Single Constituent Research Articles

Use and perceived effectiveness of complementary medicines for weight loss in adult women

Objectives: Complementary medicines (CMs) that are formulated to facilitate weight loss are a popular and widely available treatment option, particularly among women. There is limited research regarding their use in the South African context. The aim of this study was to gather information on the use and perceived effectiveness of CMs for weight loss among adult women. Design: A quantitative, descriptive survey design was used. Setting: Johannesburg, South Africa. Subjects: A purposive sample of women over the age of 18 years who had used CMs for weight loss within the past five years were recruited from health stores and a university campus healthcare centre. Outcome measures: Data were obtained through a self-administered 29-item, paper-and-pen questionnaire. Responses were descriptively analysed using cross-tabulation, multiple response analysis and frequency tables. Results: Data from 160 questionnaires were analysed and the results demonstrated that a wide variety of CM products are used for weight loss, with branded combination products, green tea, Garcinia cambogia and conjugated linoleic acid being the most popular. Most participants also adopted lifestyle interventions such as exercise and calorie restriction during their weight loss attempt. While minor side effects were experienced by over half of the participants, the majority were satisfied with their product choice as well as the amount of weight that they lost. Conclusion: Most participants perceived their CM weight loss product of choice to be effective. However, other concomitant weight-loss strategies that were employed may have been responsible for these results. Despite their popularity, there is only very limited research surrounding the safety and efficacy of these weight-loss products, with most studies being conducted on single constituents rather than whole formulations as sold on the market. Healthcare providers should encourage the disclosure of the use of CM weight-loss products to ensure safe and effective patient care and mitigate the potential risks associated with their inappropriate use.

Межрегиональные инвестиционные проекты: сложности правоприменения, ограничения, вызовы

In the article the main approaches to interregional cooperation in the investment area are analyzed. The article emphasizes the need to intensify efforts to build interregional links in order to achieve the common goals and objectives of social and economic development of the regions that are facing each of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation. It is suggested to analyze the values of the main indicators of the development of territories not only as a separate region, but also in terms of their influence and contribution to the development of the macroregion. During the study the current situation in the regions of the Russian Federation (by federal districts) was assessed. Such methods of research as analysis and comparison of key social and economic indicators together with legal acts of some regions of Russia were applied. At the same time, the paper touches upon international experience in the development and implementation of successful projects in the framework of “mega-regions”. Besides, the practice of interregional projects realization in Russia is being assessed. The main purpose of the work is to study the management of the region’s development through a set of measures used in the territory of a single constituent entity of the Russian Federation alongside with taking into account the possibilities for interregional cooperation, which are provided by the macro-region. The expediency of making changes to the existing laws and regulations, as well as the introduction of platforms of digital technologies for the coordinated management and development of the regional economy, is mentioned. As a result, it is suggested to strengthen the overall work to achieve the key goals and objectives of the regions through interregional cooperation, including the creation of joint investment agencies, the formation of a legislative framework, as well as a platform for the development of joint proposals and their promotion to the federal level.

Canine Spermatozoa-Predictability of Cryotolerance.

Markers of freezability allow the selection of ejaculates of good freezability. So far, most investigations were conducted in boars, bulls, rams and horses, with high economic interests triggering the efforts. The progress in dogs is comparably slow. A critical evaluation of the methods requires consideration of practicability, with most labs not even possessing a computer assisted sperm analyser (CASA); furthermore, small canine ejaculates mostly do not allow the use of large semen volumes. In dogs, modern markers of freezability no longer assess single membrane constituents or seminal plasma components but comprise tests of cell functionality and adaptability, energy metabolism, cluster analyses of kinetic and morphometric parameters, as well as DNA intactness. Identification of the most efficient combination of tests seems useful. At present, examination by CASA combined with cluster analysis of kinetic subgroups, JC-1 staining and COMET assay or staining with toluidine blue seem most appropriate; however, cell volumetry and other functional tests deserve better attention. A better understanding of spermatozoa energy metabolism might reveal new markers. This review focuses on the requirements and markers of freezability of canine semen, highlighting potential future candidates.

