bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Relationship between the TC of Smart Meta-Superconductor Bi(Pb)SrCaCuO and Inhomogeneous Phase Content
Authors: Chen Honggang , Wang Mingzhong , Qi Yao , Li Yongbo , Zhao Xiaopeng
Published: April 2021

A smart meta-superconductor Bi(Pb)SrCaCuO (B(P)SCCO) may increase the critical transition temperature (TC) of B(P)SCCO by electroluminescence (EL) energy injection of inhomogeneous phases. However, the increase amplitude ΔTC (ΔTC=TC−TC,pure) of TC is relatively small. In this study, a smart meta-superconductor B(P)SCCO with different matrix sizes was designed. Three kinds of raw materials with different particle sizes were used, and different series of Y2O3:Sm3+, Y2O3, Y2O3:Eu3+, and Y2O3:Eu3++Ag-doped samples and pure B(P)SCCO were prepared. Results indicated that the TC of the Y2O3 or Y2O3:Sm3+ non-luminescent dopant doping sample is lower than that of pure B(P)SCCO. However, the TC of the Y2O3:Eu3++Ag or Y2O3:Eu3+ luminescent inhomogeneous phase doping sample is higher than that of pure B(P)SCCO. With the decrease of the raw material particle size from 30 to 5 μm, the particle size of the B(P)SCCO superconducting matrix in the prepared samples decreases, and the doping content of the Y2O3:Eu3++Ag or Y2O3:Eu3+ increases from 0.2% to 0.4%. Meanwhile, the increase of the inhomogeneous phase content enhances the ΔTC. When the particle size of raw material is 5 μm, the doping concentration of the luminescent inhomogeneous phase can be increased to 0.4%. At this time, the zero-resistance temperature and onset transition temperature of the Y2O3:Eu3++Ag doped sample are 4 and 6.3 K higher than those of pure B(P)SCCO, respectively.
Coffee Grounds-Derived CNPs for Efficient Cr(VI) Water Remediation
Authors: Bettini Simona , Ottolini Michela , Pagano Rosanna , Pal Sudipto , Licciulli Antonio , Valli Ludovico , Giancane Gabriele
Published: April 2021

Carbon nanomaterials are a group of materials characterized by sp2/sp3 carbon backbone which, combined with surface atoms and/or chemical groups, ensures peculiar physical chemical features for a wide range of applications. Among these materials, carbon dots and carbon nanoparticles belong to carbon nanomaterials with a few nanometer dimensions. In this work, carbon nanoparticles were produced from spent coffee grounds as sustainable carbon source through a simple, cheap and eco-friendly procedure according to an oxidation process (at controlled temperature) driven by hydrogen peroxide. Atomic Force Microscope (AFM) and fluorescence, UV-Vis absorption, FT-IR and Raman spectroscopy were used to assess the formation of carbon nanomaterials of about 10 nm with the typical emission and absorption properties of carbon dots and peculiar surface features. In fact, the presence of heteroatoms, i.e., phosphorus, and the carbonyl/carboxyl surface groups on carbon nanoparticles, was proposed to confer peculiar properties allowing the fast Mn(VII) reduction to Mn(II) at neutral pH and the Cr(VI) reduction to Cr(III) in weak acid aqueous media.
Gold Nanoparticles Synthesis and Antimicrobial Effect on Fibrous Materials
Authors: Mehravani Behnaz , Ribeiro Ana , Zille Andrea
Published: April 2021

Depositing nanoparticles in textiles have been a promising strategy to achieve multifunctional materials. Particularly, antimicrobial properties are highly valuable due to the emergence of new pathogens and the spread of existing ones. Several methods have been used to functionalize textile materials with gold nanoparticles (AuNPs). Therefore, this review highlighted the most used methods for AuNPs preparation and the current studies on the topic in order to obtain AuNPs with suitable properties for antimicrobial applications and minimize the environmental concerns in their production. Reporting the detailed information on the functionalization of fabrics, yarns, and fibers with AuNPs by different methods to improve the antimicrobial properties was the central objective. The studies combining AuNPs and textile materials have opened valuable opportunities to develop antimicrobial materials for health and hygiene products, as infection control and barrier material, with improved properties. Future studies are needed to amplify the antimicrobial effect of AuNPs onto textiles and minimize the concerns related to the synthesis.
Preparation of Copper Surface for the Synthesis of Single-Layer Graphene
Authors: Kondrashov Ivan , Komlenok Maxim , Pivovarov Pavel , Savin Sergey , Obraztsova Elena , Rybin Maxim
Published: April 2021

Chemical vapor deposition synthesis of graphene on copper foil from methane is the most promising technology for industrial production. However, an important problem of the formation of the additional graphene layers during synthesis arises due to the strong roughness of the initial copper foil. In this paper, various approaches are demonstrated to form a smooth copper surface before graphene synthesis to reduce the amount of few layer graphene islands. Six methods of surface processing of copper foils are studied and the decrease of the roughness from 250 to as low as 80 nm is achieved. The correlation between foil roughness and the formation of the additional layer is demonstrated. Under optimized conditions of surface treatment, the content of the additional graphene layer drops from 9 to 2.1%. The quality and the number of layers of synthesized graphene are analyzed by Raman spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy and measurements of charge mobility.
Nonviral Locally Injected Magnetic Vectors for In Vivo Gene Delivery: A Review of Studies on Magnetofection
Authors: Sizikov Artem A. , Kharlamova Marianna V. , Nikitin Maxim P. , Nikitin Petr I. , Kolychev Eugene L.
Published: April 2021

