bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Tuned AFM–FM coupling by the formation of vacancy complex in Gd0.6Ca0.4MnO3 thin film lattice
Authors: Beiranvand A , Liedke M O , Haalisto C , Lähteenlahti V , Schulman A , Granroth S , Palonen H , Butterling M , Wagner A , Huhtinen H , Paturi P
Published: April 2021

The effect of in situ oxygen and vacuum annealings on the low bandwidth manganite Gd1−x
Ca
x
MnO3 (GCMO) thin film with x = 0.4 was investigated. Based on the magnetic measurements, the AFM–FM coupling is suppressed by the vacuum annealing treatment via destroying the double exchange interaction and increasing the unit cell volume by converting the Mn4+ to the Mn3+. Consequently, resistance increases significantly compared to pristine film. The results are explained by a model obtained from the positron annihilation studies, where the vacuum annealing increased the annihilation lifetime in A and B sites due to the formation of vacancy complexes V
A,B–V
O, which was not the case in the pristine sample. The positron annihilation analysis indicated that most of the open volume defects have been detected in the interface region rather than on the subsurface layer and this result is confirmed by detailed x-ray reflection analysis. On the other hand, the effect of oxygen annealing on the unit cell volume and magnetization was insignificant. This is in agreement with positron annihilation results which demonstrated that the introduction of oxygen does not change the number of cation vacancies significantly. This work demonstrates that the modification of oxygen vacancies and vacancy complexes can tune magnetic and electronic structure of the epitaxial thin films to provide new functionalities in future applications.
Flexible all-solid-state supercapacitors based on PPy/rGO nanocomposite on cotton fabric
Authors: Xu Shuzhen , Hao Huilian , Chen Yinan , Li Wenyao , Shen Wenzhong , Shearing Paul R. , Brett Dan J. L. , He Guanjie
Published: April 2021

Polypyrrole (PPy) has high electrochemical activity and low cost, so it has great application prospects in wearable supercapacitors. Herein, we have successfully prepared polypyrrole/reduced graphene oxide (PPy/rGO) nanocomposite cotton fabric (NCF) by chemical polymerization, which exhibits splendid electrochemical performance compared with the individual. The addition of rGO can block the deformation of PPy caused by the expansion and contraction. The as-prepared PPy-0.5/rGO NCF electrode exhibits the brilliant specific capacitance (9300 mF cm−2 at 1 mA cm−2) and the capacitance retention with 94.47% after 10 000 cycles. At the same time, the superior capacitance stability under different bending conditions and reuse capability have been achieved. All-solid-state supercapacitor has high energy density of 167 μWh cm−2 with a power density of 1.20 mW cm−2. Therefore, the PPy-0.5/rGO NCF electrode has a broad application prospect in high-performance flexible supercapacitor fabric electrode.
Poly(L-DOPA)-mediated bimetallic core−shell nanostructures of gold and silver and their employment in SERS, catalytic activity, and cell viability
Authors: Turan Hasan , Calis Baris , Dizaji Araz Norouz , Tarhan Seda , Mazlumoglu Hayrunisa , Aysin Ferhunde , Yilmaz Asli , Yilmaz Mehmet
Published: April 2021

Core–shell gold nanorod (AuNR)@silver (Ag) nanostructures with their unique properties have gained enormous interest and are widely utilized in various applications including sensor systems, catalytic reactions, diagnosis, and therapy. Despite the recent progress, simple, effective, low-cost, and easy-to-tune strategies are heavily required to fabricate these nanoparticles (NP) systems. For this, we propose the employment of the polymer of 3,4-dihydroxyphenyl-L-alanine (L-DOPA) as a ligand molecule. A conformal thin layer of polymer of L-DOPA (PLDOPA) with its various functional groups enabled the reduction of silver ions onto the AuNRs and stabilization of the resultant NPs without using any surfactant, reducing agent, and seed material. The shape and growth model of the AuNR@Ag nanostructures was manipulated by simply tuning the amount of silver ions. This procedure created different NP morphologies ranging from concentric to acentric/island shape core–shell nanostructures. Also, even at the highest Ag deposition, the PLDOPA layer is still conformally present onto the Au@Ag core–shell NRs. The unique properties of NP systems provided remarkable characteristics in surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy, catalytic activity, and cell viability tests.
On a fusion chain reaction via suprathermal ions in high-density H–11B plasma
Authors: Belloni Fabio
Published: April 2021

The11B(p,3α) fusion reaction is particularly attractive for energy production purposes because of its aneutronic character and the absence of radioactive species among reactants and products. Its exploitation in the thermonuclear regime, however, appears to be prohibitive due to the low reactivity of the H–11B fuel at temperatures up to 100 keV. A fusion chain sustained by elastic collisions between theαparticles and fuel ions, this way scattered to suprathermal energies, has been proposed as a possible route to overcome this limitation. Based on a simple model, this work investigates the reproduction process in an infinite, non-degenerate H–11B plasma, in a wide range of densities and temperatures which are of interest for laser-driven experiments (1024≲ne≲1028 cm−3,Te≲100 keV,Ti∼1 keV). In particular, cross section data for theα–p scattering which include the nuclear interaction have been used. The multiplication factor,k∞, increases markedly with electron temperature and less significantly with plasma density. However, even at the highest temperature and density considered, and despite a more than twofold increase by the inclusion of the nuclear scattering,k∞turns out to be of the order of 10−2only. In general, values ofk∞very close to 1 are needed in a confined scheme to enhance the suprathermal-to-thermonuclear energy yield by factors of up to 103or 104.
Robust and ultrafast state preparation by ramping artificial gauge potentials
Authors: Wang Botao , Dong Xiao-Yu , Ünal F Nur , Eckardt André
Published: April 2021

