bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
INVESTIGATION OF ULEXITE USAGE IN AUTOMOTIVE BRAKE FRICTION MATERIALS
Authors: Sugözü Banu
Published: May 2018

The automotive brake pads are multi-component composites made up of many materials. There are many studies in the literature exploring the use of many different materials in brake pads. In this study, the use of ulexite which is a commercially valuable derivatives of boron that 65% of the total world reservations exists in Turkey were researched for brake pad material. For this purpose, three brake pad specimens containing ulexite differing in amount (3, 6 and 9 wt.%) were produced by a conventional procedure for a dry formulation following dry-mixing, pre-forming and hot pressing. The density of the specimens was determined based on Archimedes principle in water. The surface hardness of all brake pad specimens was measured using Rockwell hardness tester. The friction performance of the brake pad specimens was determined using a real brake disc-type tester with grey cast iron. The weights of each specimen were taken before and after the friction test, and the specific wear rate was determined in accordance to the TSE 555 (1992) standard. The results showed that all specimens are applicable to the industry, consistent with the literature and suitable to the TS 555 standard. Also, the results indicated that ulexite is an ideal material for brake pads.
PERBEDAAN SIFAT-SIFAT TANAH VERTISOL DARI BERBAGAI BAHAN INDUK
Authors: Prasetyo B. H.
Published: May 2018

Vertisols is black and fertile soils, derived from various parent materials, dominated by smectite clay minerals, and charasterize by crack formation during dry season. Six soil profiles consisted of thirty two soil samples from dIfferent location were analyzed for their chemical and mineralogical composition at the laboratories of Soil Research Center for soil characteristics. Results indicate that the color matrix of Vertisols varies, hue range from 2.5Y to 10YR, color value varies from 2 to 6, and chroma range from 0 to 4. Clay mineral composition of Vertisols is dominated by smectite. Other clay minerals founded in the Vertisols are kaolinite, illite and vermiculite. The mineralogy composition of sand fraction is varies, some of them rich in weatherable minerals like andesine, amfibole, orthoclase, sanidin and the others are dominated by resistant minerals such as quartz and opaque. The mineralogical composition of Vertisols dependent on their parent material. The dominant cations in Vertisols are Ca++ and Mg++. Vertisols from volcanic materials is dominated by Ca++ and followed by Mg++ cations, Vertisols from limestone is dominated by Ca++, while Vertisols from peridotite is dominated by Mg++. All of the Vertisols studied have a high cation exchange capacity with pH’s range from 5.5 to 7.4. In using Vertisols for food plantation, should be consider the high content of Ca++, Mg++ and the water management. The soils should be atleast always in moist condition, otherwise soils become very hard and cracks when dry.
Coverage and access of plant clinic in Nepal
Authors: Adhikari D. , Sharma D.R. , Pandit V. , Schaffner U. , Jenner W. , Dougoud J.
Published: May 2018

Plant clinic is one of the extension approaches that deliver field level services to farmers. In Nepal, this service started in 2008. An assessment of the coverage and access of Plantwise plant clinic in Nepal was conducted from 2013 to 2016 with the view to assess the performance of this approach. The number of plant clinic sessions and queries by farmers increased from 2013 to 2014 whereas in 2015 the numbers of both sessions and queries decreased due to the earthquake that struck the country in April 2015 and disturbances throughout the year. The average number of clinic session run per year was 10.5 and the average number of queries per session was 12. The farmers’ gender ratio for female to male who visited the clinic was 45:55. The coverage and access of plant clinics is increasing, but plant clinics are not yet widespread across Nepal.
Farmers’ perception on climate change and ecological hazards in Riu and Rapti waterbasin, Chitwan, Nepal
Authors: Regmi H.P. , Regmi P.P. , Dutta J.P. , Dangol D.R.
Published: May 2018

A survey research was done to study the farmers’ perception on climate change and ecological hazards in Riu and Rapti water basin, Chitwan, Nepal. Altogether 120 households, 60 from each water basin in Riu and Rapti were selected randomly for the study. Pre-tested interview, direct observation, focus group discussion as well as secondary data from Department of Hydrology and Meteorology (DHM), Kathmandu were used to collect the required information. Majority of the farmers’ perceived the change in climatic condition in their locality in terms of increase in hotter days, decrease in colder days, variability in the number of rainy days, decrease in rainfall duration, increase in amount and intensity of rainfall, late onset and shift of usual monsoon pattern, prolonged occurrences of dry spells, decrease water level in the river as compared to the past decades. Farmers prioritized the floods/riverbank cutting (61.7%) and drought (63.4%) hazards for obtaining immediate solution/adaptation strategies in Riu water basin; and for drought (60%) and loss of wetland and declining water source (45%) in Rapti water basin. Analysis of the climatic data (last 42 years for rainfall and last 30 years for temperature) showed the increasing trend of annual rainfall (6.83 mm per year) and those of both maximum and minimum temperature (0.019°C per year and 0.069°C per year, respectively). These analyses strongly support the farmers’ perception about the climate change and for which immediately effective adaptation mechanism is required.
An overview of pesticide management in Nepal
Authors: Adhikari Parashu Ram
Published: May 2018

