bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effect of selected environmental factors on the seed germination of the invasive species Polygala myrtifolia (Polygalaceae) in Australia
Authors: Roberts Natalie , Moloney Katrina , Monie Kristin , Florentine Singarayer
Published: May 2023

Context Polygala myrtifolia L. has become a significant environmental weed in Australia, where it has invaded coastal ecosystems in temperate regions and there is a high risk of extensive further spread. Knowledge of seed-germination behaviour is essential to understand the potential future impact of this species. Aims We investigated the effects of selected environmental factors and dormancy on P. myrtifolia seed germination and emergence to improve management strategies. Methods Seeds were exposed to light, temperature, pH, salinity, osmotic potential and burial depth treatments to assess germination responses, dormancy and viability. Key results Non-dormant seeds readily germinated to high percentages (93.0–95.0%) under specific day–night temperatures of 25°C–15°C regardless of light conditions and across all soil pH (75.0–100.0%). Salinities were tolerated up to 100 mM NaCl (70.0% germination) before sharply declining. Germination reduced from 98.3% to 40.0% at osmotic potentials of −0.4 MPa and −0.6 MPa respectively. Emergence was greatest on the soil surface (48.33%) and absent from depths of 8 cm. Conclusions Germination was high during autumn, winter and spring conditions and across soils of any pH. The species is unlikely to invade areas of high salinity; however, it is moderately tolerant of low soil moisture during germination. Implications There is high risk of P. myrtifolia further invading sensitive ecosystems because of its high germination success. Preventing seed dispersal and ensuring seedlings are controlled on emergence are critical to reducing its impact. We recommend that the cultivation and sale of this species should be prohibited across Australia to prevent further spread.
Using environmental tracers to understand soil organic carbon and soil erosion on a steep slope hillslope in south-east Australia
Authors: Hancock G. R.
Published: May 2023

Context It is well recognised that soil organic carbon (SOC) can be transported and deposited along the same pathways as those of soil erosion and deposition. Aims To examine the viability of environmental tracers 137Cs and unsupported 210Pb (210Pbex) as tools to inform soil erosion and deposition patterns as well as that of the distribution of SOC. Methods Multiple soil cores were collected along two transects of similar length and aspect in a steep-slope soil mantled environment in south-east Australia. Key results Average SOC concentration was high for both transects (~6% and 4%). SOC decreased moving downslope suggesting loss of SOC by erosion. There were strong and significant positive relationships of SOC with 137Cs and 210Pbex (both r > 0.77, P < 0.0001). At this site, SOC concentration appears related to erosion and deposition patterns. Conclusion The hillslope distribution of 137Cs and 210Pbex were very similar, indicating that both tracers were viable in this environment (r = 0.9, P < 0.0001). The different origins and half-lives of 137Cs and 210Pbex also demonstrate that the patterns of erosion and deposition are consistent at decadal time scales. Implications The use of 210Pbex provides an alternative method for understanding erosion and deposition patterns as well as that of SOC, given that the viability of 137Cs (half-life of 30.1 years) is now questionable due to no new replenishment.
An experimental investigation of P/Case‑drop in Korean gapping
Authors: Kim Jeong-Seok
Published: May 2023

This study examines two syntactic analyses of P/Case-drop in Korean gapping (aka
right-node-raising or right-peripheral ellipsis): LF copying (Abe & Hoshi 1997) and
PF deletion (Kim 1997). We employ two online acceptability rating experiments to
investigate to what extent the distribution of P/Case-drop is controlled by grammatical and extra-grammatical constraints. The
experimental findings suggest that (a) linear non-parallelism elicits a processing cost for gapping and (b) P/Case-drop is a
costly operation, which results in higher frequencies of PP fragments (in relation to NP fragments) and Case-marked NP fragments
(in relation to Case-less NP fragments). We argue that the parallelism effect follows from the parser’s general preference to keep
the structure of each conjunct maximally parallel in a coordination structure (Kim et al.
2020). Given this, we conclude that P/Case-drop phenomena in Korean gapping are better explained by a PF deletion
analysis, supplemented with extra deletion (An 2016, 2019; Erschler 2022) and ellipsis parallelism (Frazier, Munn & Clifton 2000; Kehler 2000;
Frazier & Clifton 2001; Carlson
2002), rather than by an LF copying analysis.
Slowly rotating Tolman VII solution
Authors: Posada Camilo , Stuchlík Zdeněk
Published: May 2023

We present a model of a slowly rotating Tolman VII (T-VII) fluid sphere, at second order in the angular velocity. The structure of this configuration is obtained by integrating numerically the Hartle–Thorne equations for slowly rotating relativistic masses. We consider a sequence of models where we vary the parameter

R

/

R

S

, where R is the radius of the configuration and

R

S

is its Schwarzschild radius, representing an adiabatic and quasi-stationary contraction by progressively reducing the radius while keeping the angular momentum and gravitational mass constant. We determined the moment of inertia I, mass quadrupole moment Q, and the ellipticity ɛ, for various configurations. Similarly to previous results for Maclaurin and polytropic spheroids, in slow rotation, we found a change in the behavior of the ellipticity when