The implementation of static artificial magnetic fields in ultracold atomic systems has become a powerful tool, e.g. for simulating quantum-Hall physics with charge-neutral atoms. Taking an interacting bosonic flux ladder as a minimal model, we investigate protocols for adiabatic state preparation via magnetic flux ramps. Considering the fact that it is actually the artificial vector potential (in the form of Peierls phases) that can be experimentally engineered in optical lattices, rather than the magnetic field, we find that the time required for adiabatic state preparation dramatically depends on which pattern of Peierls phases is used. This can be understood intuitively by noting that different patterns of time-dependent Peierls phases that all give rise to the same magnetic field ramp, generally lead to different artificial electric fields during the ramp. As an intriguing result, we find that an optimal choice allows for preparing the ground state almost instantaneously in the non-interacting system, which can be related to the concept of counterdiabatic driving. Remarkably, we find extremely short preparation times also in the strongly-interacting regime. Our findings open new possibilities for robust state preparation in atomic quantum simulators.
Searching for spin-2 ULDM with gravitational waves interferometers
Authors: Armaleo Juan Manuel , López Nacir Diana , Urban Federico R.
Published: April 2021

The detection of gravitational waves from merging binaries has ushered in the era of gravitational wave interferometer astronomy. Besides these strong, transient, calamitous events, much weaker signals can be detected if the oscillations are nearly monochromatic and “continuous”, that is, coherent over a long time.
In this work we show that ultra-light dark matter of spin two, owing to its universal coupling α to Standard Model fields, generates a signal that is akin to but distinct from a continuous gravitational wave. We show that this signal could be detected with current and planned gravitational wave interferometers. In the event of a null detection, current facilities could constrain the coupling to be below α ∼ 10-7 for frequencies of tens of Hz, corresponding to dark matter masses around the 10-13 eV mark. Future facilities could further lower these upper limits and extend them to smaller masses down to 10-18 eV. These limits would be the most stringent bounds on the spin-2 Yukawa fifth force strength, parametrised by α, in the frequency ranges accessible by gravitational wave interferometers. The implementation of this type of searches for gravitational wave interferometers would therefore further our grasp of both dark matter and gravity.
On filaments, prolate halos and rotation curves
Authors: Zatrimaylov K.
Published: April 2021

We propose a simple geometrical mechanism for the flattening of galactic rotation curves, the local compression of field lines around their planes induced either by the presence of thin string-like objects at the centers of galaxies or by elongated dark-matter halos, and elaborate on its possible role in Nature. We fit 83 rotation curves from the SPARC database with logarithmic potentials produced by a thin "wire" at the origin and then, after selecting 2 galaxies that yield the most interesting fits, analyze them with an alternative model, deformed versions of two popular models of dark-matter halos. Our conclusion is that the presence of a filament clearly improves the fit quality in a number of cases, while bulged dark matter profiles have a lesser effect. If taken at face value, these results would imply the presence of elongated mass distributions away from the galactic plane in a number of galaxies, and may also have some indirect impact on the controversy between cold dark matter (CDM), self-interacting dark matter (SiDM), and modified Newtonian dynamics (MOND).
Bubble formation in liquid Sn under different plasma loading conditions leading to droplet ejection
Authors: Ou W. , Brochard F. , Morgan T.W.
Published: April 2021

Liquid metals have been proposed as potential divertor materials for future fusion reactors, and surface stability is a vital requirement for such liquid metal divertors (LMDs). Capillary porous structures (CPSs) have been applied to the design of liquid metal targets as they can avoid MHD instability by surface tension and provide a stable liquid surface. However, our previous work has found that liquid Sn surfaces can be very unstable in hydrogen plasma even in cases without magnetic fields. To increase our understanding of the interaction of liquid Sn surfaces with plasmas, in this work we systematically investigated the surface behaviors of liquid Sn in different plasma exposures in linear plasma devices, either in Nano-PSI at low flux and without magnetic field, or in Magnum-PSI with strong magnetic field strength. Surface instability leading to droplet ejection has been observed and recorded in the experiments. The ejection of droplets is not dependent on magnetic fields and plasma currents, and is found to be dependent on the plasma species and plasma flux and surface temperature. The CPS meshes applied in the experiments cannot completely avoid droplet ejection but can decrease droplet size and lower droplet production rate. In H plasma, droplets were observed once Sn melted even at low fluxes. For the case of N plasma, the appearance of droplets started at a temperature marginally higher than tin–nitride decomposition temperature. Only at high fluxes (∼1023–24 m−2 s−1) and high temperatures (900–1000 °C) were a few droplets observed in Ar or He plasma. For all cases, the ejection velocities of most droplets were around 1–5 m s−1. Bubble formation, growth and bursting in the plasma-species-supersaturated liquid Sn is proposed as the primary mechanism for the ejection of droplets. Plasma-enhanced solubility is responsible for the achievement of H/N-supersaturated liquid Sn, while high plasma flux implantation is responsible for Ar/He-supersaturated liquid Sn. Once the concentration of plasma species in liquid Sn reaches a certain supersaturation level, nucleation and growth of bubbles occur due to the desorption of dissolved plasma species from the liquid Sn. The formation and bursting of bubbles have been directly observed in the experiment. The sizes of most bubbles were estimated in the range of 40–400 μm or even smaller. A bubble growth model based on Sievert’s and Henry’s laws is invoked to describe bubble growth in liquid Sn.
Inovation of Poverty Eradication Pioner School Model for Scavenger Descent Based on Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises in the Malang
Authors: Kusdiyanti Heny , Zanky Mokhammad Nurruddin , Wati Andy Prasetyo
Published: April 2021