Magnetic nanoparticles have been widely used in nanobiomedicine for diagnostics and the treatment of diseases, and as carriers for various drugs. The unique magnetic properties of “magnetic” drugs allow their delivery in a targeted tumor or tissue upon application of a magnetic field. The approach of combining magnetic drug targeting and gene delivery is called magnetofection, and it is very promising. This method is simple and efficient for the delivery of genetic material to cells using magnetic nanoparticles controlled by an external magnetic field. However, magnetofection in vivo has been studied insufficiently both for local and systemic routes of magnetic vector injection, and the relevant data available in the literature are often merely descriptive and contradictory. In this review, we collected and systematized the data on the efficiency of the local injections of magnetic nanoparticles that carry genetic information upon application of external magnetic fields. We also investigated the efficiency of magnetofection in vivo, depending on the structure and coverage of magnetic vectors. The perspectives of the development of the method were also considered.
Hydrogen Nanometrology in Advanced Carbon Nanomaterial Electrodes
Authors: Lobo Rui , Alvarez Noe , Shanov Vesselin
Published: April 2021

A comparative experimental study between advanced carbon nanostructured electrodes, in similar hydrogen uptake/desorption conditions, is investigated making use of the recent molecular beam-thermal desorption spectrometry. This technique is used for monitoring hydrogen uptake and release from different carbon electrocatalysts: 3D-graphene, single-walled carbon nanotube networks, multi-walled carbon nanotube networks, and carbon nanotube thread. It allows an accurate determination of the hydrogen mass absorbed in electrodes made from these materials, with significant enhancement in the signal-to-noise ratio for trace hydrogen avoiding recourse to ultra-high vacuum procedures. The hydrogen mass spectra account for the enhanced surface capability for hydrogen adsorption in the different types of electrode in similar uptake conditions, and confirm their enhanced hydrogen storage capacity, pointing to a great potential of carbon nanotube threads in replacing the heavier metals or metal alloys as hydrogen storage media.
Carbon Nanotubes Decrease the Negative Impact of Alternaria solani in Tomato Crop
Authors: González-García Yolanda , Cadenas-Pliego Gregorio , Alpuche-Solís Ángel Gabriel , Cabrera Raúl Iskander , Juárez-Maldonado Antonio
Published: April 2021

The diseases that attack the tomato crop are a limiting factor for its production and are difficult to control or eradicate. Stem and fruit rot and leaf blight caused by Alternaria solani causes severe damage and substantial yield losses. Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) could be an alternative for the control of pathogens since they have strong antimicrobial activity, in addition to inducing the activation of the antioxidant defense system in plants. In the present study, multi-walled carbon nanotubes were evaluated on the incidence and severity of A. solani. Moreover, to the impact they have on the antioxidant defense system and the photosynthetic capacity of the tomato crop. The results show that the application of CNTs had multiple positive effects on tomato crop. CNTs decreased the incidence and severity of A. solani. Furthermore, CNTs increased the fruit yield of tomato crop and dry shoot biomass. The antioxidant system was improved, since the content of ascorbic acid, flavonoids, and the activity of the glutathione peroxidase enzyme were increased. The net photosynthesis and water use efficiency were also increased by the application of CNTs. CNTs can be an option to control A. solani in tomato crop, and diminish the negative impact of this pathogen.
Imaging of Strong Nanoscale Vortex Pinning in GdBaCuO High-Temperature Superconducting Tapes
Authors: Collomb David , Zhang Min , Yuan Weijia , Bending Simon J.
Published: April 2021

The high critical current density of second-generation high-temperature superconducting (2G-HTS) tapes is the result of the systematic optimisation of the pinning landscape for superconducting vortices through careful engineering of the size and density of defects and non-superconducting second phases. Here, we use scanning Hall probe microscopy to conduct a vortex-resolved study of commercial GdBaCuO tapes in low fields for the first time and complement this work with “local” magnetisation and transport measurements. Magnetic imaging reveals highly disordered vortex patterns reflecting the presence of strong pinning from a dense distribution of nanoscale Gd2O3 second-phase inclusions in the superconducting film. However, we find that the measured vortex profiles are unexpectedly broad, with full-width-half-maxima typically of 6 μm, and exhibit almost no temperature dependence in the range 10–85 K. Since the lateral displacements of pinned vortex cores are not expected to exceed the superconducting layer thickness, this suggests that the observed broadening is caused by the disruption of the circulating supercurrents due to the high density of nanoscale pinning sites. Deviations of our local magnetisation data from an accepted 2D Bean critical state model also indicate that critical state profiles relax quite rapidly by flux creep. Our measurements provide important information about the role second-phase defects play in enhancing the critical current in these tapes and demonstrate the power of magnetic imaging as a complementary tool in the optimisation of vortex pinning phenomena in 2G-HTS tapes.
Plasmodiophora brassicae Inoculum Density and Spatial Patterns at the Field Level and Relation to Soil Characteristics
Authors: Botero-Ramirez Andrea , Hwang Sheau-Fang , Strelkov Stephen E.
Published: April 2021