R

/

R

S

reaches a certain critical value. Based on our analysis for the T-VII solution, we found variations of

in the

and

relations, and

variation in the I − Q relation, with respect to the universal fittings proposed for realistic neutron stars (NSs). Our results suggest that the T-VII solution can be considered a rather good approximation for the description of the interior of NSs.
Defect properties of a body-centered cubic equiatomic TiVZrTa high-entropy alloy from atomistic simulations
Authors: Li Yalin , Qiang Wenjiang
Published: May 2023

TiVZrTa high-entropy alloys (HEAs) have been experimentally proven to exhibit excellent irradiation tolerance. In this work, defect energies and evolution were studied to reveal the underlying mechanisms of the excellent irradiation tolerance in TiVZrTa HEA via molecular statics calculations and molecular dynamics simulations. The atomic size mismatch of TiVZrTa is ∼6%, suggesting a larger lattice distortion compared to most face-centered cubic and body-centered cubic M/HEAs. Compared to pure Ta and V, smaller vacancy formation and migration energies with large energy spreads lead to higher equilibrium vacancy concentration and faster vacancy diffusion via low-energy migration paths. Vacancies in TiVZrTa have weaker abilities to form large vacancy clusters and prefer to form small clusters, indicating excellent resistance to radiation swelling. The formation energies of different types of dumbbells in TiVZrTa show significant differences and have large energy spreads. The binding abilities of interstitials in TiVZrTa are weaker compared to that in pure Ta and V. In TiVZrTa, fast vacancy diffusion and slow interstitial diffusion result in closer mobilities of vacancies and interstitials, significantly promoting point defect recombination. We further studied the effects of short-range ordered structures (SROs) on defect diffusion and evolution. SROs in TiVZrTa can effectively lead to higher fractions of defect recombination and fewer surviving defects. Our findings provide a comprehensive understanding of the underlying mechanisms of the high irradiation tolerance in body-centered cubic HEAs with large lattice distortion and suggest SROs are beneficial microstructures for enhancing irradiation tolerance.
A polynomial constitutive model of shape memory alloys based on kinematic hardening
Authors: Yang Cheng , Zhang Dayi , Scarpa Fabrizio , Zhang Qicheng , Sun He , Zhang Xiaoyong
Published: May 2023

This paper describes the derivation of a phenomenological model for shape memory alloys under the framework of classical plasticity theory. The proposed model combines the Souza constitutive approach with kinematic hardening; the model requires solving only one nonlinear equation rather than several nonlinear ones, therefore increasing the computational efficiency and convergence. Moreover, the original Souza model is improved by adding an odd polynomial function to describe the phase transformation of the shape memory alloys, making it possible to use a lower number of parameters for the inverse identification of the constitutive properties of SMAs from simple tensile tests. A tangent stiffness formulation is also derived to simulate the variation of the elastic modulus during the phase transformation. The tangent stiffness formulation proposed here extends the one used in classical plasticity and improves the convergence of the proposed model. The reliability and fidelity of the model described in this work are benchmarked against experimental data and other models. The numerical results show that the proposed phenomenological approach can describe well the pseudoelasticity and shape memory effect of shape memory alloys. The formulation described in this paper can be readily generalized to finite strains and other formulations based on existing formulations related to classical plasticity theory.
Many body density of states of a system of non interacting spinless fermions
Authors: Lefèvre Rémi , Zawadzki Krissia , Ithier Grégoire
Published: May 2023

The modeling of out-of-equilibrium many-body quantum systems requires to go beyond low-energy physics and single or few bodies densities of states. Many-body localization, presence or lack of thermalization and quantum chaos are examples of phenomena in which states at different energy scales, including highly excited ones, contribute to dynamics and therefore affect the system’s properties. Quantifying these contributions requires the many-body density of states (MBDoS), a function whose calculation becomes challenging even for non-interacting identical particles due to the difficulty to enumerate accessible states while enforcing the exchange symmetry. In the present work, we introduce a new approach to evaluate the MBDoS in the general case of non-interacting systems of identical quantum particles. The starting point of our method is the principal component analysis of a filling matrix F describing how N particles can be distributed into L single-particle energy levels. We show that the many body spectrum can be expanded as a weighted sum of singular vectors of the filling matrix. The weighting coefficients only involve renormalized energies obtained from the single body spectrum. We illustrate our method in two classes of problems that are mapped into spinless fermions : (i) non-interacting electrons in a homogeneous tight-binding model in 1D and 2D, and (ii) interacting spins in a chain under a transverse field.
Nonminimally assisted inflation: a general analysis
Authors: Hyun Sang Chul , Kim Jinsu , Kodama Tatsuki , Park Seong Chan , Takahashi Tomo
Published: May 2023

