bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Performance and Nutritional Properties of Einkorn, Emmer and Rivet Wheat in Response to Different Rotational Position and Soil Tillage
Authors: Costanzo Ambrogio , Amos Dominic C. , Dinelli Giovanni , Sferrazza Rocco E. , Accorsi Giacomo , Negri Lorenzo , Bosi Sara
Published: November 2019

Einkorn, emmer, and rivet are three species of wheat that have largely been neglected in modern agriculture. There is a revived interest in these species as potentially successful alternatives to mainstream wheat in organic and low-input cropping systems and as sources of highly nutritious food. However, the availability of literature studies concerning rotational positions and soil tillage management is still scarce. The aim of this study was to explore the field (cover, disease resistance, yield) and quality performance (protein, fats, fiber, polyphenols, flavonoids, and antioxidant activity) of these species when organically grown in the United Kingdom. As part of the H2020 DIVERSIFOOD project, different cultivars of each species, including landraces, populations, old varieties, and where available, commercial varieties, were included in the experiment. Rotational position and tillage systems significantly affected the main agronomic performance of the minor cereals investigated, suggesting that low fertility and shallow-non-inversion tillage might be suitable options to manage tall species. Emmer showed the highest incidence of foliar diseases, whereas einkorn and rivet wheat appeared quasi-immune to the main fungal diseases (stripe rust, septoria). In addition, nutritional and nutraceutical investigation showed that the rotational position and soil management also affect metabolic pathways differently by species and within species, by genotype. Our results suggest a good potential to introduce these species in sustainable cropping systems. Furthermore, the interesting species and cultivar-by-management interactions observed can pave the way for future, better focused, research on these underutilized and underexplored species.
A Study and Factor Identification of Municipal Solid Waste Management in Mexico City
Authors: Gutiérrez Galicia Francisco , Coria Páez Ana Lilia , Tejeida Padilla Ricardo
Published: November 2019

Mexico City generates 12 thousand tons of Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) per day, which places it as one of the cities that produces the most MSW in the world. However, the treatments used in the city are not enough for recycling materials and organics valorization of at least 45% of the MSW, which is the minimum for a medium-high-income city. To put in a global context the deficiency in Municipal Solid Waste Management (MSWM) in Mexico City and evaluate the policies that have been implemented thus far, Wasteaware benchmark Indicators for Integrated Sustainable Waste Management (ISWM) were used to obtain a desired profile for the comprehensive MSWM in Mexico City. The Wasteaware Benchmark Indicators have been tested in more than 50 cities around the world. The results showed that in Mexico City, certain aspects of governance present the most considerable delay and, at the same time, that there are certain areas of opportunity to improve the efficiency of MSWM in its physical aspects, such as collection systems or treatment services.
Combining Multi-Modal Statistics for Welfare Prediction Using Deep Learning
Authors: Sharma Pulkit , Manandhar Achut , Thomson Patrick , Katuva Jacob , Hope Robert , Clifton David A.
Published: November 2019

In the context of developing countries, effective groundwater resource management is often hindered by a lack of data integration between resource availability, water demand, and the welfare of water users. As a consequence, drinking water-related policies and investments, while broadly beneficial, are unlikely to be able to target the most in need. To find the households in need, we need to estimate their welfare status first. However, the current practices for estimating welfare need a detailed questionnaire in the form of a survey which is time-consuming and resource-intensive. In this work, we propose an alternate solution to this problem by performing a small set of cost-effective household surveys, which can be collected over a short amount of time. We try to compensate for the loss of information by using other modalities of data. By combining different modalities of data, this work aims to characterize the welfare status of people with respect to their local drinking water resource. This work employs deep learning-based methods to model welfare using multi-modal data from household surveys, community handpump abstraction, and groundwater levels. We employ a multi-input multi-output deep learning framework, where different types of deep learning models are used for different modalities of data. Experimental results in this work have demonstrated that the multi-modal data in the form of a small set of survey questions, handpump abstraction data, and groundwater level can be used to estimate the welfare status of households. In addition, the results show that different modalities of data have complementary information, which, when combined, improves the overall performance of our ability to predict welfare.
Dynamic Evolution of Venture Capital Network in Clean Energy Industries Based on STERGM
Authors: Zhang Chen , Dang Xinghua , Peng Tao , Xue Chaokai
Published: November 2019

This paper provides a detailed description of venture capital (VC) investments in clean energy industries in China over the period 2006–2017 and explores the evolution of clean energy industry VC networks through network formation and network dissolution. Results from the separable temporal exponential-family random graph model (STERGM) show that the factors vary in their relative importance for clean energy industry VC network formation and dissolution. Specifically, governmental venture capital (GVC) and geographic proximity have strong impacts on the formation of networks but not on their dissolution. Reputation and structural embeddedness promote the formation of networks and inhibit their dissolution, and cognitive proximity is found to cause network formation while facilitating network dissolution. The results provide practical and theoretical guidance for the network development of VC firms investing in clean energy industries.
Energy Poverty in Ecuador
Authors: Pablo Quishpe Sinailin , Paloma Taltavull de La Paz , Francisco Juárez Tárraga
Published: November 2019

