bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Pharmacokinetics of ginkgolide B–lyophilized nanoparticles after intravenous injection in rats using liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry
Authors: Ma Lisha , Zhu Lujia , Peng Jianan , Xu Shujun , Zhao Yue , Shi Jingbin , Liu Qi , Zhang Hui , Li Jun , Xiong Yang
Published: December 2022

Rationale

Ginkgolide B (GB) performs diverse pharmacological activities but has poor water solubility. The currently available GB injections have a short half‐life and are lethal when injected rapidly. We prepared GB‐lyophilized nanoparticles (GB‐NPs) using a new nonsurfactant polysaccharide polymer, ZY‐010, as its carrier to regulate the release of GB in vivo. Here, the pharmacokinetics (PK) of GB‐NPs after intravenous injection in rats was performed using liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS).

Methods

The samples were separated on an Agilent Eclipse XDB‐C 18 column (2.1 × 50 mm, 1.85 μm) maintained at 30°C. The MS/MS transitions of GB and glibenclamide as the internal standard (IS) were set at m/z 423.1 → 367.1 and m/z 492.1 → 367.0, respectively. The standard curve of GB content was constructed, and the specificity, sensitivity, precision, and extraction recovery of LC–MS/MS analysis were assessed. The main PK parameters were analyzed using DAS (Drug And Statistics for Windows) software, version 2.0.

Results

The retention time of GB and IS at elution was 2.77 and 4.75 min, respectively. An excellent linear response across the concentration range of 0.001–100 μg/ml was achieved (r = 0.9997). The relative standard deviation value of precision was less than 10%. The total extraction recovery was above 80.76 ± 2.08%. The main PK parameters for the GB‐NPs were as follows: t1/2 = 69.32 h, AUC(0 → ∞) = 188 312.97 ± 143 312.41 μg/L h, CL = 0.03 ± 0.02 L/h/kg, and V = 0.09 ± 0.05 L/kg. The t1/2 of the GB‐NPs was significantly longer than that of GB solution, and AUC(0 → ∞) of GB‐NPs was about 1.4 times that of GB solution. The PK data demonstrated that the blood concentration of GB in rats conformed to a three‐compartment model in both GB solution and GB‐NPs.

Conclusion

A rapid and accurate LC–MS/MS method was established for the determination of GB‐NPs in rats. GB‐NPs exhibited a sustained‐release behavior in vivo compared with GB solution.
On the largest part size of low‐rank combinatorial assemblies
Authors: Arratia Richard , DeSalvo Stephen
Published: December 2022

We give a general framework for approximations to decomposable combinatorial structures suitable to the situation where the size  and the number of components  are specified. In particular for assemblies, this involves a Poisson process, which, with the appropriate choice of parameter, may be viewed as an extension of saddlepoint approximation. We illustrate the use of the Poisson process description for assemblies by analyzing the component structure when the rank, defined as , is small relative to the size . There is near‐universal behavior, in the sense that, apart from degenerate cases where the exponential generating function has radius of convergence zero, we have for and : when for fixed , the size of the largest component converges in probability to ; when , we have , with the choice governed by a Poisson limit distribution for the number of components of size . This was recently observed, for the case and the special cases of permutations and set partitions, using Chen–Stein approximations for the indicators of attacks and alignments in rook placements.
A likelihood‐based sensitivity analysis for publication bias on the summary receiver operating characteristic in meta‐analysis of diagnostic test accuracy
Authors: Zhou Yi , Huang Ao , Hattori Satoshi
Published: December 2022

In meta‐analysis of diagnostic test accuracy, the summary receiver operating characteristic (SROC) curve is a recommended method to summarize the diagnostic capacity of a medical test in the presence of study‐specific cutoff values. The SROC curve can be estimated by bivariate modeling of pairs of sensitivity and specificity across multiple diagnostic studies, and the area under the SROC curve (SAUC) gives the aggregate estimate of diagnostic test accuracy. However, publication bias is a major threat to the validity of the estimates. To make inference of the impact of publication bias on the SROC curve or the SAUC, we propose a sensitivity analysis method by extending the likelihood‐based sensitivity analysis of Copas. In the proposed method, the SROC curve or the SAUC are estimated by maximizing the likelihood constrained by different values of the marginal probability of selective publication under different mechanisms of selective publication. A cutoff‐dependent selection function is developed to model the selective publication mechanism via the ‐type statistics or ‐value of the linear combination of the logit‐transformed sensitivity and specificity from the published studies. It allows us to model selective publication suggested by the funnel plots of sensitivity, specificity, or diagnostic odds ratio, which are often observed in practice. A real meta‐analysis of diagnostic test accuracy is re‐analyzed to illustrate the proposed method, and simulation studies are conducted to evaluate its performance.
Multidentate Molecule Anchoring Halide Perovskite Surface and Regulating Crystallization Kinetics toward Efficient Light‐Emitting Diodes
Authors: Sun Shuang‐Qiao , Sun Qi , Ji Yu‐Jin , Xu Yan‐Lin , He Wei , Zhu Min , Zhou Jun‐Gui , Yu You‐Jun , Feng Dan‐Dan , Xie Yue‐Min , Li You‐Yong , Fung Man‐Keung
Published: December 2022