The effects of a scalar field, known as the “assistant field,” which nonminimally couples to gravity, on single-field inflationary models are studied. The analysis provides analytical expressions for inflationary observables such as the spectral index (ns
), the tensor-to-scalar ratio (r), and the local-type nonlinearity parameter (f
NL
(local)). The presence of the assistant field leads to a lowering of ns
and r in most of the parameter space, compared to the original predictions. In some cases, ns
may increase due to the assistant field. This revives compatibility between ruled-out single-field models and the latest observations by Planck-BICEP/Keck. The results are demonstrated using three example models: loop inflation, power-law inflation, and hybrid inflation.
Performance optimization of scintillator neutron detectors for EMD in CSNS
Authors: Cai 蔡 Xiaojie 小杰 , Yu 于 Qian 潜 , Huang 黄 Chang 畅 , Tang 唐 Bin 彬 , Zhou 周 Shihui 诗慧 , Wang 王 Xiaohu 小胡 , Yue 岳 Xiuping 秀萍 , Sun 孙 Zhijia 志嘉
Published: May 2023

Chinese Spallation Neutron Source (CSNS) has successfully produced its first neutron beam in 28th August 2017. It has been running steadily from March, 2018. According to the construction plan, the engineering materials diffractometer (EMD) will be installed between 2019–2023. This instrument requires the neutron detectors with the cover area near 3 m2 in two 90° neutron diffraction angle positions, the neutron detecting efficiency is better than 40%@1 Å, and the spatial resolution is better than 4 mm×200 mm in horizontal and vertical directions respectively. We have developed a one-dimensional position-sensitive neutron detector based on the oblique 6LiF/ZnS(Ag) scintillators, wavelength shifting fibers, and SiPMs (silicon photomultipliers) readout. The inhomogeneity of the neutron detection efficiency between each pixel and each detector module, which caused by the inconsistency of the wave-length shifting fibers in collecting scintillation photons, needs to be mitigated before the installation. A performance optimization experiment of the detector modules was carried out on the BL20 (beam line 20) of CSNS. Using water sample, the neutron beam with Φ5 mm exit hole was dispersed related evenly into the forward space. According to the neutron counts of each pixel of the detector module, the readout electronics threshold of each pixel is adjusted. Compared with the unadjusted detector module, the inhomogeneity of the detection efficiency for the adjusted one has been improved from 69% to 90%. The test result of the diffraction peak of the standard sample Si showed that the adjusted detector module works well.
Application of Newtonian approximate model to LIGO gravitational wave data processing
Authors: Wu 吴 Jie 洁 , Li 李 Jin 瑾 , Jiang 蒋 Qing-Quan 青权
Published: May 2023

With the observation of a series of ground-based laser interferometer gravitational wave (GW) detectors such as LIGO and Virgo, nearly 100 GW events have been detected successively. At present, all detected GW events are generated by the mergers of compact binary systems and are identified through the data processing of matched filtering. Based on matched filtering, we use the GW waveform of the Newtonian approximate (NA) model constructed by linearized theory to match the events detected by LIGO and injections to determine the coalescence time and utilize the frequency curve for data fitting to estimate the parameters of the chirp masses of binary black holes (BBHs). The average chirp mass of our results is

22.05

−
6.31

+
6.31

M
⊙

, which is very close to

23.80

−
3.52

+
4.83

M
⊙

provided by GWOSC. In the process, we can analyze LIGO GW events and estimate the chirp masses of the BBHs. This work presents the feasibility and accuracy of the low-order approximate model and data fitting in the application of GW data processing. It is beneficial for further data processing and has certain research value for the preliminary application of GW data.
An artificial neural network potential for uranium metal at low pressures
Authors: Hao 郝 Maosheng 茂生 , Guan 管 Pengfei 鹏飞
Published: May 2023

Based on machine learning, the high-dimensional fitting of potential energy surfaces under the framework of first principles provides density-functional accuracy of atomic interaction potential for high-precision and large-scale simulation of alloy materials. In this paper, we obtained the high-dimensional neural network (NN) potential function of uranium metal by training a large amount of first-principles calculated data. The lattice constants of uranium metal with different crystal structures, the elastic constants, and the anisotropy of lattice expansion of alpha-uranium obtained based on this potential function are highly consistent with first-principles calculation or experimental data. In addition, the calculated formation energy of vacancies in alpha- and beta-uranium also matches the first-principles calculation. The calculated site of the most stable self-interstitial and its formation energy is in good agreement with the findings from density functional theory (DFT) calculations. These results show that our potential function can be used for further large-scale molecular dynamics simulation studies of uranium metal at low pressures, and provides the basis for further construction of potential model suitable for a wide range of pressures.
Low-damage interface enhancement-mode AlN/GaN high electron mobility transistors with 41.6% PAE at 30 GHz
Authors: Liu 刘 Si-Yu 思雨 , Zhu 祝 Jie-Jie 杰杰 , Guo 郭 Jing-Shu 静姝 , Cheng 程 Kai 凯 , Mi 宓 Min-Han 珉瀚 , Qin 秦 Ling-Jie 灵洁 , Zhang 张 Bo-Wen 博文 , Tang 唐 Min 旻 , Ma 马 Xiao-Hua 晓华
Published: May 2023

