bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Assessment Method Based on AIS Data Combining the Velocity Obstacle Method and Pareto Selection for the Collision Risk of Inland Ships
Authors: Wang Yan , Zhang Yi , Zhao Hengchao , Wang Hongbo
Published: November 2022

A ship collision risk assessment model is an essential part of ship safety navigation. At present, the open water collision risk assessment model (such as the closest point of approach) is applied, but a ship collision risk model suitable for inland rivers is still in the exploration stage. Compared with open waters, the inland waterway has a larger density of ships, and the land and water environments are complex. The existing risk assessment models lack adaptability under the conditions of inland navigation. Therefore, this paper proposes a real-time collision risk assessment method for ships navigating inland rivers. This method utilizes the information of ships’ size in the automatic identification system (AIS) to construct the velocity obstacle cone between convex polygonal targets using the velocity obstacle method. Then, according to the geometric relationship between the relative velocity of two targets and the velocity obstacle cone, a new collision risk assessment model is defined. This model defines two indicators to evaluate the navigation collision risk: the degree of velocity obstacle intrusion (DVOI) and time of velocity obstacle intrusion (TVOI). These two indicators assess the risk of collision, respectively, from two aspects speed and course. In addition, a method using a trajectory compression algorithm to screen collision avoidance operation points in ship AIS trajectory is proposed to screen collision avoidance scenarios in the Yangtze River waterway. The effectiveness of the proposed collision risk model is verified in course-keeping and collision avoidance scenarios and compared with the traditional closest point of approach (CPA) method. The results indicate that the evaluation model for collision risk assessment is more accurate than the CPA method in all scenarios. Finally, this paper uses the Pareto selection algorithm to combine DVOI and TVOI, which can identify the ship that poses the greatest risk to our ship.
Local Scour Mechanism of Offshore Wind Power Pile Foundation Based on CFD-DEM
Authors: Liu Qin , Wang Zhe , Zhang Ning , Zhao Hongyu , Liu Lei , Huang Kunpeng , Chen Xuguang
Published: November 2022

The local scour around offshore pile foundations often seriously affects the normal operation of offshore wind power. The most widely used numerical simulation method in the study of local scour is the Euler two-fluid model (TFM). However, the contact effect between sediment particles is neglected in this model. Thus, the momentum and energy transfer between sediment particles and the fluid is not realistically reflected, which limits its significance in revealing the mesoscopic mechanism of local scour. Therefore, the computational fluid dynamics-discrete element method (CFD-DEM) numerical model was applied in this study, which fully considers the contact between solid particles and momentum transfer between two phases. The model was first verified by experimental data of a local scour test under clear water scour. Then, the mechanism of local scour was further discussed from macro and micro perspectives. The results showed that CFD-DEM could be effectively used to study the local scour around a pile foundation. The local scour was comprehensively affected by flow velocity, gravity, fluid force, drag force, and interaction between particles, etc. Although the maximum average drag force happened in the area about 90° from the direction of incoming flow, the maximum scour depth always occurred at about 45°. Corresponding findings and conclusions can be used for future reference when designing and protecting the offshore wind power pile.
Sediment Transport Equivalent Waves for Estimating Annually Averaged Sedimentation and Erosion Trends in Sandy Coastal Areas
Authors: Chondros Michalis , Metallinos Anastasios , Papadimitriou Andreas , Tsoukala Vasiliki
Published: November 2022

In this paper, a simple approach to determine representative offshore wave characteristics for estimating the annually averaged sedimentation and erosion trends in sandy coastal areas is presented. Given the offshore wave climate, the proposed approach breaks down the climate into fixed 22.5-degree bins and based on the sediment transport potential it determines the equivalent wave characteristics for each bin, i.e., a significant wave height, a peak period, a mean wave direction, and a corresponding frequency of occurrence. The approach is validated in idealized cases of uniformly sloping beaches with the presence of a breakwater, for various sediment diameters, sea bottom slopes, and different offshore wave characteristics. The performance of the proposed approach is evaluated against the full climate, returning good results. Furthermore, the proposed approach is applied in a real-life challenge, in the coastal area of Therma in the Island of Samothraki in Greece, where the presence of a fishing shelter has led to sedimentation and erosion problems. The performance of the proposed approach is very satisfactory, given the complexity of the problem. The generic nature of the proposed methodological approach allows it to be applied in numerous sandy coastal regions to estimate the sedimentation and erosion trends, reducing the amount of input parameters and thus requiring significantly less computational efforts.
An Improved Version of ETS-Regression Models in Calculating the Fixed Offshore Platform Responses
Authors: Syed Ahmad Sayyid Zainal Abidin , Abu Husain Mohd Khairi , Mohd Zaki Noor Irza , Mukhlas Nurul ‘Azizah , Najafian Gholamhossein
Published: November 2022

