bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Highly Efficient and Durable Fluorescent Paper Produced from Bacterial Cellulose/Eu Complex and Cellulosic Fibers
Authors: Zhang Mingquan , Wu Xiao , Hu Zhenhua , Xiang Zhouyang , Song Tao , Lu Fachuang
Published: September 2019

The general method of producing fluorescent paper by coating fluorescent substances onto paper base faces the problems of low efficiency and poor durability. Bacterial cellulose (BC) with its nanoporous structure can be used to stabilize fluorescent particles. In this study, we used a novel method to produce fluorescent paper by first making Eu/BC complex and then processing the complex and cellulosic fibers into composite paper sheets. For this composting method, BC can form very stable BC/Eu complex due to its nanoporous structure, while the plant-based cellulosic fibers reduce the cost and provide stiffness to the materials. The fluorescent paper demonstrated a great fluorescent property and efficiency. The ultraviolet absorbance or the fluorescent intensity of the Eu-BC fluorescent paper increased with the increase of Eu-BC content but remained little changed after Eu-BC content was higher than 5%. After folding 200 times, the fluorescence intensity of fluorescent paper decreased by only 0.7%, which suggested that the Eu-BC fluorescent paper has great stability and durability.
Amorphous Sb2S3 Nanospheres In-Situ Grown on Carbon Nanotubes: Anodes for NIBs and KIBs
Authors: Li Meng , Huang Fengbin , Pan Jin , Li Luoyang , Zhang Yifan , Yao Qingrong , Zhou Huaiying , Deng Jianqiu
Published: September 2019

Antimony sulfide (Sb2S3) with a high theoretical capacity is considered as a promising candidate for Na-ion batteries (NIBs) and K-ion batteries (KIBs). However, its poor electrochemical activity and structural stability are the main issues to be solved. Herein, amorphous Sb2S3 nanospheres/carbon nanotube (Sb2S3/CNT) nanocomposites are successfully synthesized via one step self-assembly method. In-situ growth of amorphous Sb2S3 nanospheres on the CNTs is confirmed by X-ray diffraction, field-emission scanning electron microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. The amorphous Sb2S3/CNT nanocomposites as an anode for NIBs exhibit excellent electrochemical performance, delivering a high charge capacity of 870 mA h g−1 at 100 mA g−1, with an initial coulomb efficiency of 77.8%. Even at 3000 mA g−1, a charge capacity of 474 mA h g−1 can be achieved. As an anode for KIBs, the amorphous Sb2S3/CNT nanocomposites also demonstrate a high charge capacity of 451 mA h g−1 at 25 mA g−1. The remarkable performance of the amorphous Sb2S3/CNT nanocomposites is attributed to the synergic effects of the amorphous Sb2S3 nanospheres and 3D porous conductive network constructed by the CNTs.
SnSe2 Quantum Dots: Facile Fabrication and Application in Highly Responsive UV-Detectors
Authors: Li Xiangyang , Li Ling , Zhao Huancheng , Ruan Shuangchen , Zhang Wenfei , Yan Peiguang , Sun Zhenhua , Liang Huawei , Tao Keyu
Published: September 2019

Synthesizing quantum dots (QDs) using simple methods and utilizing them in optoelectronic devices are active areas of research. In this paper, we fabricated SnSe2 QDs via sonication and a laser ablation process. Deionized water was used as a solvent, and there were no organic chemicals introduced in the process. It was a facile and environmentally-friendly method. We demonstrated an ultraviolet (UV)-detector based on monolayer graphene and SnSe2 QDs. The photoresponsivity of the detector was up to 7.5 × 106 mAW−1, and the photoresponse time was ~0.31 s. The n–n heterostructures between monolayer graphene and SnSe2 QDs improved the light absorption and the transportation of photocarriers, which could greatly increase the photoresponsivity of the device.
Lipids, Lipoprotein Distribution and Nutritional Parameters over the Ramadan Period in Hemodialysis Patients
Authors: Tashkandi Bayan , Kaur Deepinder , Latifi Eno , Tallman Dina A. , Chinna Karuthan , Daud Zulfitri Azuan Mat , Karupaiah Tilakavati , Alhozali Hanadi , Khosla Pramod
Published: September 2019

The period of Ramadan (R) is associated with dramatic changes in eating habits involving extended periods of fasting on a daily basis. The current study assessed whether lipids and lipoproteins were impacted during R in chronic hemodialysis (HD) patients. Forty-five subjects in an outpatient dialysis clinic in Saudi Arabia were evaluated for anthropometric and lipid changes on a monthly basis before, during as well as one and two months after R. In addition to routine biochemical measures, anthropometric assessments including hand-grip strength (HGS), mid-arm muscle circumference (MAMC), plasma lipids and lipoproteins were evaluated. Dietary assessment was carried out using 24 h recalls. Over the course of the study, changes in renal-related parameters (creatinine, albumin, Kt/V) were minor, as were changes in plasma lipids. Large high-density lipoproteins (HDLs) and low-density lipoproteins (LDLs) accounted for the majority of their respective lipoproteins and their proportions did not change over the study period. Mean LDL particle diameters were higher during the R period, but the changes over the study period were small. Calorie intake during R (2139 ± 709 kcal/d) was significantly higher than the value noted two month post-R (1755 ± 424 kcal/d) and this was associated with significant increases in protein (69 ± 24 vs. 60 ± 24 g/d) and fat (97 ± 38, vs. 73 ± 35 g/d), respectively. No changes were noted with respect to HGS and MAMC. These data show that for HD patients, the period of R results in temporal or non-significant effects on plasma lipids, despite changes in nutrient intake.
Interdisciplinary Weight Loss and Lifestyle Intervention for Obstructive Sleep Apnoea in Adults: Rationale, Design and Methodology of the INTERAPNEA Study
Authors: Carneiro-Barrera Almudena , Amaro-Gahete Francisco J. , Díaz-Román Amparo , Guillén-Riquelme Alejandro , Jurado-Fasoli Lucas , Sáez-Roca Germán , Martín-Carrasco Carlos , Ruiz Jonatan R. , Buela-Casal Gualberto
Published: September 2019

