Identification of Artificial Recharge Sites for Nand Samand Catchment

Security of groundwater is widely regarded as a serious impediment to India's economic and social progress. According to the Central Ground Water Board's (CGWB) assessment, India's groundwater tables are plummeting at an alarming rate, with reserves in some regions reaching critical levels. Unregulated groundwater use in southern peninsular India has also resulted in excessive extraction, lowering the 'critical' threshold. With over 30 million groundwater structures in use, India is on the verge of a disaster of over-extraction that will leave 60% of all aquifers in critical condition within the next two decades. To resolve the issue, a variety of renewable groundwater solutions must be implemented. Artificial recharge is a procedure that augments groundwater at a pace that is significantly greater than the rate of replenishment under natural conditions, which may give a solution. The current study is for the Nand Samand catchment in the district of Rajasthan. The investigation of artificial groundwater recharge sites is being conducted using an integrated Remote Sensing and Geographic Information System (GIS) approach. Thematic maps such as topographic elevation, post-mosoon groundwater level, recharge, slope, transmissivity and soils map are created, and weighted overlay analysis is used to identify areas suitable for artificial recharge. Keywords: Nand Samand catchment, artificial recharge zone, thematic map, remote sensing, GIS

A Window in the Heart Is Sometimes a Good Start: It’s Not Always Sepsis

Cardiac tamponade is a life-threatening compression of the heart caused by abnormal accumulation of pericardial fluid. Important elements affecting its disposition and treatment are the rate of fluid accumulation relative to pericardial stretch and the effectiveness of compensatory mechanisms before critical hemodynamic compromise occurs. It is a clinical diagnosis and waiting for the threshold of steep rise in cardiac transmural pressure to critical levels may lead to catastrophic outcomes which is why early drainage has to be strongly considered in suspected cases.

Unemployment Rate Forecasting via Markov Chains

Unemployment is an economic and social phenomenon that has many effects and problems that directly affect society and could result in many problems in the future. Therefore, it is one of the most significant challenges confronting the globe today, as unemployment rates have reached critical levels. The aim of the research is to predict the unemployment rate for the coming years through the Markov chains method. The current variables of a particular phenomenon are analyzed in order to predict future variables to the phenomenon itself. The results indicated that the probability of an increase in the unemployment rate in the coming period, followed by a decrease in the unemployment rate and, finally, stability. The present findings can help decision makers to make the right decisions to face the problem of unemployment.

Progressive limit state at critical levels of internal potential energy of deformation

Introduction. The work is devoted to one of the main issues of structural mechanics - the determination of the elements in which the limiting state occurs first. At first glance, the task has an infinite number of results, meaning an infinite number of options for loading the system. The problem becomes solvable if one examines the structure of a building (structure) for possible variations in displacements (forces) in the nodes of the structure. For this approach, it becomes possible to determine the main values and vectors of displacement of the system, which correspond to the maximum (minimum) values of deformations (forces) in the rods of the system. As close approaches to the formulation of the problem, one should indicate the theory of the limiting equilibrium of structures under the assumption of the work of the material under flow conditions, where the equality of the work of external forces and internal forces is considered (kinematic method), or possible static stress states of the system for maximum limiting loads (static method). The theory of protecting buildings and structures from progressive collapse seeks to solve similar problems, focusing on options for design solutions that prevent destruction from non-design loads. Materials and methods. To determine the options for the distribution of extreme values of internal forces (deformations) in the system, the problem is formulated in the form of an eigenvalue problem. The latter turns out to be the most convenient mathematical model of the problem, since, in addition to extreme values (as in the optimization problem), it allows one to take into account the values of the problem on the upper and lower bounds. The theoretical basis for the formulation of the problem is the criterion of the critical levels of the internal potential energy of the system, which makes it possible to find the self-stress states of the structure corresponding to the limiting states of the structural elements. Results. The methodology for solving the problem is illustrated by the example of a statically indeterminate five-rod truss, which was also considered by other authors. The matrix formulation of the problem and a detailed algorithm for its solution are given. It is shown that the values of the internal forces in the rods, obtained using the traditional method, are in the interval between the maximum and minimum main values of the self-stress state of the system. Solutions are given at each of the critical energy levels corresponding to the disconnection of bonds from work.

A New Argument Against Critical-Level Utilitarianism

One prominent welfarist axiology, critical-level utilitarianism, says that individual lives must surpass a specified ‘critical level’ in order to make a positive contribution to the comparative status of a given population. In this article I develop a new dilemma for critical-level utilitarians. When comparatively evaluating populations composed of different species, critical-level utilitarians must decide whether the critical level is a universal threshold or whether the critical level is a species-relative threshold. I argue that both thresholds lead to a range of axiological puzzles and objections as yet undiscussed within the literature, and therefore conclude that critical-level utilitarianism should not be taken as a morally plausible welfarist axiology. I show that certain competitive formulations of critical range utilitarianism are subject to the argument too, and that further attempts to relativise critical levels to a particular group or category of welfare bearer (in particular, individual-relative critical levels) are unsustainable.