Clubroot, caused by Plasmodiophora brassicae, is an important soilborne disease of the Brassicaceae. Knowledge of the spatial dynamics of P. brassicae at the field level and the influence of soil properties on pathogen spatial patterns can improve understanding of clubroot epidemiology and management. To study the spatial patterns of P. brassicae inoculum density and their relationship to different soil properties, four clubroot-infested fields in central Alberta, Canada, were sampled in 2017 and 2019, and P. brassicae inoculum density, soil pH, and boron, calcium, and magnesium concentrations were quantified. Spatial autocorrelation of the inoculum density was estimated for each of the fields in both years with the Moran’s I and semi-variograms. A Bayesian hierarchical spatial approach was used to model the relationship between P. brassicae inoculum density and the soil parameters. Patchiness of the pathogen was detected, with most patches located at the field edges and adjacent to the entrance. Infested patches grew in size from 2017 to 2019, with an average increase in diameter of 221.3 m and with this growth determined by the maximum inoculum density and active dispersal methods such as movement by machinery and wind. Soil pH, boron, calcium, and magnesium concentrations were not found to have an important effect on the inoculum density of P. brassicae.
Development of an Image Analysis Pipeline to Estimate Sphagnum Colony Density in the Field
Authors: van de Koot Willem Q. M. , van Vliet Larissa J. J. , Chen Weilun , Doonan John H. , Nibau Candida
Published: April 2021

Sphagnum peatmosses play an important part in water table management of many peatland ecosystems. Keeping the ecosystem saturated, they slow the breakdown of organic matter and release of greenhouse gases, facilitating peatland’s function as a carbon sink rather than a carbon source. Although peatland monitoring and restoration programs have increased recently, there are few tools to quantify traits that Sphagnum species display in their ecosystems. Colony density is often described as an important determinant in the establishment and performance in Sphagnum but detailed evidence for this is limited. In this study, we describe an image analysis pipeline that accurately annotates Sphagnum capitula and estimates plant density using open access computer vision packages. The pipeline was validated using images of different Sphagnum species growing in different habitats, taken on different days and with different smartphones. The developed pipeline achieves high accuracy scores, and we demonstrate its utility by estimating colony densities in the field and detecting intra and inter-specific colony densities and their relationship with habitat. This tool will enable ecologists and conservationists to rapidly acquire accurate estimates of Sphagnum density in the field without the need of specialised equipment.
Checklist of African Soapy Saponin—Rich Plants for Possible Use in Communities’ Response to Global Pandemics
Authors: Kunatsa Yvonne , Katerere David R.
Published: April 2021

Plants that exhibit foaming properties when agitated in aqueous solutions are commonly referred to as soapy plants, and they are used in different communities for washing, bathing, and hair shampooing. The frothing ability of these plants is attributed to saponins which are also well-documented to possess antimicrobial attributes. In the light of COVID-19, soap and hand hygiene have taken center stage. The pandemic has also revealed the low access to running water and commercial soaps in many marginalized and poor communities to the detriment of global health. Thus, soapy plants, either in their natural form or through incorporation in commercial products, may be a relevant additional weapon to assist communities to improve hand hygiene and contribute to curbing COVID-19 and other communicable infections. This review paper was compiled from a review of literature that was published between 1980 and 2020. We found 68 plant species, including those which are already used as traditional soaps. Our findings support the potential use of extracts from soapy plants because of their putative viricidal, bactericidal, and fungicidal activities for use in crude home-based formulations and possibly for developing natural commercial soap products.
Identification of Granule Growth Regimes in High Shear Wet Granulation Processes Using a Physics-Constrained Neural Network
Authors: Sampat Chaitanya , Ramachandran Rohit
Published: April 2021

The digitization of manufacturing processes has led to an increase in the availability of process data, which has enabled the use of data-driven models to predict the outcomes of these manufacturing processes. Data-driven models are instantaneous in simulate and can provide real-time predictions but lack any governing physics within their framework. When process data deviates from original conditions, the predictions from these models may not agree with physical boundaries. In such cases, the use of first-principle-based models to predict process outcomes have proven to be effective but computationally inefficient and cannot be solved in real time. Thus, there remains a need to develop efficient data-driven models with a physical understanding about the process. In this work, we have demonstrate the addition of physics-based boundary conditions constraints to a neural network to improve its predictability for granule density and granule size distribution (GSD) for a high shear granulation process. The physics-constrained neural network (PCNN) was better at predicting granule growth regimes when compared to other neural networks with no physical constraints. When input data that violated physics-based boundaries was provided, the PCNN identified these points more accurately compared to other non-physics constrained neural networks, with an error of <1%. A sensitivity analysis of the PCNN to the input variables was also performed to understand individual effects on the final outputs.
God, Moral Requirements, and the Limits of Freedom
Authors: Ekstrom Laura W.
Published: April 2021