Obesity is a major risk factor for obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA), the most common sleep-disordered breathing related to neurocognitive and metabolic syndromes, type II diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases. Although strongly recommended for this condition, there are no studies on the effectiveness of an interdisciplinary weight loss and lifestyle intervention including nutrition, exercise, sleep hygiene, and smoking and alcohol cessation. INTERAPNEA is a randomised controlled trial with a two-arm parallel design aimed at determining the effects of an interdisciplinary tailored weight loss and lifestyle intervention on OSA outcomes. The study will include 84 males aged 18–65 with a body mass index of ≥25 kg/m2 and severe to moderate OSA randomly assigned to usual care (i.e., continuous positive airway pressure), or interdisciplinary weight loss and lifestyle intervention combined with usual care. Outcomes will be measured at baseline, intervention end-point, and six-month post-intervention, including apnoea-hypopnoea index (primary outcome), other neurophysical and cardiorespiratory polysomnographic outcomes, sleep quality, daily functioning and mood, body weight and composition, physical fitness, blood biomarkers, health-related quality of life, and cost-effectiveness. INTERAPNEA may serve to establish a cost-effective treatment not only for the improvement of OSA and its vast and severe comorbidities, but also for a potential remission of this condition.
Special Issue “Anticancer Drugs”
Authors: Meegan Mary J. , O’Boyle Niamh M.
Published: September 2019

The focus of this Special Issue of Pharmaceuticals is on the design, synthesis, and molecular mechanism of action of novel antitumor, drugs with a special emphasis on the relationship between the chemical structure and the biological activity of the molecules. This Special Issue also provides an understanding of the biologic and genotypic context in which targets are selected for oncology drug discovery, thus providing a rationalization for the biological activity of these drugs and guiding the design of more effective agents. In this Special Issue of Pharmaceuticals dedicated to anticancer drugs, we present a selection of preclinical research papers including both traditional chemotherapeutic agents and newer more targeted therapies and biological agents. We have included articles that report the design of small molecules with promising anticancer activity as tubulin inhibitors, vascular targeting agents, and topoisomerase targeting agents, alongside a comprehensive review of clinically successful antibody-drug conjugates used in cancer treatment.
Homocrystallization and Stereocomplex Crystallization Behaviors of As-Spun and Hot-Drawn Poly(l-lactide)/Poly(d-lactide) Blended Fibers During Heating
Authors: Shyr Tien-Wei , Ko Huan-Chieh , Chen Hsin-Lung
Published: September 2019

A series of poly(l-lactide)/poly(d-lactide) blended chips (LDC), as-spun LD fibers (LDA) and hot-drawn LD fibers (LDH) were prepared for investigating the homocrystallization and stereocomplex crystallization behaviors of LDA and LDH fibers during heating. Modulated differential scanning calorimetry (MDSC), hot stage polarized microscopy (HSPM), and real-time wide-angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD) were used for studying the crystallization and melting behaviors, fiber morphology, and crystalline structure evolution of the LDA and LDH fibers’ homocrystals and stereocomplex crystals during heating. The molecular chain orientations of the LDA and LDH fibers were obtained through spinning and improved through the hot drawing processes. When the molecular chain was oriented on the fiber axis, the homocrystals and stereocomplex crystals of the fibers began to form in turn as the heating temperature exceeded the glass transition temperature of the fiber. The side-by-side packing of the molecular chains was promoted by mixing the molecular chains with the extrusion screw during the spinning process, facilitating stereocomplex crystallization. When the LDA fiber was heated above the glass transition temperature of the fiber, movement of the fiber molecular chain—including molecular chain orientation and relaxation, as well as crystallization, melting, and recrystallization of homocrystals and stereocomplex crystals—were investigated through HSPM. MDSC and real-time WAXD were used to observe the molecular chains of the melted poly(l-lactide) and poly(d-lactide) homocrystals of the fibers rearranging and transiting to form stereocomplex crystals during heating.
Forward and Backward Visual Fusion Approach to Motion Estimation with High Robustness and Low Cost
Authors: Wang Ke , Huang Xin , Chen JunLan , Cao Chuan , Xiong Zhoubing , Chen Long
Published: September 2019