This study aims to develop an Eradication of Poverty Model. Descendants of scavengers through pioneering MSME schools (Micro and Small and Medium Enterprises) in the Malang. This type of research phase one is a research development with the following steps: (1) Analysis of the situation, (2) Identification of respondents ‘characteristics, (3) Identification of respondents’ real needs, (4) based on situation analysis, identification of characteristics and the real needs of the respondents, then the Eradication of Poverty model of termination for the scavenger offspring in the Greater Malang area was developed. Type of Phase two is Action research. The second year is designed for testing (implementation) of the model that has been developed in Phase one, evaluating the model, revising it so that an Eradication of Poverty model in the Greater Malang area is tested. Factors of low interest in scavenger school descent include: environmental conditions, lack of motivation and support from both parents, lack of funds, and low parental knowledge of the importance of education on the eradication of poverty of scavengers. The MSME-based pilot school model was developed by giving material from the Save Street Children (SSC) community. Based on the activity, it was known that there was a need for facilitators from the Malang city environmental department and the education office to mobilize scavengers to participate in MSME-based pilot schools. The conclusion of this research is the known factors of low interest in scavenger school descent. This was overcome by the development of the fostered school model facilitated by related agencies.
HYLBUS (Hybrid Learning Based on Asynchoronous Learning Network): Inovation of Learning Model for Hight School to be up Againts Industrial Revolution 4.0
Authors: Kusdiyanti Heny , Zanky Mokhammad Nurruddin , Wati Andy Prasetyo
Published: April 2021

This study conducted focused on creating learning media based on Hybrid Learning Based on the Asynchronous Learning Network as an effort to improve effectiveness in Entrepreneurship learning. The research and development method carried out by researchers originated from Borg and Gall with the trial subjects, namely teachers who taught in 5 schools throughout Malang. The researcher used two types of validators, namely material expert validators and media expert validators. The researcher used two types of data namely qualitative data and quantitative data with data collection techniques in the form of documentation, questionnaires, interviews, and tests (pretest and posttest) to respond. The data analysis technique used is descriptive percentage technique that refers to Arikunto. This study uses two test cycles to determine the effectiveness of media created for teachers. HYLBUS is a learning media website that is intended for entrepreneurship subject teachers with the basic principle of the Asynchronous Learning Network that integrates several aspects needed by students in enhancing the capture of entrepreneurial learning delivered by the teacher. The advantages of this website are (1) user friendly, (2) responsive, (3) accountable, (4) transparent, (5) trusted. Based on the test results it was found that an increase in student learning outcomes reached 25.76%, besides that there was an increase in teacher activities reaching 19.45% from pre-action to action 1 and an increase of 3.72% from action 1 to action 2 with criteria “Very good” and an increase in student activity by 33.34% from pre-action to action 1, and an increase of 6.33% from action 1 to action 2 with the criteria of “very good”
Microservice API Implementation For E-Government Service Interoperability
Authors: Puspitasari N , Budiman E , Sulaiman Y N , Firdaus M B
Published: April 2021

To improve e-government services released by Communication and Information Technology Office of Samarinda City, each system needs to be able to interoperate even when developed by different developers. Interoperation can be achieved by using one data source which is API (Application Programming Interface) for general data objects such as announcements. Given this condition, API built by using microservice can support further enhancement even if API is developed by developers who use different programming languages. The result shows that microservice API can be used to interoperate in relaying data between e-government services and can be developed using more than one programming language and base codes. Further development of this API can be done by adding more data objects, using AWS Cognito as authorization management, adding AWS Elasticsearch to load and filter data, and by showing data objects in real-time on the front end.
Estimation of Battery Requirements in 600 WP Solar Power Generation Systems
Authors: Saputra Riza Hadi , Sahara Ain , Miftahul Huda A.M. , Aegea Muhammad Authon
Published: April 2021

