bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Board Chairman Characteristics and Real Earnings Management
Authors: Al-Absy Mujeeb Saif Mohsen
Published: November 2022

This study investigates the influence of board chairman characteristics on the level of real earnings management for listed firms with the lowest positive earnings on the Main Market of Bursa Malaysia. Based on the Ordinary Least Square regression, the findings indicate that board chairman independence and real earnings management have a significant positive association. However, BC’s age, on the other hand, was found to be strongly connected with a lesser degree of real earnings management. Other board chairman characteristics, including tenure, ethnicity, and family membership, did not have a significant influence on the level of real earnings management. In general, the findings are robust and compatible with numerous assumptions, such as incorporating the year dummy variable and eliminating the accruals earnings management control variable. These findings highlight the inconsistent effect of each characteristic of the board chairman. Furthermore, it seems that the board chairman’s characteristics examined in the study are not efficient, except for the board chairman’s age, in reducing the real earnings management where results may be different if the board chairman is a female director. The use of comprehensive characteristics of the board chairman together in one model in this study is novel. However, it can inform policy-makers, firms’ owners, stakeholders, as well as scholars, of the need for improving the board chairman’s role in protecting the firm from real earnings activities, where it has been observed that 97% of the boards of the firms’ are chaired by male directors.
Parameter Estimation of AI/p-Si Schottky Barrier Diode Using Different Meta-Heuristic Optimization Techniques
Authors: Doǧan Hülya
Published: November 2022

Schottky barrier diodes (SBD) are crucial in the electronics sector. The electronic properties of SBD are characterized by three basic electrical parameters as the ideality factor (n), barrier height (ΦSB) and series resistance (RS). These parameters are significant in designing and producing SBD. This paper presents a comprehensive review of metaheuristic optimization techniques used to determine the fundamental electrical parameters of SBD using experimental forward current–voltage (I-V) characteristics. In the study, popular meta-heuristic optimization techniques, such as GA, PSO, ALO, EO, DA, HHO, GWO, WOA, MFO, MVO, and SCA algorithms, are employed for the parameter estimation of SBD. Among these chosen algorithms, meta-heuristic optimization techniques, such as GWO, WOA, HHO and AHA, have been used for the first time in the literature for parameter estimation of SBD. Firstly, parameter values have been calculated using experimental (I-V) characteristics. Following that, the findings were compared to the values that had been estimated utilizing optimization techniques. Moreover, the performance of meta-heuristic optimization algorithms in determining the basic parameters of SBD was evaluated statistically. Results show that AHA has higher and symmetrical estimation performance than other presented algorithms in determining the basic parameters of SBD with R2 = 0.999925806, MAE = 2.79065 × 10−7, RMSE = 7.49521 × 10−7, RE = 0.422088668, and STD = 7.68031 × 10−7 statistical values.
Interactive Image Segmentation Based on Feature-Aware Attention
Authors: Sun Jinsheng , Ban Xiaojuan , Han Bing , Yang Xueyuan , Yao Chao
Published: November 2022

Interactive segmentation is a technique for picking objects of interest in images according to users’ input interactions. Some recent works take the users’ interactive input to guide the deep neural network training, where the users’ click information is utilized as weak-supervised information. However, limited by the learning capability of the model, this structure does not accurately represent the user’s interaction intention. In this work, we propose a multi-click interactive segmentation solution for employing human intention to refine the segmentation results. We propose a coarse segmentation network to extract semantic information and generate rough results. Then, we designed a feature-aware attention module according to the symmetry of user intention and image semantic information. Finally, we establish a refinement module to combine the feature-aware results with coarse masks to generate precise intentional segmentation. Furthermore, the feature-aware module is trained as a plug-and-play tool, which can be embedded into most deep image segmentation models for exploiting users’ click information in the training process. We conduct experiments on five common datasets (SBD, GrabCut, DAVIS, Berkeley, MS COCO) and the results prove our attention module can improve the performance of image segmentation networks.
Varespladib in the Treatment of Snakebite Envenoming: Development History and Preclinical Evidence Supporting Advancement to Clinical Trials in Patients Bitten by Venomous Snakes
Authors: Lewin Matthew R. , Carter Rebecca W. , Matteo Isabel A. , Samuel Stephen P. , Rao Sunita , Fry Bryan G. , Bickler Philip E.
Published: November 2022

The availability of effective, reliably accessible, and affordable treatments for snakebite envenoming is a critical and long unmet medical need. Recently, small, synthetic toxin-specific inhibitors with oral bioavailability used in conjunction with antivenom have been identified as having the potential to greatly improve outcomes after snakebite. Varespladib, a small, synthetic molecule that broadly and potently inhibits secreted phospholipase A2 (sPLA2s) venom toxins has renewed interest in this class of inhibitors due to its potential utility in the treatment of snakebite envenoming. The development of varespladib and its oral dosage form, varespladib-methyl, has been accelerated by previous clinical development campaigns to treat non-envenoming conditions related to ulcerative colitis, rheumatoid arthritis, asthma, sepsis, and acute coronary syndrome. To date, twenty-nine clinical studies evaluating the safety, pharmacokinetics (PK), and efficacy of varespladib for non-snakebite envenoming conditions have been completed in more than 4600 human subjects, and the drugs were generally well-tolerated and considered safe for use in humans. Since 2016, more than 30 publications describing the structure, function, and efficacy of varespladib have directly addressed its potential for the treatment of snakebite. This review summarizes preclinical findings and outlines the scientific support, the potential limitations, and the next steps in the development of varespladib’s use as a snakebite treatment, which is now in Phase 2 human clinical trials in the United States and India.
Physiotherapy for Cervical Dystonia: A Systematic Review of Randomised Controlled Trials
Authors: Loudovici-Krug Dana , Derlien Steffen , Best Norman , Günther Albrecht
Published: November 2022