Diversity of vaccination-induced immune responses can prevent the spread of vaccine escape mutants

Pathogens that are resistant against drug treatment are widely observed. In contrast, pathogens that escape the immune response elicited upon vaccination are rare. Previous studies showed that the prophylactic character of vaccines, the multiplicity of epitopes to which the immune system responds within a host, and their diversity between hosts delay the evolution and emergence of escape mutants in a vaccinated population. By extending previous mathematical models, we find that, depending on the cost of the escape mutations, there even exist critical levels of immune response diversity that completely prevent vaccine escape. Furthermore, to quantify the potential for vaccine escape below these critical levels, we propose a concept of escape depth which measures the fraction of escape mutants that can spread in a vaccinated population. Determining this escape depth for a vaccine could help to predict its sustainability in the face of pathogen evolution.

Nutrient and microbial dynamics of soils amended with sewage sludge stabilized with clay minerals and biochar; a preliminary study.

<p>Sewage sludge production from wastewater treatment plants (WWTP) progressively exceeds 60 Million m<sup>3</sup> p.a. in the EU. Although it is rich in organic matter (OM) and essential nutrients for crop production, sewage sludge is mainly disposed in landfills. Under the framework of Cyclic Economy and EU Green Deal, sewage sludge represents an ideal soil amendment and fertilizer with a potential to increase soil OM, provide nutrients and reduce chemical fertilization. Nonetheless, its agronomic use comes with limitations due to the presence of heavy metals and pathogenic microorganisms. Several stabilization technologies, including composting, thermal treatment and liming, aim to produce safe sewage sludge products suitable for agronomic use.</p><p>This incubation study investigated the effects of municipal sewage sludge (stabilized by alternative and common methods) on nutrient and microbial dynamics in two soils; an acidic (pH 5) and an alkaline (pH 8). Stabilized sewage sludge (Thessaloniki WWTP, Greece) with clay minerals (bentonite and vermiculite), biochar (pine residues), Ca(OH)<sub>2</sub> and air-drying, was applied at 1% and 3% dw, in soil mesocosms (300 g). Non-amended soils were also included as control. Soils were incubated (15 days; 25<sup>o</sup>C) and equilibrated with periodic wetting and air-drying. Then, chemical soil properties, heavy metal concentrations and microbial abundance were determined using standard methods.</p><p>Treated sewage sludge addition in the acidic soil, noticeably increased soil pH (pH 5.2 – 8.5), compared to the control treatment (pH 5.0). In the alkaline soil, pH remained at similar levels (pH 8.1 – 8.6). Interestingly, EC increased from 0.42 up to 4.10 and 0.80 up to 3.08 dS m-1 for the acidic and alkaline soils, respectively. The C/N ratio was approx. 10 for all treatments, except biochar (C/N=16). Higher NO<sub>3</sub><sup>-</sup> concentrations were observed for (CaOH)<sub>2</sub>, biochar and vermiculite stabilized sewage sludge treatments, and higher NH<sub>4</sub><sup>+</sup> concentrations were observed for air-dried, bentonite and vermiculite stabilized sewage sludge treatments, in both soils, when compared to the control. Heavy metal concentration increased in all treatments, yet, it remained below legislative critical levels. Sewage sludge amendment increased total heterotroph abundance in all treatments (5.4 – 7.5 log<sub>10</sub> CFU g<sup>-1</sup>) compared to the control. Antibiotic resistant prokaryote abundance ranged between 3.9 – 7.0 log<sub>10</sub> CFU g<sup>-1</sup> and no persistent pattern was found. Pathogens remained below legislative critical levels in all treatments.</p><p>Our preliminary results show that stabilized sewage sludge has the potential to be a safe soil conditioner and fertilizer under the framework of Cyclic Economy and EU Green Deal. A desirable increase in soil fertility and organic C was observed for both soils, and an advantageous pH increase for acidic soil. Though, care should be taken not to exceed EC>2 dS m<sup>-1</sup> when amending agricultural soils with sewage sludge products. Also, further experimentation is required to understand the effects of soil amendments on plant nutrition and productivity.</p><p> </p><p>Funding Acknowledgement: The research work was supported by the Hellenic Foundation for Research and Innovation (H.F.R.I.) under the “First Call for H.F.R.I. Research Projects to support Faculty members and Researchers and the procurement of high-cost research equipment grant” (Project Number: HFRI-FM17-1907).</p>

Nitrogen content, SPAD index and production of single head broccoli

ABSTRACT In the management of single head broccoli nitrogen fertilization, there is no study indicating the critical level and adequate range of N content and SPAD index in the leaves to evaluate the nitrogen nutritional status. This work was carried out in two consecutive years with control without N and three rates of N (150; 300 and 450 kg ha-1). The treatments were arranged in the experimental design of random blocks, with four replications. All productive characteristics were significantly influenced by N rates. The fresh inflorescence mass reached a maximum value of 822 g with 308 kg ha-1 N. The critical levels were 61.1 g kg-1 for total N foliar content and 71.31 ud SPAD at 40 DAT. The SPAD index presented high correlations with the total N content in the leaves (r = 0.93; p<0.034) and with the maximum fresh mass of the inflorescence (r = 0.99; p<0.001). The ranges of N content (low ≤52.5; medium 52.6 to 57.4; sufficient 57.5 to 61.1 and high >61.1 g kg-1) and SPAD index (low ≤68.48; medium 68.49 to 70.47; sufficient 70.48 to 71.31 and high >71.31 ud SPAD) are proposed for assessing the N nutritional status of single head broccoli.