An offshore structural design should accurately calculate wave loads and structural responses acting on slender cylinders. The hydrodynamic drag-dominated force was always challenging, hence the hydrodynamic wave loading became a complex solution; it led to a nonlinear relation between the wave force and responses caused by the diffracted and radiated waves, which was included in Morison’s equation. For more consistency in the structural assessment, the linearised drag–inertia force was considered in model development, such as an improved version of the efficient time simulation regression (ETS-Reg) procedure that was introduced. The study aimed to improve the prediction of structural responses using the predetermined linear, polynomial, and cubic regression models. These simulations were performed focusing on high sea state conditions without wave-induced current effects. In order to evaluate the level of accuracy, the recent ETS-Reg models were compared and validated using the Monte Carlo time simulation (MCTS) method. An amended ETS-Reg model, known as the ETS-RegLR model, was also compared with the previous results obtained using the conventional ETS-Reg models (ETS-RegSE), leading to better structural response calculations.
Feasibility Study of a Novel Open Ocean Aquaculture Ship Integrating with a Wind Turbine and an Internal Turret Mooring System
Authors: Liu Hanyu , Chen Mingsheng , Han Zhaolong , Zhou Hao , Li Lin
Published: November 2022

Marine aquaculture has been expanded into more remote areas due to the increasing demand for high value-added fish products, bringing more challenges in fuel supply and mooring safety to open ocean aquaculture farms. Therefore, the idea of integrating aquaculture farms with offshore renewable energy has attracted tremendous interest. This study proposes a novel open ocean aquaculture ship integrated with a NREL 5 MW wind turbine. In addition, an internal turret mooring system is installed at the bow of the aquaculture ship, making the wind turbine always face the wind blowing direction due to the weathervaning effect. In this study, a preliminary study of the dynamics and wind power generation of the proposed open ocean aquaculture ship was conducted. The aerodynamic and elastic effects of the wind turbine and the effect of nets under the wave and current behavior on the dynamics of the single-point moored aquaculture ship were investigated. Furthermore, the effects of the dynamics of the aquaculture ship on the power generation of the wind turbine were also studied to investigate the feasibility of the idea to integrate an aquaculture ship with a wind turbine.
Concepts towards Functional Eukaryotic Microbial Biogeography in the Ocean
Authors: Hoerstmann Cora , Wohlrab Sylke , John Uwe
Published: November 2022

High-throughput sequencing technologies have revolutionized microbial diversity studies, shedding light on the oceans’ plankton evolution, distribution, and biological activity. Whereas marine prokaryotes have been more extensively studied and specific methods developed, the research on microbial eukaryotes (protists) is falling behind, with major groups still largely unknown regarding their ecology and function. Because of numerous anthropogenic pressures, it is increasingly important to highlight the functional roles of protists in marine ecosystems. This review outlines the practices, challenges, and opportunities of high-throughput sequencing approaches (i.e., metabarcoding, metagenomics, and metatranscriptomics) to disentangle evolutionary, ecological, and functional aspects of protists in the ocean. These multidimensional approaches allow us to move from the classic picture of microbial biogeography towards functional microbial biogeography, explicitly highlighting the role of protists therein. We provide resources for functional classification and reflect on the current and future potential. We outline aspects of detecting and describing ecosystem changes at the species, population, and community levels, advancing methodological approaches for studying taxonomic diversity towards functional and evolutionary biodiversity concepts, seeking a more complete understanding and monitoring of ocean ecosystems.
Fatigue Strength of Structural Steel-Welded Connections with Arc-Sprayed Aluminum Coatings and Corrosion Behavior of the Corresponding Coatings in Sea Water
Authors: Gericke Andreas , Hauer Michél , Ripsch Benjamin , Irmer Michael , Nehlsen Jonas , Henkel Knuth-Michael
Published: November 2022

The influence of thermally sprayed aluminum coatings (Al99%; arc spraying) on the fatigue strength of gas metal arc welded (GMAW) non-alloyed structural steel specimens with respect to foundations for offshore wind turbines was investigated. Additionally, the corrosion protection effect of such coatings for water conditions similar to the Baltic Sea was determined. Wöhler tests were carried out on test specimens with different weld details in the as-welded condition as well as in the thermal spray coat under the consideration of different kinds of surface preparation (blast cleaning with corundum and grit). Substrate and coating were characterized by scanning electron microscopy and the influence on the residual stress states was determined. Corrosion rate monitoring via LPR measurements was carried out as well as the monitoring of the galvanic current between coated and uncoated steel to characterize the coatings’ sacrificial capability for minor defects. Fatigue strength was significantly increased through thermal spraying, especially for test specimens with welded transverse stiffeners (Δσc,var = 127 MPa after coating compared to Δσc,var = 89 MPa as welded). With a characteristic value of the stress range of Δσc,var = 153 MPa, the welded butt joint specimens already exhibited a high fatigue strength in the as-welded condition. The corrosion studies demonstrated that thermally sprayed Al99% coatings have a high resistance to corrosion in seawater environments and are suitable as planar sacrificial anodes sufficiently polarizing bare steel below 0.8 V. The combination of fatigue strength improvement and corrosion protection makes the thermally sprayed Al coatings promising for design and operation of e.g., offshore structures.
Effects of Strain-Softening and Strain-Rate Dependence on the Anchor Dragging Simulation of Clay through Large Deformation Finite Element Analysis
Authors: Shin Mun-Beom , Park Dong-Su , Seo Young-Kyo
Published: November 2022