A highly-directive hybrid-fractal radiator-based printed array for X-band amateur radio applications

This article provides a 4-elements planar array of fractal patch antennas for X-band wireless communication, especially amateur-radio (10.00–10.50 GHz) applications. The single constituent of the indicated array is a freshly designed hybrid-fractal antenna with a modest gain and low cross-pol. level along the primary beam's path. The exhibited hybrid-fractal design was created using the Minkowski iteration, followed by a scaling to a square geometry in the next stride. The compact planar array structure incorporates the Wilkinson power divider-based corporate feed network. The solo antenna built resonates at 10.02 GHz and offers 10.67 dBi of massive gain and 0.395 GHz of return-loss bandwidth, respectively. At 10.05 GHz resonating frequency, the array prototype gives 16.54 dBi absolute gain and 0.318 GHz impedance bandwidth. Printed prototypes achieved radiation efficiency of and , respectively. Both prototypes had computed aperture efficiency of and , respectively. There is a great deal of agreement between the prototypes' measured and simulated findings.

Strategies for recovery of copper and gold as single constituents or an alloy: Selective separation and adsorption-coupled incineration of the bulk metal-loaded adsorbents

To recover useful metals from waste PCBs, environmentally friendly bioleaching has recently attracted attention. Accordingly, distinct protocols are required to adequately recover the bioleached metals. Herewith, we present strategies to separate and recover copper and gold from a bioleached solution of waste PCBs. Polyethylenimine-polyacrylic acid composite adsorbents (PPCAs) were screened from among different candidate adsorbents. By only adjusting the mixing ratio of PEI and PAA, it was possible to recover gold and copper as single constituents or an alloy. A two-step strategy was designed, leading to the successful separation of copper and gold, first through selective adsorption of copper and then by bulk adsorption of copper and gold. The experimental maximum equilibrium uptakes of copper by PPCA-2 and PPCA-7 were 667±0.06 and 587±0.16 mg g−1, respectively. The pseudo-first- and pseudo-second-order models fitted the kinetic data of copper better than gold. Following incineration, the adsorbents were characterized for examining the crystallinity and atomic energy states of the metals. Consequently, XRF analysis revealed that the copper-gold alloy ash contained 96.7±0.40% Cu and 1.73±0.26% Au. This study would be helpful for future studies that would aim at the separation and recovery of metallic minerals from bioleachates.

Are We There Yet? Exploring the Use of Single-Pill Combination Therapy in the Management of Raised Blood Pressure in Australia

Single-pill combination (SPC) therapy is recommended as first-line therapy for most patients in global hypertension guidelines due to benefits of improved adherence and blood pressure (BP) control. We aimed to understand factors affecting SPC use in the management of raised BP in Australia. A mixed-method study comprising of qualitative (policy review and interviews) and quantitative (Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme [PBS] data) approaches. Australian and international hypertension guideline recommendations regarding SPC use; the Australian registration and subsidy approval processes of SPCs; use of SPCs on the PBS; cost-analysis of PBS-listed SPCs compared to free-drug combinations; perceptions of healthcare providers towards SPCs. The 2016 Australian Heart Foundation's "Guideline for the diagnosis and management of hypertension in adults" does not recommend combination therapy (including SPCs) as first-line treatment. Additional challenges in the uptake of SPCs include: (1) the additional PBS requirements and barriers imposed for the listing of SPCs. (2) Script volumes for SPCs have not matched the rise in the number of SPCs listed for subsidy, have plateaued since 2016 and remained significantly lower than single constituent scripts. (3) SPCs are not subsidised by the PBS for initial treatment. Most SPCs provided substantial cost savings for individual patients compared to free-drug combinations. Health care providers were positive about the cost-saving and convenience of SPCs, however perceived negatives included inflexibility of SPCs during dose titration, medicine shortages, and potential adverse effects when initiating treatment with multiple drugs. The safety, efficacy and cost-saving potential of SPCs have been established in the literature but several roadblocks in the existing health system in Australia impede uptake. Interventions addressing these barriers may facilitate improved uptake, which may in turn improve blood pressure control in Australia.

Mitoprotective Effects of a Synergistic Nutraceutical Combination: Basis for a Prevention Strategy Against Alzheimer's Disease.

