Gully erosion susceptibility mapping using multivariate adaptive regression splines-replications and sample size scenarios

Soil erosion is a serious problem affecting numerous countries, especially, gully erosion. In the current research, GIS techniques and MARS (Multivariate Adaptive Regression Splines) algorithm were considered to evaluate gully erosion susceptibility mapping among others. The study was conducted in a specific section of the Gorganroud Watershed in Golestan Province (Northern Iran), covering 2142.64 km2 which is intensely influenced by gully erosion. First, Google Earth images, field surveys, and national reports were used to provide a gully-hedcut evaluation map consisting of 307 gully-hedcut points. Eighteen gully erosion conditioning factors including significant geoenvironmental and morphometric variables were selected as predictors. To model sensitivity of gully erosion, Multivariate Adaptive Regression Splines (MARS) was used while the Area Under the Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) Curve (AUC), drawing ROC curves, efficiency percent, Yuden index, and kappa were used to evaluate model efficiency. We used two different scenarios of the combination of the number of replications, and sample size, including 90%/10% and 80%/20% with 10 replications, and 70%/30% with 5, 10, and 15 replications for preparing gully erosion susceptibility mapping (GESM). Each one involves a various subset of both positive (presence), and negative (absence) cases. Absences were extracted as randomly distributed individual cells. Therefore, the predictive competency of the gully erosion susceptibility model and the robustness of the procedure were evaluated through these datasets. Results did not show considerable variation in the accuracy of the model, with altering the percentage of calibration to validation samples and number of model replications. Given the accuracy, the MARS algorithm performed excellently in predictive performance. The combination of 80%/20% using all statistical measures including SST (0.88), SPF (0.83), E (0.79), Kappa (0.58), Robustness (0.01), and AUC (0.84) had the highest performance compared to the other combinations. Consequently, it was found that the performance of MARS for modelling gully erosion susceptibility is quite consistent while changes in the testing and validation specimens are executed. The intense acceptable prediction capability of the MARS model verifies the reliability of the method employed for use of this model elsewhere and gully erosion studies since they are qualified to quickly generating precise and exact GESMs (gully erosion sensitivity maps) to make decisions and management edaphic and hydrologic features

Evaluation of multi-hazard map produced using MaxEnt machine learning technique

Natural hazards are diverse and uneven in time and space, therefore, understanding its complexity is key to save human lives and conserve natural ecosystems. Reducing the outputs obtained after each modelling analysis is key to present the results for stakeholders, land managers and policymakers. So, the main goal of this survey was to present a method to synthesize three natural hazards in one multi-hazard map and its evaluation for hazard management and land use planning. To test this methodology, we took as study area the Gorganrood Watershed, located in the Golestan Province (Iran). First, an inventory map of three different types of hazards including flood, landslides, and gullies was prepared using field surveys and different official reports. To generate the susceptibility maps, a total of 17 geo-environmental factors were selected as predictors using the MaxEnt (Maximum Entropy) machine learning technique. The accuracy of the predictive models was evaluated by drawing receiver operating characteristic-ROC curves and calculating the area under the ROC curve-AUCROC. The MaxEnt model not only implemented superbly in the degree of fitting, but also obtained significant results in predictive performance. Variables importance of the three studied types of hazards showed that river density, distance from streams, and elevation were the most important factors for flood, respectively. Lithological units, elevation, and annual mean rainfall were relevant for detecting landslides. On the other hand, annual mean rainfall, elevation, and lithological units were used for gully erosion mapping in this study area. Finally, by combining the flood, landslides, and gully erosion susceptibility maps, an integrated multi-hazard map was created. The results demonstrated that 60% of the area is subjected to hazards, reaching a proportion of landslides up to 21.2% in the whole territory. We conclude that using this type of multi-hazard map may be a useful tool for local administrators to identify areas susceptible to hazards at large scales as we demonstrated in this research

A numerical method for solving nonlinear integral equations

Abstract Integral equations occur naturally in many field of mechanics and mathematical physics. In this paper, an iterative scheme based on the homotopy analysis method (HAM) has been used for solving one of the most important cases in nonlinear integral equations which is called urysohn form. For this scope, we applied some examples with known exact solutions and the numerical solutions obtained confirm that the method is very effective and simple. Also, show the advantage of this method, the results obtained by (HAM) are compared with NewtonKantorovich-quadrature method. Convergence is also observed

Vegetation community in relation to the soil characteristics of Rineh rangeland, Iran

The aim of this study was to investigate relationships between soil properties and plant species to determine the most effective factors separating vegetation communities in Rineh rangeland. Three stratifying variables were selected including slop, aspect and elevation. The study area was partitioned by combining these classes to generate homogenous units. 1m2 quadrates were located at sampling sites in each homogenous unit randomly. Vegetation cover data were recorded using ordinal scale of Daubenmire cover-abundance scores in each quadrate. Soil samples were collected based on area from 0-15, 15-30 cm depths in each sampling site. Total nitrogen, organic matter, pH, total phosphorus, water retention capacity, permanent wilting point, available water capacity, potassium, water holding capacity, CaCO3, saturation moisture, bulk density, real unit weight and percentage of fine earth fragments (sand, silt and clay) were measured. Both classification and ordination techniques were employed including TWINSPAN classification, DCA and CCA. The TWINSPAN classification of the sample sites have resulted in ten groups. According to the results of DCA, length of gradient represented by axis 1 was >5 SD, indicating that CCA was the appropriate ordination method. CCA axis 1 was correlated to phosphorus (-0.460) in the first layer and phosphorus (-0.493), sand (0.533) in the second layer while the CCA axis 2 was correlated to phosphorus (0.394), sand (0.533) in the second layer. The species-environment correlations are higher for the first three canonical axes, explaining 18% of the cumulative variances