Functional passivators are conventionally utilized in modifying the crystallization properties of perovskites to minimize the non‐radiative recombination losses in perovskite light‐emitting diodes (PeLEDs). However, the weak anchor ability of some commonly adopted molecules has limited passivation ability to perovskites and even may desorb from the passivated defects in a short period of time, which bring about plenty of challenges for further development of high‐performance PeLEDs. Here, a multidentate molecule, formamidine sulfinic acid (FSA), is introduced as a novel passivator to perovskites. FSA has multifunctional groups (S≐O, C≐N and NH2) where the S≐O and C≐N groups enable coordination with the lead ions and the NH2 interacts with the bromide ions, thus providing the most effective chemical passivation for defects and in turn the formation of highly stable perovskite emitters. Moreover, the interaction between the FSA and octahedral [PbBr6]4− can inhibit the formation of unfavorable low‐n domains to further minimize the inefficient energy transfer inside the perovskite emitters. Therefore, the FSA passivated green‐emitting PeLED exhibits a high external quantum efficiency (EQE) of 26.5% with fourfold enhancement in operating lifetime as compared to the control device, consolidating that the multidentate molecule is a promising strategy to effectively and sustainably passivate the perovskites.
Ultrasound measurement of plantar fascia thickness: Is the current criterion for normality applicable to everyone?
Authors: Nafees Fouad , Fatima Zareen , Malik Sajid Shaheen , Yousaf Qasim , Latif Mahrukh , Farooq Syed Muhammad Yousaf
Published: December 2022

Background

Plantar fasciitis is a common cause of heel pain. Understandably knowledge of normal sonographic plantar fascia thickness (PFT) is crucial to diagnose this condition as thickened plantar fascia is the most important ultrasound finding for its diagnosis.

Objective

The objectives of this study are to compare the PFT among heavy weight bearing and non‐weight bearing individuals sonographically and to assess the effect of age, gender and body mass index (BMI) on PFT.

Methodology

PFT of 154 patients, 77 in each category of heavy weight bearing and non‐weight bearing groups, was assessed sonographically. Independent sample T test was used to compare it between two groups. Analysis of covariance was used to test the effect of heavy weight bearing and gender on PFT bilaterally, in both groups with adjustment for age, BMI and standing hours. Correlation of age with PFT was also calculated using Pearson's correlation analysis. p value ≤0.05 was considered significant.

Results

Mean PFT in all patients was 3.8 and 3.2 mm on left and right respectively. There was no significant difference in the right and left foot on paired sample t test. Those bearing heavy weight had significantly thickened PF than the other group bilaterally. ANCOVA showed that bearing heavy weight and BMI had significant effects on PFT. Age was found to be correlated with PFT in non‐weight bearing group.

Conclusions

Factors causing increased stress on the plantar fascia such as increased BMI and heavy weight lifting can cause thickening as part of physiological adaptation.
Impact of carbon neutrality on structural concrete—Not a risk but an opportunity
Authors: Kasuga Akio
Published: December 2022

Cement used in structural concrete accounts for 60% of all cement. Thus, the amount of CO2 emission by cement in structural concrete in a year is about 5% of the amount emitted by mankind. However, the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of structural concrete emits CO2 not only at the product stage but also at the use stage after construction. In this paper, carbon neutrality is viewed from an economic point of view. Then a rough indicator is presented to grasp the CO2 emissions of structural concrete. This paper also shows that LCA of structural concrete should consider not only the materials but also the maintenance phase. And low‐carbon technologies currently in use is introduced. Then the need for multi‐cycle structural concrete with a circular economy is presented. Moreover, it is estimated that CO2 emissions due to disasters in the use stage could be enormous. The carbon neutrality of concrete is not a risk but an opportunity for us.
The Brazilian Amazonian rainforest harbors a high diversity of yeasts associated with rotting wood, including many candidates for new yeast species
Authors: Barros Katharina O. , Alvarenga Flávia B. M. , Magni Giulia , Souza Gisele F. L. , Abegg Maxwel A. , Palladino Fernanda , da Silva Sílvio S. , Rodrigues Rita C. L. B. , Sato Trey K. , Hittinger Chris Todd , Rosa Carlos A.
Published: December 2022

This study investigated the diversity of yeast species associated with rotting wood in Brazilian Amazonian rainforests. A total of 569 yeast strains were isolated from rotting wood samples collected in three Amazonian areas (Universidade Federal do Amazonas‐Universidade Federal do Amazonas [UFAM], Piquiá, and Carú) in the municipality of Itacoatiara, Amazon state. The samples were cultured in yeast nitrogen base (YNB)‐d‐xylose, YNB‐xylan, and sugarcane bagasse and corncob hemicellulosic hydrolysates (undiluted and diluted 1:2 and 1:5). Sugiyamaella was the most prevalent genus identified in this work, followed by Kazachstania. The most frequently isolated yeast species were Schwanniomyces polymorphus, Scheffersomyces amazonensis, and Wickerhamomyces sp., respectively. The alpha diversity analyses showed that the dryland forest of UFAM was the most diverse area, while the floodplain forest of Carú was the least. Additionally, the difference in diversity between UFAM and Carú was the highest among the comparisons. Thirty candidates for new yeast species were obtained, representing 36% of the species identified and totaling 101 isolates. Among them were species belonging to the clades Spathaspora, Scheffersomyces, and Sugiyamaella, which are recognized as genera with natural xylose‐fermenting yeasts that are often studied for biotechnological and ecological purposes. The results of this work showed that rotting wood collected from the Amazonian rainforest is a tremendous source of diverse yeasts, including candidates for new species.
A grad‐div stabilized method using the Jacobi iteration for the thermally coupled incompressible magnetohydrodynamic system
Authors: Liu Shuaijun , Huang Pengzhan
Published: December 2022