Evidence to date suggests the consumption of food rich in bioactive compounds, such as polyphenols, flavonoids, omega-3 fatty acids may potentially minimize age-related cognitive decline. For neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s disease (AD), which do not yet have definitive treatments, the focus has shifted toward using alternative approaches, including prevention strategies rather than disease reversal. In this aspect, certain nutraceuticals have become promising compounds due to their neuroprotective properties. Moreover, the multifaceted AD pathophysiology encourages the use of multiple bioactive components that may be synergistic in their protective roles when combined. The objective of the present study was to determine mechanisms of action underlying the inhibition of Aβ1–42-induced toxicity by a previously determined, three-compound nutraceutical combination D5L5U5 for AD. In vitro experiments were carried out in human neuroblastoma BE(2)-M17 cells for levels of ROS, ATP mitophagy, and mitobiogenesis. The component compounds luteolin (LUT), DHA, and urolithin A (UA) were independently protective of mitochondria; however, the D5L5U5 preceded its single constituents in all assays used. Overall, it indicated that D5L5U5 had potent inhibitory effects against Aβ1–42-induced toxicity through protecting mitochondria. These mitoprotective activities included minimizing oxidative stress, increasing ATP and inducing mitophagy and mitobiogenesis. However, this synergistic nutraceutical combination warrants further investigations in other in vitro and in vivo AD models to confirm its potential to be used as a preventative therapy for AD.

Hydrosols from Rosmarinus officinalis, Salvia officinalis, and Cupressus sempervirens: Phytochemical Analysis and Bioactivity Evaluation.

The present work evaluates the aromatic waters of rosemary (Salvia rosmarinus Spenn. syn. Rosmarinus officinalis L.), sage (Salvia officinalis L.), and cypress (Cupressus sempervirens L.) obtained as innovative commercial products of a hydrodistillation process. All extracts were exhaustively analysed by GC-MS, 1H-NMR, and LC-MS in order to evaluate potential metabolite fingerprint differences. GC-MS appears to be the most exhaustive technique for the qualitative identification of the single constituents, although in this case, the use of 1H-NMR and LC-MS techniques allowed some useful considerations in semi-quantitative terms. Antimycotic effects were studied against Tricophyton, Candida, and Arthroderma species, resulting in weak activity. The toxicological impact was partly evaluated in vitro by means of allelopathy and brine shrimp lethality. Cytotoxicity was investigated in human colon cancer cells (HCT116) and in hypothalamic cells (Hypo-E22) challenged with hydrogen peroxide. Sage and rosemary hydrosols were the most effective antimycotics, whereas all hydrosols displayed antiradical effects. Cytotoxic effects against HCT116 cells (at 500 µL/mL) were related in silico to the endovanilloid TRPM8 and TRPV1 receptors. At lower concentrations (5–50 µL/mL), the hydrosols protected hypothalamic neurons Hypo-E22 cells from hydrogen peroxide-induced toxicity. The overall experience indicates that hydrolates are an important source of relevant phytochemicals with significant pharmacological potential.

Essential oils from different Citrus species and evaluation of their in vitro antibacterial, antiacetylcholinesterase, anti-inflammatory and antifungal activities

Essential oils (EOs) from Citrus are not only economic, eco-friendly and natural alternatives to chemical preservatives but also have other biological applications. This study aimed to investigate the chemical composition of Citrus species (EOs from C. limonia, C. latifolia, C. sinensis and C. deliciosa fruit peel) to evaluate their in vitro antibacterial activity against Listeria monocytogenes, Yersinia enterocolitica, Staphylococcus aureus, Clostridium botulinum and Bacillus cereus. The chemotaxis model, which was used for evaluating their anti-inflammatory activity, showed that EOs exhibited effective results when the dose was 100 µg/mL. Regarding all antimicrobial activities, minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values of EOs were calculated by the broth microdilution method on 96-well microplates. EOs showed satisfactory antifungal activity against Malassezia furfur (MIC values between 32.5 and 62.5 µg/mL). Citrus deliciosa, whose MIC = 95.8 µg/mL, inhibited acetylcholinesterase (AChE) more selectively. All EOs from Citrus spp. fruit peel showed good antibacterial activity against Yersinia enterocolitica (MIC = 62.5 µg/mL) and Staphylococcus aureus (MIC = 62.5 µg/mL), mainly the EO from C. deliciosa whose MIC values were 50 µg/mL for both. EOs were moderately active against Clostridium botulinum, Bacillus cereus and Listeria monocytogenes since MIC values ranged from 100 μg/mL to 400 μg/mL. Both GC-FID and GC-MS analyses revealed that the single major constituent determined in EOs is the terpene limonene. EOs from Citrus may be important active ingredients of several products to prevent bacterial growth in food, to attack the fungus that causes seborrheic dermatitis and to treat inflammatory processes. In short, the promising antiacetylcholinesterase activity of EOs under evaluation was attributed to the high concentration of the monoterpene limonene

