Analyzing the Water, Energy and Food Nexus Mechanisms in Small-Scale Farming Exploitation Units of Hamedan Province

The occurrence of natural hazards is always associated with severe damage in the agricultural sector, especially in small-scale farming exploitation units. One of the approaches to deal with these damages is to use the approach of water-energy-food (WEF) nexus in the management decisions of these units. Therefore, the present research was carried out with the aim of analyzing the mechanisms of linking water, energy and food in small-scale farming exploitation units in Hamadan province. The statistical sample of the research was 300 active farmers in small-scale farming exploitation units (below 10 hectares) which were determined by the rule of Cochran formula and sampling was done by cluster method. The main research tool was a researcher-made questionnaire, the content validity of which was confirmed by a panel of agricultural experts and faculty members of the Department of Agricultural Development and Management at the University of Tehran. In addition, the reliability of research’s tool was confirmed through internal consistency procedure calculating Cronbach's alpha and CR (Cumulative Reliability) coefficients (Both above 0.7). Data analysis was carried out using SPSSwin25 and SMART PLS 3 software. The results showed that the overall nexus of water-energy and food from the six dual mechanisms of WEF the Energy or Food has received a more significant effect. According to the findings of the research, in order to strengthen the nexus approach of these vital resources, measures such as providing and introducing coherent and multilateral investment packages; providing training to farmers regarding synergy and unbreakable link of three sources in farm management and paying attention to this approach at different levels of the management system, from policy making and planning are suggested for field-level farm management decisions.

Molecular and Microscopic-Based Characterization of Plasmodium

Despite malaria control programs in recent years, malaria transmission has not been eliminated in Iran. Molecular techniques including PCR, which has proved more sensitive and specific than microscopic examination methods, help to detect infection in low levels of parasitemia and mixed infections. Main our objectives were setting up nested PCR for detection of malaria and evaluating PCR based on plasmodia DNA from blood smears in Fars province, the comparison of this method with traditional microscopy and also evaluate the data in comparison with its neighboring province, Hormozgan. A total of 149 malaria positive samples including 116, 19, and 14 samples from Shiraz, Jask, and Lengeh ports were utilized in this study, respectively. Blood slides were prepared for microscopic observation. DNA from thin smears was extracted and nested PCR was analyzed using rPLU5 and rPLU6 for genus specification, rFAL1, rFAL2, and rVIV1, rVIV2 for P. falciparum and P. vivax detection, respectively. The results showed that 126 (84.6%), 16 (10.7%), and 7 (4.7%) out of 149 cases were positive for P. vivax, P. falciparum, and mixed infections, respectively, by microscopy. The PCR indicated that 95 (63.7%), 15 (10.1%), and 22 (14.8%) cases were infected with P. vivax, P. falciparum, and mixed mentioned species, respectively, and 17 (11.4%) cases were uninfected. Our results confirmed the considerable sensitivity of nested PCR for detection of the mixed infections. Simultaneous application of PCR even based on microscopy slides can facilitate access to the highest level of confidence in malaria researches

Safety and efficacy of Favipiravir in moderate to severe SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia

Background: We examined the safety and efficacy of a treatment protocol containing Favipiravir for the treatment of SARS-CoV-2. Methods: We did a multicenter randomized open-labeled clinical trial on moderate to severe cases infections of SARS-CoV-2. Patients with typical ground glass appearance on chest computerized tomography scan (CT scan) and oxygen saturation (SpO2) of less than 93 were enrolled. They were randomly allocated into Favipiravir (1.6 gr loading, 1.8 gr daily) and Lopinavir/Ritonavir (800/200 mg daily) treatment regimens in addition to standard care. In-hospital mortality, ICU admission, intubation, time to clinical recovery, changes in daily SpO2 after 5 min discontinuation of supplemental oxygen, and length of hospital stay were quantified and compared in the two groups. Results: 380 patients were randomly allocated into Favipiravir (1 9 3) and Lopinavir/Ritonavir (1 8 7) groups in 13 centers. The number of deaths, intubations, and ICU admissions were not significantly different (26, 27, 31 and 21, 17, 25 respectively). Mean hospital stay was also not different (7.9 days SD = 6 in the Favipiravir and 8.1 SD = 6.5 days in Lopinavir/Ritonavir groups) (p = 0.61). Time to clinical recovery in the Favipiravir group was similar to Lopinavir/Ritonavir group (HR = 0.94, 95% CI 0.75 � 1.17) and likewise the changes in the daily SpO2 after discontinuation of supplemental oxygen (p = 0.46) Conclusion: Adding Favipiravir to the treatment protocol did not reduce the number of ICU admissions or intubations or In-hospital mortality compared to Lopinavir/Ritonavir regimen. It also did not shorten time to clinical recovery and length of hospital stay. © 2021 Elsevier B.V