This paper aims to identify the presence of energy poverty in Ecuador. Three indicators proposed by the European Union Energy Poverty Observatory (EPOV) are used to construct a multidimensional energy poverty index (MEPI) based on measure conditions associated with energy poverty, in areas related to delays in the payment of electricity bills, disproportionate expenses, hidden energy poverty, and the 10% Boardman (1991) rule. The information comes from the Ecuatorian Life Conditions Survey. The results show that energy poverty is present in Ecuadorian households, at the national level, and just as these indicators have restrictions, advantages and disadvantages, which demand decisions about the choice of their use.
Assessing Protection Strategies for Urban Rail Transit Systems: A Case-Study on the Central London Underground
Authors: Esposito Amideo Annunziata , Starita Stefano , Scaparra Maria Paola
Published: November 2019

Urban rail transit systems are highly prone to disruptions of various nature (e.g., accidental, environmental, man-made). Railway networks are deemed as critical infrastructures given that a service interruption can prompt adverse consequences on entire communities and lead to potential far-reaching effects. Hence, the identification of optimal strategies to mitigate the negative impact of disruptive events is paramount to increase railway systems’ resilience. In this paper, we investigate several protection strategies deriving from the application of either single asset vulnerability metrics or systemic optimization models. The contribution of this paper is threefold. Firstly, a single asset metric combining connectivity, path length and flow is defined, namely the Weighted Node Importance Evaluation Index (WI). Secondly, a novel bi-level multi-criteria optimisation model, called the Railway Fortification Problem (RFP), is introduced. RFP identifies protection strategies based on stations connectivity, path length, or travel demand, considered as either individual or combined objectives. Finally, two different protection strategy approaches are applied to a Central London Underground case study: a sequential approach based on single-asset metrics and an integrated approach based on RFP. Results indicate that the integrated approach outperforms the sequential approach and identifies more robust protection plans with respect to different vulnerability criteria.
An Integrated Variable Speed Limit and ALINEA Ramp Metering Model in the Presence of High Bus Volume
Authors: Dadashzadeh Nima , Ergun Murat
Published: November 2019

Under many circumstances, when providing full bus priority methods, urban transport officials have to operate buses in mixed traffic based on their road network limitations. In the case of Istanbul’s Metrobus lane, for instance, when the route comes to the pre-designed Bosphorus Bridge, it has no choice but to merge with highway mixed traffic until it gets to the other side. Much has been written on the relative success of implementing Ramp Metering (RM), for example ALINEA (‘Asservissement line´ aire d’entre´ e autoroutie’) and Variable Speed Limits (VSL), two of the most widely-used “merging congestion” management strategies, in both a separate and combined manner. However, there has been no detailed study regarding the combination of these systems in the face of high bus volume. This being the case, the ultimate goal of this study is to bridge this gap by developing and proposing a combination of VSL and RM strategies in the presence of high bus volume (VSL+ALINEA/B). The proposed model has been coded using microscopic simulation software—VISSIM—and its vehicle actuated programming (VAP) feature; referred to as VisVAP. For current traffic conditions, the proposed model is able to improve total travel time by 9.0%, lower the number of average delays of mixed traffic and buses by 29.1% and 81.5% respectively, increase average speed by 12.7%, boost bottleneck throughout by 2.8%, and lower fuel consumption, Carbon Monoxide (CO), Nitrogen Oxides (NOx), and Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC) emissions by 17.3% compared to the existing “VSL+ALINEA” model. The results of the scenario analysis confirmed that the proposed model is not only able to decrease delay times on the Metrobus system but is also able to improve the adverse effects of high bus volume when subject to adjacent mixed traffic flow along highway sections.
An Evidential Model for Environmental Risk Assessment in Projects Using Dempster–Shafer Theory of Evidence
Authors: Hatefi Seyed Morteza , Basiri Mohammad Ehsan , Tamošaitienė Jolanta
Published: November 2019

One of the goals of sustainable development is to achieve economic and social growth according to environmental criteria. Nowadays, impact assessment is an efficient decision making method in planning and management with environmental perspectives. Environmental risk assessment is a tool to reduce the impacts and consequences of various activities on the environment in order to achieve sustainable development. One of the commonly used environmental risk assessment methods is the probability–impact matrix method, which is known as a quantitative method for risk assessment of projects. In this method, numerical estimates of probability and impact of risk occurrence are very difficult, and these factors are associated with uncertainty. When uncertainty exists, data integration is of great importance, for which the fuzzy inference system and evidence theory are known as effective methods. Unavailability of experts’ opinion and the exponential growth of the number of required fuzzy rules associated with the risk factors are two drawbacks of fuzzy inference. Dempster–Shafer’s theory of evidence is one of the popular theories used in intelligent systems for modeling and reasoning under uncertainty and inaccuracy. In this paper, an evidential model for project environmental risk assessment is proposed based on the Dempster–Shafer theory, which is capable of taking into account the uncertainties. The proposed model is used to assess the environmental risks of Maroon oil pipelines in Isfahan. In addition, the proposed model is used in the case of tunneling risk assessment taken from the subject literature. To evaluate the validity of the proposed evidential model, the results are compared in two case studies, with the results of the conventional risk assessment method and the fuzzy inference system method. The comparative results show that the proposed model has a high potential for project risk assessment under an uncertain environment.
Life-Cycle Assessment of Brazilian Transport Biofuel and Electrification Pathways
Authors: Glensor Kain , Muñoz B. María Rosa
Published: November 2019

