bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Green Synthesis of Nanoparticles Mediated by Deep Eutectic Solvents and Their Applications in Water Treatment
Authors: Ponce Sebastian , Murillo Herman A. , Alexis Frank , Alvarez-Barreto José , Mora José R.
Published: June 2023

The use of environmentally friendly deep eutectic solvents (DES) in green synthesis of different types of nanoparticles has garnered increasing interest in recent years. The application of these materials in water treatment, mainly by adsorption or degradation, is emerging as a sustainable alternative to conventional methodologies. However, the information about the green synthesis of nanoparticles (NPs) using DES is dispersed in the literature. This review is focused on compiling and systematizing information regarding DES-mediated NP synthesis, the application of these NPs in water treatment, and future perspectives of these technologies. DES represent an excellent alternative to traditional solvents in NP synthesis due to their low toxicity, low cost, and being environmentally friendly. The possible NP surface functionalization with DES is also attractive as it plays a pivotal role in processes related to water treatment. Modification and synthesis of carbon nanotubes, graphene oxides, magnetic iron oxides, among others, for the adsorption and degradation of organic dyes, pharmaceuticals, metal ions, herbicides, pesticides, and other water contaminants found in recent literature are presented in this work. Finally, the possibility to control NP size and shape can be helpful in the design of new materials for a specific application.
Spaceborne SAR-Based Detection of Ships in Suez Gulf to Analyze the Maritime Traffic Jam Caused Due to the Blockage of Egypt’s Suez Canal
Authors: Sonkar Ananya , Kumar Shashi , Kumar Navneet
Published: June 2023

With the convenience and connectedness of the oceans in recent years, there has been an increase in naval traffic, which has prompted maritime surveillance to attract special attention due to its significant application in marine operations. Ships, because of their uneven and rugged design, appear as a brighter patch, which aids in their identification by the Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR), an active remote sensing technique. In this study, Sentinel-1 and Sentinel-2 datasets are used to detect vessels in the Gulf of Suez in order to examine the increasing maritime traffic induced by the Suez Canal blockage caused by the Ever Given ship becoming stranded in the canal on 23 March 2021 and being freed after 6 days on 29 March 2021. The usefulness of dual-pol spaceborne SAR datasets in ship detection is also determined. The analysis was performed within a time window spanning before, during, and after the blockage event. On the basis of the experimental results, Sentinel-1 images proved to be more effective compared to Sentinel-2 images for ship detection due to the all-weather capability of the Sentinel-1 dataset. Furthermore, the ship detection results obtained in dual polarization were substantially more accurate than the results obtained in a single polarization.
Minimising Coal Mining’s Impact on Biodiversity: Artificial Soils for Post-Mining Land Reclamation
Authors: Więckol-Ryk Angelika , Pierzchała Łukasz , Bauerek Arkadiusz , Krzemień Alicja
Published: June 2023

Coal mining and the energy industry generate large amounts of solid waste, which must be disposed of in landfills and lead to numerous environmental problems. This paper presents a method for creating artificial soil mixtures based on an EU-funded international research project called RECOVERY. The main idea behind the proposed solution is the safe use of coal combustion by-products (energetic slag and decarbonation lime), mining waste (aggregate and sealing material) and spent mushroom compost as components for creating artificial soils. Laboratory tests of the soil substitutes showed low concentrations of heavy metals and high macronutrient content, adequate for proper plant growth. As a result of a two-year study on the application of soil cover on a 4000 m2 testing ground, species characteristics for the mesotrophic, dry meadow, ruderal and segregated vegetation were found. In the second year of the in situ study, an apparent reduction in soil salinity was observed. The principal component analysis confirmed that decreasing soil salinity positively affected ruderal and dry meadow species. In contrast, high salinity levels showed no adverse effect on mesotrophic meadow vegetation. The results demonstrated that applying soil covers elaborated from industrial by-products is valuable for recovering high-acidity coal mine waste heaps.
The Fifth Dimension in Socio-Scientific Reasoning: Promoting Decision-Making about Socio-Scientific Issues in a Community
Authors: Ben-Horin Hava , Kali Yael , Tal Tali
Published: June 2023

Making informed decisions about socio-scientific issues requires socio-scientific reasoning, which is highly challenging for students. This construct has four dimensions, including recognizing complexity, analyzing multiple perspectives, appreciating the need for ongoing inquiry, and employing skepticism. To support its development, we integrated established principles for designing socio-scientific issues learning environments with the Knowledge Community of Inquiry model. A design-based research study was conducted with two iterations, involving 85 eighth graders, to examine the effectiveness of the integrative approach in supporting students’ socio-scientific reasoning and decision-making. The web-based unit “Asthma in the Community” was adapted and enacted with the students. In the first iteration, the socio-scientific approach was applied, and in the second iteration, the unit was redesigned with features from the Knowledge Community of Inquiry approach. Results showed that all students who participated in the second iteration developed socio-scientific reasoning, made better evidence-based decisions than those in the first iteration, and expressed an understanding of decision-making processes in a community, which is suggested as new, fifth dimension of socio-scientific reasoning. This fifth dimension is suggested as essential for coping with decision-making in socio-scientific issues in the networked society, and the study suggests how to design learning environments that can support its development.
How Sustainable Transportation Can Utilize Climate Change Technologies to Mitigate Climate Change
Authors: Din Ashraf Ud , Ur Rahman Imran , Vega-Muñoz Alejandro , Elahi Ehsan , Salazar-Sepúlveda Guido , Contreras-Barraza Nicolás , Alhrahsheh Rakan Radi
Published: June 2023