Physiotherapy is mentioned as an adjunctive treatment to improve the symptoms of cervical dystonia in terms of pain, function and quality of life. However, botulinum neurotoxin injection remains the treatment of choice. This systematic review emphasizes physical therapy and evaluates it by including six studies. The methodology is based on a previous systematic review on this topic to provide better comparability and actuality. For this purpose, two databases were searched using the previously published keywords. This time, only randomised controlled trials were evaluated to increase the power. In conclusion, additional physical therapy and active home exercise programs appear to be useful. Further research should focus on the dose–response principle to emphasize physical therapy treatment modalities.
Target Mechanisms of the Cyanotoxin Cylindrospermopsin in Immortalized Human Airway Epithelial Cells
Authors: Ziesemer Sabine , Meyer Susann , Edelmann Julia , Vennmann Janita , Gudra Celine , Arndt Denise , Effenberg Marcus , Hayas Olla , Hayas Aref , Thomassen Johanna Sophia , Kubickova Barbara , Pöther Dierk-Christoph , Hildebrandt Jan-Peter
Published: November 2022

Cylindrospermopsin (CYN) is a cyanobacterial toxin that occurs in aquatic environments worldwide. It is known for its delayed effects in animals and humans such as inhibition of protein synthesis or genotoxicity. The molecular targets and the cell physiological mechanisms of CYN, however, are not well studied. As inhalation of CYN-containing aerosols has been identified as a relevant route of CYN uptake, we analyzed the effects of CYN on protein expression in cultures of immortalized human bronchial epithelial cells (16HBE14o−) using a proteomic approach. Proteins whose expression levels were affected by CYN belonged to several functional clusters, mainly regulation of protein stability, cellular adhesion and integration in the extracellular matrix, cell proliferation, cell cycle regulation, and completion of cytokinesis. With a few exceptions of upregulated proteins (e.g., ITI inhibitor of serine endopeptidases and mRNA stabilizer PABPC1), CYN mediated the downregulation of many proteins. Among these, centrosomal protein 55 (CEP55) and osteonectin (SPARC) were significantly reduced in their abundance. Results of the detailed semi-quantitative Western blot analyses of SPARC, claudin-6, and CEP55 supported the findings from the proteomic study that epithelial cell adhesion, attenuation of cell proliferation, delayed completion of mitosis, as well as induction of genomic instability are major effects of CYN in eukaryotic cells.
The Inhibitory Effect of Pseudomonas stutzeri YM6 on Aspergillus flavus Growth and Aflatoxins Production by the Production of Volatile Dimethyl Trisulfide
Authors: Gong An-Dong , Lei Yin-Yu , He Wei-Jie , Liao Yu-Cai , Ma Ling , Zhang Tian-Tian , Zhang Jing-Bo
Published: November 2022

Aspergillus flavus and the produced aflatoxins cause great hazards to food security and human health across all countries. The control of A. flavus and aflatoxins in grains during storage is of great significance to humans. In the current study, bacteria strain YM6 isolated from sea sediment was demonstrated effective in controlling A. flavus by the production of anti-fungal volatiles. According to morphological characteristics and phylogenetic analysis, strain YM6 was identified as Pseudomonas stutzeri. YM6 can produce abundant volatile compounds which could inhibit mycelial growth and conidial germination of A. flavus. Moreover, it greatly prevented fungal infection and aflatoxin production on maize and peanuts during storage. The inhibition rate was 100%. Scanning electron microscopy further supported that the volatiles could destroy the cell structure of A. flavus and prevent conidia germination on the grain surface. Gas chromatography/mass spectrometry revealed that dimethyl trisulfide (DMTS) with a relative abundance of 13% is the most abundant fraction in the volatiles from strain YM6. The minimal inhibitory concentration of DMTS to A. flavus conidia is 200 µL/L (compound volume/airspace volume). Thus, we concluded that Pseudomonas stutzeri YM6 and the produced DMTS showed great inhibition to A. flavus, which could be considered as effective biocontrol agents in further application.
Studying the Rationale of Fire Ant Sting Therapy Usage by the Tribal Natives of Bastar Revealed Ant Venom-Derived Peptides with Promising Anti-Malarial Activity
Authors: Kumari Jyoti , Sah Raj Kumar , Mohaideen. S Nazar Mohamed , Ahmad Shakeel , Pati Soumya , Singh Shailja
Published: November 2022