This paper presents a grad‐div stabilization with the Jacobi iteration to the thermally coupled incompressible magnetohydrodynamic system, which avoids breakdown of solver and increase of computational time with increasing value of grad‐div stabilized parameter. The proposed method includes two steps: a fully discrete first‐order Euler semi‐implicit scheme based on the mixed finite element method is implemented for the considered problem in Step 1. Then, in Step 2, the Jacobi approximation is applied to the grad‐div operator whose each component will be decoupled. Moreover, we obtain theoretical analysis results of the presented method, both unconditional stability and convergence analysis. Finally, some numerical experiments are presented to show the accuracy and verify effectiveness of the proposed method.
Experiences of Moving Quickly to Distance Teaching and Learning at All Levels of Education in Finland
Authors: Lavonen Jari , Salmela-Aro Katariina
Published: December 2022

In this chapter, the teaching and learning in Finnish compulsory education during the COVID-19 pandemic in the spring and autumn terms of 2020 will be analyzed and discussed. First, preconditions, such as teacher and student digi-competences and digi-infrastructure for switching to distance teaching and learning, will be analyzed. Second, the organization and experiences of teaching and learning during this time are described based on representative surveys conducted during and after the spring 2020 distance teaching period. Finally, teachers’, principals’ and students’ engagement and well-being during the pandemic will be analyzed based on survey data. Preconditions for organizing effective distance teaching and learning during the 2020 spring term were appropriate teacher and student digi-competences and digi-infrastructure and availability of digi-tools. During the pandemic, teachers’ digi-pedagogy and students’ digi-competences developed. Moreover, several digi-pedagogy and co-teaching innovations were created. However, at the student level, we identified decreased engagement during the pandemic, and at the teacher and principal levels, we identified not only decreased engagement but also increased stress and even burnout. Principals suffered from teachers’ stress, whereas teachers suffered from families’ inequality in coping with distance learning. All in all, the switch to distance teaching and learning was organized effectively, but the distance-learning period weakened the equality of teaching and the conditions for learning.
The Portuguese Educational Policy to Ensure Equity in Learning in Times of Crises
Authors: Costa Estela , Baptista Mónica , Carvalho Carolina
Published: December 2022

This study aims to analyze the Portuguese government policy pronouncements to face COVID-19 and to examine how the policy measures have been enacted and interpreted by teachers to ensure equity in learning. The studyis rooted on a cognitive approach to public policy, and grounds on the notion of theréférentiel. A qualitative and interpretative methodology was used, based on the analysis of official and public documents prepared and made available during the confinement period (March to July 2020) on the Ministry of Education website. Also, interviews were conducted with 15 teachers from various Portuguese schools. Findings show that public authorities quickly responded using informative (e.g., websites to support schools, a TV program, YouTube channels) and communicational (e.g., Facebook, a platform for school principals, email to pose questions) tools. Moreover, the pandemic crisis put equity issues at the center of all concerns and led to the discussion around equity in education to become more pronounced. The differences between distance and in person learning have been made clear while vulnerable students were forced to stay at home, with little or no conditions to learn and without support for studying. We conclude that the general guiding principles behind the policy measures to combat the pandemic at the state and school level were based in a referential that incorporates the constitutional right of ‘school for all’, which is focused on schools’ educational role, while also assigning schools social and economic responsibilities.
General Education in Russia During COVID-19: Readiness, Policy Response, and Lessons Learned
Authors: Kosaretsky Sergey , Zair-Bek Sergey , Kersha Yuliya , Zvyagintsev Roman
Published: December 2022

In this chapter, we analyze nationwide measures taken in Russia to organize the education system during the pandemic. We show the opportunities and limitations for responses associated relative to the previous policy phase. Special attention is paid to the peculiarities of a system reaction to the situation of a pandemic in a federative country with heterogeneous regions. In contrast to several other countries that adopted a single national strategy, different scenarios were implemented in Russian regions. We investigate the factors that influenced the scenarios and management decisions at the national and regional levels of the country. We highlight differences in the nature and dynamics of measures taken to organize learning in the first (spring–summer 2020) and second (autumn–winter 2020) waves of the pandemic. We also analyze the subjective experience and wellbeing of students and teachers during a pandemic. As the empirical base, we use data from several large sociological studies conducted in the Russian Federation over the past six months on the issues of school closures, distance learning, and the “new normal.” This provides a new perspective for studying the increasing education gap between children with different socioeconomic status due to the pandemic.
Silvio Belli’s On Ratio and Proportion
Authors: Williams Kim
Published: December 2022