Biofuels and electrification are potential ways to reduce CO2 emissions from the transport sector, although not without limitations or associated problems. This paper describes a life-cycle analysis (LCA) of the Brazilian urban passenger transport system. The LCA considers various scenarios of a wholesale conversion of car and urban bus fleets to 100% electric or biofuel (bioethanol and biodiesel) use by 2050 compared to a business as usual (BAU) scenario. The LCA includes the following phases of vehicles and their life: fuel use and manufacturing (including electricity generation and land-use emissions), vehicle and battery manufacturing and end of life. The results are presented in terms of CO2, nitrous oxides (NOx) and particulate matter (PM) emissions, electricity consumption and the land required to grow the requisite biofuel feedstocks. Biofuels result in similar or higher CO2 and air pollutant emissions than BAU, while electrification resulted in significantly lower emissions of all types. Possible limitations found include the amount of electricity consumed by electric vehicles in the electrification scenarios.
How to Maintain the Sustainable Development of a Business Platform: A Case Study of Pinduoduo Social Commerce Platform in China
Authors: Zhao Wu , Wang AnQi , Chen Yun
Published: November 2019

At present, the ‘platform business model’ has indicated innovative potentials not just in traditional industrial sectors such as telecommunications, IT and retail, but also other sectors like social commerce. However, ‘Platform’ is not static as it is firmed at the beginning. Using Pinduoduo as a case study, this research conducts in-depth interviews and surveys in China to analyze the dynamic change of the platform provider’s role for successful platform operation via the lens of platform business models. As a “2.0 generation eCommerce platform”, Pinduoduo platform has become the largest social commerce platform in China with continuous growth at a high speed. The study found that stabilisation of the platform has experienced two stages: spread and evolution. At the spread stage, the role of platform provider focuses on forming “incentive to participants” through “Low price + Social contact” strategy and “Gamification + brand channel” strategy. At the evolution stage, the provider’s role is transformed into manager of products/services quality and revenue structure. Pinduoduo’s quality control is composed of three levels, including front-end quality control, middle-end quality control and back-end quality control. Besides, platform revenue structure strategies are sponsor-type. The purpose of this study is to enlighten the current players in the market on how they might utilize the underlying rationales in framework to further develop their platform business models. From the perspective of a platform, sustainable development of a theoretical framework is proposed based on these findings to facilitate future research in this area.
The Biological Activity of Natural Alkaloids against Herbivores, Cancerous Cells and Pathogens
Authors: Thawabteh Amin , Juma Salma , Bader Mariam , Karaman Donia , Scrano Laura , Bufo Sabino , Karaman Rafik
Published: November 2019

The growing incidence of microorganisms that resist antimicrobials is a constant concern for the scientific community, while the development of new antimicrobials from new chemical entities has become more and more expensive, time-consuming, and exacerbated by emerging drug-resistant strains. In this regard, many scientists are conducting research on plants aiming to discover possible antimicrobial compounds. The secondary metabolites contained in plants are a source of chemical entities having pharmacological activities and intended to be used for the treatment of different diseases. These chemical entities have the potential to be used as an effective antioxidant, antimutagenic, anticarcinogenic and antimicrobial agents. Among these pharmacologically active entities are the alkaloids which are classified into a number of classes, including pyrrolizidines, pyrrolidines, quinolizidines, indoles, tropanes, piperidines, purines, imidazoles, and isoquinolines. Alkaloids that have antioxidant properties are capable of preventing a variety of degenerative diseases through capturing free radicals, or through binding to catalysts involved indifferent oxidation processes occurring within the human body. Furthermore, these entities are capable of inhibiting the activity of bacteria, fungi, protozoan and etc. The unique properties of these secondary metabolites are the main reason for their utilization by the pharmaceutical companies for the treatment of different diseases. Generally, these alkaloids are extracted from plants, animals and fungi. Penicillin is the most famous natural drug discovery deriving from fungus. Similarly, marines have been used as a source for thousands of bioactive marine natural products. In this review, we cover the medical use of natural alkaloids isolated from a variety of plants and utilized by humans as antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal and anticancer agents. An example for such alkaloids is berberine, an isoquinoline alkaloid, found in roots and stem-bark of Berberis asculin P. Renault plant and used to kill a variety of microorganisms.
Structure–Function Relationships of the Repeat Domains of RTX Toxins
Authors: Baumann Ulrich
Published: November 2019

RTX proteins are a large family of polypeptides of mainly Gram-negative origin that are secreted into the extracellular medium by a type I secretion system featuring a non-cleavable C-terminal secretion signal, which is preceded by a variable number of nine-residue tandem repeats. The three-dimensional structure forms a parallel β-roll, where β-strands of two parallel sheets are connected by calcium-binding linkers in such a way that a right-handed spiral is built. The Ca2+ ions are an integral part of the structure, which cannot form without them. The structural determinants of this unique architecture will be reviewed with its conservations and variations together with the implication for secretion and folding of these proteins. The general purpose of the RTX domains appears to act as an internal chaperone that keeps the polypeptide unfolded in the calcium-deprived cytosol and triggers folding in the calcium-rich extracellular medium. A rather recent addition to the structural biology of the RTX toxin is a variant occurring in a large RTX adhesin, where this non-canonical β-roll binds to ice and diatoms.
A Case History in Cooperative Biological Research: Compendium of Studies and Program Analyses in Kazakhstan
Authors: Yeh Kenneth B. , Parekh Falgunee K. , Musralina Lyazzat , Sansyzbai Ablay , Tabynov Kairat , Shapieva Zhanna , Richards Allen L. , Hay John
Published: November 2019