The build-up of greenhouse gases (GHGs) is causing warmness in the Earth’s atmosphere, resulting in climate change. The transport sector is one of the active causes of GHG emissions and it is imperative to use sustainable transport sources to control climate change. There is a measure that aims to encourage citizens to stop using their own vehicles as their choice of transport and instead opt for joint sustainable mobility during traveling. In this study, a quantitative research method was used and data were collected from a sample of 410 respondents through a questionnaire. Furthermore, this study also took a simulation-based (n = 10,000) sample size of electric rail vehicle data. The data were analyzed using structural equation modelling. The results revealed that sustainable transportation, climate change technologies, and electric rail vehicles reduce climate change in the ecoregions of China. We conclude that sustainable transportation policies could be formulated and implemented to reduce climate change. In response to the research results, it is recommended that, since climate change is a multi-level governance issue, the outdated pyramidal transport industry models must be shifted to a sustainable transportation system model.
Evaluating the Role of the Communication Skills of Engineering Students on Employability According to the Outcome-Based Education (OBE) Theory
Authors: Wu Ying , Xu Lin , Philbin Simon P.
Published: June 2023

With the advent of the digital age and Industry 4.0, the communication skills of engineering students has been exerting gradually increasing influence on the need for enhanced student employability. To address this issue, this study evaluates the influence of communication skills on the employability of engineering students from the aspects of verbal and non-verbal skills through the four key elements of Outcome-Based Education (OBE) theory. A total of 130 college engineering students and practitioners participated in the questionnaire survey, and the hypotheses were tested by regression analysis and a structural equation model (SEM). The results show that in the digital age, the verbal (p < 0.01) and non-verbal (p < 0.001) components of students’ communication skills play a significant role in the employability of engineering students. Meanwhile, the employer’s assessment simultaneously makes a significant contribution to the further improvement of students’ communication skills, which can help educators further cultivate and improve students’ communication skills through the assessment of their employability by employers. Therefore, this research has theoretical and practical significance, which not only enriches the basic theoretical knowledge, but also broadens the training methods of engineering students in the digital age, thus enhancing their employability.
The Role of Management in Sustainable Tourism: A Bibliometric Analysis Approach
Authors: Rocio Hernández-Garrido , Jaime Orts-Cardador , Cinta Perez-Calañas
Published: June 2023

This study presents a bibliometric analysis of sustainable tourism management using the VOSviewer tool. It aims to fill the bibliometric gap in the growing body of research on sustainable tourism management and, consequently, contribute to recent scholarly interest in this subject. Therefore, its main objective is to present a qualitative and quantitative analysis of the research published on sustainable tourism management from 1996 to April 2023, which enables its scientific production. To this end, we used a total of 317 publications with 7475 cited references from Web of Science. In addition, we performed three bibliometric analyses (co-authorship, co-citation and co-occurrence of keywords). The results show the current trends in sustainable tourism management and also provide a theoretical basis regarding this subject, which is of growing importance in the tourism sector. Our study’s conclusions suggest that the priorities of sustainable tourism management are shifting from competitiveness to sustainability, in accordance with new consumer demands and the 2030 Agenda. In conclusion, a broader framework of sustainable tourism management is required.
A New Combination Model for Air Pollutant Concentration Prediction: A Case Study of Xi’an, China
Authors: Yang Fan , Huang Guangqiu , Li Yanan
Published: June 2023