Large-deformation finite element (LDFE) analysis with the coupled Eulerian–Lagrangian (CEL) technique for large-deformation soil functions without twisting or distorting the mesh. However, the model does not consider the strain-softening and strain-rate dependence of clay-based soils. The undrained shear strength of clay is sensitive to the strain rate. In addition, the strain-softening effect of soil strength reduction accompanied by large-scale shear deformation should be considered. In this study, anchor dragging simulations were performed for large-deformation analysis considering strain-softening and strain-rate dependence. Furthermore, a shear strength equation expressing the strain-softening and strain-rate dependence of the Tresca constitutive model was developed based on VUMAT, an ABAQUS/Explicit subroutine. The equation was designed so that it could be linked to the LDFE/CEL model. The model was verified by performing comparative analysis with the Mohr–Coulomb (M–C) perfect-plasticity model. The newly constructed Tresca base strain-softening and strain-rate-dependence VUMAT algorithm in the LDFE/CEL model analysis confirmed the effects of strain-softening and strain-rate dependence. The proposed model enabled a highly realistic simulation of the actual phenomenon than the M–C model. Finally, a parametric study on strain-softening and strain-rate dependence was conducted, and the behavior of clay due to the anchor drag phenomenon was revealed.
Research on the Deep Learning Technology in the Hull Form Optimization Problem
Authors: Zhang Shenglong
Published: November 2022

A high−accuracy objective function evaluation method is crucial in ship hull form optimization. This study proposes a novel approximate ship hull form optimization framework using the deep learning technology, deep belief network algorithm. To illustrate the advantages of using the deep belief network algorithm in the prediction of total resistance, two traditional surrogate models (ELMAN and RBF neural networks) are also employed in this study to predict total resistance for different modified ship models. It can be seen from the results that the deep belief network algorithm is more suitable for forecasting total resistance of a DTMB5512 ship model than the traditional surrogate models. Following this, two design variables are selected to alter the bow geometry of the DTMB5512 ship model. The total resistance for different modified ship hulls is estimated using the deep belief network algorithm. Furthermore, an optimal solution with minimum total resistance in a two−dimensional space is obtained using the particle swarm optimization algorithm. The optimization results indicate that the optimization framework using the deep belief network algorithm can obtain an optimal solution with the smallest total resistance for different ship speeds.
The Anthropogenic Footprint of Physical Harm on the Seabed of Augusta Bay (Western Ionian Sea); A Geophysical Investigation
Authors: Budillon Francesca , Firetto Carlino Marco , Innangi Sara , Passaro Salvatore , Tonielli Renato , Trincardi Fabio , Sprovieri Mario
Published: November 2022

Augusta Bay is an embayment of the Hyblean sector in south-eastern Sicily (Southern Italy) that faces the Ionian Sea and includes the Rada di Augusta, a wide littoral sector sheltered by breakwaters, which hosts intense harbor activities. Rada di Augusta and the adjacent Priolo embayment were listed in the National Remediation Plan (NRP) by the Italian Ministry of Environment, as they have suffered major anthropic impacts over the last seventy years. Indeed, extensive petrochemical and industrial activities, military and commercial maritime traffic, as well as agriculture and fishery activities, have resulted in a highly complex combination of impacts on the marine environment and seafloor. In this paper, we investigate the extent of human-driven physical impacts on the continental shelf, offshore of Rada di Augusta, by means of Multibeam echosounder, Side-Scan Sonar and Chirp Sonar profilers, as well as direct seabed samplings. At least seven categories of anthropogenic footprints, i.e., anchor grooves and scars, excavations, trawl marks, targets, dumping trails, isolated dumping and dumping cumuli, mark the recent human activities at the seafloor. The practice of dredge spoil disposal, possibly protracted for decades during the last century, has altered the seafloor morphology of the central continental shelf, by forming an up-to-9 m-thick hummocky deposit, with acoustic features noticeably different from those of any other shelf lithosome originated by natural processes. All available data were reported in an original thematic map of the seafloor features, offering an unprecedented opportunity to unravel sediment facies distribution and localization of anthropogenic disturbance. Finally, the shelf area was ranked, based on the coexistence of multiple stressors from human-driven physical harm, thus providing a semi-quantitative analysis of environmental damage classification in the area.
Anchor Chain Optimization Design of a Catenary Anchor Leg Mooring System Based on Adaptive Sampling
Authors: Sun Qiang , Li Wenbo , Li Rundong , Peng Dongsheng , Guo Qiang , Zhao Yan , Yue Qianjin , Zhong Wanxie
Published: November 2022