Kazakhstan and the United States have partnered since 2003 to counter the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. The US Department of Defense (US DoD) has funded threat reduction programs to eliminate biological weapons, secure material in repositories that could be targeted for theft, and enhance surveillance systems to monitor infectious disease outbreaks that would affect national security. The cooperative biological research (CBR) program of the US DoD’s Biological Threat Reduction Program has provided financing, mentorship, infrastructure, and biologic research support to Kazakhstani scientists and research institutes since 2005. The objective of this paper is to provide a historical perspective for the CBR involvement in Kazakhstan, including project chronology, successes and challenges to allow lessons learned to be applied to future CBR endeavors. A project compendium from open source data and interviews with partner country Kazakhstani participants, project collaborators, and stakeholders was developed utilizing studies from 2004 to the present. An earlier project map was used as a basis to determine project linkages and continuations during the evolution of the CBR program. It was determined that consistent and effective networking increases the chances to collaborate especially for competitive funding opportunities. Overall, the CBR program has increased scientific capabilities in Kazakhstan while reducing their risk of biological threats. However, there is still need for increased scientific transparency and an overall strategy to develop a capability-based model to better enhance and sustain future research. Finally, we offer a living perspective that can be applied to further link related studies especially those related to One Health and zoonoses and the assessment of similar capability-building programs.
Seasonal Dynamics of Algae-Infecting Viruses and Their Inferred Interactions with Protists
Authors: Gran-Stadniczeñko Sandra , Krabberød Anders K. , Sandaa Ruth-Anne , Yau Sheree , Egge Elianne , Edvardsen Bente
Published: November 2019

Viruses are a highly abundant, dynamic, and diverse component of planktonic communities that have key roles in marine ecosystems. We aimed to reveal the diversity and dynamics of marine large dsDNA viruses infecting algae in the Northern Skagerrak, South Norway through the year by metabarcoding, targeting the major capsid protein (MCP) and its correlation to protist diversity and dynamics. Metabarcoding results demonstrated a high diversity of algal viruses compared to previous metabarcoding surveys in Norwegian coastal waters. We obtained 313 putative algal virus operational taxonomic units (vOTUs), all classified by phylogenetic analyses to either the Phycodnaviridae or Mimiviridae families, most of them in clades without any cultured or environmental reference sequences. The viral community showed a clear temporal variation, with some vOTUs persisting for several months. The results indicate co-occurrences between abundant viruses and potential hosts during long periods. This study gives new insights into the virus-algal host dynamics and provides a baseline for future studies of algal virus diversity and temporal dynamics.
Comparative Pathogenicity and Transmissibility of the H7N9 Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Virus and the H7N9 Low Pathogenic Avian Influenza Virus in Chickens
Authors: Yu Hao , Zhang Kunpeng , Ye Xumeng , Wang Wenqing , Wu Wenbo , Wang Xia , Guan Yun , He Zhuoliang , Wang Yong , Jiao Peirong
Published: November 2019

There were five outbreaks of H7N9 influenza virus in humans in China since it emerged in 2013, infecting >1000 people. The H7N9 low pathogenic influenza virus was inserted into four amino acids in the HA protein cleavage site to mutate into the H7N9 highly pathogenic virus. This emerging virus caused 15 outbreaks in chickens from the end of 2016 to date. Two H7N9 avian influenza virus (AIV) strains, A/chicken/Guangdong/A46/2013 (LPAIV) and A/chicken/Guangdong/Q29/2017 (HPAIV), were selected to compare the pathogenicity and transmissibility between H7N9 LPAIVs and HPAIVs in chickens. We inoculated 3- to 4-week-old specific-pathogen-free (SPF) chickens with 6 log10EID50/0.1 mL viruses via the ocular-nasal route and co-housed four chickens in each group. The inoculated chicken mortality rate in the A46 and Q29 groups was 1/5 and 5/5, respectively. Q29 virus replication was more efficient compared to the A46 virus in inoculated chickens. Infected chickens initiated viral shedding to naïve contact chickens through respiratory and digestive routes. Both viruses transmitted between chickens by naïve contact, but the Q29 virus had a higher pathogenicity in contact chickens than the A46 virus. Compared with early H7N9 LPAIVs, the pathogenicity and transmissibility of the emerging H7N9 HPAIV was stronger in chickens, indicating that H7N9 influenza virus may continue to threaten human and poultry health.
The Comparison of Selected Types of Municipal Sewage Sludge Filtrates Toxicity in Different Biological Models: From Bacterial Strains to Mammalian Cells. Preliminary Study
Authors: Jabłońska-Trypuć Agata , Wydro Urszula , Serra-Majem Lluis , Butarewicz Andrzej , Wołejko Elżbieta
Published: November 2019