Correction to: Isolated Human and Livestock Echinococcus granulosus Genotypes Using Real-Time PCR of cox1 Gene in Northeast Iran (Acta Parasitologica, (2019), 64, 3, (679-685), 10.2478/s11686-019-00117-w)

Unfortunately, the affiliation of Majid Fasihi-Harandi needs to be edited. The correct affiliation is Research Center for Hydatid Disease in Iran, School of Medicine, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran

An insight to HTLV-1-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP) pathogenesis; evidence from high-throughput data integration and meta-analysis

Background Human T-lymphotropic virus 1-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP) is a progressive disease of the central nervous system that significantly affected spinal cord, nevertheless, the pathogenesis pathway and reliable biomarkers have not been well determined. This study aimed to employ high throughput meta-analysis to find major genes that are possibly involved in the pathogenesis of HAM/TSP. Results High-throughput statistical analyses identified 832, 49, and 22 differentially expressed genes for normal vs. ACs, normal vs. HAM/TSP, and ACs vs. HAM/TSP groups, respectively. The protein-protein interactions between DEGs were identified in STRING and further network analyses highlighted 24 and 6 hub genes for normal vs. HAM/TSP and ACs vs. HAM/TSP groups, respectively. Moreover, four biologically meaningful modules including 251 genes were identified for normal vs. ACs. Biological network analyses indicated the involvement of hub genes in many vital pathways like JAK-STAT signaling pathway, interferon, Interleukins, and immune pathways in the normal vs. HAM/TSP group and Metabolism of RNA, Viral mRNA Translation, Human T cell leukemia virus 1 infection, and Cell cycle in the normal vs. ACs group. Moreover, three major genes including STAT1, TAP1, and PSMB8 were identified by network analysis. Real-time PCR revealed the meaningful down-regulation of STAT1 in HAM/TSP samples than AC and normal samples (P = 0.01 and P = 0.02, respectively), up-regulation of PSMB8 in HAM/TSP samples than AC and normal samples (P = 0.04 and P = 0.01, respectively), and down-regulation of TAP1 in HAM/TSP samples than those in AC and normal samples (P = 0.008 and P = 0.02, respectively). No significant difference was found among three groups in terms of the percentage of T helper and cytotoxic T lymphocytes (P = 0.55 and P = 0.12). Conclusions High-throughput data integration disclosed novel hub genes involved in important pathways in virus infection and immune systems. The comprehensive studies are needed to improve our knowledge about the pathogenesis pathways and also biomarkers of complex diseases.Peer reviewe

Polymorphous adenocarcinoma of the salivary glands : reappraisal and update

Although relatively rare, polymorphous adenocarcinoma (PAC) is likely the second most common malignancy of the minor salivary glands (MiSG). The diagnosis is mainly based on an incisional biopsy. The optimal treatment comprises wide surgical excision, often with adjuvant radiotherapy. In general, PAC has a good prognosis. Previously, PAC was referred to as polymorphous low-grade adenocarcinoma (PLGA), but the new WHO classification of salivary gland tumours has also included under the PAC subheading, the so-called cribriform adenocarcinoma of minor salivary glands (CAMSG). This approach raised controversy, predominantly because of possible differences in clinical behaviour. For example, PLGA (PAC, classical variant) only rarely metastasizes, whereas CAMSG often shows metastases to the neck lymph nodes. Given the controversy, this review reappraises the definition, epidemiology, clinical presentation, diagnostic work-up, genetics, treatment modalities, and prognosis of PAC of the salivary glands with a particular focus on contrasting differences with CAMSG.Peer reviewe

Analytical assessment of a novel rotating fluidized bed solar reactor for steam gasification of char particles

Abstract not availableZhao Lu, Mehdi Jafarian, Maziar Arjomandi, Graham J. Natha

Knowledge of Health Volunteers in the Damavand District on Food Safety: A Study Based on the World Health Organization Manual

Introduction: Food borne illnesses are usually infectious or toxic in nature and caused by bacteria, viruses, parasites or chemical substances entering the body through contaminated food or water. Unsafe food causes more than 200 diseases - ranging from diarrhea to cancers. Food safety is a public health priority. The aim of present study was determine level of health communicators' knowledge about food safety in Damavand city that was performed according to the World Health Organization guide. Methods: This study is a descriptive analysis of the target a group of health Volunteers in Damavand depended to Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences. 109 persons were enrolled with s awareness, scarification and consent of the census. Tools for data collection was a questionnaire consisting of 13 questions on demographic characteristics and 24 questions about food safety according to WHO’s guide. Data was analyzed with SPSS-18 software and statistical analysis includes one-way ANOVA, t-test and spearman correlation. Results: The mean age of participant was 44.75 ± 9.98 years. Average score of awareness of food safety was 35.87 ±6.22 and for awareness was 77 (71%). No significant relationships was observed between of awareness and marital status, age, education, occupation and education of wife was not significant relationships (p>0/05). Conclusion: In some safety food items the level of knowledge in some safety food items was good, in other one, such as food storage, transmission of microbes, cooking temperature for meat there was low awareness. In this respect, information, education programs to raise awareness of the health status for health volunteers is recommende