Solar Power Plant as an effort to meet human needs for electrical energy is the right choice for renewable energy. Important components that exist in Solar Power Plant include solar panels, MPPT, batteries and inverters. The function of the battery is to store reserves of electrical energy generated by Solar Power Plant during the day (charging cycle) and at night (discharging cycle). The amount of battery used is a separate design to be able to optimise the installed solar power plant. With the ideal number of batteries, the Solar Power Plant will be more leverage in terms of charging and emptying. The battery used in the 600 Wp Solar Power Plant system at STT Migas Balikpapan is a 12 V 100 Ah deep cycle VRLA type with a total of two installed in series. This is still considered less than optimal because the battery only has a capacity of 100 Ah. In this study, the ideal number of batteries used for Solar Power Plant was calculated, where the ideal number of batteries for 600 Wp Solar Power Plant at STT Migas Balikpapan was six batteries with each type of VRLA deep cycle of 12 V 100 Ah.
Revitalization Road Map of Vocational Higher Education in Industry 4.0 (a study in Politeknik Negeri Balikpapan)
Authors: Gozali  , Milaningrum Elisabeth , Kusuma Bambang Jati , Damayanti Lilik
Published: April 2021

The industrial revolution 4.0 has shifted some human activities, technology automation in almost of all work fields that has impacts with the skills which are needed by industry. Polytechnic as higher vocational education needs to prepare strategic steps in creating creditable graduates in order to face the challenges in that era. The aims of this study are to examine the revitalization of Balikpapan State Polytechnic in industrial era 4.0. The collecting data were done through observation, interviews, and focus group discussions (FGD). The data obtained were analysed with descriptively qualitative. Based on the analysis, it can be concluded that there are seven aspect of Poltekba revitalization to answer the challenges of the industrial revolution 4.0, such as: (1) Workshop Development, (2) Industrial Involvement, (3) Curriculum Development, (4) Dual system 3-2-1 Implementation, (5) Teaching Factory, (6) Strengthening of Lecturer Competence, (7) TUK, LSP, and Graduate Certification.
The Development of Web-Based Forestry Management Information System
Authors: Riyayatsyah  , Anggriani Profita , Dedy Mirwansyah , Bahrul Muhid
Published: April 2021

The most crucial part in the development of forestry information system is collecting the required forestry data to fulfill the standards set by the Regulation of the Minister of Forestry of the Republic of Indonesia Number: P.02 / Menhut-II / 2010 on Forestry Information System. This process is done manually, and the results are not stored in single storage that leads to data redundancy and time wastage. Therefore, this study aimed to design a web-based Forestry Management Information System that will be named as SeMUT. This system was built to reduce the data redundancy and simplify the management of the required supporting documents. Besides, SeMUT is expected to become the data center of the East Kalimantan Provincial Forestry Office. The development of SeMUT utilized the waterfall model of System Development Life Cycle (SDLC) method that has five main stages, including requirement analysis, design, implementation, testing, and maintenance. This research is expected to be able to propose a web-based forestry management information system which enhances the effectiveness and efficiency of forestry data compilation. This research has developed an application that is useful for collecting data centrally.
Interest Rate, Inflation and Jakarta Composite Index on Digital Media Based Companies Stock Return in Indonesia
Authors: Wahyu Umaryadi Muhamad Eko , Hamdana  , Saragih Dothy Amelia , Burhan Haritsah
Published: April 2021

In this paper, we found the evidence of the effect of interest rates, inflation and Jakarta Composite Index on stock returns of digital-based mass media companies listed on the Indonesia Stock Exchange. Objects have taken as a sample of 5 digital-based mass media companies listed on the Indonesia Stock Exchange with a research period from July 2014 to June 2019. These objects are MNCN, ABBA, SCMA, LPLI, and TMPO. Samples were taken by a purposive method with the criteria of companies that have been registered before the study period and have a balanced company size. The analytical method used is path analysis with multiple linear regression models. Research data shows that MNCN, SCMA and LPLI stock prices tend to weaken, while ABBA and TMPO stock prices tend to strengthen from July 2014 to June 2019. The analysis results showed that the interest rate variable (X1) had a negative and significant effect on stock returns (Y1). The inflation variable (X2) had a positive and not significant effect on stock returns (Y1), the IHSG variable (X3) had a positive and significant effect on stock returns (Y1). Therefore, investors need to look at JCI’s movements to optimize the return of stock digital media-based companies.
CFD simulation of anti-fogging coatings performance in refrigerated display cabinets
Authors: D’Agaro P , Croce G , Suzzi N
Published: April 2021

A numerical procedure for the simulation of both fogging and the defogging process on the glass door of a vertical refrigeration display cabinet for chilled food is presented. The large scale problem within the cabinet (convective air flow and heat transfer, moisture mass transport, unsteady conduction through a multi-glazed door) is modelled via a commercial CFD code, whereas the water layer is modelled, via in-house user defined routines, as a collection of tiny droplets in order to take into account the surface wetting properties, the latent heat contributions and the area effective wet fraction. Local water layer equivalent thickness and time needed for the complete defogging are evaluated for different indoor conditions. The influence of anti-fog coatings is investigated comparing different droplets contact angle, from 30° to 90°.
Impact of indirect and ohmic heating sterilization processes on quality parameters of apple puree: application in a real industrial line
Authors: Pelacci Massimiliano , Malavasi Matteo , Cattani Luca , Gozzi Mario , Tedeschi Fabio , Vignali Giuseppe , Rainieri Sara , George Stéphane , Zuber Francois , Mathiot Patrick , Gervais Sarah
Published: April 2021

