more likely to occur in the Eastern part of the analyzed territory, while the western section displays a certain propensity for floods. The results may be used by local and national authorities in order to improve the hydrological risk mitigation strategies, and to develop more targeted water management projects, properly calibrated to the conditions of the Northeast Development Region in Romania.
Challenges in Quantifying Losses in a Partly Urbanised Catchment: A South Australian Case Study
Authors: Ratnayake Dinesh C. , Hewa Guna A. , Kemp David J.
Published: April 2022

Quantifying hydrological losses in a catchment is crucial for developing an effective flood forecasting system and estimating design floods. This can be a complicated and challenging task when the catchment is urbanised as the interaction of pervious and impervious (both directly connected and indirectly connected) areas makes responses to rainfall hard to predict. This paper presents the challenges faced in estimating initial losses (IL) and proportional losses (PL) of the partly urbanised Brownhill Creek catchment in South Australia. The loss components were calculated for 57 runoff generating rainfall events using the non-parametric IL-PL method and parametric method based on two runoff routing models, Runoff Routing Burroughs (RORB) and Rainfall-Runoff Routing (RRR). The analysis showed that the RORB model provided the most representative median IL and PL for the rural portion of the study area as 9 mm and 0.81, respectively. However, none of the methods can provide a reliable loss value for the urban portion because there is no runoff contribution from unconnected areas for each event. However, the estimated non-parametric IL of 1.37 mm can be considered as IL of EIA of the urban portion. Several challenges were identified in the loss estimation process, mainly when selecting appropriate storm events, collecting data with the available temporal resolution, extracting baseflow, and determining the main-stream transmission losses, which reduced the urban flow by 5.7%. The effect of hydrograph shape in non-parametric loss estimation and how combined runoff from the effective impervious area and unconnected (combined indirectly connected impervious and pervious) areas affects the loss estimation process using the RORB and RRR models are further discussed. We also demonstrate the importance of identifying the catchment specific conditions appropriately when quantifying baseflow and runoff of selected events for loss estimation.
Development of a New Method to Support a Participatory Planning for Piped Water Supply Infrastructure in Informal Settlements
Authors: Mosbach Julian , Sonnenburg Alexander , Fiedler Justus Ernst , Urban Wilhelm
Published: April 2022

For decades, infrastructure planning in informal settlements has been a major challenge for urban planners and engineers. In particular, the planning process for the rapidly changing heterogeneous structures in these areas usually require individual and non-sustainable solutions. In this report, a method for the sustainable and practical planning of a piped water distribution system (WDS) that generates different expansion variants as a planning support tool is presented. In this tool, all real-world routing options are included in the decision-making process, based on the existing infrastructure, settlement structure, and identifiable open spaces. Additionally, proposals for the localization of the future public water points are supported by methods from Logistics. The consideration of the existing settlement structure and real route lengths (pedestrian walking distance) to a potential water point location lead to very practical and realizable results. The principle of participatory planning was considered, to easily include individual adjustments at any given timeframe. At the same time, automated processes generate fast results. The method is modular and linked to a geographic information system (GIS) to directly visualize the impacts and effects of the planning and decision-making process.
Deep Learning for Streamflow Regionalization for Ungauged Basins: Application of Long-Short-Term-Memory Cells in Semiarid Regions
Authors: Nogueira Filho Francisco José Matos , Souza Filho Francisco de Assis , Porto Victor Costa , Vieira Rocha Renan , Sousa Estácio Ályson Brayner , Martins Eduardo Sávio Passos Rodrigues
Published: April 2022

Rainfall-runoff modeling in ungauged basins continues to be a great hydrological research challenge. A novel approach is the Long-Short-Term-Memory neural network (LSTM) from the Deep Learning toolbox, which few works have addressed its use for rainfall-runoff regionalization. This work aims to discuss the application of LSTM as a regional method against traditional neural network (FFNN) and conceptual models in a practical framework with adverse conditions: reduced data availability, shallow soil catchments with semiarid climate, and monthly time step. For this, the watersheds chosen were located on State of Ceará, Northeast Brazil. For streamflow regionalization, both LSTM and FFNN were better than the hydrological model used as benchmark, however, the FFNN were quite superior. The neural network methods also showed the ability to aggregate process understanding from different watersheds as the performance of the neural networks trained with the regionalization data were better with the neural networks trained for single catchments.
Biogeochemical Behavior of Lead and Nickel as Influenced by Phosphatic Fertilizer Applied to Rice (Oryza sativa L.) Cultivars Grown under City Effluent Irrigation
Authors: Murtaza Ghulam , Maan Muhammad Awais Akram , Alhodaib Aiyeshah , Iqbal Muhammad Mazhar , Naz Tayyaba , Zafar Mazhar Iqbal , Fatima Humaria , Parveen Rashida , Naz Iffat
Published: April 2022

The hydrology of arid to semi-arid regions is substantially different from that in humid regions due to scarce hydrological data distributions with dry climates and strong evapo-transpirative conditions. In the perspective of global water shortage, food security for all of the living beings has become a matter of great concern. Efficient use of water resources both in urban and rural environments and application of non-conventional water resources for irrigation are becoming increasingly important. In order to sustain crop production, the re-use of treated wastewater for irrigation of crops could be a good option. A pot experiment was set up to evaluate effects of different doses of di-ammonium phosphate (DAP) fertilizer on lead (Pb) and nickel (Ni) phyto-availability by two cultivars of rice irrigated with city effluent. Experiment was conducted in a completely randomized design (CRD) each with three replications. The results showed effective immobilization of Pb with applied phosphatic fertilizer. Among all of the tested treatments, the most effective treatment to reduce phyto-availability of Pb was T4 (248 kg P ha−1) due to antagonistic interaction. While Ni showed inconsistent behavior with both synergistic and antagonistic interaction (biphasic) to applied phosphorus (P) rates. Data regarding various growth parameters such as plant height, number of tillers, shoot and root dry weights, straw and grain yields, and physiological attributes such as total chlorophyll contents, photosynthetic and transpiration rates showed significant (p ≤ 0.05) responses to P application. An increasing trend was revealed in determined parameters with increased P application rates, with the exception of decreased plant height. The conclusion of the present remedial approach indicated that addition of P can significantly reduce the risks of rice grown under city effluent irrigation containing high Pb and Ni contents.
The Visibility of Citizen Participation and the Invisibility of Groundwater in Mexico
Authors: Medrano-Pérez Ojilve Ramón , Nava Luzma Fabiola , Cáñez-Cota Antonio
Published: April 2022

The aim of this study is to assess the social responses to protect and prevent conflict over groundwater resources. By means of a qualitative method and a study of the Valles Centrales and Valle de Mexicali aquifers in Mexico, we found that centralized water management, citizens’ socio-environmental awareness, an asymmetry of power between stakeholders, an imposition of government policies, and economic interests are all contributory factors to emerging conflicts over groundwater. However, citizen participation has developed to provide organized individuals with an opportunity to influence public decisions through the recognition of their rights with respect to water inequalities. However, a limitation of the study is the illustration of conflictual events through the interpretation of qualitative data and of the opinions of the actors studied. However, the construction of hydrosocial territory in these aquifers is concretized in the potentiality and significance of citizen participation in promoting sustainable and socially responsible public groundwater policy at the regional level.
Analysis of Temperature Effect on Saturated Hydraulic Conductivity of the Chinese Loess
Authors: Yang Gaiqiang , Xu Yunfei , Huo Lijuan , Wang He , Guo Dongpeng
Published: April 2022

Saturated hydraulic conductivity (Ks) is a significant basic hydraulic parameter in the field of soil science. However, it is typically used as a constant, and that will lead to some inaccurate results in numerical simulations of water movement. In this study, a laboratory experiment was conducted to investigate the effect of temperature on Ks of Chinese loess. The results indicated that Ks had a special relationship with temperature for this soil: Ks increased in the range of temperatures (t) from 7 to 44 °C. A formula in Forest Standard of China LY/T 1218-1999 can well describe the distribution characteristics of the experimental data, but it may not apply if bulk density changes. The study improved the formula by analyzing another set of published experimental data. In the improved formula, the influence of bulk density and temperature on Ks is fully considered. The results show that the improved formula can be applied to the simulation of saturated water flow by accurately describing Ks variation with temperature and bulk density.