Adjuvants in fungicide formulations can be skin sensitizers and cause different types of cell stress responses

New approaches based on -omics technologies can identify biomarkers and processes regulated in response to xenobiotics, and thus support toxicological risk assessments. This is vital to meet the challenges associated with “cocktail effects”, i.e. combination effects of chemicals present simultaneously in a product, our environment, and/or our body. For plant protection products (PPPs), investigations largely focus on active ingredients such as herbicides and fungicides. In this study, we have analyzed agricultural chemicals, two surfactants (poly(oxy-1,2-ethanediyl), alpha-sulfo-omega-[2,4,6-tris(1-phenylethyl)phenoxy]-, ammonium salt, POL; N,N-dimethylcapramide, NND), and one preservative, 1,2-benzisothiazol-3(2 H)-one (BEN) used as adjuvants in PPPs, and further three fungicide PPPs, Proline EC 250, Shirlan, Folicur Xpert, containing the adjuvants, and other major individual constituents (fluazinam (FLU), prothioconazole (PRO), tebuconazole (TEB)) as well as defined mixtures (“mixes”) thereof using several in vitro approaches. All investigated single agricultural chemicals were predicted as skin sensitizers using an in vitro transcriptomic assay based on a dendritic cell model. For selected chemicals and mixes, also skin sensitization potency was predicted. The preservative BEN induced significant changes in cytokine secretion and dendritic cell activation marker CD86 expression. The surfactant NND changed cytokine secretion only and the POL only affected CD86 expression. Proteomic analyses revealed unique response profiles for all adjuvants, an oxidative stress pattern response in BEN-treated cells, and differentially abundant proteins associated with cholesterol homeostasis in response to POL. In summary, we find responses to agricultural chemicals and products consistent with the dendritic cell model reacting to chemical exposure with oxidative stress, ER stress, effects on autophagy, and metabolic changes especially related to cholesterol homeostasis. After exposure to certain mixes, novel proteins or transcripts were differentially expressed and these were not detected for any single constituents, supporting the occurrence of cocktail effects. This indicates that all chemicals in a PPP can contribute to the toxicity profile of a PPP, including their skin sensitizing/immunotoxic properties.

CRITIQUE OR RATIONALITY: THE CONUNDRUM OF MODERNITY

This paper is an attempt to contextualize the movement from positivism to critique to provide one way to be able think through the entanglement of reason and critique in modernity. Modernity with all its emphasis on rules and laws comes with rationality that changes the way societies have been ordered and structured. Schooling stands as an important site to understand some of these shifts where scientific rationality brings in the disciplinary apparatus that covers a wide range on systemic and epistemic violence. By delving on the paradox of modernity, the paper argues how critique as an idea emerged simultaneously with the ever-growing power of rationality. Kant in his famous critical project tried joining the two into a single constituent, yet critique kept coming back with the movement of Frankfurt school, where it distanced itself from reason. Subsequently with the work of Michel Foucault, critique was not completely taken over by the forces of modernity, and instead emerged as a response to modernity. This paper argues that the idea of critique provides us with an opening to some of the questions that education system in India is struggling with. These questions become significant to trace the anxieties of democracy, and provide a better vantage point to have a grasp on our political economy. By providing space to critique, the paper salvages it by using Foucault’s frame that becomes central to the project of desubjectification – central to education systems

Cognitive mechanisms of statistical learning and segmentation of continuous sensory input

Two classes of cognitive mechanisms have been proposed to explain segmentation of continuous sensory input into discrete recurrent constituents: clustering and boundary-finding mechanisms. Clustering mechanisms are based on identifying frequently co-occurring elements and merging them together as parts that form a single constituent. Bracketing (or boundary-finding) mechanisms work by identifying rarely co-occurring elements that correspond to the boundaries between discrete constituents. In a series of behavioral experiments, I tested which mechanisms are at play in the visual modality both during segmentation of a continuous syllabic sequence into discrete word-like constituents and during recognition of segmented constituents. Additionally, I explored conscious awareness of the products of statistical learning—whole constituents versus merged clusters of smaller subunits. My results suggest that both online segmentation and offline recognition of extracted constituents rely on detecting frequently co-occurring elements, a process likely based on associative memory. However, people are more aware of having learnt whole tokens than of recurrent composite clusters.