A catenary anchor leg mooring system (CALM) is one of the main kinds of offshore transport terminals. Its buoyancy is connected by multiple anchor chains fixed on the seabed. Because a large deformation characterizes the anchor chain, it is prone to fatigue failure under dynamic loads in marine environments. These factors lead to many challenges in the design optimization of anchor chains. This study aims to develop a rapid optimization design framework for a mooring anchor chain with cost minimization as the design objective. In this framework, an approximation model of the mooring analysis is built based on an adaptive sampling method, and a combination of a genetic algorithm and a sequential quadratic programming method is utilized to optimize the established approximation model. The results show that the framework significantly reduces the computation time, and the error of the final optimization result obtained by adaptive sampling is significantly reduced. We found that using a quadratic or elliptic function as an adaptive function is good enough to obtain the optimization result.
Research on Uncertainty Evolution of Ship Collision Status Based on Navigation Environment
Authors: Huang Liwen , Chen Yingfan , Wu Lei , Xie Cheng , Chen Shuzhe
Published: November 2022

There is a need to study the evolutionary laws of the risks in the navigation environments of complex marine areas. This can promote shipping safety using an early-warning system. The present study determines shipping flows and meteorological conditions in a marine area on the basis of meteorological and automatic identification system (AIS) data. It also determines the uncertainty evolution law of the navigation environment’s influencing factors. Moreover, a navigation risk evolution system for ships in complex marine areas was developed. A case study was carried out in a coastal area of China on the basis of the determined evolutionary laws. Evolution in the navigational environment risk within the case study area was analyzed. The results showed that the hydrometeorology wind factor has the greatest impact on the risk of ship collisions. This work was not only able to show advances in navigational collision environmental evolution laws but also provides a theoretical reference for the evaluation and early warning of risks in shipping environments.
Yeast Probiotic and Yeast Products in Enhancing Livestock Feeds Utilization and Performance: An Overview
Authors: Pang Yuanxiang , Zhang Hailiang , Wen Haoyu , Wan Hongbing , Wu Hao , Chen Ying , Li Shengshuo , Zhang Le , Sun Xiaojie , Li Bichen , Liu Xuelian
Published: November 2022

The intensive use of antibiotics as growth-promoting agents in animal production has resulted in the spread of animal antibiotic resistance and possibly human antibiotic resistance. Based on this premise, it is significant to explore an alternative approach to preventing infectious diseases and promoting animal growth and health. Yeast as the main natural growth promoter in livestock nutrition has been extensively studied for decades. Numerous yeasts and yeast-containing products are produced, marketed, and used in animal feed as providers of nutrient sources, probiotics, and nutrients or serve distinct nutritional functions. A large amount of scientific research suggests that yeasts and their derivatives may be good for animal growth performance and health, especially when animals are housed in poor sanitation or are suffering from disease. However, when yeasts are used as a surrogate for livestock antibiotics, the results vary according to several factors, including yeast species, yeast product components, feed ingredients, animal category, type of symptoms, and differences in the rearing environment. In this review, the effects of different yeasts on different animals will be reviewed. The types of widely used yeast products, their functional characteristics, and application effects will be discussed in order to provide a reference for the development and application of yeast feed products.
Distinguishing Invasive from Chronic Pulmonary Infections: Host Pentraxin 3 and Fungal Siderophores in Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluids
Authors: Dobiáš Radim , Jaworská Pavla , Skopelidou Valeria , Strakoš Jan , Višňovská Denisa , Káňová Marcela , Škríba Anton , Lysková Pavlína , Bartek Tomáš , Janíčková Ivana , Kozel Radovan , Cwiková Lucie , Vrba Zbyněk , Navrátil Milan , Martinek Jan , Coufalová Pavla , Krejčí Eva , Ulmann Vít , Raška Milan , Stevens David A. , Havlíček Vladimír
Published: November 2022

The multiple forms of pulmonary aspergillosis caused by Aspergillus species are the most common respiratory mycoses. Although invasive, the analysis of diagnostic biomarkers in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) is a clinical standard for diagnosing these conditions. The BALF samples from 22 patients with proven or probable aspergillosis were assayed for human pentraxin 3 (Ptx3), fungal ferricrocin (Fc), and triacetylfusarinine C (TafC) in a retrospective study. The infected group included patients with invasive pulmonary aspergillosis (IPA) and chronic aspergillosis (CPA). The BALF data were compared to a control cohort of 67 patients with invasive pulmonary mucormycosis (IPM), non-Aspergillus colonization, or bacterial infections. The median Ptx3 concentrations in patients with and without aspergillosis were 4545.5 and 242.0 pg/mL, respectively (95% CI, p < 0.05). The optimum Ptx3 cutoff for IPA was 2545 pg/mL, giving a sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV) of 100, 98, 95, and 100%, respectively. The median Ptx3 concentration for IPM was high at 4326 pg/mL. Pentraxin 3 assay alone can distinguish IPA from CPA and invasive fungal disease from colonization. Combining Ptx3 and TafC assays enabled the diagnostic discrimination of IPM and IPA, giving a specificity and PPV of 100%.
The Role of Sfp1 in Candida albicans Cell Wall Maintenance
Authors: Chang Che-Kang , Yang Min-Chi , Chen Hsueh-Fen , Liao Yi-Ling , Lan Chung-Yu
Published: November 2022