We present a novel low-cost visual odometry method of estimating the ego-motion (self-motion) for ground vehicles by detecting the changes that motion induces on the images. Different from traditional localization methods that use differential global positioning system (GPS), precise inertial measurement unit (IMU) or 3D Lidar, the proposed method only leverage data from inexpensive visual sensors of forward and backward onboard cameras. Starting with the spatial-temporal synchronization, the scale factor of backward monocular visual odometry was estimated based on the MSE optimization method in a sliding window. Then, in trajectory estimation, an improved two-layers Kalman filter was proposed including orientation fusion and position fusion. Where, in the orientation fusion step, we utilized the trajectory error space represented by unit quaternion as the state of the filter. The resulting system enables high-accuracy, low-cost ego-pose estimation, along with providing robustness capability of handing camera module degradation by automatic reduce the confidence of failed sensor in the fusion pipeline. Therefore, it can operate in the presence of complex and highly dynamic motion such as enter-in-and-out tunnel entrance, texture-less, illumination change environments, bumpy road and even one of the cameras fails. The experiments carried out in this paper have proved that our algorithm can achieve the best performance on evaluation indexes of average in distance (AED), average in X direction (AEX), average in Y direction (AEY), and root mean square error (RMSE) compared to other state-of-the-art algorithms, which indicates that the output results of our approach is superior to other methods.
Classifications of Forest Change by Using Bitemporal Airborne Laser Scanner Data
Authors: Noordermeer Lennart , Økseter Roar , Ørka Hans Ole , Gobakken Terje , Næsset Erik , Bollandsås Ole Martin
Published: September 2019

Changes in forest areas have great impact on a range of ecosystem functions, and monitoring forest change across different spatial and temporal resolutions is a central task in forestry. At the spatial scales of municipalities, forest properties and stands, local inventories are carried out periodically to inform forest management, in which airborne laser scanner (ALS) data are often used to estimate forest attributes. As local forest inventories are repeated, the availability of bitemporal field and ALS data is increasing. The aim of this study was to assess the utility of bitemporal ALS data for classification of dominant height change, aboveground biomass change, forest disturbances, and forestry activities. We used data obtained from 558 field plots and four repeated ALS-based forest inventories in southeastern Norway, with temporal resolutions ranging from 11 to 15 years. We applied the k-nearest neighbor method for classification of: (i) increasing versus decreasing dominant height, (ii) increasing versus decreasing aboveground biomass, (iii) undisturbed versus disturbed forest, and (iv) forestry activities, namely untouched, partial harvest, and clearcut. Leave-one-out cross-validation revealed overall accuracies of 96%, 95%, 89%, and 88% across districts for the four change classifications, respectively. Thus, our results demonstrate that various changes in forest structure can be classified with high accuracy at plot level using data from repeated ALS-based forest inventories.
Estimating Peanut Leaf Chlorophyll Content with Dorsiventral Leaf Adjusted Indices: Minimizing the Impact of Spectral Differences between Adaxial and Abaxial Leaf Surfaces
Authors: Xie Mengmeng , Wang Zhongqiang , Huete Alfredo , Brown Luke A. , Wang Heyu , Xie Qiaoyun , Xu Xinpeng , Ding Yanling
Published: September 2019

Relatively little research has assessed the impact of spectral differences among dorsiventral leaves caused by leaf structure on leaf chlorophyll content (LCC) retrieval. Based on reflectance measured from peanut adaxial and abaxial leaves and LCC measurements, this study proposed a dorsiventral leaf adjusted ratio index (DLARI) to adjust dorsiventral leaf structure and improve LCC retrieval accuracy. Moreover, the modified Datt (MDATT) index, which was insensitive to leaves structure, was optimized for peanut plants. All possible wavelength combinations for the DLARI and MDATT formulae were evaluated. When reflectance from both sides were considered, the optimal combination for the MDATT formula was ( R 723 − R 738 ) / ( R 723 − R 722 ) with a cross-validation R2cv of 0.91 and RMSEcv of 3.53 μg/cm2. The DLARI formula provided the best performing indices, which were ( R 735 − R 753 ) / ( R 715 − R 819 ) for estimating LCC from the adaxial surface (R2cv = 0.96, RMSEcv = 2.37 μg/cm2) and ( R 732 − R 754 ) / ( R 724 − R 773 ) for estimating LCC from reflectance of both sides (R2cv = 0.94, RMSEcv = 2.81 μg/cm2). A comparison with published vegetation indices demonstrated that the published indices yielded reliable estimates of LCC from the adaxial surface but performed worse than DLARIs when both leaf sides were considered. This paper concludes that the DLARI is the most promising approach to estimate peanut LCC.
KLUM: An Urban VNIR and SWIR Spectral Library Consisting of Building Materials
Authors: Ilehag Rebecca , Schenk Andreas , Huang Yilin , Hinz Stefan
Published: September 2019

Knowledge about the existing materials in urban areas has, in recent times, increased in importance. With the use of imaging spectroscopy and hyperspectral remote sensing techniques, it is possible to measure and collect the spectra of urban materials. Most spectral libraries consist of either spectra acquired indoors in a controlled lab environment or of spectra from afar using airborne systems accompanied with in situ measurements. Furthermore, most publicly available spectral libraries have, so far, not focused on facade materials but on roofing materials, roads, and pavements. In this study, we present an urban spectral library consisting of collected in situ material spectra with imaging spectroscopy techniques in the visible and near-infrared (VNIR) and short-wave infrared (SWIR) spectral range, with particular focus on facade materials and material variation. The spectral library consists of building materials, such as facade and roofing materials, in addition to surrounding ground material, but with a focus on facades. This novelty is beneficial to the community as there is a shift to oblique-viewed Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV)-based remote sensing and thus, there is a need for new types of spectral libraries. The post-processing consists partly of an intra-set solar irradiance correction and recalculation of reference spectra caused by signal clipping. Furthermore, the clustering of the acquired spectra was performed and evaluated using spectral measures, including Spectral Angle and a modified Spectral Gradient Angle. To confirm and compare the material classes, we used samples from publicly available spectral libraries. The final material classification scheme is based on a hierarchy with subclasses, which enables a spectral library with a larger material variation and offers the possibility to perform a more refined material analysis. The analysis reveals that the color and the surface structure, texture or coating of a material plays a significantly larger role than what has been presented so far. The samples and their corresponding detailed metadata can be found in the Karlsruhe Library of Urban Materials (KLUM) archive.
The Effect of Additional Byproducts on the Environmental Impact of the Production Stage of Concretes Containing Bottom Ash Instead of Sand
Authors: Pushkar Svetlana
Published: September 2019

