bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A new grass frog with rupicolous tadpoles from northern Zambia (Anura: Ptychadenidae)
Authors: CHANNING ALAN , WILLEMS FRANK
Published: August 2018

We describe a new species of Ptychadena from Mutinondo Wilderness in northern Zambia. It has rupicolous tadpoles that develop in a film of water. The species is distinguished on morphology, advertisement call and DNA sequences from other grass frogs and was found to be most closely related to P. broadleyi. It has no contrasting longitudinal bands on the posterior thigh, the foot is longer than half SVL, it has no light triangle on the snout, three phalanges of the fourth toe free of web and the snout has no skin folds. The species should be considered Near Threatened in terms of the IUCN Red List criteria given its limited extent of occurrence and population size.
Review of the species of Macrodactylus Dejean (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Melolonthinae) from Costa Rica and Panama
Authors: ARCE-PÉREZ ROBERTO , MORÓN MIGUEL ÁNGEL
Published: August 2018

Fifteen species of Macrodactylus Dejean (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Melolonthinae: Macrodactylini) from Costa Rica and Panama are described and illustrated, including eight new species: M. latreillei new species., M. pseudothoracicus new species. and M. dejeani new species from Costa Rica; M. solisi new species from Costa Rica and Panama; M. martinezi new species from Costa Rica and Venezuela; M. chiriquiensis new species and M. kunayalaensis new species from Panama; and M. moroni new species from Costa Rica, and Panama. Diagnosis for seven species previously recorded in Costa Rica and Panama are included, and a key to all known species of Macrodactylus in these countries is provided.
Review of the leafhopper genus Longicornus Li & Song (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Deltocephalinae) with description of two new species
Authors: FANG YONGQIN , XING JICHUN
Published: August 2018

The leafhopper species of genus Longicornus Li & Song, 2008 are reviewed, and two new species: Longicornus furcatus sp. nov. and L. biprocessus sp. nov. are described and illustrated from China. A new synonym is revealed, Longicornus yunnanensis Xing & Li, 2011 is a junior synonym of Longicornus flavipuncatus Li & Song, 2008. A key is given to distinguish all species of the genus.
Don’t Sleep on It: An Examination of Storm Naming and Potential Heuristic Effects on Twitter
Authors: Lin Xialing , Rainear Adam M. , Spence Patric R. , Lachlan Kenneth A.
Published: August 2018

Humans often prefer representations that are cognitively easier to store, and these representations are easier to retrieve later to make judgments about events. Exemplification theory draws on evolutionary logic and argues that simple, iconic, concrete, and emotionally arousing depictions of events (exemplars) are favored and thus more likely to be stored and used than are abstract, inconsequential depictions or representations. This study examined exemplified aspects of storm warnings in a Twitter feed. A three-condition study was completed, and variables examined included storm severity, susceptibility, hazard, outrage, and willingness to change or engage in specific behaviors. Results suggest the possibility of a sleeper effect impacting perceptions of severity. Results are discussed in theoretical and practical applications along with the consideration of other theories to be applied to future research.
StaBle Angina: PeRceptIon of NeeDs, Quality of Life and ManaGemEnt of Patients (BRIDGE Study)—A Multinational European Physician Survey
Authors: Ambrosio Giuseppe , Collins Peter , Dechend Ralf , Lopez-Sendon Jose , Manolis Athanasios J. , Camm A. John
Published: August 2018

Stable angina (SA) is a chronic condition reducing physical activity and quality of life (QoL). Physicians treating patients with SA in Italy, Germany, Spain, and United Kingdom completed a web-based survey. The objective was to assess physician perceptions of patient needs, the impact of SA on QoL, and evaluate SA management. Overall, 659 physicians (cardiologists and general practitioners) entered data from 1965 eligible patients. The perceived importance of everyday activities for patients with a recent diagnosis (≤2 years) was higher than for patients with a longer diagnosis (>2 years), while severity of limitations for those activities were rated similarly for both groups. Gender-based analyses revealed that physicians documented more severe SA, more symptoms and more angina attacks in women, yet they rated the patients’ condition as similar for both sexes. Women also received less medical and interventional treatment. Patients who have previously had a percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) had more severe SA, despite more intense medical treatment, than patients with no previous PCI. In conclusion, severity, symptoms, and impact of SA on health status and everyday life activities vary by duration of disease, gender, and previous PCI. However, physicians do not seem to attach appropriate importance to these differences.
Aid, exclusion, and the local dynamics of insurgency in Afghanistan
Authors: Karell Daniel , Schutte Sebastian
Published: August 2018

Can developmental aid bring peace to war-torn communities? The current literature is divided on this issue. One line of reasoning suggests that aid is likely to decrease violence by improving employment and prosperity, thereby making participation in conflict more costly. Another view cites evidence showing an association between aid projects and increased insurgent activity. Addressing this contradiction, we argue that different types of aid projects lead to different outcomes, as some projects foster an unequal distribution of benefits within communities. Our reasoning draws on qualitative accounts from conflict zones, recent research on how grievances associated with exclusion can foster civil war onset, and experimental findings regarding perceived inequity and punishment. Building on this scholarship, we use a recently developed event-matching methodology to offer insight from contemporary Afghanistan. Aid projects that tend to exclude portions of the community yield more insurgent activity in their wake than more inclusive projects. These results shed light on why some aid projects reduce violence while others do not, emphasizing that efforts to ‘win hearts and minds’ can be a source of both contentment and contestation.
Obstructive Sleep Apnea in Children with Down Syndrome: Demographic, Clinical, and Polysomnographic Features
Authors: Chamseddin Bahir H. , Johnson Romaine F. , Mitchell Ron B.
Published: August 2018

Objectives

To evaluate demographic, clinical, and polysomnographic features of children with Down syndrome suspected of having obstructive sleep apnea. To identify factors that predict severe obstructive sleep apnea among children with Down syndrome.