This paper reports a low-damage interface treatment process for AlN/GaN high electron mobility transistor (HEMT) and demonstrates the excellent power characteristics of radio-frequency (RF) enhancementmode (E-mode) AlN/GaN HEMT. An RF E-mode device with 2.9-nm-thick AlN barrier layer fabricated by remote plasma oxidation (RPO) treatment at 300 °C. The device with a gate length of 0.12-μm has a threshold voltage (V
th) of 0.5 V, a maximum saturation current of 1.16 A/mm, a high I
on/I
off ratio of 1 × 108, and a 440-mS/mm peak transconductance. During continuous wave (CW) power testing, the device demonstrates that at 3.6 GHz, a power added efficiency is 61.9% and a power density is 1.38 W/mm, and at 30 GHz, a power added efficiency is 41.6% and a power density is 0.85 W/mm. Furthermore, the RPO treatment improves the mobility of RF E-mode AlN/GaN HEMT. All results show that the RPO processing method has good applicability to scaling ultrathin barrier E-mode AlN/GaN HEMT for 5G compliable frequency ranging from sub-6 GHz to Ka-band.
A backdoor attack against quantum neural networks with limited information
Authors: Huang 黄 Chen-Yi 晨猗 , Zhang 张 Shi-Bin 仕斌
Published: May 2023

Backdoor attacks are emerging security threats to deep neural networks. In these attacks, adversaries manipulate the network by constructing training samples embedded with backdoor triggers. The backdoored model performs as expected on clean test samples but consistently misclassifies samples containing the backdoor trigger as a specific target label. While quantum neural networks (QNNs) have shown promise in surpassing their classical counterparts in certain machine learning tasks, they are also susceptible to backdoor attacks. However, current attacks on QNNs are constrained by the adversary’s understanding of the model structure and specific encoding methods. Given the diversity of encoding methods and model structures in QNNs, the effectiveness of such backdoor attacks remains uncertain. In this paper, we propose an algorithm that leverages dataset-based optimization to initiate backdoor attacks. A malicious adversary can embed backdoor triggers into a QNN model by poisoning only a small portion of the data. The victim QNN maintains high accuracy on clean test samples without the trigger but outputs the target label set by the adversary when predicting samples with the trigger. Furthermore, our proposed attack cannot be easily resisted by existing backdoor detection methods.
Defogging computational ghost imaging via eliminating photon number fluctuation and a cycle generative adversarial network
Authors: Li 李 Yuge 玉格 , Duan 段 Deyang 德洋
Published: May 2023

Imaging through fluctuating scattering media such as fog is of challenge since it seriously degrades the image quality. We investigate how the image quality of computational ghost imaging is reduced by fluctuating fog and how to obtain a high-quality defogging ghost image. We show theoretically and experimentally that the photon number fluctuations introduced by fluctuating fog is the reason for ghost image degradation. An algorithm is proposed to process the signals collected by the computational ghost imaging device to eliminate photon number fluctuations of different measurement events. Thus, a high-quality defogging ghost image is reconstructed even though fog is evenly distributed on the optical path. A nearly 100% defogging ghost image is obtained by further using a cycle generative adversarial network to process the reconstructed defogging image.
Unknown risk: assessing refugee camp flood risk in Ethiopia
Authors: Bernhofen Mark V , Blenkin Faye , Trigg Mark A
Published: May 2023

The number of global refugees has been rising annually for the last decade. Many of these refugees are housed within camps, in temporary structures, vulnerable to the impacts of flooding. The flood risk of refugees is not well understood. Flood risk guidance available for camp planners and managers is vague, and existing flood risk data is often lacking in the remote areas where camps are typically located. We show how global data should, and should not, be used to assess refugee flood risk in Ethiopia; a country hosting 725 000 refugees, primarily from four neighboring countries, in 24 camps. We find that global population (GP) datasets, typically used in national flood risk assessments, do not accurately capture camp populations (CPs). Even the most accurate GP datasets are missing three fifths of camp flood exposure. We propose, and test, alternative approaches for representing exposure that combine reported estimates of CP with data on camp area, building footprints, and population density. Applying these approaches in our national flood risk assessment, we find that 95.8% of camps in Ethiopia are exposed to flooding of some degree and between 143 208 (19.8%) and 182 125 refugees (25.2%) are exposed to a 1% annual exceedance probability flood (100 year return period). South Sudanese refugees are the nationality most exposed to flooding, but Eritrean refugees are the nationality most exposed to flooding with a high risk to life. Promisingly, we find that many camps may be set up in such a way that reduces the exposure of refugees to flooding. Our study demonstrates that global data, augmented with local data, can be useful for understanding the flood risk of refugee camps. The consistent scalable approach can be used as a first-order analysis of risk, identifying risk hotspots, and help to prioritize further detailed analyses to inform within-camp adaptation.
Influence of the Northwest Pacific tripole mode on the mid-summer precipitation in North China and the regulation by the North Atlantic
Authors: Xie Tiejun , Wang Ji , Gao Hui , Zhao Liang , Liu Yanju , Sun Linhai
Published: May 2023