This study aims to assess whether using byproducts as additional binders can reduce the environmental damage of concretes that already contain bottom ash instead of sand. In particular, two concretes in which sand had been replaced by coal bottom ash at varying percentages (from 0 to 100 wt %) were evaluated in which (i) silica fume was an additional binder, and (ii) silica fume and blast furnace slag were additional binders. Consequential life cycle assessment was applied to environmentally evaluate the effect from the production stage of these byproducts. We used the ReCiPe2016 midpoint hierarchist and single-score (six methodologies) methods. A two-stage nested mixed analysis of variance was used to simultaneously evaluate the results of six ReCiPe2016 methodologies. The ReCiPe2016 midpoint hierarchist results indicate that using additional binders in both bottom ash-based concretes decreases global warming potential, terrestrial ecotoxicity, water consumption, and especially, fossil resource scarcity environmental impacts. The bottom ash-based concrete with silica fume and blast furnace slag as additional binders shows more environmental benefits than the bottom ash-based concrete with only silica fume. The ReCiPe2016 single-score method results indicate that the bottom ash-based alternatives with 40–100 wt % (with silica fume as an additional binder) and 75–100 wt % (with silica fume and blast furnace slag as additional binders) of sand replacement seem to cause the least environmental damage.
A Survey to Discover Current Food Choice Behaviors
Authors: Corallo Angelo , Latino Maria Elena , Menegoli Marta , Spennato Alessandra
Published: September 2019

Food choices are complex functions of several elements that could change over time. Nowadays consumers appear careful about sustainable food consumption: the behavior of “food citizenship”, as the practice to support a sustainable food system during the consumption actions, arises. This study aims to recognize the existence of food choice behaviors in the contemporary scenario and to investigate the relation between the food choice factors and the behaviors recognized. Following a quantitative research method, a sample of 380 participants, recruited from a traditional Italian food and wine event, completed a questionnaire in order to detect their attitude about food. Four current food choice behaviors were recognized: The Individualist, The Foodie, The Environmentalist and The Health enthusiast. The relation between food choice factors and food choice behaviors was explained. Several stakeholders could benefit from the study results, in order to better understand how to adapt products and marketing strategies to satisfy the emerging customer’s needs and awareness. Even if a person can identify themselves within a single food choice behavior, they become aware of other choice models expanding their personal point of view. Finally, new research scenarios arose for the researchers.
Simulation of Passenger Evacuation Process in Cruise Ships Based on A Multi-Grid Model
Authors: Hu Min , Cai Wei , Zhao Haiou
Published: September 2019

The evacuation of the cruise ship is directly related to the safety of passengers during accidents. The method for avoiding and reducing casualties in accidents has become a research frontier of maritime safety. This paper presents the simulation of a passenger evacuation process using a multi-grid model. In the model, directions of passengers’ movement are extended and the relationship between passengers’ orientation and the walking speed under the inclining condition is also analyzed in detail. Considering the space layout, the attraction of the mainstream crowd and exclusion between individuals, the probability of passengers’ transfer between grids is established. The deck of the cruise ship is taken as the evacuation scenario and four parameters are defined for the scenario according to International Maritime Organization (IMO) guidelines. The process of evacuation in the cruise ship is simulated under upright and inclining conditions. Through the analysis of simulation results, evacuation bottleneck data and the relation between inclined angles and evacuation time are obtained. This work may provide a reference for formulating emergency evacuation plans for cruise ships.
A Note on Degenerate Euler and Bernoulli Polynomials of Complex Variable
Authors: Kim Dae , Kim Taekyun , Lee Hyunseok
Published: September 2019

Recently, the so-called new type Euler polynomials have been studied without considering Euler polynomials of a complex variable. Here we study degenerate versions of these new type Euler polynomials. This has been done by considering the degenerate Euler polynomials of a complex variable. We also investigate corresponding ones for Bernoulli polynomials in the same manner. We derive some properties and identities for those new polynomials. Here we note that our result gives an affirmative answer to the question raised by the reviewer of the paper.
Genetic Diversity of the Hepatitis B Virus Subgenotypes in Brazil
Authors: Lago Barbara V. , do Espirito-Santo Marcia P. , Costa Vanessa D. , Marques Vanessa A. , Villar Livia M. , Lewis-Ximenez Lia L. , Lampe Elisabeth , Mello Francisco C. A.
Published: September 2019