As energy demand continues to increase, the environmental pollution problem is becoming more severe. Governments and researchers have made great efforts to avoid and reduce air pollution. The prediction of PM2.5, as an important index affecting air quality, has great significance. However, PM2.5 concentration has a complex change process that makes its prediction challenging. By calculating both PM2.5 concentration and that of other pollutants in the atmosphere and meteorological factors, it is evident that the variation in PM2.5 concentration is influenced by multiple factors, and that relevant features also influence each other. To reduce the calculated loss, with full consideration given to the influencing factors, we used the maximum correlation and minimum redundancy (MRMR) algorithm to calculate the correlation and redundancy between features. In addition, it is known from the Brock–Dechert–Scheinman (BDS) statistical results that the change in PM2.5 is nonlinear. Due to the outstanding performance of bidirectional long short-term memory (BiLSTM) neural networks in nonlinear prediction, we constructed an encoder–decoder model based on BiLSTM, named ED-BiLSTM, to predict the PM2.5 concentration at monitoring stations. For areas without monitoring sites, due to the lack of historical data, the application of neural networks is limited. To obtain the pollutant concentration distribution in the study area, we divided the study area into a 1 km × 1 km grid and combined the ED-BiLSTM model via the use of the inverse distance weighting (IDW) algorithm to obtain the PM2.5 concentration values in a region without monitoring stations. Finally, ArcGIS was used to visualize the results. The data for the case study were obtained from Xi’an. The results show that, compared with the standard long short-term memory (LSTM) model, the RMSE, MAE, and MAPE of our proposed model were reduced by 24.06%, 24.93%, and 22.9%, respectively. The proposed model has a low error for PM2.5 prediction and can provide a theoretical basis for the formulation of environmental protection policies.
Estimating the Potential for Waste Heat Recovery in Italian Dairy Sector Using a Bottom-Up Approach and Data from Energy Audits
Authors: Giordano Lorena , Benedetti Miriam , Salvio Marcello
Published: June 2023

As a result of the expected increase in food demand, improving the sustainability of the food industry has become a priority worldwide. The recovery of industrial waste heat is widely regarded as a key strategy to reduce the energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions of food manufacturing processes. Estimating the available recoverable waste heat can contribute to driving actions that promote the effective exploitation of such an untapped energy source. This study aimed to evaluate the waste heat potential of large and energy-intensive Italian dairy companies. To this end, a methodology that combined key transfer figures adapted to the Italian industrial context and data on fossil fuels consumption from energy audits was adopted to assess the technical waste heat potential. A comparison with the overall waste heat recovered from the projects proposed by large and energy-intensive dairy companies was carried out to estimate the residual waste heat available. Finally, the economic waste heat potential was assessed by varying the heat transfer operating conditions between the waste heat sources and sinks, and assuming that waste heat recovery was operated through heat exchanger technology. The technical waste heat potential of large and energy-intensive dairy industries was valued at roughly 75.6 GWht/year. Simulation results also showed that more than 90% of the studied companies exhibited payback periods below three years for all waste heat recovery projects, except for those involving gas-to-gas or gas-to-liquid heat transfers.
High-Order Sliding-Mode Control Strategy for Improving Robustness of Three-Phase Interleaved Bidirectional Converter
Authors: Jia Yifan , Wang Dazhi , Sun Guofeng , Ni Yongliang , Song Keling , Li Yanming
Published: June 2023

In response to the era background of “comprehensive electrification” and “dual carbon plan” of electric vehicles, DC/DC converters have a good performance in terms of weight, volume, and efficiency and are widely used in fields such as solar power generation, UPS, communication, computers, and electric vehicles. At present, the DC bus voltage is an important indicator for measuring the safe and stable operation of high-voltage DC power systems in electric vehicles. Therefore, regulating the stability of bus voltage through converters has good economic benefits for the sustainable development of electric vehicles in terms of maintenance costs and effective energy management. In order to solve the problem of bus voltage resonance instability caused by negative impedance characteristics of constant power load in an electric vehicle DC power system, a sliding-mode control design strategy of three-phase interleaved bidirectional converter under constant power load was proposed. Firstly, a GPI observer was designed to estimate the state and concentrated disturbances of the system. Then, the estimated value was introduced into the controller for feedforward compensation, thereby achieving fast-tracking of the output voltage to the reference voltage. Finally, the simulation results show that the controller can effectively maintain the influence of disturbances and better improve tracking characteristics and robustness to disturbances and uncertainties.
Does Population Aging Affect Carbon Emission Intensity by Regulating Labor Allocation?
Authors: Yu Ran , Wang Zhangchi , Li Yan , Wen Zuhui , Wang Weijia
Published: June 2023

Carbon emission is the focus of global climate change concerns. Population aging changes the level of labor structure, which directly affects the industry adjustment and will also have a long-term impact on carbon emissions. Uncovering the complex association among population aging, labor allocation, and CO2 emission is crucial for developing effective policies for low-carbon and sustainable development in China. Therefore, this study aims to analyze whether population aging contributes to reducing carbon emission intensity by regulating labor allocation. Based on provincial panel data from 2000 to 2019, the Systematic Generalized Method of Moments (Systematic GMM) model and the Bias Corrected Least Squares Estimation with Nonsymmetric Dependence Structure (Bias Corrected LSDV) model are adopted in this study. The results show that nationwide as a whole, population aging objectively inhibits human capital accumulation and, to some extent, weakens its positive carbon emission reduction effect. Meanwhile, population aging helps to mitigate the increase in carbon emissions caused by the capital-labor endowment structure. Due to the dual impact of aging and population migration, the emission reduction effect of human capital accumulation is significant in the East. The brain drain in the central and western regions further inhibits the positive effect of regional human capital accumulation. Promoting the rationalization of population mobility nationwide, reducing the brain drain in less developed regions, and directing capital into technology-intensive industrial sectors are the core keys to achieving optimal labor allocation in an aging society. This will help China meet its carbon neutrality target on schedule.
Ports in a Storm: Port-City Environmental Challenges and Solutions
Authors: Roberts Toby , Williams Ian , Preston John , Clarke Nick , Odum Melinda , O’Gorman Stefanie
Published: June 2023