The North China mid-summer (July) precipitation (NCJP) contributes the largest proportion of total annual precipitation in North China, with significant interdecadal and interannual variability. The interannual variability of the NCJP was further investigated on the basis of a study of its interdecadal variability and found that a sea surface temperature (SST) pattern in July located in the northwest Pacific, defined here as the northwest Pacific SST tripole (NWPT), can significantly influence the interannual variability of the NCJP, and that this relationship is regulated by the decadal northern North Atlantic SST (NNASST). Diagnostic analysis and the linear baroclinic model experiment indicate that the positive (negative) NWPT in July can excite an anomalous anticyclone (cyclone) in the region centered on the Korean peninsula and an anomalous cyclone (anticyclone) in the northwest Pacific off southeast Japan, thereby strengthening (weakening) the NCJP. When the decadal NNASST is in a significantly positive phase, the positive geopotential height anomalies it excites in the northwestern region off North China are not favorable for the connection between the NWPT and the NCJP. When the decadal NNASST is in a negative or insignificantly positive phase, the July NWPT and the NCJP have a significant positive correlation on interannual timescale.
Production Risk Identification and Assessment of Prawn Crackers Product using Fuzzy Failure Mode and Effect Analysis: A Case Study
Authors: Atmaka Sri Dharma Cyntya , Santoso Imam , Deoranto Panji , Dania Wike Agustin Prima
Published: May 2023

PT. XYZ is an agro-industrial company that produces and exports prawn crackers. During the production process, this company faced various risks of production failure such as the non-fulfillment of product standards. Therefore, proper risk identification and assessment are needed. This study aims to identify and analyze potential failure modes (FM) of each stage of prawn cracker production using the Fuzzy Failure Mode and Effect Analysis (Fuzzy-FMEA) method. Identification was carried out to determine the potential FM, failure causes, and failure effects. Then, the assessment was carried out to determine the risk priorities based on the value of the Fuzzy Risk Priority Number (FRPN) of each identified FM. The results showed that there were 45 FM were identified from 10 stages of the production process. Priority risks for each are the risk of the raw materials not meeting the organoleptic test at the raw materials preparation stage, the risk of damage to mixing machines and equipment at the mixing stage, the risk of uncooked cuboid dough contamination at the forming stage, the risk of damage to steaming machines and equipment at the steaming stage, the risk of cooked cuboid dough damage at the pressing stage, the risk of damage pre-drying machines and equipment at the pre-drying stage, the risk of damage to the chilling machines and equipment during the chilling stage, the risk of damage to the slicing machines and equipment at the slicing stage, the risk of damage to the drying machines and equipment at the drying stage, and the risk of damage to the packaging machines and equipment at the final product packaging and storing stage.
Economic Transformation of Pepper Farmer’s Households in Lampung Province
Authors: Indah Lidya Sari Mas , Arifin Bustanul , Ambya  , Syahidah Nurfath Bella
Published: May 2023

This study aims to analyze: (1) pepper farming income (2) income and economic transformation of pepper farmer’s households. This research was conducted in 3 districts that were chosen purposively because these locations are the main black pepper producers in Lampung Province. There were 100 farmer respondents and were taken by simple random sampling method. Data collection was carried out from April to September 2020. The analytical method used was farming analysis and farmer household income. The results showed that pepper farming activities in Way Kanan, North Lampung, and East Lampung Regency were profitable to cultivate because the RC ratio was more than one, the economic income of farmer’s households came from on farm pepper, on farm non pepper, non-farm and off farm.
The policy impacts and implications from the insights of mangosteen export chains
Authors: Sayekti A L , Hayati N Q , Sulistyaningrum A , Sjafrina N , Mulyono D , Anwarudinsyah M J , Hafizah D , Prabawati S
Published: May 2023

Mangosteen has the highest contribution to Indonesian fruit export under the national fruit trade balance deficit. As this fruit is mainly cultivated by small-scale farmers in rural areas in an agroforestry pattern, mangosteen is essential for farmers’ income and environmental sustainability. However, there are noticeable gaps between the mangosteen production and export demand which means the potential market for Indonesia is to increase export. On the other hand, some bottlenecks along the supply chain of exporting mangosteen in Indonesia. This study employs the value chain analysis to evaluate the governance of mangosteen export. Results show that the primary issue is the transparency of the standard quality of exported mangosteen along the supply chains. The significant differences between the local and exported market prices are expected to be the disadvantages farmers face. The information on the mangosteen quality between farmers and traders is different, potentially decreasing the prices received by farmers as the standard in the farmers’ levels is higher than in the traders. Government and farmer groups should work with traders to resolve this problem to enhance the fairness of the benefit earned by each actor along the supply chain. Suppose this information is transferred transparently among actors along the supply chain. In that case, it will not only enhance the farmers’ income but also motivate them to increase productivity and quality, eventually enhancing the export of Indonesian mangosteen.
Extension And Behaviour of Fisherwomen in Supporting Household Food Security in West Lombok District
Authors: Hayati  , Sahidu A , Muktasam  , Sari N M W , Valentino N
Published: May 2023