Study Design

Case series with chart review.

Setting

Children's Medical Center Dallas / University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center.

Subject and Methods

Demographic, clinical, and polysomnographic data were collected for children with Down syndrome aged 2 to 18 years. Simple and multivariable regression models were used to study predictors of severe obstructive sleep apnea (apnea‐hypopnea index ≥10). P≤. 05 was considered significant.

Results

A total of 106 children with Down syndrome were included, with 89 (84%) <12 years old, 56 (53%) male, 72 (68%) Hispanic, 15 (14%) African American, and 14 (13%) Caucasian. Ninety percent of children had ≥1 medical comorbidities; 95 (90%) patients had obstructive sleep apnea; and 46 (44%) had severe obstructive sleep apnea. The mean SaO2 nadir was lower among obese than nonobese children (80% vs 85%, P =. 02). Obese versus nonobese patients had a higher prevalence of severe obstructive sleep apnea (56% vs 35%, P =. 03). Severe OSA was associated with heavier weight (odds ratio = 1.0, 95% CI: 1.0‐1.1, P =. 002) and age ≥12 years (odds ratio = 1.2, 95% CI: 0.2‐2.5, P =. 02). The multivariable model showed that severe obstructive sleep apnea was associated only with weight (odds ratio = 1.1, 95% CI: 1.0‐1.1, P =. 02).

Conclusion

Obese children with DS are at a high risk for severe OSA, with weight as the sole risk factor. The results of this study show the importance of monitoring the weight of children with DS and counseling parents of children with DS about weight loss.
Diagnostic significance of magnetic resonance imaging in patients with cervical cancer after brachytherapy: a meta-analysis
Authors: Zhang Ji , Tian Weizhong , Bu Xinhua , Wang Xiulan , Tian Fangzheng , Wu Linyun
Published: August 2018

Background

Patients with uterine cervical cancer suffer high mortality. Accurate detection of a residual tumor by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) during and after directed brachytherapy (BCT) is crucial for the success of cancer treatment and is a significant predictor of patient survival.

Purpose

To determine the diagnostic significance of MRI in detecting residual tumor tissue after BCT.

Material and Methods

The Web of Knowledge, Cochrane Library, and PubMed were systematically searched (January 1997 to December 2016) for post-brachytherapy MRI studies that measured residual tumors in patients with uterine cervical cancer. All data were analyzed using the Meta-Disc 1.4 program.

Results

Four clinical studies consisting of 163 patients (147 of whom were included in the present analysis) who were diagnosed with uterine cervical cancer according to the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) staging system were included in the study. All the patients received BCT and underwent MRI detection of residual tumors tissue. In studies where the accuracy of MRI detection was confirmed by histological tests or gynecological tests, the summary estimates of specificity, sensitivity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and accuracy were 88.5%, 83.5%, 53.5%, 97.1%, and 84.3%, respectively.

Conclusion

MRI-directed BCT is commonly used for cervical cancer patients. Based on our investigation of four independent studies, MRI showed better prediction of positive results than negative results in patients with cervical cancer after BCT. However, more data on the greater numbers of patients are needed to establish the accuracy of MRI detection of cervical cancer after BCT.
Economic impact of low-cost carrier in a saturated transport market: Net benefits or zero-sum game?
Authors: Pratt Stephen , Schuckert Markus
Published: August 2018

The introduction of low-cost carriers (LCCs) can improve the accessibility of destinations, stimulate suppressed demand, and offer transportation attractive to lower income residents. This present study estimates the economic contribution of the entry of an additional LCC into a mature transport market. Both primary and secondary data are used to estimate both direct and indirect economic impacts to the host economy. This research framework captures both displacement effects and the demand for an additional LCC among domestic travelers leaving the destination. Taking these effects into account, there is limited net economic contribution to the host economy with a mature transport market. Based on these findings, local governments as well as aviation policymakers are advised to consider all the economic injections and leakages created by the potential LCC in assessing the economic feasibility of new entrants, especially considering the development stage of a transport market.
Expanding the taxonomy of (mis-)recognition in the economic sphere
Authors: Schaub Jörg , Odigbo Ikechukwu M.
Published: August 2018