Agriculture is a wider sector where 54% people are engaged and one-third GDP contributed to the nation. Due to diverse climatic regions, farmers grow different types of agricultural commodities and presence of different pests reduces their production and thus need to apply pesticides. Pesticide Registration and Management Division under the Department of Agriculture is a legal authority to register as well as restrict or ban certain pesticides used in the agricultural sector in Nepal. The paper also emphasizes how Nepal has doing pesticide reduction for the pest management in agriculture considering the food safety, animal and human health and environment protection. And it also focuses on the legal aspects on pesticide management and status of registered, restricted and banned pesticides in the context of neighboring countries and addresses to fulfill the obligations of the international convention related to pesticides and industrial chemicals.
Effect of irrigation and potash levels on growth and yield of potato
Authors: Adhikari R.C. , Rana M.K.
Published: May 2018

The experiment comprising four levels of irrigation (25, 30, 35 and 40 mm CPE) and four levels of potash (0, 100, 125 and 150 kg/ha) was conducted in Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar during winter season of 2010- 11 and 2011-12 to find out the optimum level of irrigation and potash for better growth and yield of potato. The potato variety used for the investigation was Kufri Bahar. The treatments were laid out in a split plot design with three replications keeping a net plot size of 3.6x3.6 m. The plant height at 45, 60, 75 and 90 days after planting, number of leaves per stem, leaves weight per hill, stem weight per hill, leaf area index and total and marketable tuber yield were significantly high with irrigation level 35 mm CPE and potash @ 150 kg/ha. The two years results suggest that the irrigation level 35 mm CPE in combination with potash @ 150 kg/ha has shown the best treatment combination for potato production under semiarid conditions of Hisar (Haryna).
Performance of Bhote type garlic genotypes under Karnali region of Nepal
Authors: Giri Raj Kumar , Chalise Basant , Paneru Pragati Babu , Subedi Giri Dari , Poudel Bishwash , Regmi Homan , Rana Lokendra , Khadka Dinesh , Kathayat B.D. , Budha Chandra
Published: May 2018

Advance Yield Trial on different Bhote type garlic genotypes collected from different districts of Nepal was carried out at Horticultural Research Station, Rajikot, Jumla for two consecutive years 2013/14 and 2014/15 to evaluate garlic genotypes suitable for the Karnali region of Nepal. Minimal work has been done in past on garlic, almost all of which centered at terai and mid hills that's why this study was carried out to select suitable bhote type garlic genotypes for high hill. Eleven different garlic genotypes were tested on Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replication. Tested genotypes differed significantly for vegetative as well as yield parameters. During 2013, the highest bulb yield (47.41 t/ha) was recorded from ARM 01 followed by Mugu Local (47.01 t/ha), ARM 04 (46.98 t/ha), Kathmandu Local (45.41 t/ha), Chinese (37.91 t/ha) and the lowest from ARM 08 (20.1 t/ha). Similarly, during 2014/15, the highest bulb yield was observed from ARM 01 (50.32 t/ha) followed by Mugu Local (49.91 t/ha), Kathmandu Local (41.62 t/ha), Chinese (29.60 t/ha) and the lowest from ARM 05 (12.51 t/ha). Based on the average result of both years, ARM 01, Mugu Local, Kathmandu Local, ARM 04 and Chinese showed the better productivity ranged from 29.6 t/ha to 50.32 t/ha which are the promising garlic genotypes for the Karnali region of Nepal.
Kecemasan Antara Primigravida dan Multigravida dalam Menghadapi Proses Persalian
Authors: Sondakh Jenny Jeltje , Yuliani Ita
Published: May 2018

Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui komparasi kecemasan antara primigravida denganmultigravida dalam menghadapi proses persalinan. Desain penelitian yang digunakan adalah analitikkomparasi dengan populasi 78 ibu hamil. Sampel berjumlah 30 ibu primigravida dan 30 ibu multigravidadengan cara accidental sampling.Setelah didapatkan data, dilakukan teknik analisa datayang menggunakan uji chi square dapat disimpulkan bahwa tidak ada perbedaan tingkat kecemasanantara primigravida dan multigravida dalam menghadapi proses persalinan.Kesimpulan tidak adaperbedaan yang bermakna tingkat kecemasan antara responden primigravida dan multigravida
STUDI TENTANG PELAKSANAAN ZAKAT PROFESI DI BADAN OPERASI BERSAMA PT. BUMI SIAK PUSAKO-PERTAMINA HULU KABUPATEN SIAK PROVINSI RIAU
Authors: Candra Anton afrizal
Published: May 2018

Artikel ini menguji pelaksanaan zakat di Unit Pengumpul Zakat (UPZ) Badan Operasi Bersama PT. Bumi Siak Pusako-Pertamina Hulu Kabupaten Siak Provinsi Riau menurut Undang-Undang No. 23 Tahun 2011 serta untuk menjelaskan faktor-faktor penghambat pelaksanaan Zakat di UPZ Badan Operasi Bersama PT. Bumi Siak Pusako-Pertamina Hulu Kabupaten Siak Provinsi Riau. Jenis penelitian ini adalah penelitian osio perundang-undangan  dan termasuk kategori penelitian non-doctrinal research, yaitu penelitian ini tidak hanya berpatokan pada menganalisa dan menafsirkan peraturan perundang-undangan melainkan juga mengkaji bagaimana hukum itu berlaku pada kehidupan masyarakat. Artinya, bahwa penelitian yuridis sosiologis menggabungkan penelitian hukum dengan investigasi permasalahan permasalahan sosial. Pengumpulan data menggunakan metode observasi, wawancara, angket, dan dokumentasi. Dengan menganalisis Undang-Undang Nomor 23 Tahun 2011 tentang Pengelolaan Zakat dan Peraturan Pemerintah Nomor 11 Tahun 2014, penelitian menemukan, bahwa pelaksanaan zakat di UPZ yang diteliti belum bernilai maksimal dan efektif sebagai lembaga yang diberikan tugas untuk mengumpulkan dan mengelola serta mendistribusikan  dana zakat. Kondisi ini sangat disayangkan, mengingat sumber daya manusia dan sumber daya alam di Kabupaten Siak yang dimiliki.Kata Kunci: Zakat, UPZ BOB PT. Bumi Siak Pusako-Pertamina Hulu, Undang-Undang Nomor 23 Tahun 2011
KONTRIBUSI TRADISI HAROA DALAM PENDIDIKAN KARAKTER MASYARAKAT BUTON
Authors: Karim Nurdin
Published: May 2018