Sewage sludge (SS) is a complex mixture of potentially toxic compounds, which may affect the environment. Many methodologies are being implemented in order to assess the risk that SS may cause after the exposition, but usually they rely on chemical analyses that cannot predict their toxicological impact. Therefore, biological systems are essential in such studies. The aim of this study was to estimate the effect of 3 types of SS filtrates: sludge from primary clarifier, sludge from aeration tank and sludge from thickened sludge tank after flocculant addition. In order to thoroughly investigate SS cytotoxicity, we proposed different biological models: Aliivibrio fischeri, Escherichia coli, Candida albicans and LN-229 glioblastoma cell line. Obtained results indicate that SS3 was the most toxic against A. fisheri, but tests conducted with the use of E. coli and LN-229 human cell line showed the higher toxicity of SS1. Different toxicity of analyzed filtrates in different biological models could be explained by differences in applied model structure, metabolism and life requirements. Therefore, the reuse of SS should be conducted with caution, and it is important for the SS to undergo a specific remediation process before introducing them into the environment.
Dose-Dependent Phytotoxicity of Pesticides in Simulated Nursery Runoff on Landscape Nursery Plants
Authors: Poudyal Shital , Fernandez R. Thomas , Owen James , Cregg Bert
Published: November 2019

Managers of ornamental nurseries are increasingly reusing runoff water as an irrigation source, but residual pesticides in recycled water may result in plant phytotoxicity on crop plants. Our study focused on understanding the responses of container-grown landscape plants to residual pesticides in irrigation water. Hydrangea paniculata ‘Limelight’, Cornus obliqua ‘Powell garden’, and Hosta ‘Gold standard’ were exposed to various concentrations of isoxaben, chlorpyrifos, and oxyfluorfen (0, 0.15, 0.35, 0.7, and 1.4 mg/L of isoxaben; 0, 0.05, 0.1, 0.2, and 0.4 mg/L of chlorpyrifos; and 0, 0.005, 0.01, 0.015, and 0.02 mg/L of oxyfluorfen) applied as overhead irrigation. After three months of application, we assessed the dry weight biomass, growth, and parameters related to photosynthetic physiology (SPAD chlorophyll index, light-adapted chlorophyll fluorescence, and photosynthesis carbon dioxide response (A/Ci) curves. We also sampled plant leaf, stem, and root tissues for residual pesticides. The effects of the pesticides were pesticide-specific and taxa-specific. Exposure to oxyfluorfen resulted in visible injury in all three taxa and reduced total biomass, chlorophyll index, and photosynthesis in Hydrangea and Hosta. All three taxa absorbed and retained pesticides in leaf and stem tissues. Growers should follow best management practices to reduce exposure from irrigation with runoff, particularly for herbicides with post-emergent activity.
A Case-Study Application of the Experimental Watershed Study Design to Advance Adaptive Management of Contemporary Watersheds
Authors: Hubbart Jason A. , Kellner Elliott , Zeiger Sean J.
Published: November 2019

Land managers are often inadequately informed to make management decisions in contemporary watersheds, in which sources of impairment are simultaneously shifting due to the combined influences of land use change, rapid ongoing human population growth, and changing environmental conditions. There is, thus, a great need for effective collaborative adaptive management (CAM; or derivatives) efforts utilizing an accepted methodological approach that provides data needed to properly identify and address past, present, and future sources of impairment. The experimental watershed study design holds great promise for meeting such needs and facilitating an effective collaborative and adaptive management process. To advance understanding of natural and anthropogenic influences on sources of impairment, and to demonstrate the approach in a contemporary watershed, a nested-scale experimental watershed study design was implemented in a representative, contemporary, mixed-use watershed located in Midwestern USA. Results identify challenges associated with CAM, and how the experimental watershed approach can help to objectively elucidate causal factors, target critical source areas, and provide the science-based information needed to make informed management decisions. Results show urban/suburban development and agriculture are primary drivers of alterations to watershed hydrology, streamflow regimes, transport of multiple water quality constituents, and stream physical habitat. However, several natural processes and watershed characteristics, such as surficial geology and stream system evolution, are likely compounding observed water quality impairment and aquatic habitat degradation. Given the varied and complicated set of factors contributing to such issues in the study watershed and other contemporary watersheds, watershed restoration is likely subject to physical limitations and should be conceptualized in the context of achievable goals/objectives. Overall, results demonstrate the immense, globally transferrable value of the experimental watershed approach and coupled CAM process to address contemporary water resource management challenges.
Role of Design and Operational Factors in the Removal of Pharmaceuticals by Constructed Wetlands
Authors: Ilyas Huma , van Hullebusch Eric
Published: November 2019

This study evaluates the role of design, operational, and physicochemical parameters of constructed wetlands (CWs) in the removal of pharmaceuticals (PhCs). The correlation analysis demonstrates that the performance of CWs is governed by several design and operational factors (area, depth, hydraulic loading rate, organic loading rate, and hydraulic retention time), and physicochemical parameters (dissolved oxygen, temperature, and pH); the removal efficiency of about 50% of the examined PhCs showed a significant correlation with two or more factors. Plants contributed significantly in the removal of some of the PhCs by direct uptake and by enhancing the process of aerobic biodegradation. The use of substrate material of high adsorption capacity, rich in organic matter, and with high surface area enhanced the removal of PhCs by adsorption/sorption processes, which are the major removal mechanisms of some PhCs (codeine, clarithromycin, erythromycin, ofloxacin, oxytetracycline, carbamazepine, and atenolol) in CWs. Although the removal of almost all of the studied PhCs showed seasonal differences, statistical significance was established in the removal of naproxen, salicylic acid, caffeine, and sulfadiazine. The effective PhCs removal requires the integrated design of CWs ensuring the occurrence of biodegradation along with other processes, as well as enabling optimal values of design and operational factors, and physicochemical parameters.
Significance of Chlorinated Phenols Adsorption on Plastics and Bioplastics during Water Treatment
Authors: Tubić Aleksandra , Lončarski Maja , Maletić Snežana , Molnar Jazić Jelena , Watson Malcolm , Tričković Jelena , Agbaba Jasmina
Published: November 2019