This is the English translation of the treatise on ratio and proportion published by the Vicentine engineer Silvio Belli in 1573. In it the author aims to present the material, which was the object of much study and application in the Renaissance on the part of architects and artists, in a way that facilitates learning. The work consists of three “books” dealing with definitions, classifications, comparisons of magnitudes (First Book), of ratios (Second Book) and of proportions (Third Book). The explanations are accompanied by numerical examples.
Polarization and conflict among groups with heterogeneous members
Authors: Cardona Daniel , De Freitas Jenny , Rubí-Barceló Antoni
Published: December 2022

We analyze the choice of the policy platform that a group of heterogeneous challengers will support to confront the current policy in a subsequent contest between them and the status-quo defenders. The choice of this alternative policy will affect not only the incentives of challengers to get involved in the conflict (intra-group effect), but also the mobilization of status-quo defenders (inter-group effect). We disentangle these two effects and show that the degree of polarization (distance between the alternative and the status-quo policy) depends on how the efforts that groups exert in the contest affect their winning probabilities. Our results illustrate how the conflict resolution rules may affect the degree of polarization in political confrontations.
A systematic review and meta-analysis on the prevalence of mental disorders among children and adolescents in Europe
Authors: Sacco Rosemarie , Camilleri Nigel , Eberhardt Judith , Umla-Runge Katja , Newbury-Birch Dorothy
Published: December 2022

Most mental disorders appear by age 14, but in most cases, they remain undiagnosed and untreated well into adulthood. A scoping review showed an absence of systematic reviews that address prevalence rates of mental disorders among children and adolescents in Europe that are based on community studies conducted between 2015 and 2020. To estimate the updated pooled prevalence of Anxiety Disorder, Depressive Disorder, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Conduct Disorder (CD), Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD), Autism Spectrum Disorder, Eating Disorders, Substance Use Disorders (SUD), among children and adolescents living in Europe, a search strategy was conducted using MEDLINE, Embase and Psych Info and studies were also identified from reference lists and gray literature. Eligible studies were evaluated for reliability, validity, and bias. Trends of prevalence rates for each mental disorder were calculated. Almost one in five young people in Europe were found to suffer from a mental disorder, with a pooled prevalence rate of 15.5%. Anxiety disorders had the highest pooled prevalence rate (7.9% (95% CI 5.1–11.8%, I2: 98.0%)), followed by ADHD (2.9% (95% CI 1.2–6.9%, I2 = 94.3%)), ODD (1.9% (95% CI 1.0–3.7%, I2 = 98.4%)), depressive disorder (1.7% (95% CI 1.0–2.9%, I2 = 97.7%)), CD (1.5% (95% CI 0.6–3.8%, I2 = 98.8%)) and ASD (1.4% (95% CI 0.4–5.4%, I2 = 99.7%). No studies on SUD were identified. The mental health of children and adolescents may be improved by introducing routine screening, refining diagnostic sensitivity, raising awareness of mental disorders, minimizing stigma and socioeconomic inequality, as well as developing early intervention services. These facilitators of good mental health need to be prioritized, especially at a time of unprecedented risk factors for poor mental health.
Neue Psychoaktive Substanzen in der Notfallmedizin
Authors: Marinowitz R. , Strube J. , Schaper A.
Published: December 2022

Neue psychoaktive Substanzen (NPS) sind eine heterogene Gruppe von synthetischen berauschenden Stoffen. Gemeinsam ist ihnen ihr „neues“ Auftreten als Rauschdroge. Viele imitieren bekannte Drogen, teilweise sind es Abkömmlinge von vor Jahren als Medikament entwickelten Substanzen. Durch veränderte oder gänzlich neu entwickelte chemische Strukturen erhalten die NPS häufig eine massiv gesteigerte Wirkung. Diese umfasst nicht nur die von Konsumierenden gewünschten Effekte, sondern auch die unerwünschten Wirkungen mit teilweise fatalen Folgen. Der Konsum von NPS ist ein seit Jahren bestehendes Phänomen zunehmenden Ausmaßes. 2018 hatten 2,6 % der deutschen Erwachsenen schon einmal Erfahrungen mit NPS gemacht. Für die Behandelnden stellen NPS-Intoxikierte aufgrund der Heterogenität der Substanzen, aber auch aufgrund der zum Teil auch für die Konsumierenden unvorhersehbaren Effekte eine Herausforderung dar. Oft wird die klinische Einschätzung durch das Vorliegen einer Mischintoxikation erschwert. Sicherheit bringt nur die systematische toxikologische Analytik, da konventionelle Schnell- oder Bedside-Tests viele Substanzen nicht erfassen. Es existiert keine globale Definition von NPS. Eine praktische, klinische Einteilung unterscheidet vier Gruppen: synthetische Stimulanzien, synthetische Cannabinoide, synthetische Halluzinogene und synthetische Beruhigungsmittel. Methodisch erfolgten eine selektive Literaturrecherche in PubMed sowie eine themenbezogene Auswertung der Daten des Giftinformationszentrums-Nord und des Europäischen Drogenberichts der EMCDDA 2021.
Convolutional neural networks prediction of the factor of safety of random layered slopes by the strength reduction method
Authors: Soranzo Enrico , Guardiani Carlotta , Chen Yiru , Wang Yunteng , Wu Wei
Published: December 2022