This article addresses James Sterba’s recent argument for the conclusion that God’s existence is incompatible with the degree and amount of evil in the world. I raise a number of questions concerning the moral principles that Sterba suggests God would be required to follow, as well as with respect to the analogy he draws between the obligations of a just state and the obligations of God. Against Sterba’s proposed justified divine policy of constraint on human freedom, I ask: What would motivate a perfect being to create human beings who imagine, intend, and freely begin to carry out horrific actions that bring harm to other human beings, to nonhuman animals, and to the environment? I argue that the rationale is lacking behind the thought that God would only interfere with the completion of the process of human beings’ bringing to fruition their horrifically harmful intended outcomes, rather than creating beings with different psychologies and abilities altogether. I end by giving some friendly proposals that help to support Sterba’s view that God, by nature, would be perfectly morally good.
When Yogis Become Warriors—The Embodied Spirituality of Kaḷaripayaṯṯu
Authors: Karasinski-Sroka Maciej
Published: April 2021

This study examines the relationship between body and spirituality in kaḷaripayaṯṯu (kaḷarippayaṯṯu), a South Indian martial art that incorporates yogic techniques in its training regimen. The paper is based on ethnographic material gathered during my fieldwork in Kerala and interviews with practitioners of kaḷaripayaṯṯu and members of the Nāyar clans. The Nāyars of Kerala created their own martial arts that were further developed in their family gymnasia (kaḷari). These kaḷaris had their own training routines, initiations and patron deities. Kaḷaris were not only training grounds, but temples consecrated with daily rituals and spiritual exercises performed in the presence of masters of the art called gurukkals. For gurukkals, the term kaḷari has a broader spectrum of meaning—it denotes the threefold system of Nāyar education: Hindu doctrines, physical training, and yogico-meditative exercises. This short article investigates selected aspects of embodied spirituality in kaḷaripayaṯṯu and argues that body in kaḷari is not only trained but also textualized and ritualized.
A Temperature Independent Inclinometer Based on a Tapered Fiber Bragg Grating in a Fiber Ring Laser
Authors: Lin Weihao , Zhou Shengjie , Shao Liyang , Vai Mang I. , Shum Perry-Ping , Xu Weijie , Zhao Fang , Yu Feihong , Liu Yibin , Liu Yuhui , Liu Shuaiqi
Published: April 2021

We demonstrate a new concept for an all-fiber inclinometer based on a tapered fiber Bragg grating (tFBG) in a fiber ring laser (FRL) with the capability of measuring the tilt angle and temperature simultaneously. The sensor performance is analyzed theoretically and investigated experimentally. The dependence of tilt angle on the spectral response in variable temperature conditions was measured. Two inclinometers with different lengths have been fabricated and characterized in FRL. The sensitivity is 0.583 dB/° and 0.849 dB/°, respectively, in the range of 0° to 90°. Thanks to the FRL system, narrow 3-dB bandwidth (<0.1 nm) and high optical signal-to-noise ratio (~60 dB) are achieved. The tFBG in the FRL system can be used for working as a temperature insensitive inclinometer. The results suggested that the proposed inclinometer has the advantages of compact size and convenient manufacture, enhancing its potential for application prospect.
Automatic Correction of Real-Word Errors in Spanish Clinical Texts
Authors: Bravo-Candel Daniel , López-Hernández Jésica , García-Díaz José Antonio , Molina-Molina Fernando , García-Sánchez Francisco
Published: April 2021

Real-word errors are characterized by being actual terms in the dictionary. By providing context, real-word errors are detected. Traditional methods to detect and correct such errors are mostly based on counting the frequency of short word sequences in a corpus. Then, the probability of a word being a real-word error is computed. On the other hand, state-of-the-art approaches make use of deep learning models to learn context by extracting semantic features from text. In this work, a deep learning model were implemented for correcting real-word errors in clinical text. Specifically, a Seq2seq Neural Machine Translation Model mapped erroneous sentences to correct them. For that, different types of error were generated in correct sentences by using rules. Different Seq2seq models were trained and evaluated on two corpora: the Wikicorpus and a collection of three clinical datasets. The medicine corpus was much smaller than the Wikicorpus due to privacy issues when dealing with patient information. Moreover, GloVe and Word2Vec pretrained word embeddings were used to study their performance. Despite the medicine corpus being much smaller than the Wikicorpus, Seq2seq models trained on the medicine corpus performed better than those models trained on the Wikicorpus. Nevertheless, a larger amount of clinical text is required to improve the results.
Non-Destructive Detection Pilot Study of Vegetable Organic Residues Using VNIR Hyperspectral Imaging and Deep Learning Techniques
Authors: Seo Youngwook , Kim Giyoung , Lim Jongguk , Lee Ahyeong , Kim Balgeum , Jang Jaekyung , Mo Changyeun , Kim Moon S.
Published: April 2021

Contamination is a critical issue that affects food consumption adversely. Therefore, efficient detection and classification of food contaminants are essential to ensure food safety. This study applied a visible and near-infrared (VNIR) hyperspectral imaging technique to detect and classify organic residues on the metallic surfaces of food processing machinery. The experimental analysis was performed by diluting both potato and spinach juices to six different concentration levels using distilled water. The 3D hypercube data were acquired in the range of 400–1000 nm using a line-scan VNIR hyperspectral imaging system. Each diluted residue in the spectral domain was detected and classified using six classification methods, including a 1D convolutional neural network (CNN-1D) and five pre-processing methods. Among them, CNN-1D exhibited the highest classification accuracy, with a 0.99 and 0.98 calibration result and a 0.94 validation result for both spinach and potato residues. Therefore, in comparison with the validation accuracy of the support vector machine classifier (0.9 and 0.92 for spinach and potato, respectively), the CNN-1D technique demonstrated improved performance. Hence, the VNIR hyperspectral imaging technique with deep learning can potentially afford rapid and non-destructive detection and classification of organic residues in food facilities.
Automatic Pixel-Level Pavement Crack Recognition Using a Deep Feature Aggregation Segmentation Network with a scSE Attention Mechanism Module
Authors: Qiao Wenting , Liu Qiangwei , Wu Xiaoguang , Ma Biao , Li Gang
Published: April 2021