Hybrid Renewable Hydrogen Energy Solution for Application in Remote Mines

Mining operations in remote locations rely heavily on diesel fuel for the electricity, haulage and heating demands. Such significant diesel dependency imposes large carbon footprints to these mines. Consequently, mining companies are looking for better energy strategies to lower their carbon footprints. Renewable energies can relieve this over-reliance on fossil fuels. Yet, in spite of their many advantages, renewable systems deployment on a large scale has been very limited, mainly due to the high battery storage system. Using hydrogen for energy storage purposes due to its relatively cheaper technology can facilitate the application of renewable energies in the mining industry. Such cost-prohibitive issues prevent achieving 100% penetration rate of renewables in mining applications. This paper offers a novel integrated renewable–multi-storage (wind turbine/battery/fuel cell/thermal storage) solution with six different configurations to secure 100% off-grid mining power supply as a stand-alone system. A detailed comparison between the proposed configurations is presented with recommendations for implementation. A parametric study is also performed, identifying the effect of different parameters (i.e., wind speed, battery market price, and fuel cell market price) on economics of the system. The result of the present study reveals that standalone renewable energy deployment in mine settings is technically and economically feasible with the current market prices, depending on the average wind speed at the mine location

Numerical and experimental investigation of mine exhaust heat recovery systems

For underground mining operations in cold climates, such as Canada and Arctic regions, mine intake air heating is a significant energy- and carbon-intensive activity. The high thermal energy demand is commonly met by burning fossil fuels, particularly for mining operations in remote locations with limited grid access. This dependence on fossil fuels not only has an adverse environmental impact, but also incurs high costs. Mining companies are also facing increased pressure from society, investors, and the governments to address their carbon footprint. To overcome this energy–environmental challenge, mining companies are exploring innovative solutions for decarbonizing their operations. One potential solution is the implementation of a mine exhaust heat recovery system for intake air heating. This approach can reduce the high energy reliance of underground mine heating systems. In this study, two different mine exhaust heat recovery systems are proposed - an indirect capture-indirect delivery system and a direct capture-indirect delivery system - and their performances are evaluated using numerical models. Two fully-coupled thermodynamic models are developed to assess the potential economic and environmental implications of the proposed heat recovery systems. Furthermore, to evaluate the direct capture-indirect delivery system, two numerical models with different one-dimensional and three-dimensional approaches are developed to examine the performance of the direct heat capture unit under various design and operational conditions and to determine its ideal configuration for heat recovery applications. An experimental test setup is also designed and constructed to verify the concept of such heat exchanging systems at a lab scale and validate the results of the numerical models. Once the ideal design is identified, the developed thermodynamic code is populated with the operating and climate data from the mining operation being studied. This allows for the calculation of the potential cost savings and carbon emission reduction. The results of the study show that although both proposed heat recovery systems help mitigating the economic-environmental problem of mine intake air heating, the direct heat recovery system is found to be more efficient in terms of both carbon footprint reduction and energy cost savings.Applied Science, Faculty ofMining Engineering, Keevil Institute ofGraduat

Hybrid Renewable Hydrogen Energy Solution for Remote Cold-Climate Open-Pit Mines

Contemporary off-grid mining operations rely on diesel fuel for the provision of their total energy including electricity, heat, and haulage. Given the high cost of diesel and its imposed greenhouse gas emissions, mining companies are looking for more affordable and cleaner sources of energy for their operations. Although renewable energy systems, such as solar photovoltaic and wind provide efficient solutions to address this challenge, full decarbonization has shown to be very challenging, mainly due to the high cost of battery storage along with the inability to meet total site energy demand. Integrating hydrogen and thermal storage with battery banks can facilitate a full transitioning off diesel. In this sense, the present study intends to offer an innovative decarbonized solution by integrating wind turbines with a multi-storage system (battery, hydrogen, and thermal storage) to supply the total energy (electricity, heat, and haulage) for remote open-pit mines. Among the different proposed fully decarbonized configurations in this study, it is shown that a renewable system with a hydrogen-powered fleet and hybridized battery/hydrogen storage configuration can present the most economically viable case for open-pit mines with a considerably less life-of-mine cost.Applied Science, Faculty ofMining Engineering, Keevil Institute ofReviewedFacult

Hybrid Renewable Hydrogen Energy Solution for Remote Cold-Climate Open-Pit Mines

Contemporary off-grid mining operations rely on diesel fuel for the provision of their total energy including electricity, heat, and haulage. Given the high cost of diesel and its imposed greenhouse gas emissions, mining companies are looking for more affordable and cleaner sources of energy for their operations. Although renewable energy systems, such as solar photovoltaic and wind provide efficient solutions to address this challenge, full decarbonization has shown to be very challenging, mainly due to the high cost of battery storage along with the inability to meet total site energy demand. Integrating hydrogen and thermal storage with battery banks can facilitate a full transitioning off diesel. In this sense, the present study intends to offer an innovative decarbonized solution by integrating wind turbines with a multi-storage system (battery, hydrogen, and thermal storage) to supply the total energy (electricity, heat, and haulage) for remote open-pit mines. Among the different proposed fully decarbonized configurations in this study, it is shown that a renewable system with a hydrogen-powered fleet and hybridized battery/hydrogen storage configuration can present the most economically viable case for open-pit mines with a considerably less life-of-mine cost