The potential detrimental environmental impact of ports is vast, and port-cities bear the brunt of this. It is essential that future port-city development proceeds in such a way as to reduce the environmental impact that port activity creates for the city and local area. This global study of port authorities in 26 countries and city authorities in 13 countries investigated the current views on pollution, levels of adoption of mitigation measures, future plans, levels of interest in adoption and barriers to key measures for reducing a port’s environmental impact. This reveals consensus on key areas between port and city authorities for the first time. Water pollution was found to be the number one environmental concern of port authorities globally. Air, noise and waste were also found to be important forms of pollution in ports, both from the perspective of port and city authorities and in terms of complaints received. Ports largely have facilities for recycling, although the majority have no set recycling plans, with 62% of ports having none in place. Targets should be encouraged, as well as circular economy approaches, if this is to be addressed. Renewable energy, electric port equipment, building efficiency improvements, electric port and harbour vessels and shore-to-ship power all have high levels of support from port and city authorities, although costs provide the largest barriers to implementation. Greater cooperation between port-city stakeholders is necessary to overcome the large financial barriers that appear to be preventing ports from pursuing the environmental improvements they are interested in.
Community Readiness in Implementing Sustainable Tourism on Small Islands: Evidence from Lombok, Indonesia
Authors: Sayuti Rosiady Husaenie
Published: June 2023

Implementing sustainable tourism development is an essential part of the strategy to achieve the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals and inclusive, sustainable economic growth. This research aimed to examine the level of readiness of the community to carry out sustainable tourism development, especially community-based tourism on small islands, such as Lombok Island, Indonesia. More specifically, the objectives of this study were as follows: first, knowing the level of community readiness in carrying out sustainable tourism development; second, knowing the various dimensions that influence sustainable tourism development; third, understanding the role of stakeholders in sustainable tourism development. Furthermore, the role of the education sector in increasing community readiness for sustainable tourism development is an exciting matter to study. The method applied in this research used mixed techniques, a combination of quantitative and qualitative approaches. Quantitative methods were used to determine the level of community readiness in sustainable tourism development. A qualitative approach was used to determine the various factors that influence the development of community-based tourism and to determine the role of stakeholders in the development of community-based tourism. Community readiness for sustainable tourism development is high in terms of economic, social, cultural, environmental, and symbolic capital aspects. Economic, social, cultural, and natural elements influence sustainable tourism development. Stakeholders who play a role in developing sustainable tourism in the research area are the government, the private sector, universities, non-governmental organizations, and the media. The results of this study can be used to create a government policy related to sustainable tourism development.
A Resource Nexus Analysis Methodology for Quantifying Synergies and Trade-Offs in the Agricultural Sector and Revealing Implications of a Legume Production Paradigm Shift
Authors: Tsimelas Georgios , Kofinas Dimitris
Published: June 2023

Resource management in the sustainability context has increasingly been a key object that makes the application of holistic approaches an imperative need. The water–energy–food nexus concept offers tools for such system analysis in an integrated manner, through the identification and quantification of synergies and trade-offs. The agricultural sector often constitutes one of the main resource depletion hotspots. In this article, a nexus assessment methodological approach is developed for an agricultural context. Water, energy, food, land uses, and greenhouse gas emissions are perceived as nexus components. The methodology considers resource uses within and outside the biogeographical system boundaries, interpreting them as direct and indirect interlinkages. The methodology is validated on an actual case study, in Thessaly, Central Greece. Four nexus indicators are introduced to assess the impact of different land use planning scenarios. Legume production, which has been considered as a relatively beneficial land use among other crop choices, is tested against the four nexus indicators. Multiple advantages of such a land use paradigm shift are revealed, specific to the directions of food security, energy security, and economic sustainability.
Impact of the Innovative Green Wall Modular Systems on the Urban Air
Authors: Shushunova Natalia , Korol Elena , Luzay Elisaveta , Shafieva Diana
Published: June 2023

During the construction of buildings and interior decoration, even in the manufacture of home furniture and kitchen appliances, dangerous chemicals such as benzene, formaldehyde, and others are used, which accumulate indoors during the operation of the building. Scientists have found that when high concentrations are reached, these substances can harm human health. In this article, we analyzed the possible impact of green walls on improving the condition of indoor air. During the research, five different systems and plant species were considered. Then the relationship between the leaf area, the structure of the system, and the degree of absorption of harmful substances was described. The results showed that a green wall system can improve the quality of urban air and bring a lot of benefits for the citizens.
Digital Twin of Shipbuilding Process in Shipyard 4.0
Authors: Iwańkowicz Remigiusz , Rutkowski Radosław
Published: June 2023