Pavement crack detection is essential for safe driving. The traditional manual crack detection method is highly subjective and time-consuming. Hence, an automatic pavement crack detection system is needed to facilitate this progress. However, this is still a challenging task due to the complex topology and large noise interference of crack images. Recently, although deep learning-based technologies have achieved breakthrough progress in crack detection, there are still some challenges, such as large parameters and low detection efficiency. Besides, most deep learning-based crack detection algorithms find it difficult to establish good balance between detection accuracy and detection speed. Inspired by the latest deep learning technology in the field of image processing, this paper proposes a novel crack detection algorithm based on the deep feature aggregation network with the spatial-channel squeeze & excitation (scSE) attention mechanism module, which calls CrackDFANet. Firstly, we cut the collected crack images into 512 × 512 pixel image blocks to establish a crack dataset. Then through iterative optimization on the training and validation sets, we obtained a crack detection model with good robustness. Finally, the CrackDFANet model verified on a total of 3516 images in five datasets with different sizes and containing different noise interferences. Experimental results show that the trained CrackDFANet has strong anti-interference ability, and has better robustness and generalization ability under the interference of light interference, parking line, water stains, plant disturbance, oil stains, and shadow conditions. Furthermore, the CrackDFANet is found to be better than other state-of-the-art algorithms with more accurate detection effect and faster detection speed. Meanwhile, our algorithm model parameters and error rates are significantly reduced.
Vision–Language–Knowledge Co-Embedding for Visual Commonsense Reasoning
Authors: Lee JaeYun , Kim Incheol
Published: April 2021

Visual commonsense reasoning is an intelligent task performed to decide the most appropriate answer to a question while providing the rationale or reason for the answer when an image, a natural language question, and candidate responses are given. For effective visual commonsense reasoning, both the knowledge acquisition problem and the multimodal alignment problem need to be solved. Therefore, we propose a novel Vision–Language–Knowledge Co-embedding (ViLaKC) model that extracts knowledge graphs relevant to the question from an external knowledge base, ConceptNet, and uses them together with the input image to answer the question. The proposed model uses a pretrained vision–language–knowledge embedding module, which co-embeds multimodal data including images, natural language texts, and knowledge graphs into a single feature vector. To reflect the structural information of the knowledge graph, the proposed model uses the graph convolutional neural network layer to embed the knowledge graph first and then uses multi-head self-attention layers to co-embed it with the image and natural language question. The effectiveness and performance of the proposed model are experimentally validated using the VCR v1.0 benchmark dataset.
On the Frequency Carrier Offset and Symbol Timing Estimation for CCSDS 131.2-B-1 High Data-Rate Telemetry Receivers
Authors: Bertolucci Matteo , Cassettari Riccardo , Fanucci Luca
Published: April 2021

In recent years there have been significant developments in satellite transmitter technology to follow the rapid innovation of sensors on-board new satellites. The CCSDS 131.2-B-1 standard for telemetry downlink, released in 2012, is part of the next generation of standards that aims to support the increased data-rate caused by these improvements in resolution. As a result of its relative novelty, this standard currently lacks in-depth analysis by researchers, but it is also strongly supported by the European Space Agency (ESA) for future missions. For these reasons, it seems important to evaluate how major receiver sub-components, such as timing recovery and carrier frequency correction, can be designed and implemented in new receivers that support this standard. The timing error detectors (TED) and frequency error detectors (FED) were therefore studied on the specific peculiarities of CCSDS 131.2-B-1 in its usual environment of Low Earth Orbit (LEO). Estimators have been evaluated highlighting performances, trade-offs and peculiarities of each one with respect to corresponding architectural choices. Finally, a receiver architecture derived from the paper considerations is proposed in the aim of supporting very different mission scenarios. Specifically, the realized architecture employs a parallel feedforward estimator for the timing recovery section and a novel multi-algorithm feedback frequency correction loop to efficiently cover both low symbol rates (5 Mbaud) and high data-rates (up to 500 Mbaud). This solution represents a good trade-off to support these scenarios in a very compact footprint by pushing the clock frequency to the FPGA limit. The FPGA resources occupation on a Zynq Ultrascale+ RFSoC XCZU28DR FPGA is 5202 LUT, 4851 FF, 5 BRAM, and 21 DSP for the timing recovery part, while the frequency recovery section occupies 1723 LUT, 1511 FF, 2.5 BRAM and 32 DSP.
Ultra-Light Airborne Measurement System for Investigation of Urban Boundary Layer Dynamics
Authors: Sekula Piotr , Zimnoch Miroslaw , Bartyzel Jakub , Bokwa Anita , Kud Michal , Necki Jaroslaw
Published: April 2021