The aim of the present work is to investigate the impact of the production process and heat treatment technology to produce sterilized apple puree in the case of a real industrial production line. The technologies considered for the sterilisation process are traditional indirect thermal heating and ohmic heating, while the results will be expressed in terms of residual amount of vitamin C, Furfural content and finally HunterLab colour space (L, a, b value). The samples for the evaluation of the comparison parameters have been taken in 3 different steps of the production process, i.e. in the fresh product, after hot finisher (after extraction) and at the end of the line (after sterilization and bottling). It has been observed that both processes considered showed similar performance for all the various parameters evaluated, leading to a very similar final product. This result is somehow unexpected since the Ohmic technology has demonstrated in the last years to bring significant advantages in terms of preserving of nutrients and of colour stability. This could be since apple puree is a sort of homogeneous product, while the best advantages for the Ohmic heating are expected to be found in heterogeneous products containing pieces or particulate matter. But the main reason is related to the fact that in the present work the focus is on the whole process and not only on the heat treatment technology. One of the aims is to put the attention on the importance of specifically designing the whole production line: the adoption of ohmic heating or other innovative technologies to shield nutrients and colour will be wasted if the rest of the production line is not specifically designed to obtain such objectives.
Mini-scale pulsating heat pipe cooling systems for high-heat-flux electronic equipment
Authors: Cataldo Filippo , Marcinichen Jackson B. , Thome John R.
Published: April 2021

This paper presents a novel passive two-phase cooling system for efficient thermal management of high-heat-flux electronic equipment, namely a mini-scale, flat-plate pulsating heat pipe, by executing experiments on a test bench. Furthermore, cooling tests on an actual 1-U server are also shown. The pulsating heat pipe used in this study is designed and manufactured with micro-channel technology where passive two-phase flow circulation is promoted by the inherent two-phase instability and the competing effect between nucleate boiling and thin-film evaporation. Pulsating heat pipes properly operate with gravity (in vertical orientations) and without gravity (in horizontal orientations) and they are an optimal solution to dissipate a large amount of heat without the need of active drivers (absence of pumping power). The cooling capabilities of the proposed pulsating heat pipe were investigated using different near zero global warming potential refrigerants at various filling ratios to find the optimal thermal performance up to 800 W (corresponding to a heat flux of 25 W/cm2). The minimum overall thermal resistance was measured to be 0.065 K/W, which includes the thermal interface material and the secondary side. This paper shows that passive two-phase cooling using pulsating heat pipes can be a very promising and reliable technology for achieving high power dissipations of next-generation datacentres (and electronic equipment in general).
CFD study of a CI engine powered in the dual-fuel mode with syngas and waste vegetable oil
Authors: Costa M , Prati M V , Simio L De , Iannaccone S , Piazzullo D
Published: April 2021

Syngas production from biomass gasification and its use in combined heat and power (CHP) generation systems is a feasible alternative to traditional fuels in Internal Combustion Engines (ICEs), although its quality is poorer in terms of calorific value and energy density. Therefore, a viable option for its exploitation can be assured if ICEs operate in dual-fuel (DF) mode, where employing non-edible oils (as Waste Vegetable Oils, WVO) as a further residual material may solve issues related both to the utilization of diesel fuels and to the high costs for biodiesel production. The practice promotes a virtuous circle to enhance material recovery without disposal. A combined experimental-numerical activity for the analysis of the performances of a Compression Ignition (CI) engine in the DF mode with syngas and WVO is here presented. An appropriate pre-heating system is mounted on the engine injection line to reduce the WVO viscosity. Experimental data collected in terms of in-cylinder pressure cycle, heat release rates and main pollutants at different loads are used to validate a properly developed three-dimensional (3D) Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) model, that helps investigating the detail of the syngas fuelling on power output and emissions.
Numerical and experimental evaluation of flue gas recirculation for syngas combustion
Authors: Allesina G , Puglia M , Morselli N , Pedrazzi S , Parenti M , Ottani F , Tartarini P
Published: April 2021

Biomass gasification can be an interesting solution for the energy production to fight global warming and the environment pollution. The flare apparatus is an essential component of gasification systems, but considering small scale ones, it is often quite simple and not very optimized. A way to minimize the NOx production during the combustion is recirculating the flue gas into the flames, making the combustion zone cold and inhibiting the nitrogen oxides formation. In this work different flare designs were numerically evaluated through OpenFOAM software to find the best flare shape that can guarantee the flue gas recirculation. Simulations results were verified building and testing a flare with an optimized geometry for a small-scale gasification system. Numerical simulation and experimental tests shown that it can be possible to design a simple flare for syngas combustion that guarantee low combustion temperature through flue gas recirculation.
Water Quality Improvement Effective Analysis for Artificial Groundwater Recharge in Urban River Network System
Authors: Xiao Wang , Jun Wei , Kaiyu Cheng , Mingzhi Zhao
Published: April 2021