Maximum digitalization is the current trend in industrial development. The digital industrial revolution has been underway for more than a dozen years. Industry 4.0 and the idea of digital twins (DT) are becoming the focus of virtually all industrial sectors. Some sectors are more predisposed to digitalization, while for others, the process is much more difficult. This mainly depends on the specific characteristics and susceptibility of a given industry, including the current degree of digitalization of companies, as well as the knowledge and mental readiness of employees. The individual characteristics of an industry are important. Shipbuilding is a traditional industry where the level of digitalization is still low. As a result, the efficiency of shipbuilding processes and the quality of ships built are not sufficiently controlled. The article addresses this problem, reviews work in the field of digitalization of shipbuilding processes, and identifies the needs and challenges in this area. The article proposes the concept of a DT system for the entire ship design and production process. Key areas of digitalization of the actual processes were defined, and a division was made into planning, monitoring, and process analysis activities. Special attention was paid to the area of dimensional quality control, and the dimensional quality management metasystem (DQMM) was introduced into the comprehensive DT system. The requirements were defined, and the limitations of the proposed solution were identified, taking into account a number of external factors, including the degree of readiness of the manufacturer—the shipyard. The developed DT system concept was tested using the example of the construction process of a simplified ship. Practical aspects of the implementation of the proposed solution, in particular, DQMM, were pointed out.
Performance Zoning of Asphalt Pavement and Performance Grade (PG) of Asphalt Binder in Karamay: A Case Study of Xinjiang, China
Authors: Dong Chaofei , Feng Liqun , Xu Yafeng
Published: June 2023

Asphalt binder is a temperature-sensitive material with a performance that is greatly affected by changing climates. Improper selection of asphalt will cause a lot of damage and affect the durability of the road. The establishment of asphalt pavement performance zoning in Xinjiang, a vast area with great temperature differences, will provide a reference for the selection of asphalt suitability, the refinement of pavement design, and the sustainable development of road engineering. In this study, 11 years of temperature data in the Xinjiang region have been collected and analyzed, and 98% reliability of pavement design temperature has been used to draw a performance grading map of asphalt pavement in the Xinjiang region based on the ArcGIS platform. Finally, the Xinjiang region is divided into nine performance zones. At the same time, the performance grades (PG) of five kinds of asphalt binders in Karamay are explored. The result shows that there is little difference in continuous PG span between different matrix asphalt binders; the lower the penetration grade, the better the high-temperature performance, and the worse the low-temperature performance. After adding the SBS modifier, the continuous PG span can be about 20 °C higher than the matrix asphalt. The indoor test of asphalt mixture also shows that SBS-modified asphalt has better durability. All these provide the basis for a reasonable selection of asphalt binders in different areas of Xinjiang.
Intellectual Capital and a Firm’s Sustainable Performance and Growth before and during the COVID-19 Crisis: A Comparative Analysis of Small and Large European Hospitality Firms
Authors: Ashraf Sumaira , Sadiq Misbah , Ferreira Paulo , Almeida António Martins
Published: June 2023

This study explores the critical role of intellectual capital (IC) in ensuring the sustainable performance and growth of European hospitality firms, both large and small, during the unprecedented COVID-19 crisis. Based on an extensive analysis of data from 42,516 accommodation, food, and travel sector firms operating in 18 EU countries during 2012–2021, this research provides crucial insights into the differential impacts of human, structural, and relational IC on profitability and asset growth. The results show that human IC positively affects SMEs’ profitability, while relational IC benefits both small and large firms. On the other hand, structural IC negatively impacted asset growth for both SMEs and large firms before the crisis but had no impact during the crisis. This study offers crucial insights for policymakers, investors, and business leaders alike, emphasizing the importance of investing in human and relational IC as key drivers of sustainable growth and profitability in the hospitality industry. The findings of this study will help firms better navigate the challenges and uncertainties of crises, such as COVID-19, ensuring their long-term viability and success.
Analysis of Efficiency Differences and Research on Moderate Operational Scale of New Agricultural Business Entities in Northeast China
Authors: Ma Li , Li Chuangang , Xin Minghan , Sun Nan , Teng Yun
Published: June 2023

Various new agricultural business entities in China are important business organizations to improve agricultural production and management efficiency, and to promote the professional and large-scale development of agriculture. Exploring the efficiency differences of different business entities and the importance of moderate management scale in promoting the modernization of agriculture development has important practical significance. Based on the theory and method of system engineering, this study takes the main grain production areas of Northeast China as an example, and analyzes the efficiency differences of various new agricultural business entities by using the survey data of agricultural business entities and data envelopment analysis. Moreover, it applies the DEA-GA-BP prediction model and the entropy method (gray correlation analysis method) to study the moderate scale of agricultural business entities. The results show that there are certain efficiency differences among new agricultural business entities, among which the family farm has the highest average cross-efficiency value, and the best operational scale of the family farm is when the land cultivation area input is 9015~10,000 mu. The most optimal ranges of its production input factors are obtained, but the performance of the technical efficiency of family farms needs to be improved. Based on this, it is proposed that the focus of the construction of new agricultural business entities should be on family farms, with the best ratio of production factors for reference, constantly optimizing the allocation structure of production factors on family farms and strengthening the effective application of advanced production technologies on family farms.
Development of Thermally Stable Nanobodies for Detection and Neutralization of Staphylococcal Enterotoxin B
Authors: Hughes Anna C. , Kirkland Marina , Du Wenxian , Rasooly Reuven , Hernlem Bradley , Tam Christina , Zhang Yuzhu , He Xiaohua
Published: June 2023