The strength reduction method is often used to predict the stability of soil slopes with complex soil properties and failure mechanisms. However, it requires a considerable computational effort. In this paper, we make use of a convolutional neural network to reduce the computational cost. The factor of safety of 600 slopes with different inclination and soil properties is first calculated with the strength reduction method. A convolutional neural network is then trained and validated. We demonstrate the performance of our approach and show how to augment the dataset to further enhance its capability and prevent overfitting.
Approximation on Slices in Balanced Strictly Convex Domains with $$C^{2}$$ boundary
Authors: Kot Piotr
Published: December 2022

We show that a maximum modulus set K in a bounded strictly convex balanced domain $$\Omega $$
Ω
with $$C^{2}$$

C
2

boundary can have a Lebesgue measure almost full on all slices. Additionally K has a so called slice continuity property.
Mental Integrity in the Attention Economy: in Search of the Right to Attention
Authors: Chomanski Bartlomiej
Published: December 2022

Is it wrong to distract? Is it wrong to direct others’ attention in ways they otherwise
would not choose? If so, what are the grounds of this wrong – and, in expounding
them, do we have to at once condemn large chunks of contemporary digital commerce
(also known as the attention economy)?
In what follows, I attempt to cast light on these questions.
Specifically, I argue – following the pioneering work of Jasper Tran and Anuj
Puri – that there is a right to attention, and that its existence underlies some of
our claims regarding the wrongness of distractions. However, I depart from both these
authors in two respects: first, I present a new way of deriving the right to attention,
grounding it in the more fundamental right to mental integrity. Second, I remain
agnostic on whether the contemporary business practices of capturing attention in
exchange for a variety of digital products and services are plagued by routine violations
of the right.
A novel application of transformer neural network (TNN) for estimating pan evaporation rate
Authors: Abed Mustafa , Imteaz Monzur Alam , Ahmed Ali Najah , Huang Yuk Feng
Published: December 2022

For decision-making in farming, the operation of dams and irrigation systems, as well as other fields of water resource management and hydrology, evaporation, as a key activity throughout the universal hydrological processes, entails efficient techniques for measuring its variation. The main challenge in creating accurate and dependable predictive models is the evaporation procedure's non-stationarity, nonlinearity, and stochastic characteristics. This work examines, for the first time, a transformer-based deep learning architecture for evaporation prediction in four different Malaysian regions. The effectiveness of the proposed deep learning (DL) model, signified as TNN, is evaluated against two competitive reference DL models, namely Convolutional Neural Network and Long Short-Term Memory, and with regards to various statistical indices using the monthly-scale dataset collected from four Malaysian meteorological stations in the 2000–2019 period. Using a variety of input variable combinations, the impact of every meteorological data on the Ep forecast is also examined. The performance assessment metrics demonstrate that compared to the other benchmark frameworks examined in this work, the developed TNN technique was more precise in modelling monthly water loss owing to evaporation. In terms of predictive effectiveness, the proposed TNN model, enhanced with the self-attention mechanism, outperforms the benchmark models, demonstrating its potential use in the forecasting of evaporation. Relating to application, the predictive model created for Ep projection offers a precise estimate of water loss due to evaporation and can thus be used in irrigation management, agriculture planning based on irrigation, and the decrease in fiscal and economic losses in farming and related industries where consistent supervision and estimation of water are considered necessary for viable living and economy.
Evaluation of energy indices and greenhouse gas emissions in major horticultural crops and paddy crops in Tajan plain
Authors: Nouri-khjebelagh Rassol , Sefidkouhi Mohammad Ali Gholami , Khoshravesh Mojtaba
Published: December 2022

One of the basic objectives of sustainable agriculture is the efficient use of available inputs and resources. Hence, energy use was evaluated in the present study for the cultivation and the greenhouse gas emissions in the main horticultural crops and paddy in Tajan. The required data were collected through relying on subjective and objective methods such as questionnaries and field data recorded in Tajan plain in the period of 2020–2022. The maximum input energy was reported 64,867.5 MJ/ha for the cultivation of rice, and the minimum amount of input energy belonging to pear cultivation was 30,982.95 MJ/ha. Similarly, the highest amount of output energy was recorded 86,401 MJ/ha for the cultivation of rice crops, and the lowest amount of output energy was 30,400 MJ/ha in the cultivation of pomegranate. The results taken from the GHG index and the global warming potential indicated that the products including paddy (2726.19 kg CO2/ha), apple (2681.6 kg CO2/ha) and citrus (2545.3 kg CO2/ha) had the highest impact on pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. Subsequently, according to the data regarding the cultivation percentage of each crop, it was found out that paddy crop had the largest share of potential impact on global warming (72,789,535.76 kg CO2) in Tajan plain. Therefore, the production of products with incredibly high water consumption as well as great use of chemical fertilizers and old high-working hour machines have greater share in energy consumption and global heating potential in comparison to the other indices.
Evaluation of current and future water demand scenario and hydraulic performance of water distribution systems, a case study for Addis Kidam Town, Ethiopia
Authors: Mekonnen Yitbarek Andualem
Published: December 2022