This study aims to (1) find out how the harmonic tradition exists in Buton society, (2) know the tradition forms of Buton society, and (3) know the character values in the tradition of Buton society. This study uses a descriptive qualitative approach that describes the process of harmonic tradition implementation in Buton society. The data is obtained through observation, interview, and documentation. The data source consists of 15 people consisting of syara Masjid, customary leaders, and village and community leaders. Data analysis is undertaken by using Miles & Huberman analysis model. The results showed that the implementation of the haroa is a hereditary tradition created by Buton society where the implementation is done from house to house, in the mosque, and in other places mutually agreed. The forms of haroa practice can be classified as follows: (a) haroa for the big days of Islam, such as isra'mi'raj, maulid of the Prophet Mauhammad Saw, Sha'ban, ramadhan, lailatul qadar night, feast of Eid fithri and Eid adha (b) haroa for syukuran / selamatan, (c) haroa for death (poalona mate). The character values contained in the tradition of the haroa are religiousity, gratitude, togetherness, love and affection, unity, help, care, deliberation, and tolerance.
ANAK JALANAN DI KOTA KENDARI MENUJU KOTA LAYAK ANAK
Authors: Masdin Masdin
Published: May 2018

Street children in Kendari are as same as other children in the universe who have the right to get education and play around. This study aims to analyze the street children phenomenon within the framework child-friendly-city (KLA). Some of the street children in Kendari attend formal school and some of them take informal one, especially in one of street children communities in Kendari; called KOJAK, or most of them do not attend any educational institutions since they encounter financial problem. They make a living in the streets to help their parents’ economy condition.  Some of them are staying with their parents, but others have no place to live and stay on the road. They work as street musician to fulfill their needs. Recently, there is no special education for street children facilitated by the government. Under KLA framework, the children need to obtain education because it is their right to pursue their dreams in the future.  The city government has not facilitated education for street children, and the street children who attend school are initiatives from parents or non-governmental organizations.
Growth and characterization of Cd1-xZnxTe (0 \leq x \leq 1) nanolayers grown by isothermal closed space atomic layer deposition on GaSb and GaAs
Authors: Castillo Ojeda R. S. , Díaz-Reyes Joel , Galván-Arellano M. , Rivera-Hernández K. N. , Villa-Ramírez M. S. , Luna-Suárez S.
Published: May 2018

In this work are presented the results obtained from the deposition of Cd1-xZnxTe nanolayers using as precursor the vapours of the elements Zn, Te, and a mixture of Cd and Zn on GaAs and GaSb (001) substrates by Atomic Layer Deposition technique (ALD), which allows the deposition of layers of nanometric dimensions. At each exposure of the growth surface to the of cation or anion precursors vapours, this surface is saturated. Therefore, it is considered that the process is self-regulated. The ZnTe layers were grown in a wide range of temperatures; however, ZnTe nanolayers with a shiny mirror-like surface could be grown at temperatures between 370 and 410oC. Temperatures higher than 400oC were necessary for the CdTe growth. The layers of the Cd1-xZnxTe ternary alloy were deposited at temperature range of 400 and 425oC. The grown nanofilms were characterized by Raman spectroscopy and high-resolution X-ray diffraction. The Raman spectrum shows the peak corresponding to LO-ZnTe at 208 cm-1, which is weak and is slightly redshifted in comparison with the reported for the bulk ZnTe. For the case of the CdTe nanolayers, Raman spectrum presents the LO-CdTe peak, which is indicative of the successfully growth of the nanolayers, its weakness and its slight redshifted in comparison with the reported for the bulk CdTe can be related with the nanometric characteristic of this layer. The performed high resolution X-ray diffraction measurements allowed to study some important characteristics, as the crystallinity of the grown layers. Additionally, the performed HR-XRD measurements suggest that the crystalline quality have dependence with the growth temperature.
Preparation, characterization and temperature-dependent photoluminescence in Ca0.90Sr0.10RuO3 compound
Authors: Quiroz Adolfo , Abatal M. , Chavira E. , García-Vázquez V. , Marinero E. , Nishioka M.
Published: May 2018