In this study, sixteen unique staphylococcal enterotoxin B (SEB)-reactive nanobodies (nbs), including ten monovalent and six bivalent nbs, were developed. All characterized nbs were highly specific for SEB and did not cross-react with other staphylococcal enterotoxins (SE). Several formats of highly sensitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) were established using SEB nbs and a polyclonal antibody (pAb). The lowest limit of detection (LOD) reached 50 pg/mL in PBS. When applied to an ELISA to detect SEB-spiked milk (a commonly contaminated foodstuff), a LOD as low as 190 pg/mL was obtained. The sensitivity of ELISA was found to increase concurrently with the valency of nbs used in the assay. In addition, a wide range of thermal tolerance was observed among the sixteen nbs, with a subset of nbs, SEB-5, SEB-9, and SEB-62, retaining activity even after exposure to 95 °C for 10 min, whereas the conventional monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies exhibited heat-labile properties. Several nbs demonstrated a long shelf-life, with one nb (SEB-9) retaining 93% of its activity after two weeks of storage at room temperature. In addition to their usage in toxin detection, eleven out of fifteen nbs were capable of neutralizing SEB’s super-antigenic activity, demonstrated by their inhibition on IL-2 expression in an ex vivo human PBMC assay. Compared to monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies, the nbs are relatively small, thermally stable, and easy to produce, making them useful in applications for sensitive, specific, and cost-effective detection and management of SEB contamination in food products.
Two Decades of Wildlife Pathogen Surveillance: Case Study of Choclo orthohantavirus and Its Wild Reservoir Oligoryzomys costaricensis
Authors: Gonzalez Publio , Salazar Jacqueline R. , Salinas Tybbysay P. , Avila Mario , Colella Jocelyn P. , Dunnum Jonathan L. , Glass Gregory E. , Gonzalez Gloria , Juarez Enos , Lindblade Kimberly , Pile Edwin , Mendoza Yaxelis , Pascale Juan Miguel , Armien Anibal G. , Cook Joseph A. , Armien Blas
Published: June 2023

The Costa Rican pygmy rice rat (Oligoryzomys costaricensis) is the primary reservoir of Choclo orthohantavirus (CHOV), the causal agent of hantavirus disease, pulmonary syndrome, and fever in humans in Panama. Since the emergence of CHOV in early 2000, we have systematically sampled and archived rodents from >150 sites across Panama to establish a baseline understanding of the host and virus, producing a permanent archive of holistic specimens that we are now probing in greater detail. We summarize these collections and explore preliminary habitat/virus associations to guide future wildlife surveillance and public health efforts related to CHOV and other zoonotic pathogens. Host sequences of the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene form a single monophyletic clade in Panama, despite wide distribution across Panama. Seropositive samples were concentrated in the central region of western Panama, consistent with the ecology of this agricultural commensal and the higher incidence of CHOV in humans in that region. Hantavirus seroprevalence in the pygmy rice rat was >15% overall, with the highest prevalence in agricultural areas (21%) and the lowest prevalence in shrublands (11%). Host–pathogen distribution, transmission dynamics, genomic evolution, and habitat affinities can be derived from the preserved samples, which include frozen tissues, and now provide a foundation for expanded investigations of orthohantaviruses in Panama.
Introducing the Circularity Index for Dams/Reservoirs (CIDR)
Authors: Patino-Alonso Carmen , Espejo Fernando , Zazo Santiago , Molina Jose-Luis
Published: June 2023

The world currently faces significant hydrologic changes associated with global climate change, such as changes in precipitation patterns, rising surface temperature, and increases in the frequency and intensity of floods and droughts, which will affect the design capacity and operating characteristics of dams/reservoirs. This brings new challenges to current water management strategies. This research is aimed to create, apply, and provide a novel indicator named Circularity Index for Dams/Reservoirs (CIDR) that allows the determination of the water circularity level on the dual dam/reservoir system; that is to evaluate the water efficiency levels and the circular water flows for the processes at a site. This new method has hydrological, economic, and environmental variables as well as social ones. This indicator is defined as the sum of the scores of the eleven indicators comprising the model multiplied by the weight. The method has been implemented giving the same weight for each indicator. It has been successfully applied in the 18 dam/reservoir systems managed by the Duero River Basin, located in the region of “Castilla y León” (Spain). The CIDR provides maximum information in a single indicator value ranging from 0 to 55. A higher value of CIDR indicates a better practice of water circularity management. The results probe the increased utility of the index and suggest that six dams/reservoirs present high circularity of water flow.
An Annotated Checklist of the Main Representatives of Meiobenthos from Inland Water Bodies of Central and Southern Vietnam—II—Annelid Worms (Oligochaeta and Aeolosomatidae)
Authors: Gusakov Vladimir , Dien Tran Duc , Tran Hoan Quoc , Thanh Nguyen Thi Hai , Huan Phan Trong , Ha Vo Thi , Dinh Cu Nguyen
Published: June 2023