With increase of population and urbanization, the persistent deterioration of urban rivers has become the most intractable problem for environment management agency. After the boom of pollution control projects implementing such as sewage system and sewage treatment plants building to decrease the pollution load, there is a growing interest on increasing ground water discharge with artificial groundwater recharge work and improving load capacity of target river. Under this background, it is important to study the exact effect of water artificial groundwater recharge work on water quality improvement, especially in the river network area, to give support on exact designment. In this study, the river network in Hanjiang district featured with complex river network has been selected as study area. Based on water quality monitoring result and current load statistical result, a one-dimensional mathematic model of target river network has been set up and the water quality has been simulated with different water artificial groundwater recharge schemes, which considering both river supplementary discharge and water quality factors. Then the simulation results under different effects have been analysed and the optimal scheme has been selected to meet the goals. The analysis results indicate that qualified option is recharging 2 m3/s fresh water of level III, under which, the water quality of study area can achieve the basic standard of Level V as qualified scenic water.
Copper, Nickel, Lead, and Cadmium Concentration in Soils around Industrial Areas from Latacunga, Ecuador
Authors: Cela Jessenia , Bonilla William , Urrutia-Goyes Ricardo
Published: April 2021

Environmental pollution has increased in recent decades as a result of various human activities and the presence of various chemical compounds, including heavy metals. The goal of this paper is to determine the concentration and distribution of copper, nickel, lead, and cadmium in soils around industrial areas from Latacunga, Ecuador. Soil samples were obtained from 19 localities: two zones with influence from the industrial sector and two recreation areas and public access. Samples obtained were pretreated and then analyzed by flame atomic absorption spectrophotometry following USEPA 3050B and USEPA 3052 methodology. Finally, a statistical analysis belonging to a randomized complete block design, an analysis of variance (ANOVA) was applied (confidence level of 95%). The results show that the concentration of the metals analyzed decreased in the order of nickel> copper> lead. Additionally, is it shown that the concentration of nickel exceeds the limits suggested by local regulators in all study zones. On the other hand, Zone 1 and Zone 2 show copper and nickel concentrations that exceed the referenced limits.
Natural Radioactivity Evaluation of Local Soil used as Building Materials in Xinchang Section of Beishan Pre-selected Area, Northwest China
Authors: Shi Chenhao , Chen Liang , Wang Yunyan , Chai Liyuan , Qiu Guohua
Published: April 2021

To investigate the radiation background level of jijicao block and rock mass around Xinchang section in the pre-selected area of Beishan, northwest China, the relevant soil samples and data have been obtained, and the natural radioactivity of the soil samples has been measured by gamma-ray spectroscopy with hyper-pure germanium detector. The mean activity concentrations of 226Ra, 232Th and 40K in soil samples are determined as 23.72 (from 11.2 to 48.6 Bq.kg-1), 28.72 (from 11.9 to 33.0 Bq.kg-1) and 612.93 Bq.kg-1 (from 244.0 to 907.0 Bq.kg-1), respectively, which are all lower than the Jiuquan background values, among which the concentration of 40K is higher than UNSCEAR 2008 and Beishan background value. The calculated data of radium equivalent, representative level index, external standard, internal standard, and annual effective dose are less than the recommended limits. Therefore, it can be concluded that the building being constructed of the materials is safe for the inhabitants. The findings from this research will be useful to assess the radiation hazards of building materials in humans. It is valuable for the environmental impact assessment of the underground research laboratory of high-level radioactive waste and the assessment of the hazard of radioactive building materials to human body.
Research on Advanced Available Techniques of Air pollution Prevention and Control in Building Ceramics Industry in China
Authors: Su H , Li H M , Wang X C , Wang Z S , Tan Y F
Published: April 2021

The flue gas emission of the building ceramics industry accounts for 85% of the whole ceramic industry in China, and it is the critical sector of air pollution control in the ceramic industry. The advanced available techniques (AAT) of air pollution prevention and control are of considerable significance to promote the upgrade of pollution prevention measures and technological progress. The paper studied and established the method of screening and evaluating the AAT for the prevention and control of air pollution in the building ceramics industry. Through collection and analysis of three normal pollutant emission concentrations of ten available techniques (AT), to select the AAT that meet at least one pollutant of all the plants was lower than 50% of the national standard emission concentration threshold in China. Based on the experience of the European Union and the comprehensive evaluation of industry associations, research institutions, and pollution control experts, five AAT were selected. The findings will provide an essential reference for the building ceramics industry to select advanced techniques, and provide significant technical support for the revision of the ceramic industrial pollutant emission standard for and selection of pollution prevention and control techniques (PPT and PCT) for pollutant discharge permission management.
Comparison and Analysis of Important Product Standards and Technical Indicator Systems in the Papermaking Field-Taking Facial Tissue as An Example
Authors: Li Jing , Qiu Wenlun , Yang Lifei
Published: April 2021