The behaviour of women in providing, obtaining, and utilizing food can determine the status of household food security. Consumption of diverse food including animal protein is very important to prevent stunting. The level of energy consumption which is still below the national standard and the low consumption of animal protein by the people of West Nusa Tenggara Province contribute to the high number of stunting cases in West Nusa Tenggara Province, especially West Lombok Regency. To reduce it, the Government of West Lombok has provided guidance to coastal communities through extension activities on optimizing the marketing and processing of fish caught to fisherwomen. This study aims to find out about the role of extension workers in supporting household food security, analyse the influence of the role of extension workers on the behaviour of women fishermen and analyse the effect of women’s behaviour on the status of household food security. The research was conducted in Batu Layar District, in Meninting Village and Senteluk Village and Lembar District, Sheet Village and South Sheet Village. The research was conducted using an explanatory survey method with data collection through interviews with 60 respondents, observations, and in-depth interviews with several fisherwomen informants and key informant. Then the data was analysed by regression analysis. The results of the analysis indicate that the higher the role of the extension worker will be able to change the behaviour of fisherwomen, and changes in the behaviour of fisherwomen will improve the status of household food security. Thus, increasing the competence of extension workers must be comprehensive, not only focusing on the production aspect but also on the importance of food and nutrition aspects. Then, it is necessary to encourage an increase in the role of extension workers in conducting counselling and mentoring to change the behaviour of fisherwomen in processing, selecting, providing, and distributing diverse and nutritious food to each household member.
Economic Value and Farmers’ Response of Chili Proliga Technology In Rembang Regency, Central Java
Authors: Triastono J , Chanifah  , Sahara D , Murtiati S , Haskarini D , Susila A
Published: May 2023

The study was aimed to i) analyze the economic value and feasibility of the introduction of chili proliga technology, and ii) analyze farmers’ responses to the introduction of chili proliga technology. The study was conducted in Rembang Regency, from August 2021 to February 2022. Two treatments were involved: i) chili farming with the introduction of chili proliga technology, and ii) existing chili farming. The economic value and feasibility were analyzed quantitatively by calculating i) cost of farming, ii) economic feasibility, and iii) partial analysis of technological changes. Farmers’ responses were analyzed based on i) level of understanding, ii) level of difficulty, and iii) level of willingness to adopt chili proliga technology. The study’s results showed that the introduction of chili proliga technology was able to increase profits by 392.21% with an R/C value of 2.3. The benefits obtained by farmers from technological changes received an MBCR of 3.07, meaning that every additional cost of IDR 100,000 brought an additional profit of IDR 307,000. Farmers’ responses to chili proliga technology show that i) farmers “understand” that technology ii) farmers find it easy to apply that technology, and iii) farmers are “willing to adopt” that technology.
Opportunities, Marketing Strategies and Institutions of Banana Tanggamus Lampung Province
Authors: Permana Dadan , Indrasti Rita , Rawung Jefny B.Markus , Haryati Yati , Nalle Mardit N
Published: May 2023

Tanggamus is one of the regencies in Lampung Province as a producer of banana commodities. Bananas are the mainstay of agricultural products in Tanggamus Regency. The Tanggamus banana has successfully competed with the Cavendish banana as an export commodity from Lampung Province. This study aims to determine the opportunities, marketing strategies and institutional bananas from Tanggamus. The assessment was carried out through a diagnostic study approach in Tanggamus District. The study was conducted from August to November 2020. The data used in this study are primary data. Primary data were obtained through field observations and FGDs as well as interviews with banana producing farmers, agricultural service officers, extension workers, middlemen, marketing divisions and farmer groups. Data were analyzed descriptively qualitatively and quantitatively. The results of the study explain that the Tanggamus banana makes a positive contribution to farmers’ household income and has the potential to be developed because it is supported by the availability of land that is conducive to cultivation development. The marketing of the Tanggamus banana is quite potential in the domestic and export markets. It is necessary to diversify products to add value added products and develop market networks.
Population of Rhizosphere Bacteria on Several Species of Crops In The Tailings of Ex-Gold Mine
Authors: Ekyastuti Wiwik , Astiani Dwi , Roslinda Emi , Ekamawanti Hanna Artuti , Widiastuti Tri
Published: May 2023

Tailings of ex-gold mines leave several environmental damage problems. Environmental damage causes disruption of microorganisms including bacteria. The revegetation of ex-gold mine tailings in Menjalin sub-district, Landak district, West Kalimantan has begun by local communities using agricultural crops. Women as farmers have an important role in the tailing revegetation process using agricultural crops. Therefore, women can help improve the tailings ecosystem as well as the family economy. The objective of the study was to detect the presence and density of bacterial populations in the rhizosphere of the revegetation crops. The research was conducted by survey method. Soil samples were taken compositely from the rhizosphere of four species of agricultural crops cultivated in tailings, i.e: Capsicum frutescens L., Solanum melongena, Ipomoea batatas L., and Manihot utilissima. The results showed that soil bacteria found growing well in the rhizospheres of four species crops. Two genera of bacteria were found in the tailing rhizosphere of ex-gold mine in Menjalin sub-district, namely Azotobacter and Pseudomonas. The bacterial population density in the rhizosphere of M. utilissima was significantly the highest. Meanwhile, the bacterial population density in the rhizosphere of C. frutescens, I. batatas, and S. melongena did not differ in the medium category. Further investigation found that the bacterial population in the rhizosphere of M. utilissima was 126.8 – 217 times denser than the other three crop species.
Consumer Preferences of Vegetables and Fruits at Farmer’s Household Level on the Potential Development of Horticultural Technology Innovations in Central Kalimantan’s Food Estate (Case Study in Village of Belanti Siam, District of Pandih Batu, Regency of Pulang Pisau, Central Kalimantan)
Authors: Hayati Nur Qomariah , Sayekti Apri Laila , Sulistyaningrum Anna , Waryat  , Yusuf  , Wiratno Anang Tri , Udiarto Bagus Kukuh , Puspitasari
Published: May 2023