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) subgenotypes may be related to clinical outcomes and response to antiviral therapy. Most Brazilian studies on HBV subgenotypes are restricted to some regions and to specific population groups. Here, we provide an insight about genetic diversity of HBV subgenotypes in 321 serum samples from all five geographical regions, providing a representative overview of their circulation among chronic carriers. Overall, HBV/A1 was the most prevalent subgenotype, being found as the major one in all regions except in South Brazil. Among HBV/D samples, subgenotype D3 was the most prevalent, found in 51.5%, followed by D2 (27.3%) and D4 (21.2%). D2 and D3 were the most prevalent subgenotypes in South region, with high similarity with European strains. D4 was found in North and Northeast region and clustered with strains from Cape Verde and India. For HBV/F, the most frequent subgenotype was F2 (84.1%), followed by F4 (10.1%) and F1 (5.8%), closely related with strains from Venezuela, Argentina and Chile, respectively. Phylogeographic analyses were performed using an HBV full-length genome obtained from samples infected with genotypes rarely found in Brazil (B, C, and E). According to Bayesian inference, HBV/B2 and HBV/C2 were probably introduced in Brazil through China, and HBV/E from Guinea, all of them mostly linked to recent events of human migration. In conclusion, this study provided a comprehensive overview of the current circulation of HBV subgenotypes in Brazil. Our findings might contribute to a better understand of the dynamics of viral variants, to establish a permanent molecular surveillance on the introduction and dispersion patterns of new strains and, thus, to support public policies to control HBV dissemination in Brazil.
Modeling Sugar Beet Responses to Irrigation with AquaCrop for Optimizing Water Allocation
Authors: Garcia-Vila Margarita , Morillo-Velarde Rodrigo , Fereres Elias
Published: September 2019

Process-based crop models such as AquaCrop are useful for a variety of applications but must be accurately calibrated and validated. Sugar beet is an important crop that is grown in regions under water scarcity. The discrepancies and uncertainty in past published calibrations, together with important modifications in the program, deemed it necessary to conduct a study aimed at the calibration of AquaCrop (version 6.1) using the results of a single deficit irrigation experiment. The model was validated with additional data from eight farms differing in location, years, varieties, sowing dates, and irrigation. The overall performance of AquaCrop for simulating canopy cover, biomass, and final yield was accurate (RMSE = 11.39%, 2.10 t ha−1, and 0.85 t ha−1, respectively). Once the model was properly calibrated and validated, a scenario analysis was carried out to assess the crop response in terms of yield and water productivity to different irrigation water allocations in the two main production areas of sugar beet in Spain (spring and autumn sowing). The results highlighted the potential of the model by showing the important impact of irrigation water allocation and sowing time on sugar beet production and its irrigation water productivity.
Water Brokers: Exploring Urban Water Governance through the Practices of Tanker Water Supply in Accra
Authors: Alba Rossella , Bruns Antje , Bartels Lara , Kooy Michelle
Published: September 2019

Accra, the capital city of Ghana, is characterized by limited networked supply, heterogeneous water providers, and various forms of provision. In this paper, we explore how the people delivering water through water tankers shape the distribution of water across the city. Drawing on empirical descriptions of water sourcing and distribution by truck drivers, we show that who gets what water at what price is shaped by the ability of tanker drivers to act as brokers, piecing together various social and material arrangements and resorting to different rationalities and expertise. We analyze how state actors deal with tanker supply seeking to reconcile their mandates with the realities of water supply. Analyzing urban water supply through the practices of water distribution, we show the messy and open-ended character of water governance processes. A practice-based approach makes the complex interrelations between different water providers across the city visible, and underscores the role of individual and collective identities, emotions, moral norms, and unequal interdependencies between actors in shaping urban water distributions.
Analysis of the Effects of High Precipitation in Texas on Rainfed Sorghum Yields
Authors: Sharma Om Prakash , Kannan Narayanan , Cook Scott , Pokhrel Bijay Kumar , McKenzie Cameron
Published: September 2019

Most of the recent studies on the consequences of extreme weather events on crop yields are focused on droughts and warming climate. The knowledge of the consequences of excess precipitation on the crop yield is lacking. We attempted to fill this gap by estimating reductions in rainfed grain sorghum yields for excess precipitation. The historical grain sorghum yield and corresponding historical precipitation data are collected by county. These data are sorted based on length of the record and missing values and arranged for the period 1973–2003. Grain sorghum growing periods in the different parts of Texas is estimated based on the east-west precipitation gradient, north-south temperature gradient, and typical planting and harvesting dates in Texas. We estimated the growing season total precipitation and maximum 4-day total precipitation for each county growing rainfed grain sorghum. These two parameters were used as independent variables, and crop yields of sorghum was used as the dependent variable. We tried to find the relationships between excess precipitation and decreases in crop yields using both graphical and mathematical relationships. The result were analyzed in four different levels; 1. Storm by storm consequences on the crop yield; 2. Growing season total precipitation and crop yield; 3. Maximum 4-day precipitation and crop yield; and 4. Multiple linear regression of independent variables with and without a principal component analysis (to remove the correlations between independent variables) and the dependent variable. The graphical and mathematical results show decreases in rainfed sorghum yields in Texas for excess precipitation could be between 18% and 38%.
Examination of Nutrient Sources and Transport in a Catchment with an Audubon Certified Golf Course
Authors: Grande Emilio , Visser Ate , Beitz Pamela , Moran Jean
Published: September 2019