This article summarizes the current status of domestic and foreign standards for paper products and the standard system, compares and analyzes the domestic and international standards for facial tissue which is key product in the papermaking industry, combines the production technology, characteristics, and requirements of the product to establish key technologies index list for facial tissue, carries on comprehensive analysis of product standard index levels, testing methods, etc., and gives opinions and suggestions on product standard formulation and revision.
Effects of Variable Responses to Climate Change on the Interactions of Migratory and Resident Birds in Europe
Authors: Cao Yuren
Published: April 2021

Long-distance migrants and residents may respond to large-scale climate change by advancing egg laying dates. It is expected that variation in changes in avian laying dates among similar species affects their interactions in an ecological community. By analyzing long-term trends of the mean laying dates (MLD) of pied flycatcher Ficedula hypoleuca, collared flycatcher Ficedula albicollis, and great tits Parus major across 25 study sites in Europe from five published studies, the paper uses two-tailed t tests to show that variable adjustments in laying dates in different species have different implications on their interactions across Europe. It is found that pied flycatcher advanced laying dates significantly faster compared to great tits in Central Europe, gaining advantage in their competition for nest holes. Additionally, the study shows that pied flycatcher and collared flycatcher potentially share smaller overlap in laying dates in their sympatric breeding ground in Northern Europe, which may decrease the occurrences of hybridization, whereas the trend reverses in Central Europe. The results highlight that geographical variations in phenological responses to climate change have complicated effects on interspecific interaction, a novel research field that lacks empirical results. The conclusions of this study provide potential directions for empirical studies of climate change in the future.
Nanotechnology in the Philippines: Development of framework for technology adoption
Authors: Lim N R E , Santos G N C , Ubando A T , Culaba A B
Published: April 2021

Groundbreaking advancements have driven significant industries to adopt and take advantage of the key technologies in order to thrive in these adjustments coming from the Fourth Industrial Revolution (FIRe). However, with the threat of the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) causing catastrophic setback to the society and economy, scientific endeavors have shifted towards finding a solution to this pandemic. It is high time to evaluate how the current technology from the FIRe can help a country, such as the Philippines, survive such outbreaks and unforeseen circumstances. Advancements in the field of nanotechnology aim to develop smaller and inexpensive testers, and overall newer and more effective medical solutions. However, the extent on how these technologies can be realized depends on the interplay between the country’s policies, and the strong link between industry and academe. This paper raises policy recommendations from synthesizing the trends in nanotechnology and forecasting how it develops so as the country can readily adapt. Moreover, this paper identifies the barriers and constraints, as well as the factors necessary for the technology adoption in the country.
Feasibility of quantum key distribution from high altitude platforms
Authors: Chu Yi , Donaldson Ross , Kumar Rupesh , Grace David
Published: April 2021

This paper presents the feasibility study of deploying quantum key distribution (QKD) from high altitude platforms (HAPs), as a way of securing future communications applications and services. The paper provides a thorough review of the state of the art HAP technologies and summarises the benefits that HAPs can bring to the QKD services. A detailed link budget analysis is presented in the paper to evaluate the feasibility of delivering QKD from stratospheric HAPs flying at 20 km altitude. The results show a generous link budget under most operating conditions which brings the possibility of using diverged beams, thereby simplifying the pointing, acquisition and tracking of the optical system on the HAPs and ground, potentially widening the range of future use cases where QKD could be a viable solution.
The impact of rain rate, raining patch size, and spacing on southeastern Pacific cloud fraction transitions
Authors: Smalley Kevin M , Rapp Anita D
Published: April 2021

Rain-induced cold pools are one mechanism by which transitions in cloud fraction in marine stratocumulus over the southeast Pacific occur. We use CloudSat/CALIPSO to identify raining patches within stratocumulus over the southeast Pacific, and then calculate the cloud fraction surrounding each raining patch, nearest-neighbor distance (spacing), mean rain rate, and raining patch size (extent). The spatial patterns show that as cloud fraction decreases and rain rate increases from east to west, a minimum in spacing exists between 80 °W-100 °W, but the maximum extent occurs further west. Holding spacing constant, cloud fraction decreases with rain rate but increases with extent. Additionally, cloud fraction is generally lower between 80 °W-100 °W when cells are large. This behavior is consistent with the idea that heavier rainfall associated with larger cells may result in possible cold pool interactions that could drive lower cloud fractions around the largest cells producing the most intense rainfall.
Class numbers and representations by ternary quadratic forms with congruence conditions
Authors: Bringmann Kathrin , Kane Ben
Published: April 2021

In this paper, we are interested in the interplay between integral ternary quadratic forms and class numbers. This is partially motivated by a question of Petersson.
Does a typical ℓ_{𝑝}-space contraction have a non-trivial invariant subspace?
Authors: Grivaux Sophie , Matheron Étienne , Menet Quentin
Published: April 2021

Given a Polish topology

τ
\tau

on

B

1

(
X
)

\mathcal {B}_{1}(X)

, the set of all contraction operators on

X
=

ℓ
p

X=\ell _p

,

1
≤
p
>
∞

1\le p>\infty

or

X
=

c
0

X=c_0

, we prove several results related to the following question: does a typical

T
∈

B

1

(
X
)