Diagnostic Value and Best Cut-off Point of Sonographic Parameters in Distinction between Benign and Malignant Superficial Lymphadenopathy

Background: Diagnosis of malignant lymphadenopathy is particularly important for treatment planning, staging before treatment and also for determination of prognosis. Various diagnostic procedures which are expensive and invasive are now used for distinguishing malignant from benign lymphadenopathies. Ultrasound has been proposed as a non- invasive, cost effective and available procedure compared with other procedures. This study was conducted to evaluate some ultra sound parameters in distinction between malignant and benign superficial lymphadenopathies. Methods: Lymph nodes of 100 patients who were candidates for pathological evaluation of their superficial lymphadenopathy were evaluated sonographically. The most accessible lymph nodes were marked and then biopsied and sonographic results were compared with pathologic ones, and the sensitivity and specificity of the test and the appropriate cut off point was determined based on the ROC curve and by SPSS 17. Results: Of 100 evaluated nodes 55 nodes were benign and 45 nodes were malignant. The ratio of cortical thickness to medullary thickness was not significantly different between malignant and benign lymph nodes. There was a significant difference between blood supply pattern and average indices of PI (P=.007) and RI (P<.001) between benign and malignant lymph nodes. The best cutoff point of cortex thickness to differentiate malignant from benign lymphadenopathy with 62.2٪ sensitivity and 72.7٪ specificity and 70٪ accuracy was 7.95 mm. Conclusion: The color Doppler criteria in combination with gray scale sonography can be very helpful in choosing patients for biopsy or FNA, but cannot fully replace pathological evaluation. Keywords: Color Doppler, Pathology, Superficial lymphadenopathy, Ultrasoun

Hybrid Renewable Hydrogen Energy Solution for Application in Remote Mines

Mining operations in remote locations rely heavily on diesel fuel for the electricity, haulage and heating demands. Such significant diesel dependency imposes large carbon footprints to these mines. Consequently, mining companies are looking for better energy strategies to lower their carbon footprints. Renewable energies can relieve this over-reliance on fossil fuels. Yet, in spite of their many advantages, renewable systems deployment on a large scale has been very limited, mainly due to the high battery storage system. Using hydrogen for energy storage purposes due to its relatively cheaper technology can facilitate the application of renewable energies in the mining industry. Such cost-prohibitive issues prevent achieving 100% penetration rate of renewables in mining applications. This paper offers a novel integrated renewable–multi-storage (wind turbine/battery/fuel cell/thermal storage) solution with six different configurations to secure 100% off-grid mining power supply as a stand-alone system. A detailed comparison between the proposed configurations is presented with recommendations for implementation. A parametric study is also performed, identifying the effect of different parameters (i.e., wind speed, battery market price, and fuel cell market price) on economics of the system. The result of the present study reveals that standalone renewable energy deployment in mine settings is technically and economically feasible with the current market prices, depending on the average wind speed at the mine location.Applied Science, Faculty ofNon UBCMining Engineering, Keevil Institute ofReviewedFacult

Techno-Economic Trade-Off between Battery Storage and Ice Thermal Energy Storage for Application in Renewable Mine Cooling System

This paper performs a techno-economic assessment in deploying solar photovoltaics to provide energy to a refrigeration machine for a remote underground mine. As shallow deposits are rapidly depleting, underground mines are growing deeper to reach resources situated at greater depths. This creates an immense challenge in air-conditioning as the heat emissions to mine ambient increases substantially as mines reach to deeper levels. A system-level design analysis is performed to couple PV with a refrigeration plant capable of generating 200 tonne of ice per day to help to mitigate this issue. Generated ice can directly be used in cooling deep underground mines via different types of direct heat exchangers. State-of-the-art technology is used in developing the model which aims to decrease the size and cost of a conventional refrigeration system run on a diesel generator. Costs associated with deploying a solar system are computed as per the recent market value. Energy savings, carbon emissions reduction, and net annual savings in employing the system are quantified and compared to a diesel-only scenario. In addition, two different energy storage strategies: an ice storage system and a battery storage system, are compared. A detailed economic analysis is performed over the life of the project to obtain the net cash flow diagram, payback period, and cumulative savings for both systems. Moreover, a sensitivity analysis is proposed to highlight the effect of solar intensity on solar system size and the area required for installment. The study suggests that the use of solar PV in mine refrigeration applications is technically feasible and economically viable depending on the sun-peak hours of the mine location. Additionally, the economics of deploying an ice storage system compared to the battery storage system has a better payback period and more cumulative savings.Applied Science, Faculty ofMining Engineering, Keevil Institute ofReviewedFacult