This work continues a series of publications on the diversity of the main groups of invertebrates found through the investigation of meiobenthic communities in various inland waterbodies in central and southern Vietnam. Here, a checklist of oligochaetes and aeolosomatids (the annelid worms) discovered for the period 2010–2021 is presented, as well as data on the structure and abundance of their populations found in the country, ecology, local and global distribution, and, where necessary, taxonomic, morphological and other comments. In total, 71 representatives of the species and supra–species ranks from 3 families and 17 genera are listed. In total, 39 representatives were identified to the species level. During the present research, 2 species new to science were discovered and described in previously published works. This paper reports 9 more forms that need further study and may belong to still undescribed species. In addition to the new and still-unidentified species, the checklist reports about 30 more members of species and supra–species ranks that were recorded in Vietnam for the first time. Based on new and previously published data, the currently known diversity of aquatic oligochaetes and aeolosomatids in Vietnam is estimated at approximately 100–113 and 8–9 representatives, respectively. It is shown that members of the family Enchytraeidae remain practically unexplored in the waterbodies of the region. The subfamily Tubificinae and the family Aeolosomatidae also continue to be relatively poorly studied here at the species level.
Current Status and Advancement in Thermal and Membrane-Based Hybrid Seawater Desalination Technologies
Authors: Gohil Pankaj P. , Desai Hemangi , Kumar Amit , Kumar Rupesh
Published: June 2023

Emerging hybrid technologies have better potential than conventional technology for diversifying the desalination industry, which is presently being dominated by thermal and membrane-based desalination. Notwithstanding the technological maturity of the desalination processes, they remain highly energy-intensive processes and have certain disadvantages. Therefore, the hybridization of thermal and membrane desalination processes holds great attention to mitigate limitations of individual processes in terms of energy consumption, quality and quantity of potable water, overall efficiency and productivity. This paper provides an oversight of conventional and developing desalination technologies, emphasizing their existing state and subsequent potential to reduce water scarcity. Conventional hybrid desalination systems (NF-RO-MSF, MED-AD, FO-MED, MSF-MED, RO-MED, RO-MSF and RO-MD) are briefly discussed. This study reveals that the integration of solar thermal energy with desalination has a great potential to substantially reduce greenhouse emissions besides providing the quality and/or quantity of potable water in cost-effective ways. Due to its abundant availability with minimal/no carbon footprint and the ability to generate both thermal and electrical energy, solar energy is considered better than other renewable energy technologies. The findings further suggest that hybrid desalination systems are technically sound and environmentally suitable; however, a significant study of the research process and development is still required to make this technology efficient and economically viable.
Effects of Glyphosate or Glyphosate-Based Herbicide during the Zebrafish Life Cycle: A Review Addressing the Mechanisms of Toxicity
Authors: Lanzarin Germano A. B. , Félix Luís M. , Fontaínhas-Fernandes António , Monteiro Sandra Mariza , Venâncio Carlos
Published: June 2023

Herbicides with glyphosate (GLY) as an active ingredient (a.i.) are increasingly used, and GLY is currently the most used herbicide in the world. Consequently, its residues have often been found in aquatic ecosystems. Investigating how this substance affects aquatic species is a priority in ecotoxicology research, especially in fish, as they can absorb and concentrate toxins. In this sense, a critical review was performed, synthesizing data from the peer-reviewed bibliography, reporting on the toxicity of exposure to pure GLY and glyphosate-based herbicides (GBHs), using zebrafish as an animal model. The concentrations of this herbicide that induced toxic effects are highly variable, with some exceeding the limits determined by regulatory agencies. Globally, relevant toxic effects have been reported in zebrafish, namely, teratogenic effects incompatible with life, which translates directly into an increase in reported zebrafish mortality. Neurotoxicity, genotoxicity, changes in energy metabolism and oxidative stress, and immune and hormonal system dysfunction with an impact on fish reproduction were also described. In conclusion, both GLY and GBHs may induce damage to zebrafish, compromising their survival, reproduction, and maintenance. These results may be valid and applied to other fish species and aquatic ecosystems.
Spatial or Random Cross-Validation? The Effect of Resampling Methods in Predicting Groundwater Salinity with Machine Learning in Mediterranean Region
Authors: Tziachris Panagiotis , Nikou Melpomeni , Aschonitis Vassilis , Kallioras Andreas , Sachsamanoglou Katerina , Fidelibus Maria Dolores , Tziritis Evangelos
Published: June 2023