T\in \mathcal {B}_{1}(X)

in the Baire Category sense has a non-trivial invariant subspace? In other words, is there a dense

G
δ

G_\delta

set

G

⊆
(

B

1

(
X
)
,
τ
)

\mathcal G\subseteq (\mathcal {B}_{1}(X),\tau )

such that every

T
∈

G

T\in \mathcal G

has a non-trivial invariant subspace? We mostly focus on the Strong Operator Topology and the Strong

∗

^*

Operator Topology.
Evaluation of the relative available energy of cyclic nigerosylnigerose using breath hydrogen excretion in healthy humans
Authors: Mizote Akiko , Yasuda Akiko , Yoshizane Chiyo , Ishida Yuki , Kakuta Shoji , Endo Shin , Mitsuzumi Hitoshi , Ushio Shimpei
Published: April 2021

Cyclic nigerosylnigerose (CNN) is a cyclic tetrasaccharide with properties distinct from those of other conventional cyclodextrins. We investigated the relative available energy of CNN in healthy humans. CNN digestibility was determined using brush border membrane vesicles from the small intestines of rats. CNN was not hydrolyzed by rat intestinal enzymes. To investigate breath hydrogen excretion, 13 human subjects were included in a double-blind cross-over, randomized, placebo-controlled study. The effects of CNN on hydrogen excretion were compared with those of a typical nondigestible, fermentable fructooligosaccharide (FOS). In the study participants, hydrogen excretion hardly increased upon CNN and was remarkably lower than for FOS. The available energy value was determined using the fermentability based on breath hydrogen excretion and was evaluated as 0 kcal/g for CNN. CNN was hardly metabolized and hence may be used as a low-energy dietary fiber.
The PRAME family of cancer testis antigens is essential for germline development and gametogenesis
Authors: Kern Chandlar H , Yang Mingyao , Liu Wan-Sheng
Published: April 2021

Preferentially expressed antigen in melanoma (PRAME) belongs to a group of cancer/testis antigens that are predominately expressed in the testis and a variety of tumors, and are involved in immunity and reproduction. Much of the attention on PRAME has centered on cancer biology as PRAME is a prognostic biomarker for a wide range of cancers and a potential immunotherapeutic target. Less information is available about the PRAME family’s function (s) during gametogenesis and in the overall reproduction process. Here, we review the current knowledge of the PRAME gene family and its function in germline development and gametogenesis. Members of the PRAME family are leucine rich repeat proteins, localized in nucleus and cytoplasm, with multifaceted roles in germ cells. As transcriptional regulators, the PRAME family proteins are involved in germline development, particularly in the maintenance of embryonic stem cell pluripotency, development of primordial germ cells, and differentiation/proliferation of spermatogenic and oogenic cells. The PRAME family proteins are also enriched in cytoplasmic organelles, such as rough endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi vesicle, germinal granules, centrioles, and play a role in the formation of the acrosome and sperm tail during spermiogenesis. The PRAME gene family remains transcriptionally active in the germline throughout the entire life cycle and is essential for gametogenesis, with some members specific to either male or female germ cells, while others are involved in both male and female gametogenesis. A potential molecular mechanism that underlies the function of PRAME, and is shared by gametogenesis and oncogenesis is also discussed.
A central role for cAMP/EPAC/RAP/PI3K/AKT/CREB signaling in LH-induced follicular Pgr expression at medaka ovulation
Authors: Ogiwara Katsueki , Hoyagi Miyuki , Takahashi Takayuki
Published: April 2021

Nuclear progestin receptor (PGR) is a ligand-activated transcription factor that has been identified as a pivotal mediator of many processes associated with ovarian and uterine function, and aberrant control of PGR activity causes infertility and disease including cancer. The essential role of PGR in vertebrate ovulation is well recognized, but the mechanisms by which PGR is rapidly and transiently induced in preovulatory follicles after the ovulatory LH surge are not known in lower vertebrates. To address this issue, we utilized the small freshwater teleost medaka Oryzias latipes, which serves as a good model system for studying vertebrate ovulation. In the in vitro ovulation system using preovulatory follicles dissected from the fish ovaries, we found that inhibitors of EPAC (brefeldin A), RAP (GGTI298), PI3K (Wortmannin), AKT (AKT inhibitor IV), and CREB (KG-501) inhibited LH-induced follicle ovulation, while the PKA inhibitor H-89 had no effect on follicle ovulation. The inhibitors capable of inhibiting follicle ovulation also inhibited follicular expression of Pgr and matrix metalloproteinase-15 (Mmp15), the latter of which was previously shown to not only be a downstream effector of Pgr but also a proteolytic enzyme indispensable for follicle rupture in medaka ovulation. Further detailed analysis revealed for the first time that the cAMP/EPAC/RAP/PI3K/AKT/CREB signaling pathway mediates the LH signal to induce Pgr expression in preovulatory follicles. Our data also showed that phosphorylated Creb1 is a transcription factor essential for pgr expression and that Creb1 phosphorylated by Akt1, rather than PKA, may be preferably used to induce pgr expression.