Prevailing drug resistance in malaria imposes the major roadblock for the existing interventions necessitating the timely need to search for alternative therapies. Ants in Solenopsis spp, termed ’Fire ants’, are well known for their aggressive behavior, which leads to the release of toxic venom. Notably, the tribal natives of the malaria-laden densely forested Bastar region, Chhattisgarh, India, use fire ant sting-based therapy to cure malaria-like high fever. Inspired by this, we have collected the fire ants from the forest of Bastar and extracted peptide and alkaloid fractions from ant venom using HPLC and analyzed them by LC/MS-based applications. Evaluation of the anti-malarial efficacy of these peptide fractions demonstrated a significant reduction in the growth of Plasmodium falciparum (Pf 3D7) in vitro, whereas the alkaloid fraction showed a negligible effect. in vitro hemolytic activity confirmed the venom peptide fraction to be non-hemolytic. Additionally, the venom peptide fraction is purely non-toxic to HepG2 cells. Anti-malarial efficiency of the same in Plasmodium berghei ANKA infected mice models showed a drastic reduction in parasitemia representing promising anti-malarial activity. Overall, our study has unraveled the scientific rationale underlying fire ant sting therapy used as a tribal naturotherapy for curing malaria-like fever, thus, introducing a way forward to develop nature-inspired anti-malarial chemotherapeutics.
Exposure to Low Zearalenone Doses and Changes in the Homeostasis and Concentrations of Endogenous Hormones in Selected Steroid-Sensitive Tissues in Pre-Pubertal Gilts
Authors: Gajęcka Magdalena , Zielonka Łukasz , Babuchowski Andrzej , Gajęcki Maciej Tadeusz
Published: November 2022

This study was undertaken to analyze whether prolonged exposure to low-dose zearalenone (ZEN) mycotoxicosis affects the concentrations of ZEN, α-zearalenol (α-ZEL), and β-zearalenol (β-ZEL) in selected reproductive system tissues (ovaries, uterine horn—ovarian and uterine sections, and the middle part of the cervix), the hypothalamus, and pituitary gland, or the concentrations of selected steroid hormones in pre-pubertal gilts. For 42 days, gilts were administered per os different ZEN doses (MABEL dose [5 µg/kg BW], the highest NOAEL dose [10 µg/kg BW], and the lowest LOAEL dose [15 µg/kg BW]). Tissue samples were collected on days seven, twenty-one, and forty-two of exposure to ZEN (exposure days D1, D2, and D3, respectively). Blood for the analyses of estradiol and progesterone concentrations was collected in vivo on six dates at seven-day intervals (on analytical dates D1–D6). The analyses revealed that both ZEN and its metabolites were accumulated in the examined tissues. On successive analytical dates, the rate of mycotoxin accumulation in the studied tissues decreased gradually by 50% and proportionally to the administered ZEN dose. A hierarchical visualization revealed that values of the carry-over factor (CF) were highest on exposure day D2. In most groups and on most exposure days, the highest CF values were found in the middle part of the cervix, followed by the ovaries, both sections of the uterine horn, and the hypothalamus. These results suggest that ZEN, α-ZEL, and β-ZEL were deposited in all analyzed tissues despite exposure to very low ZEN doses. The presence of these undesirable compounds in the examined tissues can inhibit the somatic development of the reproductive system and compromise neuroendocrine coordination of reproductive competence in pre-pubertal gilts.
IncobotulinumtoxinA Injection for Treating Children with Idiopathic Toe Walking: A Retrospective Efficacy and Safety Study
Authors: Filippetti Mirko , Picelli Alessandro , Di Censo Rita , Vantin Sabrina , Randazzo Pietro Nicola , Sandrini Giorgio , Tassorelli Cristina , De Icco Roberto , Smania Nicola , Tamburin Stefano
Published: November 2022

There is no gold-standard treatment for idiopathic toe walking (ITW). Some previous evidence suggested that botulinum neurotoxin-A injection might improve ITW. This is a single-center retrospective study on children with ITW treated with incobotulinumtoxinA injection in the gastrocnemius medialis/lateralis muscles. We screened the charts of 97 ITW children treated with incobotulinumtoxinA (January 2019–December 2021), and the data of 28 of them, who satisfied the inclusion/exclusion criteria, were analyzed. The maximal passive ankle dorsiflexion (knee extended) was assessed at three time points, i.e., immediately before incobotulinumtoxinA injection (T0), after incobotulinumtoxinA injection during the timeframe of its effect (T1), and at follow-up, when the effect was expected to disappear (T2). The maximal passive ankle dorsiflexion was improved by incobotulinumtoxinA injection, and the effect lasted up to 6 months in some children. No adverse effects were reported to incobotulinumtoxinA injections. The treatment with incobotulinumtoxinA might improve the maximal passive ankle dorsiflexion and is safe and well-tolerated in ITW with a longer-than-expected effect in comparison to cerebral palsy. These results may offer ground to future randomized controlled trials and studies assessing the effect of BoNT-A in combination with other non-invasive approaches and exercise programs in children with ITW.
Recombinant Turkey Herpesvirus Expressing H9N2 HA Gene at the HVT005/006 Site Induces Better Protection Than That at the HVT029/031 Site
Authors: Zai Xusheng , Shi Bin , Shao Hongxia , Qian Kun , Ye Jianqiang , Yao Yongxiu , Nair Venugopal , Qin Aijian
Published: November 2022

Turkey herpesvirus (HVT) is widely used as an effective recombinant vaccine vector for expressing protective antigens of multiple avian pathogens from different loci of the HVT genome. These include the HVT029/031 (UL22–23) locus for the insertion of IBDV VP2 and the recently identified HVT005/006 locus as a novel site for expressing heterologous proteins. In order to compare the efficacy of recombinant vaccines with the HA gene at different sites, the growth curves and the HA expression levels of HVT-005/006-hCMV-HA, HVT-005/006-MLV-HA, and HVT-029/031-MLV-HA were first examined in vitro. While the growth kinetics of three recombinant viruses were not significantly different from those of parent HVT, higher expression of the HA gene was achieved from the HVT005/006 site than that from the HVT029/031 site. The efficacy of the three recombinant viruses against avian influenza H9N2 virus was also evaluated using one-day-old SPF chickens. Chickens immunized with HVT-005/006-MLV-HA or HVT-005/006-hCMV-HA displayed reduced virus shedding compared to HVT-029/031-MLV-HA vaccinated chickens. Moreover, the overall hemagglutination inhibition (HI) antibody titers of HVT-005/006-HA-vaccinated chickens were higher than that of HVT-029/031-HA-vaccinated chickens. However, HVT-005/006-MLV-HA and HVT-005/006-hCMV-HA did not result in a significant difference in the level of HA expression in vitro and provided the same protective efficacy (100%) at 5 days after challenge. In the current study, the results suggested that recombinant HVT005/006 vaccines caused better expression of HA than recombinant HVT029/031 vaccine, and that HVT-005/006-MLV-HA or HVT-005/006-hCMV-HA could be a candidate vaccine for the protection of chickens against H9N2 influenza.
3D-Printed EVA Devices for Antiviral Delivery and Herpes Virus Control in Genital Infection
Authors: de Carvalho Rodrigues Victor , Guterres Iara Zanella , Savi Beatriz Pereira , Silva Izabella Thaís , Fongaro Gislaine , Salmoria Gean Vitor
Published: November 2022

Herpes viruses are widespread in the human population and can cause many different diseases. Genital herpes is common and can increase the risk of HIV infection and neonatal herpes. Acyclovir is the most used drug for herpes treatment; however, it presents some disadvantages due to its poor oral bioavailability. In this study, some ethylene vinyl acetate devices with different acyclovir amounts (0, 10, and 20 wt.%) were manufactured by fused filament fabrication in two different geometries, an intrauterine device, and an intravaginal ring. Thermal analyses suggested that the crystallinity of EVA decreased up to 8% for the sample loaded with 20 wt.% of acyclovir. DSC, SEM, and FTIR analyses confirmed that the drug was successfully incorporated into the EVA matrix. Moreover, the drug release tests suggested a burst release during the first 24 h followed by a slower release rate sustained up to 80 days. Biological assays showed the biocompatibility of the EVA/ACV device, as well as a 99% reduction in vitro replication of HSV-1. Finally, the EVA presented a suitable performance for 3D printing manufacturing that can contribute to developing personalized solutions for long-term herpes treatment.
Multi-Epitope Vaccine for Monkeypox Using Pan-Genome and Reverse Vaccinology Approaches
Authors: Swetha Rayapadi G. , Basu Soumya , Ramaiah Sudha , Anbarasu Anand
Published: November 2022

Outbreaks of monkeypox virus infections have imposed major health concerns worldwide, with high morbidity threats to children and immunocompromised adults. Although repurposed drugs and vaccines are being used to curb the disease, the evolving traits of the virus, exhibiting considerable genetic dynamicity, challenge the limits of a targeted treatment. A pan-genome-based reverse vaccinology approach can provide fast and efficient solutions to resolve persistent inconveniences in experimental vaccine design during an outbreak-exigency. The approach encompassed screening of available monkeypox whole genomes (n = 910) to identify viral targets. From 102 screened viral targets, viral proteins L5L, A28, and L5 were finalized based on their location, solubility, and antigenicity. The potential T-cell and B-cell epitopes were extracted from the proteins using immunoinformatics tools and algorithms. Multiple vaccine constructs were designed by combining the epitopes. Based on immunological properties, chemical stability, and structural quality, a novel multi-epitopic vaccine construct, V4, was finalized. Flexible-docking and coarse-dynamics simulation portrayed that the V4 had high binding affinity towards human HLA-proteins (binding energy < −15.0 kcal/mol) with low conformational fluctuations (<1 Å). Thus, the vaccine construct (V4) may act as an efficient vaccine to induce immunity against monkeypox, which encourages experimental validation and similar approaches against emerging viral infections.
A Dynamically Dimensioned Search Allowing a Flexible Search Range and Its Application to Optimize Discrete Hedging Rule Curves
Authors: Jin Youngkyu , Lee Sangho , Kang Taeuk , Kim Yeulwoo
Published: November 2022

The discrete hedging rule for reservoir operation includes time-varying trigger volumes used for the onset and termination of water rationing, which complicates its optimization problems. A dynamically dimensioned search can be easily applied to complex optimization problems, but the performance is relatively limited in constrained optimization problems such as deriving reservoir operation rules. A dynamically dimensioned search allowing for a flexible search range is proposed in this study to efficiently solve constrained optimization problems. The modified algorithm can recursively update the search ranges of decision variables with limited overlaps. The above two algorithms are applied to derive hedging rule curves for three reservoirs. Objective function values are closely converged to optimum solutions, with fewer evaluations using the modified algorithm than those using the traditional algorithm. The modified algorithm restrains an overlapped search range of decision variables and can reduce redundant computational efforts caused by unreasonable candidate solutions that violate inequality conditions.
A Location Selection Method for Wastewater Treatment Plants Integrating Dynamic Change of Water Ecosystem and Socio-Cultural Indicators: A Case Study of Phnom Penh
Authors: Zhou Yangyang , Song Yan , Li Shixiang , Qin Wenjun , Sun Jie
Published: November 2022

The selection of reasonable locations for urban wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) is significant in controlling water pollution. However, most current WWTP location selection models focus only on population density, industrial zone scale and geographic elements, while ignoring water pollution and local socio-cultural indicators. We propose a novel indicator system from RS/GIS data to select reasonable locations for WWTPs in Phnom Penh to avoid water environmental deterioration and harm to human health. The frequency of occurrence of water eutrophication is derived from time series RS data and reveals the degree of pollution of local water ecosystems, and is included as a demand indicator for the first time. In order to respect local socio-cultural customs, buffer zones for religious sites are included in the indicator system for the first time to fully determine the zones where construction of WWTPs is forbidden. Subsequently, WWTP locations are selected with the fusion of the minimized facilities number and maximum coverage models. The results demonstrate that the selected locations are all highly suitable and outside zones where construction is forbidden. The method proposed in the article provides a more comprehensive and scientific perspective for WWTP location selection.
A Joint Impact on Water Vapor Transport over South China during the Pre-Rainy Season by ENSO and PDO
Authors: Zhang Guangya , Li Junjie , Fan Lingli
Published: November 2022

Based on precipitation data from 60 stations in South China (SC) and NCEP reanalysis data, the Hybrid Single-Particle Lagrangian Integrated Trajectory model (HYSPLIT_4.9) is used to analyze the difference of water vapor transport tracks, water vapor sources, and their precipitation contribution rate to frontal/monsoon precipitation, with four combinations of ENSO and PDO phase for a period of 53 years (1960–2012). The results show that: (1) For the frontal precipitation, in the Pacific Decadal Oscillation positive phase (PDO+), there is a great positive water vapor difference between ENSO+ (the positive ENSO phase) and ENSO− (the negative ENSO phase) over the tropical Indian Ocean (IO), the Bay of Bengal (BOB), the South China Sea (SCS) and the western Pacific (WP), the distribution of the difference is adjusted for PDO− (the negative PDO phase). For monsoon precipitation, when PDO and ENSO are in phase resonance, water vapor gathers over IO-BOB-SCS. (2) For the frontal precipitation, both PDO+ and PDO−, compare with ENSO+, more water vapor from SCS for ENSO−, but the southward water vapor transport anomaly over the western part of BOB-SCS-ocean east of the Philippines, which leads a decline in precipitation contribution rate of SCS water vapor. Both ENSO+ and ENSO−, compare with PDO−, more water vapor comes from IO-BOB for PDO+, but their precipitation contribution rates are lower. (3) For the summer monsoon precipitation, SCS and IO are important rain contributor sources. Regardless of the PDO phase, compared with ENSO+, there is more water vapor from the IO and WP for ENSO−, the easterly anomaly in the south of the stronger subtropical high brings more water vapor from WP to SC, the strong westerly anomalies in the IO-BOB-SCS increases IO water vapor transporting to SC, so water vapor precipitation contribution rates of IO and WP are higher. Both ENSO+ and ENSO−, compare with PDO−, more water vapor comes from SCS and EC for PDO+, but their precipitation contribution rates are lower. (4) The water vapor transport process of precipitation in PFS over SC is jointly affected by ENSO and PDO.
Experimental and Numerical Analysis of the Clearance Effects between Blades and Hub in a Water Wheel Used for Power Generation
Authors: Feng Wenjin , Zheng Yuan , Yu An , Tang Qinghong
Published: November 2022

Water wheels used for power generation are applied to tailwater and ultra-low head sites. In this research, the VOF method and the standard k-ε turbulence model are utilized to predict the performance and transient flow fields of water wheels. The numerical results show a reasonable agreement with the experimental data. This work aims at improving the performance and increasing the internal fluid stability of the water wheel, based on the entropy production approach to research the detailed distribution of energy loss in the water wheel for power generation under the clearance effects between blades and hub. Under the same rotational speed, it is indicated that by setting appropriate clearance, the performance of the water wheel can be elevated by 8.7%, targeted elimination of vortical flow, improving flow adaptability, attenuating to a great extent of the backwater phenomenon, and reducing the fatigue damage of the hub and blade. Further, the interaction mechanism of vorticity–pressure which will induce irreversible energy loss of the water wheel under different clearance effects is investigated. Therefore, this research indicates that the entropy method can provide a theoretical reference and engineering guidance for the targeted optimization of water wheels.
Application of Coagulation and Foam Concentration Method to Quantify Waterborne Pathogens in River Water Samples
Authors: Suzuki Yoshihiro , Jikumaru Atsushi , Tamai Soichiro , Nukazawa Kei , Masago Yoshifumi , Ishii Satoshi
Published: November 2022

One of the major challenges in detecting waterborne pathogens is the low concentration of the target bacteria in water. In this study, we applied the coagulation and foam concentration method to obtain DNA from water samples collected from upstream, near an estuary. The DNA samples were analyzed using 16S rRNA gene sequencing to clarify the microbial community shifts and to identify potentially pathogenic bacteria. Bacterial communities changed as the river flowed downstream, most likely influenced by land use and human activities such as the discharge of wastewater-treatment plant effluent. Based on the 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing, potentially pathogenic bacteria were detected with greater than 0.1% of their relative abundances. Among these, Yersinia ruckeri and Pseudomonas alcaligenes were widely detected in the river water. In addition, digital PCR (dPCR) was used to quantify major waterborne pathogens. Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC), Shigella spp., and Campylobacter jejuni were all below the limit of detection. In contrast, general E. coli, which has the beta-D-glucuronidase gene (uidA) were detected by dPCR (copies/100 mL) at similar levels to those measured using the culture-based method (as colony forming units/100 mL). These results suggest that the coagulation and foam concentration method is useful for concentrating microbes and obtaining DNA from river water samples for environmental monitoring.
Coupling Process-Based Models and Machine Learning Algorithms for Predicting Yield and Evapotranspiration of Maize in Arid Environments
Authors: Attia Ahmed , Govind Ajit , Qureshi Asad Sarwar , Feike Til , Rizk Mosa Sayed , Shabana Mahmoud M. A. , Kheir Ahmed M.S.
Published: November 2022

Crop yield prediction is critical for investigating the yield gap and potential adaptations to environmental and management factors in arid regions. Crop models (CMs) are powerful tools for predicting yield and water use, but they still have some limitations and uncertainties; therefore, combining them with machine learning algorithms (MLs) could improve predictions and reduce uncertainty. To that end, the DSSAT-CERES-maize model was calibrated in one location and validated in others across Egypt with varying agro-climatic zones. Following that, the dynamic model (CERES-Maize) was used for long-term simulation (1990–2020) of maize grain yield (GY) and evapotranspiration (ET) under a wide range of management and environmental factors. Detailed outputs from three growing seasons of field experiments in Egypt, as well as CERES-maize outputs, were used to train and test six machine learning algorithms (linear regression, ridge regression, lasso regression, K-nearest neighbors, random forest, and XGBoost), resulting in more than 1.5 million simulated yield and evapotranspiration scenarios. Seven warming years (i.e., 1991, 1998, 2002, 2005, 2010, 2013, and 2020) were chosen from a 31-year dataset to test MLs, while the remaining 23 years were used to train the models. The Ensemble model (super learner) and XGBoost outperform other models in predicting GY and ET for maize, as evidenced by R2 values greater than 0.82 and RRMSE less than 9%. The broad range of management practices, when averaged across all locations and 31 years of simulation, not only reduced the hazard impact of environmental factors but also increased GY and reduced ET. Moving beyond prediction and interpreting the outputs from Lasso and XGBoost, and using global and local SHAP values, we found that the most important features for predicting GY and ET are maximum temperatures, minimum temperature, available water content, soil organic carbon, irrigation, cultivars, soil texture, solar radiation, and planting date. Determining the most important features is critical for assisting farmers and agronomists in prioritizing such features over other factors in order to increase yield and resource efficiency values. The combination of CMs and ML algorithms is a powerful tool for predicting yield and water use in arid regions, which are particularly vulnerable to climate change and water scarcity.
Dynamic Roughness Modeling of Seasonal Vegetation Effect: Case Study of the Nanakita River
Authors: Araújo Fortes André , Hashimoto Masakazu , Udo Keiko , Ichikawa Ken , Sato Shosuke
Published: November 2022

Hydraulic models of rivers are essential for vulnerability assessment in disaster management. This study simulates the 2019 Typhoon Hagibis at the Nanakita River using a dynamic roughness model. The model estimates the roughness of the river on a pixel level from the relationship between the Manning roughness coefficient and the degree of submergence of vegetation. This degree is defined as the ratio of water depth to plant height. After validating the model, the effect of vegetation on the water level in different seasons from April 2020 to March 2021 was assessed. The vegetation area and height were obtained on a pixel level using unmanned aerial vehicle photogrammetry. The dynamic roughness model showed that the water level profile increased by 7.03% on average. The seasonal effect of vegetation was observed, revealing a strong correlation between variations in the vegetation conditions and water level profile. This approach may help mitigate flood damage by indicating the factors that can increase the risk of flooding.
Application of RSM for Bioremoval of Methylene Blue Dye from Industrial Wastewater onto Sustainable Walnut Shell (Juglans regia) Biomass
Authors: Kumari Sheetal , Rajput Vishnu D. , Minkina Tatiana , Rajput Priyadarshani , Sharma Pinki , Verma Anoop Kumar , Agarwal Smriti , Garg Manoj Chandra
Published: November 2022

Dyes are a significant group of organic contaminants known to negatively affect both humans and aquatic environments. In the textile industry, interest in agricultural-based adsorbents has increased, particularly around adsorption. In this study, methylene blue was eliminated from an aqueous solution using a walnut (Juglans regia) shell. These materials are widely available and inexpensive, and its cost can be a major factor in wastewater treatment batch experiments. Response surface methodology (RSM) is based on a face-centred central composite design, used to identify the independent variable. With the use of RSM, the biomass of J. regia shells was assessed for its capacity to absorb dyes from aqueous solutions, including methylene blue. Maximum methylene blue dye removal percentages (97.70%) were obtained with a 30 mg/L concentration of methylene blue dye, 1.5 gm of biomass, an initial pH of 6, and a contact duration of 60 min at 25 °C. Additionally, particles were absorbed onto the J. regia shell’s surface throughout the biosorption process, according to scan electron microscopy. Functional groups were discovered in the Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy spectra, which are crucial for binding during the biosorption of methylene blue. It has been demonstrated that J. regia shell biomass performs well as a biosorbent in the removal of methylene blue from wastewater effluents. It is also a promising, biodegradable, environmentally friendly, economical, and cost-effective biosorbent.
Multi-Soil-Layering, the Emerging Technology for Wastewater Treatment: Review, Bibliometric Analysis, and Future Directions
Authors: Sbahi Sofyan , Mandi Laila , Masunaga Tsugiyuki , Ouazzani Naaila , Hejjaj Abdessamad
Published: November 2022

Due to its unique structure and excellent purification efficiency (e.g., 98% for organic matter and between 94 and 100% for nutrients), multi-soil-layering (MSL) has emerged as an efficient eco-friendly solution for wastewater treatment and environmental protection. Through infiltration-percolation, this soil-based technology allows pollutants to move from the MSL upper layers to the outlet while maintaining direct contact with its media, which helps in their removal via a variety of physical and biochemical mechanisms. This paper attempts to comprehensively evaluate the application of MSL technology and investigate its progress and efficacy since its emergence. Thus, it will attempt via a bibliometric analysis using the Web of Science database (from 1993 to 1 June 2022) related to MSL technology, to give a clear picture of the number of publications (70 studies), the most active academics, and countries (China with 27 studies), as well as collaborations and related topics. Furthermore, through hybrid combinations, pollutant removal processes, MSL effective media, and the key efficiency parameters, this paper review will seek to provide an overview of research that has developed and examined MSL since its inception. On the other hand, the current review will evaluate the modeling approaches used to explore MSL behavior in terms of pollutant removal and simulation of its performance (R2 > 90%). However, despite the increase in MSL publications in the past years (e.g., 13 studies in 2021), many studies are still needed to fill the knowledge gaps and urging challenges regarding this emerging technology. Thus, recommendations on improving the stability and sustainability of MSLs are highlighted.
Effect Analysis of Supporting Structure and Surface Settlement on Deep Foundation Pit by Rainstorm: A Case Study in Zhengzhou
Authors: Wang Xiaorui , Xiao Jianhang , Zhang Tao , Lin Yunhong
Published: November 2022

Rainfall usually leads to soil slope sliding and instability, which affects the safety of foundation pit, especially in the case of heavy rainfall. This study took the 7.20 Henan rainstorm as the background, where in the process of construction, after three days of rainstorm of 617.7 mm deep, the horizontal displacement of supporting structures of a foundation pit in Zhengzhou city increased by 6.3 mm. Therefore, it is of great significance to study the mechanism of deformation induced by rainstorm of foundation pits. Five numerical models considering different rainfall factors were developed to simulate the rainstorm process based on the monitoring data. The deformation mechanism and the effect factors of deformation on the foundation pit during rainstorm were analyzed, and some preventive measures were put forward for when the foundation pit engineering faces a heavy rainstorm. Under the action of the rainstorm, the supporting structure and the surface settlement had a signification deformation caused by the heavy rainfall on this typical foundation pit, and the maximum bending moment and maximum displacement of the supporting structure shifted up to different degrees. The main factors affecting the deep foundation pit of the metro by heavy rain are the steel strut falling off and the whole foundation pit filling with water, while the influence caused by the rise in the groundwater level, water standing load, and soil softening is small.
Simulation Study on Nitrogen Pollution in Shallow Groundwater in Small Agricultural Watersheds in the Huixian Wetland
Authors: Wan Zupeng , Dai Junfeng , Pan Linyan , Han Junlei , Li Zhangnan , Dong Kun
Published: November 2022

In this study, we investigated the influence of different simulations on the transport of shallow groundwater nitrogen in the Mudong River watershed of the Huixian Wetland, a karst wetland. Based on GMS (Groundwater Modeling System) software, the equivalent porous media model was used to simulate the transport of total nitrogen under different conditions in the study area. Two years of field monitoring data in the study area provided the input for the modeling. The SWAT (soil and water assessment tool) model was used to divide the study area into sub-basins. The initial concentration flux index W is first introduced in the equivalent porous medium model to calculate the initial concentration. The simulation results showed the difference between the simulated and monitored values of total nitrogen concentration was between 20% and 40% in 22.2% of the cases, and less than 20% in 66.7% of the cases, indicating that the solute transport model has good applicability in the Huixian Wetland. Parameter sensitivity analysis showed that fertilizer application was the main factor influencing total nitrogen. A 25% reduction in fertilizer application reduced total nitrogen emissions by 31.5% in sub-basin S3 and 22.5% in sub-basin S4. These reductions were greater than the abatement effect of changing land cover and managing river pollution. The pollution plume of total nitrogen was reduced by 38.5% in the southern part of sub-basin S3 (Mudong Lake) and by 40.2% in the western part of sub-basin S4 (Blacksmithing Village). The average concentration was reduced by 2.04 mg/L and 1.22 mg/L, respectively. This study shows that reasonable control of double-season rice nitrogen fertilizer application and appropriate land cover modification can help reduce total nitrogen emissions from wetlands in the Li River watershed and ensure the sustainable development of the local economy and groundwater.
Peat Thickness Changes at the “Wołosate” Raised Bog in the Western Bieszczady Mountains
Authors: Lipka Krzysztof , Siejka Zbigniew , Siejka Monika
Published: November 2022

The study aims to present and analyze the rate of changes that occur in the area of Wołosate bog dome as a result of human pressure, which has been especially intense the period between 1967–2016. Additionally, the work presents current stratigraphic cross-section of the peat deposit, and illustrates and interprets the course of the peat accumulation process, that depends on hydrological conditions. The described study had been conducted on the area of “Wołosate” raised bog (nature reserve) in Western Bieszczady Mountains. From the analysis of data obtained from precise satellite surveys, it can be concluded that over 49 years, the average thickness of peat in the characteristic levelling-stratigraphic cross-section decreased by 27.2%. The most significant changes (34.3%) took place up until 1988, as during that period, the stream valley of Wołosatka river had been drained. The results of the discussed study indicate one more circumstance. In later period (1988–2016), following the restoration measures, a 35 cm acrotelm layer of Sphagnum peat (Eusphagneti) with a living layer of peat moss which happened to form itself on the western side of the peatland (along a section of approx. 50 m).
Intermittency of Rock Fractured Surfaces: A Power Law
Authors: Aligholi Saeed , Khandelwal Manoj
Published: November 2022

Roughness of rock fractured surfaces is one of the most important factors controlling fluid flow in rock masses. Roughness quantification is of prime importance for modelling the flow of ground waters as well as reservoir fluid mechanics. In this study, with the aid of high-resolution 3D X-ray CT scanning and image processing techniques, the roughness of four different rock types is reconstructed with a resolution of 16.5 microns. Moreover, the correlation and structure functions are used to analyse height fluctuations as well as statistical intermittency of the studied rock fractured surfaces. It is observed that at length scales smaller than a critical length scale, fractures surfaces are correlated and show multifractality. Monofractals are neither intermittent nor correlated; hence, a meaningful link between statistical intermittency and the correlation function of multifractals is expected. However, a model that considers this relationship and predicts multifractal spectra of disordered systems is still missing. A simple power law that can exactly forecast the multiscaling spectrum of rock fracture process zone is being introduced. It is explained how the exponent of this power function λi is related to the crossover length of correlation function ξ, and how this critical length scale can be objectively identified.
Discrete Element Simulation of the Road Slope Considering Rainfall Infiltration
Authors: Gu Xiao , Nie Wen , Li Qihang , Geng Jiabo , Zhou Tao , Yuan Canming
Published: November 2022

Rainfall infiltration is the primary factor that induces landslides. In this paper, discrete element software (PFC3D) was used to establish a novel rainfall infiltration model, which integrates water transfer, intensity decay and seepage force into the calculation of the moisture field. By applying this model to the rainfall infiltration analysis of a road slope in Nanping City, Fujian Province, China, the distribution law of water content, the functional relationship between shear strength and water content, and the calculation of permeability at different times can be obtained. The model was verified by comparing simulated results of water content with field monitoring data. The simulation error of water content is lower than 10%. Furthermore, this model application was validated by reproducing the pressure variation of the retaining wall on 12 May 2022. To obtain the accuracy of this model application, it was compared with saturated water content model and seepage force model. The comparison results of the three models showed that the simulation results of this model are best matching with the observation data. Moreover, the verification and validation indicate that our proposed model can be used to effectively analyze the rainfall infiltration of road slope.
BIOSTABLE VEGETAL COMPOSITE FOR THERMAL INSULATION
Authors:   National Research Moscow State University of Civil Engineering, STEPINA I.V. , SODOMON M. ,   National Research Moscow State University of Civil Engineering
Published: November 2022

Composites of different composition and structure have been obtained on the basis of crushed porous stems of Sosnovsky's hogweed modified with borazote for biostability with the use of organopolymer binders. The particle size of the plant material varied from 1 to 10 mm. Polyvinyl acetate, polyurethane, and casein were used as binders. The ratio of the components (vegetable raw material: polymer) in the composites was 3:1 by mass. Biostability and thermophysical properties of the composites obtained were investigated by applying appropriate GOST methods. It was established that the preliminary modification of vegetable raw material particles with monoethanolamine (NB)-trihydroxyborate provides 100% biostability of composite materials based on used raw materials and organopolymer binders. The use of the above modifier is equally effective for all composites obtained using different types of binders: polyurethane, polyvinyl acetate, and casein. The composites obtained on the basis of modified plant raw materials and organopolymer binders are heat-insulating materials characterized by appropriate coefficients of thermal conductivity and density. Composites based on polyurethane binders have lower thermal conductivity compared to composites based on polyvinyl acetate and casein binders and belong to class A. The polyurethane binder provides the resulting composites with a particle size of 5 mm with an increased compressive strength as compared to the composites based on polyvinyl acetate and casein binders. Thus, the optimal composition of biostable heat insulating material is the composition based on modified plant raw materials with a particle size of 5 mm and polyurethane binder.