We report the Ca0.90Sr0.10RuO3 compound synthesized by solid-state reaction method at ambient pressure using temperatures between 700 and 800◦C in air. By X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), we determine a solid solution until Ca0.85Sr0.15RuO3 compound. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) indicates than the particle size varies between 0.422 and 1.598 µm. The resistance measurement, as a function of temperature measurement from 10 to 300 K for Ca0.90Sr0.10RuO3 compound shows a metallic behavior. Finally, photoluminescence (PL) and its temperature dependence of  Ca0.90Sr0.10RuO3  compound in the temperature range 6.7-296 K were measured. It was observed than the main broad band centered at ∼ 1.73 eV with the shoulders at ∼ 1.38 eV and ∼ 2.05 eV exists in the entire temperature range. It can be well fitted by three Gaussian curves B1, B2 and B3, centered at ∼ 1.38, ∼ 1.73 and ∼ 2.05 eV, respectively. The transitions identified as B1 and B2  are studied with temperature. The photoluminescence mechanics for Ca0.90Sr0.10RuO3  compound are presented based on the electronic structures formed by the interactions among spin, charge and lattice, in which B1 was identified with the charge transfer excitation of an electron from the lower Jahn-Teller split eg level of a Ru3+ ion to the eg level of an adjacent Ru4+ ion, B2 was assigned to the transition between the spin up and spin down eg bands separated by Hund’s coupling energy Ej , whereas B3 is attributed to the transition, determined by the crystal field energy Ec between a t2g core electron of Ru3+ to the spin up eg bands of Ru4+ by a dipole allowed charge transfer rocess.
Rare earths (Ce, Eu) molar concentration-dependent of the structural and optical properties of CBD-CdS nanofilms
Authors: Diaz-Reyes Joel , Contreras-Rascón Jorge Indalecio , Linares-Avilés Mariana Enelia , Sánchez-Ramírez José Francisco , Flores-Mena José Eladio , Castillo-Ojeda Roberto Saul , Peralta-Clara Maria de la Cruz , Veloz-Rendón Julieta Salomé
Published: May 2018

It presents the characterization of rare earths (Eu,Ce)-doped CdS nanofilms that were synthesised by the growth technique chemical bath deposition (CBD) at the reservoir temperature of 70±2°C. The doping of CdS with rare earths is performed by varying the synthesis time from 60 to 135 min. The rare earths molar concentration was range from 0.0≤x≤3.5, which was determined by energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis and Raman scattering reveal that CdS nanofilms showed the zinc blende (ZB) crystalline phase. The CdS average nanocrystal size was ranged from 1.84 to 2.67 nm that was determined by the Debye–Scherrer equation from ZB (111) direction, which was confirmed by transmission electron microscopy. Raman scattering shows that the lattice dynamics is characteristic of bimodal behaviour and the multipeaks adjust of the first optical longitudinal mode for the (Eu,Ce)-doped CdS, which denotes the Raman shift of the characteristic peak about 305 cm−1 of the CdS nanocrystals. The CdS nanofilms exhibit a direct bandgap that slightly decreases with increasing doping, from 2.50 to 2.42 eV, which was obtained by room temperature transmittance. The room-temperature photoluminescence of CdS shows the band-to-band transition at 2.88 eV, which is associated to quantum confinement and a dominant radiative band at 2.37 eV that is called the optical signature of interstitial oxygen. The Eu3+-doped CdS photoluminescence shows the dominant radiative band at 2.15 eV, which is associated to the intra-4f radiative transition of Eu3+ ions that corresponds to the magnetic dipole transition, (5D0→7F1). For the Ce3+-doped CdS the dominant radiative transition, at 2.06 eV, is clearly redshifted, although the passivation of the CdS nanofilms by Ce was approximately by a factor about 21 for the best results.
“Riel … vivra dans notre histoire”: The Response of French Canadians in the United States to Louis Riel’s Execution
Authors: Richard Mark Paul
Published: May 2018

This essay examines the visits of the Métis leader Louis Riel to French-Canadian population centres in the northeastern United States in the mid-1870s. It explores the responses of French-Canadian immigrants to Riel’s execution following the 1885 rebellions he led in the North-West Territories against the authority of the nascent Canadian federal government. French Canadians in New England and New York called for clemency for Riel and organized protest meetings following his hanging. This essay thus sheds light on ethnic and religious transnationalism in the nineteenth century. It highlights what French-Canadian descendants in the US Northeast had to say about Riel and about the perceived place of francophone minorities in Canada and the United States. Their responses to Riel’s execution served to challenge social and political boundaries as well as the limits of citizenship in nineteenth-century North America.
Teaching Slaughter: Mapping Changes in Emotions in Veterinary Students during Training in Humane Slaughter
Authors: Hulsbergen Michiel H. , Dop Petra Y. , Vernooij Johannes C. M. , Burt Sara A.
Published: May 2018

As part of their training, Dutch veterinary students learn how to carry out the humane slaughter of livestock, which many students consider emotionally challenging. The aims of this study were to plot changes in self-reported emotions in veterinary students at different time points during an educational program on humane slaughter using emotion cards and to assess the change in reported emotions after adding a video and a short period of self-reflection to the program. Emotions were mapped in five groups of students at the beginning, middle, and end of the program by asking them to select from 40 cards depicting emotions in photo and text. Then two changes were made to the course program: a video of an expert slaughterman stunning and bleeding a bovine was shown, and the students were requested to spend 2 minutes picturing themselves carrying out the same procedures. To evaluate the effect of these improvements to the course, the following five groups of students were asked in the same way to indicate their emotions at the same three time points. Adding the video and short period of self-reflection did not change the emotions reported by students. Our results indicate that instruction in humane slaughter techniques involves a significant mental challenge for students. The use of emotion cards by teachers could provide useful insights into emotional aspects of the more challenging programs for students.
The French and the Italians in relation to the difference principle
Authors: Forsé Michel , Tronca Luigi
Published: May 2018