The hydraulic performance and future water demand of water distribution networks are major factors affecting the efficiency of water distribution systems throughout the world. Currently, Addis Kidam Town in Ethiopia is facing many water supply challenges. Their existing water distribution system is inadequate experiencing significant water loss, pressure, and flow velocity. All becoming worse with forecast population increases. The main objective of this study was to evaluate the hydraulic performance of the water distribution network considering both the existing water demand, together with forecast future water demand. The study was undertaken in Addis Kidam Town in Ethiopia using static analysis and WaterGEMS V8i software. The data were collected using experiment tests, field observation, focus group discussions, and interviews. Sampling sizes of pipes and junctions of distribution networks were used to evaluate velocity and pressure changes of 12% and 15%, respectively, from high and low-pressure zones. The results of this study indicated that the existing distribution network was designed to supply a population of 8,906; however, the current population was 25,854. The existing system can accordingly not meet current demand. The current system was only supplying 19.5 l/c/d to each family and was only able to supply 45.2% of households. All compounded because water loss of the distribution network was 37.9%. Simulation of existing distribution network at junctions and pipes has both 26.6% and 4.3%, and 2.4% and 29.9% lower pressures and velocities during peak and minimum hourly demand, respectively. Model performance values of RMSE, MAE, R2, and NSE of distribution networks were 0.65, 0.40, 0.96, and 0.82 and 0.56, 0.38, 0.98, and 0.78 during the calibration and validation of pressure, flow, and tank level, respectively. The research recommends a two-phase strategic water distribution system response beginning by upgrading and expanding the water distribution network, to first achieve a supply of 30 l/c/d by 2032, and then lifting this to the 30–80 l/c/d range before 2042. The proposed water management upgrading approach is expected to establish a good water supply for all residential communities of the town facing comparable challenges. In general, this study’s findings showed that the existing water supply system could not meet the present demand, let alone meet future growth demand. The existing modeling highlighted that significant increases in supply are possible by targeting system improvements, together with the need to find additional supply to meet both present and future water demand.
A new technique for flood routing by nonlinear Muskingum model and artificial gorilla troops algorithm
Authors: Moradi Ehsan , Yaghoubi Behrouz , Shabanlou Saeid
Published: December 2022

Considering cost and time, the Muskingum method is the most efficient flood routing technique. The existing Muskingum models are only different in the storage equation and their efficiency depends on the model type and the estimation of different parameters. In this paper, the nonlinear Muskingum model is combined with a new lateral flow equation. Although the new lateral flow equation includes five decision variables, flood routing is done more accurately than previous studies. The new hybrid Muskingum model have 12 decision variables. To approximate the model decision variables, the artificial gorilla troops optimizer is utilized. The new Muskingum is examined for six case studies. The results of the new proposed method for these studies indicates the significant improvement of the model compared to previous research. Moreover, the sixth case study is the Dinavar River flood, which has not been used by researchers so far. Another significant point is the outstanding performance of the powerful artificial gorilla troops algorithm in minimizing the target function.
Forecasting monthly pan evaporation using hybrid additive regression and data-driven models in a semi-arid environment
Authors: Elbeltagi Ahmed , Al-Mukhtar Mustafa , Kushwaha N. L. , Al-Ansari Nadhir , Vishwakarma Dinesh Kumar
Published: December 2022

Exact estimation of evaporation rates is very important in a proper planning and efficient operation of water resources projects and agricultural activities. Evaporation is affected by many driving forces characterized by nonlinearity, non-stationary, and stochasticity. Such factors clearly hinder setting up rigorous predictive models. This study evaluates the predictability of coupling the additive regression model (AR) with four ensemble machine-learning algorithms—random Subspace (RSS), M5 pruned (M5P), reduced error pruning tree (REPTree), and bagging for estimating pan evaporation rates. Meteorological data encompass maximum temperature, minimum temperature, mean temperature, relative humidity, and wind speed from three different agroclimatic stations in Iraq (i.e., Baghdad, Mosul, and Basrah) were utilized as predictor parameters. The regression model in addition to the sensitivity analysis was employed to identify the best-input combinations for the evaluated methods. It was demonstrated that the AR-M5P estimated the evaporation with higher accuracy than others when combining wind speed, relative humidity, and the minimum and mean temperatures as input parameters. The AR-M5P model provided the best performance indicators, i.e., MAE = 33.82, RMSE = 45.05, RAE = 24.75, RRSE = 28.50, and r = 0.972 for Baghdad; MAE = 25.82, RMSE = 35.95, RAE = 23.75, RRSE = 29.64, and r = 0.956 for Mosul station, respectively. The outcomes of this study proved the superior performance of the hybridized methods in addressing such intricate hydrological relationships and hence could be employed for other environmental problems.
Water resource management for improved crop cultivation and productivity with hydraulic engineering solution in arid northern Afghanistan
Authors: Hussainzada Wahidullah , Cabrera Jonathan Salar , Samim Ahmad Tamim , Lee Han Soo
Published: December 2022