The cell wall is the first interface for Candida albicans interaction with the surrounding environment and the host cells. Therefore, maintenance of cell wall integrity (CWI) is crucial for C. albicans survival and host-pathogen interaction. In response to environmental stresses, C. albicans undergoes cell wall remodeling controlled by multiple signaling pathways and transcription regulators. Here, we explored the role of the transcription factor Sfp1 in CWI. A deletion of the SFP1 gene not only caused changes in cell wall properties, cell wall composition and structure but also modulated expression of cell wall biosynthesis and remodeling genes. In addition, Cas5 is a known transcription regulator for C. albicans CWI and cell wall stress response. Interestingly, our results indicated that Sfp1 negatively controls the CAS5 gene expression by binding to its promoter element. Together, this study provides new insights into the regulation of C. albicans CWI and stress response.
Endophytic Fungi Associated with Aquilaria sinensis (Agarwood) from China Show Antagonism against Bacterial and Fungal Pathogens
Authors: Du Tian-Ye , Karunarathna Samantha C. , Zhang Xian , Dai Dong-Qin , Mapook Ausana , Suwannarach Nakarin , Xu Jian-Chu , Stephenson Steven L. , Elgorban Abdallah M. , Al-Rejaie Salim , Tibpromma Saowaluck
Published: November 2022

Agarwood is the most expensive non-construction wood product in the world. As a therapeutic agent, agarwood can cure some diseases, but few studies have been carried out on the antagonistic abilities of endophytic fungi associated with agarwood. Agarwood is mainly found in the genus Aquiaria. The objectives of this study are to understand the antimicrobial activities and their potential as biocontrol agents of the endophytic fungi of Aquilaria sinensis. First, fresh samples of A. sinensis were collected from Yunnan and Guangdong Provinces in 2020–2021, and the endophytic fungi were isolated and identified to genus level based on the phylogenetic analyses of the Internal Transcribed Spacer (ITS) region. In this bioassay, 47 endophytic strains were selected to check their bioactivities against three bacterial pathogens viz. Erwinia amylovora, Pseudomonas syringae, and Salmonella enterica; and three fungal pathogens viz. Alternaria alternata, Botrytis cinerea, and Penicillium digitatum. The antibiosis test was carried out by the dual culture assay (10 days), and among the 47 strains selected, 40 strains belong to 18 genera viz. Alternaria, Annulohypoxylon, Aspergillus, Botryosphaeria, Colletotrichum, Corynespora, Curvularia, Daldinia, Diaporthe, Fusarium, Lasiodiplodia, Neofusicoccum, Neopestalotiopsis, Nigrospora, Paracamarosporium, Pseudopithomyces, Trichoderma, Trichosporon and one strain belongs to Xylariaceae had antimicrobial activities. In particular, Lasiodiplodia sp. (YNA-D3) showed the inhibition of all the bacterial and fungal pathogens with a significant inhibition rate. In addition, the strains viz; Curvularia sp. (GDA-3A9), Diaporthe sp. (GDA-2A1), Lasiodiplodia sp. (YNA-D3), Neofusicoccum sp. (YNA-1C3), Nigrospora sp. (GDA-4C1), and Trichoderma sp. (YNA-1C1) showed significant antimicrobial activities and are considered worthy of further studies to identify individual fungal species and their bioactive compounds. This study enriches the diversity of endophytic fungi associated with agarwood, and their potential antagonistic effects against bacterial and fungal pathogens.
Family Communication, Privacy Orientation, & Financial Literacy: A Survey of U.S. College Students
Authors: Hanson Thomas A.
Published: November 2022

Increasing personal financial responsibility has increased the value of financial literacy in recent decades, leading to an emphasis on financial literacy and educational programs. However, these educational efforts have demonstrated mixed results, necessitating further research regarding the influences on personal financial knowledge and capabilities. The present study explores the effect of family socialization, specifically through an analysis of family communication patterns and privacy orientations, hypothesizing that open dialogue regarding financial matters will encourage transmission of knowledge and a willingness to seek information when needed. Reporting on the results of an online survey of college students, the results imply that individuals from more communicative families report stronger financial literacy. This finding suggests that financial literacy education programs might be more pedagogically useful if they incorporate and facilitate conversation around financial matters. The findings also reinforce the necessity of financial education.
Spatial Evolution and Driving Mechanism of City Networks in the Middle and Lower Ganges Valley from the 16th to the Mid-18th Century
Authors: Wang Xihui , Dong Wei
Published: November 2022

The middle and lower Ganges Valley constitute an important part of the Asian economic and cultural corridor. Multicultural exchanges have had a profound impact on the development of historic cities and towns in the region. Considering the towns and cities of the middle and lower Ganges Valley from the 16th to the mid-18th century, this paper integrates the network theory and the centrifugal and centripetal force theory to explain how factors and forces have driven the spatial evolution of the regional urban system. By extracting spatiotemporal data from multiple sources, using the historical map translation method and spatial calculations based on GIS (Geographical Information System), the spatial pattern evolution of the city networks in this historical period is analyzed. The results show that centripetal and centrifugal forces that are generated by different driving factors combined to produce city networks in the middle and lower Ganges Valley from the 16th to the mid-18th century, forming a polycentric “axis network” spatial pattern with a stable and unified overall structure and dynamic and diverse local structures. The paper also argues that constant cultural and socioeconomic communication between the middle and lower Ganges Valley and the East is the key reason for the continuous expansion of the network.
Effects of the Combination of Audio and Visual Factors on Mental Restoration in a Large-Scale Urban Greenway: Perspectives from Wuhan, China
Authors: Guo Shiyi , Zhou Yan , Yu Jianing , Yang Liuqi
Published: November 2022