This article makes a contribution to debates in recognition theory by expanding the taxonomy of (mis-)recognition in the economic sphere. It argues that doing justice to the variety of ways in which recognition is engaged in economic relationships requires: (1) taking into consideration not just the recognition principle of esteem, but also (various aspects of) need and respect; (2) distinguishing a productive from a consumptive dimension with regards to each principle of recognition (need, esteem and respect); and (3) identifying the specific economic relationship at stake (e.g. between consumers and producers, or between employers and employees). In this way, we can account for the diversity of demands for recognition made in the economic sphere, explain what underpins them, and bring structure into these diverse phenomena. What is more, this expanded taxonomy is a useful tool for social pathology theorists, who should appreciate the full range of variants of misrecognition when diagnosing pathologies of misrecognition in the economic sphere.
Cognitive dysfunction in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus: The challenge in diagnosis and management
Authors: Ho Roger C , Husain Syeda F , Ho Cyrus S
Published: August 2018

Cognitive dysfunction is one of the five psychiatric syndromes recognised by the American College of Rheumatologists neuropsychiatric lupus nomenclature committee. Cognitive dysfunction affects 20%–80% of systemic lupus erythematosus patients with and without overt central nervous system involvement. Specific cognitive dysfunction associated with systemic lupus erythematosus includes impairment in attention, memory and visuospatial process. Besides disease activity and vascular risk factors, the neuropathology behind cognitive dysfunction in systemic lupus erythematosus is a result of dysfunction involving the immune cells, cytokines, chemokines and autoantibodies (Abs), as well as volume reduction in the white matter and grey matter. In this review, we will discuss the challenges of using traditional neuropsychological assessment to assess cognitive function in clinical practice, the limitations of conventional neuroimaging methods, the controversies of using corticosteroids, other pharmacological treatments and non-pharmacological interventions to treat cognitive dysfunction associated with systemic lupus erythematosus.
The Cow in the Elevator
Authors: Srinivas Tulasi
Published: August 2018

In The Cow in the Elevator Tulasi Srinivas explores a wonderful world where deities jump fences and priests ride in helicopters to present a joyful, imaginative, yet critical reading of modern religious life. Drawing on nearly two decades of fieldwork with priests, residents, and devotees, and her own experience of living in the high-tech city of Bangalore, Srinivas finds moments where ritual enmeshes with global modernity to create wonder—a feeling of amazement at being overcome by the unexpected and sublime. Offering a nuanced account of how the ruptures of modernity can be made normal, enrapturing, and even comical in a city swept up in globalization's tumult, Srinivas brings the visceral richness of wonder—apparent in creative ritual in and around Hindu temples—into the anthropological gaze. Broaching provocative philosophical themes like desire, complicity, loss, time, money, technology, and the imagination, Srinivas pursues an interrogation of wonder and the adventure of writing true to its experience. The Cow in the Elevator rethinks the study of ritual while reshaping our appreciation of wonder's transformative potential for scholarship and for life.
Geoinformation mapping in economic and social geography
Authors: Молочко Анна , Molochko Anna , Хворостухин Дмитрий , Hvorostuhin Dmitriy
Published: August 2018

In the tutorial, the technology of creating digital cartographic works using the tools of geographical information systems (GIS) is considered; the technique of designing, compiling and designing General geographic, as well as a series of thematic maps of analytical and complex types is presented; the cartographic methods of image used most often in economic and social geography and their implementation through a block of geo-analysis and modeling of modern applied desktop GIS are considered in detail.
Corresponds to the Federal state educational standard of higher education of the last generation.
It is intended for students studying in the areas of bachelor and master 05.03.02 and 05.04.02 "Geography", 05.03.03 "Cartography and Geoinformatics", 05.04.06 "Ecology and environmental management", 21.03.02 "land Management and cadastres", as well as for novice GIS users.
A Model-Based Embedding Technique for Segmenting Customers
Authors: Jagabathula Srikanth , Subramanian Lakshminarayanan , Venkataraman Ashwin
Published: August 2018

We consider the problem of segmenting a large population of customers into nonoverlapping groups with similar preferences, using diverse preference observations such as purchases, ratings, clicks, and so forth, over subsets of items. We focus on the setting where the universe of items is large (ranging from thousands to millions) and unstructured (lacking well-defined attributes) and each customer provides observations for only a few items. These data characteristics limit the applicability of existing techniques in marketing and machine learning. To overcome these limitations, we propose a model-based embedding technique, which takes the customer observations and a probabilistic model class generating the observations as inputs, and outputs an embedding—a low-dimensional vector representation in Euclidean space—for each customer. We then cluster the embeddings to obtain the segments. Theoretically, we derive precise necessary and sufficient conditions that guarantee asymptotic recovery of the true segments under a standard latent class setup. Empirically, we demonstrate the speed and performance of our method in two real-world case studies: (a) up to 84% improvement in accuracy of new movie recommendations on the MovieLens data set and (b) up to 8% improvement in the performance of similar product recommendations algorithm on an offline data set at eBay. We show that our method outperforms standard latent class, empirical Bayesian, and demographic-based techniques.