Water bodies in the East Bay Regional Park District (EBRPD), California, United States, provide aesthetic value and critical ecosystem services, but are often adversely affected by the activities and infrastructure of the intensely urban environment that surrounds the parks. EBRPD leases a golf course (Tilden Golf Course (TGC)) in Tilden Regional Park, one of its most popular parks located in the Berkeley Hills, which was certified as an Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary in 2013. Nonetheless, application of nutrients and pesticides (fungicides, plant growth regulators and herbicides) are commonly used to maintain turf systems and may be transported via surface runoff or through subsurface drainage to surface waters, leading to the concern that golf courses are a major contributor to water pollution. We studied the possible contribution of nutrients (NO3-N and PO4-P) and pesticides transported via storm-generated surface runoff and via groundwater from TGC to the primary drainage in the watershed, Wildcat Creek. Lake Anza, a popular open water swimming lake, is located downstream from TGC and experiences occasional nutrient-driven algal blooms that have caused swim beach closures. Measured NO3-N and PO4-P in the stream, at times, exceeded concentration limits of 1 mg/L (as N) and 0.05 mg/L (as P), respectively, considered protective of aquatic ecosystems by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (1986). We found that phosphorous likely has a dominant natural source, but nitrogen is primarily derived from a golf course fertilizer source and its concentration increases in the stream during runoff events, while other soluble species decrease. Analyses of pesticides in water reveal the presence of Azoxystrobin in stream water at the golf course, but with concentrations well below the regulatory limit. These results indicate that all other pesticides applied on TGC are not likely transported to the stream, suggesting future reactive transport research must treat contaminant species independently based on their specific transport behaviors.
The Effect of Hydrological Connectivity on the Zooplankton Structure in Floodplain Lakes of a Regulated Large River (the Lower Vistula, Poland)
Authors: Napiórkowski Paweł , Bąkowska Martyna , Mrozińska Natalia , Szymańska Monika , Kolarova Nikola , Obolewski Krystian
Published: September 2019

The zooplankton community structure and diversity were analysed against the gradient of floodplain lakes connectivity and water level under different flood-pulse dynamics in the Vistula River. The lakes differed in terms of hydrology, among others in the degree/type of their connection with the river (permanent, temporary and no connection). The study was conducted during the growing seasons in the years 2006–2013 and involved the lower Vistula River and three floodplain lakes: isolated, transitional and connected. Water samples were collected biweekly from April to September. Zooplankton was the most diverse and abundant in the transitional lake (the highest Shannon α-diversity index H’ and Pielou’s evenness index J’). The gentle washing of the lakes might have stimulated the development of zooplankton in accordance with the Intermediate Disturbance Hypothesis. The diversity and density of zooplankton were higher in the connected lake compared to the isolated one. We confirmed the hypothesis that zooplankton should be more abundant and diverse in floodplain lakes connected with the river (or transitional) than in isolated ones. Zooplankton analyses indicated that hydrological conditions (flood-pulse regime) contributed most substantially to zooplankton diversity and density in the floodplain lakes of the lower Vistula valley.
Investigation of Karst Spring Flow Cessation Using Grey System Models
Authors: Guo Yaru , Yeh Tian-Chyi Jim , Hao Yonghong
Published: September 2019

Karst aquifers are prominent sources of water worldwide; they store large amounts of water and are known for their beautiful springs. However, extensive groundwater development and climate variation has resulted in a decline in the flow of most karst springs; some have even dried up. In order to obtain a better understanding of the factors contributing to this development, this study introduced grey system models, which quantified spring flow, taking Jinci Springs (China), which dried up in May 1994, as an example. Based on the characteristics of Jinci Springs, spring flow was divided into two stages: first (1954–1960), when the spring flow was affected only by climate variation; and second (1961–1994), when the flow was impacted by both climate variation and anthropogenic activities. The results showed that Jinci Springs flow had a strong relationship with precipitation occurring one year and three years earlier in the first stage. Subsequently, a grey system GM (1,3) model with one-year and three-year lags was set up for the first stage. By using the GM (1,3) model, we simulated the spring flow in the second stage under effects of climate variation only. By subtracting the observed spring flow from the simulated flow, we obtained the contribution of anthropogenic activities to Jinci Springs’ cessation. The contribution of anthropogenic activities and climate variation to the decline was 1.46 m3/s and 0.62 m3/s, respectively. Finally, each human activity that caused the decline was estimated. The methods devised herein can be used to describe karst hydrological processes that are under the effects of anthropogenic activities and climate variation.
Quantizing Euclidean Motions via Double-Coset Decomposition
Authors: Wülker Christian , Ruan Sipu , Chirikjian Gregory S.
Published: September 2019

Concepts from mathematical crystallography and group theory are used here to quantize the group of rigid-body motions, resulting in a “motion alphabet” with which robot motion primitives are expressed. From these primitives it is possible to develop a dictionary of physical actions. Equipped with an alphabet of the sort developed here, intelligent actions of robots in the world can be approximated with finite sequences of characters, thereby forming the foundation of a language in which robot motion is articulated. In particular, we use the discrete handedness-preserving symmetries of macromolecular crystals (known in mathematical crystallography as Sohncke space groups) to form a coarse discretization of the space

S
E
(
3
)

of rigid-body motions. This discretization is made finer by subdividing using the concept of double-coset decomposition. More specifically, a very efficient, equivolumetric quantization of spatial motion can be defined using the group-theoretic concept of a double-coset decomposition of the form