Microplastics and chlorinated phenols (CPs) are pollutants found ubiquitously in freshwater systems. Meanwhile, bioplastics are attracting much attention as alternatives to conventional plastics, but there is little data about their effect on the behaviour of pollutants. This work therefore investigates the sorption of four CPs (4-chlorophenol—4-CP, 2,4-dichlorophenol—2,4-DCP, 2,4,6-trichlorophenol—2,4,6-TCP and pentachlorophenol—PCP) on three different plastics (polyethylene (PЕg), polypropylene (PP) and polylactic acid (PLA)) using kinetics and isotherm studies. All experiments were carried out in a synthetic water matrix and in spiked Danube river water. In all cases, adsorption kinetics fitted well with the pseudo-second order rate model. Adsorption proceeded through two linear phases, corresponding to transport from the bulk solution to the external surfaces and then into the interior pores of the sorbents. Maximum adsorption capacities calculated with the Langmuir isotherm indicated that whereas adsorption of 4-CP was not significantly affected by the type of plastic present, the adsorption of 2,4-DCP, 2,4,6-TCP and PCP varied greatly, with polypropylene showing the greatest affinity for CPs adsorption. The differences observed between the adsorption behaviour of CPs in the synthetic and natural water matrices suggest further investigation is required into how the different fractions of natural organic matter impact interactions between CPs and plastics.
Estimating River Discharges in Ungauged Catchments Using the Slope–Area Method and Unmanned Aerial Vehicle
Authors: Yang Shengtian , Wang Pengfei , Lou Hezhen , Wang Juan , Zhao Changsen , Gong Tongliang
Published: November 2019

River discharge is of great significance in the development of water resources and ecological protection. There are several large ungauged catchments around the word still lacking sufficient hydrological data. Obtaining accurate hydrological information from these areas is an important scientific issue. New data and methods must be used to address this issue. In this study, a new method that couples unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) data with the classical slope–area method is developed to calculate river discharges in typical ungauged catchments. UAV data is used to obtain topographic information of the river channels. In situ experiments are carried out to validate the river data. Based on slope–area method, namely the Manning–Strickler formula (M–S), Saint-Venant system of equivalence (which has two definitions, S-V-1 and S-V-2), and the Darcy–Weisbach equivalence (D–W) are used to estimate river discharge in ten sections of the Tibet Plateau and Dzungaria Basin. Results show that the overall qualification rate of the calculated discharge is 70% and the average Nash–Sutcliffe efficiency coefficient is 0.97, indicating strong practical application in the study area. When the discharge is less than 10 m3⁄s, D–W is the most appropriate method; M–S and S-V-1 are better than other methods when the discharge is between 10 m3⁄s and 50 m3⁄s. However, if the discharge is greater than 50 m3⁄s, S-V-2 provides the most accurate results. Furthermore, we found that hydraulic radius is an important parameter in the slope–area method. This study offers a quick and convenient solution to extract hydrological information in ungauged catchments.
Passage Performance of Technical Pool-Type Fishways for Potamodromous Cyprinids: Novel Experiences in Semiarid Environments
Authors: Sanz-Ronda Francisco Javier , Bravo-Córdoba Francisco Javier , Sánchez-Pérez Ana , García-Vega Ana , Valbuena-Castro Jorge , Fernandes-Celestino Leandro , Torralva Mar , Oliva-Paterna Francisco José
Published: November 2019

Endemic freshwater fish from semiarid environments are among the most threated species in the world due to water overexploitation and habitat fragmentation problems. Stepped or pool-type fishways are used worldwide to reestablish longitudinal connectivity and mitigate fish migration problems. Many of them are being installed or planned in rivers of semiarid environments, however, very few studies about fish passage performance through pool-type fishways has been carried out to date on these regions. The present work focuses on the passage performance of two potamodromous cyprinids endemic of these regions, with different ecological and swimming behavior: southern Iberian barbel (Luciobarbus sclateri) and Iberian straight-mouth nase (Pseudochondrostoma polylepis). These are assessed in two of the most common types of stepped fishways: vertical slot and submerged notch with bottom orifice fishways. Experiments were carried out during the spawning season in the Segura River (southeastern Spain), using a passive integrated transponder (PIT) tag and antenna system. Ascent success was greater than 80%, with a median transit time lower than 17 minutes per meter of height in all trials, and for both species and fishway types. Results show that both types of fishways, if correctly designed and constructed, provide interesting alternatives for the restoration of fish migration pathways in these regions.
Notes on old Breton
Authors: Hamp Eric P.
Published: November 2019

Le vieux-breton atteste à la fois an-re et an-roe au sens de «cataplasme», «pansement», sur le th. verb, rig- «bander, lier». Les deux variantes renvoient à deux états différents de la racine, *ande-rig-o → anre, et *ande-reig-o → anroe (ce dernier état est attesté aussi par les comp. gallois en -rwy).
Two late inaugurations of Irish kings
Authors: Pontfarcy Yolande de
Published: November 2019