The online appendix is available at https://doi.org/10.1287/opre.2018.1739 .
BREVES NOTAS SOBRE O ASSISTENTE TÉCNICO PERICIAL NO PROCESSO PENAL BRASILEIRO
Authors: Augimeri de Goes Lima Thadeu , Paredes Arcentales Gabriela Estefania
Published: August 2018

O presente artigo trata da disciplina legal do assistente técnico pericial no Processo Penal brasileiro e de algumas questões sobre a sua operacionalização prática, notadamente relacionadas à parte assistida. O estudo parte de fundamentos dogmáticos e conceituais e utiliza preferencialmente os métodos comparativo, sistemático e tópico-problemático. Analisa o regime jurídico-processual pátrio do assistente técnico pericial criminal em comparação com os modelos encontrados para a matéria sistematizados a partir de experiências positivadas e com o regramento adotado pelo Código de Processo Civil brasileiro, abordando ainda alguns questionamentos acerca do assistente técnico em relação à parte assistida, quando esta for o Ministério Público ou ofendido/querelante/assistente de acusação ou réu pobres.
PROTEÇÃO SOCIAL DO IDOSO: REALIDADE E AÇÕES DO MUNICÍPIO DE ANÁPOLIS/GO. EFICÁCIA NA FORMA DE APOIO AO CUMPRIMENTO DOS DIREITOS SOCIAIS DE UMA MINORIA
Authors: Menezes Junior Evangelista , Ferreira Rildo Mourão , Souza Karla Oliveira , Carvalho Lucas Aparecido , Oliveira João Pedro Tomaz
Published: August 2018

Na busca afirmativa da eficácia das políticas de apoio ao cumprimento dos Direitos Sociais de uma minoria chamada idoso no município de Anápolis, Estado de Goiás, o estudo promove investigação qualitativa, sendo seus resultados colocados como objeto de estudo a discurso sócio jurídico, alimentando caracteres à proteção integral de um grupo minoritário. Objetivando atingir vetores à promoção do bem estar do idoso, foi laboratório para investigação os limítrofes territoriais do município emergente do Estado de Goiás, Anápolis, cidade com aproximadamente 334.613 habitantes, com parcela/percentual de idosos que supera 40% da população. Servido de objeto relevante o estudo foi laborado partindo da teoria ético-prático observacional de Rudolf Von Ihering, posto a eficácia por uso de dois métodos, sendo que em primeiro plano foi utilizado procedimento bibliográfico, findo a construção de uma teorização, que serviu ao entendimento à proteção integral do idoso, e em segundo plano foi coordenado estudo observacional às políticas públicas implementadas no município de Anápolis, esta em resultados que serviu ao êxito científico quanto a mantença da luta necessária por direito a um grupo minoritário, ora sendo alimentado todo o discurso por abordagem dialética-dialógica, firmando diretrizes que muito colaboraram para amenizar as desigualdades sofridas pelo idoso.
A SÚMULA 549 DO STJ: UM ATAQUE À VISÃO CONSTITUCIONAL DO DIREITO CIVIL CONTEMPORÂNEO
Authors: Faria Lucas Oliveira
Published: August 2018

O artigo em questão visa analisar as razões de aprovação da Súmula 549 em outubro de 2015 pelo Superior Tribunal de Justiça, súmula esta que perpetua o entendimento de que é válida a penhora do bem de família do fiador de locação. O escrito pretende explicitar de forma minuciosa desde a razão de ser do instituto do bem de família, remetendo à sua origem, até mesmo ao modo como este tipo de instituto se fundamenta no ordenamento constitucional brasileiro, buscando entender se tanto a decisão jurisprudencial do Superior Tribunal de Justiça, quanto à decisão legislativa de inclusão da exceção de impenhorabilidade do único imóvel do fiador de locação em questão coadunam com a Constituição Federal de 1988 e com o Direito Civil moderno. Palavras-chave: Bem de Família; Fiador; Constituição; Súmula 549; Direito Civil
COLABORAÇÃO ENTRE AS FAZENDAS PÚBLICAS NA VIGÊNCIA DA LEI COMPLEMENTAR 105/2001
Authors: Campos Hélio Silvio Ourém , Oliveira Breno Duarte Ribeiro de
Published: August 2018

A despeito do julgamento em 24.02.2016, pelo Supremo Tribunal Federal do RE 601.314 - SP, a questão do sigilo bancário e sua oponibilidade aos órgãos da Administração Tributária continuam a despertar a atenção da comunidade jurídica. A posição adotada pela Corte discrepou frontalmente de entendimento anterior justificado no RE 389.808 - PR, que poucos anos antes definira a necessidade de requisição judicial prévia como requisito ao acesso de dados bancários de contribuintes pela Administração Fazendária. O teor dos votos da minoria e maioria dos ministros do Supremo revela uma tendência de polarização ideológica, o que pode explicar a brusca alteração de posicionamento jurisprudencial em pouco tempo, sem qualquer alteração no plano legislativo.O objetivo do trabalho é o estudo das premissas argumentativas utilizadas nos julgados analisados e o confronto destas premissas com as bases estabelecidas nos cânones interpretativos clássicos(interpretação gramatical, lógico-sistemática e teleológica).O artigo parte da hipótese de que a utilização legal de mecanismos constitucionalmente previstos e  regulamentados visando a eficiência e o aperfeiçoamento das ações fiscalizatórias não passa necessariamente por questão ideológica.Para a elaboração do artigo adotou-se a abordagem metodológica qualitativa, classificada em relação aos objetivos com exploratória, com a análise textual da fundamentação utilizada na elaboração de julgados específicos.  Nesse aspecto fixa-se a abordagem da integração entre as fazendas públicas e o intercâmbio de informações anteriormente protegidas pelo sigilo em uma perspectiva jurídica iniciada por uma construção dogmática fundada na Constituição, nas Leis e normas regulamentares, a partir de cânones clássicos  da interpretação jurídica, culminando por defender, em conclusão,  a possibilidade da utilização das informações colhidas em limites estritamente controlados, de modo cooperativo entres os órgão integrantes das administração fazendária, em todas esferas integrantes do estado.
Quality Analysis of Stored Bell Peppers Using Near-Infrared Hyperspectral Imaging
Authors: Rahman Anisur , Faqeerzada Mohammad Akbar , Joshi Rahul , Lohumi Santosh , Kandpal Lalit Mohan , Lee Hoonsoo , Mo Changyeun , Kim Moon Sung , Cho Byoung-Kwan
Published: August 2018