Machine learning (ML) algorithms are extensively used with outstanding prediction accuracy. However, in some cases, their overfitting capabilities, along with inadvertent biases, might produce overly optimistic results. Spatial data are a special kind of data that could introduce biases to ML due to their intrinsic spatial autocorrelation. To address this issue, a special resampling method has emerged called spatial cross-validation (SCV). The purpose of this study was to evaluate the performance of SCV compared with conventional random cross-validation (CCV) used in most ML studies. Multiple ML models were created with CCV and SCV to predict groundwater electrical conductivity (EC) with data (A) from Rhodope, Greece, in the summer of 2020; (B) from the same area but at a different time (summer 2019); and (C) from a new area (the Salento peninsula, Italy). The results showed that the SCV provides ML models with superior generalization capabilities and, hence, better prediction results in new unknown data. The SCV seems to be able to capture the spatial patterns in the data while also reducing the over-optimism bias that is often associated with CCV methods. Based on the results, SCV could be applied with ML in studies that use spatial data.
Full-Scale Constructed Wetlands Planted with Ornamental Species and PET as a Substitute for Filter Media for Municipal Wastewater Treatment: An Experience in a Mexican Rural Community
Authors: Sandoval Herazo Luis , Marín-Muñiz José , Alvarado-Lassman Alejandro , Zurita Florentina , Marín-Peña Oscar , Sandoval-Herazo Mayerlin
Published: June 2023

Alternative polymer-based filter media and ornamental plants in constructed wetlands (CWs) are a relatively unexplored field. These approaches have the potential to reduce construction costs and enhance the aesthetic appearance of CWs. This study evaluated for the first time the use of ornamental plants as monoculture and polyculture, as well as the incorporation of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) as a filter medium in a large-scale community HC (divided into 12 cells) for the treatment of municipal wastewater. Duplicate cells were planted with monocultures of Canna hybrids, Spathiphyllum blandum, Anturium spp., and Thypa spp., while two units had mixed cultures of these plants and two control units remained without vegetation. Systems with vegetation achieved average removal efficiencies of 86.95, 81.3, 64.6, 85.2, and 52% for COD, BOD5, TSS, TP, and TN, respectively. Meanwhile, in systems without vegetation, the removal efficiencies for these pollutants were 81.33, 72.86, 43.68, 3.93, and 30.70%, respectively, indicating significant differences between vegetated and non-vegetated systems (p < 0.05). The PET-based filter medium showed effective pollutant removal, with values comparable to or surpassing those reported in existing literature. All ornamental species exhibited good development with new offspring and flower production both in monoculture and in polyculture. The use of such a filter medium and ornamental vegetation could make CWs more attractive to rural communities.
Historical Trends and Driving Forces of River Water Quality Improvement in the Megacity Shenzhen, China
Authors: Sun Xiang , Wu Qingping , Jiang Jiping , Lin Kairong
Published: June 2023

The water quality of urban rivers in China has undergone significant improvement since the 13th Five-Year Plan period (2016–2020). Among these, urban rivers in Shenzhen are the most representative. Assessing historical trends and analyzing the driving forces of river water quality improvement is of great importance and provides valuable insights. This study selects two typical watersheds, Maozhou River and Longgang River, to explore how water quality trends link with water control projects in Shenzhen from 2003 to 2020. The historical trends were evaluated using a recently developed index called WQI-DET, which considers DO, COD, NH3-N, TP, and anionic surfactants. Results showed that both rivers were seriously polluted before 2010 and gradually improved during the 12th Five-Year Plan period. After 2010, the water quality improved rapidly thanks to the environmental remediation of the mainstream, especially the interception project of Longgang River around 2010, and the Maozhou River interception project in 2015. The rainwater and sewage diversion renovation project mainly contributed to meeting the standards for Class IV water bodies during the 13th Five-Year Plan period. This study reveals the semi-quantitative link between comprehensive water quality improvement and pollution control engineering measures. It is a helpful review for Shenzhen and provides a useful reference for other cities.
Mawlūd Tradition, Reformist Dynamics and State Policies in East Ethiopia. The Controversial Celebrations of Prophet Muḥammad in Harar and among Its Oromo Neighbours
Authors: Osmond Thomas
Published: June 2023

This contribution questions the socio-historical dynamics of Mawlūd celebrations in Harar and its rural vicinity in the Oromiya Eastern Hararghe Zone. This work is the result of ethnographic investigations conducted in the first half of the 2010s while Ethiopian authorities attempted to impose a state version of Islam that was based on the controversial al-Ahbash doctrine. From the theological ambivalence of the Mawlūd corpuses in the Harari city and its rural Oromo surroundings, to its contemporary revivals in a regional context marked by ethno-national competition and Islamic reformism, this study reveals the plural stakes and still debated practices of Prophet Muḥammad’s celebrations in these eastern territories of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia.