bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Role of Energy and Environmental Quality in Exploring the Economic Sustainability: A New Appraisal in the Context of North African Countries
Authors: Farhani Sahbi , Kadria Mohamed , Guirat Yosr
Published: December 2021

The aim of this study is to investigate the long-term relationship between real gross domestic product (GDP), energy consumption (EC), and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions using: (i) fully modified ordinary least square (FMOLS) and dynamic ordinary least square (DOLS) estimates, to deal with the bias of endogeneity regressors and the countries’ heterogeneity, and (ii) a pooled mean group (PMG) estimator, to involve both pooling and averaging for a dynamic specification based on the auto-regressive distributed lag (ARDL) model. Regarding five North African countries (Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya and Egypt) over the period of 1971–2014, our empirical findings seem relevant in the light of economic developments, and indicate that increased energy consumption gives rise to both GDP growth and increased CO2 emissions, as a result of more pollution. This leads us to conclude that North African countries should improve the productivity of their energy by increasing: (i) the implementation of energy-saving projects, energy conservation, energy efficiency, and energy infrastructure, while outsourcing to achieve GDP growth as well as increasing their investment in full-energy-potential projects, and (ii) the use of more renewable energy in order to mitigate emissions.
Transcriptomic Insight into the Melon Morphology of Toothed Whales for Aquatic Molecular Developments
Authors: Senevirathna Jayan Duminda Mahesh , Yonezawa Ryo , Saka Taiki , Igarashi Yoji , Funasaka Noriko , Yoshitake Kazutoshi , Kinoshita Shigeharu , Asakawa Shuichi
Published: December 2021

Aquatic habitats are home to large animals such as marine mammals. Toothed whales have special fat deposits in the forehead region (called the melon) of their heads that are associated with echolocation underwater. This fat is also important industrially for human use. Due to the lack of gene expression information on the melon fat of toothed whales, we investigated the melon morphology via the transcriptomic approach. Four parts of the melons of three individual Risso’s dolphins were used for total RNA extraction, cDNA library preparation, and sequencing via next-generation sequencing (NGS) technologies. After the downstream analysis of raw sequence data, we determined that the outer layer of the melon’s ML4 region played multifunctional roles. The 36 differentially expressed genes of outer melon included ASB5, MYH13, MYOM2, and MYOM3. These genes are associated with muscle function and energy metabolism. Gene clustering and functional enrichment analyses also represented enrichments, such as the pentose phosphate pathway and morphogenesis related to lipid metabolism and muscle functions. This study will be crucial for muscle and fat functional-related molecular studies on aquatic mammals. Additionally, the study presents potential pathways, such as melon fat biosynthesis, for sustainable future developments.
Telepresence with Hologram Effect: Technological Ecosystem for Distance Education
Authors: Ramirez-Lopez Carla Victoria , Castano Leticia , Aldape Patricia , Tejeda Santa
Published: December 2021

One of the most significant challenges of telepresence distance education is to bring the professor and the students closer together in a synchronistic educational experience where the professor is perceived as anatomically proportionate. Telepresence, an educational technology ecosystem using holograms, offers a way to solve this technological challenge. Our mixed exploratory research investigating this methodology had two purposes: (1) propose the key elements to teach distance courses synchronously in an educational technology ecosystem, and (2) demonstrate the technological, didactic practices that result in positive student learning outcomes in several specified courses. This methodology included applying a student questionnaire to collect their perceptions of the educational experience. The scores and written comments from the questionnaire were analyzed using Grounded Theory. On a Likert scale from 1 to 5, the students scored their educational experience, attaining a mean of 4.05. The positive perception affirmed that they valued: (a) recreating the natural dynamics of face-to-face classes, where the students perceived their professors as being physically present in the classroom; (b) professors renowned in their disciplines; (c) professor–student and campus and intercampus learning community interactions, and, finally, (d) class design and content. The main conclusions of this research were that students positively perceived the “wow” effect of the technology, feeling comfort, amazement, interest, and engagement. In addition, we found that professors and keynote speakers with excellent pedagogical skills and experts in their disciplines were well appreciated. Key elements for the success of the experience were professor-student, campus, and intercampus interactions and the quality of the technological and communication infrastructure.
Developing Transportation Livability-Related Indicators for Green Urban Road Rating System in Taiwan
Authors: Tran Nam Hoai , Yang Shih-Hsien , Tsai Calista Y. , Yang Nien Chia , Chang Chih-Ming
Published: December 2021

Although indicators in rating systems have been initiated to measure and promote the sustainability performance of roadway projects in some developed countries, applying those indicators to other regions/countries may still be difficult. In response to the United Nations’ sustainable development goals, local road agencies in Taiwan urgently need to establish systematic and quantifiable sustainable roadway strategies. As part of the project to develop a green urban road rating system in Taiwan, this study aims to develop transportation livability-related indicators (TLIs) and identify critical barriers to TLI application in Taiwan’s urban road system. To this end, the research employed an adaptive approach that integrates top-down and bottom-up approaches. The top-down approach included the comprehensive literature review and panel discussion to derive four TLIs and 21 corresponding requirements, and nine potential barriers to hold the indicator adoption. Four TLIs are pedestrian facilities, universal design, multimodal transportation, and utility facilities. The bottom-up approach used the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) to assign weights to proposed indicators/requirements. Four critical barriers were also investigated through the Weighted Sum Model (WSM) method, namely unfavorable in-situ conditions, lack of stakeholders’ coordination, unsupported government policy and regulation, and limited budget and schedule. The findings can be beneficial to engineers and decisionmakers to enhance the livability standard of urban streets. The framework proposed in this research can be applied to other roadway characteristics aspects in different regions/countries.
Sustainable Ecological Restoration of Sterile Dumps Using Robinia pseudoacacia
Authors: Băbău Adriana Mihaela Chirilă , Micle Valer , Damian Gianina Elena , Sur Ioana Monica
Published: December 2021

The feasibility of using Robinia pseudoacacia in phytoremediation of sterile dumps was determined. The potential of Robinia pseudoacacia seeds to grow in a medium contaminated with high concentrations of Pb, Cd, and Cu was firstly evaluated by applying germination tests on acacia seeds in the presence of various extractants prepared by mixtures of sterile material (SM) collected from the “Radeș” dump (Romania), calcium carbonate (CaCO3) and dehydrated sludge (DS) from Someș Water Treatment Plant (Cluj Napoca, Romania), fertilizer (N.P.K.), and potassium monobasic phosphate (KH2PO4-99.5%). The results indicated that Robinia pseudoacacia seeds grow much better in an acidic than in a neutral medium and in the absence of carbonates. The capacity of metal uptake from SM by Robinia pseudoacacia and the development of the plants were then investigated at the laboratory scale. During the phytoremediation process, 92.31% of Cu was removed from SM, and the development of the Robinia pseudoacacia plants was favorable. However, although the results of the present study indicated that Robinia pseudoacacia can be successfully used in the phytoremediation of sterile dumps, making a sustainable decision for the current situation of sterile dumps located in mining areas may be difficult because an optimal point between people, profit, planet, and diverse ethical views must be found.
Grid-Connected Inverter for a PV-Powered Electric Vehicle Charging Station to Enhance the Stability of a Microgrid
Authors: Jang Yohan , Sun Zhuoya , Ji Sanghyuk , Lee Chaeeun , Jeong Daeung , Choung Seunghoon , Bae Sungwoo
Published: December 2021

This study proposes a grid-connected inverter for photovoltaic (PV)-powered electric vehicle (EV) charging stations. The significant function of the proposed inverter is to enhance the stability of a microgrid. The proposed inverter can stabilize its grid voltage and frequency by supplying or absorbing active or reactive power to or from a microgrid using EVs and PV generation. Moreover, the proposed inverter can automatically detect an abnormal condition of the grid, such as a blackout, and operate in the islanding mode, which can provide continuous power to local loads using EV vehicle-to-grid service and PV generation. These inverter functions can satisfy the requirements of the grid codes, such as IEEE Standard 1547–2018 and UL 1741 SA. In addition, the proposed inverter can not only enhance the microgrid stability but also charge EVs in an appropriate mode according to the condition of the PV array and EVs. The proposed inverter was verified through experimental results with four scenarios in a lab-scale testbed. These four scenarios include grid normal conditions, grid voltage fluctuations, grid frequency fluctuations, and a power blackout. The experimental results demonstrated that the proposed inverter could enhance the microgrid stability against grid abnormal conditions, fluctuations of grid frequency and voltage, and charge EVs in an appropriate mode.
Urban Esthetic Benefits of Undergrounding Utility Lines in Consideration of the Three-Dimensional Landscape
Authors: Ishigooka Shota , Kono Tatsuhito , Seya Hajime
Published: December 2021

Since the relative weight of form to function has been increasing in urban planning, from the esthetic viewpoint, many cities in the world have been actively pursuing the undergrounding of overhead utility lines. Esthetic factors are urban externalities in the sense that they are not directly traded in markets. Therefore, we need to control them optimally based on their benefits. In this study, we appraise the benefits of undergrounding utility lines in Japan and clarify the dependency of the residents’ willingness to pay (WTP) on the road width and building height. Our results show that the WTP for undergrounding utility lines is lower as the road becomes wider and the buildings along the road become higher. However, when the road is wide, the WTP does not change much regardless of the height of the buildings. In addition, the average value of the benefit–cost ratios of previous undergrounding projects is from approximately 2.27 to 2.65. However, 3–17% of these projects have benefit–cost ratios of less than 1.
Usability Evaluation of Food Wastage Mobile Application: A Case of Pakistan
Authors: Nisar Mohsin , Rehman Mariam , Anjum Maria , Murawwat Sadia , Bashir Komal , Saleemi Maria
Published: December 2021

The continuous rise in food scarcity is creating an alarming situation in underdeveloped countries and Pakistan is no exception. According to the Global Hunger Report published in 2020, Pakistan was ranked 88th among 107 countries, with 28.5% of the population under-nourished. To address the situation, food resources need to be more effectively utilized. To reduce food wastage, various efforts have been made to identify the issues associated with the lack of adoption of food wastage mobile application(s). Using purposeful sampling and data from 150 respondents collected from a public sector university and a software house, participants’ experience in using selected food wastage mobile applications were evaluated. In terms of usability parameters, the study proposes improvements in the prototype design.
Research on the Performance of Knowledge Co-Creation of Science and Technology Enterprises Based on IUR Network
Authors: Du Yaman , Wang Ruihua , Jin Xuefeng
Published: December 2021

The current research on knowledge co-creation mostly starts from the perspective of process, studying the process of knowledge co-creation, but there is very little research on the performance of knowledge co-creation. As the carrier of enterprise knowledge co-creation, the industry-university-research network (IUR network) provides a platform for enterprise knowledge co-creation. The purpose of this article is to explore the influence of the centrality of the IUR network on the performance of corporate knowledge co-creation, and the mediating role of corporate absorptive capacity. Technology companies are knowledge-intensive companies and have more knowledge co-creation behaviors. Therefore, this article selects the top 100 technology companies in China’s electronic information industry from 2015 to 2019 as the research sample, and establishes the IUR network based on their cooperative patent data. Our empirical results show that: (1) in the IUR network, the higher the network centrality, the enterprise may have better knowledge co-creation performance; (2) the centrality of the industry-university-research network has a significant role in promoting absorptive capacity of enterprises; (3) the absorptive capacity of enterprises has a complete intermediary effect between the centrality of the IUR network and the knowledge co-creation of technology-based enterprises. This research uses the IUR network to study the performance of knowledge co-creation, which further enriches the related research fields of knowledge co-creation.
A Dynamically Adjusted Subspace Gradient Method and Its Application in Image Restoration
Authors: Huo Jun , Wu Yuping , Xia Guoen , Yao Shengwei
Published: December 2021

In this paper, a new subspace gradient method is proposed in which the search direction is determined by solving an approximate quadratic model in which a simple symmetric matrix is used to estimate the Hessian matrix in a three-dimensional subspace. The obtained algorithm has the ability to automatically adjust the search direction according to the feedback from experiments. Under some mild assumptions, we use the generalized line search with non-monotonicity to obtain remarkable results, which not only establishes the global convergence of the algorithm for general functions, but also R-linear convergence for uniformly convex functions is further proved. The numerical performance for both the traditional test functions and image restoration problems show that the proposed algorithm is efficient.
HeGRI: A Novel Index of Serum Hepcidin Suppression in Relation to the Degree of Renal Dysfunction among β-Thalassemia Major Patients
Authors: Zaman Burhan A. , Rasool Suzan O. , Ibrahim Nashwan M. R. , Abdulah Deldar M.
Published: December 2021

Background: The progressive renal function inadequacy results in altered hepcidin metabolism due to a shifting of its renal elimination, which consequently affects enteric iron absorption and iron stores’ availability. This study aimed to investigate and correlate renal function, iron status, and hepcidin in patients with β-thalassemia major through a novel index. Methods: In this 1:1 case–control study, serum hepcidin, serum ferritin, iron study, hematological and renal function parameters were compared between 60 β-thalassemia major patients with iron overload and 61 healthy individuals (2–30 years old). Results: The concentrations of serum hepcidin (21.898 vs. 9.941 ng/mL; p < 0.001) and eGFR (179.71 vs. 132.95; p < 0.001) were significantly higher in β-thalassemia major patients compared to the controls. The serum hepcidin levels decreased with increasing levels of total iron-binding capacity (TIBC; β = −0.442; p = 0.024), transferrin saturation (β = −0.343; p = 0.023), serum creatinine (β = −0.625; p = 0.0030), and eGFR (β = −0.496; p = 0.011). The mean hepcidin/ferritin ratio was significantly lower in the β-thalassemia major cases (0.0069 vs. 0.3970; p < 0.001). The novel hepcidin/eGFR ratio index (HeGRI) was significantly higher in the patient group compared to controls (0.12 vs. 0.09; p = 0.031), respectively. Conclusions: These results suggest that HeGRI could be a potential index of the appropriateness of serum hepcidin suppression associated with the degree of renal dysfunction among β-thalassemia major patients.
Contributions of Traffic and Industrial Emission Reductions to the Air Quality Improvement after the Lockdown of Wuhan and Neighboring Cities Due to COVID-19
Authors: Feng Xiaoxiao , Zhang Xiaole , He Cenlin , Wang Jing
Published: December 2021

Wuhan was locked down from 23 January to 8 April 2020 to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Both public and private transportation in Wuhan and its neighboring cities in Hubei Province were suspended or restricted, and the manufacturing industry was partially shut down. This study collected and investigated ground monitoring data to prove that the lockdowns of the cities had significant influences on the air quality in Wuhan. The WRF-CMAQ (Weather Research and Forecasting-Community Multiscale Air Quality) model was used to evaluate the emission reduction from transportation and industry sectors and associated air quality impact. The results indicate that the reduction in traffic emission was nearly 100% immediately after the lockdown between 23 January and 8 February and that the industrial emission tended to decrease by about 50% during the same period. The industrial emission further deceased after 9 February. Emission reduction from transportation and that from industry was not simultaneous. The results imply that the shutdown of industry contributed significantly more to the pollutant reduction than the restricted transportation.
Aurintricarboxylic Acid Decreases RNA Toxicity in a C. elegans Model of Repeat Expansions
Authors: Braun Maya , Shoshani Shachar , Mellul-Shtern Anna , Tabach Yuval
Published: December 2021

Pathologic expansions of DNA nucleotide tandem repeats may generate toxic RNA that triggers disease phenotypes. RNA toxicity is the hallmark of multiple expansion repeat disorders, including myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1). To date, there are no available disease-modifying therapies for DM1. Our aim was to use drug repositioning to ameliorate the phenotype of affected individuals in a nematode model of DM1. As the RNA interference pathway plays a key role in mediating RNA toxicity, we investigated the effect of aurintricarboxylic acid. We demonstrated that by perturbing the RNA interference machinery using aurintricarboxylic acid, we could annihilate the RNA toxicity and ameliorate the phenotype. As our approach targets a universal disease mechanism, it is potentially relevant for more expansion repeat disorders.
Gamma-ray Bursts at the Highest Energies
Authors: Nava Lara
Published: December 2021

Emission from Gamma-ray bursts is thought to be powered mainly by synchrotron radiation from energetic electrons. The same electrons might scatter these synchrotron seed photons to higher (>10 GeV) energies, building a distinct spectral component (synchrotron self-Compton, SSC). This process is expected to take place, but its relevance (e.g., the ratio between the SSC and synchrotron emitted power) is difficult to predict on the basis of current knowledge of physical conditions at GRB emission sites. Very high-energy radiation in GRBs can be produced also by other mechanisms, such as synchrotron itself (if PeV electrons are produced at the source), inverse Compton on external seed photons, and hadronic processes. Recently, after years of efforts, very high-energy radiation has been finally detected from at least four confirmed long GRBs by the Cherenkov telescopes H.E.S.S. and MAGIC. In all four cases, the emission has been recorded during the afterglow phase, well after the end of the prompt emission. In this work, I give an overview, accessible also to non-experts of the field, of the recent detections, theoretical implications, and future challenges, with a special focus on why very high-energy observations are relevant for our understanding of Gamma-ray bursts and which long-standing questions can be finally answered with the help of these observations.
Austria’s Digital Vaccination Registry: Stakeholder Views and Implications for Governance
Authors: Paul Katharina T. , Janny Anna , Riesinger Katharina
Published: December 2021

In this study, we explore the recent setup of a digital vaccination record in Austria. Working from a social-scientific perspective, we find that the introduction of the electronic vaccination pass was substantially accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Our interviews with key stakeholders (n = 16) indicated that three main factors drove this acceleration. The pandemic (1) sidelined historical conflicts regarding data ownership and invoked a shared sense of the value of data, (2) accentuated the need for enhanced administrative efficiency in an institutionally fragmented system, and (3) helped invoke the national vaccination registry as an indispensable infrastructure for public health governance with the potential to innovate its healthcare system in the long term.
Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyneuropathy after ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 Vaccination
Authors: Bagella Caterina Francesca , Corda Davide G. , Zara Pietro , Elia Antonio Emanuele , Ruiu Elisa , Sechi Elia , Solla Paolo
Published: December 2021

Recently several patients, who developed Guillain–Barré syndrome characterized by prominent bifacial weakness after ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 vaccination, were described from different centers. We recently observed a patient who developed a similar syndrome, later in the follow up he showed worsening of the neuropathy two months after the initial presentation. Repeat EMG showed reduced nerve sensory and motor conduction velocities of both upper and lower limbs, and a diagnosis of chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (typical CIDP) was made according to established criteria. Our report expands on the possible outcomes in patients who develop Guillain–Barrè syndrome after COVID-19 vaccinations and suggest that close monitoring after the acute phase is needed in these patients to exclude a chronic evolution of the disease, which has important implications for long-term treatment.
Potential Role of Avian Populations in the Epidemiology of Rickettsia spp. and Babesia spp.
Authors: Ebani Valentina Virginia , Mancianti Francesca
Published: December 2021

Birds often are carriers of hard and/or soft ticks harboring pathogens of humans and veterinary concern. Migratory avian species, which cover long distance by their flight, may deeply influence the ticks’ distribution worldwide; in particular, they can introduce in a given geographic area new tick species and related tick-borne pathogens. Studies about the detection of tick-borne agents in birds are not numerous, whereas more attention has been turned to the presence of these microorganisms in ticks carried by birds. The present review focused on the role of avian populations in the epidemiology of rickettsioses and babesioses, which represent two severe problems for the health of humans and other mammals.
The Morphological Evolution of a Step–Pool Stream after an Exceptional Flood and Subsequent Ordinary Flow Conditions
Authors: Pellegrini Giacomo , Rainato Riccardo , Martini Lorenzo , Picco Lorenzo
Published: December 2021

Mountain streams are frequently characterized by step–pool morphology that provides stability and energy dissipation to the channel network. Large flooding events can overturn the equilibrium of the step–pool condition by altering the entire configuration. This work focuses on the impact of the “Vaia” storm (27–30 October 2018) on a step–pool mountain stream (Rio Cordon, Northeast Italy) and on its evolution after two years of ordinary flow conditions. To achieve the aims, this work uses both remote sensing data (LiDAR and UAV) and direct field measurements (i.e., longitudinal profiles and grain sizes distributions) performed pre-event, post-event, and 2 years later (current conditions). The results show a significant widening (width +81%, area +68%) and the creation of a new avulsion after the storm and a substantial change between the number of units (51 in the pre-event, 22 post-event, and 51 in the current conditions) and characteristics of step–pool sequences between pre- and post-conditions. Furthermore, it proves the ongoing processes of morphological stabilization since the current step–pool sequences parameters are heading back to the pre-event values. Such results suggest clear susceptibility of step–pool to exceptional events and fast recovery of such setting during barely two years of ordinary flow conditions.
Using Geochemical Fingerprints for Assessing Sediment Source Apportionment in an Agricultural Catchment in Central Argentina
Authors: Garcias Yanina , Torres Astorga Romina , Ojeda Guillermo , de los Santos Villalobos Sergio , Tejeda Samuel , Velasco Hugo
Published: December 2021

In the hilly semi-arid region of central Argentina, where the agricultural frontier expands at the expense of natural ecosystems, soil erosion is one of the most alarming environmental problems. Thus, obtaining knowledge about the dynamics of erosive processes and identifying erosion hotspots constitutes a primary scientific objective. This investigation is focused on estimating the apportionments of main sources of sediments, at the mouth of a small catchment called Durazno del Medio, located in the province of San Luis, Argentina. Elemental Analysis, measured by Energy Dispersive X-ray Fluorescence (EDXRF), was used to select potential geochemical fingerprints of sediment. The unmixing model MixSIAR was applied to approximate the contribution of each identified source in the sediment accumulation areas at the mouth of the catchment. Potential sediment sources were selected using two criteria: (i) a hierarchical approach to identify the main geomorphological units (GUs) and (ii) the main land uses (LU), recognized by examining satellite images and field recognitions. The selected geochemical tracers were able to distinguish sources located in the Crystalline basement hills with loess-patched (CBH) as the main sediment contributors.
Future Climate Change Impact on the Nyabugogo Catchment Water Balance in Rwanda
Authors: Umugwaneza Adeline , Chen Xi , Liu Tie , Li Zhengyang , Uwamahoro Solange , Mind’je Richard , Dufatanye Umwali Edovia , Ingabire Romaine , Uwineza Aline
Published: December 2021

Droughts and floods are common in tropical regions, including Rwanda, and are likely to be aggravated by climate change. Consequently, assessing the effects of climate change on hydrological systems has become critical. The goal of this study is to analyze the impact of climate change on the water balance in the Nyabugogo catchment by downscaling 10 global climate models (GCMs) from CMIP6 using the inverse distance weighting (IDW) method. To apply climate change signals under the Shared Socioeconomic Pathways (SSPs) (low and high emission) scenarios, the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) model was used. For the baseline scenario, the period 1950–2014 was employed, whereas the periods 2020–2050 and 2050–2100 were used for future scenario analysis. The streamflow was projected to decrease by 7.2 and 3.49% under SSP126 in the 2020–2050 and 2050–2100 periods, respectively; under SSP585, it showed a 3.26% increase in 2020–2050 and a 4.53% decrease in 2050–2100. The average annual surface runoff was projected to decrease by 11.66 (4.40)% under SSP126 in the 2020–2050 (2050–2100) period, while an increase of 3.25% in 2020–2050 and a decline of 5.42% in 2050–2100 were expected under SSP585. Climate change is expected to have an impact on the components of the hydrological cycle (such as streamflow and surface runoff). This situation may, therefore, lead to an increase in water stress, calling for the integrated management of available water resources in order to match the increasing water demand in the study area. This study’s findings could be useful for the establishment of adaptation plans to climate change, managing water resources, and water engineering.
A Lagrangian Backward Air Parcel Trajectories Clustering Framework
Authors: Rădulescu Iulia-Maria , Boicea Alexandru , Rădulescu Florin , Popeangă Daniel-Călin
Published: December 2021

Many studies concerning atmosphere moisture paths use Lagrangian backward air parcel trajectories to determine the humidity sources for specific locations. Automatically grouping trajectories according to their geographical position simplifies and speeds up their analysis. In this paper, we propose a framework for clustering Lagrangian backward air parcel trajectories, from trajectory generation to cluster accuracy evaluation. We employ a novel clustering algorithm, called DenLAC, to cluster troposphere air currents trajectories. Our main contribution is representing trajectories as a one-dimensional array consisting of each trajectory’s points position vector directions. We empirically test our pipeline by employing it on several Lagrangian backward trajectories initiated from Břeclav District, Czech Republic.
Multiagent System and Rainfall-Runoff Model in Hydrological Problems: A Systematic Literature Review
Authors: Leitzke Bruna , Adamatti Diana
Published: December 2021

Typically, hydrological problems require approaches capable of describing and simulating part of the hydrological system, or the environmental consequences of natural or anthropic actions. Tools such as Multiagent System (MAS) and Rainfall-Runoff Model (RRM) have been used to help researchers to develop and better understand water systems. Thus, this study presents a Systematic Literature Review (SLR) on the joint use of MAS and RRM tools, in the context of hydrological problems. SLR was performed based on a protocol defined from the research question. Initially, 79 papers were found among six bibliographic databases. This total was reduced over four stages of selection, according to exclusion criteria. In the end, three papers were considered satisfactory within the scope of the research, where they were summarized, analyzed, and compared. While the MAS and RRM tools can interact with their results in a coupled model, SLR showed that there are still major challenges to be explored concerning the dynamics between them, as the steps of scales and validation. However, the coupling of MAS and RRM can provide an interesting alternative tool to analyse decision-making about water resources management systems.
Stress Resistance and Adaptation of the Aquatic Invasive Species Tubastraea Coccinea (Lesson, 1829) to Climate Change and Ocean Acidification
Authors: Strychar Kevin B. , Hauff-Salas Briana , Haslun Joshua A. , DeBoer Jessica , Cryer Katherine , Keith Scott , Wooten Sam
Published: December 2021

A great number of studies published on long-term ocean warming and increased acidification have forecasted changes in regional biodiversity preempted by aquatic invasive species (AIS). The present paper is focused on invasive Tubastraea coccinea (TC), an azooxanthellate AIS coral thriving in regions of the Gulf of Mexico, which has shown an ability to invade altered habitats, including endemic Indo-Pacific T. coccinea (TCP) populations. To determine if invasive TC are more stress resistant than endemic Indo-Pacific T. coccinea (TCP), authors measured tissue loss and heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) expression, using a full factorial design, post exposure to changes in pH (7.5 and 8.1) and heat stress (31 °C and 34 °C). Overall, the mean time required for TCP to reach 50% tissue loss (LD50) was less than observed for TC by a factor of 0.45 (p < 0.0003). Increasing temperature was found to be a significant main effect (p = 0.004), decreasing the LD50 by a factor of 0.58. Increasing acidity to pH 7.5 from 8.1 did not change the sensitivity of TC to temperature; however, TCP displayed increased sensitivity at 31 °C. Increases in the relative density of HSP70 (TC) were seen at all treatment levels. Hence, TC appears more robust compared to TCP and may emerge as a new dominant coral displacing endemic populations as a consequence of climate change.
Estimation of Potential Soil Erosion and Sediment Yield: A Case Study of the Transboundary Chenab River Catchment
Authors: Ali Muhammad Gufran , Ali Sikandar , Arshad Rao Husnain , Nazeer Aftab , Waqas Muhammad Mohsin , Waseem Muhammad , Aslam Rana Ammar , Cheema Muhammad Jehanzeb Masud , Leta Megersa Kebede , Shauket Imran
Published: December 2021

Near real-time estimation of soil loss from river catchments is crucial for minimizing environmental degradation of complex river basins. The Chenab river is one of the most complex river basins of the world and is facing severe soil loss due to extreme hydrometeorological conditions, unpredictable hydrologic response, and complex orography. Resultantly, huge soil erosion and sediment yield (SY) not only cause irreversible environmental degradation in the Chenab river catchment but also deteriorate the downstream water resources. In this study, potential soil erosion (PSE) is estimated from the transboundary Chenab river catchment using the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE), coupled with remote sensing (RS) and geographic information system (GIS). Land Use of the European Space Agency (ESA), Climate Hazards Group InfraRed Precipitation with Station (CHIRPS) data, and world soil map of Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)/The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization were incorporated into the study. The SY was estimated on monthly, quarterly, seasonal, and annual time-scales using sediment delivery ratio (SDR) estimated through the area, slope, and curve number (CN)-based approaches. The 30-year average PSE from the Chenab river catchment was estimated as 177.8, 61.5, 310.3, 39.5, 26.9, 47.1, and 99.1 tons/ha for annual, rabi, kharif, fall, winter, spring, and summer time scales, respectively. The 30-year average annual SY from the Chenab river catchment was estimated as 4.086, 6.163, and 7.502 million tons based on area, slope, and CN approaches. The time series trends analysis of SY indicated an increase of 0.0895, 0.1387, and 0.1698 million tons per year for area, slope, and CN-based approaches, respectively. It is recommended that the areas, except for slight erosion intensity, should be focused on framing strategies for control and mitigation of soil erosion in the Chenab river catchment.
Use of Monitoring Approaches to Verify the Predictive Accuracy of the Modeling of Particle-Bound Solid Inputs to Surface Waters
Authors: Allion Katharina , Gebel Michael , Uhlig Mario , Halbfass Stefan , Bürger Stephan , Kiemle Lisa , Fuchs Stephan
Published: December 2021

For particle-bound substances such as phosphorus, erosion is an important input pathway to surface waters. Therefore, knowledge of soil erosion by water and sediment inputs to water bodies at high spatial resolution is essential to derive mitigation measures at the regional scale. Models are used to calculate soil erosion and associated sediment inputs to estimate the resulting loads. However, validation of these models is often not sufficiently possible. In this study, sediment input was modeled on a 10 × 10 m grid for a subcatchment of the Kraichbach river in Baden-Wuerttemberg (Germany). In parallel, large-volume samplers (LVS) were operated at the catchment outlet, which allowed a plausibility check of the modeled sediment inputs. The LVS produced long-term composite samples (2 to 4 weeks) over a period of 4 years. The comparison shows a very good agreement between the modeled and measured sediment loads. In addition, the monitoring concept of the LVS offers the possibility to identify the sources of the sediment inputs to the water body. In the case of the Kraichbach river, it was found that around 67% of the annual sediment load in the water body is contributed by rainfall events and up to 33% represents dry-weather load. This study shows that the modeling approaches for calculating the sediment input provide good results for the test area Kraichbach and the transfer for a German wide modeling will produce plausible values.
Open-Source Application for Water Supply System Management: Implementation in a Water Transmission System in Southern Spain
Authors: Pérez-Padillo José , Morillo Jorge García , Poyato Emilio Camacho , Montesinos Pilar
Published: December 2021

Sustainable water use has become a critical issue for the future of the planet in face of highly probable climate change. The drinking water supply sector has made significant progress over the last 20 years, although improvements in the management of urban hydraulic infrastructures are still required. The proposed system, Integrated Tool for Water Supply Systems Management (ITWSM), built on three interconnected modules (QGIS database, Epanet hydraulic model, and Google My Maps app), was developed on open-source software. The core of ITWSM allows analyzing the behavior of water supply systems under several operation/failure scenarios. It facilitates decision making supported by the mobile application ITWSM-app. Information flows easily through the different decision levels involved in the management process, keeping updated the georeferenced database after system changes. ITWSM has been implemented in a real public water supply company and applied to manage breakdown repairs in water transmission systems. The use of the proposed methodology reduces the average cost of failure repair by 13.6%, mainly due to the optimal planning of the resources involved.
Optimization of Magnetic Nanoparticles Draw Solution for High Water Flux in Forward Osmosis
Authors: Hafiz MhdAmmar , Talhami Mohammed , Ba-Abbad Muneer M. , Hawari Alaa H.
Published: December 2021

In this study, bare iron oxide nanoparticles were synthesized using a co-precipitation method and used as a draw solute in forward osmosis. The synthesis conditions of the nanoparticles were optimized using the Box-Behnken method to increase the water flux of the forward osmosis process. The studied parameters were volume of ammonia solution, reaction temperature, and reaction time. The optimum reaction conditions were obtained at reaction temperature of 30 °C, reaction time of 2.73 h and 25.3 mL of ammonia solution. The water flux from the prediction model was found to be 2.06 LMH which is close to the experimental value of 1.98 LMH. The prediction model had high correlation factors (R2 = 98.82%) and (R2adj = 96.69%). This study is expected to be the base for future studies aiming at developing magnetic nanoparticles draw solution using co-precipitation method.
A Fault Warning Method for Electric Vehicle Charging Process Based on Adaptive Deep Belief Network
Authors: Gao Dexin , Wang Yi , Zheng Xiaoyu , Yang Qing
Published: December 2021

If an accident occurs during charging of an electric vehicle (EV), it will cause serious damage to the car, the person and the charging facility. Therefore, this paper proposes a fault warning method for an EV charging process based on an adaptive deep belief network (ADBN). The method uses Nesterov-accelerated adaptive moment estimation (NAdam) to optimize the training process of a deep belief network (DBN), and uses the historical data of EV charging to construct the ADBN of the normal charging process of an EV model. The real-time data of EV charging is obtained and input into the constructed ADBN model to predict the output, calculate the Pearson coefficient between the predicted output and the actual measured value, and judge whether there is a fault according to the size of the Pearson coefficient to realize the fault warning of the EV charging process. The experimental results show that the method is not only able to accurately warn of a fault in the EV charging process, but also has higher warning accuracy compared with the back propagation neural network (BPNN) and conventional DBN methods.
Improving business efficiency: The contribution of the latest digital technologies
Authors: Shvetsov A.
Published: December 2021

The global trend of the current decade is the «digitalization of the economy», which means the introduction of digital technologies into economic activity. Digital technologies used in the economy primarily include information and communication (information-computer) technologies, which are used to build information systems at various stages of the product life cycle. Such systems perform the tasks of collecting, transmitting and processing data coming from the production, distribution, exchange and consumption of products. A brief look at digital technologies used in modern industry.
Efeitos da Terapia Espelho na funcionalidade do membro superior pós-AVC: revisão integrativa
Authors: De Sousa Mesquita Silva Elisson , Silva Barros Ana Carolina , Nascimento de Brito Antonia Mairla , Oliveira Lima Rodrigues Igor , Raysa Lima Maximiano Hyorranne , Sousa Montelo Elivelton , Brito de Siqueira Jessica Inara , Nascimento Lucas da , Alves Pereira Tassiane Maria , Do Vale Bastos Victor Hugo
Published: December 2021