Le récit de l’inauguration royale n’est pas une fiction de l’imagination, mais doit être un rituel réel, dont le sens symbolique peut être recherché. L’auteur le compare au témoignage d’un autre rituel d’inauguration royale, celui du roi de Tara, attesté dans la Vie de saint Colman en Tir Conaill, raconté par Giraud de Galles.
The Image of St. Brigit in the early Irish Church
Authors: Bray Dorothy Ann
Published: November 2019

L’image de sainte Brigide emprunte à la fois des éléments de la déesse païenne Brigit et des éléments provenant de la christianisation. Plutôt qu’à la Vierge Marie, il faut la comparer à une grande figure de l’épopée irlandaise, la reine Medb, ainsi qu’aux sorcières surnaturelles représentant la souveraineté. Brigide est restée associée aux manifestations de la fertilité, et en particulier à la fabrication de la bière.
The origin of the Hispano-Celtic o-stem genitive singular in -o and related matters
Authors: Eska Joseph F.
Published: November 2019

Hypothèse nouvelle sur le génitif singulier des thèmes thématiques en celtibère : la différenciation des genres masculin et neutre au nominatif a pu se produire aussi au génitif en donnant deux désinences distinctes, masc. -o et neutre -os.
Varia
Authors: Hamp Eric P.
Published: November 2019

XXXII. Étymologie du v. irl. omnae «tronc», dérivé de *ups- avec les suffixes -mnó- et -io-. — XXXIII. Le sens du v. irl. daire n’est pas seulement «bois de chênes», mais «bois, bosquet» en général ; remarques sur les sens anciens de l’i.e. *doru, «bois» et «arbre». — XXXIV. Le nom de rivière Doubs, gaul. Dubis, est un féminin en -ĭ- formé sur le thème en -ú- *dhubhú- «noir». — XXXV. Remarques sur le développement de la formation des verbes v. irl. bronnaid et brisid «il brise».
The suffix -āko- in Continental Celtic
Authors: Russell Paul
Published: November 2019

Pour connaître le mieux possible les différents types de dérivés en -āko- en celtique continental, l’auteur pense qu’il faut tenir compte non seulement des noms de lieux gaulois — qui offrent la documentation la plus abondante — mais aussi des noms de personnes et de tribus, et du matériel provenant d’autres régions que la Gaule. Il discute des problèmes touchant la celticité des formes utilisées. Puis les documents sont passés en revue région par région. Le problème des noms de lieux gaulois en -acum est repris à la base : discussion de la bibliographie antérieure, réexamen des témoignages d’époque classique. Ce type de dérivé (formé sur un nom de personne latin) serait apparu dans le contexte linguistique propre à la Gaule romaine. Les documents celtibères attestent quant à eux l’emploi de -āko- dans des ethniques.
La meditación según Anselmo de Canterbury
Authors: Martines Paulo
Published: November 2019

Con el tema de la meditación somos introducidos directamente en el ámbito de la espiritualidad monástica, de la cual San Anselmo de Canterbury es uno de los representantes más significativos de la Alta Edad Media. Como monje benedictino, él reconoce y vive plenamente la reflexión sobre sí mismo entendida como introspección: se trata del ejercicio del retiro para, en silencio, buscar a Dios. El distanciarse del mundo (un tipo de contemptus mundi) y el amor del reino de Dios constituyen los signos más indicativos de la felicidad que puede ser experimentada por un monje del siglo XI. Uno de los primeros aspectos de la meditación es la conquista del yo interior como auto reconocimiento del alma para la búsqueda de Dios a través de la fe. Este trabajo se centrará en la discusión sobre la meditación en el contexto de la espiritualidad monástica de la época de Anselmo de Canterbury y en el modelo de oración meditativa elaborado sobre (1) el Proslogion, un tratado conocido por ser una meditación de la razón de la fe; y (2) la Tercera Meditación, que considera la redención de la condición humana. El objetivo del trabajo es mostrar que la meditación y la contemplación, según San Anselmo, alcanzan su completo significado por medio del misterio de la salvación.
Conformally Mapped Multifunctional Acoustic Metamaterial Lens for Spectral Sound Guiding and Talbot Effect
Authors: Gao He , Fang Xinsheng , Gu Zhongming , Liu Tuo , Liang Shanjun , Li Yong , Zhu Jie
Published: November 2019

We demonstrate a conformally mapped multifunctional acoustic metamaterial Mikaelian lens. Mikaelian lens is a gradient medium with a hyperbolic secant refractive index profile that can realize functions like beam self-focusing. Unlike the conventional design approaches, with a conformal transformation method, only isotropic material parameters with gradient refractive index profiles are required for the construction of such lens. To realize desired gradient index distribution, we carefully design a new type of cross-channel-shaped acoustic metamaterial, whose refractive index can be effectively modulated by simply changing the slit opening size. The distinct capabilities of the metamaterial Mikaelian lens in manipulating acoustic waves are experimentally verified with the fabricated sample. Simultaneous sound guiding and Talbot effects, which normally require respective geometrical and wave acoustic approximations, are observed in simulations and experiments. Furthermore, those effects of shaping acoustic wave propagations were validated within a relatively wide frequency range. Our study reveals how the conformal transformation method can help to bridge the ray acoustics with wave acoustics. It offers opportunities to the development of novel multifunctional acoustic devices for various applications, such as sound and particle manipulations.
Obowiązki domowe w świadomości dzieci w wieku przedszkolnym
Authors: Barszcz-Skowronek Jolanta
Published: November 2019