The sustainability of vegetable and fruit development model in the food estate area depends on the ability to cultivate commodities demanded by the market in a chain of efficient marketing. The purpose of this study is to probe consumer behaviour regarding the availability of fruit and vegetable commodities, the problems associated with it, and to analyse potential for developing technological innovations in the village of Belanti Siam. This research was conducted in 2020 via interviews with 33 respondents, utilizing analysis of consumer preferences and qualitative descriptive analysis methods. The results show that the population met the needs of fruit and vegetables from harvesting and purchasing. The availability of those commodities is more consistent if they are self-produced since the farmers’ can do their own quality and cost-control. The integration of rice commodities with vegetables and fruit is expected to overcome the constraints of a shortage caused by logistical challenges and poor quality due to relying only on outsourcing from outside the region. Increased income of farmers and marketers through value chain enhancement created from the ability to meet product requirements according to market needs, maintained quality and cost efficiency has the potential to develop the adoption of horticultural technology innovations in a sustainable manner in food estates.
Patterns of Pig Farms: Case Study in Manokwari
Authors: Sayori Atus , Supriyantono Andoyo , Widayati Trisiwi Wahyu , Randa Yohanes Sangle
Published: May 2023

Pigs are livestock that has a significant meaning for the local Papuan community. Pig rearing is done traditionally from generation to generation without providing technical input to increase productivity. Therefore, this study aimed to study the profile of pig farms that determine the production of pigs. This research was conducted in the Manokwari district. A semi-structured questionnaire was employed for data collection and supported by key informant group discussions. Respondents were sampled using purposive random sampling under predetermined criteria and then randomized. The percentage of each variable observed was done to know pig farming in Manokwari. The results of the analysis showed that the highest percentage of pig farmers as follows age over 50 years old (56%); the education of farmers is high school (44%); off-farm income came from the private sector (40%); pig ownership dominated by the female for all level (starter, grower and finisher). Farmers fed the pigs with a mixture of raw materials dominated by vegetables and tofu dregs.
Enhancement of high-performance structures with sustainable seashell filler-based GFRP composites in static loading
Authors: Hosseini Ahmad , Raji Asokan
Published: May 2023

Research on reinforcing airplane structures while reducing their weight by employing sustainable materials is currently challenging. In this study, damage mechanisms, mechanical characteristics, and failure behavior of laminates made of plain-woven glass fiber/epoxy and Glass Fiber Reinforced Polymer (GFRP) with sea shell filler under low-velocity impact static loading conditions are experimentally investigated. The bi-directional GFRP type E-glass laminates with 10 plies and a total thickness of 3.35 mm are created by hand lay-up process using an epoxy matrix. Comparing GFRP with an effective ratio of sea shell filler of 5% under various impact loading, composites are characterized in accordance with ASTM standards to assess the progressive damage and failure of GFRP composite. The findings of the experiment indicate that GFRP with seashell filler composites outperforms GFRP composites in terms of impact strength, outstanding flexural strength, and tensile strength. The findings show that adding seashell filler to GFRP increased the composite’s ability to sustain various impact loads. The sample with seashell infill has a drop weight impact that is 25.26% lower than GFRP. Moreover, the flexural test demonstrated a 59.6% increase in bending over GFRP. Seashell filler outperformed GFRP in the longitudinal strength test by 33.12%, according to the results of the tensile test. Finally, the compression after impact test (CAI) manifested a remarkable increase in transverse strength by 78.23%.
Highly-dependable printed neuromorphic circuits based on additive manufacturing
Authors: Zhao Haibin , Hefenbrock Michael , Beigl Michael , Tahoori Mehdi B
Published: May 2023

The rapid development of emerging domains, such as the Internet of Things and wearable technologies, necessitates the development of flexible, stretchable, and non-toxic devices that can be manufactured at an ultra-low cost. Printed electronics has emerged as a viable solution by offering not only the aforementioned features but also a high degree of customization, which enables the personalization of products and facilitates the low-cost product development process even in small batches. In the context of printed electronics, printed neuromorphic circuits offer highly customized and bespoke realization of artificial neural networks to achieve desired functionality with very small number of hardware components. However, since analog components are utilized, the performance of printed neuromorphic circuits can be influenced by various factors. In this work, we focus on three main factors that perturb the circuit output from the designed values, namely, variations due to printing errors, aging effects of printed resistors, and input variations originating from sensing uncertainty. In the described approach, these variations are taken into account during the design (training) to ensure the dependability of the printed neuromorphic circuits. With this approach, the expected accuracy and the robustness of printed neural networks can be increased by 27% and 74%, respectively. Moreover, the ablation study suggests that, aging effect and printing variation may have similar effects on the functionality of printed neural networks. In contrast, the impact of sensing uncertainty on printed neural networks is almost orthogonal to aging and printing variations.
Environmental threats to beekeeping in the Western Balkan countries - beekeepers’ perceptions
Authors: Šarić Bojana Bekić , Muça Etleva Dashi , Subić Jonel , Džimrevska Irena , Rašić Slađan
Published: May 2023