According to John Rawls, maximin, which requires that the economic situation of the most underprivileged should be maximized, is one of the fundamental principles of social justice. Based on three scenarios which attempt to place respondents behind a “veil of ignorance”, a French survey (PISJ, 2009) and an Italian survey (OSCF, 2016) conducted on representative quota-based samples show that support for this principle considerably outweighs support for strong equality and the maximization of total or average wealth. In addition, this choice transcends many sociodemographic or ideological divisions. The respondents were, however, much more undecided about which is more just: a society in which the poorest members are more numerous but richer or a society in which the poorest members are fewer in number but poorer. The robustness of the findings is confirmed by the similarity between the results from France and Italy.
Écrire l’instabilité de la démocratie : les archives Tocqueville
Authors: Arens Nicolas
Published: May 2018

À qui veut donner une définition de la dynamique démocratique sans réduire sa diversité de sens, la première œuvre de Tocqueville offre un champ d’étude particulièrement riche. Nous tenterons alors de présenter la méthode d’écriture qu’utilise l’auteur pour saisir et appréhender une société qu’il considérait comme foncièrement en mouvement et dotée d’un sens instable, « en tension », dirons-nous. Pour ce faire, l’usage des archives Tocqueville, surtout des notes qui préparent à la rédaction du livre final, sera privilégié et nous permettra de présenter les ambiguïtés et les tâtonnements de l’auteur dans sa « grande affaire » qu’était la compréhension de la démocratie. C’est donc en revenant, dans un premier temps, sur l’écriture et le style de l’auteur, et en mobilisant, dans un deuxième temps, les archives en tant que matière brute de ses pensées, que nous considérerons, enfin, la tension entre l’égalité et la liberté comme instabilité exemplaire du sens démocratique. Ce parcours nous mettra en présence d’une multiplicité contradictoire décrite par un « Tocqueville écrivain », aux prises avec son style et ses idées, tout autant que par un « Tocqueville écrivant », qui surveille sa stratégie et son positionnement politique.
Synthesis and Characterization of Photosensitive Ionic Liquid Surfactant 4-Butylazobenzene-4′-(Oxyethyl)Methylimidazolium with Br− and BF4− Counterions
Authors: Song Shili , Hao Wenli , Yang Dongxiao , Tain Qingqing , Lu Jingwen
Published: May 2018

The photo-responsive ionic liquid surfactants 4-Butylazobenzene-4′-(oxyethyl)methylimidazolium with Br− (AZMIMBr) and BF4− (AZMIMBF4) counterions were synthesized, and their structures were characterized by means of 1H NMR. Their properties for pre- or post-UV irradiation were investigated by employing tensiometry, electrical conductance, thermal gravimetry-differential scanning calorimetry (TG-DSC) and small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS). The effect of UV irradiation time on photoisomerization of two surfactants solutions was evaluated, which showed the photoisomerization efficiency decreases with an increase of their concentrations. After UV irradiation, the CMC value of the two surfactants increased, whereas, the surface tensions at CMC (γCMC) and the fraction of counterion binding (β) were approximately the same. SAXS coupled with polarized optical microscopic studies (POM studies) confirmed that the liquid crystal textures of AZMIMBr could be affected by UV-irradiation. The detailed analysis of thermodynamic parameters revealed that the micellizaton of AZMIMBr was entropy-driven, and the micellization of AZMIMBF4 was enthalpy-driven.
Ultra-Low Interfacial Tension of a Surfactant under a Wide Range of Temperature and Salinity Conditions for Chemical Enhanced Oil Recovery
Authors: Xu Derong , Kang Wanli , Zhang Liming , Jiang Jiatong , Li Zhe , Lu Yao , Zhang Pengyi , Wu Hairong
Published: May 2018

Ultra-low interfacial tension (IFT) is an important parameter for selecting surfactants to apply in chemical enhanced oil recovery (CEOR). In this study, the IFT between the solution of the surfactant ANSM and Dagang crude oil was measured using the spinning drop method. The effects of the surfactant concentration, temperature, salt types and aging time on the IFT were investigated in detail. The results showed that ANSM effectively reduced the IFT without alkali. Ultra-low IFT was formed in a wide range of surfactant concentrations from 0.05∼ 0.5 wt.% and a wide range of temperatures from 20∼80°C. In addition, ANSM also showed great NaCl tolerance, with a maximum NaCl concentration of 130000 mg · L−1. Furthermore, 0.1 wt.% ANSM maintained an ultra-low IFT, even with 900 mg · L−1 CaCl2 or 1300 mg · L−1 MgCl2, in the presence of 10000 mg · L−1 NaCl. ANSM also had an excellent stability; the solution maintained the ultra-low IFT for 60 days at 90°C. Thus, ANSM proved itself as a potential candidate for CEOR.
Assessment of a Targeted Trap-Neuter-Return Pilot Study in Auckland, New Zealand
Authors: Zito Sarah , Aguilar Glenn , Vigeant Shalsee , Dale Arnja
Published: May 2018