Abstract. The objective of this study was to predict the moisture content (MC), soluble solids content (SSC), and titratable acidity (TA) content in bell peppers during storage (18°C, 85% relative humidity) over 12 days, based on near-infrared hyperspectral imaging (NIR-HSI) in the 1000-1500 nm wavelength range. The mean spectra of 148 mature bell peppers were extracted from the hyperspectral images, and multivariate calibration models were built using partial least squares (PLS) regression with different preprocessing spectra techniques. The most effective wavelengths were selected using the variable importance in projection (VIP) technique, which selected optimal variables for the target quality parameters of bell peppers from a full set of variables. Subsequently the selected variables were used to develop a PLS-VIP model for simplifying the prediction model. The MC, SSC, and TA content in bell peppers during storage changed from 90.7% to 93.0%, from 6.1%Brix to 7.3%Brix, and from 0.222% to 0.334%, respectively. The PLS regression model with MC, SSC, and TA content resulted in coefficients of determination (R2pred) of 0.83, 0.85, and 0.7, with standard errors of prediction (SEP) of 0.08%, 0.075%Brix, and 0.013%, respectively, using SNV preprocessed spectra for MC and TA content and Savitzky-Golay (S-G) second-order derivatives preprocessed spectra for SSC of bell peppers. By contrast, the prediction results yielded R2pred of 0.69, 0.75, and 0.68, respectively, with SEP values of 0.103%, 0.107%Brix, and 0.011% when the PLS-VIP model was employed. The PLS-VIP model simplified the calibration model by selecting the most important variables in terms of their responsiveness to bell pepper quality properties. The results revealed that HSI coupled with multivariate analysis can be used successfully to predict the MC, SSC, and TA content in bell peppers. Keywords: Fruit quality, Hyperspectral imagery, Image analysis, Spectral analysis, Stored bell pepper.
A Review of the Effects of Droplet Size and Flow Rate on the Chargeability of Spray Droplets in Electrostatic Agricultural Sprays
Authors: Post Scott L. , Roten Rory L.
Published: August 2018

Abstract. The chargeability of liquid sprays is an important factor in determining the deposition efficiency of electrostatic pesticide sprays. The Rayleigh limit provides information on the maximum amount of charge a spray droplet can carry as a function of droplet size and liquid properties. This article reviews the literature to determine what fraction of the Rayleigh limit is achievable. Typically, less than 10% of the Rayleigh limit charge is obtained. The droplet charge per unit mass decreases with increasing droplet size and liquid flow rate. A correlation equation is derived from published data to predict spray droplet charge per unit mass from droplet size, flow rate, and charging voltage. Keywords: Droplet size, Electrostatic charging, Spray drift, Sprayers, Ultra-low volume spraying.
Flat-Fan Spray Atomization Model
Authors: Post Scott L. , Hewitt Andrew J.
Published: August 2018

Abstract. In pesticide application, the lack of a suitable theoretical atomization model for flat-fan spray nozzles forces a reliance on empirical data and correlations, even for computational simulations. There is considerable difficulty in the theoretical analysis of the liquid sheet emanating from flat-fan nozzles because no simplification to a two-dimensional analysis can be employed, as is done for cylindrical jets. Nonetheless, 50 years ago, Dombrowski and co-workers used linear stability analysis to analyze the breakup of flat-fan spray sheets into ligaments and from ligaments to droplets. Their correlations have not found use because they include parameters that are difficult, if not impossible, to measure. In this work, the Dombrowski model is simplified using dimensional analysis, resulting in a correlation to predict the volume median diameter of flat-fan sprays in terms of common user parameters, i.e., the nozzle size and operating pressure. Keywords: Atomization, Droplet size, Nozzles, Pesticides, Sprayers.
Raspberry Primocane Bundling and Taping Mechanisms
Authors: Khanal Kapil , Bhusal Santosh , Karkee Manoj , Zhang Qin
Published: August 2018