Winter smog episodes are a severe problem in many cities around the world. The following two mechanisms are responsible for influencing the level of pollutant concentrations: emission of pollutants from different sources and associated processes leading to formation of secondary aerosols in the atmosphere and meteorology, including advection, which is stimulated by horizontal wind, and convection, which depends on vertical air mass movements associated with boundary layer stability that are determined by vertical temperature and humidity gradients. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the performance of an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV)-based measurement system developed for investigation of urban boundary layer dynamics. The evaluation was done by comparing the results of temperature, relative humidity, wind speed and particulate matter fraction with aerodynamic diameter below 10 μm (PM10) concentration vertical profiles obtained using this system with two reference meteorological stations: Jagiellonian University Campus (JUC) and radio transmission tower (RTCN), located in the urban area of Krakow city, Southern Poland. The secondary aim of the study was to optimize data processing algorithms improving the response time of UAV sensor measurements during the ascent and descent parts of the flight mission.
Optimizing the Abandonment of a Technological Innovation
Authors: Parvin Albert Joseph , Beruvides Mario G.
Published: April 2021

The primary objective of this study is to reveal macro-level knowledge to aid the optimization, evaluation, and strategic planning of technological innovation abandonment. This research uses an exploratory data analysis (EDA) approach to extract directional and associative patterns (macro-level knowledge) to assess technological innovation abandonment optimization. Deterministic and stochastic simulations are employed to reveal the impact of three factors on abandonment optimization, namely, a technological innovation’s diffusion rate, a technological innovation’s probability of achieving a given diffusion rate, and the point of abandonment. The patterns and insights revealed through the graphical examination of the simulation provide associative and directional knowledge to assess the abandonment optimization of technological innovation. These revealed patterns and insights enable decision-makers to develop an abandonment assessment framework for optimizing, evaluating, and proactively planning abandonment at the macro level.
Environment, Business, and Health Care Prevail: A Comprehensive, Systematic Review of System Dynamics Application Domains
Authors: Zanker Marek , Bureš Vladimír , Tučník Petr
Published: April 2021

System dynamics, as a methodology for analyzing and understanding various types of systems, has been applied in research for several decades. We undertook a review to identify the latest application domains and map the realm of system dynamics. The systematic review was conducted according to the PRISMA methodology. We analyzed and categorized 212 articles and found that the vast majority of studies belong to the fields of business administration, health, and environmental research. Altogether, 20 groups of modeling and simulation topics can be recognized. System dynamics is occasionally supported by other modeling methodologies such as the agent-based modeling approach. There are issues related to published studies mostly associated with testing of validity and reasonability of models, leading to the development of predictions that are not grounded in verified models. This study contributes to the development of system dynamics as a methodology that can offer new ideas, highlight limitations, or provide analogies for further research in various research disciplines.
Role of Environmental Variables in the Transport of Microbes in Stormwater
Authors: Aryal Rupak , Sidhu Jatinder , Chong Meng , Toze Simon , Gernjak Wolfgang , Mainali Bandita
Published: April 2021

Microbial pathogens present in stormwater, which originate from human sewage and animal faecal matters, are one of the major impediments in stormwater reuse. The transport of microbes in stormwater is more than just a physical process. The mobility of microbes in stormwater is governed by many factors, such as dissolved organic matter, cations, pH, temperature and water flow. This paper examined the roles of three environmental variables, namely: dissolved organic matter, positive cations and stormwater flow on the transport of two faecal indicator bacteria (FIB), Enterococcus spp. and Escherichia coli. Stormwater runoff samples were collected during twelve wet weather events and one dry weather event from a medium density residential urban catchment in Brisbane. Enterococcus spp. numbers as high as 3 × 104 cfu/100 mL were detected in the stormwater runoff, while Escherichia coli numbers up to 3.6 × 103 cfu/100 mL were observed. The dissolved organic carbon (DOC) in the stormwater samples was in the range of 2.2–5.9 mg/L with an average concentration of 4.5 mg/L in which the hydrophilic carbon constituted the highest mass fraction of 60–80%. The results also showed that the transport of FIB in stormwater was reduced with an increasing concentration of the hydrophilic organic fraction, especially the humic fraction. On the contrary, the concentration of trivalent cations and stormwater flow rate showed a positive correlation with the FIB numbers. These findings indicated the potentiality to make a good use and measurement of simple environmental variables to reflect the degree of microbe transport in stormwater from residential/suburban catchments.
„Visi nori to savo versliuko“: posovietinė deindustrializacija, darbas ir pragyvenimo
būdai Marijampolėje
Authors: Teleišė Aušra
Published: April 2021

‘Everyone Wants their Own Business’: Post-Soviet Deindustrialisation,
Work and Means of Liv elihood in Marijampolė

This paper asks how people made their livings in the former Soviet industrial
city of Marijampolė during the crisis that was caused by the deindustrialization
associated with the transition from a centrally planned economy
to a market economy. It analyses aspects that helped to develop and include
people in means of livelihood; the ways in which work activities produce
new workplaces and have an impact on the transformation of places in Marijampolė;
and transformations of the concept of work. It shows that means
of livelihood that are used during a work crisis tend to expand, involve
others, and form structures.
Key words: work, means of livelihood, business, post-Soviet deindustrialization,
Marijampolė.
‘Coming from Abroad’: Exploring Romanian Migrants’ Transnational Social Networks through the Prism of Temporary Return
Authors: Cîrstea Ana-Maria
Published: April 2021