This study is presenting a multidisciplinary approach for mitigations of water resources in the irrigation, water supply, energy, and flood protection using hydrological model coupled with multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA). The study area is originated in the northern Afghanistan with serious water issues. Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) was adopted for the hydrological modelling. The model was calibrated and validated using monthly streamflow from 2010 to 2018. The current irrigation state of the watershed was revised based on the crop water requirements and land area to address water shortages. The investigations lead to an engineering-based solution (dam construction) to regulate and control the streamflow, especially during winter and flood season. Analytical hierarchy process (AHP) based on expert’s opinions were used to determine suitable dam site locations. Then, the dam was added to the SWAT model for dam’s impact assessment. The dam reservoir capacity (197,900,938 m3), dam storage area (748 ha), dam height (69 m), electricity generation (Ave = 25.4 MW,  Min =16.23 MW, , Max = 66.5 MW), and flood protection ability were estimated. Finally, cost–benefit analysis (CBA) was conducted to ensure the project feasibility. The CBA proves the feasibility and applicability of proposal. The surplus water can address the water shortages with an extra capacity of irrigating 17,180.5 ha or provision of water supply for the Mazar-i-Sharif city (the fourth biggest city in the Afghanistan). These findings can be used as guidance for the decision-makers in the BRB for the future development of water resource management strategies.
The ozonation effect on flocculation and polymer consumption reduction in the hybrid treatment of Iran Central iron ore companies' effluent: a cost–benefit study
Authors: Jalili Mahrokh , Abbasi Fariba , Dalvand Arash , Fatahi Bafghi Hamed , Ebrahimi Ali Asghar
Published: December 2022

Iran's most important iron ore mine is located in the central region, and because of the water shortage in this area, the need to reuse the effluent from this mine is essential. On the other hand, there are no suitable conditions for treating large effluent volumes in iron mine in central Iran. For this reason, produced effluent should be reduced and returned to the consumption cycle by using appropriate technology. This study aimed to investigate the ozonation/lime effect on polymer consumption reduction and evaluate the treatment and economic efficiency compared to the currently used treatment method (coagulation-flocculation without ozonation/lime).

The use of ozonation along with the coagulation and flocculation process has been an effective factor in reducing all the studied indicators, which has been a much more significant reduction effect for turbidity (95%), decreasing from 374-350NTU in the non-ozonation process to 110-160NTU, and Chemical oxygen demand (37%). In addition to increasing the treatment efficiency, the hybrid ozonation/coagulation and flocculation process reduced operation costs. The ozonation process caused the high-level conversion of Fe2+ and Al2+ to Fe3+ and Al3+ (> 90%), thus it improved wastewater treatment and increased cost benefit. The hybrid process was affected in improving the effluent quality and reducing the produced sludge volume. The ozonation process caused sludge volume reduction or has photocatalytic effect on it. It effected the micro-sized bubbles production reduction in sludge volume unit. However, estimating the cost–benefit of using this method can be beneficial in making the final decision on whether to use it or not.
Novel reliable model by integrating the adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference systems with wavelet transform and firefly algorithms for rainfall forecasting in the north of Iran
Authors: Esmaeili Farzad , Shabanlou Saeid , Saadat Mohsen
Published: December 2022

Rainfall is perhaps the most important source of drinking and agriculture water for the inhabitants of different parts of the world, particularly in arid and semi-arid area like Iran. Hence, the simulation of this hydrological phenomenon is crucial. The current research attempts to reproduce the long-term monthly precipitation of Ardabil, Iran, during 44 years from 1976 to 2020 for the first time via a hybrid fuzzy technique. For developing this model (WANFIS-FA), adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system (ANFIS), firefly algorithm and wavelet transform were integrated. Firstly, the impacting lags of time series data were recognized by using the autocorrelation function and 14 WANFIS-FA models were defined using them. Then, the results of WANFIS-FA models were evaluated and the best WANFIS-FA model and the most influencing lags were found. For example, the variance accounted for index (VAF), correlation coefficient (R) and Nash–Sutcliffe coefficient (NSC) values for the superior WANFIS-FA model were computed to be 98.082, 0.990 and 0.980, respectively. In addition, the lags (t − 1), (t − 2), (t − 3) and (t − 12) were the most effective ones. Next, different members of the mother wavelet were tested and finally demy was selected as an optimal wavelet. Also, the analysis of the outcomes of the hybrid models demonstrated that the wavelet transform meaningfully enhanced the efficiency of the neuro-fuzzy model. Finally, the efficiency of WANFIS-FA was compared with ANFIS, WANFIS and ANFIS-FA, which displayed that WANFIS-FA performed better.
The impact of insomnia on frailty and the hallmarks of aging
Authors: Carvalhas-Almeida Catarina , Cavadas Cláudia , Álvaro Ana Rita
Published: December 2022

Throughout the course of life, there are age-related changes in sleep. Despite these normal changes, there is a high percentage of older adults that report sleep dissatisfaction with a high pervasiveness of chronic insomnia, the most common sleep disorder worldwide, with its prevalence being expected to continuously increase due to the growing rates of aging and obesity. This can have different adverse health outcomes, especially by promoting both physical and cognitive decline, which ultimately may aggravate frailty in older adults. Moreover, age-related frailty and sleep dysfunction may have a common mechanism related to the hallmarks of cellular aging. Cellular aging was categorized into nine hallmarks, such as DNA damage, telomere attrition and epigenetic changes. In the context of geriatric and chronic insomnia research, this review aims at discussing the current evidence from both animal models and human cohorts addressing the link between chronic insomnia, the hallmarks of aging and their impact on frailty. Moreover, the most recent research about the putative effect of insomnia therapeutic approaches on hallmarks of aging will be also highlighted.
Green Synthesis of Nano-Zero-Valent Copper for the D-Blue 60 Textile Dye Removal from Aqueous Medium
Authors: Zayed Mohamed A. , Abdel-Gawad Soha A. , Abdel-Aziz Hossam M. , Abo-Ayad Zahraa A.
Published: December 2022