Abstract. In red raspberry production, two-year-old canes (called floricanes) are pruned and new one-year-old canes (called primocanes) are bundled and tied together to provide a firm canopy structure for the next year’s production. These processes are currently manual, labor-intensive, and costly. Pruning, bundling, and tying cost farmers more than $1,482 ha-1 year-1, the majority of which is spent on bundling and tying. Although some mechanized techniques are available for tying the branches of fruit trees and vines, and for baling leaves and straw, research on the development of mechanized systems for managing cane berry plants has not been reported yet. In this work, a taping mechanism was designed and fabricated for tying bundles of red raspberry canes. This taping mechanism was integrated with a hydraulically controlled cane bundling mechanism for field evaluation. The taping mechanism consisted of a tape wrapper wheel, a tape holding arm, and a tape cutting assembly, whose motions were timed in proper sequence to complete the tape wrapping process. The rotation of the wrapper wheel wound the tape around a bundle of primocanes gathered by the bundling mechanism. After a predefined number of wrappings, the cutting assembly was actuated to sever the tape, and the mechanism released the bundled plant. Field testing demonstrated a bundling success rate of 94%; of 249 canes targeted for bundling, 235 were properly bundled. Of the 92 tape wrapping attempts, 76 were successful in taping bundles of canes, a success rate of 83%. The prototype system was fabricated and evaluated for its functionality without optimizing for speed. Currently, this system requires ~3 min per taping (compared to ~30 s for manual taping). Although some improvements in the size, speed, and design of the mechanisms are essential to increase the overall accuracy and productivity of the system, the results showed good promise toward the development of an automated machine for red raspberry cane bundling and taping. Keywords: Agricultural machinery, Bundling, Mechanism, Red raspberries canes, Taping.
Generalizable, Extensible Methods to Implement QA/QC Tests on Environmental Data
Authors: Sadler E. John , Nash Patrick R. , Drummond Scott T. , Chen Jiaxun , Greer Seth T. , Sudduth Kenneth A.
Published: August 2018

Abstract. As environmental data are increasingly recognized as important, increased attention is focused on data quality. A critical component of quality assurance and quality control (QA/QC) is implementing tests for problems like missing data, outliers, and changes that might be too abrupt or too slow to be real, and most implementations involve coding the combinational logic of tests in if-then-else constructs to arrive at outcomes or actions depending on the inputs. Herein we propose two alternative implementation methods that avoid if-then-else logic and therefore can be used to perform more complex QA/QC screens on data from stations with one or more sensors. The objectives of this technical note are to describe the methods and to demonstrate their performance using realistic examples with existing data. Both new methods use truth tables to express and implement logic; the first method expands a truth table with N tests to all 2N possible combinations and uses that as a lookup table, while the second method matches test patterns in the truth table using its original unexpanded form. The if-then-else method and the two new methods are illustrated with a simple example of air temperature measurement for scenarios with one, two, or three (redundant) sensors. The relative advantages and disadvantages of each method are discussed. Scalability of the new methods is illustrated using measurements from a local weather station. If provided both the test results and either the expanded truth table (for the lookup method) or the original truth table (for the pattern-match method), the core code was general. The flexibility of these methods should increase the power of QA/QC programs for environmental or other time series data. Keywords: Multiple sensors, QA/QC, Quality assurance, Quality control, Truth table, Weather data, Weather station.
Simulation of Airflow in the Burning Cave of an Auxiliary Heating System in a Greenhouse
Authors: Xu Zhanyang , Liu Wenhe , Wang Tieliang , Yu Wei , Zhang Yuqing
Published: August 2018

Abstract.

In this study, numerical simulations of airflow were carried out in the burning cave of an auxiliary heating system. Experimental measurements were also conducted to verify the performance of the numerical model, and turbulent airflow in the burning cave was considered. The numerical simulation in the burning cave was performed for three cases:(1) with a baffle at the bottom of the burning cave entrance, (2) without a baffle at the burning cave entrance, and (3) with a baffle at the top of the burning cave entrance. The turbulent airflow was modeled using the realizable k-e turbulence model as well as the non-equilibrium wall function. The airflow velocity was assessed in the burning cave, and some suggestions were given to improve the performance of the burning cave. The results showed that the airflow entering the burning cave differed due to different positions of the baffle. The smoldering combustion was more even and the burning rate could be controlled more easily when the baffle was placed at the top of the burning cave entrance, making the airflow enter the burning cave through the bottom of the baffle. The results also showed that the maximum airflow velocity in the burning cave increased with increased distance between the baffle and the bottom of the burning cave. Keywords: Airflow, Burning cave, Greenhouse, Simulation.
Characterizing Corn and Cattle Manure Derived Biochars Relevant to Their Use as Soil Additives
Authors: Borhan Md S. , Rahman Shafiqur , Sarker Niloy Chandra
Published: August 2018

Abstract. Biomass-derived biochars have shown potential for improving soil properties as a whole that are conducive to plant growth with reduced environmental pollution. Four types of biomass, namely, corn stover (CS), dried distillers’ grains and solubles (DDGS), dairy manure (DM), and beef feedlot manure (BFM), were transformed to biochar through pyrolysis at 400°C with 1, 2, or 3 h residence time. The biochars were characterized by proximate analysis (volatile matter (VM), ash, and fixed carbon (FC)), ultimate analysis (total carbon (TC), hydrogen (H), nitrogen (N), sulfur (S), and oxygen (O)), and thermogravimetric analysis (pH, electrical conductivity (EC) and bulk density (BD)). Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersion spectroscopy (EDXS), and Fourier transform infrared radiation (FTIR) spectroscopy were used to categorize pore size, functional groups, and mineralogical properties related to potential use in environmental remediation. The highest heating value (HV) was measured with CS (28 to 29 MJ kg-1), and the lowest HV was measured with BFM (~5 MJ kg-1). The greatest organic carbon (OC) content was obtained with CS (68%), followed by DDGS (63%), DM (44%), and BFM (15.4%) biochars. The SEM images showed the macrocellular morphology of the original shape of the biomass particles, which consisted mainly of aggregate microspheres 2 to 10 µm in size. The surface functional groups of all four biochars were dominated by hydroxyl, methyl, methylene, aromatic carbonyl/carboxylic, and alkene groups. The CS and DDGS biochars showed higher TC (76%), FC (61%), OC (67%), water holding capacity, and mineral contents and outperformed the DM and BFM biochars as the best soil amendments. Keywords: Beef feedlot manure, Corn stover, Dairy manure, Dried distillers’ grains and solubles.
Nitrogen Availability of Sewage Effluent to Maize Compared to Synthetic Fertilizers under Surface Drip Irrigation
Authors: Guo Lijun , Li Jiusheng , Li Yanfeng , Xu Di
Published: August 2018