Return features heavily in the narratives and lives of Romanian immigrants
in London, as a key topic of debate rather than a mere end goal of their migration.
By analysing their experiences of temporary return, this paper1 reveals
the tensions and contradictions embedded in migrants’ transnational
social networks. It applies a two-fold focus: first examining the importance
of return for Romanians in London; then considering how experiences
of temporary return shape migrants’ social networks. The paper is based
on data from my scoping doctoral fieldwork, five weeks of participant observation
and interviews with Romanians in northwest London.
Key words: migration, Romania, transnationalism, return, social networks.
Estrategia metodológica para el aprendizaje de la lectura comprensiva
Authors: Mendoza Machado Judith Marlene
Published: April 2021

El presente artículo da cuenta de los resultados hallados en el estudio realizado respecto a las limitaciones que presentan en el proceso de aprendizaje de la lectura comprensiva los estudiantes de 4º y 5º grado del nivel primario de la Unidad Educativa “Beatriz Hartmann de Bedregal”, quienes en las primeras pesquisas realizadas previas a la investigación mostraron una lectura lineal y silábica correspondiente al primer nivel de comprensión,  se muestra los resultados de la aplicación de diferentes métodos con sus respectivos instrumentos, elaborados a partir de indicadores relacionados con elementos que tienen que ver con las dimensiones afectivo, metodológico, meta-cognitivo, semántico conceptual, resultados que confirmaron la existencia del problema identificado inicialmente. Describe la propuesta expresada en la estrategia metodológica como una respuesta a la problemática identificada inicialmente y tiene el propósito de potenciar el aprendizaje de esa habilidad además de ofrecer una guía de lectura a partir de una selección de variedad de textos con acciones concretas aplicadas antes, durante y después del proceso lector, pero principalmente sobre la base de los niveles de comprensión, elemento base de la temática de estudio.
Romance-nação e devires identitários nas literaturas de língua portuguesa: Portugal e Angola
Authors:   , Moura Adriano Carlos
Published: April 2021

Esta tese é resultado de um estudo de romances angolanos e portugueses publicados depois de 1975, ou seja, após a Revolução dos Cravos e a Independência das Colônias Portuguesas em África, com o intuito de verificar os efeitos desses eventos na construção das identidades nacionais e no gênero romanesco produzido pelos dois países. O corpus de análise é composto pelas seguintes obras: Mayombe de Pepetela, Estação das chuvas de José Eduardo Agualusa, Também os brancos sabem dançar de Kalaf Epalanga, Os transparentes de Ondjaki, Os cus de Judas de António Lobo Antunes, A costa dos murmúrios de Lídia Jorge, O retorno de Dulce Maria Cardoso. A pesquisa conduziu à formulação dos conceitos de romance-nação e personagem-nação, como representações dos espaços e das identidades protagonistas das narrativas que reconfiguram a ideia de nação construída pelo colonialismo. Teoricamente, tratase de uma abordagem interdisciplinar que recorre a diferentes áreas de conhecimento, como a Teoria Literária, História, Sociologia, Geografia, Antropologia, Estudos Culturais e Filosofia; sendo esta a que, alinhada às formulações literárias, mais contribui para a compreensão das identidades das nações, dos personagens, narradores e do próprio romance como devir. Tal entendimento se baseia no que postularam os filósofos Gilles Deleuze e Félix Guattari em consonância com outros teóricos como Achille Mbembe, Kwame Anthony Appiah, Zigmunt Bauman, Eduardo Lourenço, Boaventura Sousa Santos, Luís Kandjimbo dentre outros. Inicialmente faz-se um breve panorama sobre a evolução do romance do século XIX e seu monologismo onisciente até a polifonia, para então pensar as narrativas como rizomáticas e as identidades como devires. Em seguida problematizam-se os conceitos de lusofonia, literatura universal e literatura-mundo para interpelá-los quanto aos possíveis conteúdos neocoloniais que podem atravessá-los. Por fim, sistematizam-se os conceitos desenvolvidos ao longo da tese: o romance-nação e o personagem-nação como devires e um modo de ler romances sobre as identidades individuais e coletivas que compõem o que modernamente se concebe como nação.
Uma nova emoção vem por aí: as estratégias de lançamento da telenovela na era da convergência
Authors:   , Nunes Carlos Eduardo de Almeida
Published: April 2021

Esta pesquisa decorre da investigação sobre as chamadas veiculadas pela Rede Globo para o lançamento de suas telenovelas, tendo como pano de fundo o cenário de mudanças comunicacionais proporcionado pela integração entre os múltiplos meios midiáticos. O estudo inicia-se por um percurso teórico sobre essa transformação contextualizada pela cultura da convergência midiática e como ela desempenha um papel fundamental na nova forma de relacionamento entre a Rede Globo, a sua audiência costumeira e os usuários digitais. Desenvolvemos a construção da grade de programação e de um intervalo dentro de uma emissora de TV, introduzindo assim o estudo dos principais conceitos e a categorização acerca do objeto da pesquisa, as chamadas de programação. Complementamos com uma reflexão acerca do papel do design televisual na atualidade e como seus elementos podem demonstrar ao público a integração entre televisão e internet. Na terceira parte, apresentamos a metodologia de pesquisa, assim como demonstramos os resultados obtidos por meio da análise das chamadas de lançamento de Flor do Caribe - Edição Especial, telenovela exibida entre 2020 e 2021 no horário das seis da Rede Globo. Nossa análise abrange dois elementos: os aspectos constitutivos do formato narrativo e visual das chamadas e a forma de divulgação junto ao público na televisão aberta e no ambiente digital, por meio das plataformas e redes sociais da emissora na internet.
Dos registros paroquiais de terras de Santo Antônio do Paraibuna aos “senhores e possuidores” do distrito rural de São Francisco de Paula (1850-1880)
Authors:   , Morais Júnior Eduardo Barbosa de
Published: April 2021

No Brasil Imperial, a segunda metade do oitocentos foi marcada por inovações jurídicas, especialmente no que diz respeito ao acesso à terra e à escravidão. A presente dissertação teve como norte os Registros Paroquiais de Terras (RPT) do município de Santo Antônio do Paraibuna, produzidos entre 1855-1856, fonte primária de valor histórico ainda pouco explorado, que surgiu como um desdobramento da regulamentação da Lei de Terras de 1850, através do decreto nº 1318 de 30 de janeiro de 1854. No mesmo ano em que foram promulgadas as novidades legais, a Vila de Santo Antônio do Paraibuna - MG fora emancipada do termo de Barbacena - MG, autonomia institucional conquistada pela crescente importância econômica e social que a localidade atingia devido ao aumento exponencial das lavouras de café, com base no trabalho escravo africano. Desse modo, tomou-se como recorte os RPT de Santo Antônio do Paraibuna, entrecruzando as informações contidas na fonte, estabelecendo hipóteses, constantes e singularidades em relação à província mineira. Tal exercício levou a pesquisa ao distrito rural de São Francisco de Paula, onde foram perseguidas as trajetórias de alguns personagens históricos que emergiram dos RPT como proprietários de terras. Através da análise documental de “senhores e possuidores” que por ali viveram, foi possível captar – em fontes como inventários, testamentos, processos cíveis, criminais, além dos censos populacionais e listas nominativas produzidas entre 1830 e 1872 – fragmentos sobre atividades produtivas, conflitos por terras e estratégias proprietárias.
O processo de formação histórico-político e territorial do município de Visconde do Rio Branco
Authors:   , Paula Lucas Pinheiro de
Published: April 2021

O Estado brasileiro enfrentou ao longo do século XIX o desafio de ordenar o território no interior das províncias. A forma como se estabelecia os limites municipais era um problema e o crescimento do número de municípios principalmente a partir da década de 1830 dificultou ainda mais a delimitação da área dos municípios. Junto a essa questão a constituição político-administrativa se apresentava de uma forma muito mais complexa como conhecemos atualmente. Se os municípios atualmente são subdivididos apenas em distritos, anteriormente os poderes políticos, judiciários e eclesiásticos participavam do ordenamento territorial e diferentes categorias se sobrepunham gerando um complexo ordenamento territorial. A cidade de Visconde do Rio Branco, localizada no sudeste de Minas Gerais tem seu processo de formação inserido dentro desse contexto. Quando ainda povoado denominava-se Aldeia do Xopotó dos Coroados, e o município foi criado somente em 1839 após ser desmembrado de Pomba com a denominação de Vila de São João Batista do Presídio. O município do Presídio tem um papel importante na consolidação da territorialidade da porção central da zona da mata mineira, do seu território originaram-se 49 municípios. Nesse sentido o objetivo dessa pesquisa é discutir a evolução políticoadministrativa e territorial a partir da Vila de São João Batista do Presídio, no período de 1839 até os dias atuais. A metodologia adotada fundamentou-se em pesquisas bibliográficas, geoprocessamento aplicado a cartografia histórica e involução cartográfica. Os principais resultados obtidos consistem na representação cartográfica do limite territorial de Visconde do Rio Branco para diferentes períodos e um conhecimento mais detalhado a respeito do ordenamento territorial da área de estudo. Dessa forma, espera-se que a pesquisa possa contribuir com informações e materiais cartográficos que enriqueçam a geografia-histórica do municípios de Visconde do Rio Branco e também dos municípios que se desmembraram de seu território original.
Sobre fracasos y éxitos relativos
Authors: Vander Velden Felipe
Published: April 2021

A partir de un ejemplo etnográfico concreto situado entre los Karitiana (pueblo indígena de lengua Tupi-Arikém en el estado de Rondônia, sudoeste de la Amazonía brasileña), este artículo discute algunas de las razones por las cuales la introducción de la crianza de animales en gran escala entre las sociedades nativas de las tierras bajas sudamericanas han fracasado y obtuvieron, en el mejor de los casos, éxitos relativos. Construida como parte importante de las políticas públicas oficialmente dedicadas a los pueblos indígenas desde el inicio del siglo XX, la crianza de animales se basa en una serie de presupuestos incompatibles con las formas amerindias de relación con los seres no humanos. Tales divergencias explican el fracaso de los múltiples intentos de implementación de la ganadería, piscicultura o avicultura (entre otras) en aldeas indígenas amazónicas, sugiriendo que tales actividades no parecen constituir buenas alternativas para la sostenibilidad económica de esas poblaciones.