Green synthesis of zero-valent copper nanoparticles successfully performed using Ficus benjamina leaves. The novel adsorbent Ficus nano-zero-valent copper (FB-nZVCu) characterized by utilizing scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Fourier transforms infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). The size of these nanoparticles typically ranges from 16 to 18 nm. This adsorbent investigated for removal of D-blue 60 from textile wastewater. The impact of different operating parameters, including pH, adsorbent dose, stirring rate, time, and initial dye concentration, had been tested, and optimum conditions were selected to gauge the optimum dye removal performance of the adsorbent. The maximum removal efficiency of D-blue 60 reached 87% under the following proper conditions: adsorbent dose 0.3 g L−1, time 30 min, and pH 8. The Langmuir isotherm was found to be the most appropriate system for the adsorption process (R2 = 0.9994) and (qmax = 30.03 mg g−1). The pseudo-second-order model defined the adsorption. From the data obtained and the fruitful discussion, it detected that the FB-nZVCu green adsorbent strongly recommended as a hopeful substance for removing D-blue 60 from both synthetic and actual waste samples.

Highlights

Green synthesis of eco-friendly FB-nZVCu nanoparticles utilizing low-cost material Ficus benjamina leaves.

The FB-nZVCu nanoparticles are efficient nano-adsorptive agents for removing D-blue 60 from wastewater under optimum conditions.

The Langmuir isotherm and PSO kinetics model provided a good fit to the adsorption data.
Recent Relative Sea‐Level Changes Recorded by Coral Microatolls in Southern Ryukyus Islands, Japan: Implication for the Seismic Cycle of the Megathrust
Authors: Debaecker S. , Feuillet N. , Satake K. , Sowa K. , Yamada M. , Watanabe A. , Saiki A. , Saurel J.‐M. , Nakamura M. , Occhipinti G. , Yu T.‐L. , Shen C.‐C.
Published: December 2022

The seismic hazard related to megathrust earthquakes in the Ryukyus (southern Japan) is poorly constrained as no large earthquake has been reported there. The Meiwa tsunami impacted the coasts of the Yaeyama and Miyako islands in 1771 but its origin is still debated. Global Navigation Satellite Systems measurements indicate that strain is accumulating along the plate interface but the observation period is short. It is thus crucial to gain information on the seismic potential of the megathrust. The islands of the Ryukyu archipelago are located in a tropical region and surrounded by reefs where numerous microatolls are growing. They preserved the record of variations of the relative sea‐level in their skeleton. We mapped seven sites over five islands and subsequently selected and sampled eight slabs of modern microatolls. The corals have emerged slowly at a rate of 0.7–2.8 mm/yr due to the long‐term interseismic loading on the megathrust up to 40 km in deep. The coupling rate estimated from elastic back‐slip models ranges between 10% and 100%. We also identified multi‐decadal relative sea‐level changes of a few cm/yr, likely due to very long duration slow‐slip events (SSE) along the shallow or deep parts of the megathrust. Those SSEs occur each 10–40 years and have accommodated 50% of the convergence rate in the last 250 years. Our study provides new constraints on the seismic cycle of the Ryukyu megathrust and on the seismic hazard in this region and suggests that a large megathrust earthquake could occur in the area in the future.
DYRK3 phosphorylates SNAPIN to regulate axonal retrograde transport and neurotransmitter release
Authors: Lee Ye Hyung , Suh Bo Kyoung , Lee Unghwi , Ryu Seung Hyun , Shin Sung Ryong , Chang Sunghoe , Park Sang Ki , Chung Kwang Chul
Published: December 2022

Among the five members of the dual-specificity tyrosine-phosphorylation-regulated kinase (DYRK) family, the cellular functions of DYRK3 have not been fully elucidated. Some studies have indicated limited physiological roles and substrates of DYRK3, including promotion of glioblastoma, requirement in influenza virus replication, and coupling of stress granule condensation with mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 signaling. Here, we demonstrate that serum deprivation causes a decrease in intracellular DYRK3 levels via the proteolytic autophagy pathway, as well as the suppression ofDYRK3gene expression. To further demonstrate how DYRK3 affects cell viability, especially in neurons, we used a yeast two-hybrid assay and identified multiple DYRK3-binding proteins, including SNAPIN, a SNARE-associated protein implicated in synaptic transmission. We also found that DYRK3 directly phosphorylates SNAPIN at the threonine (Thr) 14 residue, increasing the interaction of SNAPIN with other proteins such as dynein and synaptotagmin-1. In central nervous system neurons, SNAPIN is associated with and mediate the retrograde axonal transport of diverse cellular products from the distal axon terminal to the soma and the synaptic release of neurotransmitters, respectively. Moreover, phosphorylation of SNAPIN at Thr-14 was found to positively modulate mitochondrial retrograde transport in mouse cortical neurons and the recycling pool size of synaptic vesicles, contributing to neuronal viability. In conclusion, the present study demonstrates that DYRK3 phosphorylates SNAPIN, positively regulating the dynein-mediated retrograde transport of mitochondria and SNARE complex-mediated exocytosis of synaptic vesicles within the neurons. This finding further suggests that DYRK3 affects cell viability and provides a novel neuroprotective mechanism.