The subject of the paper refers to the research on beekeepers’ perceptions of environmental threats to beekeeping in the Western Balkan region. The following environmental threats were supposed to be the most pronounced: cutting of melliferous perennial plants and clearing of forests, urbanisation and environmental pollution, use of pesticides in agricultural production, pests and agents of bees’ diseases, climate changes. The aim of the research was to find out how beekeepers perceived these threats, to determine the presence of the threats and to define their intensity as well as their mutual relationship. For the purpose of this research, the authors created a structured questionnaire which was filled in by randomly selected beekeepers living in the Western Balkans. The research results show that most beekeepers in the studied area evaluated the assumed threats as strong to very strong, while the greatest percentage of beekeepers believes that climate change represents the greatest threat to beekeeping in the region. All assumed environmental threats show the same tendency, while they have the most serious effect on large apiaries with more than 150 bee colonies, located in lowland areas up to 200 meters above sea level with intensive farming. Findings of this research are important in order to adapt the current beekeeping practice in the region to more sustainable solutions, through improvement of the existing beekeeping legislation and advisory services.
Halogenation effect on physicochemical properties of Ti3C2 MXenes
Authors: Kazemi Seyedeh Alieh , Ogunkunle Samuel Akinlolu , Allen Oscar , Wen William , Liew Alan Wee-Chung , Yin Shiwei , Wang Yun
Published: May 2023

Halogenated MXenes have been experimentally demonstrated to be promising two-dimensional materials for a wide range of applicability. However, their physicochemical properties are largely unknown at the atomic level. In this study, we applied density functional theory (DFT) to theoretically investigate the halogenation effects on the structural, electronic, and mechanical characteristics of Ti3C2, which is the most studied MXene material. Three atomic configurations with different adsorption sites for four kinds of halogen terminals (fluorine, chlorine, bromine, and iodine) were considered. Our DFT results reveal that the adsorption site of terminals has a considerable impact on the properties of MXene. This can be ascribed to the different coordination environments of the surface Ti atoms, which change d-orbital splitting configurations of surface Ti atoms and the stabilities of systems. According to the density of states, crystal orbital Hamilton population, and charge analyses, all the considered halogenated MXenes are metallic. The electronic and mechanical properties of the halogenated MXenes are strongly dependent on the electronegativity of the halogen terminal group. The Ti–F bond has more ionic characteristics, which causes Ti3C2F2 mechanically behave in a more ductile manner. Our DFT results, therefore, suggest that the physicochemical properties of MXenes can be tuned for practical applications by selecting specific halogen terminal groups.
The best answer? Justice Nelson’s concurrence in Dred Scott v. Sandford
Authors: Meyer William B
Published: May 2023

The merits, comparative and absolute, of Justice Samuel Nelson’s concurring opinion in the Dred Scott case of 1857 have not been adequately recognized. Nelson took ground that was legally more secure at the time than did either Chief Justice Taney, in his opinion for the Court, or the dissenters, Justices McLean and Curtis. Refusing to follow Taney’s ill-supported denials of Black citizenship and Congressional power over the Territories, he also understood better than the dissenters what conflict-of-laws doctrine, the precedent of Swift v. Tyson (1842), and the law of marriage and divorce implied for Scott. Nelson’s opinion carried a mix of political implications, but it possessed more credibility than the other opinions in the case for its solid grounding in accepted legal principles and freedom from overt partisanship.
Wood dust in France. Trends in the population of exposed workers between 1982 and 2017 based on a job-exposure matrix assessment
Authors: Garras Loïc , Ducamp Stéphane , Houot Marie-Tülin , Pilorget Corinne
Published: May 2023

Objective

Many occupations and industries use wood as a raw material and wood dust is a well-known carcinogen. This study presents trends in occupational exposure to wood dust for all workers (employees and self-employed workers) in France between 1982 and 2017 and focuses on the exposed workers in 2017.

Methods

Exposures to this carcinogen were assessed using the Matgéné job-exposure matrix. Trends in the prevalence and proportion of exposure over the study period were estimated by linking the matrix with population data from the 1982, 1990, 1999, 2007, and 2017 censuses and are described for selected industry groups.

Results

The number of exposed workers to wood dust has decreased significantly over the last 40 years, from 466,900 potentially exposed workers in 1982 to 305,000 workers in 2017. The proportion of exposed workers has also decreased over time, although not uniformly across industries. Increases in the proportion of exposed workers are observed in certain industries, such as “Sawmilling and logging” (from 61.2% to 73.6% over the period for men) and “Finishing of sale premises” (from 3.3% to 6.2% for women).

Conclusion

This article is the first to describe occupational exposure to wood dust in France for all workers and to follow its evolution over the last 40 years. Occupations and industries still at risk in 2017 are also described with the aim of helping to improve prevention policies.