We propose a hybrid Trustworthy Human–Machine collective decision-making framework to manage Food–Energy–Water (FEW) resources. Decisions for managing such resources impact not only the environment but also influence the economic productivity of FEW sectors and the well-being of society. Therefore, while algorithms can be used to develop optimal solutions under various criteria, it is essential to explain such solutions to the community. More importantly, the community should accept such solutions to be able realistically to apply them. In our collaborative computational framework for decision support, machines and humans interact to converge on the best solutions accepted by the community. In this framework, trust among human actors during decision making is measured and managed using a novel trust management framework. Furthermore, such trust is used to encourage human actors, depending on their trust sensitivity, to choose among the solutions generated by algorithms that satisfy the community’s preferred trade-offs among various objectives. In this paper, we show different scenarios of decision making with continuous and discrete solutions. Then, we propose a game-theory approach where actors maximize their payoff regarding their share and trust weighted by their trust sensitivity. We run simulations for decision-making scenarios with actors having different distributions of trust sensitivities. Results showed that when actors have high trust sensitivity, a consensus is reached 52% faster than scenarios with low trust sensitivity. The utilization of ratings of ratings increased the solution trustworthiness by 50%. Also, the same level of solution trustworthiness is reached 2.7 times faster when ratings of ratings included.

The objectives of this study were to 1) determine the influence of environmental factors (water temperature, food availability [chlorophyll-a], salinity) on nacre deposition rate and tablet thickness at different positions in shells of two strains of pearl oyster, Pinctada fucata (Gould, 1850)—one from Japan, and one a Hybrid between this Japanese strain and another from China; 2) compare nacre deposition rates and tablet thickness in different shell positions within and between these two pearl oyster strains; and 3) determine relationships between shell nacre deposition rate and tablet thickness in host oysters of these two strains with those of their pearls. Nacre and tablet thickness were measured at three positions along the mantle pallial line (anterior, middle, and posterior), and one position close to the hinge, on the left valve of each oyster. Water temperature and chlorophyll-a were positively correlated (p < .001, Spearman's rho >0.75) and salinity was negatively correlated (p < .001, Spearman's rho < −0.7) with nacre deposition rate at all shell positions in both pearl oyster strains. Only water temperature below 13 °C influenced nacre tablet thinning. Significant differences in total nacre deposition occurred between the four sampling positions on the shell in both strains (p < .001), with deposition at the hinge area the slowest for both Hybrid (373.212 μm) and Japanese (569.248 μm) oysters. Nacre tablet thickness in the middle position on the shell increased most steadily over time, and was thinnest in the coolest months (0.151 μm and 0.167 μm for Hybrid and Japanese oysters, respectively). No significant difference (p > .05) in nacre tablet thickness was apparent between strains. Correlation analysis of nacre deposition rate between the shell and pearls showed that all shell positions were highly correlated with their respective pearls (p < .001, Spearman's Rho >0.75). Environmental factors influence shell nacre deposition and thickness, and because shell nacre deposition is related to pearl nacre, pearl growth also. This influence varies in different shell positions, with nacre deposition in the posterior position on the shell the fastest, and the middle position showing the most stable and thin nacre tablet. Japanese pearl oysters exhibit better nacre deposition than Hybrid oysters and would be more appropriate as host oysters in Ago Bay, Japan, should culture occur in environmental conditions comparable to those in this study.

Herein, the synthesis of bovine serum albumin-Cu(II) hybrid nanoflowers (BSA-NFs) through the building blocks of bovine serum albumin (BSA) and copper(II) ions in phosphate buffered saline (PBS) and their use as adsorbent for cadmium and lead ions are reported. The BSA-NFs, for the first time, were efficiently utilized as novel adsorbent for solid phase extraction (SPE) of cadmium and lead ions in water, food, cigarette and hair samples. The method is based on the separation and pre-concentration of Cd(II) and Pb(II) by BSA-NFs prior to determination by slurry analysis via flame atomic absorption spectrometry (FAAS). The analytes were adsorbed on BSA-NFs under the vortex mixing and then the ion-loaded slurry was separated and directly introduced into the flame AAS nebulizer by using a hand-made micro sample introduction system to eliminate a number of drawbacks. The effects of analytical key parameters, such as pH, amount of BSA-NFs, vortexing time, sample volume, and matrix effect of foreign ions on adsorbing of Cd(II) and Pb(II) were systematically investigated and optimized. The limits of detection (LODs) for Cd(II) and Pb(II) were calculated as 0.37 μg L−1 and 8.8 μg L−1, respectively. The relative standard deviation percentages (RSDs) (N = 5) for Cd(II) and Pb(II) were 7.2%, and 5.0%, respectively. The accuracy of the developed procedure was validated by the analysis of certified reference materials (TMDA-53.3 Fortified Water, TMDA-70 Fortified Water, SPS-WW2 Waste Water, NCSDC-73349 Bush Branches and Leaves) and by addition/recovery analysis. The quantitative recoveries were obtained for the analysis of certified reference materials and addition/recovery tests. The method was successfully applied to the analysis of cadmium and lead in water, food, cigarette and hair samples.