The AMAR mechanism: nominal expressions in the Bantu languages are shaped by apposition and reintegration

Abstract Nominal expressions in the Bantu languages have extraordinary typological characteristics. Their word order patterns are extremely diverse and some of the attested patterns are crosslinguistically very rare, or even unique. The same diversity can be found in the number of agreement marker paradigms. Equally remarkable are the prosodic idiosyncrasies found at the level of nominal expressions, especially the existence of prosodic boundaries associated with certain types of adnominal modifiers. Although logically unrelated, I argue that these typological characteristics can be accounted for by a single diachronic scenario here called the AMAR mechanism: a double tendency in the Bantu languages for the emergence of construals in which a nominalized modifier is in apposition to the phrase that contains its semantic head and for such appositional construals to be gradually reintegrated into a single nominal constituent. This paper aims to summarize some of the more remarkable typological characteristics of nominal expressions in the Bantu languages and to lay out the AMAR mechanism as a hypothetical diachronic explanation for many of them.

Double-diffusive instability in a thin vertical channel

Double-diffusive convection in the finger regime is studied using direct numerical simulations in a confined domain. For narrow (1–4 mm horizontal extent) domains, we demonstrate active instabilities that are uniquely double-diffusive, or in other words that no instabilities develop when differential diffusion is not present. The novel double-diffusive instabilities are influenced by the boundaries, but demonstrate complex time-dependent evolution down to lateral extents of 1.25 mm. We quantify the energetics, the horizontal asymmetry, and the buoyancy flux due to the instability. We utilize these results to characterize the instability within regimes and point out that while coherent instabilities associated with larger gaps are well characterized by the ratio of diffusive effects to buoyancy forces (the time dependent Grashof number), for smaller gap widths, regime characterization is more difficult. Nevertheless, even at a gap of 1.25 mm, the instability remains robust, and thus it can be concluded that double diffusion can be employed to drive localized mixing in highly confined settings for which single constituent Rayleigh–Taylor does not manifest.

Interlayer Energy Transfer and Photoluminescence Quenching in MoSe2/Graphene van der Waals Heterostructures for Optoelectronic Devices

van der Waals (vdW) heterostructures composed of multiple vertical stacks of two-dimensional materials exhibit unique optoelectronic properties compared with their single constituent counterparts. ...

Towards metamaterial rods with amplitude-dependent band gaps: A superelastic alloy-based approach

In this paper, a novel approach to designing metamaterial rods with amplitude-dependent band gaps is proposed. This feature is achieved with resonators that are designed to exploit the stress plateau in the stress–strain curve of the superelastic alloy used in the rods. The rods are fabricated with a single constituent material, i.e., a superelastic alloy, which facilitates monolithic fabrication through additive manufacturing and avoids the complex assembly process required in previous studies. Moreover, horseshoe lattices are introduced into the designed resonator spring, which increases the design flexibility; i.e., the characteristic values of the spring stiffness and the band gap can be easily regulated by adjusting the design variables of the horseshoe lattice. Extensive case studies validate the effectiveness of the proposed approach.

Optical characterisation and classification of water types in the southern South China Sea and Straits of Malacca

We describe the characteristics of surface water spectral reflectance variability and identify reflectance-based optical water types that are present in the southern South China Sea (SSCS) and the Straits of Malacca (SoM). Simultaneous measurements of in-water hyperspectral remote sensing reflectance (Rrs), particulate backscattering coefficient (bbp) and in-water constituents were conducted at 473 stations from May 2009 to March 2019 during different monsoon seasons at both coastal and oceanic waters. Empirical orthogonal function (EOF) and hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) were performed to determine the spectral variability of Rrs and group the homogenous optical water type regimes. The results indicate that monsoons and regional hydrodynamic conditions have great influence on the optical properties. The SSCS exhibited strong seasonal patterns with maximum values of all the bio-optical parameters during the northeast monsoon and minimum values during the spring inter-monsoon. In contrast, the SoM waters are subjected to strong influence of freshwater discharges, thus resulting in optically complex water regimes. The EOF analyses clearly revealed two dominant modes of optical variability, with each mode corresponding to the optical conditions of SSCS and SoM, respectively. The correlation between EOF amplitude factors and optical parameters indicated that the Rrs variability in SoM was primarily driven by the particulate backscattering and secondarily by light-absorbing components, while it was only minimally influenced by the absorption coefficients in SSCS. Hierarchical clustering revealed the presence of five distinct optical water types, which varied considerably according to the concentration of biogeochemical and optical properties. Classes 1 and 2, which were only found in SSCS waters, were defined by high magnitudes within the blue spectral region with very low concentrations of in-water constituents, indicating clear waters. Class 3 represents the optically transitional waters between coastal and open oceans, characterizing by a well-defined Rrs peak at the blue-end of the spectrum with no single dominant constituent. Classes 4 and 5 are most representative of waters influenced by riverine plumes, particularly in the SoM, with the highest Rrs magnitudes in the green and a well-defined absorption peak in the blue spectral region. Our findings confirmed that the performance of global Chl-a algorithms varied with the optical conditions present in the study area with the retrieval uncertainties increasing substantially from Class 1 to Class 5 water types. This finding will contribute significantly to the development of regional class-specific bio-optical models.