The natural environment has been widely recognized as an important way of alleviating mental disorders. While a growing number of studies have discussed the restorative effect of the natural environment, the role of sounds in the natural environment (i.e., soundscape) on promoting mental restoration is under limited exploration. Therefore, we examined the restorative effect of visual stimuli and the combination of audio and visual factors in the natural environment. A total of 149 college students were divided into five groups, and exposed to different combinations of photos and sounds (with ‘silence’ as a control group) collected along the East Lake Greenway—the longest urban greenway in China. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to examine the correlation between characteristics of the natural environment and volunteers’ mental restoration, with place attachment as a mediator. Results showed that: (1) sound can alter the effect of visual factors on mental restoration; (2) birdsong can significantly enhance the restorative benefit of urban greenways; (3) an environment that is covered in greenery and consists of water sounds will contribute to a higher level of mental restoration; (4) human noise will have a negative impact on mental restoration; (5) place attachment is a mediator between the natural environment and mental restoration. This study highlights the effectiveness of sounds in the natural environment in promoting mental restoration, and broadens our understanding of the link between the natural environment and mental health. We propose that not only visual factors, but also audio-visual combinations, should be considered when creating restorative environments.
Grassland Transfer and Its Income Effect: Evidence from Pastoral Areas of the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau
Authors: Tang Zeng , Guan Shiqi , Zhao Menglin , Wang Lijia , Liu Ying , Fan Yubing
Published: November 2022

Under the condition of different endowment factors of herders and imperfect market mechanisms, grassland transfer can promote the redistribution and rational utilization of grassland resources, which has a crucial impact on herders’ livelihood. This study fully examined how the grassland rental market improves herders’ income and to what extent, using unbalanced panel data with 560 herder households in the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau pastoral areas. A fixed effect model was used as the baseline model. The instrumental variable approach and propensity score matching method were utilized to address the endogeneity problem and sample selection bias. Finally, the mediating effect model was used to analyze the path mechanism of grassland transfer in/out on herder income. The results showed that the total household income increased significantly after participating in grassland transfer. Grassland rent-in increased livestock income, and grassland rent-out increased non-livestock income. After correcting for the selection bias, the income effect of grassland transfer became larger. The grassland rent-in increased the livestock income by promoting production investment. Grassland rent-out increased the non-livestock income by promoting non-pastoral employment.
Impacts of Melatonin on Functionalities of Constructed Wetlands for Wastewater Treatment
Authors: Ye Fan , Guo Junhong , Hou Pengfu , Wang Yongjun , Song Fengbin , Zhang Peng , Li Xiangnan
Published: November 2022

Constructed wetlands (CWs) are effective wastewater treatment systems, relying on plant and substrate uptake and microbial depletion to remove pollutants. It has been reported that melatonin can promote plant growth and change the structure of microbial communities. The effects of melatonin on stress tolerance of plants have been extensively studied, while the effects of melatonin on the efficiency of wastewater treatment in constructed wetlands are rarely known. In the current study, 1 mM melatonin was added to the constructed wetland systems to determine physiological characteristics of Phragmites australis, microbial enzyme activity, and microbial community structure of CWs. Under melatonin treatment, the An and gs of Phragmites australis plants were significantly improved compared with the control. In addition, the contents of phosphate and total anion in the xylem sap of Phragmites australis significantly increased. However, the concentration of total phosphorus in the effluent did change significantly. Melatonin treatment improved the dehydrogenase activity and significantly improved the removal efficiency of NH4+-N in CWs. Furthermore, melatonin reduced the richness of the microbial community in CWs, while it increased the diversity of bacterial community and altered microbial composition. FARPROTAX analysis showed that melatonin increased the abundance of bacteria involved in nitrogen fixation and ureolysis, which may be related to the improvement of plant photosynthetic performance and improved rhizosphere oxygen environment. These results suggested that melatonin may affect plant performance and microbial composition and functions to improve the purification effect of constructed wetland.
Securing the Harvest for the Smallholder Farmer in Rwanda: Fragmented or Consolidated Farmland Use?
Authors: Singirankabo Uwacu Alban , Ertsen Maurits Willem , van de Giesen Nick
Published: November 2022

The year 2007 marked the beginning of a journey to secure food in Rwanda. The country introduced the Crop Intensification Program (CIP), which promotes the farmland use consolidation (LUC). This study assesses the effect of farmland use changes on the agriculture production. We collected data at four research sites and considered three agriculture years to assess the effect of the fragmented or consolidated farmland use on the harvest. The study confirms that the CIP/LUC program converted perennial crops, mainly banana plantations, into seasonal crops, which were prioritized by the program. Overall, we conclude that the shift in farmland use has created an increase in both the harvest and monetary yields of the prioritized crops. However, within that general trend, we observe differences: farmers with smaller and/or fewer farm plots did not realize as great a yield increase as those who joined the CIP/LUC program with larger and/or multiple farm plots. While contributing to an understanding of the ongoing agriculture transformation program in Rwanda, this study followed a statistical approach that could be used by new studies assessing the benefits and outcomes of development policies.
City Size and Household Consumption in China
Authors: Ding Chengri , Li Zhi
Published: November 2022