Γ
\
S
E
(
3
)
/
Δ

, where

Γ

is a Sohncke space group and

Δ

is a finite group of rotational symmetries such as those of the icosahedron. The resulting discrete alphabet is based on a very uniform sampling of

S
E
(
3
)

and is a tool for describing the continuous trajectories of robots and humans. An efficient coarse-to-fine search algorithm is presented to round off any motion sampled from the continuous group of motions to the nearest element of our alphabet. It is shown that our alphabet and this efficient rounding algorithm can be used as a geometric data structure to accelerate the performance of other sampling schemes designed for desirable dispersion or discrepancy properties. Moreover, the general “signals to symbols” problem in artificial intelligence is cast in this framework for robots moving continuously in the world.
Facilitating Lithium-Ion Diffusion in Layered Cathode Materials by Introducing Li
+
/Ni
2+
Antisite Defects for High-Rate Li-Ion Batteries
Authors: Tang Zhongfeng , Wang Sen , Liao Jiaying , Wang Shuo , He Xiaodong , Pan Bicai , He Haiyan , Chen Chunhua
Published: September 2019

Li
+
/Ni
2+
antisite defects mainly resulting from their similar ionic radii in the layered nickel-rich cathode materials belong to one of cation disordering scenarios. They are commonly considered harmful to the electrochemical properties, so a minimum degree of cation disordering is usually desired. However, this study indicates that LiNi
0.8
Co
0.15
Al
0.05
O
2
as the key material for Tesla batteries possesses the highest rate capability when there is a minor degree (2.3%) of Li
+
/Ni
2+
antisite defects existing in its layered structure. By combining a theoretical calculation, the improvement mechanism is attributed to two effects to decrease the activation barrier for lithium migration: (1) the anchoring of a low fraction of high-valence Ni
2+
ions in the Li slab pushes uphill the nearest Li
+
ions and (2) the same fraction of low-valence Li
+
ions in the Ni slab weakens the repulsive interaction to the Li
+
ions at the saddle point.
Effects of Tantalum on Microstructure Evolution and Mechanical Properties of High-Nb TiAl Alloys Reinforced by Ti
2
AlC
Authors: Fang Hongze , Chen Ruirun , Yang Yong , Su Yanqing , Ding Hongsheng , Guo Jingjie
Published: September 2019

Experiments have been carried out to study the relationship between the addition of tantalum and microstructure, especially the formation of the B2 phase in lamellar colonies. The mechanical properties, with different contents of Ta, were also measured. Ti46Al8Nb2.6C
x
Ta alloys were prepared by casting with the content of Ta varying from zero to 1.0 at.%. Experimental results show that the B2 phase forms in lamellar colonies with the addition of Ta, and its content increases when the content of Ta increases. Meanwhile, the

γ

phase decreases and the lattice parameter of the

α

2

phase increases. The size of the lamellar colony decreased from 29.9 to 21.6 
μ
m. Ta dissolves into Ti
2
AlC by substitution, and its solubility is more than 1.1% tested by EDS. Nb, which is necessary for the formation of the B2 phase, comes from two aspects. The first is that Ta dissolves into the Ti
2
AlC and partly replaces the Nb atom and the second is the decrease in the

γ

phase because it has higher solid solubility for Nb. The increase in Nb in the liquid phase increases the composition supercooling and heteronucleation at the solidification front, which accounts for refining the lamellar colony. Room temperature compressive testing showed that the compressive strength and the strain increased when the Ta content increased up to 0.8% and then decreased. Improvement of the compressive properties resulted from the grain boundary strengthening and their decrease induced by more content of the B2 phase. Tensile properties, at elevated temperature, were improved with testing temperature increasing from 750 to 950°C, because solid solution strengthening is a major influence factor.
Quantitative Surface Plasmon Interferometry via Upconversion Photoluminescence Mapping
Authors: Yin Anxiang , Jing Hao , Wu Zhan , He Qiyuan , Wang Yiliu , Lin Zhaoyang , Liu Yuan , Ding Mengning , Xu Xu , Fei Zhe , Jiang Jianhui , Huang Yu , Duan Xiangfeng
Published: September 2019

Direct far-field visualization and characterization of surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs) are of great importance for fundamental studies and technological applications. To probe the evanescently confined plasmon fields, one usually requires advanced near-field techniques, which is typically not applicable for real-time, high-throughput detecting or mapping of SPPs in complicated environments. Here, we report the utilization of rare-earth-doped nanoparticles to quantitatively upconvert invisible, evanescently confined SPPs into visible photoluminescence emissions for direct far-field visualization of SPPs in a complicated environment. The observed interference fringes between the SPPs and the coherent incident light at the metal surface provide a quantitative measurement of the SPP wavelength and the SPP propagating length and the local dielectric environments. It thus creates a new signaling pathway to sensitively transduce the local dielectric environment change into interference periodicity variation, enabling a new design of directly measurable, spectrometer-free optical rulers for rapid, ultrasensitive label-free detection of various biomolecules, including streptavidin and prostate-specific antigen, down to the femtomolar level.
A Sponge-Driven Elastic Interface for Lithium Metal Anodes
Authors: Yu Han , Xie Jian , Shu Na , Pan Fei , Ye Jianglin , Wang Xinyuan , Yuan Hong , Zhu Yanwu
Published: September 2019