Abstract. Field experiments on maize ( L.) under surface drip irrigation were carried out during two consecutive growing seasons to examine the influence of water quality (groundwater and secondary sewage effluent) and nitrogen (N) application rate on growth and yield, N agronomic efficiency, and N availability of effluent. Pot experiments were conducted using the 15N isotope tracer method and the fertilizer equivalence (FE) approach to provide direct evidence of the effluent N availability derived from the field experiments. Four N application rates ranging from 0 to 180 kg ha-1 for field experiments and from 0 to 2.64 g pot-1 (0 to 210 kg ha-1 equivalent) for pot experiments were investigated with secondary sewage effluent (SW) and groundwater (GW). Results showed that either irrigation with sewage effluent or increasing N application rates from 0 to 120 kg ha-1 were conducive to increasing maize productivity. Nonetheless, SW irrigation reduced the agronomic efficiency of applied N compared to GW irrigation supplemented with fertilizers, suggesting greater potential N losses under SW irrigation. Effluent N that was absorbed by maize was negatively correlated to increasing N application rates. On average, the N contained in effluent was only 51% to 69% as available as an equivalent application rate of urea N in improving maize production. The organic N fraction of effluent (20%) and higher potential N losses from SW irrigation primarily explained the lower effluent N availability in comparison to fertilizer urea. Overall results recommended an economic and ecological N application rate of 107 kg ha-1 for maize under drip irrigation when applying SW, with an approximate 14% urea N reduction to attain a satisfactory yield in comparison to GW irrigation. Keywords: Agronomic efficiency, Fertilizer equivalence approach, Isotope tracer method, Secondary treated wastewater.
Assessment of Water Quality and Fish Production in an Intensive Pond Aquaculture System
Authors: Bao Weijun , Zhu Songming , Guo Shuirong , Wang Li , Fang Han , Ke Bin , Ye Zhangying
Published: August 2018

Abstract.

Pond aquaculture plays a major role in world aquaculture production, especially in China. To make pond aquaculture more precise, ecologically sound, and efficient, in this study, an intensive pond aquaculture system (IPAS) was designed and built to produce freshwater fish that are commonly reared in China. Aquatic plants and filter-feeding, omnivorous fish were used to rehabilitate the aquaculture water quality, and the particle size distribution (PSD) model of suspended solids in the pond raceways was investigated. The results showed that the water quality in the purification pond was improved compared to that in the sedimentation basins, and it was close to the water quality in the raceways, which were within the acceptable range. The number distribution of suspended solids can be described by the power law model (R2 = 0.901 ± 0.032), which can provide guidance for solids removal using different methods. Moreover, during one production cycle, economic benefits of the IPAS were also evaluated; the return on investment (ROI) of 35.69% and benefit cost ratio (BCR) of 1.36 indicated that this kind of aquaculture mode has achieved a better profit. There are many fish species in China, so developing an IPAS with a wide application range requires further study in the future. Keywords: Airlift push-water aerator, Aquatic plant, Drum filter, Intensive pond aquaculture system, Particle size distribution, Purification pond.
Review and Development of ASABE Engineering Practice 621: “Guidelines for Calibrating, Validating, and Evaluating Hydrologic and Water Quality Models”
Authors: Harmel R. Daren , Baffaut Claire , Douglas-Mankin Kyle
Published: August 2018

Abstract. In 2010, the Natural Resources and Environmental Systems Hydrology Committee (NRES-21) of ASABE initiated a long-term process to develop guidelines to improve modeling practice through better understanding of the calibration, validation, and evaluation process across applications and more effective interpretation and communication of model performance. This effort generated a compilation of 23 articles with model-specific descriptions and guidance (2012), a position paper outlining guidance for evaluating, interpreting, and communicating performance of hydrologic and water quality models considering intended use (2014), and a compilation of ten articles addressing key topics related to model calibration and validation (2015). In 2016, the first draft of ASABE Engineering Practice 621 (EP621), “Guidelines for Calibrating, Validating, and Evaluating Hydrologic and Water Quality (H/WQ) Models,” was developed, subsequently revised, and ultimately approved by the ASABE Standards Committee in 2017. EP621 provides guidelines, not prescriptive requirements, and as such recommends “good” modeling practices to enhance calibration, validation, evaluation, and communication of H/WQ models through establishment of consistent terminology; model selection; compilation and processing of input data and calibration, validation, and evaluation data; determination of model performance measures; model parameterization and calibration; re-examination of input and calibration data and/or consideration of model refinement; re-evaluation of model performance; and documentation of modeling process and results. EP621 can be obtained from the ASABE Technical Library at https://elibrary.asabe.org/abstract.asp?aid=47804. The objectives of this technical note are to review the process and rationale used to develop EP621 and to briefly summarize its major components. Keywords: Hydrologic processes, Hydrology, Model calibration, Modeling, Model validation, Water quality.
The Cardrona Hotel: Creating a New Zealand heritage icon
Authors: Carpenter Lloyd William
Published: August 2018