Introdução. O Acidente Vascular Cerebral (AVC) é um acometimento neurológico que pode ser classificado em dois tipos: isquêmico e hemorrágico, capazes de causarem uma série de alterações motoras, cognitivas e sensoriais. Nesse contexto, a Terapia Espelho é um recurso de baixo custo, implementado no tratamento para membros paralisados. Objetivo. Reunir informações através de uma busca na literatura a fim de verificar os efeitos da Terapia espelho na funcionalidade do membro superior afetado de pacientes pós-acidente vascular cerebral.  Método. Foi realizada uma revisão integrativa da literatura por meio da busca de estudos nas bases de dados PubMed, BVS; CINAHL; Embase; Web of Science; Scopus. A seleção dos artigos se deu em quatro etapas: levantamento bibliográfico utilizando as palavras-chaves “Stroke” AND “paresis” OR “upper extremity” AND “mirror therapy”, leitura do título, leitura do resumo e leitura na íntegra dos artigos. Resultados. Foram identificados 310 estudos, dos quais 13 foram avaliados pela escala PEDro, tornando-se elegíveis para a revisão, de acordo com os critérios estabelecidos. Conclusão. A Terapia Espelho associada ou não a outras intervenções foi capaz de melhorar a funcionalidade do membro superior afetado de indivíduos, nos aspectos motores, sensitivos, atividade de vida diária, e proporcionou qualidade de vida dos pacientes pós-AVC.
Reformulasi Sanksi Administrasi Bersifat Primum Remedium Dalam Pengelolaan Perikanan (Sebuah Upaya Memberi Efek Jera Bagi Korporasi Pelanggar Ketentuan Di Bidang Perikanan)
Authors: Mohamad Rifki
Published: December 2021

Undang-Undang Nomor 31 Tahun 2004 tentang Perikanan, sebagaimana telah diubah dengan Undang-Undang Nomor 45 Tahun 2009 (UU Perikanan), mengatur ancaman sanksi kepada orang maupun korporasi. Namun, pelanggaran yang dilakukan korporasi masih terjadi, karena rumusan sanksi pidananya tidak dapat menyentuh korporasi. Penelitian ini menganalisis formulasi sanksi administrasi dalam UU Perikanan untuk dapat bersifat primum remedium sehingga diharapkan memberi efek jera bagi korporasi, sekaligus mencoba memberikan reformulasi sanksi administrasi tersebut terhadap potensi pelanggaran di bidang perikanan. Berdasarkan penelusuran yang dilakukan secara yuridis normatif, disimpulkan bahwa untuk dapat menjerat korporasi sehingga memberikan efek jera, perlu memilah kembali ancaman sanksi yang bernuansa administrasi agar dirumuskan bersifat primum remedium. Hanya saja, hasil reformulasi yang dilakukan bukan berarti menghapuskan ancaman pidana sama sekali.
PENERAPAN RESTORATIF JUSTICE DALAM UNDANG-UNDANG SISTEM PERADILAN PIDANA ANAK
Authors: Cornelius Arilasman , Harefa Beniharmoni
Published: December 2021

Keberhasilan konsep restorative justice membutuhkan usaha yang kooperatif dari para penegak hukum agar tercipta sebuah alternatif untuk korban dan pelaku menyelesaikan konflik hukum mereka. Adanya restorative justice diharapkan mampu memberikan kepentingan-kepentingan para pihak dan para penegak hukum. Restorative justice juga menekankan hak asasi manusia dan memperhatikan keadilan serta dampak dalam pemberian sanksi pada keadilan formal atau hukum. Berdasarkan latar belakang masalah tersebut, maka akan dirumuskan identifikasi masalah yaitu penetapan diversi yang dilakukan oleh Penuntut Umum terhadap anak yang berhadapan dengan hukum di Kejaksaan Negeri Jakarta Barat dalam Sistem Peradilan Pidana Anak (SPAA) dan faktor yang menjadi hambatan bagi Penuntut Umum dalam penyelesaian perkara anak yang berhadapan dengan hukum dengan menerapkan Diversi. Jenis penelitian Penerapan Restoratif Justice Dalam Undang-Undang Sistem Peradilan Pidana Anak merupakan jenis penelitian hukum normatif, yaitu penelitian yang mengacu kepada peraturan perundang-undangan yang berlaku di Indonesia. Penelitian ini dapat pula dikatakan sebagai penelitian kepustakaan. Dalam penelitian ini bahan hukum yang digunakan adalah pengumpulan dari sebuah studi kepustakaan. Jaksa Penuntut Umum  Kejaksaan Negeri Jakarta Barat menerapkan diversi pada sistem peradilan pidana anak dengan melakukan pendekatan kepada pelaku dan orang tua pelaku, korban dan orang tua korban, Balai Pemasyarakatan, serta masyarakat sekitar pelaku dan korban. Proses diversi yang dilakukan oleh Jaksa Penuntut Umum telah tercapai kesepakatan dengan pelaku dan orang tua pelaku meminta maaf kepada korban agar tindak pidana tersebut tidak dilakukan proses peradilan pidana. hambatan bagi Penuntut Umum dalam penyelesaian perkara anak yang berhadapan dengan hukum dengan menerapkan Diversi diantaranya adalah sebagai berikut : faktor susahnya menghadirkan para pihak, faktor tidak terdapatnya kesepakatan diantara para pihak, faktor kurangnya pemahaman masyarakat tentang Diversi, faktor sarana dan prasarana yang kurang memadai, faktor budaya hukum yang merupakan faktor kebiasaan. Dalam penelitian ini masih banyak sekali kekurangan, khususnya mengenai dasar-dasar hukum penerapan diversi dalam proses peradilan anak yang berkonflik dengan hukum. Untuk peneliti selanjutnya sebaiknya lebih menekankan lagi kepada dasar hukum penerapan diversi dalam sistem peradilan anak. Kata Kunci : Diversi, Hambatan, Sistem Peradilan Anak