There is a need for effective and humane management tools to manage urban stray cats and minimise negative impacts associated with stray cats. One such tool is targeted trap-neuter-return (TTNR), but no concerted implementation of this technique or formal assessments have been reported. To address this deficit, a TTNR programme was implemented and assessed in one Auckland suburb from May 2015 to June 2016; the programme sterilised and returned 348 cats (4.2 cats/1000 residents). Assessment was based on the number of incoming felines; stray, unsocialised cats euthanased; unsocialised, unowned cats sterilised and returned (independently of the TTNR programme); and neonatal/underage euthanasias. Incoming stray felines, underage euthanasias, and unsocialised stray cat euthanasias were all reduced for the targeted suburb when compared for the years before and after the programme (the percentage reduction in these parameters was −39, −17, −34, −7, and −47, respectively). These outcome measures had a greater reduction in the targeted suburb compared to the Auckland suburbs not targeted by the TTNR programme (p < 0.01), although causation cannot be inferred, as a variety of reasons could have contributed to the changes. This pilot programme suggests that TTNR could be a valuable, humane cat management tool in urban New Zealand, and further assessment is warranted.
Dyslexia and Fonts: Is a Specific Font Useful?
Authors: Bachmann Christina , Mengheri Lauro
Published: May 2018

Nowadays, several books published in different fonts advertised as being particularly suitable for dyslexics are available on the market. Our research aimed to assess the significance of a specific reading font especially designed for dyslexia, called EasyReading™. The performances of good readers and dyslexics were compared. Fourth grade primary school students (533 students in total) were assessed based on reading tasks presented with two different layouts: the popular Times New Roman and EasyReading™, in order to investigate whether children’s performances were influenced by the fonts used. The results of the study were both statistically and clinically significant, proving that EasyReading™ can be considered a compensating tool for readers with dyslexia, and a simplifying font for all categories of readers.
Optimization of Chemical Processes by the Hydrodynamic Simulation Method (HSM)
Authors: Bentolila Moshe , Alshanski Israel , Novoa Roberto , Gilon Chaim
Published: May 2018

We describe a hydrodynamic simulation method (HSM) that is based on hydrodynamic considerations in Batch and Semi Batch stirred reactor systems. The method combines hydrodynamic studies of the mixing procedure obtained from experiments in small and large scale stirred reactors together with process simulation by VisiMix software. We describe how this hydrodynamic simulation method can aid in process optimization and scale up. The use of the simulation method described in this article, will offer the user the possibility to achieve the best results during production stage, saving time and currency, and at the same time increasing the knowledge of the performed process. Several examples in the article demonstrate the benefits of the proposed method.
Quantifying the Effects of Topology and Weight for Link Prediction in Weighted Complex Networks
Authors: Liu Bo , Xu Shuang , Li Ting , Xiao Jing , Xu Xiao-Ke
Published: May 2018

In weighted networks, both link weight and topological structure are significant characteristics for link prediction. In this study, a general framework combining null models is proposed to quantify the impact of the topology, weight correlation and statistics on link prediction in weighted networks. Three null models for topology and weight distribution of weighted networks are presented. All the links of the original network can be divided into strong and weak ties. We can use null models to verify the strong effect of weak or strong ties. For two important statistics, we construct two null models to measure their impacts on link prediction. In our experiments, the proposed method is applied to seven empirical networks, which demonstrates that this model is universal and the impact of the topology and weight distribution of these networks in link prediction can be quantified by it. We find that in the USAir, the Celegans, the Gemo, the Lesmis and the CatCortex, the strong ties are easier to predict, but there are a few networks whose weak edges can be predicted more easily, such as the Netscience and the CScientists. It is also found that the weak ties contribute more to link prediction in the USAir, the NetScience and the CScientists, that is, the strong effect of weak ties exists in these networks. The framework we proposed is versatile, which is not only used to link prediction but also applicable to other directions in complex networks.
Fault Diagnosis of Gearboxes Using Nonlinearity and Determinism by Generalized Hurst Exponents of Shuffle and Surrogate Data
Authors: Dou Chunhong , Wei Xueye , Lin Jinshan
Published: May 2018

Vibrations of defective gearboxes show great complexities. Therefore, dynamics and noise levels of vibrations of gearboxes vary with operation of gearboxes. As a result, nonlinearity and determinism of data can serve to describe running conditions of gearboxes. However, measuring of nonlinearity and determinism of data is challenging. This paper defines a two-dimensional measure for simultaneously quantifying nonlinearity and determinism of data by comparing generalized Hurst exponents of original, shuffle and surrogate data. Afterwards, this paper proposes a novel method for fault diagnosis of gearboxes using the two-dimensional measure. Robustness of the proposed method was validated numerically by analyzing simulative signals with different noise levels. Moreover, the performance of the proposed method was benchmarked against Approximate Entropy, Sample Entropy, Permutation Entropy and Delay Vector Variance by conducting two independent gearbox experiments. The results show that the proposed method achieves superiority over the others in fault diagnosis of gearboxes.
Numerical Study on the Characteristic of Temperature Drop of Crude Oil in a Model Oil Tanker Subjected to Oscillating Motion
Authors: Yu Guojun , Yang Qiuli , Dai Bing , Fu Zaiguo , Lin Duanlin
Published: May 2018