On the road between the famed tourist hubs of Wanaka and Arrowtown on New Zealand’s South Island lies the former 1860s gold-rush-era town of Cardrona. There, beside an immaculately kept heritage precinct of nineteenth-century wooden buildings, tourists pause at the Cardrona Hotel, an architectural relic of the rush for gold in Central Otago. This hotel has emerged in guidebooks and local histories, and on social media sites and ratings guides, as a tourism and craft beer ‘must-do’ and, according to Heritage New Zealand, has become New Zealand’s most photographed hotel. Its popularity defies belief and even logic, and yet each new visitor to the region appears determined to leave with at least one photograph of its distinctive facade in their portfolio. The story behind the survival of the heritage-listed structure and its elevation to the heights of popular and tourist culture ‘icon’ status stems from a combination of its remote location, the enduring romanticization of the gold rush, a succession of eccentric owners, the mythopoeia of a popular book from the 1950s and its inclusion in a brewer’s marketing campaign. Each has scaffolded the Cardrona Hotel to become iconic to the gold-rush era, heritage tourism and New Zealand’s popular culture and identity.
Conflating class, culture and ethnicity: Casual and culinary forms of racism in Alice Pung’s Laurinda
Authors: Schwegler-Castañer Astrid
Published: August 2018

Literature can function as a lens through which social values are mediated. This characteristic acquires particular relevance in the case of children’s and young adult literatures as the world-view of the young readership is especially susceptible to the ideologies articulated in literary works. This article investigates the critical depiction of Australian multicultural society in Alice Pung’s novel Laurinda (2014). By analysing the role of food in both the novel’s plot and its figurative language, the article explores the novel’s illustration of the alienation of Asian minorities that is triggered by instances of overt and casual racism. The tangibility of foodways enables the illustration of how a lack of interaction between distinct social classes and ethnic groups is conducive to an absence of cross-group understanding that contributes towards the conflation of class, cultural and racial differences and prevents the achievement of the multicultural dream.
‘Dressing up’ two democratic First Ladies: Fashion as political performance in America
Authors: Rall Denise N. , Coghlan Jo , Hackett Lisa J. , Boyd Annita
Published: August 2018

An American First Lady, argues Karin Vasby Anderson, ‘influences conceptions of American womanhood’ and by ‘virtue of their husband’s elections[,] First Ladies become sites for the symbolic negotiation of female identity’. The process of negotiation in female identity appears in various forms after women assume political power, for example: Golda Meir in Israel, Margaret Thatcher in the United Kingdom, Indira Gandhi in India and most recently, Australia’s first female Prime Minister, Julia Gillard (2010–13). While the position of First Lady is unique to American politics, the ways in which Hillary Clinton and Michelle Obama each rejected a ‘suitably feminine’ image provides an important lesson for all women in power. Therefore, we argue here that this analysis of two Democratic American First Ladies and their employment or disregard of fashion informs the gender-based and race-based issues affecting women in political leadership through their choices in dress. When ‘dressing up’ both Hillary Clinton and Michelle Obama struggled with issues of individual identity, subjectivity and power, and negotiated their First Lady roles in their fashion.
Life’s no beach: (Un)popular reality television of the Australian beach
Authors: Ellison Elizabeth
Published: August 2018

Australian national identity has a long history of being intrinsically tied with landscape, and this is captured in representations of Australia in popular culture. Predominantly, representations of Australia have heavily featured the rural Outback, with television remakes of classic films recently released, such as Wake in Fright (2017) and Picnic at Hanging Rock (2018) suggesting there is still interest in this idea of an alien and terrifying Outback environment. And yet, most Australians live in coastal regions, many of which form the edge of urban hubs. The Australian beach plays an important role in establishing national identity in part because of its role as a gateway between the natural and the urban. Morris called the Australian beach ‘ordinary’, while Fiske et al. instead include the beach as one of the ‘myths of Oz’. The beach, therefore, inhabits a complex position in Australian imagination as both an ordinary part of Australian lives as well as a mythically beautiful locale for many Australians and tourists alike. Reality television has become an increasingly popular contemporary mode of storytelling and, despite its global dominance, the genre’s tendency to localize content can therefore reveal elements of Australian cultural identity. However, reality television programmes specifically set on the Australian beach have had varying levels of success, ranging from the strikingly popular Bondi Rescue (2006–present) and Bondi Vet (2009–present) to the almost immediately cancelled The Shire (2012) and Being Lara Bingle (2012). This article examines how these texts represent the complexities of the Australian beach through an analysis of representations of the ordinary, the mythic and the body.