The lithium (Li) metal is one promising anode for next generation high-energy-density batteries, but the large stress fluctuation and the nonuniform Li deposition upon cycling result in a highly unstable interface of the Li anode. Herein, a simple yet facile engineering of the elastic interface on the Li metal anodes is designed by inserting a melamine sponge between Li and the separator. Driven by the good elasticity of the sponge, the modified Li anode maintains a Coulombic efficiency of 98.8% for 60 cycles and is cyclable at 10 mA cm
-2
for 250 cycles, both with a high capacity of 10 mA h cm
-2
. We demonstrate that the sponge can be used to replace the conventional polypropylene as a porous yet elastic separator, showing superior cycling and rate performance as well. In addition to the efficiency of the elastic interface on the cycling stability, which is further confirmed by an in situ compression-electrochemistry measurement, the porous structure and polar groups of the sponge demonstrate an ability of regulating the transport of Li ions, leading to a uniform deposition of Li and the suppression of Li dendrites in cycling.
A ressignificação do saber-fazer na experiência dos professores comunitários do Programa Mais Educação
Authors: Lima Junior Agnaldo Mesquita de , Tauchen Gionara
Published: September 2019

A presente pesquisa surge com o intuito de investigar os saberes e as necessidades formativas dos Professores Comunitários no âmbito da gestão do Programa Mais Educação desenvolvido no município de Jaguarão, no estado do Rio Grande do Sul. Assim, nos utilizamos de uma abordagem qualitativa, de caráter narrativo (Gibbs, 2009). Para a realização do presente estudo foram realizadas entrevistas semiestruturadas com 06 (seis) sujeitos, que posteriormente foram analisadas com base no proposto em Schütze (2013). A partir desse estudo, foi possível perceber o caráter coletivo do trabalho do Professor Comunitário. Destacamos também a troca de experiências como ponto chave para a produção de saberes pelos Professores Comunitários. Isso propiciou o compartilhamento dos saberes-fazer junto ao coletivo de Professores Comunitários, o que originava o desenvolvimento de um "saber-fazer socializado/coletivo".
Bakır(II) Komplekslerinin Glutatyon Redüktaz İnhibitor Çalışması
Authors: TUNÇ Turgay
Published: September 2019

(S)-(+)-fenilglisinol, (1S, 2R)
-2-amino-1,2-difeniletanol’in ve
(R)-(+)-2-amino-1,1,3-trifenilpropanol bazlı kiral Schiff bazlarının bakır (II)
kompleksi sentezlendi. Bu bileşiklerin glutatyon redüktaz enzimi üzerindeki
etkileri incelendi. En iyi inhibitör etkisinin kompleks 3'e ait olduğu
belirlenmiştir.
La tertulia pedagógica dialógica en el practicum de la formación inicial de maestras y maestros
Authors: Aguilar Ródenas Consol
Published: September 2019

La experiencia que compartimos, la Tertulia Pedagógica Dialógica (TPD) en las prácticas de la formación inicial de maestros y maestras, se implementa en dos centros, ambos CAES en el curso 2013-2014. Y lo hacemos porque es una acción educativa de éxito ligada al aprendizaje dialógico, a una relación sujeto-sujeto entre la profesora y el estudiantado. Porque las interacciones que se producen favorecen la creación intersubjetiva del conocimiento, un aprendizaje reflexivo desde un cuestionamiento crítico de la realidad. Porque nuestra experiencia vital es reconocida y valorada por nuestros y nuestras iguales en la TPD y esa diversidad nos enriquece a todos y a todas. Porque mediante el diálogo igualitario aprendemos a escuchar y a respetar al otro-a, a cuestionarnos nuestras prácticas desde la reflexión colectiva; aprendemos a generar alternativas educativas igualitarias y transformadoras. Porque aprendemos que el compromiso es vital si defendemos una formación ligada a la ciudadanía crítica y, consecuentemente, es necesaria la coherencia entre nuestra teoría y nuestra práctica. Porque desarrollamos una lectura crítica y dialógica que nos ayuda a argumentar desde argumentos de razón y no de poder. Porque aprendemos que las inlecturas no son buenas para nadie. Y porque nos enraíza en la utopía.
Estudio de la calidad fisicoquímica del Agua potable en los sectores del Cantón de Manabí
Authors: Valverde Medina Luzmila María , Caicedo Perlaza Luis
Published: September 2019

El  acceso al servicio de agua potable es una necesidad básica humana y como tal es considerado un derecho fundamental garantizando la calidad en la misma a través del cumplimiento de los  parámetros requeridos para el consumo humano. Ante esta posición, el estudio tuvo como objetivo evaluar la calidad  fisicoquímica del agua potable consumida por la población del canton de Manabí. La muestra la constituyeron 63 envases de un litro tomadas en hogares de los distintos sectores del canton. Para medir la turbidez se utilizó un turbidímetro  (modeloMicro 100 Turbidimeter), para el color se utilizó el equipo colorímetro modelo Orbeco-HelligeAquaTester y la medición del pH se utilizó un equipo potenciómetro maca Orión 3 Star (Benchttop pH meter). Los  resultados obtenidos reflejan que las muestras analizadas en general cumplen con los rangos establecidos para los parámetros fisicoquímicos en las Normas Sanitarias de Calidad del Agua Potable que plantea la OMS.