Głównym celem artykułu jest prezentacja wyników badań dotyczących obowiązków domowych dzieci uczęszczających do przedszkola, w oparciu o rysunki dzieci wykonane w ramach aktywności dzieci w warunkach domowych podczas realizacji projektu edukacyjnego i wypowiedzi rodziców. Rodzina jako naturalna grupa odniesienia, w której ma miejsce silna identyfikacja emocjonalna, zapewnia nie tylko poczucie wspólnoty i więzi, ale także warunki do optymalnego rozwoju wszystkich jej członków. W procesie uczenia się zasadniczą rolę odgrywa kontakt psychiczny dziecka z rodzicami i działające w tym kontekście mechanizmy naśladownictwa, identyfikacji i modelowania. Dzieci powinny dbać nie tylko o swoją przestrzeń, ale i z wiekiem przejmować coraz trudniejsze obowiązki/prace domowe. Dlatego też ważne jest, aby dzieci od najmłodszych lat miały swoje obowiązki w domu. Angażowanie dziecka do obowiązków uczy je samodzielności, samodyscypliny i umiejętności efektywnego zarządzania własnym czasem. Rodzice z kolei zyskują możliwość dodatkowej interakcji z dzieckiem. Wspólne obowiązki, czyli aktywności dzieci i rodziców w warunkach domowych, są równie skuteczne w zacieśnianiu relacji wewnątrz rodziny, jak integracja poprzez zabawę.
W poszukiwaniu efektywnej metody nauki języka obcego dzieci w wieku wczesnoszkolnym – idea integracji zajęć językowych z edukacją artystyczną
Authors: Sieczych-Kukawska Aleksandra
Published: November 2019

Celem artykułu jest ukazanie korzyści, jakie płyną z połączenia zajęć językowych z zajęciami artystycznymi na wczesnym etapie edukacji językowej uczniów. Tekst stanowi analizę literatury przedmiotu, które pozwalają dostrzec potencjalnie wysoką wartość połączenia procesu glottodydaktycznego z edukacją artystyczną. Odwołując się do teorii neurobiologicznych, psychologicznych, konstruktywistycznych, a także teorii twórców edukacji artystycznej ukazane zostaje pełne spektrum argumentów, które podkreślają korzyści takiego połączenia. Przytaczane argumenty (dotyczące sfery emocjonalnej, wolicjonalnej, poznawczej) dostarczają głębokiego przekonania o zasadności oraz korzyściach płynących dla dziecka z włączania zajęć artystycznych w proces kształcenia językowego.
Zasoby odporności psychicznej dziecka – co wiedzą o nich rodzice i nauczyciele
Authors: Sikorska Iwona , Adamczyk-Banach Magdalena , Polak Mateusz
Published: November 2019

Rozwój dziecka i postępy przez nie czynione są przedmiotem żywego zainteresowania bliskich mu dorosłych – rodziców i nauczycieli. ­Celem prezentowanego badania było poszukiwanie odpowiedzi na pytanie o wiedzę rodziców i nauczycieli dziecka w wieku przedszkolnym na temat jego odporności psychicznej. Była ona zdefiniowana jako czynniki ochronne – inicjatywa, samokontrola i przywiązanie oraz czynniki ryzyka w postaci zachowań niepokojących. Uczestnikami badania byli rodzice i nauczyciele 335 dzieci w wieku 2-6 lat. W badaniu wykorzystano skalę obserwacyjną DECA (The Devereux Early Childhood Assessment) przeznaczoną dla dzieci w wieku od 2,0 lat do 5 lat i 11 miesięcy. Narzędzie składa się z 37 pozycji, wypełniane jest przez rodziców dziecka oraz jego nauczyciela przedszkolnego. Uzyskane wyniki wykazały różnice w zakresie oceny przez dorosłych zarówno czynników ochronnych, jak i czynników ryzyka: matki oceniły najwyżej inicjatywę dzieci, wyższe wymagania w zakresie samokontroli dzieci zaobserwowano u ojców w porównaniu z matkami i nauczycielami. Przywiązanie jako trzeci czynnik ochronny zostało ocenione wyżej przez rodziców niż przez nauczyciela. Nauczyciele zauważyli istotnie mniej zachowań trudnych u dzieci niż matki. W zakresie zachowań niepokojących stwierdzono tendencję nauczycieli do spostrzegania chłopców w sposób stereotypowy jako mniej grzecznych niż dziewczynki. Okazało się, że wiedza matek, ojców i nauczycieli na temat zasobów odporności psychicznej dziecka różni się w istotny sposób. Może to także wynikać z odmiennego zachowania dziecka w środowisku przedszkolnym i domowym oraz z wpływu czynników społecznych.
Comparison of tools for automated tests of the graphical user interface using the the Sikuli and AutoIT example
Authors: Paczuski Tomasz , Pańczyk Beata
Published: November 2019

The aim of the article is to compare the tools for automating user interface tests on the example of Sikula and AutoIT. The conducted research has focused on the time of testing scripts, their complexity, ease of maintenance and reliability. For the purposes of the study, an application in C # was created and several representative automatic tests were written in each tool.