During tanker transportation, crude oil is heated occasionally to ensure its good flowability. Whether the heating scheme is scientific or not directly influences the safety and economy of the tanker transportation. The determination of a scientific heating scheme requires fully understanding of the characteristic of oil temperature drop during tanker transportation. However, the oscillation caused by the marine environment leads to totally different thermal and hydraulic characteristic from that of the static cases. Therefore, a systematic investigation of thermal and hydraulic process of the motion system is more than necessary. Since the marine is subjected to rotational and/or translational motion, the essence of the temperature drop process is an unsteady mixed convection process accompanied with free liquid surface movement. In this study, the movement of the free liquid surface and the characteristic of the temperature drop of the crude oil in the cargo when the tanker is subjected to rotational motion were investigated using ANSYS FLUENT (15.0, Ansys, Inc., Canonsburg, PA, USA) with user defined functions. The research result shows that the oscillating motion leads to the motion of the free surface, converting the natural convection for the static case to forced convection, and thus significantly enhancing the temperature drop rate. It is found that the temperature drop rate is positively related to the rotational angular velocity.
Optimal Efficiency Tracking Control Scheme Based on Power Stabilization for a Wireless Power Transfer System with Multiple Receivers
Authors: Li Yang , Song Kai , Li Zhenjie , Jiang Jinhai , Zhu Chunbo
Published: May 2018

With the increase of charging requirements in electrical equipment, the wireless power transfer (WPT) system with multiple receivers has gained more attention as the charging power and efficiency of a WPT system depends on the equivalent reflected impedance of the load. Based on the circuit model analysis of a single receiver WPT system, this paper investigated the multiple-receiver WPT system. The relationship between the mutual inductance, load, and system efficiency was discussed and the optimal load, the equivalent reflected impedance, and power division method were analyzed to design the proposed system control scheme. With the use of the perturbation and observation (P&O) algorithm control method, the current of transfer and receivers were regulated to achieve stable constant power charging. Furthermore, when searching the minimum input power of the system, the optimal efficiency under a fixed power division ratio was also received. The validity of the proposed system control method was confirmed by simulation and experimental results. Under the proposed control method, an efficiency above 80% can be achieved for a multiple-receiver WPT system with a fixed power division ratio working at 6.78 MHz.
Heat Generation Characteristics of LiFePO4 Pouch Cells with Passive Thermal Management
Authors: Neupane Soham , Alipanah Morteza , Barnes Derek , Li Xianglin
Published: May 2018

This article experimentally investigates the heat generation characteristics and the effectiveness of passive cooling of commercially available LiFePO4 (7.25 mm × 160 mm × 227 mm, 19.5 Ah) cells using different cooling materials. The specific heat capacity and the entropy coefficient of the cell are experimentally measured. The heat generation rate of the cell at 1–4 C current rates are also determined using three different methods: (1) the heat absorption calculated from the temperature increase of cooling water; (2) the energy loss calculated from the difference between the operating voltage and open circuit voltage; and (3) the energy loss during a charge-discharge cycle calculated using the voltage difference between charging and discharging. Results show that the heat generation rate estimated from heat absorbed by the water can be underestimated by up to 47.8% because of the temperature gradient within the cell and on the surface. The effectiveness of different passive cooling materials is compared at discharge current rates of 1–3 C. The average increase of the cell surface temperature is 22.6, 17.1, 7.7, 7.2 and 6.4 °C at 3 C (58.5 A) using air, aluminum foam, octadecane, water with aluminum foam and water, respectively.
The Impact and Outreach of Soundscape Research
Authors: Kang Jian , Aletta Francesco
Published: May 2018

Soundscape has been growing steadily as a research field since its interdisciplinary concepts were first introduced about 50 years ago in music theory and acoustic ecology, and it currently affects a broad spectrum of disciplines ranging from social sciences to urban planning and noise control engineering. In spite of its strong research appeal, it is not clear what the actual impact and outreach of soundscape science is at a societal level; that is: how soundscape research is received by community. Using the Altmetric database, this review aims to map how and where soundscape research is “mentioned”, considering the number of mentions over time, their geographical spread and effectiveness of publication outlets. Results show that mentions are growing with time, they mostly originate in the United States and the United Kingdom, and they are generated by a limited number of research items.
Socioeconomic Constraints to Biomass Removal from Forest Lands for Fire Risk Reduction in the Western U.S.
Authors: Nicholls David , Halbrook Jeffrey , Benedum Michelle , Han Han-Sup , Lowell Eini , Becker Dennis , Barbour R.
Published: May 2018

Many socioeconomic constraints exist for biomass removals from federal lands in the western U.S. We examine several issues of importance, including biomass supply chains and harvesting costs, innovative new uses for bioenergy products, and the policy framework in place to provide incentives for biomass use. Western states vary greatly in the extent and utilization of forest resources, the proportion of land under federal ownership, and community and stakeholder structure and dynamics. Our research—which focused on the socioeconomic factors associated with biomass removal, production, and use—identified several important trends. Long-term stewardship projects could play a role in influencing project economics while being conducive to private investment. State policies are likely to help guide the growth of biomass utilization for energy products. New markets and technologies, such as biofuels, for use in the aviation industry, torrefied wood, mobile pyrolysis, and wood coal cofiring could greatly change the landscape of biomass use. Social needs of residents in wildland urban interfaces will play an important role, especially in an era of megafires. All of these trends—including significant unknowns, like the volatile prices of fossil energy—are likely to affect the economics of biomass removal and use in western forests.
Effect of Processing on Postprandial Glycemic Response and Consumer Acceptability of Lentil-Containing Food Items
Authors: Ramdath D. , Wolever Thomas , Siow Yaw , Ryland Donna , Hawke Aileen , Taylor Carla , Zahradka Peter , Aliani Michel
Published: May 2018