Analysis of Co3O4-SnO2 and Co3O4-Fe2O3 nanosystems by x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy

In this work, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy was employed to characterize the surface composition and elemental chemical states of supported Co3O4-SnO2 and Co3O4-Fe2O3 nanocomposites. The present materials were prepared on Si(100) substrates by the chemical vapor deposition of cobalt oxide under O2 + H2O atmospheres, followed by the tailored introduction of SnO2 or Fe2O3 by means of radio frequency-sputtering. Material structural and morphological characterization revealed the formation of nanocomposite heterostructures involving a conformal Co3O4 coverage by SnO2 or Fe2O3 overlayers. Survey spectra as well as detailed scans of C 1s, O 1s, Co 2p, Sn 3d, and Fe 2p regions are presented and critically discussed. The results provide evidence for the formation of pure and oxygen-deficient nanocomposites, and the occurrence of an electronic interplay between the single oxide constituents.

Tailored Co3O4-Based Nanosystems: Toward Photocatalysts for Air Purification.

The adverse effects of NOx (NO + NO2) gases on the environment and human health have triggered the development of sustainable photocatalysts for their efficient removal (De-NOx). In this regard, the present work focuses on supported Co3O4-based nanomaterials fabricated via chemical vapor deposition (CVD), assessed for the first time as photocatalysts for sunlight-activated NO oxidation. A proof-of-principle investigation on the possibility of tailoring material performances by heterostructure formation is explored through deposition of SnO2 or Fe2O3 onto Co3O4 by radio frequency (RF) sputtering. A comprehensive characterization by complementary analytical tools evidences the formation of high-purity columnar Co3O4 arrays with faceted pyramidal tips, conformally covered by very thin SnO2 and Fe2O3 overlayers. Photocatalytic functional tests highlight an appreciable activity for bare Co3O4 systems, accompanied by a high selectivity in NOx conversion to harmless nitrate species. A preliminary evaluation of De-NOx performances for functionalized systems revealed a direct dependence of the system behavior on the chemical composition, SnO2/Fe2O3 overlayer morphology, and charge transfer events between the single oxide constituents. Taken together, the present results can provide valuable guidelines for the eventual implementation of improved photocatalysts for air purification.

Lagrangian Method to Model Advection-Dispersion-Reaction Transport in Drinking Water Pipe Networks.

A Lagrangian method to simulate the advection, dispersion, and reaction of a single chemical, biological, or physical constituent within drinking water pipe networks is presented. This Lagrangian approach removes the need for fixed computational grids typically required in Eulerian and Eulerian-Lagrangian methods and allows for nonuniform computational segments. This makes the method fully compatible with the advection-reaction water quality engine currently used in EPANET. An operator splitting approach is used, in which the advection-reaction process is modeled before the dispersion process for each water quality step. The dispersion equation is discretized using a segment-centered finite-difference scheme, and flux continuity boundary conditions are applied at network junctions. A staged approach is implemented to solve the dispersion equation for interconnected pipe networks. First, a linear relationship between the boundary and internal concentrations is established for every pipe. Second, a symmetric and positive definite linear system of equations is constructed to calculate the concentrations at network junctions. Last, pipe internal concentrations are updated based on the junction concentrations. The solution generates exact results when the analytical solutions are available and leads to more accurate water quality simulations than advection-reaction-only water quality models, especially in the areas where dispersion dominates advection.