Agglomeration and dispersion forces fundamentally determine urban and regional development. While traditional views on agglomeration forces are primarily from a production perspective, the growing literature focuses on the consumption perspective and suggests that larger cities may generate better consumption amenities. This paper joins the discussion by examining whether and to what extent city size increases household expenditure on such non-tradable goods and services, as restaurants, entertainment, health and fitness, housekeeping services and clothes. We hypothesize that city size raises the marginal utility of these consumers by increasing the variety of their products or services, supporting certain sectors that have substantial scale economies, or expanding the number of their specialized retail stores, so that households in larger cities want to spend more on these items. The data we use are from the China Household Finance Survey that documents the income, expenditure and demographic information of more than 8000 households from 85 cities in 2011, 2013 and 2015. Our results indicate that city size significantly raises household expenditure on restaurants, entertainment and health and fitness. These sectors have either quite differentiated products or services, or significant fixed costs, so that they rely heavily on scale economies.
Bibliometrics-Based: Trends in Phytoremediation of Potentially Toxic Elements in Soil
Authors: Zhang Yu-Le , He Guan-Di , He Ye-Qing , He Teng-Bing
Published: November 2022

Land purity is of central importance to crop production. The accumulation of toxic elements in soil seriously affects crop safety. Phytoremediation is a widely used technology to clean soil pollution because of its low cost, simple implementation, and lack of secondary pollution. This investigation includes data from 4787 articles on phytoremediation of heavy metals in soil from the period between 2008 and 2021, acquired from Web of Science databases. VOSviewer was utilized to conduct statistical analysis of countries (regions), institutions, journals, cited literature, and keywords. According to the statistical data, the use of phytoremediation for cleaning soil with heavy metals has matured in recent years, showing a trend of rapid growth. There were also few collaborative studies on this subject between institutions, and China has the most extensive research in this field and, therefore, has the highest number of publications, followed by India and the United States. Publications from Pakistan are very in-depth and have the highest average number of citations. It was discovered that many researchers are now publishing articles on Environmental Science and Pollution Research. Chemosphere was revealed as the most influential journal, whereas The Journal of Hazardous Materials was the most cited. In-depth research on keywords such as metal enrichment, super-enrichment plants, phytoremediation, Cd, Pb, etc. have been conducted by many scientists; however, the research content for different countries was different. The review analysis revealed that in the future it will be possible to breed trees with high heavy metal accumulation, or to use transgenic plants and ornamental plants with high tolerance to prevent and control heavy metal pollution in soil. This paper aims to provide references for scholars in this field and to allow them quick access to summarized knowledge on this topic.
Local Sparse Principal Component Analysis for Exploring the Spatial Distribution of Social Infrastructure
Authors: Hong Seong-Yun , Moon Seonggook , Chi Sang-Hyun , Cho Yoon-Jae , Kang Jeon-Young
Published: November 2022

The primary purpose of this study is to develop a method that can assist in exploring infrastructure-related multidimensional data. The spatial distribution of social infrastructure, including housing and service facilities, is usually uneven across a nation. The underlying reasons behind the spatial configuration of infrastructure vary, and its comprehensive examination is crucial to understanding the true implications of their skewed distribution. However, simultaneous examination of all social infrastructure is not always straightforward due to the volume of data. The presence of strong correlations between the facilities may further impede the finding of meaningful patterns. To this end, we present an extension of PCA that constructs sparse principal components for local subsets of the data. To demonstrate its strengths and limitations, we apply it to a dataset on housing and service facilities in Korea. The results exhibit clear geographic patterns and offer valuable insights into the spatial patterns of social infrastructure, which the standard PCA only partly addressed. It provides empirical evidence that the proposed method can be an effective alternative to the traditional dimension reduction techniques for exploring spatial heterogeneity in massive multidimensional data.
Response of Ecosystem Service Value to Spatio-Temporal Pattern Evolution of Land Use in Typical Heavy Industry Cities: A Case Study of Taiyuan City, China
Authors: Ding Xue , Zhao Weijun , Yan Tingting , Wang Lan
Published: November 2022

Ecosystem services value (ESV) has been one index of quantitative evaluation for the ecological livability of heavy industry cities in the new era, which is intimately relevant to patterns of spatio-temporal changes in land use. This study aims to reveal the response of ecosystem service value in heavy industrial cities to the spatial-temporal evolution structure of land use and to analyze the cold and hot spots and sensitivity. In this study, Taiyuan was taken as an example, and Landsat images were adopted as the basic data. This study used intensity analysis, revised ESV, fishing nets, sensitivity analysis, and the methods of hotspot analysis and spatial overlay. The results showed as follows, (1) The characteristics of land use structure evolution mainly focus on the increase of construction land in the early and the rapid development stage of heavy industry cities. All land use types were partly transferred to construction land, but farmland was the main source, with the largest change intensity in the rapid development stage in Taiyuan; (2) The low-value zones of ESV were mostly distributed in the main urban area for construction and farmland, while the high-value zones were primarily distributed in the forestland and grassland. They were distributed in the Fenhe River valley, western and northern mountainous and hilly areas of Taiyuan. The total ESV continued to decline from 2003 to 2018, with a loss amount of RMB 29 million; (3) The patches of land use change were more and more broken, and the spatial distribution of the cold and hot spots was more and more dispersed. The cold and hot spots of ESV were concentrated in the eastern main urban area and its surrounding areas and expanded to the north and south; (4) The forestland was the most sensitive land factor of ESV. The study provides a theoretical method for land use planning, environmental governance, and ecological restoration in heavy industry cities in the new era.
3-Morpholino-7-[N-methyl-N-(4′-carboxyphenyl)amino]phenothiazinium Chloride
Authors: Tiravia Martina , Sabuzi Federica , Valentini Francesca , Conte Valeria , Galloni Pierluca
Published: November 2022

The synthesis of 3-morpholino-7-[N-methyl-N-(4′-carboxyphenyl)amino]phenothiazinium chloride is reported here. Interestingly, non-symmetric phenothiazinium salt is functionalized with a carboxylic acid group that allows the easy and stable anchoring on metal oxides. In addition, the morpholine unit reduces the dye aggregation tendency; thus, improving its potential applications in the biomedical and photo-electrocatalytic field.
Electrochemical and X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopic Study of Early SEI Formation and Evolution on Si and Si@C Nanoparticle-Based Electrodes
Authors: Desrues Antoine , De Vito Eric , Boismain Florent , Alper John P. , Haon Cédric , Herlin-Boime Nathalie , Franger Sylvain
Published: November 2022

Carbon coatings can help to stabilize the electrochemical performance of high-energy anodes using silicon nanoparticles as the active material. In this work, the comparison of the behavior and chemical composition of the Solid Electrolyte Interphase (SEI) was carried out between Si nanoparticles and carbon-coated Si nanoparticles (Si@C). A combination of two complementary analytical techniques, Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy and X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS), was used to determine the intrinsic characteristics of the SEI. It was demonstrated that the SEI on Si particles is more resistive than the SEI on the Si@C particles. XPS demonstrated that the interface on the Si particles contains more oxygen when not covered with carbon, which shows that a protective layer of carbon helps to reduce the number of inorganic components, leading to more resistive SEI. The combination of those two analytical techniques is implemented to highlight the features and evolution of interfaces in different battery technologies.
Novel Slow-Release Defoamers for Concrete Using Porous Nanoparticles as Carriers
Authors: Shan Guangcheng , Qiao Min , Chen Jian , Gao Nanxiao , Shen Fei , Ran Qianping
Published: November 2022

Excess large and unstable air bubbles can reduce the compressive strength of hardened concrete, and traditional defoamers always fail because of adsorption and encapsulation on cement with the progress of cement hydration in later stages. It is necessary to develop a novel defoamer that shows a sustained defoaming ability in fresh concrete. A novel slow-release defoamer for concrete using porous nanoparticles as carriers is reported for the first time. The porous nanoparticles/polyether defoamer composite (SiO2-Def) was prepared via sol-gel method. SiO2-Def is a spherical composite nanoparticle with a size range of 160–200 nm and a uniform pore size distribution. SiO2-Def shows a high load rate of about 16.4% and an excellent release under an alkali and salt environment. It has a weak initial defoaming ability but shows a sustained defoaming ability with time, so that it can avoid the failures of defoamers and eliminate harmful bubbles entrained during the processes of pumping and transportation. Moreover, SiO2-Def produced a higher compressive strength of the hardened cement mortars.
Experimentally Observed Nucleation and Growth Behavior of Mg/MgH2 during De/Hydrogenation of MgH2/Mg: A Review
Authors: Lyu Jinzhe , Kudiiarov Viktor , Lider Andrey
Published: November 2022

With the increasing energy crisis and environmental problems, there is an urgent need to seek an efficient renewable energy source, and hydrogen energy is considered one of the most promising energy carriers. Magnesium is considered a promising hydrogen storage material due to its high hydrogen storage density, abundant resources, and low cost. However, sluggish kinetic performance is one of the bottlenecks hindering its practical application. The kinetic process of hydrogenation/dehydrogenation can be influenced by both external and internal factors, including temperature, pressure, elementary composition, particle size, particle surface states, irregularities in particle structure, and hydrogen diffusion coefficient. The kinetic performance of the MgH2/Mg system can be effectively improved by more active sites and nucleation centers for hydrogen absorption and desorption. Herein, we briefly review and discuss the experimentally observed nucleation and growth behavior of Mg/MgH2 during de/hydrogenation of MgH2/Mg. In particular, the nucleation and growth behavior of MgH2 during the hydrogenation of Mg is discussed from the aspect of temperature and hydrogen pressure.