The consumption of pulses is associated with many health benefits. This study assessed post-prandial blood glucose response (PPBG) and the acceptability of food items containing green lentils. In human trials we: (i) defined processing methods (boiling, pureeing, freezing, roasting, spray-drying) that preserve the PPBG-lowering feature of lentils; (ii) used an appropriate processing method to prepare lentil food items, and compared the PPBG and relative glycemic responses (RGR) of lentil and control foods; and (iii) conducted consumer acceptability of the lentil foods. Eight food items were formulated from either whole lentil puree (test) or instant potato (control). In separate PPBG studies, participants consumed fixed amounts of available carbohydrates from test foods, control foods, or a white bread standard. Finger prick blood samples were obtained at 0, 15, 30, 45, 60, 90, and 120 min after the first bite, analyzed for glucose, and used to calculate incremental area under the blood glucose response curve and RGR; glycemic index (GI) was measured only for processed lentils. Mean GI (± standard error of the mean) of processed lentils ranged from 25 ± 3 (boiled) to 66 ± 6 (spray-dried); the GI of spray-dried lentils was significantly (p < 0.05) higher than boiled, pureed, or roasted lentil. Overall, lentil-based food items all elicited significantly lower RGR compared to potato-based items (40 ± 3 vs. 73 ± 3%; p < 0.001). Apricot chicken, chicken pot pie, and lemony parsley soup had the highest overall acceptability corresponding to “like slightly” to “like moderately”. Processing influenced the PPBG of lentils, but food items formulated from lentil puree significantly attenuated PPBG. Formulation was associated with significant differences in sensory attributes.
Microbial Community Analysis of Sauerkraut Fermentation Reveals a Stable and Rapidly Established Community
Authors: Zabat Michelle A. , Sano William H. , Wurster Jenna I. , Cabral Damien J. , Belenky Peter
Published: May 2018

Despite recent interest in microbial communities of fermented foods, there has been little inquiry into the bacterial community dynamics of sauerkraut, one of the world’s oldest and most prevalent fermented foods. In this study, we utilize 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing to profile the microbial community of naturally fermented sauerkraut throughout the fermentation process while also analyzing the bacterial communities of the starting ingredients and the production environment. Our results indicate that the sauerkraut microbiome is rapidly established after fermentation begins and that the community is stable through fermentation and packaging for commercial sale. Our high-throughput analysis is in agreement with previous studies that utilized traditional microbiological assessments but expands the identified taxonomy. Additionally, we find that the microbial communities of the starting ingredients and the production facility environment exhibit low relative abundance of the lactic acid bacteria that dominate fermented sauerkraut.
Selecting the Best: Evolutionary Engineering of Chemical Production in Microbes
Authors: Shepelin Denis , Hansen Anne , Lennen Rebecca , Luo Hao , Herrgård Markus
Published: May 2018

Microbial cell factories have proven to be an economical means of production for many bulk, specialty, and fine chemical products. However, we still lack both a holistic understanding of organism physiology and the ability to predictively tune enzyme activities in vivo, thus slowing down rational engineering of industrially relevant strains. An alternative concept to rational engineering is to use evolution as the driving force to select for desired changes, an approach often described as evolutionary engineering. In evolutionary engineering, in vivo selections for a desired phenotype are combined with either generation of spontaneous mutations or some form of targeted or random mutagenesis. Evolutionary engineering has been used to successfully engineer easily selectable phenotypes, such as utilization of a suboptimal nutrient source or tolerance to inhibitory substrates or products. In this review, we focus primarily on a more challenging problem—the use of evolutionary engineering for improving the production of chemicals in microbes directly. We describe recent developments in evolutionary engineering strategies, in general, and discuss, in detail, case studies where production of a chemical has been successfully achieved through evolutionary engineering by coupling production to cellular growth.
Consumer Preference and Attitude Regarding Online Food Products in Hanoi, Vietnam
Authors: Kim Dang Anh , Xuan Tran Bach , Tat Nguyen Cuong , Thi Le Huong , Thi Do Hoa , Duc Nguyen Hinh , Hoang Nguyen Long , Huu Nguyen Tu , Thi Mai Hue , Dinh Tran Tho , Ngo Chau , Thi Minh Vu Thuc , Latkin Carl , Zhang Melvyn , Ho Roger
Published: May 2018

This study aimed to examine: (1) how the Internet has changed consumers food-buying behavior and identify its associated factors; (2) consumers’ concern about food safety information of online food products. A cross-sectional study was performed from October to December 2015 in Hanoi—a Vietnamese epicenter of food service. One thousand seven hundred and thirty six (1736) customers were randomly chosen from food establishments of 176 communes. Data were collected through face-to-face interviews using structured questionnaires. The majority of participants reported using the Internet to search for food products (81.3%). The most crucial factors influencing food purchases through the Internet were convenience (69.1%) and price (59.3%). Only one-third of participants selected products based on accurate evidence about food safety certification or food origin. The majority of participants were concerned about the expiration date (51.6%), while brand (9.8%) and food licensing information (11.3%) were often neglected. People who were:(1) female, (2) highly influenced by online relationships, and (3) having difficulty in doing usual activities were more likely to look for online food products. These findings produce practical advice to consumers when purchasing their desired food products on the Internet, to online food retailers and to the Government of Vietnam to implement appropriate legislation regarding trading online food products.